Perfect Picture Book Friday: Thanksgiving at the Tappletons’

Posted on November 20, 2015 by viviankirkfield

With Thanksgiving less than a week away, I wanted to offer up an oldie but a goodie that was originally published in 1982 and has been revised and re-released this year. You go, Eileen Spinelli and Maryann Cocca-Leffler! Plus, Maryann, who is the illustrator for this book, will be our featured Will Write for Cookies guest in tomorrow’s post.

Thanksgiving at the Tappletons’

Written by Eileen Spinelli

Illustrated by Maryann Cocca-Leffler

Publisher: HarperCollins (1982, 2015)

Ages: 4-8

Themes: Thankfulness, Thanksgiving, family togetherness

Opening Lines:

“Thanksgiving at the Tappletons’ was always a big day. Thanksgiving at the Tappletons’ meant, of course, the Tappleton family.”

Synopsis:

From Amazon:

“Thanksgiving is always a big day at the Tappletons’. But this Thanksgiving each task is interrupted by calamity and hilarity: first the turkey slips away . . . then the bakery is sold out . . . and so on, until Uncle Fritz and Grandfather Tappleton despair of ever eating dinner at all!

It’s not until Grandmother Tappleton reminds everyone, “there is more to Thanksgiving than a turkey and trimmings,” that the Tappletons begin to improvise . . . and end up enjoying a most unusual holiday “feast.”

Delicious drawings add to the merriment of this warm, contemporary tale, whose mirth and message youngsters will savor.”

Why I like this book:

Great read-aloud…with so much humor. Kids will be laughing and so will parents.
Each character shows so much personality…I feel there could be spin-off books about each of them.
A heartfelt message that is timely and timeless.

How a parent can use this book:

Wonderful read aloud.
Great book to encourage discussion of the importance of family.
Springboard for talking about what we are thankful for.

RELATED ACTIVITIES

Gratitude Jar

Photo courtesy: http://www.somewhatsimple.com

You will need: A jar, paper, pen and/or markers, glue, scissors.

For detailed directions for this and other wonderful crafts, please visit: http://www.somewhatsimple.com/gratitude-jar/

And for more wonderful picture book reviews, please hop over to to Susanna Leonard Hill’s website.

Make sure you come back here tomorrow! I spent an hour chatting with our Will Write for Cookies’ guest last weekend at a book signing for her newest release, A Homemade Together Christmas. I’ll be reviewing that for Perfect Picture Book Friday in a couple of weeks.

Maryann Cocca-Leffler

Will Write for Cookies

TOMORROW!

Wishing you all a beautiful weekend. Remember, the holidays are about love, peace, and friendship. Reach out to those who need your smile.

Perfect Picture Book Friday: Ada Byron Lovelace and the Thinking Machine Book Blog Tour

Posted on November 6, 2015 by viviankirkfield

Hold onto your hats, dear friends. This Perfect Picture Book Friday post is JAM-PACKED!

First of all, the winners of Susanna Leonard Hill’s Halloweensie Contest have been announced. There were 145 entries…if you’d like to read some of them, hop on over: http://susannahill.blogspot.com/2015/11/2015-halloweensie-contest-winners.html

Because Susanna is one of the most generous and loving mentors in this kid lit community, in addition to the top winners, she also awarded a bunch of honorable mentions. And I’m thrilled to have gotten one of those. I even get to pick a prize…a choice from several books on the craft of writing. Putting your work out there can be scary, even if it’s not Halloween, but it’s a great way to grow as a writer and connect with others who are traveling the same path.

Another way to grow as a writer is to participate in Tara Lazar’s PiBoIdMo. The daily inspirational blog posts of Picture Book Idea Month will knock your socks off and get those creative juices flowing! http://taralazar.com/2015/11/05/piboidmo-day-5-david-michael-slater-listens-plus-a-prize/

A third way to grow as a writer is to read lots and lots of picture books. And that brings us to our Perfect Picture Book Friday selection for this week, which, by the way, got a starred reviews from Kirkus, Publishers Weekly and Booklist! But I told you this post would be JAM-PACKED, right?

The author of today’s book, Laurie Wallmark, invited me to be part of her book blog tour. I am thrilled! At the end of the post you can find the link to the other blogs that are participating…I hope you will travel along. PLUS, Laurie has agreed to share some thoughts about Five Important Women in STEM. You’ll find her guest post after the book review. I know many of you are writing nonfiction picture books…or reading them to your kids. Laurie’s debut picture book is a delight and her post is fantastic!

Ada Byron Lovelace and the Thinking Machine

Written by Laurie Wallmark

Illustrated by April Chu Continue reading →

PPBF and PiBoIdMo

Posted on October 23, 2015 by viviankirkfield

What’s with all those letters in the headline?

Well, Thanksgiving is only one month away. I looked out on my front lawn this morning and I do believe these turkeys have gotten the word…they are on the run.

Finding turkeys in the front yard is one thing…finding a whale in your swimming pool is way more unusual…author/illustrator Joyce Wan was definitely thinking outside the box when she came up with her latest book. So the first bunch of letters in the headline are for Perfect Picture Book Friday. You’ll have to read to the end of this post to discover what the other letters are for.

The Whale in My Swimming Pool

Written and illustrated by Joyce Wan

Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux (2015)

Ages: 2-6

Themes: problem solving, creative thinking, whales

Opening Lines:

“Race you to the pool! Whoa…a whale?”

Synopsis:

From Amazon
“One sunny day, a little boy heads outside for a swim, but his pool is already taken . . . There’s a big whale in the water and it’s not budging! The boy tries everything to get the whale to leave. Nothing seems to work. Not fetch. Not tag. Not even offering his allowance. What’s a boy to do? Luckily, he comes up with the perfect solution: he decides to chill out on a spray of water over the whale’s spout.”

Why I like this book:

Simple sparse text is perfect for young listeners and new readers
Bold bright illustrations grab a child’s attention
Encourages problem solving and thinking outside the box

RELATED ACTIVITIES

Photo courtesy: http://tangrila.blogspot.com

You will need: A paper plate, construction paper, markers or crayons, scissors, glue, (optional: googly eye)

If you want a blue or gray whale, you can paint or color In the paper plate. For a simpler project, leave the plate uncolored and make a white whale.
Cut construction paper tail and fin.
Glue on tail and fin.
Add features with marker or crayon.
For more detailed instructions and more wonderful crafts for kids, please visit: http://tangrila.blogspot.com/2012/04/whale-paper-plate-craft.html

Find out about where whales really live: http://www.whalefacts.org/whale-facts-for-kids/

And more information and activities here: http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/whales/

AND NOW FOR THE PIBOIDMO REVEAL

As I mentioned in the beginning of this post, Thanksgiving is just a month away…which means that the month of November is just around the corner.

And if you love picture books, you will love PiBoIdMo!

A month-long challenge: Picture Book Idea Month

http://taralazar.com/2015/10/05/lotsa-winners-and-piboidmo-update/

I want to share a bit about Picture Book Idea Month or PiBoIdMo. I discovered the amazing Tara Lazar and her fabulous picture book idea challenge back in 2011…I was just starting to dip my toes into the world of writing for children. I lurked in the shadows that November, reading the guest posts and leaving a couple of comments. When 2012 rolled around, I wasted no time. I signed up, got a new notebook, and actively participated by reading and commenting and jotting down my story ideas.

And every year since then, I’ve looked forward to November because I know that PiBoIdMo is coming. To be honest, this challenge played a big role in sparking my enthusiasm for writing picture books. So don’t hesitate! It’s free! It’s fun! It’s fabulous! Whether you are a newbie, just thinking about writing for children, or a multi-published author or illustrator, this is the one challenge you don’t want to miss.

What you need to do:

Sign up on her blog.
Read and comment on each of the inspirational posts written by authors, illustrators, and other lovers of picture books
Keep a journal or notebook, jotting down at least ONE story idea for each day of the month

What you get in return:

A notebook FULL of great story ideas that will keep you writing
30+ inspirational posts from people who are passionate about picture books
A community of generous caring supportive people who are happy to share their knowledge and expertise
Oh…and did I mention the prizes? Oh yeah! Books and critiques and all kinds of good stuff!

Registration opens REAL SOON! So hurry over to Tara’s website: http://www.taralazar.com

Have a wonderful weekend, dear friends!