Happy Friday! I’ve got a wonderful Perfect Picture Book for you today, but I wanted to share a bit about the NESCBWI conference.

I’m still processing the experience and I urge all of you who are writers or illustrators, but aren’t yet members of SCBWI, to please, run, don’t walk, and become a member.

It is an organization that supports all writers and illustrators and the conferences are the best. The keynote speakers, like Jane Yolen and Melissa Sweet, provided inspiration and information by the bucketful. The accommodations and food were great. But truthfully, the best part of the weekend was getting to hug old friends

and make new ones.

 

I also wanted to remind everyone to continue to spread the word about the #50PreciousWordsforKids Writing Challenge. This morning a teacher at the Birchwood School in Cleveland, Ohio emailed to say that her 5^th grade class is going to participate. Woo-hoo!

I’ll be putting up a post on Sunday, April 30 because the challenge starts May 1, but we may have international participants and on the other side of the globe they are many hours ahead of me. All entries should be emailed to me by either a teacher or parent. This is going to be GREAT FUN!

And before we get to today’s book, we need to giveaway a copy of Jackie Azúa Kramer’s THE GREEN UMBRELLA. And the winner is…

YVONA FAST

Congratulations, Yvona! Please email me so I can connect you and Jackie.

The author of today’s Perfect Picture Book Friday pick is well-known to most of this kidlit community. She’s the founder of Storystorm (formerly PiBoIdMo) and a force to be reckoned with.

Way Past Bedtime

Written by Tara Lazar

Illustrated by Rich Wake

Publisher: Aladdin (2017)

Ages: 4-7

Themes:

Mystery, ingenuity, bedtime

Synopsis:

From Amazon:

Little Joseph turns into a bedtime super-sleuth as he tries to solve the mystery of what happens after the lights go out in this fun spin on classic bedtime stories.

Bedtime is Joseph’s least favorite time of day. When his parents tuck him in at night, Joseph imagines all kinds of things that he’s missing out on: big parties, hot-fudge fountains, exotic animals, and more.

But there is only one way to find out if what he imagines is actually true—and bedtime super-sleuth Joseph is determined to discover what happens way past bedtime.

Why I like this book:

• This book is a whole lot of fun…and kids will love sleuthing along with Joseph. I bet lots of kids wonder what goes on while they are sleeping.
• Great cartoon-like illustrations…and that’s not a bad thing because I think it will encourage some kids, especially boys, to pick up the book and keep turning the pages…and that’s what it’s all about!
• Oh, and did I say it was funny? Well, I’ll say it again…kids LOVE funny!

RELATED ACTIVITIES

Photo courtesy: http://www.coffeecupsandcrayons.com/spy-school-kids-activities/

1. Start a secret agent spy school with the downloadable forms from http://www.coffeecupsandcrayons.com/spy-school-kids-activities/
2. Set up a scavenger hunt with clues…my 8-year old grandson thinks being a detective is the coolest thing. I know I have to get a copy of this book for him!
3. Talk about how codes have been used to deliver secret messages: http://www.mathsweek.ie/2012/puzzles/code-breaking-for-young-secret-agents
4. Try writing a message in code and decipher it.

Have a wonderful weekend, dear friends…I hope you’ll visit tomorrow for:

 Will Write for Cookies

Anna Forrester

(we reviewed her BAT COUNT book a couple of months ago)

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This post is part of a series for parents and teachers called Perfect Picture Book Fridays hosted by Susannah Leonard Hill. Click on her link and find lots of other picture book suggestions with summaries and activities.