Cover Reveal: FREE TO BE FABULOUS

Posted on December 4, 2023 by viviankirkfield

#50PreciousWords has been a blessing for me! It’s helped to connect me with so many amazing kid lit folks, including the author of today’s featured book, FREE TO BE FABULOUS! Actually, David McMullin was an early follower of my blog and was a top winner of the contest in 2017. So, having him on Picture Books Help Kids Soar is like welcoming an old friend – and it’s an honor for me to share the cover of his upcoming book, illustrated by Robbie Cathro, that launches from Clarion Books on April 30, 2024.

What a glorious cover!!! Definitely a quicker-picker-upper – kids will naturally gravitate to the joyful action and beautiful color palette.

Here’s a little bit about the book:
Free to be Fabulous is the story of Daniel who dances like his favorite pop star, Fabulina, at his school’s talent show. That’s when the bullying begins, but he soon finds that the very thing they tease him for is what helps him find his strength.

And here’s a note from David:
This book has been a long rewarding journey. It will be six years from idea to publication with three R&Rs (revise and resubmit) with the editor before an offer. Much like my main character, I knew that following the path I loved would get me to my destination despite the obstacles. Most of the stories I write lean towards the silly side of life, so to have my debut be such a personal book is quite special. Then to be matched with Robbie’s magical art—I couldn’t be happier.

And here’s a little bit about David McMullin:
David is a picture book writer, illustrator, and children’s poet. His debut book, Free to be Fabulous comes out April 30, 2024 with Clarion. His poems are featured in several magazines and anthologies. Honors include an SCBWI Ann Whitford Paul Award, an Astra International Picture Book Writing Contest award, and a Madness Poetry championship. David and his husband are currently full time world travelers, bird nerds, and YouTubers. In past careers he was a Broadway actor, an educator, and a children’s librarian.

Website: https://www.davidmcmullinbooks.com/welcome/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidmcmullinpb/
Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/davidmcmullinpb

And here’s a little bit about illustrator Robbie Cathro from his website:
I am an Illustrator & Storyteller living in Bristol, UK, working from my studio in The Island. I love to make fun, colourful and charismatic work whether that’s for a lively children’s magazine, an editorial piece or even for stories of my own invention. With my work I hope to create a playful composition that translates the mood and atmosphere of the work I’m illustrating! I graduated in 2016 from The University of the West of England with a 1st-Class Honours in (BA Hons) Illustration.

Website: http://www.robbiecathro.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robbiecathro/
Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/RobbieCathro

And here are several links for preorders because we all know that one of the best ways we can help a book become successful is to buy copies:
HarperCollins Book Sales
Amazon
Barnes and Noble

And last but not least, here are a couple of other ways we can help:
Review the book on Amazon and other sites
Put the book on your Goodreads WANT TO READ shelf
Tell friends about the book (you can do that by sharing this post on your social media)
Ask your local library to purchase copies for their collection

As always, I’m grateful for all of you who spend your precious time with us here.
May this be a season of light and love for you and the world.

Perfect Picture Book Friday: FIRST NIGHT OF HOWLERGARTEN & CINDY AND PANDA Plus DOUBLE GIVEAWAY

Posted on August 11, 2023 by viviankirkfield

Happy Perfect Picture Book Friday times two, dear friends! That’s right! I’m featuring TWO books today – both written and illustrated by the incredible Benson Shum. And guess what? Thanks to Benson’s generosity, we will have TWO WINNERS for the giveaway: one person will win a copy of FIRST NIGHT OF HOWLERGARTEN and another person will win a copy of CINDY AND PANDA!

Continue reading →

PICTURE BOOK COVER REVEAL: NINITA’S BIG WORLD

Posted on July 1, 2018 by viviankirkfield

WOW…what an honor! I get to reveal the cover of Sarah Glenn Marsh’s latest picture book!!

I first fell in love with the subtitle…I mean, how can you not be head over heels about NINITA’S BIG WORLD: THE TRUE STORY OF A DEAF PYGMY MARMOSET? And then I saw the cover…Ninita is super cute, right? The book pubs from Clarion in 2019, and here’s a short blurb to get you thinking about it:

Meet Ninita! She’s a pygmy marmoset—the smallest type of monkey. As a baby, she was the size of a human thumb. Full grown, she fits easily in the palm of a person’s hand.

Ninita is deaf, but that doesn’t stop her from exploring the world. She loves to climb, taste new foods, and follow interesting smells to exciting adventures. With her sharp eyes, Ninita is always spotting things that her pygmy marmoset friend Mr. Big and the other animals miss—sometimes creatures even smaller than she is!

Pygmy marmosets are native to the Amazon rainforest, but Ninita and her friends live at the Rare Species Conservatory Foundation in Florida, where they are helping to save animals from extinction. Published in partnership with the RSCF, this charming story introduces readers to biodiversity and wildlife conservation—and to a tiny, adorable little monkey who is making an important difference in the world.

What a wonderful idea for a story…and based on a true character…that makes it even better! And here is a little bit about the author.

Sarah Glenn Marsh is an author of young adult novels including Reign of the Fallen and Fear the Drowning Deep, as well as children’s picture books like Selfie Sebastian and A Campfire Tail. An avid fantasy reader from the day her dad handed her a copy of The Hobbit and promised it would change her life, she’s been making up words and worlds ever since. She lives in Virginia with her husband and their tiny zoo of four rescued greyhounds, three birds, and many fish.

When she’s not writing, she’s often painting, or engaged in nerdy pursuits from video games to tabletop adventures. You can visit her online at http://www.sarahglennmarsh.com, and follow her on Twitter @SG.

Earlier this year, I featured Selfie Sebastian and A Campfire Tail on Perfect Picture Book Friday and I gave away a copy of each. Maybe next year we’ll be able to turn the spotlight on NINITA’S BIG WORLD: THE TRUE STORY OF A DEAF PYGMY MARMOSET and do a giveaway.

There’s a big beautiful week coming up, dear friends. Happy 4th of July…wherever you are going and whatever you are doing, I wish you joy, peace, and safe travels.