Happy Book Birthday: ILLUSIONS IN ART Plus Giveaway

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Do you know why I love Tuesdays? I love Tuesdays because that’s the day that many publishers launch books! And today we have a DOUBLE BOOK LAUNCH for talented author/illustrator Chiêu Anh Urban! Now, we know that birthdays usually involve cake (here is your virtual slice) and candles (one, two, three, blow!) and presents…and the lovely creator of these beautiful books is giving one lucky winner a copy of one of her books!

Here is a little bit about this creative board book series:
The Food Book: These illusions will play tricks on your eyes! Find two foods on each page in a clever, stylish exploration of negative and positive space for the very young.

A twisty pretzel loops around and back.
What fruit is hidden inside this snack?

Look closely. What do you see? Could that be two orange slices tucked inside the curves of the pretzel? And what fruit is nestling inside a pitcher’s handle? Or in the twist of a cupcake’s frosting? Colorful spreads invite children in with a rhyme that contains a clue, while the bold, graphic design steers the eye to a negative space revealing a hidden familiar food. Black-and-white spreads at the end depict the same foods again, further clarifying the concept of positive and negative space. Fun and enticing for even the youngest children and a delight for art-oriented parents, this interactive seek-and-find book begs for many repeat sharings.

The Animal Book: These illusions will play tricks on your eyes! ! Find two animals on each page in a clever, stylish exploration of negative and positive space for the very young.

Singing, tweeting, small and round.
Lion likes this whistler’s sound.

Look closely. What do you see? Could that be a bird nestled in the curl of Lion’s tail? And who is swimming by Whale? Or basking in the sun near Swan? Colorful spreads invite children in with a rhyme that contains a clue, while the bold, graphic design steers the eye to a negative space revealing a hidden familiar animal. Black-and-white spreads at the end depict the same animals again, further clarifying the concept of positive and negative space. Fun and enticing for even the youngest children and a delight for art-oriented parents, this interactive seek-and-find book begs for many repeat sharings.

And Chiêu Anh kindly stopped by to chat with us about how these books came about.
Chiêu Anh: The graphic designer in me was thrilled to have the opportunity to create Illusions in Art, a two-book series with Candlewick Press.  Since art school way back when, I’ve always been obsessed with negative and positive space design, and love the challenge of creating art where a deceptively simple image can be formed in the negative space.  

My fascination for this concept inspired me to create Illusions in Art: Animals and Illusions in Art: Food.  With stylistic illustrations and rhyming clues, little ones are encouraged to switch their perspective and discover two images in one.  My thought process was to create fun seek-and-find books that introduce children to the negative and positive space concept, all while discovering clever illusions.

Dedicated to developing interactive children’s books for the youngest readers, I strive to create empowering, playful and unique story time experiences through exploration.  I am a children’s book author/illustrator, award-winning graphic designer, and format designer.  My recent titles include novelty books 123 ZOOM and ABC ROAR (Little Simon, S&S 2022) and the Color Wonder series: Color Wonder Hooray for Spring! and Color Wonder Winter is Here! 
To connect with her:
Website
Facebook
Blog
Instagram
X/Twitter 

These are so cleverly done…and so perfect for our littlest lovers of books! And even though they are strong and sturdy books, they still need our help to become successful. Please choose at least one of these to do:
Buy the books:
Illusions in Art: Animals
Illusions in Art: Food
Review the books
Put the books on your Goodreads WANT TO READ shelf
Tell friends about the books (share on Social Media)
Ask your library to purchase copies for their collection

And of course, please don’t forget to leave a comment to be entered n the giveaway!

I hope you all have a wonderful week!


Cover Reveal: UNICYCLE DAD Plus Incredible Giveaways

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Hurray! I’m so glad you are here…because Cover Reveals are very special…a first peek at a new creation! When Sarah Hovorka told me she had a book launching next year from Amicus Ink entitled UNICYCLE DAD, my curiosity was peeked – and when I found out more about the book, I knew I’d want to share it with my blog followers. Even more wonderful, Sarah, and illustrator Alicia Schwab, stopped by to share a bit about the path to publication for this book…PLUS, EACH OF THEM IS OFFERING A FABULOUS GIVEAWAY! Sarah is offering a picture book manuscript and query critique! And Alicia is offering an art portfolio critique! That is so very generous!
And now, the cover of UNICYCLE DAD!

Just look at this amazing cover! This is definitely a book that kids will want to pick up!
Here’s a bit from the Amazon sales page:
Sarah knows her unicycle-riding dad is special–even as Sarah cooks, takes care of her brother, and does homework on her own. When her dad finally graduates from high school, gets a second job, and eventually lands a promotion, Sarah realizes there’s so much more that’s special about him. Unicycle Dad shares the inherent struggles and quiet joys of a single-parent, impoverished household. Raised by a single, teenage father in poverty, author Sarah Hovorka grew up in a family structure lived by many but seldom represented in children’s books. Illustrator Alicia Schwab captures the story with warm, expressive art.

And here’s what author Sarah had to say about the inspiration for the story:
SARAH: Unicycle Dad is based on my childhood being raised by a single, teenage father in poverty. As a child, I admired his skill with the unicycle… he always seemed to soar before my eyes. As I aged into adulthood, I realized there was so much more to admire about him from earning his GED while raising two kids to working two jobs so we could have shoes for school. I hope Unicycle Dad helps children see the strength in their own parents and caregivers, and ultimately, in themselves.

And here’s a little bit about Sarah and how you can connect with her:
Sarah Hovorka writes lots of stuff from big-hearted picture books to horror-ridden novels. Unlike Goldilocks, every genre she tries feels just right, though children’s literature is her primary focus. She is the author of Hattie Hates Hugs and Same Love, Different Hug with two more picture books coming in 2024. 

Beyond reading and writing, Sarah loves to play games, homeschool, eat chocolate, and enjoy trees with her husband and three sons in California. You can find out more about her, her books, and follow her blog at www.SarahHovorka.com. 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HovorkaSara
FB: https://www.facebook.com/SarahHovorkaAuthor/
IG: https://www.instagram.com/authorsarahhovorka/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21315820.Sarah_Hovorka

Here is a bit about the path to publication for illustrator Alicia:
“I was so excited to illustrate Unicycle Dad, a story all about falling down and getting back up again, that I took the inspiration too literally and fell while hiking, breaking my leg. Despite my mishap, I persisted and finished all the art on time.”

And here’s a little bit about Alicia and how you can connect with her:

Illustrator Alicia Schwab was raised by two bookworms in the Madison, Wisconsin area, working several jobs to support Alicia and her siblings. Alicia started making books when she was little and has gone on to write, illustrate, and design books in Germany and the USA. Alicia specializes in characters that prevail over misfortune, including her debut middle-grade, LITE: The High Treason Incident, a 2023 IPPY Bronze Medalist. Alicia garners creativity by hiking/biking around Minnesota, where she lives with her family and their adventurous dog. www.aliciaschwab.com
Twitter /aschwabart
Facebook /aschwabart
Blue Sky social https://bsky.app/profile/aschwabart.bsky.social
Instagram /schwab.alicia
Threads /schwab.alicia

We all know how important it is to show support for books we love. Please do at least one of these things for this book:
Buy the book.
Here are several pre-order links:
Indie bound
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Review the book.
Put the book on your Goodreads WANT TO READ shelf.
Tell friends about the book (share on your social media & follow these creators)
Ask your local library to purchase copies for their collection.

And of course, don’t forget to leave a comment for a chance to win one of the two amazing giveaways. In your comment, please let us know if you’d rather win the Picture Book Manuscript and Query Critique from Sarah or the Art Portfolio Critique from Alicia.

I hope you all have a beautiful week!


Board Book Saturday: TELL ME ABOUT SPACE Plus Giveaway

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Happy Board Book Saturday, dear friends! Have you noticed there seem to be lots more board books being published? And many of them are nonfiction/STEM related. That’s because studies show how important it is to put books in the hands of our littlest story-lovers…this is the time in their lives that they are learning the MOST – like sponges waiting to soak up information and experiences. So, when Lisa Perron reached out to tell me about her new board book that launched on October 3rd, I knew I had to share it with all of you. And the lovely Lisa is offering a copy of the book to ONE LUCKY WINNER. Please make sure you leave a comment on the blog and share the post widely!

Written by Lisa Varchol Perron – Illustrated by Jennifer Falkner – Published by Little Simon

Here’s a little bit about the book from the Amazon sales page:
Perfect for curious little minds, this nonfiction board book teaches young readers all about outer space through question-and-answer text!

Tell me why the sun goes down.
What happens to its light?

The sun stays put! It’s Earth that spins,
creating day and night.

Why don’t we float into space? How many moons are there? A child asks about outer space, and their grownup answers in rhyming, factual text. Little ones will love learning that the earth is constantly spinning, that Saturn isn’t the only planet with rings, and that most planets have their own moons!

I know many of us wonder how folks get book deals for board books…fortunately, Lisa stopped by to chat about that and about the inspiration and the path to publication for this book.

LISA: One of the biggest challenges in writing a STEM board book is making the science accessible to very young kids. I was lucky to work with a brilliant editor, Hannah Lambert (editor of MY LOVE FOR YOU), who helped define the scope and keep the content matched to this age group. She also made sure the child’s questions flow from one to the next, so the spreads feel logical and cohesive. Her skillful editing and Jennifer Falkner’s stunning art brought this board book series to life!

How did you pitch a board book series?

I actually didn’t! I submitted a picture book about a different topic. The editor felt that book was a bit too old for the Little Simon audience, but she really liked the sense of wonder and curiosity, and she mentioned the idea of a board book series, starting with space. My agent encouraged me to write a space board book and pitch some additional topics. We ended up with a two-book deal for TELL ME ABOUT SPACE and TELL ME ABOUT OCEANS.

The initial book about a different topic also found a home, and it will come out in 2025.

Thanks for having me back on your blog, Vivian! I’m so grateful for all you do to support authors and help get books into the hands of young readers.

It was a pleasure featuring this wonderful book, Lisa! And folks, remember that Lisa is offering a copy of TELL ME ABOUT SPACE…please leave a comment for a chance to win!

And also, please do at least one of these things:
Buy the book!
Review the book!
Add the book to your Goodreads WANT TO READ shelf!
Ask your local library to purchase copies for their collection!
Tell friends about the book on your social media!