Category Archives: Giveaway

Perfect Picture Book Friday: YOU KNOW WHAT? PLUS Critique Giveaway

Posted on by
50

Hello dear friends! 

Somehow, the day has almost gotten away from me. But it’s Perfect Picture Book Friday and I wanted to make sure that I shared a picture book that will be a wonderful addition to every young child’s library. Plus, author Carol Gordon Ekster has offered to donate a picture book manuscript critique as a giveaway! Woo-hoo! So please make sure you leave a comment to be entered for a chance to win it!

You Know What

YOU KNOW WHAT?

Written by Carol Gordon Ekster

Illustrated by Nynke Talsma

Published by Clavis Group (2017)

Ages: 3-7

Themes: Bedtime, Procrastination, Curiosity

Synopsis: 

From Amazon: Oliver should go to sleep. But there is so much he wants to tell his mother about: what happened that day at school, the things he read in books, everything he sees around him.
A touching and familiar picture book about (postponing) the ritual of going to sleep.

Why I like this book:

  • I have three children and I remember the words, “You know what?” because they were the words my kids used to put off their bedtime. They all knew their mommy loved to engage in conversation (yup…I haven’t changed) and they knew I would never cut off their curiosity. This is a book that will strike a chord with every parent and every child.
  • Great illustrations that show Oliver in all of his bedtime preparations…kids will identify with his routine.
  • Filled with heart and humor.

RELATED ACTIVITIES:

Make a bedtime routine chart

Bedtime-Routine-side-by-side

Photo courtesy: https://bitzngiggles.com

I think if you surveyed parents, one of the most difficult tasks for them is getting the kids to bed. One thing that helps is to put routines in place. And here’s a super cool chart that you can make with your kiddos. For detailed instructions, please go to: https://bitzngiggles.com/printable-bedtime-routine-charts/

Thank you for spending some of your precious time here, dear friends. I hope you’ll hop over to author Melissa Stoller’s blog on Monday because I’ll be stopping by there to chat about my writing process and more. Here is a link to her website, but my post won’t be up until the 26th. https://www.melissastoller.com/

I’m kind of sad to say goodbye to February…but I am so looking forward to the beginning of March because that will mean it is time for the #50PreciousWords Writing Challenge.  Please come back on Friday, March 2nd when we celebrate the birthday of Dr. Seuss with our 50-word stories. I’m excited to read all of your precious words!

And don’t forget to leave a comment for a chance to win the picture book manuscript critique from Carol.

 

 

Happy Book Birthday: DIY CIRCUS LAB FOR KIDS Plus Giveaway

Posted on by
18

Hello dear friends!

I know all about birthdays – I’ve had 71 of them! But there is nothing like the first one. And that’s why I’m so thrilled to wish a big Happy Book Birthday to:

DIYCircusLab_Cover_FRONT 320x240

And big congratulations to author and circus-guru, Jackie Leigh Davis.

Are you a  camp director or counselor, looking for a great program to offer the kids?

Are you a teacher or after-school center youth leader needing a new activity?

Are you a parent looking to do something fun-filled and family-friendly with your children?

This book is a hands-on, step-by-step guide with easy instructions and clear photos that demonstrate each juggling, balancing, clowning, and show-making activity.

Jackie is one of my local SCBWI buddies and I’m totally excited to attend her book signing event at the Toadstool Bookstore in Milford, NH on Saturday, February 17th from 2-4pm. Yes, that’s right! It’s in only a couple of days. So if you are local to the Milford area, why not stop in and say hello! Toadstool is our wonderful Indie bookstore where I get to hang out with my local writer buddies sometimes.

By the way, I plan to buy a copy of DIY CIRCUS LAB FOR KIDS while I’m at Jackie’s book signing and I’ll be giving it away to one lucky winner! So, if you’d like to win that signed copy, please leave a comment below…and for an extra entry, come back on Saturday when Jackie stops by to chat on Will Write for Cookies.

And please make sure you are here on Friday. I’ll be posting a special Perfect Picture Book Friday with a peek inside this year’s guidelines for the #50PreciousWords Writing Challenge. There will be some awesome prizes, including a critique with my wonderful agent, Essie White of Storm Literary Agency.

A bit of news from me on the book front: I just got to see the tentative cover for the counting book that Pomegranate Books bought. My fellow Storm teammate, Mirka Hokannen is illustrating and oh my gosh…she is amazing! And the story that used to be called Visitors to Deep Pool is now entitled…hmmm…maybe we’ll have to have a TITLE REVEAL sometime down the road. The book hasn’t been announced yet, hopefully any day. But I have to tell you, it is heaven when author, illustrator, and editor are able to collaborate together…that is a recipe for a beautiful book!

I know many of you are participating in Susanna’s Valentiny Contest…there is still time to enter…or you can just hop over to read some of the wonderful stories.

Perfect Picture Book Friday: SNOW SISTERS plus Critique Giveaway

Posted on by
74

What a totally perfect day for a totally perfect picture book entitled SNOW SISTERS

Yes, here in New Hampshire, we are in the middle of a BLIZZARD! It’s actually lovely if you don’t have to go anywhere and have plenty of food and water and power to heat your home and keep the internet going.

And the lovely Kerri Kokias, author of Snow Sisters, has graciously offered a picture book manuscript critique as a giveaway. Woo-hoo! And tomorrow, Kerri will be stopping by to chat and share a delicious recipe for hot cocoa! MMMMM…whose got the marshmallows?

SnowSistersLargeCover

SNOW SISTERS

Written by Kerri Kokias

Illustrated by Teagan White

Published by Knopf Books for Young Readers (2018)

Ages: 3-7

Themes: Sisters, friendship, being yourself

Synopsis:

From Amazon: Just like snowflakes, no two sisters are alike, but that doesn’t mean they can’t work together to make the perfect snow day! A heartwarming sibling story from the illustrator of That’s Me Loving You.

When snowflakes fall, two sisters react very differently. One is excited and the other is wary. The first sister spends the morning outdoors, playing until she’s all tuckered out. Meanwhile, the second sister stays indoors, becoming ever more curious about the drifts outside. Soon, they switch places, and spend the second half of the day retracing each other’s footsteps. But each sister puts her own unique spin on activities like sledding, baking and building.


The simple mirrored text is spare and lovely, and each spread is split to show what each sister is doing independently–until at last they come together in the sweet, satisfying conclusion. LeUyen Pham’s Big Sister, Little Sister meets Kate Messner’s Over and Under the Snow.

Why I like this book:

  • I have a sister and remember well our differences, but I also remember how we found ways to come together

  • I love how each sister goes her own way, but in the end, they show how much they love each other

  • Wonderful illustrations and perfect pacing of the text will engage children from the first page to the last.

RELATED ACTIVITIES

30-ways-to-make-a-snowflake-2Photo courtesy:https://handsonaswegrow.com

Make a snowflake craft: for detailed instructions on any of these beautiful snowflakes: https://handsonaswegrow.com/make-snowflake-crafts/

For lots of fun when summer comes, why not fill a plastic container with clean snowballs and put it in the freezer. On a hot summer day, go out with the kids and throw snowballs. Just make sure they aren’t too hard. If they are, you can make a game of tossing them into a bucket. 

Thank you so much for spending your precious time here. Don’t forget to leave a comment to be entered in the picture book manuscript critique giveaway…and definitely pop in tomorrow for the Q&A with Kerri Kokias.

The 2018 books are coming in fast and furious and I hope to review lots of them this year! Please remember that authors need reviews and shout outs…I’m off to write an Amazon review right now.