Perfect Picture Book Friday: THE LAST DAY JULIAN WAS MY BEST FRIEND Plus Giveaway

Posted on May 3, 2024 by viviankirkfield

Happy Perfect Picture Book Friday, dear friends. Friendship is so very important – and being a good friend is one of the most important skills we can help children master. And whether we are 8 or 80, having good friends just makes life so much better! Huge thanks to author Jody Jensen Shaffer and illustrator Joanne Lew-Vriethoff for creating THE LAST DAY JULIAN WAS MY FRIEND.

THE LAST DAY JULIAN WAS MY BEST FRIEND

Written by Jody Jensen Shaffer

Illustrated by Joanne Lew-Vriethoff

Published by Two Lions (June 4, 2024)

Ages: 5-8

Themes: Friendship, Honesty, Forgiveness

Synopsis: From the Amazon Sales Page:
A touching story of true friendship and the power of forgiveness.

Best friends and neighbors Anthony and Julian are having the summer of their lives. Making pancakes, riding bikes to the beach, playing in the sand and surf…They have everything they need for an epic summer vacation. But Anthony is worried. He has a secret―a secret about Julian’s missing marble. And he knows that once Julian finds out about it, he’ll be mad. He may not even want to be Anthony’s best friend anymore. So Anthony is determined to have the best last day as Julian’s best friend…until he can’t hold in his secret any longer. But maybe Julian has a surprise of his own to share with Anthony…

Why I Love This Book:
1. Grab your tissues…you will need them to wipe away the tears – the story captured my heart – a perfect story about the power of forgiveness!
2. The text is so perfect – with the rhythm, sets of three, and sparse language that keeps us engaged from beginning to end!
3. The illustrations are lovely – and we feel the emotions of both characters from the expressions on their faces – masterful!

ME: Author Jody stopped by to share a little bit of the story behind the story. Welcome, Jody! Thanks for spending some time with us.

JODY: Thanks so much for inviting me, Vivian.
When I tell kids at my author visits that some stories take two years or five years or maybe even ten years to go from idea to book, they’re stunned. Wait ’til they hear about the timeline for The Last Day Julian was My Best Friend! I wrote my first draft in 2008, when I was just learning how to write picture books. By my count, that’s 16 years from idea to book! But, boy, was it worth the effort and wait. I just love how it turned out, thanks to my editor, Marilyn Brigham, and the whole team at Two Lions, and to Joanne Lew-Vriethoff and her gorgeous illustrations. I hope readers will love it, too.

We are so glad you never gave up, Jody! The book is amazing!
Friends, here’s a little info about both the author and illustrator and how you can connect with them.

Jody Jensen Shaffer is an award-winning poet and the author of more than 80 books for children, including Creep, Leap, Crunch! A Food Chain Story, named an NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Book and nominated for Oklahoma’s 2025 Donna Norvell Award, Prudence the Part-Time Cow, finalist for Missouri’s Show Me Award and Missouri’s choice for the National Book Festival, A Chip Off the Old Block, nominee for Iowa’s Goldfinch Award, It’s Your First Day of School, Busy Bus!, Amazon best seller, and more! Jody’s newest books include Sometimes I am Hot Lava and Porcupine Had a Fuzzy Sweater, which release in April and September, respectively.
Website:
Twitter

From Joanne’s website:
I am an illustrator of picture, chapter, middle grade and educational books. I was born in Malaysia, grew up in Los Angeles and New York, currently living between Malaysia and Amsterdam. I studied illustration at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. And for a short stint, I worked in the television industry as a character and concept illustrator for clients pitching children’s television shows. And then one day I decided to take a big leap and moved to New York where I worked as a graphic designer/Art Director at an AD Agency. Four years later, I found myself moving to Europe where I began my journey as a full time children’s book illustrator.
Website
Twitter

Here’s a lovely review from Kirkus:
“The tale delivers an important message about forgiveness and the importance of taking responsibility for wrongdoings… A touching exploration of the complicated dynamics of friendship.”

And here’s a Preorder link:
https://rb.gy/s2spa0

And our kind and generous guest is offering a fabulous Giveaway…a winner’s choice of a signed book, an Ask-Me-Anything Zoom chat, or a picture book critique. WOW! Please make sure you leave a comment, letting us know what you’d choose if you are the lucky winner…and please SHARE this post on social media, add the book to your Goodreads WANT TO READ shelf, review the book on Amazon, and ask your local library to purchase copies for their collection.

RELATED ACTIVITIES:

Kids love making and wearing friendship bracelets! Give it a try with your little ones!
More fun friendship activities – details at: https://www.dltk-kids.com/crafts/friendship/

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. I’m still immersed in distributing prizes…and this coming week, I’m excited to see the 50-word stories for #50PreciousWordsforKids. If you are a parent or teacher, please encourage your children to participate. It’s always a joy to see what these natural storytellers have to say.

Make sure you leave a comment to be entered in the giveaway…and guess what? Two Lions is doing a Goodreads giveaway of 20 physical copies of The Last Day Julian was My Best Friend. It begins on Monday, May 6 and goes until June 3. If you want to enter, here’s the link: https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/388808-the-last-day-julian-was-my-best-friend

Perfect Picture Book Friday: LADYBUG LAUNCH: Inspired by a True Story of Chinitas in Space PLUS Giveaway

Posted on April 19, 2024 by viviankirkfield

Happy Perfect Picture Book Friday, dear friends. Our feature today is from author Meilissa Trempe – you may remember that she was one of last year’s #50PreciousWords top winners. And it’s the type of picture book I really enjoy – based on true events. Get ready for a fun post – Melissa shares some great writerly advice – and she is offering a fabulous giveaway – winner’s choice of a Picture Book Manuscript Critique or a copy of the book. Please make sure you leave a comment for a chance – and share the post wherever you can.

LADYBUG LAUNCH: Inspired by a True Story of Chinitas in Space

Written by Melissa Trempe and Dr. Natalia Ojeda

Illustrated by Manuela Montoya

Published by Margaret K. McElderry Books (Simon and Schuster)

Ages: 4-8

Themes: STEM, perseverance, science, space, girl-power, ladybugs

Synopsis from Amazon:
Based on a true story, this out-of-this-world picture book follows the exciting scientific journey of a chica and a chinita with sky-high aspirations—perfect for fans of Mae Among the Stars and What Miss Mitchell Saw.

Natalia is a chica, an ambitious girl with dreams of becoming a scientist. Luna is a chinita, an adventurous ladybug that dreams of visiting the stars. But neither dream is easy to reach. Ladybugs are meant to munch on garden pests. And no one from Natalia’s family has ever been to college. Still, both Natalia and Luna want más.

Then Natalia’s all-girl class designs an experiment. If astronauts want to live in outer space, they’ll need to grow food. Could chinitas go along to keep the pests away? The girls are eager to find out, and Luna is hungry to help. If their theory is correct, it’s a project worthy of NASA itself—and the stuff all dreams are made of.

This inspiring picture book is based on the real story of Chilean high school girls who convinced NASA to send ladybugs to space!

Why I Love This Book:
1. I love books based on true events that can inspire young people to follow their dreams!
2. Fabulous text that captures our interest with a fascinating STEM story!
3. Bold illustrations that pop off the page and rocket us through the book with exciting action!

Here’s a little bit about author Melissa Trempe and how you can connect with her:
Melissa Trempe is a picture book author of fiction and nonfiction in the Philadelphia area. As a former educator, she loves connecting with readers during school visits. Melissa provides a critique service for fellow authors and is represented by Amy Nielsen at The Purcell Agency. When she isn’t working, she loves reading with her kids, camping, skiing, playing with her dog, and eating just about any flavor of ice cream.

Learn more about her and connect by going to her website at www.melissatrempe.com.

Co-author Natalia Ojeda’s Bio:
Natalia Ojeda grew up in a simple home in the southernmost country of the world: Chile. Her family had few resources, yet her faith, determination, and experience in the ladybug project helped her to overcome the odds and achieve her dream of becoming a doctor. She is a doctor in the Palliative Care Unit of San Juan de Dios Hospital in Santiago, Chile. As a mother of four girls, she wants to share her story of strength and hope with children around the world.

Here’s a bit of writing advice from Melissa, based on her experience publishing Ladybug Launch.

Always be open to feedback, and don’t resist trying a different angle. Here’s why:

When I stumbled on the fact that ladybugs had traveled to space with NASA, I knew that was a picture book begging to be told. My first draft was a funny and inspirational story about a little ladybug who didn’t want to be ladylike. She wanted to be an engineer, build a spaceship, and rocket to the moon. I loved it! However, when I shared it with critique partners, I heard one piece of feedback over and over: Your back matter about the Chilean girls who convinced NASA to take ladybugs to space is fascinating! Why don’t you tell THAT story?

At first, I resisted. I’m a fiction writer. In fact, I’m a humorous fiction writer, and I don’t “do” nonfiction or even fiction based on true events. Yet finally, I relented. I tried a genre I had never written, and it became my debut picture book! While Ladybug Launch is not nonfiction, it’s closer to nonfiction than anything I had ever written. And now, I am writing nonfiction and loving it!

It’s been such an amazing experience collaborating with Natalia, my co-author. She is truly an inspiration, and I’m so happy to be working together to tell this story!

So, my advice to you is listen to the universe, stretch yourself to try things outside your comfort zone, and KEEP WRITING!

RELATED ACTIVITIES:

No-bake Recipe for Ladybug Cookies

You and your kids will love making these adorable, no-bake ladybug cookies together!https://kidsactivityzone.com/ladybug-oreos

Feeling crafty? Here are 10 ladybug craft ideas!

10 Lovable Ladybug Crafts perfect for little Kids to make!

Photo courtesy: Artsy Craftsy Mom

How can we help books become a success, you ask? We can:

Buy them
Review them
Tell friends about them (Please share this post on your social media.)
Ask our local library to purchase copies for their collection.
Follow the creator:

Website: http://www.melissatrempe.com
X/Twitter: @melissa_trempe
Instagram: @melissatrempe.author
Facebook: @melissaluerytrempe

Melissa is also offering a giveaway of a copy of Ladybug Launch or a picture book critique. Please make sure you leave a comment – what did you dream of becoming when you were little?

Extra bonus! Order Ladybug Launch and attend Melissa’s revision webinar for FREE in May. Email her a snapshot of your receipt at melissatrempebooks@gmail.com.

Thank you so much, Melissa, for your insights, cookie recipe, craft ideas, giveaway…and for writing such a fabulous book!
And thank you, friends, for spending your precious time with us.
The #50PreciousWords prize distribution continues…if you are waiting to be contacted by me, please be patient – this is a long process – as of Thursday evening, we are up to Winner #18.
I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

Perfect Picture Book Friday: DANCING THROUGH SPACE: Dr. Mae Jemison Soars to New Heights PLUS Giveaway

Posted on April 5, 2024 by viviankirkfield

Happy Perfect Picture Book Friday, dear friends. I love when past guests return to Picture Books Help Kids Soar because it usually means they have a brand-new book that just launched…and that’s exactly why the lovely Lydia Lukidis is here today! Hurray! And get ready for a treat because Lydia stopped by to share the story behind the story…AND offer a giveaway. So, stick around and make sure you leave a comment!

DANCING THROUGH SPACE: Dr. Mae Jemison Soars to New Heights

Written by Lydia Lukidis

Illustrated by Sawyer Cloud

Published by Albert Whitman (April 4, 2024)

Ages:4-8

Themes: Women in Science, STEM, diversity

Synopsis: From the Amazon Sales Page:
“A quick but lyrical character study.”—Kirkus Reviews
“The sky proves no limit in Lukidis’s encouraging biography of Black female astronaut Mae Jemison.”—Publishers Weekly

The true story of Dr. Mae Jemison, whose lifelong passions of science and dance prepared her to become a trailblazing astronaut.

Today, Dr. Mae Jemison is famous for being the first Black woman to travel into outer space. But when she was growing up, she felt torn between two passions: science and dance. It seemed like an impossible choice. There had to be some way to make room for both—and Mae found one. As an adult, she combined her gifts of scientific logic and artistic creativity and became an astronaut.

Why I Love This Book:
1. I love finding out about Women in Science and stories I hadn’t heard before!
2. I love the lyrical writing and engaging narrative!
3. I love the vivid art that puts us right up there in space with Mae – and that helps the reader connect with the story.

RELATED ACTIVITIES:
Shiny Galaxy Slime

Photo courtesy: https://www.simpleeverydaymom.com/space-crafts-for-kids/

For detailed instructions and more space crafts: https://www.simpleeverydaymom.com/space-crafts-for-kids/

Are you still with us? Haven’t blasted off into outer space? Good, I’m glad…because author Lydia just landed and she wants to share a bit about the story behind the story.
ME: Welcome, Lydia! Thanks so much for stopping by.

LYDiA:
Thank you, Vivian! I’m so excited to announce the release of my latest nonfiction picture book Dancing through Space: Dr. Mae Jemison Soars to New Heights illustrated by Sawyer Cloud and published by Albert Whitman.

I wrote this book as a dual narrative that features both of Mae’s passions. As the story unfolds, the two worlds merge, illuminating how art and science are both essential parts of our world.

But I confess, the road to publication was bumpier than usual and fraught with challenges!

Challenge #1: I wrote the first versions in 2013 and started pitched it at various pitch festivals online. One agent was interested but when I showed her my other books, she passed. Looking back, I was a newbie and had a lot to learn.

Challenge #2: I did a million more pitch festivals (and if you’ve done them, you know how stressful they can be). I got hearts but no offers. After querying a slew of agents, I finally signed with my first agent, yay! We went out on sub with this ms but got rejection after rejection, boo.

Challenge #3: I remember one of the critiques calling my writing “regular.” Looking back, those first versions were pretty terrible. I finally realized the problem: the focus was too wide and there was no hook. After several years of research, I finally found the hook; the intersection of dance and science. Editors responded well to it but still, no offers.

Challenge #4: I dove deeper into the hook and the book improved, but I parted ways with that agent. Boo… I bounced back pretty quickly and started a mad querying rush. I signed with a great agent, but she didn’t vibe with this story, so it was shelved.

Challenge #5: Uh oh, after a year, I parted ways with my second agent. I started to reassess my career at that point and fell into an existential slump. No querying or writing for a while.

Challenge #6: I decided to try to pitch the ms again and one editor was really gung-ho about it, it was Nivair H. Gabriel (from Barefoot Books at the time) so I sent her the ms. She loved it and wanted to acquire it, but asked for some revisions and I got to work. But when I tried to send it to Nivair, I found out she had just left Barefoot Books! I sent the revisions to the new editor but she didn’t share Nivair’s excitement and passed.

Challenge #7: In 2020, I signed with my dream agent Miranda Paul. I showed her the revised ms. She loved it, but worried I had already subbed earlier versions too widely and it would be a hard sell. She told me to be patient.

Then, yay, we got an offer from Albert Whitman! After a 10-year journey and 42 revisions, the book is done and released!

I’m grateful.

ME: And we are grateful, too. For this book, dear Lydia…and for you never giving up. Persistence…where have I heard that before? Oh yes…it’s one of my 5 Ps. Thank you so much for sharing your path to publication…an ELEVEN YEAR journey for this beautiful book!!!

Here’s a little bit about Lydia:
Lydia Lukidis is the author of 50+ trade and educational books for children. Her titles include DANCING THROUGH SPACE: Dr. Mae Jemison Soars to New Heights (Albert Whitman, 2024), DEEP, DEEP, DOWN: The Secret Underwater Poetry of the Mariana Trench (Capstone, 2023) which was shortlisted for a Silver Birch Express (Forest of Reading) award, THE BROKEN BEES’ NEST(Kane Press, 2019) which was nominated for a Cybils Award, and NO BEARS ALLOWED (Clear Fork Media, 2019). A science enthusiast from a young age, she now incorporates her studies in science and her everlasting curiosity into her books.

Lydia is very involved in the kidlit community. She volunteers as a judge on Rate your Story, co-hosts the annual Fall Writing Frenzy competition, and is an active member of SCBWI, CANSCAIP, 12 x 12, and The Authors Guild. Another passion of hers is fostering a love for children’s literacy through the writing workshops she regularly offers in elementary schools across Quebec with the Culture in the Schools program.
Lydia is represented by Miranda Paul from the Erin Murphy Literary Agency.

To find out more about Lydia and her books and to connect with her:
Web: http://www.lydialukidis.com/
Presale links: https://www.albertwhitman.com/book/dancing-through-space/
Blog: https://lydialukidis.wordpress.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LydiaLukidis
FB: https://www.facebook.com/LydiaLukidis/

We all know how important it is to help new books become successful…and we can all help: We can:
Buy the book
Review the book
Put it on your Goodreads WANT TO READ SHELF
Tell friends about it (Share on social media)
Ask your local library to purchase copies for their collection
Please do at least ONE of these things…if you do more, you get extra tickets in the giveaway hat. And make sure you leave a comment because Lydia is happy to give away a free copy of DANCING THROUGH SPACE (US only).

Thank you for spending your precious time with us.
I hope you all have a beautiful weekend.