About viviankirkfield

Writer for children - Reader forever - Mom of 3, educator, author of FOUR OTTERS TOBOGGAN: AN ANIMAL COUNTING BOOK (PomegranateKids, PIPPA'S PASSOVER PLATE (Holiday House), SWEET DREAMS, SARAH (Creston Books); MAKING THEIR VOICES HEARD: THE INSPIRING FRIENDSHIP OF ELLA FITZGERALD AND MARILYN MONROE (Little Bee Books); FROM HERE TO THERE: INVENTIONS THAT CHANGED THE WAY THE WORLD MOVES (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Jan 19, 2021); PEDAL, BALANCE, STEER: Annie Londonderry, First Woman to Bike Around the World (Calkins Creek/Astra, Feb 20, 2024) picture book junkie, lover of travel, hiking, fly-fishing, cooking, and playing Monopoly with my grandson.

PB 14:14 – Day 10 – Top Ten Elements in Picture Book Stories – Conflict

Posted on February 23, 2015 by viviankirkfield

Today is Day Ten of Christie Wright Wild’s PB 14:14.

In many picture book challenges, we are encouraged to use books that have been published in the last five to ten years. However, being the classic picture book nut that I am, I just had to get in a couple of the older stories. Here is one of my favorites.

Title: A Bargain for Frances

Author: Russell Hoban

Illustrator: Lillian Hoban

Publisher: Harper & Row Publishers

Date: 1970

Word Count: 1000+ estimated

Top Ten Element: Conflict

Opening Lines:

“It was a fine summer day, and after breakfast Frances said, “I am going to play with Thelma.”

“Be careful,” said Mother.

Synopsis:

Frances is a little badger. The last few times she played with Thelma, her friend took advantage of her. This time, they are going to play tea party. Frances has been saving for a special china tea set. When Thelma hears about that, she persuades Frances to buy her old plastic tea set. Frances doesn’t want to until Thelma convinces her that no one wants a china tea set and plastic is better. Continue reading →

PB 14:14 – Day 9 – Top Ten Elements in Picture Books

Posted on February 22, 2015 by viviankirkfield

Happy Sunday, everyone. We are continuing our countdown with Day Nine of Christie Wright Wild’s PB 14:14.

Having loved picture books for most of my life, I’ve read quite a few. Many of my favorites contain rhyme…which isn’t surprising since rhyme is one of the Top Ten Elements found in picture books.

So today my choice is a book that includes lots of rhyme.

Title: A Troop is a Group of Monkeys

Author: Julie Hedlund

Illustrator: Pamela Baron

Publisher: Little Bahalia Publishing

Date: 2013

Word Count: 250 estimated

Top Ten Element: Rhyme

Opening Lines:

“A parliament of owls hoots in the night.

A pandemonium of parrots begins to take flight.

A troop of monkeys travels by swinging.

A colony of bats spends the day clinging.

What makes this book really special is that each page delivers a word for the group of that particular animal. Did you know that a group of peacocks is called an ostentation? Or that a group of giraffes is called a tower? Or that a group of skunks is called a surfeit? Continue reading →