PPBF: Unicorn Thinks He’s Pretty Great

Posted on March 27, 2015 by viviankirkfield

No..it can’t be! Friday already? They say time flies when you are having fun…I must be having a ball!

Well, actually, I am. Still participating in ReFoReMo which means I am reading picture books EVERY DAY! And soon to be starting another month of challenge, RhyPiBoMo. Don’t you love these acronyms? The new challenge is Angie Karcher’s Rhyming Picture Book Month.

Last year was an unbelievable success – an intensive month-long workshop of lessons, writing prompts and camaraderie. Oh, and PRIZES! There’s still time to register…just click on the link above to find out all about it.

And now it’s time for a Perfect Picture Book review and activity. And if you’d like some more wonderful picture book reviews, please hop over to Susanna Hill’s blog.

I had no problem choosing today’s Perfect Picture Book. I just asked my six-year old grandson. Ever since we got this book from the library last week, he’s requested it as a bedtime story.

Title: Unicorn Thinks He’s Pretty Great

Written and illustrated by Bob Shea Continue reading →

#PPBF: Looking At Lincoln

Posted on March 6, 2015 by viviankirkfield

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 →

PB 14:14 – Day 14 – Rhyme – PLUS…PPBF – Cowpoke

Posted on February 27, 2015 by viviankirkfield

Woot! Woot!

And how about a Hip Hip Hooray!

It’s Day 14 of Christie Wild’s PB 14:14 Challenge. http://christiewrightwild.blogspot.com/2015/02/day-14-how-big-is-million-patterns.html

And, it’s also Perfect Picture Book Friday. http://susannahill.blogspot.com/2015/02/perfect-picture-book-friday-finding.html

Life can’t get much better!

I’ve been trying to polish a particular picture book manuscript…it’s about a boy who wants to be a cowboy…and it’s in rhyme. Complicated rhyme. Which is hard to do. I’m so reluctant to change it up – into prose or free verse – because, as you know if you are a writer, it’s difficult to ‘kill our darlings’… that is, get rid of something we love or have gotten attached to.

And then I found this book in a library discard pile – a totally fun romp of simple rhyme and active verbs and awesome illustrations – all about a little cowpoke who joins a cattle drive.

So I will be rethinking my own manuscript – and offering this charming picture book as an example of the top ten element of rhyme.

Continue reading →