I’m happy to report that I’ve been getting a lot of writing done this month. I’m unhappy to report that I’ve been neglecting Perfect Picture Book Fridays. As Stephen King says, (paraphrasing here) if you don’t have time to be a reader, you don’t have time to be a writer. So I’m back this week…
Midweek Middle Grade Review: ZINNIA AND THE BEES (on Goodreads)
Zinnia and the Bees by Danielle Davis My rating: 5 of 5 stars After spending the last day of 7th grade in detention for yarn bombing her school mascot, Zinnia walks home to discover that her brother and partner in crime is gone. And he hasn't left any word on his whereabouts. Zinnia doesn't think…
Perfect Picture Book Friday: WHY AM I ME?
After a summer hiatus, I’m happy to be back with this gorgeous gem for Perfect Picture Book Friday (PPBF). Back in the day, I worked with WHY AM I ME? author Paige Britt and I was struck then by her infectious joy, her compassion, and her curiosity. Those elements shine through in WHY AM I…
Perfect Picture Book Fridays: BLUEBERRY GIRL
Title: BLUEBERRY GIRL Written by: Neil Gaiman Illustrated by: Charles Vess Harper, 2009, fiction For Ages: 2 and UP Themes/Topics: lullabies, prayers, invocations, girls, creativity, freedom, beauty, joy, nature, parenthood, childhood, aging First spread: Ladies of light and ladies of darkness and ladies of never-you mind, this is a prayer for a blueberry girl. …
Perfect Picture Book Friday—LEO: A GHOST STORY
Title: LEO: A Ghost Story Written by: Mac Barnett Illustrated by: Christian Robinson Chronicle Books, 2015, fiction For Ages: 3 and UP Themes/Topics: friendship, ghosts, imagination, loneliness, fears First two spreads: This is Leo. Most people cannot see him. But you can. Leo is a ghost. Summary (from publisher): “Leo is a friendly…
Perfect Picture Book Friday: MY COUSIN MOMO
Title: MY COUSIN MOMO Written and illustrated by: Zachariah OHora Dial Books for Young Readers, 2015, fiction For Ages: 3 and UP Themes/Topics: individuality, trying new things, doing things differently, acceptance, friendship, cousins, squirrels, flying squirrels First page: This is my cousin Momo! He’s a flying squirrel! Summary (from publisher): “When Momo the flying squirrel…
Perfect Picture Book Friday: THE ROOSTER WHO WOULD NOT BE QUIET
I’m not the first to write a PPBF post crooning the praises of THE ROOSTER WHO WOULD NOT BE QUIET! But though it’s already been covered quite beautifully by Patricia Nozell (please check out her post from last week here), I LOVE the story so much I had to choose it for my PPBF post…
Perfect Picture Book Friday: THE LIBRARY
While THE LIBRARY is over twenty years old, it feels timeless. Written by: Sarah Stewart Illustrated by: David Small Farrar Straus Giroux, 1995, fiction For Ages: 4 and UP Themes/Topics: reading, readers, libraries, librarians, bibliophiles, eccentrics, generosity, friendship, rhyming First spread: “Elizabeth Brown Entered the world Dropping straight down from the sky. Elizabeth Brown…
Perfect Picture Book Friday: A RIVER OF WORDS
My Perfect Picture Book pick this week is not a new book; it came out in 2008. But it is new to me and I hope this post will introduce some of you to this beauty, which was named a New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Book. After reading the brilliantly written and illustrated ROGET…
#50PreciousWords Writing Challenge
It's time for the 2nd annual #50PreciousWords Writing Challenge! Concocted by the talented and generous Vivian Kirkfield, this writing challenge is...challenging! As the name suggests, the contest involves writing a story for children using no more than 50 words. After you check out my entry below, you can read all the rules and find all the…
gabisnyder.com 