Happy Perfect Picture Book Friday, dear friends. Kids love a series, don’t they? There are plenty of chapter book and middle grade series…but picture book series are hard to find. Why, you may ask? Because it’s hard to develop characters that will resonate so much with kids that they want to read about their other adventures. The talented Josh Funk is definitely a master of this…and today’s featured book is the FIFTH in the Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast series…well done, Josh!!!! This post is part of Josh’s book blog tour so I’m sure everyone will be hearing a lot more about it – the book launches November 15th. But it’s available for PRE-ORDER right now! And please make sure you leave a comment for a chance to win a Zoom author chat with Josh…if you’ve never checked out his website, you should! It’s filled with amazing resources and posts for writers…and parents and librarians and teachers. Please SHARE the post on social media if you can and tag friends for extra tickets in the giveaway hat.
THE GREAT CAPER CAPER: Book 5 in the Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast Series
One after another, authors and illustrators are creating beautiful books about important people. I just love it! And I especially love it when the author is a dear friend and long-time CP, and the story is one that I saw in its earliest stages. Please join me as we reveal the cover of DEBBIE’S SONG: The Debbie Friedman Story, written by the brilliant Ellen Leventhal and illustrated by the talented Natalia Grebtsova and launching from Kar-Ben on April 4, 2023.
Hip Hip Hooray!!! We are singing Happy Book Birthday for a very special book that is near and dear to my heart. It’s actually based on a true story in the life of the author’s family – but it hits home for me, too. Cancer has visited my family – my mother, grandmother, sister, niece, cousin…and myself. And when I heard about BRAVE LIKE MOM by Monica Acker, illustrated by Paran Kim and published by Beaming Books, I was excited to share it with all of you. I recently got to meet Monica in person at a book event for one of my CPs, Carrie Finison, at the wonderful Silver Unicorn bookstore in Acton, MA. It’s always special to get to hug writer friends…and Monica is not only talented, but generous as well…she’s offering a giveaway of a 20-minute Zoom critique chat!! Please make sure you leave a comment on the blog post and share on social media and tag friends…that’s a great way to help authors and illustrators.
As one girl watches her mom battle illness, she sees Mom being strong, brave, and fierce on both good days and bad ones. Mom is fierce as she catches and wrestles a fish and brave as she endures needles from the doctor. The girl wants to be brave like Mom! As she worries about her mom’s health, the girl realizes that bravery comes in many forms and that she can be brave too.
A poignant and sensitive story about a loved one living with a chronic illness, and an important lesson about how being brave doesn’t mean you aren’t scared.
As I mentioned, the story is based on a true story. Monica stopped by to share a bit about how the book came to be and what she hopes the book will do:
MONICA:A bit more about my book: BRAVE LIKE MOM is about a child who is inspired to be brave and strong like her mom, who is living with a serious illness. The book launches today, November 1, 2022 with Beaming Books, and the talented Paran Kim is illustrating. I wrote this story for my sister-in-law and nieces when my sister-in-law was battling cancer. After she passed away, working on the story was an act of healing for me, and my hope is that readers will recognize the strength and bravery they already have.
Thank you so much, Monica, for sharing with us. And thank you for creating a story that will help other families.
Dear readers, we can do our part…we can help the book become successful. We can buy a copy,review it, tell friends about it, and ask our local library to purchase copies for their collection. I hope you do at least one of these things for BRAVE LIKE MOM!
And I hope you all have a wonderful week! I’ll be chatting today with an editor about a manuscript of mine that she received…she’s looking for revision…and I’m ready! Then on Wednesday, I’ll be presenting Sweet Dreams, Sarah on a virtual platform to classes in the Chicago Public Schools. And I’m wishing good luck to all who entered Susanna Hill’s Halloweensie Contest.
VIVIAN KIRKFIELD - Writer for Children 