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Fancy Nancy
Ferdinand
Flora
Fly Guy
Frances
Franklin
Frederick
Froggy
This is clearly just a short list of all the picture book characters I could come up with that start with the letter F. If you can think of others, classic or more recent, please list them in the comments. Thanks!
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Ed
Mr. Elephanter
Ella Bella Ballerina
Elmer
Eloise
This is clearly just a short list of all the picture book characters I could come up with that start with the letter E. If you can think of others, classic or more recent, please list them in the comments. Thanks!
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Daisy
Daisy
David
Dot
Dot
Doctor De Soto
D.W.
This is clearly just a short list of all the picture book characters I could come up with that start with the letter D. If you can think of others, classic or more recent, please list them in the comments. Thanks!
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Cat in the Hat
Chrysanthemum
Clifford
Corduroy
Crankenstein
Crictor
Curious George
This is clearly just a short list of all the picture book characters I could come up with that start with the letter C. If you can think of others, classic or more recent, please list them in the comments. Thanks!
Click The Badge For More Information About The Blogging From A-Z Challenge.
Babar
B.B. Wolf
Beekle
Berenstain Bears family
Biscuit
This is clearly just a short list of all the picture book characters I could come up with that start with the letter B. If you can think of others, classic or more recent, please list them in the comments. Thanks!
Click The Badge For More Information About The Blogging From A-Z Challenge.
Alexander
Amelia Bedelia
Amos McGee
Angelina Ballerina
Arthur
This is clearly just a short list of all the picture book characters I could come up with that start with the letter A. If you can think of others, classic or more recent, please list them in the comments. Thanks!
Hoppy Book Birthday!
In my position as a technical processing assistant at the DeWitt Community Library, I catalog a lot of new picture books. Unfortunately, I cannot review them all, but I do read them all and have assigned a 🙂 to my favorites. Finley Frog’s favorite is marked with a 8). Below are a few I’ve cataloged recently. (Whenever possible, summaries have been taken directly from the books.)
“I’ve loved you all your life, every single day. I love you oh so much — I’ll tell you all the ways!” Come see all the ways with Elmo and his Sesame Street friends!
Night Owl loves the nighttime! He can see everything, but when he doesn’t see Mommy Owl, he starts to listen…
8) Kay Kay lives in the village of Bungoma in the country of Kenya. One day as he is passing by the Star of Hope School, the schoolchildren call out to him. They want to show off their brand-new classroom. When Kay Kay looks at the room with its white walls, he realizes it could use a little artwork.
🙂 Ready Rabbit tries to get ready for school, but he would rather build spaceships and ride his imaginary motorcycle instead.
My daddy said, On the day you were born, I wrapped you up warm and took you for a walk to see the world.
🙂 A young boy rides the bus across town with his grandmother and learns to appreciate the beauty in everyday things.
In Israel, shalom means hello. And it also means goodbye! Shalom, shalom. Everybody says shalom!
Virgil the penguin finds a polar bear and tries to claim it as his own, but the polar bear wants to splash with the terns, slide with the seals, twirl with all the penguins, and be called by his name–Owen.
Elinor is used to doing very well in school, but as Poem in Your Pocket Day approaches, bringing an opportunity to meet a real poet, her struggle to write a perfect poem causes Elinor’s confidence to falter, despite Mr. Tiffin’s guidance and reassurance.
🙂 From ploughing the winter fields to pulling a car out of the springtime mud, the tractor has big jobs to do all year long.
In my position as a technical processing assistant at the DeWitt Community Library, I catalog a lot of new picture books. Unfortunately, I cannot review them all, but I do read them all and have assigned a 🙂 to my favorites. Finley Frog’s favorite is marked with a *. Below are a few I’ve cataloged recently. (Whenever possible, summaries have been taken directly from the books.)
🙂 Dot is about to get a lesson on just how important he is–because there’s a special spot for every dot in this world!
* Relates, in rhyming verse, how fate brought two best friends together.
🙂 Sophie loves to dress up and play with her dolls, but she wishes she had a friend to join her. Then one day Sophie meets Goose. HONK!
Snuggleford Cuddlebun, the sleepiest sloth in all of Snoozeville, attends the annual Snoozefest, where she gets free pajamas and other gifts, listens to bands and haiku, and, mostly, sleeps.
A hungry mouse meets a Busy square Cat in an amazing, brilliant, and charming tale!
Henry Holton comes from an ice hockey-obsessed family, but despite his comfort on the ice, his aspirations lead him to pursue another sport–ice dancing.
In April, 1796, young Charlotte Stuart writes a series of letters to George Washington, whose portrait is being painted by her father, reporting on her efforts and those of her brothers to follow the rules of good behavior in the book Mr. Washington gave them.
🙂 Zulay is a blind girl who longs to be able to run in the race on field and track day at her school.
Once there was a bear cub who lived with a little boy. But over time, the bear cub grew…and grew…and GREW!
🙂 Raffi feels different from the other children at school–he doesn’t like noisy games, and sometimes he gets teased. But when Raffi discovers knitting and sewing, everything changes…
Animal characters celebrate mothers, especially ones who play fun games, have bright smiles, and kiss hurt knees.
In my position as a technical processing assistant at the DeWitt Community Library, I catalog a lot of new picture books. Unfortunately, I cannot review them all, but I do read them all and have assigned a 🙂 to my favorites. Finley’s favorite is marked with a *. Below are a few I’ve cataloged recently. (Whenever possible, summaries have been taken directly from the books.)
As soon as the sun comes up, Camille opens her eyes. She has so many things to do!
Moe is little. But he is good at many things.
🙂 From her soft kisses and soothing hugs to her tasty tea and warming mug, Bird sweetly expresses her love to Fox so he knows that no matter how big he gets or where he goes, she is always with him.
To celebrate Rosh Chodesh, the beginning of a new month in the Jewish calendar, a family camps out in the Negev Desert in Israel and learns about the phases of the moon.
A delightful celebration of those nudie moments between bath and bed time.
🙂 The queen is devoted to her cats and they know they are loved, but when they try to win the king’s affection, they drive him right out of the castle–at least for a while.
* As an act of kindness, or mitzvah, six Jewish frogs secretly prepare a delicious pot of matzo ball soup for Minnie Feinsilver’s Shabbat dinner.
Ewe and Aye are very different but both dream of flying, so when Ewe’s love of wheels and Aye’s knowledge of wings come together, they finally get off the ground.
As a child, Elva asks for a violin so that she can make beautiful music, but many years pass before her dream can come true.
🙂 A picture book comically following one girl through each of the four seasons
🙂 When Mama tells Baby that she’s made a lovely lunch for her, she doesn’t know that the animals are listening at the window. And they are much hungrier than Baby.
🙂 Duck and Cat discover that being yourself makes for being the best of friends.
🙂 Just a friendly monster out taking a walk…that is, until he sees some Bunnies!!!
It’s time for The Best Pet Monster In The World Competition, and Albert can’t wait to enter his very own monster, Sidney!
By not covering his mouth or washing his hands, Simon spreads his cold to his teacher and classmates, much to the delight of three germs named Virus, Protozoa, and Bacteria.
One day the artist Henri Matisse cut a small bird from a piece of white paper…
Two Books From…
…Karen Kilpatrick’s Pumpkinheads Series
Diversity in children’s books is a hot topic right now. But it’s certainly not a fad. I believe most in the children’s book industry (e.g. publishers, authors, illustrators, agents, librarians) agree that diversity in children’s books is important. Children need to see other children just like them, children they can relate to, in their books. Whether we’re referring to appearance, aspects of culture, or a disability they may have, children need to see how they fit into the world around them. Books can help them do that.
On the other hand, children need to see children who are different from them in their books, in order to foster awareness, understanding, and acceptance of other people in, as guest blogger, children’s book author, and mother of 3 multi-racial children, Karen Kilpatrick calls it, Our Big, Beautiful World.
Our Big, Beautiful World: The Importance of Diversity in Children’s Books
By Karen Kilpatrick
“Mommy, why don’t any of the girls in my class have hair like me?” my young daughter came home from preschool asking one day.
“Because everyone is different,” I answered. “It’s hair that not a lot of people around here have. But there are a lot of little girls with hair just like yours.” Then I asked, “Your hair is one way that you are different from the girls in your class, but what other ways are you the same?”
We came up with a long list of traits that she shared with her classmates, and a shorter list of traits that she didn’t. We talked about, in simple terms, how differences are what make people beautiful, and how boring the world would be if everyone looked exactly the same.
From that day forward, we spent a lot of time noticing appearance. I am mainly Italian and part German, my husband a mix of Bahamian, Native American, and African American. My three children were born with caramel skin, curly hair, and brown eyes, quite different from my straight blond hair, blue eyes and freckles and my husband’s chocolate brown skin. They didn’t start to notice how different we all look from each other, and how different they looked from most of their classmates, until they were about four or five years old. And it wasn’t with concern, just curiosity, as to why they look the way they do, and why other people look they way they do. If they had attended school in a different neighborhood, it may have been them who looked like the majority of people.
Wherever we travel in life, I tell them, within the same city even, we will be surrounded by different groups of people. Sometimes we will look like the majority, and sometimes, we will not.
What has been so important to me in raising my children is that they feel comfortable around anyone. That whether they are with brown people, peach people, caramel people, chocolate people (we have identified such a variety of skin tone shades – and there are many more!), and whether they are in the majority or minority, they know and understand that differences are to be celebrated and not feared.
But the only way they would know not to fear difference is to experience difference. My children can visit myriad relatives, of all different shades, who live in a wide variety of economic circumstances. They can experience differences firsthand. However, another way to expose children to the beauty of differences is through books, and the diverse characters found in those books.
Children learn through storytelling. Storytelling, through books, can introduce children to the wide, wonderful, beautiful world of differences that they may not otherwise experience. Which is why, as an author, I am particularly careful that my books reflect a variety of characters. It is important that children recognize and see themselves in characters but equally important that they are exposed to characters who do not look like them. In order for this to occur, we have to have diverse characters in books, and not just in terms of skin color, but disabilities, ethnicity, culture and more.
It’s a big, beautiful world out there, filled with a variety of people, and books are the perfect starting point in exploring and understanding that world.
Author and entrepreneur Karen Kilpatrick, a mother of three multi-racial children, is a former attorney, who left her large law firm position in 2009 to start and grow two successful online legal services websites. Kilpatrick holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Foreign Service from Georgetown University and a Juris Doctorate from NYU School of Law. She established her own publishing firm, Nina Charles Publishing, and launched the Pumpkinheads® series in 2013. She resides in Parkland, Florida, with her husband and three children.
For more information on Karen Kilpatrick or her award-winning Pumpkinheads® series, please visit: www.pumpkinheads.com.
The Pumpkinheads® series titles include Carmin Cares (ISBN 978-1938447068), Love Monster Lulu (ISBN 978-1938447037), Sage’s Song (ISBN 978-1938447013), Danza’s Message (ISBN 978-1938447020), and Ella’s Toys (ISBN 978-1938447006).
Title: Wally The Warm-Weather Penguin
Author: Stephanie M. Ward
Illustrator: Vanessa Landin
Publisher/Year: Forwards Press/2014
Summary: Travel to the Galapagos Islands with Wally the Warm-Weather Penguin in this delightful rhyming picture book with vivid illustrations and experience the wonders of this very special place.
The weather is finally beginning to warm up here in New York, and it’s a good thing too because I was just about to pack my bags and join Wally the Emperor Penguin on the warm, tropical shores of the Galapagos Islands. Wally, who comes from the anything-but-balmy beaches of Antarctica, had the right idea. He was tired of wearing his boots, hat, and scarf (I can relate!) while playing outside, so he set sail for the Galapagos Islands.
What he discovered when he got there was a whole new world, completely different from where he came from, with strange new creatures, and most importantly–it was warm! I think Wally will be staying for a while. Can you blame him?
Children will enjoy the clever rhyme and bright illustrations of Wally The Warm-Weather Penguin, and will most likely ask to read it again and again. Parents will appreciate the Fascinating Facts section in the back that gives more information about all of the animals mentioned in the story, including, Emperor Penguins, Blue-Footed Boobies, Sally Lightfoot Crabs, Galapagos Penguins, Galapagos Giant Tortoises, and Marine Iguanas. Overall, it’s a fun book!
Favorite line from Wally The Warm-Weather Penguin: He threw off his scarf, his boots, and his hat, and jumped straight in the ocean with a SPLISH, SPLASH, SPLAT!
In my position as a technical processing assistant at the DeWitt Community Library, I catalog a lot of new picture books. Unfortunately, I cannot review them all, but I do read them all and have assigned a 🙂 to my favorites. Below are a few I’ve cataloged recently. (Whenever possible, summaries have been taken directly from the books.)
When Shredder, a little shrew who lives alone, overcomes his worry and sets out to explore what lies beyond the forest, he finds himself in trouble and discovers a new friend.
Hank relates to a friend a dream in which he flies to the sea, past the trees, and over the clouds.
🙂 When Violet decides to write a book, she insists that her twin brother help because he has good ideas, but Victor would rather count his pet worms.
Red wants to be friends. But his jokes make bunny mad.
Mia’s big sister teaches her that there is more to being a ballerina than just putting on the right clothes.
When the sheep on a farm go on strike rather than having their warm coats sheared off, the other animals begin taking sides until, at last, a compromise can be reached.
🙂 Tiger, Gibbon, Water Buffalo, and Gecko are sitting among the ruins of ancient Angkor Wat, wondering which of them would make the best king. The appearance of a mysterious visitor leads them to discover their true selves in a race to a distant hilltop.
🙂 Far away, where snowflakes twinkle like stars, little Wellington the penguin dreams of growing a garden.
🙂 Nature-loving sisters Maple and Willow smooth over a rough patch in their friendship in their own unique way.
As the only guinea pig left in Mrs. Pinkerley’s pet shop, Titch is getting lonely and anxious. All he wants is his very own Big Person.
Amy loves her blankie, her bear, her bunny, and her bird very much. “Mine!” she proudly crows. But what will happen when baby Joe and twins Zak and Jack want to join in and play too?
A walk through the park becomes an exuberant celebration-there are so many kinds of dogs to love!
If kids ruled the world…There’d be no such thing as bedtime. You could wear anything you like. You could have all the pets you want. And every day would be your birthday! But best of all? No one would ever be too old to PLAY!!!
Can a dog with more sweetness than smarts become a hero? (The revised and re-illustrated 35th anniversary edition)
I am pleased as punch to announce that my first picture book The Peddler’s Bed (illustrated by Bong Redila and published by Ripple Grove Press) is available now for pre-order on Amazon! The official release date is not until September 1, 2015, but I couldn’t wait to share my happy news. Please click on the Amazon page below for more information.
In my position as a technical processing assistant at the DeWitt Community Library, I catalog a lot of new picture books. Unfortunately, I cannot review them all, but I do read them all and have assigned a 🙂 to my favorites. Below are a few I’ve cataloged recently. (Whenever possible, summaries have been taken directly from the books.)
🙂 Tiger wants to bake a cake. It doesn’t go exactly to plan.
Say hello to the airplane as it takes off on an exciting adventure: gliding through the night sky, skimming above the clouds, and soaring into a bright new morning.
🙂 Have you ever seen the rabbit-in-the-moon? Folktales from many cultures explain how the rabbit came to be there. This is one such tale.
One autumn morning, Farmer Brown gets on his tractor and heads to town. Along the way, he picks up a cat with a hat, a goat in a coat, an ox in socks, and more!
🙂 Fritz can’t wait to turn five! His birthday starts off well when he eats all five of his birthday pancakes and gets brand new sneakers that fit perfectly. But when he looks in the mirror, nothing has changed.
This beautiful bedtime poem, written by acclaimed Inuit throat singer Celina Kalluk, describes the gifts given to a newborn baby by all the animals of the Arctic.
🙂 No matter what kind of messes a little bunny experiences through the day, bath time makes things fresh and new.
The same thing happens every night. After this little boy’s parents say good night and turn off the light, strange creatures descend from the black hole where the ceiling used to be.
Gracie’s special star shines for her every night-but every morning it fades away. If only Gracie could keep her beautiful star with her all the time!
🙂 Flo promised to take Wendell on a real adventure…
Bugs happily living in an empty lot are in trouble when a gang of rats moves in and takes over, but when a group of volunteers arrives to clean up, not only do the bugs get their lot back, they learn about recycling, composting, and garbage dumps.
This tender story of finding the courage to listen to the creative spirit within is sure to move even the shyest of souls to joyful expression.
In this annual post, I share my thoughts on the Caldecott medal winner and honor books.
If you are as intrigued by the selection process as I am, you may be interested in the following link that I originally posted back in 2011:
http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/caldecottmedal/caldecottcomm/caldecottcommittee.cfm. Everything you ever wanted to know and more about the Caldecott medal and the awards process can be found there at the American Library Association’s extremely comprehensive site.
Congratulations to Dan Santat! His book The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend (Little, Brown and Company) is the recipient of this year’s Caldecott medal. This book proves the power of the imagination, not just because author/illustrator Dan Santat used his awesome imagination to write and illustrate it, but also because main character Beekle is imagination. He’s an imaginary friend who does extraordinary things. Instead of waiting to be imagined by a real child who will be his friend, he embarks upon a quest to find a child. And even though his travels take him far away from the island of imaginary friends, and he must face a scary, new world, he succeeds in the end. Good job Beekle!
Six, that’s right, six honor books were chosen! Looks like the Caldecott committee had an extra difficult time choosing this year.
Nana In The City (Clarion Books) by author/illustrator Lauren Castillo has a beautiful, quiet strength, both in story and illustration. The mix of vibrant and muted watercolors perfectly depict life in a bustling city, as well as a special relationship between a boy and his grandmother. I like how Nana helps her young grandson to feel brave by fashioning him a super hero cape, and how she helps him to appreciate the sights and sounds of the city.
One of three honor books this year that feature famous people, The Noisy Paint Box: The Colors and Sounds of Kandinsky’s Abstract Art (Alfred A. Knopf) is an interesting look at the life of abstract artist Vasily Kandinsky. Through Barb Rosenstock’s descriptive text and Mary Grandpre’s dazzling, full-page illustrations, we get a window view into what it was like to be a boy growing up with a condition called synesthesia. According to the author’s note, “In people with synesthesia, one sense triggers a different sense, allowing them, for example, to hear colors, see music, taste words, or smell numbers.” Fascinating!
Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen’s book Sam & Dave Dig A Hole (Candlewick Press) is just so much fun! Designed primarily with deceptively simple text on one side and “earthy” illustrations on the other, this book stars two young boys, friends or perhaps brothers, who decide to dig a hole, and they won’t stop digging until they find something “spectacular”. But every time they get close, they decide to change directions, completely missing each successively larger gem. I totally understand why kids love this book. They are in on a secret. They know the gems are there even though our main characters do not. I can picture a classroom of children during story time pointing, yelling, and laughing, and having a great time listening to this story.
Viva Frida (Roaring Brook Press) by Yuyi Morales is lovely. I feel as if Beekle must have edged Frida out by the narrowest of margins for the medal. This book is about well-known Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. The super-colorful mixed media illustrations are gorgeous. I especially like the spread that shows a closeup of Frida’s face, along with her monkey and dog friends, peering into a chest. What wonders will she find in there? The text is quite sparse, yet surprisingly, by the end of the book, I felt like I learned a lot about this creative spirit, Frida (in less than 35 words!). But for those who want to learn more, there’s an author’s note in the back.
I don’t talk a lot about nonfiction picture books on my blog, but that may change in the near future thanks to books like The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus (Eerdmans Books) by Jen Bryant and Melissa Sweet. Jen and Melissa have presented a book about the life of Peter Roget, and they did so in a manner that feels very story-like and engaging, both in interesting text and eye-catching illustration. This is the kind of book that children will learn from without even realizing they are learning, because it will capture their attention from beginning to end.
This One Summer (First Second) by Jillian Tamaki and Mariko Tamaki caught me off guard. It’s not a picture book in the traditional sense, that’s because it’s a graphic novel. Although I do occasionally read manga, I’m truly not up on what constitutes a good graphic novel. Based on the art alone, I can see that it’s nicely rendered in black ink with great details and shading. But as I read through the story, though well-written, it struck me as being for an older audience than the other books on the Caldecott list. Despite my vague thoughts on this one, I’m glad that graphic novels are being considered for prestigious awards such as the Caldecott and that they are getting the recognition they deserve. Any and all books that get kids to read are winners!
Title: Grandma and the Groundhog
Author: Justin Drazin
Illustrator: Genn Lotish
Publisher/Year: Justin Drazin Publishing/2014
Grandma’s garden has attracted an unwanted guest. At first, Grandma is amused by the groundhog’s antics. But then, as more and more of her delicious vegetables disappear, Grandma decides enough is enough. We don’t know exactly what she has in mind, but we do know she wants her garden back. But just when she decides to give the groundhog a piece of her mind, the rascal disappears. The groundhog emerges a few weeks later with four hungry little ones. Told in rollicking rhyme and beaming with lively color, Grandma and the Groundhog is an enjoyable read-aloud that is sure to elicit smiles from young and old alike. Be prepared to read this one over and over; your kids will request it.
Title: It’s Raining Paint
Author: Justin Drazin
Illustrator: Vladimir Ilievski
Publisher/Year: Justin Drazin Publishing/2014
Young Laney has only one speed: fast. She doesn’t notice the beauty that’s all around her. It’s only when, on one very unusual day, paint droplets fall from the sky and cover everything in glorious color, that she finally slows down to look. She is amazed until everything turns to gloomy black and white. But her disappointment is replaced by joyful surprise the next day, after clear rain washed everything clean again during the night. Now Laney sees the world with new eyes; she appreciates the beauty of nature. This rhyming story is gorgeously illustrated in dazzling dabs of paint. I’ve never seen another book illustrated in quite this way. It’s Raining Paint is definitely worth a look.
Title: Albert and the Amazing Pillow Monsters
Author: Justin Drazin
Illustrator: Anita Lester
Publisher/Year: Gorham Publishing/2012
Albert is a young boy who has an amazing dream. He dreams about a land where friendly pillow monsters roam, where he’s always welcome, and where “imagination is the brightest night light”. At first he is confused, but soon realizes there is nothing to fear. The Pillow Monsters, who thrive on sweet dreams, have planned a party for Albert to celebrate his strength and courage. And Albert will no longer be afraid of the dark as long as he uses his powerful imagination. A whimsical, rhyming tale with dreamy illustrations, Albert and the Amazing Pillow Monsters is a perfect bedtime pick.
Title: Go Fast, Goo
Author: Todd Murphy
Illustrator: Rebecca Riffey
Publisher/Year: Tate Publishing/2012
Summary: Goo is a snail on a mission. Tired of taking life at a snail’s pace, he enlists his friends to help him go faster and farther than he ever imagined. It’s every snail’s dream come true. Join Goo as he learns that while fast is fine, slow is the way to go.
Goo the snail longs to be something different from what he is. He wants to fly, jump, and swing like his friends Dart, Skippy, and Iris. He doesn’t like being slow. He wants to be fast. His friends are happy to help him, but nothing works out and Goo is left feeling defeated. It’s only when tragedy strikes and Goo saves the day that he finally realizes that what he perceived as a flaw is really his greatest strength.
I enjoyed this sweet story of friendship and self-acceptance. It’s well-written and moves along at a nice pace, and it employs a level of repetition that kids will like. Children will especially love the cute, colorful insect characters with their expressive faces. Though the message of self-acceptance is clear, it’s also subtle enough not to overpower a fun read-aloud story.
My favorite line from the book: And while going slow gives Goo time to stop, smell, and eat the roses, he has always dreamed of going faster and farther.
In my position as a technical processing assistant at the DeWitt Community Library, I catalog a lot of new picture books. Unfortunately, I cannot review them all, but I do read them all and have assigned a 🙂 to my favorites. Below are a few I’ve cataloged recently. (Whenever possible, summaries have been taken directly from the books.)
🙂 A tall, strong and well-trained police horse, Bunny is sent overseas at the beginning of World War I.
🙂 Sometimes when you’re most in need of friends, they will flock to you–or at least to your hat.
🙂 It’s time for therapy dog Lola’s annual checkup. Can she be big and brave for her examination?
Change isn’t easy for young boys and girls. And when change means moving to a new school, a new house, and away from friends, well that can be downright complicated!
🙂 A hilarious Scottish twist on a much-loved rhyme.
🙂 Snowman and his friends are in for an adventure–and then, a surprise.
Bob wanted a dog for his birthday. Instead he got a ghost, and he calls it Fluffy.
Sam has a new pet. It’s a TEMPER, and he found it on the playground.
When Arlo reads about Paris and the one the French call La Dame de Fer, Or Iron Lady, he decides it’s time to strike out on his first adventure.
Join Max in his dreams of being a world-class athlete–and see if he and his friends can win a real tournament too!
When Hana announces that she’ll be playing violin in the school talent show, her brothers laugh so hard they nearly fall out of a tree.
🙂 This playful farmyard caper about a shortsighted but well-meaning little dog is sure to become a read-aloud favorite.
Hoppy Book Birthday!
Hoppy Book Birthday!
Please join me in wishing a Hoppy Book Birthday to Just a Duck?, written and illustrated by Carin Bramsen! Just a Duck? was “born” on January 27, 2015 and is a sequel to Carin’s lovable picture book Hey, Duck!.
I did an interview with Carin in 2013. Read it here.
Bow WOW! That’s an INCREDIBLE COVER!
We’ve all heard the old adage “don’t judge a book by its cover”, and that’s good advice, but there’s no denying that it is often the cover that grabs our attention first. That’s why it’s important to have a great cover and nowhere in the publishing industry is this more true than in the realm of picture books. The cover represents the book and it needs to say, “Hey, look at me.” The cover makes a promise to the reader: Inside you will find something magical.
It’s been a while since I’ve posted an Incredible Covers feature. And today seemed like a good day to do one. I’m not a design expert or an illustrator, but once in a while, a cover really wows me. And I want to share it with everyone and attempt to explain why I think it’s incredible. Looking at a picture of the cover is not even close to seeing how wonderful it is in person, but I hope you can visualize at least a little bit of what I’ve described in the beautiful cover below.
Author/Illustrator Deirdre Gill
I am excited to welcome author/illustrator Deirdre Gill to Frog on a Blog. Her beautiful debut picture book Outside is one of those magical, wintertime books I adore so much. The story is about a small boy whose imagination soars when he goes to play outside in the snow. The text is sparse, but the pacing in perfect and the oil paint illustrations are stunning. After coming across Outside at my local library, I knew I would soon own my own copy. And I knew I wanted to learn more about its creator, Deirdre Gill. Please enjoy the interview!
Q. Please tell us a little about yourself and how you got your start in children’s books.
DG. I majored in illustration in college and knew that I wanted to illustrate books for children when I graduated. I started off doing illustrations for children’s magazines and textbooks. I also worked at Books of Wonder in New York City right out of college. Many of my co-workers were people who were very passionate about children’s books and also went on to be authors and illustrators, including my husband, Jason Chin.
Q. I am so captivated by your picture book Outside. Please tell us a bit about your process, both writing and illustrating, when you created Outside.
DG. From initial idea to publication, Outside was five years in the making. I was actively working on the book for about 2.5 of those years. It started with first a written draft, that very sparse text. Then I created the images and put together the first dummy. When I was offered a contract for the book, I set about revising the story and of course the pictures as well. The story evolved quite a bit, and went through some 30 or so drafts. (I stopped counting after 27.) I estimate that I drew well over 5,000 sketches while working out the story and pictures. Once my editor and I were settled on the story and sketches, I drew more detailed and full-size finished sketches. I then transferred these sketches to my painting paper. I then begin to paint and cross my fingers that it comes out okay! I work in water-mixable oils.
Character Sketches from Outside
Q. Your vivid imagination really shines through in your artwork. How would you describe your artistic style?
DG. I would say that I aim to create images that are representational, but I try to never be a slave to reference photos. I search for a ton of images to inspire me then I mostly draw from my own imagination. I love color and try to imbue my paintings with both vibrant colors as well as more subtle tones. I am heavily inspired by illustrators who achieve a sort of dreamy “sfumato” look in their art. Peter McCarty, Chris Sheban, Renata Liwska and Quint Buchholz are among a few of my favorites. Although I don’t come close to achieving that in my oil paintings, I always aim to create a similar mysterious and dreamy sort of feeling.
Q. I love picture books that are set in winter; there’s just something magical about them. How did you decide to set Outside in winter rather than another season?
DG. My initial idea for Outside was not exactly a story, but rather a vague series of images I had in my mind of a child going outside to play in the snow, and becoming totally engrossed in the magic of playing outside. This idea was inspired by my own love of being outdoors, especially on a perfect, snowy winter’s day, and how wonderful it is to sink deeper and deeper into one’s own imagination. There is a kind of magic that comes over us when we are outside in the snow. We become our best, happiest selves. Those of us who are lucky enough to live in a place where there is snow know what it feels like to wake up and look out the window to see a pristine blanket of freshly fallen snow covering the ground. And to feel that sense of anticipation that coaxes us from our warm cozy homes outside into the cold. We feel the deep, fluffy snow crunch under our boots and know that our adventure has begun. Our heads clear, our senses sharpen, we become more open to all the beauty and wonder that is around us. Being outside in the snow sparks our creativity; suddenly we have a million ideas of what to make, and our ideas multiply as we go, each new idea more awesome than the one before. Our resilience strengthened, we trudge on through the cold with frozen toes and wet mittens because we are aware of the temporary nature of that just right, snowball-making snow and we know this moment, right now, is our chance to create the perfect snowman or snow castle. We are cooperative with our fellow snow explorers because there is so much snow to move and sculpt and we must work together to make our visions come to life. And when our efforts fail, for we are building with the imperfect medium of snow, after all, we find another way or allow new ideas to spring to life. I think that this magic can happen in any season, but there is just something to special about how the world seems transformed when it snows.
Spread from Outside
Q. What projects are you currently working on?
DG. Currently I am illustrating a rhyming picture book about trains. It’s a lovely text, written by Andria Rosenbaum. I am very excited about it, as the mother to one four-year old train fanatic and another blossoming 1-year old train enthusiast.
Q. Why do you think picture books are important?
DG. Oh, let me count the ways! Picture books are so important because they are a child’s first introduction to stories. And stories are our greatest tool in processing the world around us. Not only do they teach children a healthy vocabulary, they also help them make important associations, give them words to go with their emotions, and introduce them to the world outside of their own home. Just as important as the words and pictures in a story, are all the words and pictures that are necessarily left out of a 32-page book. Unlike a movie that does all the work for you of showing every action scene by scene, the picture book makes the brain do a lot of the work in filling in the missing pieces. I also love that a book allows readers to go at their own pace, and will often reward readers who return over and over to their favorite books with little details that they might have missed during the first read. And, of course, there is nothing better than curling up on the couch with someone who loves you and sharing a book.
Q. Where can fans go to learn more about you and your work?
DG. They can go to my website: www.deirdregill.com, visit me on Facebook at Deirdre Gill Studio, or follow me on Twitter @deirdrekgill.
Q. Any closing thoughts?
DG. Thanks so much for allowing me to share Outside with you and your readers!
I got news today that my picture book The Peddler’s Bed, illustrated by Bong Redila and published by Ripple Grove Press, will be released on September 1, 2015. And I’m super excited about that! That’s just a little over seven months away!
My publisher, Ripple Grove Press, is a family-owned children’s picture book publishing company founded by Rob and Amanda Broder. Recently, Rob published an article in the Ripple Grove Press newsletter to remind writers of their submission guidelines–what they’re looking for and not looking for in a manuscript submission. Rob gave me permission to share the article with Frog on a Blog readers. If you write picture books and are interested in submitting to Ripple Grove Press, please take a moment to read You Can Judge a Book By Its Title. You’ll be glad you did and you just might get your story into their “revisit” folder.
By Rob Broder, President & Founder of Ripple Grove Press
For those interested in submitting stories:
We have received over 2000 submissions since 2013 and have read them all. Only a few make it into our “revisit” folder.
But we do receive stories that do not follow our submission guidelines. Our website clearly states we do not accept stories with a holiday or religious theme, yet in my inbox are submissions with a holiday theme or a religious mention, or about God or the stars in the heavens. Those stories get passed over. Not only does it show the person submitting is not following our guidelines, it makes it difficult to want to move forward on a project with them. They are wasting their own time as well as ours.
The same goes for people who email RGP about “what type of format they should submit their story in”. It’s only a way to try to get our attention. Asking what font type and font size I would like to view your story in is irrelevant. Don’t try and get my attention with email questions, your story will get my attention. Just submit.
Please do not tell me that your story is wonderful and that it will delight me in your query letter. Every story is wonderful to the person who wrote it. When I see that sentence I get nervous and it makes me want to move onto the next submission. Please do not tell me that I “will like your whimsical story” because right there you are telling me it rhymes and that I probably will not like it. Let your story talk for you.
Often, I like the query letter more than the story. Sometimes the query letter is longer than the story or more time is put into writing it than the story. I get so excited about the query, ready to dive into the story, only to find it was not as well written and leaves me disappointed.
Keep the query and book description short and sweet. Make me want to dive into the story, which is what I want to do. I want to be wow’d. I want to say, “yes, this is it! This is what RGP is looking for”. Do not send a hand-written letter on a hotel notepad, telling me an idea for a story you have. Yes, I have received that.
When submitting a story, please do not include where you think the page breaks should be. It’s very distracting and takes away from the story. If we’re interested in your story, then we can work it out together. Please don’t insert “illustration notes”. The illustrator is part of telling the story as well. A picture book is a group project; writer, illustrator, editor, and publisher. You have to able to let part of the story go and give up some of your vision. We are all working together to make the most beautiful picture book possible. Unless you are a true illustrator, please do not send rough sketches or photos on what you think the story should look like. It is distracting and doesn’t help your submission.
Please remember not to make your story too descriptive. Telling me that “Tommy wears a green shirt in his blue messy room and has a brownish dog and goes to school four blocks away from his home and it was sunny this particular day and the tree in the yard is a little crooked”, is redundant and makes it difficult for the pictures in a picture book to tell part of the story. We understand you have a clear perspective on the way your story should be, (after all, you wrote it) but if you want to grab my attention, it will be in your words, not with your pencil sketches or photos or over descriptive text. Please do not submit a story with a dedication page and five more pages of your biography and an index with a table of contents. Keep it simple, less is more.
So, what’s in a title? A title can say a lot. It can provide me with what the story is about, introduce a character or tell how the story will end. Titles like (I’m making these up but are similar to what we’ve received) The Grumpy Town – says to me, everyone in the town is grumpy, except one small child who turns the town around and they are all happy in the end with merriment in the streets. And hopefully it won’t rhyme. Or Mr. Pajama-Wama The Cat Think’s There’s A Monster Under His Bed. I never thought there was a monster under my bed and I don’t know why I would want to put that idea into a child’s mind. The title gives it all away, and I don’t want to read the words ‘Mr. Pajama-Wama’ on every single page. And hopefully it won’t rhyme.
There are titles that describe too much and spill the entire story, like, Little Red Hen and the Missing Mitten on a Rainy Tuesday. I know everything before I even get to the first sentence. And… hopefully it won’t rhyme.
The titles that make us want to move on to the story are the simple titles that pique my interest and keep me intrigued, (yes, these are our books) like The Peddler’s Bed… ok, now what? Or Too Many Tables… ok, where could this go. Or Lizbeth Lou Got a Rock in her Shoe… ok, a little long but you got my attention.
If your title mentions your pet’s name or your grandchild’s name, it doesn’t usually pan out. When titles have names that don’t match the characters you created, like Aidan the Kangaroo or McKenzie the Raccoon or Addison the Hippo, it’s obvious the child is sitting right next to you as you write your story. I understand that something special or sweet has happened to your loved one, but that doesn’t mean it has universal appeal. Share your ideas with friends or a critique group. Read your story out loud to yourself.
You can judge a book by it’s title… if words like Hope or Grace or Pray or Johnny Scuttle Butt are there. And although bodily function writing might be humorous to some, it’s not something I want to read over and over again to a 4-year-old. So please, no poop or pee or burp or fart… not timeless, not cozy.
With all this said, I still get excited to read every submission and every story. I want to find the gem, I want to be wow’d. I want to put your story in my revisit folder and I want to like it more and more each time I read it. So please, do your research. And please, oh please, read children’s picture books. Read award winners, what’s popular, what librarians recommend. Read stories you may not be a fan of, it will guide you to your own voice. Study them, why do they work, what made the publisher choose this story. Match your story with the right publisher. Hopefully all this work will shine through your story and one day you’ll get that phone call from a publisher who would like to talk to you about your submission.
Ripple Grove Press
In my position as a technical processing assistant at the DeWitt Community Library, I catalog a lot of picture books. Unfortunately, I cannot review them all, but I do read them all and have assigned a 🙂 to my favorites. Below are a few I’ve cataloged recently. (Whenever possible, summaries have been taken directly from the books.)
🙂 After his Dominican Grannie tells him of her attempts to catch the mischievous Ti Bolam, Christopher decides he will go after the strange being himself.
🙂 While Pig is trying to finish a thank-you note to his grandmother, his best friend Rabbit repeatedly interrupts to borrow supplies for a series of his own notes, thanking all of the special people in his life.
🙂 A little boy overcomes his fear of the dark during a daring teddy bear rescue.
Angelina goes to the most famous city in Mouseland to perform at the Big Cheese Dance Show with her cousin Jeanie, but the two clash over whether tap or ballet is better.
Norman Qwerty keeps his ideas hidden…most of the time. Because big ideas, extraordinary ideas, refuse to stay hidden for long.
Clever wordplay with homonyms puts autumn on display and captures the art and science of season change.
🙂 A little wild sparrow journeys south through the lush rice paddies of India, across the rough sea, and all the way into a bright new day, where, for just a moment, its world meets with little Edie’s and the young girl’s life changes in the most surprising way.
Olive is very excited to receive a gift from her friend Joe. but when she opens the box, she finds a “best friends” hat–not exactly what she was hoping for.
🙂 Follows the changing seasons in a forest as trees and animals are nourished and are dependent on each other.
The bear cave is crowded and uncomfortable. What is a bear to do when there’s no good place to sleep?
🙂 When the leaves change color in Lily’s forest home, the young snowshoe hare is taken by surprise.
Because three-year-old Albie, who would one day be known as Albert Einstein, has never spoken, his concerned family takes him to a doctor who recommends a series of activities that might stimulate him to talk.
Tin is looking after his little sister Nickel one afternoon when she grabs hold of a balloon and floats away.
It’s a big day for Migs–he is starting school! He is looking forward to it, but he is also feeling a bit apprehensive, until, that is, he finds the perfect thing to help him overcome his shyness.
🙂 When Leo’s mother announces there will be a surprise at dinner, Leo and his brother are desperate to find out what it is, and their imaginations run wild.
Although Yazul loves making kites with his grandfather, all he truly desires is the approval of his father.
Lauri Fortino's Frog On A (B)Log 