Christie Wild’s PB 14:14 | VIVIAN KIRKFIELD

I looked at the calendar this morning and it said that today was Friday.

Already!

So that means that it’s time for a Perfect Picture Book review.

I’m taking part in Carrie Charley Brown’s ReFoReMo Challenge this month: http://www.carriecharleybrown.com/reforemo/reforemo-day-6-joyce-sweeney-applies-the-plot-clock

We are reading picture books and learning to use them as mentor texts. So you can imagine what my dining room table looks like – stacks of books all over the place – eating is over-rated anyway, right?

And of course, I’m still participating in Kristen Fulton’s 52 Weeks of Charting Non-Fiction: http://www.kristenfulton.org/dig-in/52-weeks-of-charting-nonfiction

So I’ve got several stacks of books for that as well.

Today’s Perfect Picture Book makes history come alive – exactly what we want a great children’s non-fiction picture book to do.

Title: Looking at Lincoln

Author and Illustrator: Maira Kalman Continue reading →

Today is Day Three of Christie Wright Wild’s PB 14:14…I had fun yesterday, hopping around to several other blogs to read the other entries.

If you are just tuning into the challenge, click here to go to Christie’s blog post where you will find the link up with today’s wonderful entries: http://christiewrightwild.blogspot.com/2015/02/day-3-vulture-view-by-april-pulley.html

If a book is going to be enjoyed, it has to be strong in certain elements. And, whether it is an adult murder mystery, a light-hearted teen romance or a picture book, the main character must grab our attention and engage us.

Title: PETER PANDA MELTS DOWN

Author: Artie Bennett

Illustrator: John Nez

Publisher: Blue Apple

Date: 2014

Word Count: 500 est

Top 10 Element: Character (and also Rhyme, Pacing, Word Play)

What child wouldn’t identify with this adorable panda bear who gets frustrated and loses his cool? My grandson loved this book the very first time I read it to him – and he has wanted to hear it many times since then….probably because Continue reading →