Happy Perfect Picture Book Friday, dear friends. Young children need laughter and joy in their lives – and here’s a book that will deliver smiles galore. It’s a BRAND NEW picture book from the lovely Jill Dana who is offering a Picture Book Critique as a giveaway – and when a Rate Your Story judge provides feedback on your manuscript, you know you’ve won something special! Make sure you leave a comment on this blog post for a chance to win!

BUTTERNUT
Written by Jill Dana
Illustrated by Rachel Tan-Hwee
Published by Marshall Cavendish Children (Feb 1, 2022)
Ages: 3-6+
Themes: Humor, wordplay, belonging
Synopsis: From Amazon:
A fun, humorous adventure about experiencing new places, making new friends and discovering yourself
Fresh from the farm, Butternut awakes to find himself lost in a supermarket. Is he butter? Is he a nut? Is he squash or squashed? Just who is he and where does he belong?
Join Butternut on his journey through the supermarket aisles as he makes new friends and discovers more about himself.


Why I Love This Book:
1. Funny! Funny! Funny! And with a wonderful message about finding your own place in the world.
2. Kids will love the wordplay – parents and teachers can use this as a jumping off point for having even more fun with words. And there is a great section of back matter – all about foods and where they come from – there is even a teacher/parent guide with questions to use with kids.
3. The illustrations are bold and colorful and…FUN! Check out the wonderful way the illustrator used the text as art.
RELATED ACTIVITIES:

There are so many activities you can enjoy with the kiddos using food. Check out this awesome website to find great craft projects: https://www.firstpalette.com/craft/fruit-vegetable-prints.html
And remember, dear friends: there are several things we can all do to help great books succeed:
1. Buy them if we can
2. Review them on Amazon and other book sites
3. Tell friends about them (easy-peasy if you share this post on your social media
4. Ask your library to purchase copies for their collection

Don’t forget to leave a comment for a chance to win the Picture Book Manuscript Critique from BUTTERNUT author and Rate Your Story judge, Jill Dana!
And for more fabulous picture book recommendations and activities, please visit the founder of Perfect Picture Book Friday, Susanna Hill.
I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.
Thanks for sharing. I’ll definitely check the book out. Best wishes in 2022.
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Thank you! 🙂
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So excited to read this new picture book. Love that it touches on so many important topics. This book will resonate to many of my students. Thank you and have a nice day.
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I hope you enjoy the book! And thanks for entering the giveaway!
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Love this theme, story and especially the humor! I’ve asked my library to get a few copies and cannot wait to read it. Congratulations, Jill Dana!
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Thanks for your kind words and for requesting the book from the library! 🙂
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It looks adorable! I can’t wait to read it!
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Thanks so much! 🙂
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I love wordplay, back matter, and food! What a great combination. I can’t wait to feast my eyes on this book.
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Thanks for your kind words! I hope you enjoy BUTTERNUT! 🙂
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This looks so cute!
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Thank you!! 🙂
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I am looking forward to checking this book out. It seems like so much fun.
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Thank you!! 🙂
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Looks like a cute book for sure! Always fun to learn about food, and going to the grocery store is pretty much a universal experience. I can’t wait to read it!
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Thank you very much! 🙂
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I always love a book that includes activities for parent/child or teacher/student. Sounds like there is a lot of fun word play in the book too. Can’t wait to check it out!
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Thank you!! 🙂
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I can’t wait to meet Butternut!
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He can’t wait to meet you too! 😉
Thank you!
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Food, wordplay, AND learning? I’m in!
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Thank you!! 🙂
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Oh! The illustrations are adorable! I can’t wait to see the whole thing!!
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Thank you! Rachel Tan-Hwee is a wonderful illustrator! 🙂
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This looks super cute. I look forward to reading!
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Thanks so much! 🙂
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So excited to read this book with my lil one!!
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I hope you and your family enjoy the book! 🙂
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This looks sweet and fun! Am thinking it would be great to pair with Avocado Asks, another “where do I belong” type of PB.
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I’ve never heard of AVOCADO ASKS. Thanks for the book recommendation! And thanks for entering the giveaway! 🙂
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I love stories with fun wordplay. The cover is very appealing and the illustrations delightful. Thanks for sharing.
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Thanks for your kind words and for entering the giveaway! 🙂
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This book speaks to readers — adults and children — on multiple levels. Thanks for bringing the cute story to our attention. 🙂 –Kim Peterson
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Thank you so much!! 🙂
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Such a clever premise! Heart and humor. I am adding this to my must read list!
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Yay! Thanks for adding BUTTERNUT to your must-read list! 🙂
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I love wordplay and even brainstormed a picture book idea during storystorm that will rely on wordplay for humor. I need to read this book for mentor text and would be thrilled to win a critique to improve my skills and manuscript.
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Thank you! I hope BUTTERNUT is a helpful mentor text on your writing journey! 🙂
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This looks really fun! I’m thinking Butternut should team up with Avocado…
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Ooh, is this another reference to AVOCADO ASKS? I just learned about this book from another comment (up above, by Jilanne Hoffman). I’ll definitely have to check it out! Thanks for the book recommendation and for entering the giveaway!
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Congrats on your newest book!! It sounds fun!
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Thanks so much! 🙂
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Such a fun book! I love the wordplay and activities for readers. Congratulations, Jill!
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Thank you very much!! 🙂
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I love PBs about vegetables! This one looks delicious.
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Thank you!! 🙂
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Looks like a deliciously punny book! Congrats!
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Thank you!! My friend author Lynne Marie said it’s “squash-tacular”! 😉
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This sounds like fun! Jill and Pat Z Miller are probably changing the way this generation thinks about squash!
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Thank you so much! I hope this book helps foster a greater appreciation for fruits, vegetables, plants… and nature in general! 🙂
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This looks very clever and like a lot of fun! Congratulations on your book!
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Thank you very much!! 🙂
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I love a book about my favorite gourd – butternut squash! Yum! What a great book!
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Thanks so much!! 🙂
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I love the activities! It exposes children to new foods and sees them a “friendly” not “yucky”
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Thank you! I hope so!! 🙂
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Humor and wordplay! Sounds like a fun book!
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Thank you!!
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Looks so fun❤️
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Thank you! 😉
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Oh, so cute! Love the charts and bits to follow. And that back matter! Yay! Congrats!
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Thank you very much!! 🙂
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This is a charming story with such a lovable MC! The back matter is wonderful, too!
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Thanks for your support Judy!! 🙂
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What a delightful book! They “inside “ jokes are quite snappy. Put a smile on my face.
Can’t wait to read to the grands.
Congratulations!
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Thank you, Meredith! I’m so glad the jokes put a smile on your face! 🙂
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Butternut looks so cute. Hope they find their place in the super market. Congrats on the book!
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Thanks so much! 🙂
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Plenty of adults should also appreciate learning the paths food takes to get on the supermarket shelves!
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Yes, I hope it inspires readers of all ages to ask questions about where food comes from. Thank you! 🙂
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This book looks like so much fun! I can’t wait to read it! 🙂 Congrats Jill!
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Thank you Samantha! 🙂
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I can see this being the perfect book for our V is for Vegetable unit in preschool.. Looking forward to checking it out.. Congrats!
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Wonderful! I hope your students enjoy the book! 🙂
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Congratulations, Jill! Can’t wait to meet Butternut!
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Thank you very much!! 🙂
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Word play plus art equals the perfect combination!
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Thanks so much!! 🙂
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Congrats Jill and Rachel! The book looks like fabulous fun!
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Thank you Heather! I hope you enjoy the book! 🙂
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What a clever idea! Best of luck!!
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Thank you Susan!! 🙂
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As a big fan of butternut squash, I approve of this book!
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Butternut and I both thank you! 😉
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Appreciate the back matter. Reading is so much more than just words. What a great way to help young readers grow.
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Thanks so much, Diane! 🙂
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Congratulations, Jill! Your books sounds wonderful!
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Thank you Kim!! 🙂
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I love the sound of this story and the illustrations are fabulous!
Congratulations Jill and Rachel :o)
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Thank you Catherine!! 🙂
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Picture books need more butternut squash in my opinion! Can already tell I am going to love it!
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Yay! Hope you enjoy the book! 🙂
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Adorable. Such a great idea. I am going to request it for my Library!
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Thank you for your kind words and your library request!! 🙂
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