December is National Cat Lovers Month. One way to mark the occasion is by reading picture books about cats! The Whisker City Air Race is the fourth book in the exciting aerial adventure series Miso and Kili’s Flying Adventures. Miso and Kili are adorable little cats who love to fly their shiny Red Rider plane all over the world.
In The Whisker City Air Race, they’re taking part, along with their feline friends, in a high-flying annual race from Whisker City over the Catfish Ocean to the Golden Paw Desert and, continuing from there, past the Panther’s Tail Jungle through the Yarn Ball Rolling Hills and back to Whisker City.Along the way, they’ll contend with some Alley Cat antics, a dangerous thunderstorm, and a detour to the finish line.
Author J.M. Chrismer has created an action-packed story that kids will surely enjoy. Though the book is a tad text heavy, there’re plenty of thrills to keep the story moving and the young reader turning the pages. Kids will especially love artist Ilya Fortuna’s bright, engaging illustrations featuring six different delightful airplanes, lots of cute and cuddly cats, and more. This is a fun read that will leave you wondering where Miso and Kili will fly off to next!
The United States has more domestic cats than any other country, over 70 million. The top three countries with the most pet cats, in descending order, are the United States, China, and Russia.
Please welcome multi-published children’s book author Sherry Roberts to Frog on a Blog. Today is All American Pet Photo Day, so it seems like a great day to feature Sherry and her brand new picture book Amica Helps Zoe, which is about a loveable rescue dog and the little girl who loves her.
I love dogs, and I love picture books about dogs. My little rescue dog recently passed away, so this story really tugged at my heartstrings. Let’s hear more from Sherry about this special picture book and some of her other books, which include nonfiction picture books, a middle grade series, and a new chapter book series.
Congratulations on the publication of your new picture book Amica Helps Zoe! Please share a little about the story and what inspired it.
SR: Attention, all dog lovers! Prepare to embark on a heartwarming journey with Amica and her rescue dog, Zoe. Set in a cozy neighborhood filled with leafy trees and friendly neighbors, Amica’s biggest challenge is convincing Zoe to enjoy walks. Despite Amica’s love for Zoe, she can’t help but feel frustrated and worried that Zoe will never overcome her fear of being abandoned. But with determination and love, Amica shows Zoe that a walk is just a fun adventure and not a scary separation.
This story was inspired by one of my nieces. When she was 5 years old, her family got their first dog. My niece wanted to walk her dog in the neighborhood, but her dog would not walk. Halfway through the walk, the dog would sit down and not move. My niece would have to carry the dog home. As the dog got bigger, it got harder for her to do. For Christmas, she asked Santa for a red wagon so she could ride the dog around the neighborhood. This solved her problem, and she was so happy.
As I was developing the story, I decided to make the dog a rescue dog. The dog I had at the time, Gizzie, would not take a walk, or a ride in the car. This was because he had been driven away from his home and thrown out in a field, abandoned. I thought about how rescue dogs often have problems with abandonment. This led to the story focusing on working with a rescue dog who had a fear of a walk leading to abandonment. I had tried to help Gizzie with walks and learned that so long as he could see the house, he was ok.
Image from Amica Helps Zoe
What path did you take to publish your book—traditional, self-publishing, or hybrid—and why?
SR: I have traditionally published a couple of books with very small publishers but found that to not be the path I wanted to take. I am now indie published through Solander Press. I find this to be an easier and more enjoyable path to publishing for me. I like the freedom to choose projects, illustrators, editors I work with, and basically a say in all the steps to publishing this allows me.
Image from Amica Helps Zoe
What do you hope young readers will take away from reading your book?
SR: With Amica Helps Zoe, I hope young readers learn that it is best to understand others before making a judgement and then to look for ways to help. For Amica, she became frustrated with Zoe because she wouldn’t walk. As Amica learned Zoe’s story, she better understands the reason Zoe doesn’t like to walk. Then Amica looked for a way to help Zoe learn to trust again.
It’s also important that young readers take away an understanding that old does not always mean it cannot become something useful again. As Amica says, “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.” Amica figures out a way to reuse something her neighbor, Mr. Brown, is throwing out. She works to fix it up to use with Zoe to help with walking in the neighborhood. Young readers will learn about the importance of patience, understanding, and a theme that occurs in many books, friendship.
You also write chapter books and middle grade novels. Tell us about your The Galaxy According to CeCe series.
SR: Like many of my books, this is based on a time in my life. I’m the one who moved from North Carolina to Missouri right before the school year. I’m the one who moved into a house connected to an observatory. The feelings are very similar to ones I had but, from there, the story changes from my life to the story of Cece.This middle grade series is about change (book 1), friendships (book 2), and closure (book 3).
Book blurb for Book 1, The Galaxy According to Cece:
CeCe is having a ‘badventure’. What if her new school doesn’t have band tryouts? Or a soccer team? What if CeCe can’t make new friends? Moving across the country was hard enough, but the new house is an unusual house, and there definitely is something haunted about it.
Excited about her first year of middle school, CeCe and her friends anticipated all the fun they would have transitioning from elementary school to middle school. That was until the BIG announcement. Her family was moving across the country for her father’s job as an astronomer.
Starting the new school doesn’t go well, the class popular girl sets her sights on CeCe as she attends tryouts for the school soccer team and band. Making friends is difficult when the rumors swirl that the observatory is haunted. There are only so many “what ifs” for one eleven-year-old girl to think about. As CeCe balances her anxiety and comes to terms with her new situation, she starts to make forward strides in her new life embracing what the galaxy has given her.
Book 2, The Galaxy According to Cece: The Mysterious Dr. Pruitt:
Cece thought she had finally begun to settle into her new home, school, and town. Until the unexpected happened. The ghost of Dr. Pruitt, the scientist who built the observatory, appears and turns her life upside down. Is he a friendly ghost or a vengeful one? And why can only she see him?
Book 3, The Galaxy According to Cece: The Stars Align:
Cece never expected her friendship with Dr. Pruitt to take a sudden turn, but when she and her friends discover a secret room in his domain, tensions rise. With their curiosity piqued and Dr. Pruitt’s disapproval looming, the friends must decide whether to push forward or back away. Will he allow them to use what they know, or will he continue to hide from them and create even more problems?
You’ve also written nonfiction picture books, which you photo-illustrated yourself. How do you decide which topics to write about?
SR: My two non-fiction were fun to do. The first, Sonnet, Sonnet, What’s in Your Bonnet?, features a variety of flowers that I photographed from my own garden and public gardens around town. The story tells fun facts about each flower that readers, young and old, may not have known. For example, do you know what flower is the international flower of love? If you say the rose, that would not be correct. It is actually a red tulip. Why is the blanket flower called the blanket flower? Ever seen a leopard lily? Answers to all the questions and so many more may be found in this book.
The second book, A Visit Through the Wetlands, takes the reader through a local wetlands to see the foliage, water fowl, amphibians, animals, and so much more that may be found when wandering through wetlands. This book was written to encourage families to not only visit this local wetlands but to find designated wetland areas when on vacation and take a tour to see all that may be found of nature in these beautiful reserves.
Where can people learn more about you and your books or connect with you online?
SR: My website features all my books, and talks more about me, and a blog that features many of my author friends, and educational resources for many of my books (more to be added). The address is www.sjrobertscreative.net.
People may also connect with me on the following social media channels:
My email address is sjroberts@sjrobertscreative.net.
I look forward to hearing from you and others to talk about my books or just visiting. Look for a new chapter book series coming August 1, 2025, for readers ages 6-8.
Sherry Roberts is an award-winning children’s book author. She holds a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Louisville. She has written multiple award-winning picture books such as Hello, Can I Bug You?, Gabriel and the Special Memorial Day, What’s Wrong with Barnaby, and The Best Reading Buddy. Her newest, Amica Helps Zoe, was featured in Kirkus’ e-newsletter, June 2025, and received a Get It: Recommend review.
As a former middle school teacher, Dr. Roberts decided to write her first middle-grade novel. Her debut novel, The Galaxy According to CeCe, is the first book in a three-book series. It was officially released on February 24, 2024. Book two, The Galaxy According to Cece: The Mysterious Dr. Pruitt, was released August 2024. Book three, The Galaxy According to Cece: The Stars Align, released February 2025.
It’s been a while since I’ve reviewed a board book here on Frog on a Blog. But board books are essentially picture books, just in a different format. They’re for the littlest book aficionados, infants to about three years old. Thanks to their extra-sturdy covers, board books hold up well in the hands and mouths of these future readers.
Today, I’m pleased to share, on a rainy Wednesday here at home, Hello, Rain! by Katherine Pryor, with illustrations by Rose Soini. Hello, Rain! was published by Schiffer Kids in 2024. It’s the second in the “Hello,” series, following Hello, Garden!, by the same author and illustrator, which received the IBPA (Independent Book Publishers Association) Benjamin Franklin Gold Awardin 2022 for its age category.
Both books feature the same diverse family. And, as you can see from the covers, the kids are the stars. In Hello, Rain!, readers follow the family as they set off to play in the rain. The children enjoy splashing in puddles and drawing in mud until a thunderstorm drives them all back to the safety and comfort of homewhere a family story time, followed by a bubble-filled bath, proves to be the perfect way to end the day.
The rhyming, rhythmic text adeptly uses short sentences and simple noun/verb pairs to create mood and movement throughout the story. The colorful illustrations, which I believe are watercolor, depict sweet kids and lots of outdoor scenes, including birds, squirrels, trees, and plants. Parents will have fun pointing out a sleeping mouse, baby robins, and curious worms. What I like most about this book is just the pure joy the kids express while playing outside in nature.
Hello, Rain! is a great choice for the little book and nature lovers in your life!
On average, American Robins lay 3-4 eggs in a clutch but only 1 egg per day. They also typically lay more than 1 clutch of eggs throughout the nesting season.
Please welcome author Vanee Apoolingum back to Frog on a Blog. Vanee visited back in 2018 to share the inspiration behind her picture book Derek The Flying Dodo. You can read that post HERE. Last month, she released a second book starring the lovable little dodo bird, entitled Derek The Flying Dodo: The Next Big Adventure, which also features colorful and bold illustrations by Daniel McCloskey, some of which can be seen below. Vanee’s returned today to speak a bit about her experience writing a sequel. Let’s hear from Vanee!
When I started writing my first book, Derek the Flying Dodo, I had so many wonderful ideas forming in my head that I knew instantly that it was never going to be just one book. I wanted to take young readers on a magical journey where they could follow this unique Dodo on some truly amazing adventures, and just one story was never going to do it justice. I started working on the sequel at the beginning of this year, and I had so much fun writing it.
Derek and his best friend Aaron took centre stage again, and I also introduced some new characters, such as giant tortoises, a parakeet, a dolphin, and some mean treasure hunters. The locations and characters in both of my books are heavily inspired by the paradise island of Mauritius, where I grew up. The vibrant and colourful Mauritian landscape can be seen throughout the book, and I am sure young readers will find the illustrations captivating.
I wanted the next book in my series to be more action-packed, where Derek is met with several challenges, such as flying through a terrifying storm, nursing a broken wing, and getting trapped on a ship with nowhere to go. The story is very much about perseverance, friendships, and the power of believing in yourself.
Through this next book, I wanted to show young readers that we all face challenges on our journeys, and sometimes we might need a little hand from our friends to overcome those challenges. It is okay to ask for help, as we all need it at some point. The story very much shows that we all make mistakes and that no one is perfect. Mistakes give us the opportunity to learn and grow.
So I really hope that children who enjoy action and adventure books will love Derek the Flying Dodo -The Next Big Adventure. I hope they will have fun reading it as much as I had fun writing it.
Vanee Apoolingum was born and raised on the paradise island of Mauritius. She grew up in beautiful, exotic surroundings, where she spent countless nights listening to enchanting stories about the dodo. As much as she loved listening about the native flightless bird, she loved writing about it even more. Derek the Flying Dodo series was inspired by her love of adventures, where she always dreamed that the impossible could happen.
She has now swapped her sunny, exotic location for the slightly cooler English landscape, where she lives with her husband and two boys. When she’s not busy writing or baking with her boys, she’s out and about, still trying to catch a glimpse of Derek flying in the beautiful bright blue sky.
You can find both books in the Derek the Flying Dodo series on Amazon.
Title: The Little Tiger(My Little Animal Friend series)
Author: Nicola Killen
Illustrator: Nicola Killen
Publisher/Year: Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books/2023
Favorite Line from the Book: But then she remembered…she was a tiger!
Special Features: Die cuts and foil stamping
The ever-clever and always-curious Ollie is back in The Little Tiger. And this time, it’s her birthday! The Little Tiger is a super-sweet addition to Nicola Killen’s My Little Animal Friend series, which includes The Little Kitten, The Little Bear, and The Little Rabbit, as well as The Little Reindeer which earned a starred review from Kirkus Reviews.I’m smitten with these books as it’s clear that the author and little Ollie are animal lovers just like me!
With boundless energy and limitless imagination, Ollie, dressed in her brand-new tiger suit and grasping a big bunch of balloons, takes readers on a high-flying adventure over houses, trees, and fields to a forest. In a clearing, she meets seven animals–Elephant, Monkey, Sloth, Rhinoceros, Zebra, Bear, and Lion–and discovers a surprise party waiting just for her. Everyone plays games, blows bubbles, and enjoys a delicious birthday lunch. Then Ollie blows out the candles on her cake while her new friends sing Happy Birthday, before she floats back home on the breeze.
Gently told with humor and heart, The Little Tiger is a perfect bedtime tale. The endearing illustrations, done in a muted color palette, satisfyingly match the story’s tone. Die cuts and foil stamping on some of the pages adds a playful element and is a nice touch.This book would make a great birthday present or Christmas gift or even both if you’re celebrating Jesus’s birthday on December 25th! I will be!
I hope you’ve enjoyed my Picture Book Month book reviews. I plan to feature a couple more reviews next month. Keep an eye out! And thanks so much for following Frog on a Blog!Happy Holidays, everyone! ❤️
Please join me in wishing a very Merry Christmas, er, I mean a very Happy Book Birthday to the hilarious, multi-published author/illustrator Alex Willan for his brand-new picture book Elves Are the Worst! This book is sure to be a holiday (or anytime) favorite with kids. It’s the latest in his The Worst! series and should prove to be just as popular as the other three: Unicorns Are the Worst!, Dragons Are the Worst!, and Yetis Are the Worst! All of these books are filled with humor, color, and lovable characters. And they are so much fun to read. Just like the others, Elves Are the Worst! stars the adorable, ever persistent Gilbert the Goblin, but, this time, he must prove himself to be just as good as, if not better than, any elf at the North Pole. What will he learn this time? You’ll have to read the book to find out.
Alex has stopped by today to share more about his new book, the series, and Gilbert. And, as a special treat, he’s included a few in-progress illustrations. Let’s hear from Alex!
Congratulations on the newest picture book in your hilarious The Worst! series, Elves Are the Worst! Please tell us a little bit about the book and the inspiration behind the series.
AW: Thank you so much! In Elves Are the Worst!, Gilbert the Goblin is back with a fresh set of complaints, this time about elves. He decides to go undercover to Santa’s Workshop, disguised as an elf, to prove that goblins are just as hard working as any elf.
The first book in the The Worst! series, Unicorns Are the Worst!, was about how sometimes our feelings lead us to false conclusions. Gilbert says that his unicorn neighbors are the worst, but really he is just jealous that they get all of the attention. (And he’d really enjoy an invitation to their tea parties.) The fun challenge with each new book in the series is to figure out what Gilbert is trying to prove and what he learns along the way, both about his neighbors and about himself.
Gilbert the Goblin and his pals are so adorable. Which came first, the characters or the stories, and how does Gilbert feel about starring in his own book series?
AW: I’ve had ideas for books come to me in both ways. Sometimes it starts with a character in my sketchbook and the story grows from there, and sometimes it starts with the story. This series started with the story. In fact, when I first wrote Unicorns Are the Worst! The main character was actually a gnome named Gnelson. My wonderful agent, Lori Kilkelly, liked the idea, but wasn’t completely sold on my initial designs for Gnelson. I played around with mythical protagonists and, when I landed on goblin, I suddenly had such a better understanding of his motivations. Gilbert always has a bit of a chip on his shoulder and that made so much more sense given that people generally have a negative opinion of goblins.
I must tell you, Gilbert would very much appreciate you acknowledging that he is, in fact, the star of these books, as opposed to the unicorns, elves, etc. I think that Gilbert had grown quite used to living alone, tucked away in his corner of the forest, but, for a character that claims to want to be left alone, he sure seems to enjoy talking at length with the reader. One of the biggest joys for me in working on this series is seeing his world continue to expand. Finding his place in the larger world has been good for him, although I doubt that he would ever admit it.
What is your art process like when creating your books, and what media do you use?
AW: I create my illustrations digitally using the Procreate App on my iPad Pro. When I was in school, I learned to create art traditionally and I was very hesitant to switch to digital. Eventually though, the technology became so advanced that working on the iPad felt as natural as drawing in my sketchbook. I’m still grateful that I learned to draw and paint by hand, but I now find working digitally to be quite freeing. I can take risks and try new things without the risk of ruining several hours of work. The undo option has truly been a gift.
What do goblins like Gilbert do in their free time?
AW: Gilbert takes his work as a goblin very seriously, but I like that with each installment in the series, we get to see more and more of his interests outside of his important magical pursuits. In Elves Are the Worst! we see that he enjoys gardening, baking, and organizing events for his sock slugs. I also really like how much his friendship with Chicken continues to develop with each new installment.
Can you give us a sneak peek of any upcoming books you may have? Will we be seeing Gilbert again?
AW: I am happy to say that I am working on two new Gilbert books (not yet announced), as well as a brand new title. I’ll be able to share more about these projects soon, and I’d encourage people to follow me on Instagram at @alexwillan for news. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to make these books, to work on them with so many incredible people, and to be able to share them with readers of all ages.
If it was ALEX WILLAN, and not Gilbert the Goblin, who was in charge of writing the stories, he’d make a book called Anchovies Are the Worst!. Alex is the author-illustrator of Unicorns Are the Worst!, Dragons Are the Worst!, Yetis Are the Worst!, and the Jasper & Ollie series, as well as the illustrator of Got Your Nose, written by Alan Katz. Alex lives in Chicago with his dog, Harley, who is the absolute best. Visit him online at AlexWillan.com.
Please welcome author and illustrator Leejone Wong to Frog on a Blog! The third book in her Momma Comma and Friends picture book series, Queenie Question Finds a Key, came out last month. This series features adorable punctuation mark characters, cute animal characters, and bright colors. And the charming stories introduce kids to the concept of punctuation in a way that is entertaining and fun. Kids won’t even realize they’re learning!
These books would make great additions to an elementary school teacher’s classroom library. In fact, Leejone got feedback from teachers as she was writing the first book in the series, Momma Comma and the Soup Drama. She speaks about this below. I also asked Leejone about how the Momma Comma and Friends series got started as well as about her illustration process, something I always find fascinating when interviewing illustrators. Let’s hear from Leejone!
I love your MOMMA COMMA AND FRIENDS picture book series! Please tell my blog readers about the books.
LW: Thank you so much! The books are lighthearted mystery or adventure stories that introduce children, ages 4 to 8, to the concept of punctuation. Throughout the series, Momma Comma helps Queenie Question to find a missing pet and return a lost key to its owner or encourages Papa Period to save the neighborhood school. These aren’t (boring) grammar books, and some kids may not even realize that they’re educational!
At the same time, the stories do encourage children, even those who aren’t reading on their own yet, to notice and talk about punctuation. What are they called? Where do you find them in sentences? What role do they play in understanding what’s being said? The series is perfect for parents and teachers who are looking for vividly imagined picture books that make learning effortless and fun.
What inspired you to write the series, and which came first, the story concept or the characters?
LW: The concept for the series came first! Years ago, I tutored international graduate students at New York University who struggled to understand grammar rules. I discovered, over time, that it was helpful to them if I drew diagrams, used visuals, or read short stories aloud; they were then able to better see and hear how to use punctuation, if that makes sense. I guess there’s a similar concept at work in the Momma Comma and Friends picture books—but I didn’t think about creating the series until I became a mom!
My daughter inspired me when she was four years old! One afternoon, she pointed at a comma and asked me what it was; she wasn’t even reading or writing yet. I suppose ideas are born when they’re ready to be—and that’s when the Momma Comma and Friends characters popped into my imagination. I could actually see a picture book in my mind—and that book eventually became Momma Comma and the Soup Drama! That said, I sat on the idea until the COVID-19 pandemic required so many of us to isolate and stay at home.
How did feedback from elementary school teachers help shape the stories in your MOMMA COMMA AND FRIENDS series?
LW: When the idea for the books first got into my head, I brushed it aside because I assumed I’d find something similar to what I was envisioning in bookstores and libraries. Then when I didn’t find anything, I thought maybe it was because nobody cared or wanted books like these. Still, I really loved and believed in my idea, so I went ahead and put together a version of the first book, Momma Comma and the Soup Drama. I thought it was important to test the concept, and I was fortunate that a dozen or so elementary school teachers invited me into their classrooms to read it to their students.
I left a survey with the teachers, asking them for feedback. I wanted to know if the book was useful to them, how their students had responded to it, and if they all liked the story. Thankfully, there was only positive feedback and a lot of support—which was significant because it gave me the greenlight to move forward and told me that there was an audience and desire for my books.
Getting to read the book to kids was also helpful, and I made some small edits based on their reactions—for example, I changed the title to something a little more silly and intriguing, and in one scene, I felt that Nathan Exclamation’s teeth were a little scary, so I took them out. Overall, though, the published book is very similar to that early version!
Your characters are adorable! Can you share a little about your illustration process when working on the art for the series?
LW:I’ve always thought that each punctuation mark has its own personality. For example, in my mind, of course Nathan Exclamation is going to express strong emotions, and he’s going to love eating spicy food and engaging in exciting activities like bungee jumping! And Papa Period will naturally be more serious because he’s the Stopper of All Things, and Momma Comma will be the kind of person that likes to make lists and take meandering walks. In fact, the reason that Momma Comma is yellow is because, on a traffic signal light, yellow means “slow down.” Papa Period is red because that means “stop.”
When I designed each character, I wanted to make sure that their personality came through. That’s also why I include an “About the Characters” page in each book, which shares a character’s favorite thing to say or do. I’ll share a few development notes from my sketchbook so that you can get a glimpse into the process. When I’m just trying out ideas, the characters look more like doodles. After I settle on a direction, I sketch their outlines in pencil on Bristol paper. The last step is to scan them into my computer, and then I use digital tools to refine them. In general, I work fairly intuitively on the computer and make a lot of decisions about color, texture, and composition at that point in time.
Currently, there are three books in the MOMMA COMMA AND FRIENDS series. Do you have plans to write more?
LW:Yes. I’m currently working on a book for Nathan Exclamation, and then I’ll write one about Aly Apostrophe. After that, I’ll see if my readers want any more! If you, blog readers, end up reading and liking my books, kindly let me know by writing a review. Momma Comma and the Soup Drama, Papa Period Versus Mega Rock, and Queenie Question Finds a Key—are the ones that are available now. Thank you!
Find more information about Leejone Wong and her books:
Leejone Wong is the creator of the Momma Comma and Friends picture book series; her third book, Queenie Question Finds a Key, was released through Immortal Jelly Publishing in May (2023). Before her life as an author and illustrator living in Los Angeles, Leejone previously taught writing at New York University, wrote film and art reviews, and created online content and games for television networks.
It’s been a while since I’ve participated in a book blog tour. That’s why I’m extra excited to be a part of the amazing Susanna Leonard Hill’s blog tour celebration of her TWO brand new children’s books WHEN YOUR ELEPHANT HAS THE SNIFFLES and WHEN YOUR LION NEEDS A BATH! Take a look at the covers; could they be any cuter?!
I wanted to know how Susanna created her “When Your” series. Her blog tour offered the perfect opportunity to find out! Susanna, the page is yours!
Hello Everyone!
Thank you so much for joining the When Your Books Blog Tour fun! Lauri thought it would be interesting to talk about writing a series today, since that’s something a lot of us haven’t attempted. So let’s talk! 🙂
It may surprise you to know that I did not set out to write a series! Nope. The WHEN YOUR… books began with a case of the hiccups. (Mine 🙂 ) I don’t know about you, but in my household of 5 kids we have plenty of hiccup remedies…none of them particularly successful, mind you, but all of them guaranteed to induce silliness.
So on the day I got the hiccups, I started thinking about those ridiculous remedies – chasing, tickling, laughing, breath-holding, scaring, drinking backwards etc. – and I suddenly had an idea for a story: When Your [child/animal/something?] Has The Hiccups!
I sat down to write – my goal to produce that one single story. But as you writers all know, the mind works in mysterious ways, and creativity begets creativity.
I wrote the hiccup story, but before I was even finished with it, I started thinking about sniffles…and baths…and haircuts… 🙂 “Hmmm…,” I said to the dogs who were asleep under my feet. “I wonder if I have more than one book here…!” The dogs (shockingly) did not reply, but I felt I was onto something. I knew something about series, obviously. We’ve all read them. But what I was used to thinking of as a series were things like Fancy Nancy – several books that feature the same familiar character in varied situations. That was not what I had.
So I had to think a little about exactly what makes a series. Clearly, there has to be an element of coherence – something to hold the stories together even without that familiar main character. In the case of the WHEN YOUR… books that element of coherence is theme. Every book in the series addresses “things kids sometimes find unpleasant.” Baths. Sniffles. Haircuts. Bedtime. Hiccups. Etc… 🙂 I would not write a story for this series about how much fun someone’s birthday is – that would not fit! A common theme is important and helpful, but since the characters change from book to book, I knew I needed more than that.
As I moved from writing the hiccup book to writing the sniffles book, I deliberately incorporated several things:
1. A similar tone and voice. All the books feature an unseen narrator who offers advice. The overall tone of the books is humorous. 2. A similar objective. All of the books are instructional – they tell you how to do something. 3. An animal character who is particularly well-suited (in a kind of backwards way) to the situation – e.g. a lion who needs a bath (because cats hate water) or an elephant with the sniffles (because what could be worse than sniffles with a nose like that?!) 4. A child who is in charge. 5. No adults. 6. An ending where, without realizing it or objecting to it, the child ends up doing whatever s/he was trying to get the animal to do 🙂
Because the stories are about things kids sometimes find unpleasant, I wanted to inject humor, hoping to make those objectionable things seem a little more palatable.
And because these objectionable situations are things kids often have to be coerced into, I wanted the child character to be the one in control (since kids tend to lack that in real life! 🙂 ) and I didn’t want any adults.
As a result, even though each story features a different child, a different animal, and a different situation, they have a cohesiveness that holds them together and makes them feel like a matched set even though each story is just as capable of standing on its own.
I hope that gives you a little idea of one way you might go about writing a series. If you have questions, feel free to ask in the comments and I will do my best to answer in a timely fashion. 🙂
Thanks again for joining the blog tour fun, and I hope you’ll enjoy the books if you get a chance to read them!
And thank you so much, Lauri, for having me here today and for so kindly hosting this stop on the blog tour!
It was my pleasure, Susanna! You’ve given us all a mini lesson on writing a picture book series. Awesome!
And as if things couldn’t get any better, Susanna is generously offering one signed copy of each book, WHEN YOUR ELEPHANT HAS THE SNIFFLES and WHEN YOUR LION NEEDS A BATH, to one lucky winner.
To win, all you have to do is share your favorite book series in the comments!
A winner will be chosen at random and will receive their books after July 12.
Let’s keep the blog tour fun going! Be sure to visit the rest of the stops on the tour. The schedule is posted below. And don’t forget to visit Susanna’s blog for the “When Your Books Go On A Blog Tour” kickoff post. You may discover more chances to win fabulous prizes. Click Here!
Don’t forget to share this post using #whenyourbooks! Every time you post with #whenyourbooks you get an entry in the end-of-tour raffle for a Special Prize!
Coco the puppy is back and ready for fun in volume 5 of the Nuggies picture book series by author Jeff Minich and illustrator Renan Garcia. Coco dreams of climbing trees. She wants a birds-eye view of the world. She imagines the amazing things she might see, a vast ocean with a sandy beach or snow-capped mountain peaks. Coco wants to leap from branch to branch like the squirrels and lick sweet sap like the ants. When the sun goes down, she’ll stretch out on a sturdy limb as the lights of the city twinkle in the distance. And as she begins to fall asleep, she’ll wonder what the birds, and the bugs, and the squirrels dream about. Maybe they dream about doing the things that puppies do.
If I Could Climb Trees is a sweet and inspiring ode to dreams, not just the dreams we have while we’re asleep, but the dreams each one of us aspires to. Once upon a time, I had a dream to publish a book and see it on the shelves of libraries and bookstores. My dream came true with the publication of The Peddler’s Bed. My husband dreamed of earning a black belt in karate. He accomplished that goal and now actually has a fifth degree black belt.
I believe that kids should be encouraged to follow their dreams. This colorfully illustrated book with its super cute animal characters is a great starting point for light discussions about their hopes for the future. If we encourage and support the aspirations of children, there’s no doubt that one day they will reach great heights…perhaps higher than a little puppy that climbed a tree.
To read a review of volume 2 in the Nuggies series, All The Other Nuggies, click HERE.
For more information about the Nuggies book series, clickHERE.
Lauri Fortino's Frog On A (B)Log 