Perfect Picture Book Friday: SQUAWK OF SPANISH Plus Giveaway

Posted on by
19

Happy Perfect Picture Book Friday! We’ve got a brand-new launching in a week book today from a wonderful author who’s been here before, Gabriella Aldeman. We featured PAULA’S PATCHES last year…and today: SQUAWK OF SPANISH. (And please forgive any typos…ny eye surgery was last week and my visionon’s still very blurry)

SQUAWK OF SPANISH

Written by Gabriella Aldeman

Illustrated by Romina Galotta

Published by Charlesbridge

Ages: 5-7

Themes: Pets, Multigenerational, Languages

Synopsis: Max isn’t confident with his Spanish, especially rolling his Rs, and his cousins always tease him about it. But he loves spending weekends baking with his Spanish-speaking abuela, while Lorito the parrot helps translate. But when Lorito disappears for a day, Max and Abuela must figure out how to communicate. Max’s Spanish doesn’t have to be perfect, and Abuela can attempt a little English. Trying is what counts! 

Why I Love This Book
1. I love the wonderful relationship that Max has with his Abuela!
2. I love the gorgeous illustrations!
3. I love the connection I made with the story – I took so many years of Spanish in school…but was always so shy about speaking…I totally understood how Max felt.

RELATED ACTIVITIES:
Toilet Paper Roll Parrots

Photo courtesy: https://artsycraftsymom.com/parrot-crafts-for-kids/

What to do with empty toilet paper rolls? Make colorful parrots, of course: https://artsycraftsymom.com/parrot-crafts-for-kids/

Author Gaby and I connected the other day and she shared a little bit about the story behind the story of this book.

GABRIELLA: SQUAWK OF SPANISH was inspired by my own family and our lived experience. I am Panamanian American and fully bilingual. But for my son, it’s not always easy. Sometimes his Spanish words knot in his throat and refuse to come out. When his abuela visits from Panama, they speak in board games, video games, hugs, and food. Then after a while, my son’s Spanish words start tumbling out dry and rusty. He is like Max, the main character. And, like Max, he had to learn that trying is what counts (even if you have an accent) and love is a language everyone can speak. 

In this book, I wanted to explore the issue some kiddos face when they don’t feel comfortable speaking their heritage language. This is a book that celebrates effort over outcomes, with a bit of squawk-out-loud humor.

And here’s a little bit about Gaby:
Gabriella Aldeman is a Panamanian American author. She writes picture books in hopes that more children become readers and that all readers feel seen. She is also a professional translator of academic resources and children’s books. Gabriella holds degrees from Georgetown University and the College of William and Mary. Her books include Paula’s Patches and Squawk of Spanish. She lives in Fairfax, Virginia, with her husband and two children.
Please visit her at www.writebetween.com or @write_between on X or Instagram.

And here’s a little bit about the illustrator:
Romina Galotta is an Argentinian author/illustrator, animal lover, passionate foodie, and forever traveler. She has a degree in graphic design from the University of Buenos Aires. Her other talents include bird rescuing, tattooing, pizza making, and knitting cozy sweaters. She lives with her husband and dogs in Buenos Aires, Argentina. http://www.rominagalotta.com

And here’s a link for you to PRE ORDER this beautiful book…there is an English version and also one in Spanish! Excellente!!!
BOOKSHOP.ORG SALES LINK: https://bookshop.org/p/books/squawk-of-spanish-gabriella-aldeman/21303064?ean=9781623543921

please make sure you leave a comment to be entered for a chance to snag a copy of the book!!!

Happy Book Birthday: MISSY WANTS A MAMMOTH Plus Giveaway

Posted on by
21

Yay! I am so excited about this brand-new book that launches TODAY! And I’m pretty sure that when you hear more about it, you will be, too! Book 1 of the Missy & Mason series is : Missy Wants a Mammoth, written by Pam Vaughan and illustrated by Ariel Landy.
It is with Pixel+Ink. You can see more details here: 

https://silverunicornbooks.com/item/2wJn2c0AgM5Kp0MsTH7gtw

Just look at that cover! So engaging and inviting! I already want to know what is going to happen. Will the mammoth come to life like in the movie Night at the Museum?

So, dear friends, pull up a chair, help yourself to a piece of yummy birthday cake, and let’s join author Pam who stopped by to tell us a little bit about the story – and the story behind the story.

ME: Welcome, Pam! We’ve met at conferences – and I’m ultra-excited to see you again for the Acadia Writing Retreat and Book Festival in October – late October in Acadia National Park should be glorious – and with Eileen Robinson as one of the faculty – WOW! And WOW for MISSY WANTS A MAMMOTH! Can you tell us a little bit about the story?

PAM:  Hi Vivian! Thank you so much for the opportunity to be on your blog for my book birthday!! 
First-grader Missy pushes the bounds of her imagination—and her older brother Mason’s patience—as she lays out her plan for a new pet. A must-have for fans of Charlie and Lola and Olivia or anyone crafting a case for why they need a new animal addition to the family.At the Museum of Natural History, first-grader Missy has a genius gigantic idea: she wants a wooly mammoth as her new pet. She’ll name him Malcolm. They’ll take bubble baths with strawberry-banana shampoo, and go on picnics, and she’ll swing from his tusks. They’ll be best friends. Older brother, Mason, spots one mammoth-sized problem with her plans. . . . But once Missy gets an idea in her head, nothing (not even the fact that mammoths have been extinct for ten thousand years) is going to stop her from getting her fuzzy new friend.Missy and Mason are a winning new pair for the canon of sibling stories—when Missy dreams a little too big, Mason is always there to help pull her back, and when practical Mason plays it too safe, Missy helps push him to think bigger—and Missy Wants a Mammoth is sure to charm in a massive way.

ME: Oh, I love how this sounds, Pam. And can you share a bit about the journey for this book? We always love to hear about the path to publication.

PAM: Perhaps you can remember back to the time when your debut was about to, well, debut! It’s exciting and so much anticipation of not knowing what to expect. It’s like I’ve been trekking along learning, writing, revising, learning, talking with other writers, getting feedback, reading, learning, writing, revising…you know, all those kinds of things in my little world.

 And then, all of a sudden (which isn’t really so sudden), my words are going to be a book! It’s exciting and wonderful and amazing and…(maybe slightly terrifying 😉 ) It’s like a shift in the mind – coming out of that previous trek (learning, writing, revising, learning, talking with other writers, getting feedback, reading, learning, writing, revising) and figuring out the new and exciting world of having a book – go beyond my little world around me and into the wider world.

Of course I am extremely grateful in all ways!!!

Including you! So, thank you! I appreciate YOU and all you do for all of our kidlit friends and community.

One semi-humorous story is that this book, Missy Wants a Mammoth  sold in 2020 and was due to come out at the end of 2022. In February of 2022 my editor asked for a meeting with my agent and me to discuss the publication process, publicity timing, next steps, etc. As a new author I was super excited to have a face-to-face (virtual) meeting with my agent and editor together!

I was all smiles when I got on the meeting. But within a minute, my editor says, “I’m just going to rip off the band-aid.” I didn’t even have enough time to process her words when she said that due to COVID challenges, the illustrator has had to step away from the project. They both assured me things would work out for the best and it was all going to be okay. My response was, I feel like we got scored on, but we didn’t lose the game. I don’t think my response was what either of them expected! So, the illustrator search continued. Then, I got a call from my editor. She said she had an illustrator that she really liked…however, she was about to go on maternity leave and she had another project ahead of us. The editor and I both thought the illustrator – Ariel Landy – was worth the wait! So…we waited. The new date was July 2,2024 until…

I received one more call that said the date got pushed out again – but only one more month – August 6, 2024. 

As children’s book authors we always hear that patience and resilience are essential attributes in this industry – so there is some proof. 

I would also add gratitude. I’m so grateful to be able to write children’s books and to be able to share my books with people of all ages – young and young at heart! I lead with gratitude and appreciation!

Again, thank you for all of your time, hard work, and dedication to the kidlit space and helping authors on their journeys! 

ME: And we are all grateful for what you have done as ARA of NESCBWI, lynchpin of Writers’ Loft, and everything else you do for the kid lit community, dear Pam!
To find out more about Pam and connect with her: www.pamvaughanauthor.com

And, dear friends, even though it is Pam’s book birthday, she’s the one giving the present! Please make sure you leave a comment and let us know which gift you would prefer if you are the lucky winner of the giveaway: a copy of MISSY WANTS A MAMMOTH or a 20-minute Ask-Me-Anything Zoom Chat with Pam.

And what can we do to let authors know how much we love their books? We can:
Buy them
Review them
Put them on our Goodreads Want to Read Shelf
Tell friends about them (share this post on social media)
Ask your local library to purchase copies for their collection

Perfect Picture Book Friday: MOONCAKES MEAN FAMILY Plus Giveaway

Posted on by
11

Happy Perfect Picture Book Friday, dear friends. Get ready for another wonderful book from one of my favorite author/illustrators, Benson Shum. He’s so lovely – he stopped by to chat and share the inspiration for this illustrated early reader – plus, he’s offering a giveaway of a copy of MOONCAKES MEAN FAMILY which just launched last week.

MOONCAKES MEAN FAMILY

Written and illustrated by Benson Shum

Published by Penguin Workshop

Ages: 5-7 (reader age) – but 3 & 4-year-olds would love to hear the story!

Themes: Mid-autumn festival, humor, early reader

Synopsis: From Amazon:
Celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival with this sweet story of food and family!

In this story designed to engage early readers, charming characters combine with simple text, lively illustrations, and laugh-out-loud humor to help boost kids’ confidence and create lifelong readers!

Jade and Crystal love the Mid-Autumn Festival because it means it’s time to make a tasty treat—mooncakes! Crystal’s favorite part of the delicious dessert made of lotus seed paste is the yummy salted egg yolk at the center, meant to represent the moon. Join the sisters as they gather with their family for a memorable meal together! 

Complete with fun facts about the holiday in the back of the book, young readers will want to revisit this story again and again.

Exciting, easy-to-read books are the stepping stone a young reader needs to bridge the gap between being a beginner and being fluent.

Why I Love This Book:
1. I love stories that serve as windows and mirrors so that all children can feel seen as well as learn about different cultures.
2. I love this genre of early reader that engages a wide audience – the youngest who can enjoy the story and pictures – and the older child who gains confidence as a reader.
3. Benson’s art is so joyful – his color palette and characters always make me smile.

ME: Welcome, Benson. I love that you share the story behind the story – in this page from the book which details how the Mid-Autumn Festival started. What inspired you to write about this?

BENSON: Thank you for having me for Perfect Picture Book Friday! After my book Alex’s Good Fortune came out, I wanted to write another story in the same format about other holidays/festivities I grew up with and loved. That’s how the idea of Mooncakes Mean Family came about. The Mid-Autumn Festival was a special time. My sisters and I looked forward to mooncakes! They are only available in grocery stores during the Mid-Autumn Festival. They come in many shapes and sizes, and I remember picking one in the shape of a piglet wrapped in a red basket.

The design of the characters came from a painting I did for the Mid-Autumn Festival back in 2022. There are many folktales that go along with the holiday. One of them is about a jade rabbit. Hence I painted a bunny enjoying their mooncake. I posted the process of the painting on Tiktok and instagram and it got some traction. So my agent sent a link to my editor of Alex’s Good Fortune along with a pitch about Mooncakes and another idea (WE ARE LION DANCERS coming out Dec 31st, 2024). Fortunately she loved it and acquired both! I hope kids and adults will enjoy Mooncakes Means Family, learn a bit about the holiday and share mooncakes with their friends and family! I also have activities to go along with the books on my website. https://bensonshum.com | 
Instagram-Twitter-Tiktok: @bshum79

ME: Thank you so much, Benson. And thank you for the generous giveaway of a copy of MOONCAKES MEAN FAMILY.

And here’s a fun paper mooncake craft from Benson:

And another paper mooncake craft with step by step instructions:

Dear friends, don’t miss the chance to WIN a copy of this beautiful book…please leave a comment and share on your social media for extra tickets in the giveaway hat.
What else can we do to help a book like this become successful?
Buy the book
Review the book
Place the book on your Goodreads Want to Read Shelf
Ask your local library to purchase copies for their collection

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! Thank you for spending your precious time here.