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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.

Happy Book Birthday: MY DOG IS NOT A SCIENTIST Plus Critique Giveaway

Yes! It really truly is another opportunity to eat cake!! Hurray for a Happy Book Birthday for MY DOG IS NOT A SCIENTIST by Betsy Ellor, illustrated by Luisa Vera, and published by Yehoo Press! And even though it is her book’s birthday, Betsy is giving the presents!! If you leave a comment and share this post on social media, you’ll have a chance to win the giveaway…winner’s choice of a copy of this fab book OR a Picture Book Critique from the author!

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Happy Book Birthday: POLLY SUMNER: Witness to the Boston Tea Party Plus Giveaway

You all know how much I love to welcome new books to the world. And it’s always an especially joyful celebration when it’s a story I got to see early on…and even had the pleasure of being part of the early path to publication. Back in 2019, a Boston writer reached out to me with a wonderful manuscript about a doll that sailed to America in 1773. Sitting in the window of a Boston shop and then owned by a young girl, this doll observed the activities that led up to the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the Revolutionary War. And the most amazing thing about this TRUE story is that the doll is still in existence – on display at the Old State House in Boston. As soon as I read the manuscript, I knew this was a story kids would love to hear and I encouraged Rick Wiggin to keep going. I’m happy to say that he did…and today we are singing a very rousing Happy Book Birthday to POLLY SUMNER: Witness to the Boston Tea Party, written by Richard C. Wiggin, illustrated by Keith Favazza, and launching from Lawley Publishing.

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#50PreciousWordsforKids: We All Have a Story to Tell

Last week I distributed the last prize for #50PreciousWords – and guess what?
It’s almost time for #50PreciousWordsforKids!
What is #50PreciousWordsforKids?
It’s an International Writing Challenge that invites children all over the world to tap into their natural storyteller skills.
In past years, we’ve received submissions from Australia to Austria, from Singapore to Switzerland, Canada to Cannes, and from states all across America.
Here are the guidelines.

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