Perfect Picture Book Friday: ELLA AND MONKEY AT SEA Plus Giveaway

Posted on August 10, 2018 by viviankirkfield

When I moved from Colorado Springs, I left behind a wonderful kidlit group. And I wondered…would I find other writer friends in my new home in New Hampshire? Happily, I did. And I am still critiquing with my old friends.

But the fear of going to new places and leaving behind old friends is a fear many people deal with, children included. So when I saw that Emilie Boon had a new picture book about this very topic debuting this week, I knew I wanted to feature it for Perfect Picture Book Friday. And when I reached out to her, she agreed to stop by tomorrow to chat on Will Write for Cookies. What good luck! Even better, she and her publisher are offering a giveaway of a copy of this adorable book, so please don’t forget to leave a comment to be entered for a chance to win.

ELLA AND MONKEY AT SEA

Written and illustrated by Emilie Boon

Published by Candlewick (August 2018)

Ages: 4-7

Themes: Moving/loss, adapting/acceptance, expressing emotion

Synopsis: From Amazon:

” Leaving home and traveling to a whole new place is overwhelming, so it’s good to have a beloved toy who can help express how you feel.

Ella’s best friend, Monkey, doesn’t like good-bye hugs. He doesn’t want to say good-bye to Oma. And he doesn’t want to move away forever. Neither does Ella. But Papa is waiting for them in New York. So Ella and Monkey must board the ship with Mama and leave their old home in Holland for their new home in America. Along the way, there is fish for dinner (Monkey hates fish), a playroom full of new kids (Monkey doesn’t like strangers), and stormy seas that leave everyone feeling sick. Can Ella and Monkey find a way to weather the storm? Will they ever feel at home again? This sweetly illustrated picture book will appeal to anyone who has left home behind — and to children who find creative ways to share their emotions.”

Why I like this book:

So relatable to young children – leaving behind all you know and going to a new place, traveling alone, using a stuffed animal to talk to and comfort you
Beautifully illustrated – the emotions leap off the page

RELATED ACTIVITIES

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

What could be better than not one, not two, but TEN sock crafts.

For detailed instructions: https://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/1038115/simple-sock-crafts-for-kids

Dear friends…thank you for spending your precious time here. I hope you will stop by tomorrow when author/illustrator Emilie Boon will be chatting with us. And don’t forget to leave a comment to be entered into the giveaway.

Happy Book Birthday: NO FROGS IN SCHOOL Plus GIVEAWAYS

Posted on August 7, 2018 by viviankirkfield

Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday, dear NO FROGS IN SCHOOL Happy Birthday to you!

NO FROGS IN SCHOOL

Written by Alexandria LaFaye

Illustrated by Egalitine Ceulemans

Published by Sterling Children’s Books (August 7, 2018)

Ages: 4-7

Themes: Pets, humor, working together

Synopsis: From Amazon:

“Bartholomew Botts loves pets—but his teacher, Mr. Patanoose, says No Frogs in School! So what will happen when Bartholomew’s beloved creatures meet up with Mr. Patanoose’s rules? Lots of FUN!

Hoppy pets, hairy pets, scaly pets: Bartholomew Botts loves them all. And he doesn’t want to go to school without one. Unfortunately, when Bartholomew brings his brand-new frog to class, his teacher, Mr. Patanoose, declares: No frogs in school! How will Bartholomew keep his animal friends close at hand . . . and follow Mr. Patanoose’s rules, too? Illustrated with energetic and humorous artwork, this back-to-school story will be a favorite with every animal-loving kid!”

As a former kindergarten teacher, I love school stories…and this one is hilarious! The art work is so engaging and the text is filled with humor and will have every teacher and parent nodding their heads and kids will be rolling on the floor as Mr. Patanoose tries to restore order to his classroom.

The author, Alexandria LaFaye, is one of my Storm teammates…so I am doubly excited to help her celebrate her book’s launch. And because it is a book birthday, we need to have presents, right?

Alexandria’s publisher sent me a copy of NO FROGS IN SCHOOL and one lucky person is going to receive that as my book birthday gift. Just leave a comment on this blog post to be entered.

Plus there is chance to win another book birthday gift that is for K-2 teachers. Imagine a teacher starting the school year with THIRTY new books! WOW! Alexandria is hosting this giveaway on her Facebook page. She says:

Please help me spread the word about this book giveaway to help K-2 teachers building-expand their inclusive classroom libraries. Thanks.

It’s time for a great giveaway of 31 books for a K-2 classroom, including a signed copy of NO FROGS IN SCHOOL by A. LaFaye Kirkus says, “each page lends itself to an energetic seek-and-find storytime that promises new discoveries upon multiple reads.” See the rules in the comments below or visit Sylanocity and check out the pinned post athttps://bit.ly/2vs8fuq. I’ll be reviewing books from the giveaway each day in August. The contest runs Aug 1-30th. #kidlit #bookgiveaway #NoFrogs #TeachersRule #Diversity #Equity Sterling Publishing

So dear friends, please share this if you know any teachers or school librarians…and don’t forget to leave a comment to be entered into the giveaway for NO FROGS IN SCHOOL And please remember that the best present you can give to your favorite author is to:

Buy a copy of their book
Ask your local library to purchase a copy for their collection
Tell your friends about the book
Post a review on Amazon or other review sites

I hope you enjoy the rest of your week. And stop by on Friday and Saturday when a dear writer friend of mine, Emilie Boon, will be in the house.

Perfect Picture Book Friday: 100 BUGS: A COUNTING BOOK Plus Giveaway

Posted on July 13, 2018 by viviankirkfield

Hello dear friends! Happy Perfect Picture Book Friday to you all!

Summer is here in New England with hot temps, iced tea, and…

LOTS OF BUGS!

And today’s book is the perfect one for a very buggy day.

Thanks to the generosity of debut picture book author, Kate Narita, if you leave a comment on this post, you will be entered into the giveaway of a copy of 100 BUGS: A COUNTING BOOK. And, if you don’t win the copy, please consider buying one, asking your library to add one to their collection, telling a friend about it, and leaving a review on Amazon, Goodreads, or any of the book review sites. This is the best gift you can give to authors who write the books you love to read!

100 BUGS: A COUNTING BOOK

Written by Kate Narita

Illustrated by Suzanne Kaufman

Published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (June 2018)

Ages: 5-7

Themes: Counting to 100, bugs

Synopsis: From Amazon:

How many bugs can you count? From walking sticks to spittlebugs, dragonflies to katydids, discovering 10 bugs at a time, you just might see 100 bugs!

Little explorers will learn 10 different ways to count to 10, using 10 different kinds of bugs, and get all the way to 100 by the end of their adventure. With Suzanne Kaufman’s bright, whimsical illustrations and Kate Narita’s clever rhyming text, 100 Bugs! is part look-and-find, part learning experience, and all kinds of fun.

Why I like this book:

Bugs, bugs, and more bugs – a topic most kids LOVE to learn about
Fabulous illustrations
Clever rhymes and super interactivity to engage the kiddos

RELATED ACTIVITIES

First off…take a walk and find bugs!
Make a list or chart of all the bugs – place them in different categories like flying, crawling, creeping.
Create one of these crafts

Photo courtesy: https://alittlepinchofperfect.com/creative-bug-crafts-with-kids/

Visit: https://alittlepinchofperfect.com/creative-bug-crafts-with-kids/ for detailed instructions on any of these fun crafts.

Thank you for spending your precious time here…please don’t forget to leave a comment to be entered into the book giveaway. And have a safe and happy weekend!