The world is definitely a scary place for many right now. Books can help provide comfort and a moment of respite. That’s why I’m always so excited when authors approach me to feature their books. And I especially LOVE Cover Reveals…the first peek at a new creation!
Written by Megan Woodward – Illustrated by Risa Rodil – Published by Aladdin/Simon & Schuster
Oh my gosh! This is a cover that DEFINITELY jumps out at you! Such a bold and vibrant used of the title words as art!
Here’s a little bit about the book from the Amazon pre-order page (the book launches June 25, 2024) Engage even the most can’t-sit-still little ones with this laugh-out-loud, interactive picture book for fans of The Book with No Pictures and The Monster at the End of This Book!
If this book were cursed, then you would probably become cursed if you read it. You’d start to experience strange symptoms, like the wiggles, the giggles, trouble licking your elbow, and all your food tasting like cabbage. And then you would need to take silly steps to break the curse, like reading a goofy poem or smelling someone’s feet.
Luckily for you, there’s no need to worry because this book is definitely not cursed! So read away without fear.
And here’s a little bit about author Megan: I have an MFA in screenwriting from UCLA and am a working and produced comedy screenwriter. About 8 years ago I decided to apply my writing skills to pursue a career in kid-lit and after many silly mistakes and long hours in the query trenches, my debut picture book, THIS BOOK IS DEFINITELY NOT CURSED– Simon and Schuster, will finally be arriving in June 2024! I also work as a freelance editor, copywriter, and ghostwriter, and work part-time in a children’s bookstore. I live in Portland, OR with my son, my boyfriend, my boyfriend’s daughter, and two adorably weird tuxedo cats. I live for delicious food and all things funny, which means I spend a lot of time laughing with my mouth full.
Funny incident on my publishing journey: When I first started querying, I hadn’t done ANY research on the picture book industry. I wrote something, thought it was great, and began sending it to agents. That manuscript was 1700 words long and rhyming (I had no experience with rhyme either.) So yeah…. knowing what I know now, that was pretty dumb. Research is important, people.
And guess what, dear friends? Megan is offering the lucky winner of the giveaway a choice: Signed Copy of the book (when it’s released) Picture book critique 1000 words or less Ask me anything zoom chat
WOW! That’s exciting! Please make sure you leave a comment and share this post on your social media to be entered for a chance to win. And please do one of the following also: Pre-order the book Add the book to your WANT TO READ Goodreads shelf (I didn’t see a listing yet, but check in a month or two and it should be there) Ask your local library to purchase a copy of the book
Thank you everyone for spending your precious time with us. I hope you all have a wonderful week!
FOR WRITERS, ILLUSTRATORS, PARENTS, TEACHERS, LIBRARIANS, AND BOOK LOVERS EVERYWHERE
TODAY’S GUEST
Author Shachi Kaushik and Illustrator Aishwarya Tandon
I love how intertwined our kidlit community is – we meet people at conferences, or in classes, or we do critiques with them…and they become our friends. The latter is how I connected with today’s guest – and although the feedback has been sent on her manuscript, I hope to stay in touch with Shachi and will be cheering for every new book!
Shachi Kaushik is a writer and a storyteller. Part of the Children’s Media Industry, she creates content for children that is entertaining, enlightening, and educational. She has worked on the production team for the YouTube Original Animated Series ‘The Guava Show’ and ‘CoComelon.’ Her debut ‘Diwali In My New Home’ has received accolades and praise worldwide. The book has been named a 2022 Foreword Indies Book of the Year Awards finalist in the Picture Books, Early Reader category! and is the Winner of The Book Fest Awards in the Children’s Diversity – Multicultural category. To connect with Shachi: Facebook: storiesbyshachi Twitter: @KaushikShachi Instagram: storiesbyshachi
Library even for Diwali in My New Home
ME: Hello Shachi! I’m so excited to welcome you to Picture Books Help Kids Soar…your new book, DIWALI IN MY NEW HOME, illustrated by Aishwarya Tandon, and published by Beaming Books, launched last month. Thank you for stopping by.I know everyone is excited to find out more about you, so let’s get started. Who were your favorite authors/illustrators when you were a child?
SHACHI: Growing up in India, I loved reading the comic Tinkle. My favorite character was Suppandi, an illustrator by Ram Waeekar.
ME: What do you know now that you wish you knew when you first started writing?
SHACHI: One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is to embrace rejection. When I first started writing, rejections felt like personal failures. I now understand that rejection is a natural part of writing. It’s a chance to improve and persist in your craft. Don’t let it discourage you.
ME: Where do you like to write – inside, outside, special room, laptop, pen and paper?
SHACHI: Due to my frequent travels between Canada and the USA, I’ve learned to adapt to my new writing environment every few months.
I used to write in diaries but switched to the Remarkable tablet, which feels like writing on paper.
ME: When do you write – early morning, late in the day, middle of the night, on schedule, as the muse strikes?
SHACHI: To keep myself accountable, I’ve joined Co-Writing online sessions. It has helped me structure my writing routine. And, of course, I allow my creativity to flow whenever the muse strikes, which can occur at any hour, day or night. Interestingly, some of my best ideas emerge at midnight.
ME: Why do you write for children?
SHACHI:I write to help children connect with their South Asian roots through stories that reflect their cultural experiences and values. Through these stories, I aim to foster a sense of identity, belonging, and pride while promoting cultural understanding and friendships with others from diverse backgrounds.
ME: Also, if you have any thoughts or advice for aspiring writers, please share. As well as anything else you want to talk about that parents, educators, writers, and librarians might want to hear.
SHACHI: Diwali, the festival of lights, is a cherished holiday for my family and me. For me, it’s like having a mix of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and July 4th rolled into one joyous holiday. Like Thanksgiving, it’s a time for families to express gratitude and feast together. Much like Christmas, Diwali dazzles with twinkling lights. And, similar to July 4th, it’s marked by vibrant fireworks, symbolizing the triumph of light over darkness.
One of the highlights of every year is the Diwali celebrations at the Round Rock Public Library. What started as a small gathering has grown into a grand celebration over the years. We share the beauty of Diwali with our community, inviting everyone to join us in the festivities.
We offer a glimpse into the traditions of Diwali, and everyone participates in fun activities like making diya lamps, trying rangoli art, and dancing. It’s heartwarming to see people from diverse backgrounds come together to celebrate Diwali. My idea for my book ‘Diwali In My New Home’ originated from this event.
Shachi – this is wonderful. Thank you so much for sharing all of these insights…and for writing such a beautiful book! And also for offering a signed copy of DIWALI IN MY NEW HOME as a prize for one lucky winner.
Friends, if you leave a comment on this blog post, you’ll be entered in the giveaway. And I hope you will do at least one more thing to help this book become successful. You can: Review the book Buy the book Put the book on your Goodreads WANT TO READ shelf Share on social media Ask your local library to purchase copies for their collection
And HURRAY!!!! We have a fabulous treat recipe from Shachi!
SHACHI: Here’s a simple recipe to make Chickpea laddu
No holiday is complete without a sweet treat, and for Diwali, it’s laddoo. You can say it La-doos.
My favorites are chickpea (besan) and coconut laddus. They are sweet, filled with the aromatic scent of cardamom and ghee, and to top it off, they are gluten-free.
Ingredients: 2 cups chickpea flour 1 cup clarified butter 1 cup powdered sugar 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder A handful of chopped nuts (cashews or almonds) Raisins for garnish (optional)
Instructions:
In a non-stick pan on low heat add clarified butter. Make sure the pan isn’t not too hot. The clarified butter should melt slowly.
Add the chickpea flour to the pan and stir it. Keep stirring it to prevent any burning mishaps. Brace yourself; this stirring will be an arm workout.
Roast the chickpea flour for about 10-15 minutes until it changes color to a golden-brown color and releases a nutty aroma. The flour will also start to thicken and form a crumbly texture.
Turn off the heat, and let the mixture cool down for a bit, so it’s not too hot to touch.
Add the powdered sugar and cardamom powder to the roasted chickpea flour and mix well. (You can adjust the sugar quantity to suit your taste.)
If you want to add nuts else skip the nuts.
Let it cool a little more, so you can shape the mixture into round balls.
Grease your hands with a little clarified butter to prevent sticking, and then shape the mixture into small, round laddoos. You can make them as big or as small as you like.
You can garnish each laddu with a raisin or a piece of a nut.
Allow the laddoos to cool completely. They will become firmer as they cool down.
(Note: adjust the sugar and nuts as per your preference) Enjoy this sweet treat. Happy Diwali!!
Happy Perfect Picture Book Friday, dear friends! Today’s author is a kidlit friend of mine…and we are both part of the New England SCBWI chapter. I love her books…and she has graciously offered a choice to whoever wins the giveaway: either a copy of BEAUTIFUL NOISE or a Picture Book Critique (nonrhyming under 800 words). So, please make sure you leave a comment.
BEAUTIFUL NOISE: The Music of John Cage
Written by Lisa Rogers
Illustrated by Il Sung Na
Published by Random House Kids/Anne Schwartz Books (October 10, 2023)
Synopsis: From Random House Kids: Open this unique picture book and meet John Cage, the pioneering, inspiring composer who believed all sound—from the crash of a slamming door to the whirr of a blender to the whoosh of the wind—was music. For John Cage, music was everywhere: in the hum of the refrigerator, the screech of a garbage truck, the patter of the rain. But other people disagreed. They felt that, surely, a pianist on stage must actually play their piano to create music…not just sit there. And in no way was it melodic to turn a musician’s mic on and off as they do play their instruments–it was just chaos!
John Cage found sound in silence, and knew that all noises were unique. All you had to do was listen to hear it.
Told in second person and paired with exciting illustrations as innovative as Cage’s music, here is a picture book–perfect for any budding musician–that celebrates the genius of a nonconforming musician who always stayed true to his artistic vision.
Why I Love This Book 1. I love books that introduce children to people they probably never heard of! 2. I love books where the text is like a melody – lyrical and engaging! 3. I love books filled with glorious illustrations – what a wonderful opportunity for kids to see how color and lines can combine to create action and emotion while telling a story.
I was chatting with Lisa and mentioned that we all love to hear about the path to publication for our Perfect Picture Book Friday books…and she graciously stopped by. Welcome, Lisa! Can you share a bit about why you wrote this story and how it came about?
Lisa: Thank you so much for featuring BEAUTIFUL NOISE, Vivian. I’m happy to share. I was a listening kind of child who paid close attention to the world around me. Growing up on the beach, I remember listening in vain for the ocean to be completely silent. Later, I learned about John Cage and his “silent” piece, so when in 2016 I saw a photo of him listening intently to the vibrations of cactus spines, I knew I wanted to explore the life of this intriguing, brilliant, innovative person. I dove into research, but there was so much to share about him! I wrote polished draft after polished draft, trying many different paths to the story, but couldn’t get to his essence in a way that would resonate for children. Other projects intervened, until early one morning in 2022, the words and structure of this book came into my mind. I was thrilled that Anne Schwartz, who edited my debut, 16 Words: William Carlos Williams and “The Red Wheelbarrow,” decided to take on Beautiful Noise, and ecstatic when award-winning illustrator Il Sung Na agreed to illustrate my words. Il Sung created an unbelievably beautiful sonic environment for this story that is nothing short of genius. His magnificent illustrations included creating a visual glossary for each sound word I used. It’s so fun to seek and identify each sound image as you enjoy the world of this book!
WOW…thank you so much, Lisa. I loved hearing your path to publication for this book. And thank you, also, for providing the craft activity! I remember making these with my kindergarteners and with my own children.
Here’s a little bit about Lisa and how you can connect with her: Lisa Rogers became inspired to write for children during her career as an elementary school librarian, but her love of reading began early with poetry, fairytales and folktales. She holds degrees in English from The College of William and Mary and Boston College and received her library science degree from Southern Connecticut State University. Her award-winning titles include her debut, 16 WORDS: WILLIAM CARLOS AND “THE RED WHEELBARROW,” HOUND WON’T GO, and BEAUTIFUL NOISE, which has been chosen as a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection.
A former daily news reporter and editor, Lisa lives with her family and sweet, obstreperous hound near the Boston Marathon route, which she has run four times. Find her at lisarogerswrites.com.
I hope you will all connect with Lisa – and check out her other books. We all know how important it is to support authors and illustrators and publishers – otherwise, there will be no more books like this one. We can support our favorite books by: Buying them (links in the blog post) Reviewing them Putting them on your WANT TO READ shelf on Goodreads (There is a link for that in the post) Telling friends about them (if you share on social media, that really helps) Asking your local library to purchase copies for their collection.
I hope you all have a beautiful weekend. Leaf peepers had better get peeping…the colors are gorgeous…but after a few more rains, we’ll have bare branches and a carpet of colors on the ground.
VIVIAN KIRKFIELD - Writer for Children 