Category Archives: Perfect Pictture Book Friday

Perfect Picture Book Friday: SHOW ME A STORY – WRITING YOUR OWN PICTURE BOOK Plus Giveaway

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Happy Perfect Picture Book Friday! 

WHAT BAD LUCK! My scheduled blog post had to be pushed because the author’s book was pushed

And then a happy accident happened. If any of you ever watched the late great Bob Ross painting on TV, you’ll remember that he said there were no mistakes, only happy little accidents.

WHAT GOOD LUCK! I reached out to dear writing friend Suzy Leopold and she stepped up to the plate. Suzy put together an awesome Will Write for Cookies post, created a super journal-making craft, and is giving away a personalized journal! More than that, she shared the name of a picture book she uses in her school visits. I fell in love with it and plan to use it with students next year when my debut picture book launches.

tell me a story cover

SHOW ME A STORY: WRITING YOUR OWN PICTURE BOOKS

Written by Nancy Loewen

Illustrated by Christopher Lyles

Published by Picture Winow Books/Capstone (2009)

Ages: 7-9

Themes: creating stories, writing your own book

Synopsis:

From Amazon: Ready to build a picture book? First, you’ll need the right tools. Open this title in the Writer’s Toolbox series and discover plenty of tips and tools to get you started. Soon you’ll be writing and showing stories like a pro!

Why I like this book:

  • Humorous story that serves as an example
  • Great illustrations that will engage kids
  • Breaks down the main elements of a picture book in simple terms

RELATED ACTIVITIES

Journal-Making by Suzy Leopold

September 2010 044 (1)

Materials Needed:

One composition notebook or student journal

Three pieces of 12 X 12 inch scrapbook paper

Glue stick

Hot glue gun

Scissors 

Paper cutter (optional)

Ruler

Embellishments

Di cut letters or letter stickers

Ribbon or Rick Rack 

Directions:

September 2010 049

  1. Using three sheets of scrapbook paper, cut two pieces of scrapbook paper 8 X 12 inches.
  2. Apply a generous amount of glue to the journal, position the scrapbook paper and smooth out any bubbles.
  3. Wrap and fold the extended edges of the scrapbook paper, creating mitered corners and secure with a generous amount of glue.
  4. Cut two pieces of scrapbook paper 9 X 6 inches. Using a glue stick adhere to the inside covers of the journal.

September 2010 053          5. Open the journal to the middle section of the notebook that reveals the stitching. Hot glue two or three 14 inch pieces of ribbon on the top edge. Drape the pieces of ribbon across sections of the notebook to become a bookmark. Tie a knot at the bottom of each piece of ribbon.

        6. Time to embellish your journal with scrapbook stickers and cutouts, etc. Use additional scraps of scrapbook paper. Recycle greeting cards. Use buttons and babbles. Be creative. 

September 2010 056 

Suzy  and I are both passionate about encouraging kids to read at home. She shared the info-graph below. I totally 100% agree with her…I used to hand out flyers to the students to bring home, asking parents to spend 15 minutes a day with their kids, reading, crafting, or cooking. But I like the 20 minutes better!

Why Read 20 m daily

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. For more picture book reviews, head on over to Susanna Hill’s website. But before you go, please leave a comment to be entered in the giveaway of a personalized journal made by the queen of craft herself…Suzy!

And don’t miss tomorrow’s Will Write for Cookies when Suzy shares her thoughts about using journals for this writing life and more.

 

Perfect Picture Book Friday: It’s Not Jack and the Beanstalk

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Happy Perfect Picture Book Friday…and Happy Fall!

We had several book publications pushed, so I had to reschedule today’s planned post. But never fear, dear friends! Have I got a Perfect Picture Book for you!

it's not jack and the beanstalk

IT’S NOT JACK AND THE BEANSTALK

Written by Josh Funk

Illustrated by Edwardian Taylor

Published by Two Lions Press (September 2017)

Ages 4-8

Themes: Be true to yourself, trust in yourself

 

Synopsis:

From Amazon:

Jack is not fond of the bossy narrator of his fairy tale! When Jack is told to trade his beloved cow Bessie for some magic beans, throw the beans out the window, climb the ENORMOUS beanstalk that sprouts overnight, and steal from a GIANT, he decides this fairy tale is getting out of control. In fact, he doesn’t want to follow the story line at all. Who says Jack needs to enter a life of daring, thievery, and giant trickery? He takes his story into his own hands—and you’ll never guess what happens next!

With laugh-out-loud dialogue and bold, playful art (including hidden fairy tale creatures for kids to find), this Jack and the Beanstalk retelling will have children rolling with laughter till Bessie the cow comes home.

Why I like this book:

  • Josh Funk wrote it! No, seriously, this guy is super funny and has his finger on the pulse of what kids want to hear.
  • The illustrations are bold, bright, and full of fun.
  • Clever retelling of an old classic…with a new twist!

RELATED ACTIVITIES

PLANT SOME BEANS (of course!)

growing+beans+on+cotton+balls+text11Photo courtesy: http://theimaginationtree.com/2012/04/growing-beans-on-cotton-balls.html

Kids love to garden. And bean seeds can be planted indoors all year long with great results. For detailed instructions: http://theimaginationtree.com/2012/04/growing-beans-on-cotton-balls.html

More great planting activities here: http://www.peepandthebigwideworld.com/en/educators/curriculum/family-child-care-educators/plants/activity/guided-activity/157/planting-bean-seeds/

Write fractured fairy tales with your kids…they’ll have a ball!

For more picture book reviews, hop over to Susanna Hill’s Perfect Picture Book Friday where authors, teachers, librarians, and parents share their favorite picture books!

Have a wonderful weekend, dear friends. The leaves are changing into their scarlet and gold headdresses here in New Hampshire. What is fall like for you?

 

 

Perfect Picture Book Friday: Manjhi Moves a Mountain PLUS Giveaway

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We are back in the swing of things with school in session. Elementary teachers have always used picture books in the classroom, but now, more than ever, the nonfiction picture book bios are needed. And today, I’m bringing you what is sure to be one of the most popular books this year and a classic for the future!

manjhi cover

MANJHI MOVES A MOUNTAIN

Written by Nancy Churnin

Illustrated by Danny Popovici

Published by Creston Books (September 2017)

Ages: 5-9

Themes: Ingenuity, courage, persistance

Synopsis: 

From Midwest Review:

Manjhi Moves a Mountain” is an amazing story of dedication, persistence, vision, and steadfast love. It is a true story about a real man named Dashrath Manjhi, who lived in India from 1934 until 2007. Manjhi lived in a remote, poor mountain village, where a mountain divided his poor village from a sister village with water, fertile land, and access to health care and education. People from Manjhi’s village had to walk over 36 difficult miles to get to the sister village for access to crops, food, health care, and education, because of the difficult mountain obstacle between. Manjhi could see the differences between the two villages clearly, and he pondered the question of inequality between people at the top of the mountain. He came to a decision after throwing a stone against the mountainside in frustration, watching it dissolve into powder. This was his revelation! From then on, Manjhi spent every possible resource and effort to obtain a hammer and chisel and to use his full strength every day to work at pounding the stone of the mountain to make a road for the people from the poor village to travel to the rich village more easily. The work was hard, and had to be done in addition to the work of growing food and sustaining himself. Manjhi and his hammer became a common sight on the mountain, where he labored every day, chanting to himself, “Hold. Aim. Swing!” Though people told him he was crazy, that he should give up and accept inequality, he continued throughout his life, making slow progress in carving a pathway through the mountain. After 15 years, villagers could see real progress. People began to leave offerings of food, and new tools, to help him on his gigantic, self imposed task. Finally one day that was 22 years after Manjhi first had his vision, the last hammer blow was swung and the pathway that would become a road for everyone was open. Manjhi looked from one village to the other and saw not two villages, but one, “sharing water, hopes, dreams… and a man who had moved a mountain!” This true life story of an Indian sage who became revered and known as the Mountain Man is inspiring and moving to young readers age 5 and up. Beautiful earth-toned illustrations depict the mighty work of Manjhi and the awe and respect of his village friends. “Manjhi Moves a Mountain” is a true modern treasure and wisdom life story. 

Why I like this book:

  • The text engages from the opening lines to the satisfying ending!
  • The illustrations are incredible (wait till you see tomorrow’s post when illustrator Danny Popovici shares his process AND his storyboard!
  • The story is inspiring.

Related Activities:

paper mache mountainPhoto Courtesy: Kimberly Klein Sweder

http://www.ehow.com/how_12138304_make-fake-mountain-school-diorama.html

Paper Mache Mountain

Help your kids make their own mountain with paper mache. For detailed instructions: http://www.ehow.com/how_12138304_make-fake-mountain-school-diorama.html

 

Please don’t forget to leave a comment to be entered in Nancy’s giveaway of a copy of MANJHI MOVES A MOUNTAIN. And definitely don’t forget to be here tomorrow for a double your pleasure, double your fun Will Write for Cookies post featuring:

Author Nancy Churnin and Illustrator Danny Popovici

For more picture book reviews, check out Susanna Hill’s website, where picture book lovers link up their blog posts for Perfect Picture Book Friday.

To my friends and all those in the path of Hurrican Irma…we all join in praying for your safety!

 

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