Happy Book Birthday: CHARLIE TAKES HIS SHOT Plus Giveaway

Posted on January 1, 2018 by viviankirkfield

FIRST POST OF THE YEAR!!!

So you know it is going to be special, right?

Last year I featured as many 2017 picture books as I could. This year I plan to do the same thing for the debut picure books of 2018. HOPEFULLY, my Sweet Dreams, Sarah will be one of them! But for today, I’ve got a really special book for you! From a dear friend and critique buddy of mine, Nancy Churnin, who has a knack for finding golden nuggets of history and turning them into fabulous nonfiction picture books that children and adults will want to read again and again.

HAPPY BOOK BIRTHDAY TO CHARLIE TAKES HIS SHOT

CHARLIE TAKES HIS SHOT: How Charlie Sifford Broke the Color Barrier in Golf

Written by Nancy Churnin

Illustrated by John Joven

Published by Albert Whitman

Ages: 5-8

Themes: Determination, Civil Rights, golf

Synopsis:

From Amazon: Charlie Sifford loved golf, but in the 1930’s only white people were allowed to play in the Professional Golf Association. Sifford had won plenty of black tournaments, but he was determined to break the color barrier in the PGA. In 1960 he did, only to face discrimination from hotels that wouldn’t rent him rooms and clubs that wouldn’t let him use the same locker as the white players. But Sifford kept playing, becoming the first black golfer to win a PGA tournament and eventually ranking among the greats in golf.

Why I like this book:

I love when authors can entertain, educate, and inspire by taking an impottant event in history and making it come alive for kids
The text and illustrations engage from the first page to the last
This is an important moment that built on what had come before and opened doors for those who came after

RELATED ACTIVITIES

Photo courtesy: https://www.thecrafttrain.com

Tin Can Golf is fun for young kids and can be ramped up to make it more challenging for older kids. For detailed instructions: https://www.thecrafttrain.com/tin-can-indoor-golf-fun-from-recycled-junk/

Thanks to author Nancy Churnin, we have a giveaway of a copy of CHARLIE TAKES HIS SHOT. Please leave a comment to be entered. Remember, there is only one copy that can be won, but the book JUST launched TODAY…so you can hop over to your favorite bookstore and get a copy And don’t forget that leaving a review on Amazon or Goodreads only takes a couple of minutes, but it will mean the world to the author of that book you loved reading with your child.

Please come back tomorrow for the BOOK BIRTHDAY of LOVE, MAMA by Jeanette Bradley!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO A YEAR FILLED WITH POSSIBILITIES!

HOW ABOUT YOU?

Happy Book Birthday: FINN FINDS A FRIEND Plus Giveaway

Posted on November 7, 2017 by viviankirkfield

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO FINN FINDS A FRIEND, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!

Hip hip hooray! There’s a new kid on the block and I’m so excited to welcome him. Finn is a fun-loving lemon shark who comes to life in this brand-new picture book written by the talented Jenna Grodzicki, illustrated by the gifted Alexis St. John and published by the wonderful Callie Smith at Clear Fork/Spork.

A few words about the book from Amazon

Finn is not your typical lemon shark. He likes to frolic and have fun in the water. But his brothers’ and sisters’ idea of fun is lying completely still on the ocean floor – BORING! While out searching for new friends, Finn encounters a sea turtle who hides in a rock cave. Clearly, he must want to play hide and seek. Then he comes across some humans who scream, “SHARK!!!” when he approaches. Obviously, they must be excited to see him. Will Finn ever find a friend who can see beyond his sharky appearance?

I love the message in this book…kids will definitely relate to Finn and how he scares off potential playmates with his appearance. If you want to find out if Finn is successful in finding a friend, grab a copy at your local indie bookstore or on Amazon. And thanks to author Jenna’s giveaway, leave a comment here and you might win a copy!

Another great thing to do is to leave reviews on Amazon and other book review sites for the books you love. I just left one for FINN FINDS A FRIEND!

I hope you all have a wonderful week…thank you so much for spending your precious time with us here.

It’s a BOOK BIRTHDAY: A COOKED UP FAIRY TALE

Posted on September 5, 2017 by viviankirkfield

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR A COOKED UP FAIRY TALE, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU.

One of the first kidliters I met when I ventured out on this writing journey in 2011 was Penny Parker Klostermann. She was an active participant in all of the writing challenges and contests that Susanna Leonard Hill hosted. Reading her entries, I knew she’d be a successfully published author before long.

Her debut picture book, THERE WAS AN OLD DRAGON WHO SWALLOWED A KNIGHT, is a joy to read. And TODAY, her second picture book launches!

To celebrate this auspicious occasion, Penny and I put our heads together. (and you know how much trouble two picture book writers can get into when they do that) In addition to a giveaway of a signed copy of A COOKED UP FAIRY TALE and a yummy recipe, we’ve cooked up a super fun interview. So hold on to your hats!

OH MY GOSH! HOW MUCH FUN WAS THIS?

Huge thanks to Penny for arranging space for our interview on the front page of THE ROYAL REPORTER.

Penny Parker Klostermann is the author of There Was an Old Dragon Who Swallowed a Knight and the upcoming, A Cooked-Up Fairy Tale which is releasing today! She loves all kinds of books, but especially loves very silly picture books that make her laugh. Penny has been known to hug her favorite picture books and seriously hopes that someday her books will gain huggable status too.

Penny grew up in Colorado and now lives in Abilene, Texas-the Storybook Capital of Texas!

To learn more about Penny and her books: https://pennyklostermann.com/

Please don’t forget to leave a comment to be entered in the giveaway (U.S. addresses only, please). And remember, one of the greatest gifts you can give to your favorite author is to leave a review on Amazon and /or Goodreads.

More picture book awesomeness this coming weekend when we welcome author Nancy Churnin and illustrator Danny Popovici and another soon-to-be-released picture book, Manjhi Moves a Mountain.