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.

Singaporean author David Seow – Will Write for Cookies

Posted on January 17, 2014 by viviankirkfield

WOW! DO I HAVE A TREAT (IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE) FOR YOU TODAY!

When I got the opportunity to travel half-way around the world to attend the 2013 Asian Festival of Children’s Content/SCBWI Conference, I was excited, and somewhat anxious. What would I find there? How would it be? Where would I stay? When would I ever get back? Who would I meet?

Those questions were soon answered…all very positively. I found a beautiful country, with amazing facilities, an awesome hotel and had no problem getting back (although I didn’t want to leave). I met the most incredible people – and today, on WILL WRITE FOR COOKIES, I’m honored to introduce one of Singapore’s leading picture book authors, DAVID SEOW.

That is David on the left and Enrico Sallustio, one of the illustrators he works with, on the right…and lucky me behind them).

I asked David five questions – here are his answers:

WHO WERE MY FAVORITE CHILDHOOD AUTHORS

When I was little, my favorite authors were Eric Carle Jean de Brunhoff, Roald Dahl, Astrid Lindgren and Oscar Wilde.

WHAT I KNOW NOW

I wish I had known a lot more than I did when I first embarked on this crazy adventure in children’s publishing. Like most first-time authors I was relatively idealistic about writing and publishing. I have to admit that it was a dream to have my first book published. After 15 years I’m a bit wiser and a lot less idealistic. It’s a tough industry and you’ve got to be prepared to handle disappointment and rejection on a regular basis.

Yes, that’s right…Hillary Rodham Clinton speaking with David and Continue reading →

PPBF: The Story of Black Beauty – The Year of the Horse

Posted on January 17, 2014 by viviankirkfield

Today is Friday – I have a children’s book review to add to the Perfect Picture Book resource list that author Susanna Leonard Hill is building on her blog. For more wonderful reviews from authors, educators and others who contributed today, please go here.

January 31^st starts the Chinese Year of the Horse. In honor of that…and because I’ve always loved horses, I offer a picture book version of one of the most beloved of all horse stories.

The Story of Black Beauty

Written by Anna Sewell

Illustrated by Alan Marks

Publisher: Usborne Publishers Ltd (Picture Book Classics – 2008)

Ages: 4 and up

Themes:

Friendship, horses, animal welfare, treating others with kindness and consideration

Synopsis:

From Amazon: “Anna Sewell’s classic story of a young horse’s journey from the rolling hills of the English countryside to the dark, cobbled streets of London, retold for young children in picture book form.” Black Beauty grows up on a pleasant farm, surrounded by loving caretakers and good friends. But Continue reading →

#PPBF – Count the Monkeys

Posted on January 10, 2014 by viviankirkfield

Counting books are always fun – and Mac Barnett and Kevin Cornell make a great author/illustrator team. I’m thinking this was already done recently for PPBF, but it’s not on the resource list, so I’m adding it just in case.