Perfect Picture Book Friday: YOU GO FIRST Plus Giveaway

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Happy Perfect Picture Book Friday, dear friends! Here comes another book from a dear kid-lit friend, Ariel Bernstein. I met Ariel when my first book, Sweet Dreams, Sarah was supposed to come out in 2017 and I joined the Picture the Books 2017 debut picture book author group. Of course, it turned out that my book was pushed back, first to 2018 and then to 2019. But the other members invited me to stay in the group – and I did. And guess who some of those other members were: Andrea Lonely, Marcie Colleen, Katey Howes, Chana Steifel, Carter Higgins, Jannie Ho, Annie Silvestro…and so many more with long lists of award-winning books…but that was the first year for all of them! So, dear writer friends, if you are in the trenches, searching for an agent or waiting for that first book deal, please take heart…every published author didn’t have any books until they did.
And I know you are going to love this new one, YOU GO FIRST!

YOU GO FIRST!

Written by Ariel Bernstein

Illustrated by Marc Rosenthal

Published by Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books (June 13, 2023)

Ages: 4-8

Themes: New Experiences, Friendship, Overcoming Fears

Synopsis: From Amazon:
In the spirit of Mo Willems and Ben Clanton, this “extremely funny and spot-on sensitive” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) picture book shows how a good friend can become even better by trying new things and putting others first.

Cat and Duck are very good friends and play together all the time, so when the new slide gets built, they can’t wait to try it out! Only, the slide is very big and curvy—what if it’s too big for Cat? As Cat and Duck move closer to the front of the line, Cat imagines everything that could go wrong until his worries start to rub off on Duck. Now Duck doesn’t want to go down the slide either.

Cat feels bad that Duck is missing out on the fun because of him. Can he find a way to make it right?

Why I Love This Book:
1. I love stories that all children (and their caregivers) can relate to. We all had/have moments of being afraid to do something!
2. I love the fabulous illustrations – and the diversity of all the animals.
3. I love that the story is filled with heart and humor.

To find out more about author Ariel:
Tweeting @ArielBBooks
Website: http://www.arielbernsteinbooks.com

RELATED ACTIVITIES:

Make Some Ducks

Photo courtesy: https://craftsyhacks.com/duck-crafts/


For detailed insturctions on these adorable duck crafts: https://craftsyhacks.com/duck-crafts/

And for those of you who have cat-loving kids: https://www.dltk-kids.com/animals/paper-plate-crafts-for-kids/cat.htm

Photo courtesy: https://www.dltk-kids.com/animals/paper-plate-crafts-for-kids/cat.htm

Crafting with kids develops fine motor and literacy skills – and strengthens parent/child bonds. It’s an opportunity to chat with children and it gives them a chance to talk openly in a relaxed setting.

And dear friends, here’s an opportunity for you to win a copy of YOU GO FIRST. Author Ariel Bernstein is generously offering a giveaway – all you need to do is leave a comment. One lucky winner will be chosen. Maybe you can share your favorite playground activity. Were there any that made you hesitate? And please remember that Amazon reviews are important for all books…new ones and ones that have been out for a while. You’ll be able to review YOU GO FIRST on Amazon when it launches on June 13, but you can already review it on Goodreads! I just left my 5-star review there! And you can pre-order a copy, too.

41 thoughts on “Perfect Picture Book Friday: YOU GO FIRST Plus Giveaway”

  3. This truly is a topic kids can relate to and one that will jog childhood memories in adults. How many of us remember the excitement of trying something new, like the big slide in this story, only to find out that fear stood in the way when our turn came? I’m already curious as a kid to read the book to learn the solution. 🙂 Thank you for sharing this book with us today.

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  5. A few years ago in my late 50s I was in Ecuador and did a canyoning day trip with a small group but mostly 20-somethings. At the end of the day, a few of them implored me to go with them to this bridge jump where you jump off the bridge attached to a rope swing about 300 ft over a river. I figured out that one of the guys was too scared to do it, and the others decided to make him face his fears by showing him that even an old lady could do it. I did it, and then he did, too.

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  7. Thank you for the great post! This book caught my attention as I read the title! This is so relatable for kids and adults alike. Congratulations!

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  9. “The sand is looking very sandy today.” Ohmygosh, what a fabulous line! I’m hooked. this looks like a fabulous book and I can’t wait to read it! Congratulations!

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  10. Trying new things is still difficult sometimes even as an adult. I know readers will connect with these characters and may even decide to try new things because of this book. As a kid, we only had a paved parking lot to play on, so my favorite game was kickball.

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  12. Hooray, Ariel and Marc! Congratulations! And thank you, Vivian, for all you’re doing to get the word out about wonderful new picture books!
    One of my favorite playground activities was riding the merry-go-round. Getting on and off a moving merry-go-round was a thrill because there was an element of danger every time and that gave me the chance to feel triumphant as I overcame my fears and didn’t fall.
    Can’t wait to share YOU GO FIRST with my grandkids!

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  17. Ohhh, this looks darling. Love the illustrations and the idea of dealing with fears is something we can all relate to. Congrats, Ariel, on another outstanding PB!

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  18. I can imagine so many kids will relate to cat and duck! I know I had some of those feelings as a kid. I loved the teeter-totter until an older and bigger girl jumped off while I was on the high end. Down I crashed.
    I can’t wait to read Ariel’s book!

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