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Happy Book Birthday: LOVE, MAMA Plus Giveaway

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I LOVE PICTURE BOOKS!
SO OF COURSE, I LOVE CELEBRATING NEW ONES!

CONGRATULATIONS

AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR JEANETTE BRADLEY!

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 Written and illustrated by Jeanette Bradley

Published by Roaring Brook Press (January 2018)

Ages: 2-6

Themes: Parent/child relationship

Synopsis: From Amazon:

With a heartwarming story and tender illustrations, Jeanette Bradley’s debut picture book Love, Mama is perfect for Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, and any day when a child needs a reminder of the strength of a mother’s love.

When Mama leaves her young penguin Kipling, he knows she’ll return home soon―yet he still can’t help but miss her. After all, Pillow Mama won’t read, Picture Mama won’t laugh, and Snow Mama is too cold to cuddle.

But then Kipling receives a special delivery from Mama, including a note that reads:

My love for you stretches across the wide ocean, 
through day and night, 
from earth to sky 
and back again.

And Kipling knows that no matter where Mama is, he is loved. Soon, Mama comes home, and Kipling ends the day where he belongs―right in her arms.

Why I like this book:

  • Heartwarming text…sparse yet beautiful lyrical language

  • Super illustrations engage the reader from the first page turn to the last

  • I love books that give children confidence in the love of their parents…and the realization that even if parents leave (for a day of work or for the night when they go to sleep) they will be back!

  • The perfect book for Valentine’s Day and a new favorite of mine for bedtime storytime.

 RELATED ACTIVITIES

TREASURE BOX

Jeanette was kind enough to share a super fun activity with us!

You can print out the template here: 

heart template copy

What you need:

 

Small cardboard box

Paper for cutting out hearts (see templates)

Used postage stamps cut off envelopes

Glue stick

Stamps and stamp pad for “cancelling” the stamps

“Treasures” to put in the box, like rocks, feathers, pom poms, buttons, beads, or other found objects

 

Cut stamps off envelopes, or use Easter Seals:
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Print out the heart template on pink paper, if you have it:
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Cut out hearts:
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Glue old postage stamps onto box using glue stick.  Then “cancel” the stamps with whatever rubber stamps you have on hand
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Write a love note to someone you love:
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Fill your box with treasures, add your heart, and give it to someone special!
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I hope all of you will join me in celebrating the debut picture book authors and illustrators of the wonderful stories that will be coming this year. I’ll be shining the spotlight on them for book birthdays and for Perfect Picture Book Fridays.

But as parents or teachers or just picture book lovers, do you ever wonder how you can help your favorite authors?

1. One of the best ways is to post a review on Amazon, Goodreads, and other book review sites. 

2. Ask your local library to order the book…many libraries honor patron requests and some even have online request forms.

3. Buy a copy of the book.

4. And most importantly…TALK ABOUT THE BOOK…to friends, family, and anyone who will listen!

Please leave a comment below to be entered in a drawing for the copy of LOVE, MAMA that author/illustrator Jeanette is graciously giving away.

To learn more about Jeanette and her work and to download an educational guide for the book: http://www.jeanettebradley.com/

And just a few more important notes:

1. I’m participating in Julie Hedlund’s 12 Days of Christmas...an inspiring challenge to help kick off your writing year by looking back on 2017 and looking ahead to what you hope to accomplish in 2018.

2. Tara Lazar’s StoryStorm started yesterday…and I’ll be joining in as a participant as well one of the guest bloggers…I’m up on January 25th…I hope you’ll register and stop by as many days as you can on Tara’s blog…there are prizes and inspiring posts. In fact, two of my book deals this year were PiBoIdMo/Storystorm ideas from years past and in my post, I’ll be talking about how to take an idea to a published book.

3. I just received the color layouts for Sweet Dreams, Sarah…although there are still some tweaks needed…I’ve got my eyes on the October 2018 launch date, but am open to the possibility the book might not pub until Jan/Feb 2019. In which case I might just have FOUR books launching in ONE year. I will definitely need your help!

I’m looking forward to a stellar year with all of you!

Thank you for joining me on this grand adventure!

Happy Book Birthday: CHARLIE TAKES HIS SHOT Plus Giveaway

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FIRST POST OF THE YEAR!!! 

So you know it is going to be special, right?

Last year I featured as many 2017 picture books as I could. This year I plan to do the same thing for the debut picure books of 2018. HOPEFULLY, my Sweet Dreams, Sarah will be one of them! But for today, I’ve got a really special book for you! From a dear friend and critique buddy of mine, Nancy Churnin, who has a knack for finding golden nuggets of history and turning them into fabulous nonfiction picture books that children and adults will want to read again and again.

HAPPY BOOK BIRTHDAY TO CHARLIE TAKES HIS SHOT

charlie takes his shot

CHARLIE TAKES HIS SHOT: How Charlie Sifford Broke the Color Barrier in Golf

Written by Nancy Churnin

Illustrated by John Joven

Published by Albert Whitman

Ages: 5-8

Themes: Determination, Civil Rights, golf

Synopsis:

From Amazon:  Charlie Sifford loved golf, but in the 1930’s only white people were allowed to play in the Professional Golf Association. Sifford had won plenty of black tournaments, but he was determined to break the color barrier in the PGA. In 1960 he did, only to face discrimination from hotels that wouldn’t rent him rooms and clubs that wouldn’t let him use the same locker as the white players. But Sifford kept playing, becoming the first black golfer to win a PGA tournament and eventually ranking among the greats in golf.

Why I like this book:

  • I love when authors can entertain, educate, and inspire by taking an impottant event in history and making it come alive for kids
  • The text and illustrations engage from the first page to the last
  • This is an important moment that built on what had come before and opened doors for those who came after

 

RELATED ACTIVITIES

tin-can-golf-header-1Photo courtesy: https://www.thecrafttrain.com

Tin Can Golf is fun for young kids and can be ramped up to make it more challenging for older kids. For detailed instructions: https://www.thecrafttrain.com/tin-can-indoor-golf-fun-from-recycled-junk/

Thanks to author Nancy Churnin, we have a giveaway of a copy of CHARLIE TAKES HIS SHOT.  Please leave a comment to be entered.  Remember, there is only one copy that can be won, but the book JUST launched TODAY…so you can hop over to your favorite bookstore and get a copy And don’t forget that leaving a review on Amazon or Goodreads only takes a couple of minutes, but it will mean the world to the author of that book you loved reading with your child.

Please come back tomorrow for the BOOK BIRTHDAY of LOVE, MAMA by Jeanette Bradley! 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO A YEAR FILLED WITH POSSIBILITIES!

HOW ABOUT YOU?

Perfect Picture Book Friday: A BOOK OF BRIDGES – FROM HERE TO THERE – AND ME TO YOU

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HAPPY PERFECT PICTURE BOOK FRIDAY, DEAR FRIENDS!

2017 is winding down…it’s been a whirlwind for sure. And here are some numbers to prove it:

# of blog posts in 2017: 112

# of followers (blog/Twitter/Facebook) : 4000

# of views: 44,565

# of picture book reviews: 56

# of giveaways: 96

# of picture book manuscripts written: 12+

# of book deals done: 3

Phew! 

Right now, I’m participating in Julie Hedlund’s 12 Days of Christmas…a challenge that is inspiring and helpful as we move ahead to a new year – and you can still sign up – Julie will send you emails for the days you missed.

I also urge all writers and illustrators to join in with Tara Lazar’s Storystorm…a month-long challenge starting January 1st that will help you brainstorm new story ideas.

And what’s up for today? One of the most beautiful and relevant books of 2017…a book that will hopefully encourage this divided world to come together in love. To find out more whyconnecting is important, check out Cheryl Keely’s 12×12 featured author post from January of this year.

a book of bridges cover

Written by Cheryl Keely

Illustrated by Celia Krampien

Published by Sleeping Bear Press (2017)

Ages: 5-8

Synopsis: From Amazon: 

Bridges are some of the most fascinating structures in our landscape, and they come in all forms. From towering suspension bridges to humble stone crossings, this book visits them all in sweet, bouncing text with expository sidebars. But while bridges can be quite grand, this reminds us that their main purpose is bringing people together. This is perfect for budding architects, as well as readers who can relate to having loved ones who live far away.

Why I like this book:

Please read the Publishers Weekly review and you will know why:

Keely makes her children s book debut with a contemplative exploration of bridges, citing real-life examples, such as the Golden Gate Bridge and Peru s Puente de Piedra, and more metaphorical ones, including the arches created by backbends and rainbows. The straightforward central narrative ( Some bridges join country to country, making a big world seem smaller ) is supplemented by facts and details about the specific bridges that appear in Krampien s artwork ( The Three Countries Bridge at the borders of France, Germany, and Switzerland only truly connects France to Germany. But Switzerland is only a hop, skip, and a yodel away! ). In her first picture book, Krampien uses a fresh, contemporary cartooning style to create expansive panoramas that showcase the bridges sizes and spans, as well the activity of the humans and animals they serve particularly in the wildlife bridges of Banff National Park, which allow bears, wolves, and other creatures to cross highways safely. Keely s tender closing example of the bridge formed through the simple act of holding hands cements the message of togetherness and connection that bridges (of all kinds) make possible.

To order a copy or leave a review for A BOOK OF BRIDGES go here.

 

RELATED ACTIVITIES:

If you live near a bridge that can be walked across, take a field trip and do it.

Make a paper bridge that can hold lots of pennies! For detailed directions and to read comments by kids who constructed one: http://pbskids.org/zoom/activities/sci/paperbridge.html

paperbridge Photo courtesy: http://pbskids.org/zoom/activities/sci/paperbridge.html

 

Dear friends…thank you for spending time with me this year…I’m wishing all of you a Happy and Healthy New Year! Please come back on Monday and Tuesday for special Book Birthday posts and Giveaways!