PPBF: Sophie’s Squash Goes to School

Posted on July 15, 2016 by viviankirkfield

Perfect Picture Book Friday…hurray! I must apologize for being somewhat absent from the blogging scene these last two months. With the exciting WOW Retreat in just a couple of days (WOO-HOO!) and my surgery looming at the beginning of August, preparing for both has gobbled up my time. But I’m thrilled to feature a brand new picture book from one of my favorite authors who will be our Will Write for Cookies guest tomorrow.

Before we get to the picture book review, we have some unfinished business to take care of. Last month I promised to give away a copy of Diana Murray’s, City Shapes. I asked that you leave a comment telling your favorite city. And you did…Boston, London, New Orleans, Singapore, Louisville, Toronto, Anchorage, Vancouver, Chattanooga, Amsterdam, Sarasota, Dublin, and New York City.

AND THE WINNER IS….

JENNIFER COLE JUDD

Congratulations, Jennifer. Please contact me at viviankirkfield@gmail.com so I can get that wonderful book to you ASAP.

And now for today’s Perfect Picture Book Friday pick!

Sophie’s Squash Goes to School

Written by Pat Zietlow Miller

Illustrated by Ann Wilsdorf

Publisher: Schwartz and Wade (2016)

Ages: 3 and up

Themes: First day of school, friendship

Synopsis:

From Amazon:

This charming sequel to the beloved Sophie’s Squash is the perfect antidote to the back-to-school jitters. Sophie goes to school for the first time and has no interest in making friends that aren’t squash. Here’s a gently humorous read-aloud that proves that making friends, just like growing squash, takes time.

On Sophie’s first day of school, nobody appreciates her two best friends, Bonnie and Baxter, baby squash that she grew in her garden. Even worse, one classmate, Steven Green, won’t leave Sophie alone. He sits by her at circle time. He plays near her during recess. And he breathes on her while she paints. Steven just wants to be friends, but Sophie isn’t interested. Still, Sophie knows that her squash friends won’t last forever. Maybe it would be nice to have some human friends after all.

Why I like this book:

Many children face the same issues of being attached to something they can’t bear to part with and not knowing how to reach out and make friends.
I love that it is a first day of school story.
The author does a fantastic job of engaging the listener/reader…and the illustrations marry perfectly with the text.

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 suggestionsIV with summaries and activities.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend, dear friends and readers. And please don’t forget to come back tomorrow for:

Will Write for Cookies

With

Pat Zietlow Miller

AND A

GIVEAWAY!!!!!!!

PPBF: City Shapes PLUS GIVEAWAY

Posted on June 17, 2016 by viviankirkfield

Perfect Picture Book Friday…I almost missed it. And then I realized that tomorrow is Saturday…the third Saturday of the month… the Will Write for Cookies Saturday which this weekend will feature the incredible Diana Murray.

I was lucky enough to win some swag from Diana…one of the items was an advance copy of her newly launching picture book, City Shapes. I fell in love with it!!! So I chose it for today’s review. PLUS, if you leave a comment telling us your FAVORITE city, you’ll be entered in the random drawing for a brand new copy of this brand new book!

City Shapes

Written by Diana Murray

Illustrated by Bryan Collier

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company (2016)

Ages: 3 and up

Themes: City life, shapes, curiosity

Synopsis:

From Amazon:

From shimmering skyscrapers to fluttering kites to twinkling stars high in the sky, everyday scenes become extraordinary as a young girl walks through her neighborhood noticing exciting new shapes at every turn. Far more than a simple concept book, City Shapes is an explosion of life. Diana Murray’s richly crafted yet playful verse encourages readers to discover shapes in the most surprising places, and Bryan Collier’s dynamic collages add even more layers to each scene in this ode to city living.

Why I like this book:

Wonderful rhyming text encourages young children to join in with the reading.
I’m a New York City girl, born and bred…so this book is close to my heart.
The illustrations are magnificent…can I say that again? MAGNIFICENT!
Great read-aloud.
Parents and teachers can use this story as a springboard for a discussion on shapes or city life.

Related Activies:

Take a walk with your child whether you live in the city or in the country. Observe. Discuss. Then go back home and draw pictures of what you saw. You can help your child make his or her own book by stapling the pages together. Ask your child to describe what was seen and write that on each page.

Have a wonderful weekend! Please don’t forget to come back tomorrow for our wonderful interview with Diana Murray. And leave a comment telling us which city is your favorite one…you might be the lucky winner of a copy of Diana’s brand new book!

PPBF: Ballots for Belva PLUS THE WINNER!

Posted on June 3, 2016 by viviankirkfield

Life has gotten very busy. The WOW (Week of Writing) Retreat is only one month away. I’m so excited to see dear friends again, like Kristen Fulton, the fearless leader and founder of WOW, and connect with critique partners and other kid lit friends, many whom I’ve never met in person. I’ll also be able to hug my incredible agent, Essie White…she is one of the faculty mentors. I’ve been working feverishly on getting my manuscripts polished. Since many of them are nonfiction picture books, my library has been inundated with requests from me for mentor texts. So it was almost impossible to pick just one story for Perfect Picture Book Friday. I finally decided on one that was written back in 2008 by one of the shining lights in this kid lit community, Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen. With the Presidential election just around the corner, I thought it was a perfect choice.

Oh…and when you finish with the picture book review, don’t forget to keep scrolling down…because today we announce the WINNER of a brand new copy of The Hole Story of the Doughnut.

Ballots for Belva

Written by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen

Illustrated by Courtney A. Martin

Publisher: Abrams (2008)

Ages: 5-9

Themes: Determination, courage, women’s rights, Presidential election

Synopsis:

From Amazon:

“In 1884, when men were the only people allowed to vote in national elections, Belva Lockwood took a bold but legal step: She ran for president! Though her campaign was difficult, Belva never wavered in her commitment to equality, earning the respect of many fellow citizens. A little-known but richly deserving American historical figure, Belva is an inspiration for modern-day readers.” Continue reading →