Happy Perfect Picture Book Friday, dear friends.

Have you ever wondered what life had in store for you? When you were a kid, did you think about what you would become or who you were at that moment in time or what you really wanted to be? Those are the questions that someone poses to Blob…and Blob has some very interesting answers. Author/illustrator Anne Appert used heart and humor in her text and in her illustrations to bring kids a super cool story about being true to yourself. And her debut picture book launches on September 14th!!!!

BLOB

Written and illustrated by Anne Appert

Published by HarperCollins

Ages: 4-8

Themes: Be true to yourself, self-awareness

Synopsis from Amazon:

A humorous picture book featuring a blob (n. a creature that can be anything they want) about embracing who we are and the many things we can be.

Blob is a creature of indeterminate kind. Blob can be a giraffe, cotton candy, and even an octopus. It’s not until a certain someone continuously calls them “Bob” that Blob starts to question who they really are.

After a series of funny yet enlightening discoveries about all the possible things they can be, Blob realizes that the best thing to be is . . .

Blob.

(With the L.)

Author, artist, and auntie Anne Appert creates an irresistible story sure to please fans of What If, Pig?, Tiny T. Rex, and other hilariously charming and meaningful picture books.

WHY I LOVE THIS BOOK:

1. I always love when a book combines heart and humor – author Anne Appert does a fabulous job in this story!
2. The illustrations are so kid-friendly!
3. The messages of self-acceptance and being true to oneself shine!

RELATED ACTIVITIES:

FINGERPAINTING…so much fun for kids! You can finger paint a blob shape and turn it into whatever you’d like using markers or crayons after the paint dries. Or check out this website for more than a dozen awesome finger painting projects: https://www.momooze.com/fingerpainting-ideas-kids/

Here’s a little bit about the author:

Anne Appert spent her childhood in New Jersey with her nose stuck in a book and a wild imagination that transformed her backyard into faraway places and allowed her to be anything she dreamed she could be. She still enjoys spending time in her backyard dreaming, and now her imagination turns her dreams into words and pictures for children. Anne wrote and illustrated her debut book BLOB published by HarperCollins with a second book to follow. She is represented by Charlotte Wenger at Prospect Agency. You can find Anne’s portfolio at www.anneappert.com, and follow her on Twitter at @Anne_Appert or Instagram at @anneappertillustration.

And guess what? Anne was kind enough to stop by to chat a bit about the story behind the story:

ANNE: Blob started as a joke. People confused my animal characters for animals they were not: a skunk was confused for a badger, a squirrel for a cat etc. I said to a friend “I should just draw a blob!” and then I did. Then Blob and I had a conversation about who they were. That became the first manuscript for Blob. 

When my publisher asked me to write about why I wrote Blob, I was stumped. It was just a joke that people connected with! However, as I explored this question of why, I realized how much of me is in the book. When I was a kid, I hated having to answer the question, “what do you want to be when you grow up?” I just wanted to be me. I hope that Blob’s journey of self discovery will resonate with readers, and that they will be encouraged to choose to be themselves after reading this book. 

Thank you so much, Anne…this book is definitely going to help lots of kids!!

Please don’t forget to leave a comment to be entered in the Giveaway – it’s a fabulous one from Anne – a written critique of a picture book dummy or manuscript (fiction only)!!! A huge thank you to Anne!

Remember that the best way to let an author know you love her book is to buy it, review it, tell friends about it, and ask your local library to purchase copies for their collection.

Have a beautiful weekend, dear friends!