Pete's a Pizza - Perfect Picture Book Friday #PPBF

     My writing friend Julie Rowan-Zoch has an excellent series of recent posts on William Steig's books in honor of his birthday (he lived November 14, 1907 – October 3, 2003). He is one of the few authors whose entire body of work is a candidate for perfect picture books. Dr. DeSoto is a classic that ends up on many favorite picture book lists. But my favorite Steig book is a less fantastical story. And when I saw that it wasn't on the perfect picture book Friday list, I knew what my choice should be today.
     Remembering William Steig on his birthday-try saying this title out loud without smiling:

TITLE: Pete's a Pizza

AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: William Steig
Publisher: HarperCollins, 1998
Intended Age: 3-7
Themes: Imagination, Play, Family

Opening lines: PETE'S IN A BAD MOOD. JUST WHEN HE'S SUPPOSED TO PLAY BALL WITH THE GUYS, IT DECIDES TO RAIN.

Synopsis: When rain interrupts a boy's plan to play with his friends outside, his father plays a game with him, pretending that the boy (Pete) is a pizza.

What I like about this book: This William Steig classic was published when he was 91. 9-1. Just Wow. And look at that big pizza-shaped face on the cover! Delicious. Parents are often absent in picture books. This book goes one step further with Pete's father taking the lead to help Pete shake off his gloomy mood. But it absolutely works. The father isn't didactic or heavy-handed. He has the child-like sense of creativity to carry the story. I love the tactile nature of their play. The illustrations focus on three characters (Pete, Dad and Mom) with subtle variations in changing graphic backgrounds. This is a book to be read and re-read.

Resources: You can see the story read aloud here:

There is also a cartoon animation of the story on YouTube, but for me, the artificial laugh track of the character didn't fit the vision in my head and I found it distracting. But if you want to see it, go here:: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_ZlxRSHwJo

TeachingBooks.net has two lesson plans available.

Visit this Pinterest board for ideas linked to pizza. I can imagine any lesson dealing with words, colors or shapes is more fun when you make them into pizza toppings! October was National Pizza month, but I think pizza is year-round fun.

This review is part of PPBF (perfect picture book Friday) where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's site. Along with tons of writing wisdom, she keeps an ever-growing list of Perfect Picture Books. #PPBF 

Thanks for stopping by!Did you get snow last night?? We did. Perfect curling up with a book weather.
    

That Magical October Sky - Halloweensie fun!

     I'm posting on Monday because--there's no perfect picture book Friday this week.
     Why not?
     Our picture book Friday host is BUSY!
     This is the fourth year that author Susanna Leonard Hill has offered writers the opportunity to win fantastic prizes in a Halloween story contest. It's called the Halloweensie contest because the story has to be for "wee ones." I wrote my story for the elementary set. And in addition to being for children, the story itself has to be a wee 100 words or less.
     Susanna ups the ante by requiring writers to use three specific words somewhere in the story. Broomstick, creak and pumpkin (or some variant of these words) are this year's special words.
     I enjoy the challenge of writing to Susanna's guidelines, and the fun of thinking up crazy scenarios to use her required three words. This year I came up with several stories and had to decide which to post!
     I've never written in rhyme before and so I hope you enjoy (and think that kids would enjoy!) my 93-word story, "That Magical October Sky."

      That Magical October Sky       

      Momma Mouse saw harvest moon.

Public domain image from pixabay (not my house!)

      Little Mouse saw pie.

      Momma Mouse said, “Come in soon!”

      Little Mouse said, “Why?”

      “It’s time for bed,” Momma warned.

      “Back soon!” said Little Mouse,

      Running toward the broomstick

      He’d left beside the house.

      The broomstick creaked and sputtered.

      Little Mouse took flight,

      Headed for a pumpkin treat

      Before he said goodnight.

      Past the trees,

     Through the stars,

     Little Mouse rose high,

     Aiming for the scrumptious shining pumpkin in the sky.

     The voyage was untested.

     The landing pad untried.

     Dropping to the orange orb,

     Little Mouse was pie-d.

     Thanks for stopping by to read. Comments are appreciated. (maybe editorial suggestions?!)

     Writers who are entering the contest have linked their stories to Susanna's blog. Head over if you'd like to read more. Last year there were more than seventy entries! I'm betting there will be a lot of great ones again this year.

Round Trip by Ann Jonas - Perfect Picture Book Friday #PPBF

     I have a secret ambition. I want to illustrate. Or maybe secret isn't the right word because I just told everyone. Unattainable ambition would be closer to the truth. I can doodle and "copy" but the individual spark of genius that I see in some illustrators' work skipped my gene pool. And that's okay. I've got plenty of other attributes. But sometimes when I see a particularly stunning book, I feel that ache.
     Prepare to feel the ache.
     This week I'm sharing an older title that stands the test of time.

Title: Round Trip
Author/Illustrator: Ann Jonas (Ann died in 2013 but you can read a profile of  her here and one obituary in the School Library Journal here)
Publisher: Scholastic, 1983
Intended age: 5-8
Themes: Travel, city/country
Opening lines: "We started out as soon as it was light.
                       Our neighborhood was quiet, the houses dark."
Synopsis: The author/illustrator uses black and white silhouettes to tell the story of a family's trip to the city and back.

What I like about this book: I have read armloads of books about trips to the city or vice versa. What makes this book special? The silhouettes are cut so that you page through the book to the end--but it ISN'T the end. At page 32 you flip the open book 180 degrees and page back to the start. Reading the book upside down. With the same illustrations "working" in both directions. Yes, it's a little bit gimmicky but it's done so well that I don't care. And yes, there are a few spreads where the story feels "tweaked" to fit the illustrations. But again, I don't care. It's so much fun to read and look at how the images mesh! Like the optical illusion of the Rubin vase/lady (see the vase/lady here), your eyes see one thing at a time, even though the other image is obvious as soon as you flip the book over. And as a Kickstarter campaign participant, I love the fact that it was a Reading Rainbow book.

Resources: If you have a teachingbooks.net account you can access an author interview and teaching guide for this book. This book is used as a resource for a lesson plan integrating math and reading titled "Going on a Shape Hunt" posted by Liza Cranston on readwritethink.org.
     Although the copy I bought at a used book sale was published by Scholastic, it appears that Harper Collins also publishes it and you can see a sample of several pages here. Better to do this on a laptop where you can easily turn the images around than on a tabletop monitor! If you want to hear the whole book, head to Youtube!

    Talk with your children about a round trip-to school or to a grandparents house. Do you take the same route each direction? How is the trip each direction the same and different?
     Talk about what a silhouette is and then after dark get a flashlight and make shadow puppets. Cut out silhouette shapes and look at them from different directions.

Above all, HAVE FUN! This book ignites imagination.

This review is part of PPBF (perfect picture book Friday) where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's site. Along with tons of writing wisdom, she keeps an ever-growing list of Perfect Picture Books. #PPBF

This book IS an old one. Have you read it? Let me know in your comments. :) There is no Perfect Picture Book Friday next week, but I hope you'll stop by to read my Halloweensie story!

Perfect Picture Book Friday Redux #PPBF DOG IN CHARGE

     How do you know for sure that the picture book you pick for perfect picture book Friday is indeed perfect?   

     You write the review and THEN check the list carefully and find that it's already there. Sigh. It wasn't under "humor" when I glanced quickly, but it is on the alphabetical list.
     So, you don't "need" my formal review. But I will say that if you haven't read K.L. Going's picture book DOG IN CHARGE (2012, Dial Books for Young Readers), it is one to find. I was familiar with the author's young adult Printz Honor book, but the picture book was a new one for me. Probably because it's so funny, kids are taking it out of the library (the nerve!) and it hasn't spent enough time in the bins for me to find it. It is a gem for dog lovers, cat lovers and humor lovers. Imagine the chaos that breaks out when a dog is asked by it's owners to take care of five cats while the owners are out! Dan Santat captures the good-natured doofy dog and the haughty Siamese cat perfectly in the illustrations. It reminded me of the old Pink Panther movies where Peter Sellers has moviegoers in stitches with a single eyebrow-raised closeup. Silly, silly, silly and so good.
     Spoiler alert: the official earlier review gives the ending in their synopsis. It's a short book. Just go read it!
     So, that shortens today's post considerably. Have a great weekend!
     Any NEW reviews for perfect picture book Friday are posted on Susanna's blog.
     I'll be heading over to read them soon and learn what else I've missed!

The HUEYS in IT WASN'T ME #PPBF

     Sometimes a book's gorgeous illustrations pull me in and  make me fall in love.
     The book I'm reviewing for Perfect Picture Book Friday has perfect illustrations. But they aren't gorgeous. Sometimes spare lines are all a masterful storyteller needs.

Title: The HUEYS in IT WASN'T ME

Author/Illustrator: Oliver Jeffers

Publisher: Philomel Books, 2014

Intended age: 3-5

Themes: Interpersonal relationships (arguments), humor

Opening Line: "The thing about the Hueys . . .
                      . . . was that most of the time they got along."

Synopsis: A family of jelly bean-shaped multicolored creatures is in the throngs of a disagreement when their brother arrives and settles the problem in a laugh out loud moment that mirrors reality.

Why I liked this book: Kid appeal oozes off each page. These are characters that kids can easily draw imitations of. The use of white space focuses the reader on the characters and their emotions. (Do you recognize this style from The Day the Crayons Quit? Yes, same illustrator!) And the way the initial problem morphs into a blame-shifting "It wasn't me" free-for-all is funny and relatable. Although unintentional in this instance, what parent hasn't used the tactic of distraction to tame some terrible moments? (Or was I the only one?) And, honestly, I have liked all of Oliver Jeffers' books. I reviewed The Incredible Book-eating Boy last year. Although this title is the second in a series (I believe it's now at three!) featuring these characters, I hadn't heard about them and wanted to spread the word.

Resources: Temper tantrums are a fact of life. Learning to deal with emotions is a lifelong process. Behavioral advisor, "Dr. Mac" has a page on problem resolution specially for kids (I liked the tagline "Be a thinker, not a stinker"). Other sites that deal with conflict resolution are the Women's and Children's health network (with a conflict resolution quiz), the Kids Matter site describing win-lose (sharks!), win-some (compromise) and win-win strategies (creative problem-solving) for elementary school ages and older, and teaching-guide materials at goodcharacter.com. 
 
A cute rap video about done by kids about conflict resolution:
(under 3 mins.)




This review is part of PPBF (perfect picture book Friday) where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's site. Along with tons of writing wisdom, she keeps an ever-growing list of Perfect Picture Books. #PPBF

Supersister - #PPBF

     I have been doing research on sibling stories and fell in love with this title.
     You can leave me a comment below and let me know if you agree! The book was published in 2009, so maybe you're familiar with it already.

Title: Supersister

Author: Beth Cadena

Illustrator: Frank W. Dormer

Publisher: Clarion Books, 2009

Intended ages: 4-8

Themes: Older sibling, helpfulness

Opening Line: "Supersister bounds out of bed. Another super day.
                          Hark! A call from the kitchen. Mother is in need."

Synopsis: Told in a tongue-in-cheek manner, a young girl helps out at work and school taking on the role of Supersister. The illustrations show close-up shots of Mother's feet, and a head shot from a distance, but it isn't until the third spread from the end that we learn the reason Supersister is being so helpful.

Why I like this Book: The illustrator wrote and illustrated one of my favorite books, The Obstinate Pen. There's a lot of energy in his spare drawings. While there is humor in the book, the book doesn't go over-the-top in terms of how Supersister helps. Moments of getting dressed, getting her own breakfast, and being a good student at school take on super importance.These behaviors are all things a reader can emulate. Despite being a book with an obvious message, the author uses fun language so it doesn't come across preachy or hokey. I especially loved the moments when Supersister lets us know that superheroes are kids, too (and vice versa!) and checks if Mom is watching and listening.

Resources: DON'T READ THIS IF YOU DON'T WANT A SPOILER
     The baby that is going to make Supersister a sister hasn't been born yet.
     There are many websites to help prepare children for the arrival of a new sibling. The Baby Center and the What to Expect websites have practical information for expectant families.
     Read Kevin Henke's classic picture book Julius, the Baby of the World and compare that story and its main character with Supersister. Talk about how people react differently to changes.
     Websites with fun activities for older siblings while waiting for baby describes activities like helping to decorate the nursery and acting as family photographer.

This review is part of PPBF (perfect picture book Friday) where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's site. Along with tons of writing wisdom, she keeps an ever-growing list of Perfect Picture Books. #PPBF

HUGO AND THE REALLY, REALLY LONG STRING #PPBF

     Maybe it's the arrival of the cool weather we had this week.
     Maybe it's the recycle truck arriving at 5AM.
     Or maybe I've just been channeling Grumpy Cat. Because I didn't find a "perfect" picture book to spotlight last week. There is a PERFECT one out there. I read it and loved it. But everyone and the kitchen sink has already reviewed it, singing its praises. And they're all right. If it's possible to make baby elephants and cupcakes more deliciously adorable, the author succeeds. But does the world really need another review of that book right now?? Probably not. So if you haven't read Little Elliot, Big City go do it! The link takes you to the page with the activity guide.
     Luckily, I stumbled across an older book that made the grade this week!

 Title: Hugo and the Really, Really Long String         

Author/Illustrator: Bob Boyle
Publisher: Bolder Media Inc./Random House, 2010
Themes: Adventure, Friendship
Intended Ages: 2-7

Synopsis: (from publisher) In a little house on the top of a hill lives a happy little guy named Hugo. When Hugo sees a mysterious red string, he just knows hes going to find something wonderful at the end of it! Hugos journey takes him across the river, underground, and throughout town—all while gathering curious new friends along the way!

Opening line: (Warning! This was my least favorite part of the book-keep reading!)
     In a little house on the top of a hill lived a happy little guy named Hugo and his playful dog, Biscuit.

Why I like this book: The book is pure silliness. The MC is a short huge-headed purple creature with what look like giraffe knobs on his head. He wears a black necktie. One of the other creatures he meets along the way is named Mr. Alligator Police. A class of young birds lifts their teacher (Mrs. Snake) into the air! You get to follow the increasing cast of characters through underground tunnels and even a noodle shop! And all the while, the other characters who are draped with a LONG red string appear oblivious to it. Giggle inducing. But then there's the refrain "There must be something special at the end!" A profound message cloaked in the absurdity of the story. Great stuff.

Resources: I'm a huge fan of the ages-old string and balloon art. All you need is a paper plate to put glue on, a few small balloons (partially blown up!) and string or yarn. Multi-colors are exciting! Dip the string in the glue and wrap it on the balloon. Wait until it dries and then pop the balloon and ta-da! Something that looks like it's from the Museum of Modern Art is revealed. :)
There are crafty websites with all sorts of great ideas for string craft projects for kids.Try Kid Activities here or Artists helping Children (good ideas for making holiday or birthday gifts, too! Can anyone have too many pencil holders? Not at my house.)
Follow a trail (real or imaginary) for your own adventure.
Read other books about string. Just how long can a long string be?! by Keith Baker is another fun one!

This review is part of PPBF (perfect picture book Friday) where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's site. Along with tons of writing wisdom, she keeps an ever-growing list of Perfect Picture Books. #PPBF

Why a Writer Writes

     When I was at a picture book "boot camp" last summer, my mentor Pat Cummings challenged me to share more of myself on my blog. Not just industry updates and book reviews, but personal stuff that gave readers more insight into my personality.
     Be careful what you ask for.
     Here goes.
     A friend of mine who also writes gave me a compliment recently. She told me that I was one of her favorite critiquers. She said that I was smart, and I didn't focus on minutiae when there were big picture issues involved. I thanked her with a smile. It's good to feel that I'm helping fellow writers.
     She knows that I've been writing for children but haven't received that elusive first picture book contract yet. Then she asked me if I had considered becoming an agent instead.
     Instead.

http://www.copyright-free-images.com

     Instead of writing for children.

     I think I smiled again politely and acknowledged the question, shaking my head, no. I'm not sure, exactly, because I was already having another conversation in my head as I backed away.
     For a moment, I was aware of the effort to breathe and move in an intelligent manner.
     There might have been foul language involved in the silent talk..
     Don't get me wrong. I think agents are great! I'm in the process of looking for one. And I know that some agents are also writers. Win-win.
     It was the word "instead."

     This post isn't "calling out" anybody. The friend involved isn't part of my online 12X12 writing community and to the best of my knowledge doesn't read my blog. In truth, the words were well-meaning. It's my reaction that may have been "off" but then that's me.
     I think I reacted as strongly as I did because the word "instead" marginalized my passion. I'm not dabbling, I'm pursuing a dream. A career. It felt like asking me if I wanted to eat "instead" of breathing. Eating is good, but I've gotta breathe. And I am writing because at some level I have to. There isn't an off button that I''m aware of.
     So there, Pat, this one was for you.
   

My Bibi Always Remembers - Perfect Picture Book Friday

     I'm so excited that Perfect Picture Book Friday time is back!
     I read 10-15 picture books a week from my library, but it's impossible to "stumble upon" all the good ones. My fellow reviewers are an invaluable asset. A huge thank you to Susanna Leonard Hill for organizing this resource for readers and writers!

     Last week I participated in a new book release blog tour. I don't always "double up" and use the book for Perfect Picture Book Friday. While there are a lot of good books out there, not all of them make the cut. :)
     But last week's does. If you didn't read last week, I'm talking about a new book from the awesome author and illustrator team of Toni Buzzeo and Mike Wohnoutka.
     Regular blog followers of mine may remember that I reviewed the last offering by this team, JUST LIKE MY PAPA last September. I get the feeling that we ought to just put the author and illustrator's name on the Perfect Picture Book Friday list!

TITLE: My Bibi Always Remembers

AUTHOR: Toni Buzzeo

ILLUSTRATOR: Mike Wohnoutka

PUBLISHER: Disney Hyperion Books, Sept. 2014

INTENDED AGES: 3-5

THEMES: Animals, grandparents, Africa

Opening Line: RUMMMMBLE!
                      Thirsty little Tembo hears her Bibi across the wide, parched plain.

Synopsis: An easily distracted young elephant follows the herd as it searches for water. The oldest grandmother elephant carries the knowledge and skill to lead "the way to wet."

Why I like this book: Elephants fascinate me. My family are long-time supporters of The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee. I've never been to Africa or Asia to see these creatures in the wild and I have a hard time wrapping my head around the concept of the vast space these creatures need to live as they should. I love the book's message about passing knowledge from generation to generation. The author stole my heart on the second spread when she wrote that the elephants were coming "one by one, step-step, searching for wet." The illustrations aren't overly fussy, but small details, like dust devils in the distance, transported me to the elephants' world. Be
Note: This is a Disney book, so I felt a Bambi-like moment of terror when Tembo wanders away and the illustration appears backlit by the setting sun with lions and hyenas in the foreground! Luckily, the problem resolves on the next page. Whew! The combination of anthropomorphism and reality worked well for me.

Activities/Resources: Ms. Buzzeo provides extensive materials to accompany her books. You can find Common Core teaching guides and activities , including a cool Reader's Theater Script on her website.
If you want to learn more about the plight of elephants in the wild, back matter in the book steers readers to the Amboseli Trust for Elephants at www.elephanttrust.org. General information about elephants can be found in many places including National Geographic's website and the kid-friendly Animal Fact Guide.
There are an equally large number of elephant craft choices out there. The paper plate elephant contributed by Leanne Guenther to DLTK's Crafts for Kids blog made me smile.

Other blogs with information and interviews for this new book:

·         The Children’s Book Review – Author Guest Post

·         Momma Drama – Author/Illustrator Interview and Review

·         Book Rock Betty – Review

·         Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers – Author/Illustrator Guest Post and Review

·         As They Grow Up – Review

·         Susan Heim on Parenting – Review

·         Kid Lit Frenzy – Author Guest Post

·         Mundie Kids – Author/Illustrator Interview

·         The Power of One Writer – Author Interview

·         There’s a Book – Review

And FINALLY, download a completely adorable card to make for grandparents from the author's website here. Just download and fold!

As a disclosure, an early advance copy of this book was provided by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
This review is part of PPBF (perfect picture book Friday) where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's site. Along with tons of writing wisdom, she keeps an ever-growing list of Perfect Picture Books. #PPBF

The Winner of a signed copy of MY BIBI ALWAYS REMEMBERS

     Noon is here and the winner of  a signed copy of MY BIBI ALWAYS REMEMBERS IS--
                                                                 (drum roll!)

                                                    ELAINE KIELY KEARNS !!

     Congratulations!
  
     Please PM your mailing address so that I can forward it to the folks at Disney Hyperion who have generously provided this prize.

MY BIBI ALWAYS REMEMBERS - SIGNED COPY GIVEAWAY!

     I have a special treat for you today in honor of National Grandparents Day!

     Wait. You didn't know tomorrow was National Grandparents Day? If that's the case, here's a link to the history of the day. It isn't a day-off-from-work-and-school "public holiday" but its observance was signed into law by President Jimmy Carter in 1978. And when you consider all of the things we could be celebrating, grandparents seem like a great choice! There's a link to a great card to share with grandparents near the end of this post, too. :)

     And if you know me at all, you'd probably guess that I'd be celebrating with a book. And you'd be right. In this case, a new book from the awesome author and illustrator team of Toni Buzzeo and Mike Wohnoutka.
     Regular blog followers of mine may remember that I reviewed the last offering by this team, JUST LIKE MY PAPA last September. Perfect Picture Book Friday posts don't start up from the summer hiatus until next week, so I'm jumping the gun a bit but I wanted readers to know about this new book if you want to find the perfect book for kids to share with their grandparents this weekend in honor of the holiday. Or any weekend. Shouldn't we celebrate grandparents all year long? Yep.
 
TITLE: My Bibi Always Remembers

AUTHOR: Toni Buzzeo

ILLUSTRATOR: Mike Wohnoutka

PUBLISHER: Disney Hyperion Books, 2014

INTENDED AGES: 3-5

THEMES: Animals, grandparents, Africa

Opening Line: RUMMMMBLE!
                      Thirsty little Tembo hears her Bibi across the wide, parched plain.

Synopsis: An easily distracted young elephant follows the herd as it searches for water. The oldest grandmother elephant carries the knowledge and skill to lead "the way to wet."

Why I like this book: Elephants fascinate me. My family are long-time supporters of The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee. I've never been to Africa or Asia to see these creatures in the wild and I have a hard time wrapping my head around the concept of the vast space these creatures need to live as they should. I love the book's message about passing knowledge from generation to generation. The author stole my heart on the second spread when she wrote that the elephants were coming "one by one, step-step, searching for wet." The illustrations aren't overly fussy, but small details, like dust devils in the distance, transported me to the elephants' world. Be
Note: This is a Disney book, so I felt a Bambi-like moment of terror when Tembo wanders away and the illustration appears backlit by the setting sun with lions and hyenas in the foreground! Luckily, the problem resolves on the next page. Whew! The combination of anthropomorphism and reality worked well for me.

Activities/Resources: Ms. Buzzeo provides extensive materials to accompany her books. You can find Common Core teaching guides and activities , including a cool Reader's Theater Script on her website.
If you want to learn more about the plight of elephants in the wild, back matter in the book steers readers to the Amboseli Trust for Elephants at www.elephanttrust.org. General information about elephants can be found in many places including National Geographic's website and the kid-friendly Animal Fact Guide.
There are an equally large number of elephant craft choices out there. The paper plate elephant contributed by Leanne Guenther to DLTK's Crafts for Kids blog made me smile.

Enter to win a signed copy of this book by leaving a comment for me! One name will be drawn randomly from all commenters at noon on Tuesday September 9th. I'll announce the winner later that day.
Read author/illustrator Q & A's and enter to win a copy of this book on other blogs by clicking the links to follow the entire tour for this new book:

Friday, August 29:

·         The Children’s Book Review – Author Guest Post

Saturday, August 30:

·         Momma Drama – Author/Illustrator Interview and Review

Sunday, August 31:

·         Book Rock Betty – Review and Signed Giveaway

Monday, September 1:

·         Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers – Author/Illustrator Guest Post and Review

Tuesday, September 2:

·         As They Grow Up – Review and Signed Giveaway

Wednesday, September 3:

·         Susan Heim on Parenting – Review and Signed Giveaway

Thursday, September 4:

·         Kid Lit Frenzy – Author Guest Post and Signed Giveaway

Friday, September 5:

·         Mundie Kids – Author/Illustrator Interview and Signed Giveaway

Saturday, September 6:

·         Noodling with Words – Review and Signed Giveaway

Sunday, September 7:

·         The Power of One Writer – Author Interview

Monday, September 8:

·         There’s a Book – Review and Signed Giveaway

And FINALLY, since I started this post talking about the link to National Grandparents Day, download a completely adorable card to make for grandparents from the author's website here. Just download and fold!

Remember to leave a comment to enter the giveaway! As a disclosure, an early advance copy of this book was provided by the publisher in exchange for my review.

Brick by Brick - adult nonfiction book #review

     I had great intentions to blog regularly over the summer.
     Yeah.
     I didn't miss my blogging goal because I was being a slug-about. Rather, it was the contrary. This past summer was a busy whirlwind of writing, travel, conferences and family fun. Some of the fun involved reading new books, so I have mountains of content I can share with you. If I find the time.
     Here's a start. A book of adult nonfiction that combines narrative history and "how-to" observations about a company whose products have mesmerized my family for years.

image provided by Blogging for Books

     TITLE: Brick by Brick: How LEGO rewrote the rules of innovation and conquered the global toy industry (a mouthful!)
     AUTHOR: David C. Robertson with Bill Breen
     PUBLISHER: Crown Business, 2013
    
     Synopsis: The story of LEGO's turn-around after its disastrous financial decisions in the late 1990's.

     Why I like this book: As a writer, I think of myself as an innovator. I don't want to rehash existing content. People can use the internet to find what's already out there. I try to make something fresh and new. Sometimes this means rearranging existing words or using them in new ways. Sometimes this means inventing a new word.But always, innovating.
     My family is also the proud owner of TUBS (yes, the volume warrants capitalization) of plastic LEGO bricks. Like others around the globe, I have endured the pain of catching the sharp edge in my instep. But the perceived value far outweighed the pain. My kids played with these bricks again, and again, and again.
     To illustrate how nuts we are for this toy, while living in England I polished my college-level French in order to telephone a department store in France and order a set that I couldn't get in the local shops for a birthday gift. Proof that the seemingly oddest parts of your education come in handy! And my husband borrowed cash from a fellow traveler while in Austria in order to get the set that was the boys' holiday wish in a small shop that didn't accept credit cards.
     With insider access to LEGO management (the author was the LEGO professor of innovation and technology management at the International Institute of Management Development from 2002 to 2010) the book details the balance of autonomy and product focus that regained LEGO's market-leading success. As a writer, I connected with the theme of tension between creativity and passion, and market focus. When the author talks about the importance of a team with people from different backgrounds, I thought of my critique group members. In the discussion of focus groups, I envisioned read-alouds. Although the author is talking about a children's toy company, the theories in the book are applicable to any continued endeavor.  Blue sky opportunities are important, but not at the cost of reasoned value.

One bin of the many!

    
 The book is full of personal quotes that brought the story alive for me. At times, I had to flip back and forth to keep track of the names, but I'm terrible with names in real life too.
As a nerdy-type, I also loved the facts and figures. How much does it cost to make one mold for a standard LEGO piece?
(*answer below!)

While the book's primary target may be to business executives who can learn from LEGO's business practices, I recommend it to any creative business individual - even solo workers like me!


Disclosure: I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review.
*It costs $50,000 to $80,000 for one standard LEGO mold.

Trouper - Perfect Picture Book Friday

      I would have bought this book based on the cover alone.
      Mr. E. B. Lewis lives in New Jersey and I was fortunate to hear him speak when he came to the elementary school my kids attended. I don't know if "room parents" go to a lot of the school assemblies, but I made sure I went to his! He is an extraordinary artist, adept at capturing emotions in watercolor brushstrokes. 
     This is the author's debut picture book, but she's no slouch either! 
     I have to stop myself-- I don't want to give all the juicy tidbits away in my opening. On a scale of 1 to 5, this book is a 6.

Title: Trouper
Author: Meg Kearney
Illustrator: E.B. Lewis
Publisher: Scholastic, 2013
FICTION based on real events
Audience: age 4 and up
(an author's note inside the front page mentions
a "kill shelter" but that is not part of the story)
Themes: Dogs, Pet adoption, Kindness
Opening:
               "Back in the before time,
                before I licked your nose
                or sniffed your shoes,
                before you bought my bed and bowl,
               before the place you picked me out,
               I ran with a mob of mutts.
Synopsis: Told from the dog's point of view, Trouper tells the story of a feral dog waiting to be adopted. The reader isn't told why Trouper is homeless. The book follows his journey to the animal shelter and his wait to find a home.

What I like about this book: Everything. Nowhere in the text does it say that the dog is handicapped. And although the handicap is shown in the illustrations, this is a handi-capable dog that plays with the other strays and acts like any other dog. As someone who has owned "special needs" pets, I adore the way the issue is a non-issue here. And oh-h-h those doggie eyes. Without being pedantic, it also addresses the tough issue of animal cruelty ("dodging stones thrown by boys who thought the world was mean, and so they had to be.") and the reward of adopting an older pet. Once again, the dog's age isn't mentioned in the text, but the graying muzzle in the illustrations lets the reader know Trouper is no puppy.
Resources/Activities: I covered this topic when I reviewed Nancy Furstinger's picture book, Maggie's Second Chance. You can read that post here. Susanna Hill also covered the topic and listed activities in her review last week of JJ The American Street Dog. I am a firm believer that kindness to animals develops kindness in other parts of life. The author, Meg Kearney, adopted the dog who is the "real" Trooper. Her website has a short video (keep the box of tissues close by!) about how Trooper joined her family. And she explains why her dog's name is spelled differently in the book.

Interesting side note:
I have an unpublished manuscript about a dog waiting to be adopted, also told from the large black dog's point of view. It was the very first picture book manuscript I wrote, several years ago.This subject is personal to me and I am always thrilled to see the big black dog get a home and story, even if it wasn't mine!

 This review is part of PPBF (perfect picture book Friday) where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's site. Along with tons of writing wisdom, she keeps an ever-growing list of Perfect Picture Books. #PPBF

Thanks for taking the time to leave me thoughts and comments!

How to Hide a Lion - Perfect Picture Book Friday #PPBF

     Sometimes I read a picture book and the topic or underlying theme is what draws me in. Sometimes it's the vibrant illustrations. The book I selected this week has sweet illustrations, and a nice theme, but it was the story itself that gave me a serious case of book love. Helen has a second book in this series coming out in July (2014) that I will want to take a look at!
    
Title: How to Hide a Lion
Author/Illustrator: Helen Stephens
Publisher: Henry Holt & Company, 2012
FICTION
Intended Audience: 0-5
Themes: Prejudice, Friendship

Opening: 
     One hot day, a lion strolled into town to buy a hat.
     But the townspeople were scared of lions, so the lion ran away.

Synopsis: The townspeople are frightened by a lion that comes into town looking for a hat. Luckily, when the lion runs off to hide he finds a little girl called Iris who isn't afraid of lions. Despite her parents' cluelessness, their luck eventually runs out when Mom stumbles upon the sleeping feline. What's a nice lion to do?

Why I liked this book: Except for the fact that the lion doesn't eat people, he looks like a wild lion. He doesn't wear clothes or talk. And despite the fact that he is never named in the text and we never see him communicate with humans (we're told that he asks for a hat and he interacts with Iris without dialogue), his personality shines through. He lets Iris comb the leaves out of his mane, he bounces with her on her bed. This book made me believe that everyone could interact with lions like Kevin Richardson aka "the lion whisperer." (see the first three minutes of the embedded video. I think Joanna Marple shared this with me first and I have watched it multiple times!) A magical feeling reminiscent of Robert the Rose Horse (who wore clothes) -- almost so much so that I wondered if the remarkably similar ending was in homage. Although the book starts with the lion, it ends with Iris and cements the logical innocence of their relationship. I also love that Iris never changes clothes. Silly? Maybe. But it makes sense to me.

Resources:  You can page through many of the spreads and read the text on the Publisher's webpage for the book. Read an interview with author/illustrator Helen Stephens about her book.
Lion crafts are popular! Prepare to get your mind boggled by the lion crafts on Pinterest. There are several youtube videos on making lion crafts, too, too much to embed here. Just google youtube lion crafts for kids and there they are! The D L T K's crafts for kids has a super easy paper plate lion. Danielle's Place has a slightly more complex paper plate lion as well as 3-D lions made with styrofoam cups, stuffed lions, paper bag lions--you get the idea. There's a bunch!
Flickr has a vintage paper lion doll with clothes to put on! The image is copyright reserved and the owner didn't respond to my request to get permission to post it here, but you can search the term vintage paper lion doll to see it. It is absolutely adorable!
Talk about the differences between wild and domestic animals.
Visit a zoo.
Talk about what it means to have an open mind. Most kids this age do! Perhaps it's the adults (as in the story) who let experience teach us too much. 
Play hide and go seek. 

This review is part of PPBF (perfect picture book Friday) where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's site. Along with tons of writing wisdom, she keeps an ever-growing list of Perfect Picture Books. #PPBF

 Thanks for visiting! Is there an animal you would like to hide in your house?
 I'm fond of lemurs and otters, but I'm content to let them live in the wild.

BARNUM'S BONES - Perfect Picture Book Friday

     Last week, on the first day of PiBoIdMo, Tammi Sauer wrote the Day 1 post on the importance of a good title. Both as an idea generator and a book seller. My PPBF selection this week proves her right! I saw this title and HAD to take it home.
   
     Title: BARNUM'S BONES

     Author: Tracey Fern

     Illustrator: Boris Kulikov

     Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux/
                     Margaret Ferguson Books, 2012
     NONFICTION

     Themes: Biography, Dinosaurs

     Audience: 5-9 years 

     Opening:  "Something exciting happened in Carbondale, Kansas, on February 12, 1873. The Brown family had a baby boy." (honestly, this isn't my favorite opening, but I like where it goes!)

     Synopsis: Barnum's Bones tells the story of one of America's greatest fossil finders. The author's note acknowledges that Barnum Brown wasn't the best paleontologist in terms of keeping scientific records and field notes, but he is responsible for unearthing a tremendous number of fossils, including the first complete skeleton of Tyrannosaurus rex.

     What I liked about this Book: Although T. rex is one of the most famous dinosaur names, until I read this book I hadn't heard of the man who found it. I love learning something new like that! Mr. Brown didn't just stumble across his finds, he worked for years and years, often collecting "nothing but sunburn and mosquito bites." After a recent visit to Luray caverns where many of the stalactites were plundered for trophies, I wish fossil expeditions had been less about blasting and plowing and more about preservation, but I believe this is an accurate depiction of a time when people didn't realize that these treasures are limited. Barnum Brown was apparently quite a character, dressing in fashionable clothes out on the range. Here's a picture of my favorite illustration: Mr. Brown dancing with an ethereal T. Rex.

    Activities/Resources: The author has an 11-page teacher's guide available on her site along with links to several dinosaur related web resources. The Classroom Bookshelf includes more curriculum-related resources specific to this text. My family enjoyed the BBC's Walking with Dinosaurs broadcast, and there is fascinating information, including games and puzzles at their website (even a dino dung guessing game!). If you want to try your luck at fossil-finding, Mental Floss has a June 13, 2013 article about ten states with sites open for fossil hunting. Remember, you can't pick up ANYTHING in most state or federal parks. Take only pictures, leave only footprints!

  This review is part of PPBF (perfect picture book Friday) where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's site. Along with tons of writing wisdom, she keeps an ever-growing list of Perfect Picture Books. #PPBF

Thanks for stopping by! I love to read your comments about my choices.