Picture Book Review and Activity PLUS CRITIQUE Giveaway: 7 ATE 9

Posted on May 26, 2017 by viviankirkfield

Is it Friday already?

Good thing, because I’m excited to share another 2017 picture book with you. The author, Tara Lazar, is a dear picture book mentor for this kid lit community. Her Storystorm Challenge (formerly PiBoIdMo) helped more than 1600 writers gather ideas this January. And she was a Will Write for Cookies guest back in 2014.

Since then, she’s had a bunch of picture books launch…and I’m thrilled to bring you her latest for Perfect Picture Book Friday.

AND GUESS WHAT TARA IS OFFERING AS A GIVEAWAY?

A PICTURE BOOK MANUSCRIPT CRITIQUE! OH YES! So please, tell all your friends and even people who aren’t your friends, to come on over and leave a comment. One lucky person is going to get that fabulous prize!

But first, we have a another fabulous prize to give away! Last week, Kristen Fulton offered a copy of her debut picture book, LONG MAY SHE WAVE. And the lucky winner is…

Ali Earle Pichardo

Congratulations, Ali…let’s connect and I will put you in touch with Kristen so she can get a copy of the book out to you!

And now for our Perfect Picture Book Friday review!

7 ATE 9: The Untold Story

Written by: Tara Lazar

Illustrated by Ross MacDonald

Publisher: Disney/Hyperion (2017)

Ages: 4-7

Themes:

Mystery, numbers, humor

Synopsis:

From Amazon:

6 has a problem.

Everyone knows that 7 is always after him. Word on the street is that 7 ate 9. If that’s true, 6’s days are numbered. Lucky for him, Private I is on the case. But the facts just don’t add up.

It’s odd.

Will Private I put two and two together and solve the problem . . . or is 6 next in line to be subtracted?

Why I like this book:

It is funny. More than funny. It is one of the funniest books I’ve read. And kids LOVE funny.
Great illustrations…perfect for the text.
The story will engage kids from the first page to the last!

RELATED ACTIVITIES

Sensory Art with Numbers

Photo courtesy: http://handsonaswegrow.com/40-number-activities-for-preschoolers/

You will need: Cardboard (you can even use the side of an empty cereal box), glue, marker, your choice of sand, rice, oatmeal, Cheerios, or glitter.

Draw numbers on the cardboard.
Trace over the numbers with a glue stick.
Sprinkle with your choice of topping…sand (might be messy in the house), rice, oatmeal, Cheerios, or glitter (will definitely be messy in the house).
Let dry.
You can do this with letters also.

For many more number activities, click here: http://handsonaswegrow.com/40-number-activities-for-preschoolers/

Thank you all for stopping by today. My generous author friends have connected with the #50PreciousWordsforKids teachers and parents. Maybe we will get some feedback by next month and find out how much fun everyone had, connecting adult authors and kid writers on Skype.

And don’t forget to leave a comment today if you would like a chance to win a MANUSCRIPT CRITIQUE FROM TARA LAZAR. Please share this post on your social media…and if you have read Tara’s book, please leave a review for her on Amazon.

Happy Memorial Day, dear friends…please be safe if you are traveling…and I will see you again in JUNE! Lots more picture book reviews, giveaways, author/illustrator Q&A’s!

Picture Book Review and Activity: DADDY DEPOT plus Giveaway

Posted on May 12, 2017 by viviankirkfield

Happy Perfect Picture Book Friday, dear friends!

I hope all of you have scrolled through yesterday’s #50PreciousWordsforKids post. There were 57 wonderful stories written by kids in grades K-6. Children in six countries and thirteen states participated. And honestly, I read the makings of several awesome picture books. Many of the parents said their children wanted to know when the next challenge would be. I’m thrilled to have created a platform for our future authors. I’ll be reaching out to the friends who generously offered to donate a mini-Skype author visit – I’ll randomly pick one name from each grade level and that child’s class will receive the author visit.

Before we get to our wonderful picture book, we have a giveaway to take care of. Last week, Andria Warmflash Rosenbaum generously offered a copy of TRAINS DON’T SLEEP.

And the winner is…

KIM CHAFFEE.

Congratulations, Kim…let’s connect and I will put you in touch with Andria so she can get a copy of the book out to you!

Today’s picture book review is another of our fabulous 2017 debuts and I know you are going to love it! And the author, Chana Stiefel (who will be here tomorrow on Will Write for Cookies), is offering a copy of the book. So, if you’d like to be entered in the giveaway, please don’t forget to leave a comment.

DADDY DEPOT

Written by: Chana Stiefel Continue reading →

Picture Book Review and Activity: WAY PAST BEDTIME

Posted on April 28, 2017 by viviankirkfield

Happy Friday! I’ve got a wonderful Perfect Picture Book for you today, but I wanted to share a bit about the NESCBWI conference.

I’m still processing the experience and I urge all of you who are writers or illustrators, but aren’t yet members of SCBWI, to please, run, don’t walk, and become a member.

It is an organization that supports all writers and illustrators and the conferences are the best. The keynote speakers, like Jane Yolen and Melissa Sweet, provided inspiration and information by the bucketful. The accommodations and food were great. But truthfully, the best part of the weekend was getting to hug old friends

and make new ones.

I also wanted to remind everyone to continue to spread the word about the #50PreciousWordsforKids Writing Challenge. This morning a teacher at the Birchwood School in Cleveland, Ohio emailed to say that her 5^th grade class is going to participate. Woo-hoo!

I’ll be putting up a post on Sunday, April 30 because the challenge starts May 1, but we may have international participants and on the other side of the globe they are many hours ahead of me. All entries should be emailed to me by either a teacher or parent. This is going to be GREAT FUN!

And before we get to today’s book, we need to giveaway a copy of Jackie Azúa Kramer’s THE GREEN UMBRELLA. And the winner is…

YVONA FAST

Congratulations, Yvona! Please email me so I can connect you and Jackie.

The author of today’s Perfect Picture Book Friday pick is well-known to most of this kidlit community. She’s the founder of Storystorm (formerly PiBoIdMo) and a force to be reckoned with.

Way Past Bedtime

Written by Tara Lazar

Illustrated by Rich Wake

Publisher: Aladdin (2017)

Ages: 4-7

Themes:

Mystery, ingenuity, bedtime

Synopsis:

From Amazon:

Little Joseph turns into a bedtime super-sleuth as he tries to solve the mystery of what happens after the lights go out in this fun spin on classic bedtime stories.

Bedtime is Joseph’s least favorite time of day. When his parents tuck him in at night, Joseph imagines all kinds of things that he’s missing out on: big parties, hot-fudge fountains, exotic animals, and more.

But there is only one way to find out if what he imagines is actually true—and bedtime super-sleuth Joseph is determined to discover what happens way past bedtime.

Why I like this book:

This book is a whole lot of fun…and kids will love sleuthing along with Joseph. I bet lots of kids wonder what goes on while they are sleeping.
Great cartoon-like illustrations…and that’s not a bad thing because I think it will encourage some kids, especially boys, to pick up the book and keep turning the pages…and that’s what it’s all about!
Oh, and did I say it was funny? Well, I’ll say it again…kids LOVE funny!

RELATED ACTIVITIES

Photo courtesy: http://www.coffeecupsandcrayons.com/spy-school-kids-activities/

Start a secret agent spy school with the downloadable forms from http://www.coffeecupsandcrayons.com/spy-school-kids-activities/
Set up a scavenger hunt with clues…my 8-year old grandson thinks being a detective is the coolest thing. I know I have to get a copy of this book for him!
Talk about how codes have been used to deliver secret messages: http://www.mathsweek.ie/2012/puzzles/code-breaking-for-young-secret-agents
Try writing a message in code and decipher it.

Have a wonderful weekend, dear friends…I hope you’ll visit tomorrow for:

Will Write for Cookies

Anna Forrester

(we reviewed her BAT COUNT book a couple of months ago)

This post is part of a series for parents and teachers called Perfect Picture Book Fridays hosted by Susannah Leonard Hill. Click on her link and find lots of other picture book suggestions with summaries and activities.