Perfect Picture Book Friday: MONSTER TRUCKS

Posted on October 21, 2016 by viviankirkfield

Last weekend I attended the SCBWI ENCORE presentation at Mount Wachusett Community College in Gardner, Massachusetts. I’m thankful for kid lit friends, Mona Pease, who drove all the way from Maine, and Beth Gallagher, who picked us up and chauffeured us to the event. The fall foliage was astonishingly beautiful and the day-long conference was filled with inspiring and informative programs.

Next weekend, another book event takes place…the Keene State College Children’s Book Fair. I’m hoping to be able to go. The only problem with going to these book events is that it’s tempting to buy every book!

Today’s Perfect Picture Book Friday selection is one I actually didn’t have to buy. At our local indie bookstore’s Teacher Appreciation Week, I placed my name in a raffle bowl. And I could hardly believe my ears when the manager from Toadstool Bookshop called and informed me that I was a winner of a picture book which is perfect for this Halloween-is-around-the-corner season. To read all of this week’s Perfect Picture Book reviews, hop over to Susanna Hill’s website.

MONSTER TRUCKS

Written by Anika Denise

Illustrated by Nate Wragg

Publisher: Harper Collins (2016)

Ages: 3 and up

Themes:

Courage, never give up, you don’t have to be the biggest in order to win

Synopsis:

From Amazon:

Readers will delight in this lively read-aloud story with a clever and surprising twist at the end—perfect for Halloween and year round!

Ready, set, go! The monster truck race is on in this frightfully delightful picture book. On a spooky speedway, Monster Trucks moan! Monster Trucks grumble! Monster Trucks groan!

Join Frankentruck, Zombie Truck, Ghost Truck, and more as they race to the finish line. But one of these trucks isn’t quite who you think.

Why I like this book:

Love the clever simple rhyme that is matched perfectly with illustrations full of kid-appeal
Totally a new twist on a Halloween story for children that has just the right amount of tension and suspense without being scary

RELATED ACTIVITIES

Let your children design their own monster trucks.
Make up silly Halloween rhymes with your children…take turns with each line.
Check out other great Halloween picture books here: http://childrensbooks.about.com/od/holidays/tp/halloween.html

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 suggestions with summaries and activities.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend, dear friends and readers. If you enjoy writing children’s stories, don’t forgot about Susanna’s Halloweensie Contest. I’ll be posting my entry to the contest next Friday right here on my blog. But if you want to find out more about the contest, click on this link.

PPBF: If a T-Rex Crashes Your Birthday Party

Posted on August 19, 2016 by viviankirkfield

Has it been a busy summer for all of you? It definitely has been for me! In July, I attended the WOW Retreat in Georgia! Kristen Fulton organized a conference that was chock full of top notch authors, agents, and editors.

Presentations, Round Tables, One-on-One Critiques, and close up and personal attention from the faculty just about 24/7 all combined to provide a fantastic week of writing. And I even got to spend quality time with my very own agent, the incredible Essie White.

Then, earlier this month, I went to Dana Farber/Brigham Women’s in Boston for my surgery. I truly need to speak out about the power of positive thinking and prayer. When I woke up from the operation (a bilateral mastectomy), I felt great and continue to do so, without any pain medication whatsoever. Two days after the surgery, I was discharged from the hospital and stopped off for lunch at one of Boston’s Indian restaurants with my son and daughter.

A bona fide miracle! Thank you to EVERYONE who sent healing thoughts, cards, gifts, and most of all, love. According to my surgeon who is a veritable magician, I am CANCER FREE!!!! So back to writing, back to revising, back to critiquing, and back to blogging.

But before we proceed to our Perfect Picture Book Friday review, we need to announce the winner of a copy of Pat Zeitlow Miller’s brand-new picture book, Sophie’s Squash Goes to School.

AND THE WINNER IS:

JESSICA LAWSON

Congratulations, Jessica…I loved hearing about the dead squirrel you brought to school…and thank you so much to everyone who shared their strangest school show and tell. Jessica, please email me with your address so I can get the book right out to you: viviankirkfield@gmail.com.

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

If a T-Rex Crashes Your Birthday Party

Written by Jill Esbaum

Illustrated by Dasha Tolstikova

Publisher: Sterling Children’s Books (August 2016)

Ages: 4 and up

Themes:

Birthdays, dinosaurs

Synopsis:

From Amazon:

You never know what will happen when a T. Rex crashes your birthday party. Sure, you’ll be super excited when he turns up at your door. But then he’ll stomp. He’ll ROAR. He’ll look at you as if he’s wondering how you taste with a little mustard. In the end, though, you just may find yourself asking him to come back next year!

Why I like this book:

So funny…and full of tongue in cheek humor…and I’ve found, from reading hundreds of picture books with my grandson, that kids LOVE funny books!
Great illustrations – bright, simple, and lots of color!
Dinosaurs, birthday parties…need I say more?

RELATED ACTIVITIES

From the author’s website, an activity kit for a birthday party: http://www.jillesbaum.com/assets/t.rex-party-kit.pdf

Other reviews of this book:

https://kid-lit-reviews.com/2016/08/16/938-if-a-t-rex-crashes-your-birthday-party-by-jill-esbaum-and-dasha-tolstikova/

Interview with the illustrator and a giveaway on Jill’s blog:

http://picturebookbuilders.com/2016/08/if-a-t-rex-crashes-your-birthday-party-and-giveaway

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

JILL ESBAUM

AND A

GIVEAWAY!!!!!!!

Perfect Picture Book Friday: The Rooster Prince of Breslov

Posted on February 5, 2016 by viviankirkfield

We have a winter wonderland here in New Hampshire. I’m sure the Presidential candidates aren’t thrilled with having to stump around in all of this snow in preparation for the primary…but it sure is pretty to look at.

Photo courtesy: David Lane – http://www.unionleader.com

With the Presidential debates a nightly news item, the subject of leadership has been on my mind. And when I came across The Rooster Prince of Breslov, I knew it would be my Perfect Picture Book Friday choice this week.

The Rooster Prince of Breslov

Written by Ann Redisch Stampler

Illustrated by Eugene Yelchin

Publisher: Clarion Books (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt – 2010)

Ages: 5-8

Themes: Leadership, humor, Jewish folktale

Opening Lines:

In Breslov, there lived a prince who had more than he wanted. When he was hungry for a scrap of bread, he got a slice of cake dripping with honey. When he asked for a raisin, he was given a silver bowl of candied plums. Continue reading →