Happy Perfect Picture Book Friday, dear friends!

We’ve got another super picture book review PLUS an awesome craft for kids PLUS an amazing picture book critique giveaway (or school Skype visit if the winner is a teacher) from debut author Julie Segal Walters who will be stopping by to chat tomorrow with loads of insights and a yummy treat recipe.

However, first we have some books to give away!

Author Katey Howes is giving away a copy of GRANDMOTHER THORN. And the winner is…

Jarm Del Boccio!

Suzy Leopold is giving away a personalized journal. And the winner is…

Maria Marshall!

Lori Alexander is giving away a copy of FAMOUSLY PHOEBE. And the winner is…

Barbara Cairnes!

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL! A huge thank you to our authors and illustrators…we’ve had 44 giveaways this year so far, and that doesn’t count the ones for #50PreciousWords and the Skype visits that were awarded to seven schools after #50PreciousWordsforKids. And of course, a huge thank you to all of my wonderful readers who bless me with their comments! I’m honored that you spend your precious time here at Picture Books Help Kids Soar. And I know you are waiting patiently for today’s selection…so here it is.

THIS IS NOT A NORMAL ANIMAL BOOK

Written by Julie Segal Walters

Illustrated by Brian Biggs

Published by Simon and Schuster (October 2017)

Ages: 4-8

Themes: Animals, humor

Opening Lines: “Animals can be classifed into groups by their unique traits.

Synopsis: From Amazon:

“This is a book about animals.
It is? I mean, it sort of is. It does have animals in it.
It’s a book about animals.
I hear you, but you have to admit it’s pretty strange. This is NOT a normal animal book.
You should read it.
At least we can agree on that.

This offbeat picture book is a hilarious behind the scenes look at the picture book creation process. It shows the importance of collaboration and compromise, and highlights the beauty of both words and art. Plus, it really gets you thinking about…BLOBFISH.”

 

Why I like this book:

• Fabulous text filled with humor
• Amazing art that intertwines with the text
• I love the repartee between author and illustrator

RELATED ACTIVITIES

Animal Flip Book

Photo courtesty: http://mykidcraft.com

You will need: Paper, stapler, scissors, crayons/markers.

For detailed instructions: http://mykidcraft.com/animal-matching-flip-book/

What else can you do after you read the story?

1. Take a trip to the zoo or the aquarium or a pet store.
2. Look up the animals mentioned to find out more about them.
3. Talk about which animals in the book would make good pets and which belong in the wild.

We all know how important it is to get feedback on our manuscripts…especially from the pros…so please don’t forget to leave a comment to be entered in the picture book critique manuscript giveaway. Then, come back tomorrow for our Q&A with debut picture book author Julie Segal Walters. And remember, the greatest gift you can give your favorite authors is to buy their books and review them on Amazon and/or Goodreads.

For more picture book reviews, stop by Susanna Hill’s Perfect Picture Book Friday link up.