Perfect Picture Book Friday: SOPHIE AND LITTLE STAR Plus PB Manuscript Critique Giveaway

Posted on October 19, 2018 by viviankirkfield

Did you know that my 5-year old granddaughter’s name is Sophie? She’s a ball of fun and energy…and she LOVES books and hearing stories and having the mailman deliver envelopes with her name on them. And so, when one of my dear friends and critique buddies, Amber Hendricks, wrote a story called Sophie and Little Star and it got published, I knew I’d be getting a copy for her. And of course, sharing it with all of you for Perfect Picture Book Friday!

And guess what? This talented and generous author is gifting some lucky reader with a Picture Book Manuscript Critique…yes! Just make sure you leave a comment and you will be entered into the giveaway.

SOPHIE AND LITTLE STAR

Written by Amber Hendricks

Illustrated by Raissa Figueroa

Published by Clear Fork/Spork (2018)

Ages: 3-8

Themes: Friendship, helping one another, determination

Opening lines:

“Every night, when the sun had set and the stars gathered in the heavens to shine their light on the world, Little Star watched, wishing she could join.”

Synopsis:

“Sophie and Little Star is a delightfully charming tale about friendship and finding where we belong. A wonderful bedtime treat!” -Marissa Meyer, New York Times bestselling author of The Lunar Chronicles

When a little star falls from her home in the sky, she finds help from an unexpected friend. Together, the new friends search for a way to send Little Star home, but soon discover that not everyone you meet is kind, or helpful. Little Star begins to wonder if she’ll ever find a way home, and if she does, will she be able to leave her new friend, Sophie, behind?”

Why I like this book:

I love stories about friendship, especially those with a bit of pixie dust and magic woven in.
I love stories where the main character shows determination – and this one is a mighty girl who just isn’t going to give up until she helps her new friend, Little Star.
The illustrations are beautiful and Raissa captures the dreamy night-time feel throughout the pages.
I love sweet bedtime stories and so do kids!

RELATED ACTIVITIES

Photo courtesy: https://www.powerfulmothering.com/10-star-crafts-for-kids/

STAR PROJECTS FOR KIDS: For detailed instructions, please go to: https://www.powerfulmothering.com/10-star-crafts-for-kids/

Bundle up and go out in the evening to look up at the stars. Get a book for kids on the constellations and see how many you can identify. Check you library for Child’s Introduction to the Night Sky by Michael Driscoll.

Thank you so much for stopping by. Please make sure you leave a comment to enter the giveaway…and come back tomorrow when Amber visits Picture Books Help Kids Soar and shares her writing journey and a very special No-Bake cookie recipe from her mom.

This post joins all the others on Susanna Leonard Hill’s Perfect Picture Book Friday link up where bloggers review their favorite picture books.

And please don’t forget that our favorite authors need our help to spread the word about their books. BUY THEM! REVIEW THEM! TELL OTHER PEOPLE ABOUT THEM!

Perfect Picture Book Friday: Scarlet’s Magic Paintbrush PLUS PB Manuscript Critique Giveaway and Book Giveaway

Posted on October 12, 2018 by viviankirkfield

Happy Perfect Picture Book Friday! Picture books are magical…especially when they are about a magical item. And Perfect Picture Book Friday posts are magical when they have DOUBLE GIVEAWAYS. Yes, author Melissa Stoller is donating both a pb manuscript critique AND a copy of her brand-new picture book! Woo-hoo!

SCARLET’S MAGIC PAINTBRUSH

Written by Melissa Stoller

Ilustrated by Sandie Sonke

Published by Clear Fork/Spork (October 2018)

Ages: 4-8

Themes: Creativity, be yourself, self-esteem

Opening lines:

“Years ago, Scarlet found a magic paintbrush and everything changed.”

Synopsis: From Amazon:

What would it be like to have a magic paintbrush?

Scarlet knows.
She paints perfect pictures . . . until her brush disappears.
Will she ever be
able to create another
masterpiece without it?

Why I like this book:

The element of magic appeals to kids…who wouldn’t want a brush that magically draws perfect pictures?
I loved seeing Scarlet come to the realization that her own creativity is important.
The illustrations are full of color…perfect for a book about a girl who loves to paint.

RELATED ACTIVITIES:

Painting With Kids

Photo courtesy: https://artfulparent.com/painting-activities-kids-60-ideas/

For detailed instructions for 50 painting projects: https://artfulparent.com/painting-activities-kids-60-ideas/

Ask your kids, what would they draw if they had a magic paintbrush? If they could imbue any item with magical powers, what would it be and what would it do? And wouldn’t we all like to have an item that had magical powers? What item would you want to be magical?

Please don’t forget to leave a comment to be entered in this double-your-pleasure giveaway. And, when you read Melissa’s book, don’t forget to leave a review on Amazon, Goodreads, and/or other review sites. Reviews are like a birthday gift to your favorite author!

And speaking of picture books, for more wonderful recommendations and activities for kids, please hop over to Susanna Leonard Hill’s Perfect Picture Book Friday link up.

Have a wonderful weekend, dear friends. Safe travels if you are away from home.

Perfect Picture Book Friday: THE REMEMBER BALLOONS

Posted on August 31, 2018 by viviankirkfield

Happy Perfect Picture Book Friday, dear friends. I’ve been away, visiting family in Chicago…came back for a few days…and this weekend I am off to Tom’s River, New Jersey, to stay for a week with my best friend of 70 years. We will definitely be remembering all the good times we had over the years. And with that thought in mind, I decided that Jessie Oliveros’ debut picture book, THE REMEMBER BALLOONS, would be the perfect book to review today!

cover

THE REMEMBER BALLOONS

Written by Jessie Oliveros

Illustrated by Dana Wulfekotte

Published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (August 28, 2018)

Ages: 5-8

Themes: Alzheimer’s, dementia, grandparents

Synopsis: From Amazon: What’s Happening to Grandpa meets Up in this tender, sensitive picture book that gently explains the memory loss associated with aging and diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

James’s Grandpa has the best balloons because he has the best memories. He has balloons showing Dad when he was young and Grandma when they were married. Grandpa has balloons about camping and Aunt Nelle’s poor cow. Grandpa also has a silver balloon filled with the memory of a fishing trip he and James took together.

But when Grandpa’s balloons begin to float away, James is heartbroken. No matter how hard he runs, James can’t catch them. One day, Grandpa lets go of the silver balloon—and he doesn’t even notice!

Grandpa no longer has balloons of his own. But James has many more than before. It’s up to him to share those balloons, one by one.

Why I like this book:

Heartfelt text helps young kids grasp how we build memories as we grow up…and how some of us lose memories as we get older…this is a difficult concept for children…but using the various color balloons to signify memories was a stroke of genius.
Wonderful illustrations with diverse characters – the color palette is reserved for the balloons which is extremely effective in highlighting the importance of memories.
Many children are impacted when grandparents or other relatives suffer from Alzheimers or other memory-robbing diseases…reading this book will provide parents and teachers with a great opportunity to talk with kids about the problem.

RELATED ACTIVITIES

BALLOON CRAFTS AND GAMES

balloon-activities-for-kids-433x650 Photo courtesy: https://handsonaswegrow.com

For detailed instructions: https://handsonaswegrow.com/28-ways-to-play-with-balloons/

Multigenerational activities are good for the young and the old: https://www.familyeducation.com/videos/12-great-activities-grandparents-grandchildren

Thank you so much for stopping by, dear friends. I’m always grateful for your comments and your company. It’s hard to believe the summer is in it’s final days…have a safe and happy Labor Day weekend.