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Melissa Stoller: Will Write for Cookies Plus Giveaway
WILL WRITE FOR COOKIES
INSIGHT, INSPIRATION, INFORMATION
FOR WRITERS
TODAY’S GUEST
MELISSA STOLLER
What a joy it is to connect with those in the kidlit community! I’d seen Melissa’s name as a participant in many of the challenges. I’d read her comments on blog posts. And when I discovered she had a new chapter book series launching, I knew I’d want to invite her to be my guest.
Melissa Stoller is the author of the debut chapter book THE ENCHANTED SNOW GLOBE COLLECTION: RETURN TO CONEY ISLAND (Clear Fork Publishing, July 2017); the debut picture book OLIVE’S MAGIC PAINTBRUSH (Clear Fork, March, 2018); and THE ENCHANTED SNOW GLOBE COLLECTION: THE LIBERTY BELL TRAIN RIDE (Clear Fork, April 2018). She is also the co-author of THE PARENT-CHILD BOOK CLUB: CONNECTING WITH YOUR KIDS THROUGH READING (HorizonLine Publishing, 2009). Melissa is a Regional Ambassador for The Chapter Book Challenge, an Admin for The Debut Picture Book Study Group, and an Assistant for Mira Reisberg’s Children’s Book Academy. Melissa writes parenting articles, and has worked as a lawyer, legal writing instructor, and early childhood educator. She lives in New York City with her husband, three daughters, and one puppy. When not writing or reading, she can be found exploring NYC with family and friends, travelling, and adding treasures to her collections.
ME: I’m so thrilled to welcome you to Picture Books Help Kids Soar, Melissa!
MELISSA: First, I’m so honored to be chatting with you on your Will Write for Cookies Blog, Vivian! I’m a huge fan! You are the sweetest cheerleader for the KidLit World and I love your #50 Precious Words Writing Challenge. Also, I have benefited from your excellent critiques. I hope to meet you in person one day soon!
ME: I really appreciate your kind words, Melissa…and I’m sure we will meet…maybe at a conference one day soon!
ME: Who were your favorite authors/illustrators when you were a child?
MELISSA: I had so many favorite authors and books when I was a child! I loved the Nancy Drew Mystery Stories by Carolyn Keene, and Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh (I still love a good mystery). I also enjoyed The All-of-a-Kind Family books by Sydney Taylor (I still enjoy inter-generational family stories) and Eloise by Kay Thompson and Hillary Knight (Eloise is the classic precocious imp! My children and I loved the Eloise Tea at The Plaza in New York City). And of course anything and everything by Judy Blume! All these stories and more informed my own writing style. Read the rest of this entry
Happy Book Birthday: Hello Goodbye Dog PLUS Giveaway
Who doesn’t LOVE birthdays?
Especially BOOK BIRTHDAYS!
And when you add an energentic doggie, you know it’s going to be a lot of fun!
This month, I was thrilled to feature HELLO GOODBYE DOG on Perfect Picture Book Friday.
And then we all enjoyed chatting with author Maria Gianferrari on Will Write for Cookies.
But today, I’ve got something else REALLY special. for you! A Q&A with…
MOOSE, the dog in Hello Goodbye Dog!
ME: Down boy! There’s a good little dog. Moose is an interesting name for a dog. How did your owner come up with that name? Do you like it?
MOOSE:
I love my name, since Zara gave it to me. I think it’s because I’m a big dog.
ME:You sit very quietly when people read to you. What is your favorite thing about being a reading therapy dog?
MOOSE:
I love to listen. The stream of words relax me, like a lullaby. And I love to be with people, especially kids.
ME: What are your favorite stories?
MOOSE:
My new favorite picture book is Dogosaurus Rex, by Anna Staniszewski.
I also love It’s Only Stanley, by Jon Agee.
Another favorite book has a reading dog like me—Bonnie. That’s Lisa Papp’s Madeline Finn and the Library Dog.
And Zara’s going to read A Dog Like Daisy, by Kristin O’Donnell Tubb, to me next!
ME: In the cafeteria, I noticed you were looking at Zara’s cookie. What are your favorite snacks?
MOOSE:
I love dog biscuits hidden in my KONG toy and plain yogurt. Zara lets me lick the yogurt containers.
ME: I can see it must be time for your snack, Moose. I’ll let you go. But thank you so much for stopping by to visit. You are welcome back anytime!
And for my dear readers, the lovely Maria Gianferrari is giving away ANOTHER copy of HELLO GOODBYE DOG. Please leave a comment to be entered into the drawing. And if you haven’t left a review on Amazon or Goodreads, please do. Reviews are the best way we can say thank you to incredible autors who write wonderful books for children.”
Plus, don’t forget we are stop #7 on the HELLO GOODBYE DOG book blog tour…hop over and visit some of the other posts when you can.
HELLO GOODBYE DOG BLOG TOUR!
GIVEAWAYS EVERY DAY!!
*Monday, July 24th: Pragmatic Mom + THREE book giveaway!
*Two for Tuesday, July 25th: Librarian’s Quest
*Wednesday, July 26th: Homemade City
*Thursday, July 27th: Kid Lit Frenzy
*Friday, July 28th: Mrs. Knott’s Book Nook
*Monday, July 31st: Picture Books Help Kids Soar
*Tuesday, August 1st: Bildebok
*Wednesday, August 2nd: The Loud Library Lady
*Thursday, August 3rd: DEBtastic Reads!
*Friday, August 4th: Mamabelly’s Lunches with Love
*Monday, August 7th: Writing for Kids (While Raising Them)
EXTRA: August 25th: Kidlit411—Interview with Patrice Barton
Please come back TOMORROW, for ANOTHER SPECIAL BOOK BIRTHDAY POST for…
APPLESAUCE DAY by Lisa Amstutz
Perfect Picture Book Friday: Marigold Bakes a Cake PLUS Giveaway
Happy Perfect Picture Book Friday, dear friends!
We’ve actually just passed the half-way mark in this year of reviewing as many 2017 picture books as we can. Which means we have a whole other half of a year to go. Yes! Six more months of fabulous stories to review.
But first…a word from our sponsor. Oh, wait a minute…we don’t have a sponsor here. But we DO have some prizes to give away thanks to Maria Gianferrari. She offered to give away a copy of Hello Goodbye Dog. And the winner is…
CHARLOTTE DIXON
And that’s not all…Maria also offered to give away a Picture Book Manuscript Critique. And the winner is…
SUNWALKER2013
Congratulations, ladies! I’ll be contacting you soon to connect you both with Maria.
Plus, don’t forget to leave a comment on today’s post and tomorrow’s Will Write for Cookies because our wonderful debut picture book author/illustrator, Mike Malbrough is giving way a copy of MARIGOLD BAKES A CAKE.
Marigold Bakes a Cake
Written and illustrated by Mike Malbrough
Publisher: Philomel Books (July 2017 – Happy Book Birthday!)
Ages: Preschool – Grade 2
Synopsis:
From Amazon:
For fans of Mo Willems’ Don’t Let the Pigeon… series. Baking the perfect cake is how Marigold spends Mondays. Being messy, noisy, and disruptive in Marigold’s kitchen are how one finch, two pigeons, and three loons spend their Mondays!
Marigold the cat loves Mondays, for that is when he bakes cakes! With his favorite recipe in front of him, he rolls up his sleeves and gets down to it. He whips up egg whites . . . Easy. He adds a cup of milk . . . Peasy. Then he sprinkles in just a pinch of . . . of finch?! That’s not right at all! Neither are the smidgeons of pigeons or the spoonsfull of loons. Clearly a chase is in order! Yet all that leads to is a spectacularly messy kitchen. And no cake.
With a recipe comprised of equal parts humor and charm, author-illustrator Mike Malbrough has cooked up a scrumptious laugh-out-loud addition to the great tradition of interruption books. Perfect for fans of Mo Willems’ Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus and David Ezra Stein’s Interrupting Chicken.
Opening Lines:
“Marigold liked everything just so.”
Why I like this book:
- Great pacing and page turns!
- Fabulous illustrations!
- Spot on FUNNY!
- Wonderful read aloud!
- And who doesn’t love a cat who can bake?
RELATED ACTIVITIES
KID-FRIENDLY AND IBS FRIENDLY BRER RABBIT CARROT CAKE
Photo courtesy: http://www.food.com/recipe
I love inviting kids into the kitchen…it’s fun! And they learn so much. Science. Math. Literacy skills. Geography and Social Studies (where the foods come from).
I’ve made this recipe hundreds of times for my husband…it is his favorite cake. And because he has nothing artificial…it’s great for the kids, too. The recipe is originally from: Eating for IBS by Heather Van Vorous.
You will need:
1 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1⁄2 teaspoons baking powder
3⁄4 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1⁄2 teaspoon allspice
1⁄2 teaspoon nutmeg
3⁄4 cup granulated sugar
1⁄4 cup packed brown sugar
3⁄4 cup egg whites or 3⁄4 cup egg substitute
1⁄2 cup canola oil
2 tablespoons fresh orange zest
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1⁄2-2 cups carrots, packed finely shredded or grated
3⁄4 cup canned crushed pineapple, with liquid
Sweet Orange Icing
3⁄4 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar
1 1⁄2 teaspoons fresh orange zest
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
1⁄2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
For detailed instructions, please click here.
Have a wonderful weekend, dear friends…don’t forget to leave a comment to be entered in the giveaway and please come back tomorrow for:
Will Write for Cookies
With debut picture book author
MIKE MALBROUGH
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.
