This month I’ve joined a special promo where you can download books for free AND enter to win a gift card!
It’s from a website called Book Cave that regularly offers free and discounted books. See the offer here.
The Back to School Reads contest includes three $10 gift card prizes that can be used at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and iTunes.
There are a variety of books, including my about-to-launch AN AFRICAN ALPHABET ADVENTURE! The genres are pretty widespread, so check it out – you never know what will catch your eye.
Welcome to my blog series Picking Pages: Picture Book Peeks where we pick our favorite Picture Book pages! Today we’re looking at THE DRAMA LLAMA by author Rachel Morrisroe and illustrator Ella Okstad. It was published by the Jabberwocky imprint of Sourcebooks in 2024.
THE DRAMA LLAMA is the type of book that I would call more of a “teaching” book because it deals with social emotional learning is a very straightforward way. There is no beating-around-the-bush or allusions here. The main characters worries. A LOT. And his worries manifest as a gigantic pink llama.
“Teaching” books can sometimes be a bit heavy-handed, but what I like about this book is that it’s still just a really fun and adorable story. The peppy rhyme carries us through the main character’s life as his everyday activities are interrupted by this cumbersome llama, and then we learn along with him how to control our llama. Sorry – our worries.
The last page also includes Backmatter that gives kids tips on how to deal with their own worry and anxiety in a healthy way. Not only would I have liked to have this book when my own daughter was younger, but honestly I think the tips are great for adults too.
So, what about the peek at the pictures??
Okay. I THINK my fave page in this book is the bubble bath scene. How adorable and silly is this? Just imagine, you’re hanging out and relaxing with your favorite bubble bath scent and – suddenly – a giant llama materializes in the tub with you. I love how completely ridiculous of a situation it is.
But then there’s this page: one of the main character’s attempts at losing the llama is to leave it on a train. But – zip! – just like “llama-shaped elastic” is pings right back again. What a great analogy! Kinda makes me want to have a drawer full of llama-shaped rubber bands.
So what do you think?
Which page is your favorite? Vote here:
Thanks for voting!
And remember, the best ways to support your favorite authors and illustrators includes buying their books, leaving them reviews, marking them as “want to read” on Goodreads, checking their books out of the library, and sharing how much you love the books on social media. Here are some helpful links:
Next week is the release of AN AFRICAN ALPHABET ADVENTURE: A TONGUE-TWISTING ABC TALE!
I’m so excited because this has been a very LONG journey. This book was originally released years ago, but well before I knew what I was doing. I’ve learned a lot since then. In the meantime, I’ve re-edited, re-illustrated, and re-formatted the book. It’s been intensive, but fun.
I’ve always loved this story. It’s an educational concept book created to help kids with learning the alphabet, and I’m kiiinda obsessed with the alphabet. I love alliteration. So this poetry book is a blast for me.
The BIG part of the project is that I’ve decided to expand upon AN AFRICAN ALPHABET ADVENTURE in two exciting ways.
First is that I will be continuing the story with MORE stories! These books will also be educational concept books featuring animals from different regions of the world. For example, book 1 in the series in about the alphabet with African animals. The next story will be about shapes with Arctic animals. Then there will be more concept books with topics covering things like numbers, seasons, etc.
Second is that I will be creating activity books to match the stories! So to go along with AN AFRICAN ALPHABET ADVENTURE, you will also see a workbook with handwriting practice, dot-to-dots, mazes and more.
This series is a big undertaking and will take some time to complete, but I’m looking forward to it!
In the meantime, you can join my Launch Team for AN AFRICAN ALPHABET ADVENTURE, and register to receive a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review – plus the chance to win an autographed hard cover copy – by clicking this link:
Welcome to my blog series Picking Pages: Picture Book Peeks where we pick our favorite Picture Book pages! Today we’re looking at DUSK EXPLORERS by author Lindsay Leslie and illustrator Ellen Rooney. It was published by Page Street Kids in 2020.
THE DUSK EXPLORERS is the kind of book that encourages curiosity – one of my favorite themes. We follow the characters around their street and yards as the sun sets in the background, taking us from an evening glow into night.
We see the games they play, like hide-and-seek, and the things they find, like curious worms peeking up from the grass. The collage-like illustrations are soft but vibrant. The language is lyrical and creative.
It’s a perfect bedtime story, because it reminds children of all of the adventures that await them tomorrow, while the slow, poetic text lulls them towards sleep.
Without feeling busy, there is an awful lot going on. That makes it a little hard to choose which of the pages is my favorite.
First we’ve got this page that I call Hide and Seek. I just adore the creative hiding places of these kids. There’s a lot of fun in these illustrations.
But then we’ve got this page that I call Firefly Flickers. There’s something about the colorful darkness of nighttime with the shadow silhouettes of the children contrasted against the bright glow of the fireflies. It’s enchanting.
Hard choice.
But now it’s time to vote for your favorite page:
Thanks for voting!
And remember, the best ways to support your favorite authors and illustrators includes buying their books, leaving them reviews, marking them as “want to read” on Goodreads, checking their books out of the library, and sharing how much you love the books on social media. Here are some helpful links:
I’m excited to share that I’ve been busy creating fun, printable activity worksheets to match my book!
These printable activities are created for preschoolers, kindergartners, and early elementary children. They’re great if you’re looking for a fun summer brain teaser or a homeschooling project. If you’re a teacher or librarian, feel free to use them with your students, too.
Check out the photo preview, then click on the name or download button below it to get the PDF. You can also get them (and more!) from the Activities for Kids page on my site.
Welcome to my blog series Picking Pages: Picture Book Peeks where we pick our favorite Picture Book pages! Today we’re looking at LITTLE GREEN DONKEY by author and illustrator Anuska Allepuz. It was published by Candlewick Press in 2019.
This is such a fun book! I love the premise, the way it’s told, and the surprise ending.
We are introduced to an adorable donkey who LOVES juicy, zingy, sweet, and tangy grass. They even sleep on a pillow of grass and sing a song about grass. Little Donkey’s mom tries to get them to eat other foods, but nope. Just grass.
So much grass, in fact, that Donkey turns green!
Little Donkey must then try to find a way to change back. Their efforts don’t work so they finally switch to trying different foods. The ending surprises us in a hysterical way sure to entertain kids.
The first of my picks for a possible favorite page is what I call The Transformation. As they gobble up the yummy green stuff, they slooowly turn green themself! How enchanting is this? The spots get bigger and bigger until they are completely green — but don’t even notice!
My second possible fave page is the one I call The Full Portrait. Here the closeup of Little Donkey is so zoomed in that we must turn the book on its side to view it. And aside from being adorable, it’s labeled in such a fun way. Great for teaching the young audience sight words and body parts. My ears! My tummy!
What do you think? Which wins your vote for the favorite of the two?
Vote here:
Thanks for voting!
And remember, the best ways to support your favorite authors and illustrators includes buying their books, leaving them reviews, marking them as “want to read” on Goodreads, checking their books out of the library, and sharing how much you love the books on social media. Here are some helpful links:
Everybody in the Red Brick Building by Anne Wynter and Oge Mora, Published by Balzer + Bray, 2021
Welcome to my blog series Picking Pages: Picture Book Peeks where we pick our favorite Picture Book pages! Today we’re looking at EVERYBODY IN THE RED BRICK BUILDING by author Anne Wynter and illustrator Oge Mora. It was published by Balzer + Bray in 2021.
This is my new blog series I created to highlight the visual nature of picture books. The purpose is to promote amazing books, and to give a little “peek” at the interior. Each post will also allow you to vote (“pick”) your favorite page out of two choices. The last post was ACORN IS A LITTLE WILD, so be sure to vote there, too!
But back to our current book: EVERYBODY IN THE RED BRICK BUILDING.
This is a book just bursting with sound! You can practically hear the pictures.
I’m a fan of collage style and I just love the artwork. The way the words meld with the art is superb, and makes both more vivid.
Everybody in the Red Brick Building is a new take on The House That Jack Built. Ordinarily that’s not really one of my top story choices, but this version is spectacular. It takes place in a city, which is a setting that will be familiar to many children. And the different onomatopoeia are derived from different sounds one might hear in an apartment building.
We start with everyone asleep. Then there’s a crying baby, a screeching parrot, the pitter-patter of stomping feet, a car alarm, and more. Finally, everyone calms back down, and we end with everyone back in bed, asleep, and the little baby sweetly curled in her mother’s arms.
Now, I’m always a fan of onomatopoeia. This is no exception. These sounds are really fun to read aloud. And the texture in the illustrations makes them great for little eyes to explore.
The first option I choose for our pick of favorite pages is what I call All The Noise. It’s a cacophony of fantastic sounds, all mixed together. It’s a very dramatic page with so much going on, that, in my opinion, it’s one of the best in the book.
However, this second choice is also high on my list of fave options. I call it simply The Cat. This page is focused in on a single element: the cat escaping the noisy car alarm. The high contrast, dramatic representation of sound with the angry orange color, and the perfection in the simplicity of the cat make this page a work of art on its own.
What do you think?
Which page is your favorite?
Vote here:
Thanks for voting!
And remember, the best ways to support your favorite authors and illustrators includes buying their books, leaving them reviews, marking them as “want to read” on Goodreads, checking their books out of the library, and sharing how much you love the books on social media. Here are some helpful links:
Welcome to my blog series Picking Pages: Picture Book Peeks where we pick our favorite Picture Book pages! Today we’re looking at ACORN WAS A LITTLE WILD by author Jen Arena and illustrator Jessica Gibson. It was published by Simon & Schuster in 2022.
This is a new blog series that I decided to create in order to highlight the visual nature of picture books, and how the words and illustrations are so closely tied together. The purpose is to promote amazing books, and to give a little “peek” at the interior. Each post will also allow you to vote (“pick”) your favorite page out of two choices.
I wasn’t sure which book I was going to feature first, but I had already picked out ACORN WAS A LITTLE WILD as one of the choices — and then I met the author in person at an event! How cool is that? Kismet, one might say.
She even autographed it! See:
Jen was so sweet! I loved meeting her and hearing her talk on an author panel. I also enjoy introducing my kids to authors — the people behind the books! — and getting the autographs made out to them.
Without further ado, may I introduce: Acorn.
The main character of this book, a little acorn, is a high-spirited and joyful soul. It is so much fun to follow Acorn on his journey as jumps from his tree. He’s been cautioned not to jump — the world is dangerous! But he craves adventure.
He does meet a few obstacles in his journey, of course, but luckily for Acorn, things work out in the best of ways. After all he’s been through, he stays true to himself: he’s still wild.
And I have to say, this is the first time I’ve deeply identified with an acorn. But I really do. This books represents me in a way that almost makes me cry every time I read it, and I love reading it to children. Even my own not-so-young-anymore children.
As to a favorite page (or spread if you prefer), I believe this one is my fave. I call it “the roll.” Here is our little Acorn buddy, escaping from mundanity but rolling down a hills full of hungry squirrels. He’s even caught. Danger abounds! But he faces that danger head on.
Of course there’s also this page. I call it “the seasons.” I adore when I find hidden treasures like this inside picture books. The story progresses in such a way that we can teach kids about an important concept. Here it’s the changing of seasons. The passage of time. It’s done so beautifully that I had to add it in as a contender for favorite.
How about you? Which page is your favorite?
Vote here:
Thanks for voting!
And remember, the best ways to support your favorite authors and illustrators includes buying their books, leaving them reviews, marking them as “want to read” on Goodreads, checking their books out of the library, and sharing how much you love the books on social media. Here are some helpful links:
This month began with another 50 Precious Words entry!
Cutting words is always a challenge for me. I have such a hard time letting go!
But narrowing down a story to only 50 words? Whew. Tough stuff.
Anyway, this year I’d been reading over one of my faves: A CHILD’S GARDEN OF VERSES and I kept seeing images of fairies and forests and hearing a bouncing rhythm in my head. I thought about writing in rhyme but that didn’t last long.
What I ended up with wound up also being inspired by my garden. Or… the weeds in my yard. Whatever. The pretty flowering things.
There were fairies in her garden.
They liked the roses and
the daffodils.
At least they did last Saturday,
but didn’t anymore.
She checked the wilted roses.
Between the drooping daffodils.
No fairies.
None.
She watered. Waited. Watched.
The sun returned and –
BUZZZZZ!
So many fairies in her garden.
Check out Vivian Kirkfield’s blog for more 2024 entries! And please share with me if you’ve entered as well.
ay I posted my short story for #50PreciousWords. It’s such a great exercise for me – I’m terrible with wordiness. Cutting down words to the bare minimum is always a challenge. And, as it so often does, it ended up with me shifting to poetry.
The spaceship was there in my head. Perhaps because we just sailed out of Port Canaveral and I’ve been thinking about NASA? Either way, it demanded to be in my story.
