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 →

PPBF: The Hole Story of the Doughnut PLUS GIVEAWAY

Posted on May 20, 2016 by viviankirkfield

The third Perfect Picture Book Friday of every month is pretty special. Many times, I feature one of the books by our Will Write for Cookies author. Tomorrow we will be welcoming the lovely Pat Miller…so today, I’m turning the spotlight on her latest book which launched THIS MONTH!!! And GUESS WHAT??? One lucky person will WIN THEIR VERY OWN COPY!!! Just leave a comment on this post telling me what other topic you’d love to see a nonfiction picture book written about. What would kids love to read about? Pat certainly picked a great subject that would appeal to all children and adults!

The Hole Story of the Doughnut

Written by Pat Miller

Illustrated by Vincent X. Kirsch

Publisher: HMH (2016)

Ages: 6-9

Themes: Doughnuts, American history, ingenuity

Synopsis:

From Amazon:

“In 1843, fourteen-year-old Hanson Gregory left his family home in Rockport, Maine, and set sail as a cabin boy on the schooner Achorn, looking for high-stakes adventure on the high seas. Little did he know that a boatload of hungry sailors, coupled with his knack for creative problem-solving, would yield one of the world’s most prized and beloved pastries.

Lively and inventive cut-paper illustrations add a taste of whimsy to this sweet, fact-filled story that includes an extensive bibliography, author’s note, and timeline.

Opening Lines:

“Few remember the master mariner Hanson Crockett Gregory, though he was bold and bright.

But the pastry he invented more than 166 years ago is eaten daily by doughnut lovers everywhere.

This is his story.”

Why I like this book:

The story is about a fascinating piece of history and the author deftly draws in both reader and listener. I couldn’t put it down!
The illustrations are full of fun and very kid-friendly.
Great read-aloud…the recommendation says for ages 6-9, but younger kids would love it also!
Parents and teachers can use this story as a springboard for discussion about creativity and how people come up with new ideas.

Related Activies:

Make Doughnuts

Photo courtesy: http://allrecipes.com

Click here for detailed instructions – Thank you to Stephy for a super easy recipe that kids would love to help with…just make sure the little ones are nowhere around when you are deep frying.

This post is part of a series for parents and teachers called Perfect Picture Book Fridays hosted by Susanna Leonard Hill. Click on her link and find lots of other picture book suggestions with summaries and activities.

Please share this giveaway post on Facebook, Twitter, or other social media channels. And DON’T FORGET TO LEAVE A COMMENT TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY! Just tell us what topic you think would make a great nonfiction picture book!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend, dear friends and readers. And make sure you come back tomorrow.

WILL WRITE FOR COOKIES

WITH

PAT MILLER