May 11 – National Eat What You Want Day

About the Holiday

Feel like your diet is out the window what with staying home or ordering take out? Has good nutrition taken a hit because ingredients are at a premium? Don’t stress! Today’s holiday gives you permission to eat that doughnut or cupcake or pizza or whatever you want without feeling guilty. Besides, sometimes indulging a little jumpstarts your metabolism and provides motivation for the long haul. Lately, I’ve been craving French fries, so in honor of that, I’m celebrating two best spuds that are fry-tfully good sports.

Chip and Curly, The Great Potato Race

Written by Cathy Breisacher | Illustrated by Joshua Heinsz

Spud City was about to hold its annual festival, and everyone was excited. Chip was practicing for the sack race. This year “he was determined to win the first-place prize: a Golden Bushel Award.” But a new spud in town—Curly—had a “spring in his step” and seemed to be real competition. Even though the other potatoes cheered him on, Chip was nervous.

On the day of the festival, the race route was lined with spectators. The couch potatoes lounged near the path while “the French Fries stood with their Tater Tots.” Even the sweet potato cheerleaders were waving pompoms and shouting. Just before the race began, Curly took a place next to Chip at the starting line.

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Image copyright Joshua Heinsz, 2019, text copyright Cathy Breisacher, 2019. Courtesy of Sleeping Bear Press.

When the whistle blew, Chip took off. He was in the lead until he heard someone behind him. “‘Look out!’ the BBQ Chips shouted. ‘Here comes a hot potato!’” Chip raced on, but then Curly bounced in front of him and even though Chip gave it his all, he couldn’t catch up. A moment later, though, Curly tripped and fell, leaving the path—and the race—wide open for Chip.

Chip hopped past Curly and was in clear sight of the finish line when he realized “he felt rotten.” He glanced back and “hashed it over in his mind.” He decided the only right thing to do was to go back. He offered Curly a hand up, and together they bounded down the route and past the other racers. But Curly was too quick for Chip, and he broke through the tape first. “In an instant, Chip’s dreams of winning were mashed.”

Chip was just about to leave when Curly asked him to be his partner in the relay race. Curly thought they made a great team. They practiced until they found their groove. Everything was looking good until a new team showed up….

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Image copyright Joshua Heinsz, 2019, text copyright Cathy Breisacher, 2019. Courtesy of Sleeping Bear Press.

Kids will devour Cathy Breisacher’s pun-filled romp that takes them to Spud City’s annual festival, where Chip and Curly face off to win a Golden Bushel Award in the sack race. While Chip pulls out to an early lead, Curly bounces back and threatens Chip’s years-long dream to win. A misstep by Curly gives Chip the opportunity to achieve his goal, but in his decision, Breisacher shows readers true sportsmanship and integrity. Curly also displays the qualities of a gracious winner, and as the two work together to perfect their relay skills, a friendship sprouts. The final scene offers a funny “oh, no!” moment while also reminding readers that winning can be fleeting, but friendship and staying true to oneself endure.

Joshua Heinsz populates Spud City with a wide array of taters—from tots to waffle fries, sweet potatoes to twice-bakeds, French fries to home fries, and more. Heinsz adds plenty of visual humor to the mix with clever street sign and shop names, and the couch potatoes are, ingeniously, those impossible-to-peel curved ones that lurk in many a 5-pound bag. Kids will love picking out their favorite kind of potato, and the expressive spuds will have readers captivated from the very first page.

For rollicking story times that also offer opportunities to discuss the nature of competition and friendship, Chip and Curly, The Great Potato Race is one to add to your home, classroom, or library shelf.

Ages 5 – 8

Sleeping Bear Press, 2019 | ISBN 978-1585364084

Learn more about Cathy Breisacher and her books on her website.

To learn more about Joshua Heinsz, his books, and his art on his website.

A Chat with Cathy Breisacher

011CB

It’s so great to be talking with you again! This must be a really exciting—and busy!—time for you, so I’m thrilled to have you stop by!

You’ve mentioned that the inspiration for this story was a local potato festival. Can you describe that event a bit and tell what sparked the idea for Chip and Curly?

Every year, on the last Saturday in September, a town not far from where I live holds a Potato Fest. The county where it is located is the second-largest supplier of potatoes in the state. People come from all around and a good portion of the downtown area is closed off for the event. There are tons and tons of vendors selling a variety of crafts, and the food vendors whip up all kinds of potato treats: sweet potato fries, potato candy, baked potatoes, pierogi, potato soup, French fries, potato bread, etc. There is live music as well as games for the kids. I love the fall season, and this is a great kick-off to the fall. I try to attend every year. So, in 2016 when I wrote this story, I thought about the potato festival and all of the kinds of potatoes that are sold at the event. The names CHIP AND CURLY came to me and the idea for the story just flowed from there.

Of course, I have to ask—what’s your favorite kind of potato? Do you have a favorite recipe? Would you like to share it?

I love twice baked potatoes. They are probably my favorite. But, there really isn’t a potato I don’t like. I also love perogies and sweet potato fries. Oh my goodness…it’s hard to choose just one.

I’ll share a recipe for Cheesy Hash Brown potatoes that are gobbled up at many family events. They are so easy to make.

CHEESY HASH BROWN POTATOES

26 oz.	Bag of frozen shredded hash brown potatoes (thawed)
2 cups	Sharp cheddar cheese (shredded)
16 ounces	sour cream
1 (10 1/2 ounce) can	cream of mushroom soup
1 ½ sticks	butter
3 cups	Crushed corn flakes
1 teaspoon	garlic salt and pepper to taste

Thaw the hash browns. Melt 1 stick of butter and mix it with the hash browns. Pour into 9 x13 pan. Mix the sour cream, soup and cheese in a bowl. Spread over the potatoes. Melt ½ stick of butter and mix it with the crushed corn flakes. Sprinkle over the potatoes. Bake at 350 degrees for an hour.

Being competitive can take so many forms. Do you consider yourself competitive? If so, in what way?

Yes, I’m definitely competitive. I always want to put 110% into things that I do. If there is a challenge of some sort, I am in it to win it. J In the past couple of years, I’ve been intrigued with Escape Rooms and trying to solve all of the clues before the time runs out. Recently, I heard of an Escape Room that no one has “broke out of” yet. I want to be the first! J

Chip and Curly is loaded with puns and really clever word play! The story must have been a blast, but also challenging to write. Can you talk a little about how you put it all together?

Chip and Curly was definitely a fun story to write. I just pulled out my first version of this story, and it has so few puns in it. I didn’t initially write this story to be punny. But, as I was doing my first set of revisions, a pun popped in my head. More puns came to me as I continued to revise. It wasn’t long before I knew this had to be a story that centered on potato puns. I scoured the Internet to find words associated with potatoes. I must have looked at every list that exists online. The tricky part was to include those words and phrases that fit nicely with the story. I didn’t want to include something just to include it if the word or phrase really didn’t flow with the storyline. My amazing editor, Sarah Rockett, had excellent suggestions for tweaking the story a bit more after she acquired it. And I was delighted with the fun, playful, colorful art provided by the illustrator, Joshua Heinsz.

After practicing for a year to win a Golden Bushel Award for the sack race, Chip makes a surprising decision part way through the race. What would you like kids to take away from the story?

This is the crucial part of the story. I want kids to know that competing can be a lot of fun. And it can feel good to win at something, too. However, practicing good sportsmanship is important and helps build character. When we show respect toward our opponents, we can still have fun and compete, but it helps us to keep our focus on what’s most important—treating one another the way we want to be treated.

Since CaveKid Birthday was released in March, what’s been the best part of being a published author? The most surprising? As a librarian, how does it feel to see your own book on your library’s shelf?

Gosh, there is so much I am enjoying about being a published author. I love meeting new people (kids and adults) at book events and talking with them about stories. It has also been a treat to see friends and family who I haven’t seen for a while. Being a school librarian, I get an extra treat when kids ask to check out my book. That has truly meant the world to me. When my students tell me they love my books, my heart just completely melts.

During our first interview for CaveKid Birthday how did I miss that you’re from Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania? Does the town live up to its celebratory name? Do you have a favorite town celebration or spot to write or visit?

Hmmm…very good question. The town where I live is a true community. People really get behind and support the schools, sports teams, agencies, fundraising events, etc. So I guess you can say that the people who live in Hollidaysburg celebrate one another’s aspirations and accomplishments. I am proud to live in this town. I do have a few favorite spots that I like to visit. There are a couple of parks that are so beautiful and serene. They are a great place to spend timejyeither alone or with family and friends. As for a favorite town celebration, I would have to say the Winterfest Light-Up Night that is held at the end of November each year. There are festivities in the downtown area and everything is decorated for Christmas. Local restaurants hold soup samplings and people vote on their favorite. Santa arrives and a giant tree is lit up that evening. There are ice carvings, too. It’s such a fun night and everyone is in the holiday spirit.

Thanks, Cathy! I can’t wait to try those delish-sounding potatoes! I know you’ll have lots of fun with Chip and Curly, and I wish you all the best with all of your books!

You can connect with Cathy Breisacher on

Her website | Facebook | Twitter

National Eat What You Want Day Activity

Appealing Potatoes Game

If you love potatoes, you can never get enough! Race to fill your plate with all six kinds of potatoes in this fun game!

Supplies

Printable Plate Game Board or your own plate
Printable Appealing Potatoes Game Cards
Printable Appealing Potatoes Playing Die
Playing die (optional)

Directions

Print a game board and set of game cards for each player.
Choose a player to go first.
Taking turns, each player rolls the paper die and places a game card matching the rolled potato to their plate
Or: If using a regular playing die, use the corresponding number and kind of potato listed below
The first player to add all six kinds of potatoes to their plate is the winner.

Corresponding Numbers and Potatoes:

Mashed Potatoes
French Fries
Potato Chips
Baked Potato
Twice-baked Potato
Sweet Potato Fries

**You can find Chip and Curly, the Great Potato Race at these booksellers**

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million | Bookshop | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

May 8 – It’s Get Caught Reading Month

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

The Get Caught Reading campaign was initiated in 1999 by the Association of American Publishers with the idea to promote literacy and language development through reading to children and encouraging them to read on their own. As part of the campaign, posters of celebrities, dignitaries, and even fictional characters enjoying a book are available for schools, libraries, and other organizations to hang where kids will see them. The excitement of reading also takes over social media all month long, which this year is more important than ever. To celebrate this holiday, make sure you stock up on new and favorite books or download ebooks or audiobooks from your library and get caught reading! Learn more by visiting the Get Caught Reading website and the Every Child a Reader website.

I received a copy of Two Tough Trucks from Orchard Books for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Two Tough Trucks

Written by Corey Rosen Schwartz and Rebecca J. Gomez | Illustrated by Hilary Leung

One morning, two trucks are ready “for their first day of class.” But Rig’s “riding the brakes” while Mack’s “hitting the gas.” In their classroom, their teacher Miss Rhodes pairs these two up for a practice run on the track. First up is the circuit, with twists and a hairpin turn. Rig feels shaky, but Mack’s “a speedy red blur.” Mack picks up speed going into the turn and keeps on going, but Rig hits the brakes and skids off the course.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-two-tough-trucks-meeting

Image copyright Hilary Leung, 2019, text copyright Corey Rosen Schwartz and Rebecca J. Gomez, 2019. Courtesy of Orchard Books.

Next comes learning to downshift while climbing a hill. Mack breezes up as Rig carefully inches along. First to the top, Mack gloats, “‘I knew I was fast.’” And although Rig tried his best he “finished dead last.” Mack thought Rig was just dragging him down. For Rig, Mack just seemed liked a braggart. As he vroomed, Mack fumed and left Rig “in the dust.”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-two-tough-trucks-sharp-curve

Image copyright Hilary Leung, 2019, text copyright Corey Rosen Schwartz and Rebecca J. Gomez, 2019. Courtesy of Orchard Books.

The students moved on to practicing backing up. As they moved around traffic cones, “they veered and corrected, / they turned and reversed. / Rig had good instincts, but Mack was… the worst.” Rig aced the course, but Mack? He was ready to quit until Rig steered him right. “Vroom! Zoom! / They backtracked and bumped. / A Mack making progress, / a Rig feeling pumped!”

Mack was surprised that Rig had helped him, but for Rig it was just the right thing to do. They headed back to the track and took it by storm. These two trucks were “now the fastest of friends.”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-two-tough-trucks-blundering-mack

Image copyright Hilary Leung, 2019, text copyright Corey Rosen Schwartz and Rebecca J. Gomez, 2019. Courtesy of Orchard Books.

Like life’s road itself, this original story of two trucks with distinct personalities and different strengths has many twists and turns and takes little ones on a multilayered journey of discovery. While Mack is rarin’ to go on his first day of truck school, Rig is more hesitant. When these two are teamed up for the day, Mack’s fast and daring approach to the track seems to be the right one as he nails the sharp curve and is the first to reach the peak of the hill, leaving Rig far behind. These early successes cause him to honk his own horn and complain about Rig.

But then in a clever literal and metaphorical reversal, Rig’s thoughtful restraint makes backing up his forte. In Mack’s reaction to being last, Corey Rosen Schwartz and Rebecca Gomez gently ramp up life lessons about perseverance and losing gracefully. Rig then goes on to demonstrate another winning trait in his generosity to teach Mack the finer points of driving in reverse. Mack’s acceptance of Rig’s kindness shows that the experience has taught him to be humble. Kudos to Miss Rhodes for creating a track that leads to strong bonds and friendship.

A book by Schwartz and Gomez always charms with smart rhyming and jaunty rhythms and Two Tough Trucks is no exception. Ingenious puns, evocative and active vocabulary, and plenty of “vrooms” and “zooms” for kids to chime in on make this book a lively read aloud.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-two-tough-trucks-sunset

Image copyright Hilary Leung, 2019, text copyright Corey Rosen Schwartz and Rebecca J. Gomez, 2019. Courtesy of Orchard Books.

Hilary Leung’s textured and boldly colored pages will thrill little readers as Mack and Rig take center stage on the dusty, western track. Mack’s confidence shows in his straight, crisp lines and grinning grill while Rig’s wariness takes the form of wobbly tires, bent frame, furrowed brow, and grimacing grill. Fittingly, the Truck School building is shaped like a parking garage, complete with a spiral ramp that takes students to the second and third story. Cacti, roadrunners, and craggy rock formations dot the sun-drenched desert track where Mack, Rig, and the rest of the students strut their stuff.

A joy to read out loud and a story kids will want to hear again and again, Two Tough Trucks is highly recommended for home bookshelves, preschool and kindergarten classrooms, and public libraries.

Ages 3 – 5

Orchard Books, 2019 | ISBN 978-1338236545

Discover more about Corey Rosen Schwartz and her books on her website.

To learn more about Rebecca J. Gomez and her books, visit her website.

To view a portfolio of work by Hilary Leung and learn more about his work, visit her website.

Get Caught Reading Month Activity

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-truck-racing-game-wood

Racing for Friendship Game

Here’s a racing game that kids will love! With poster board, paper, and chalk or other art supplies, kids can place their track in a city, the country, the desert, or even in outer space! Once the scene is ready, get out your own toy cars or trucks to play with or use the printable truck game pieces included below. Use a traditional playing die or the included printable 8-sided playing die. The first player to the finish line wins—or shake it up a bit and make the last person to the line the winner.

The track can be laid out on the floor and taped in place or created on poster board or paper with the supplies below:

Supplies

Poster board or tri-fold display board. I used a 12-inch by 4-foot section of a tri-fold board in my example. This allows you to fold up the board for easier storing.
White paper
Chalk, crayons, or colored pencils
Glue or tape
Scissors
Toy trucks or cars
Printable Truck Game Pieces (optional)
Printable 8-sided Playing Die

Directions

Cut 30 4- or 5-inch by 1½-inch strips from the white paper
Have kids lay out a track on the board using the white paper strips (each strip is one space) leaving room in between the rows for scenery
Glue or tape the strips in place
Draw scenery around the track OR cut trees, buildings, landmarks, or other scenery from paper and color. Glue or tape to board.
Print and assemble 8-sided playing die with tape (optional)
Give each player a toy truck or car. Alternately, print and cut out included Truck Game Pieces. (To make them sturdier, print on heavy paper or glue them to cardboard)
Choose a player to go first
Players take turns rolling the die and moving the appropriate number of spaces
The first (or last) player to the finish line is the winner

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-two-tough-trucks-cover

You can find Two Tough Trucks at these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million | IndieBound

Vroom and zoom with Mack and Rig in Two Tough Trucks Get Lost!, a new adventure coming on September 1! You can preorder it here

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million | IndieBound

May 5 – It’s Children’s Book Week

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Children’s Book Week, a celebration of reading and books, was founded in 1919 and is the longest-running literacy initiative in the United States. This year’s theme is Read. Dream. Share. While the holiday is usually celebrated by authors, illustrators, publishers, librarians, teachers, and booksellers in schools, libraries, bookstores, and communities across the country, this year’s events will take place online. You can follow #BookWeek2020atHome and visit Every Child a Reader to find out more about the week, how to join online, and lots of bookmarks and activities to download.

Little Cheetah’s Shadow

By Marianne Dubuc

Little Cheetah had looked everywhere but he couldn’t find his shadow. He sat down on a bench under a big tree to think. Bea the firefly saw Little Cheetah looking dejected and flew down to see what the matter was. Much to Little Cheetah’s delight, Bea told him that his shadow was sitting in the tree. Little Cheetah climbed to the very top, where he found his shadow looking just as glum as he had been. He asked his shadow what was wrong.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-little-cheetah's-shadow-tree

“‘You always get to go first. You always get to choose where we go,’” he said. And it seemed that Little Cheetah never held the door for shadow, whose tail invariably got caught as it closed. Little Cheetah was empathetic. “‘Oh! That doesn’t sound very nice at all,’” he agreed. And he offered to let his shadow go first from now on. The new arrangement was working out just fine.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-little-cheetah's-shadow-town

Along the way, Little Cheetah got a hankering for bread from Mr. Boubou’s bakery, so they headed over and bought a nice loaf. On the way out, Little Shadow forgot about holding the door, and Little Cheetah’s tail was nipped when it closed. “‘Ouch!’” Now Little Cheetah understood Little Shadow’s complaint, and Little Shadow understood how it happened. They decided that it might be best “to walk next to each other.” When they came to a tunnel, Little Shadow stopped, afraid to go in. “‘In the dark, I disappear!’” he explained. Fortunately, Little Cheetah still had his flashlight from his earlier search. He turned it on and entered the tunnel, telling Little Shadow to stay close. Little Shadow clung to Little Cheetah, and “together, they faced the dark.”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-little-cheetah's-shadow-tunnel

They made it through, and when they got home Little Cheetah held the door for Little Shadow and let him enter first. They shared bread and jam and played cards, and when they went to bed “Little Cheetah made sure a night-light was turned on for Little Shadow” so they’d both sleep soundly.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-little-cheetah's-shadow-home

Marianne Dubuc is a master of the quiet, poignant tale that deepens readers’ connection with others. In Cheetah’s Little Shadow, she uses the configuration of a body in front, the shadow behind to encourage children to think about issues such as leadership, equality, being considerate, and what being a true friend really means. Little Cheetah’s immediate recognition and acknowledgment of Little Shadow’s feelings is a touching and welcome moment. When Cheetah’s tail is caught in a door a short time later, both characters have a chance to understand the problem from both sides. This kind of experience is so valuable in developing empathy, and Dubuc’s story will encourage children to be mindful of how their actions affect others.

Dubuc’s watercolor and colored pencil illustrations are lovely and invite readers to notice an intriguing detail. As Little Shadow relates his experience and, later, as he and Little Cheetah walk through town and then enjoy time at home, children will see that Little Shadow is not merely a copy of Little Cheetah, but that he is his own person too. Charming homes and shops make up the small downtown, and the double-page spreads of Little Cheetah and Little Shadow’s home are cozy.

Like Little Cheetah’s flashlight and nightlight, this book shines the way to stronger empathy and friendships. Little Cheetah’s Shadow would be a superlative addition to home, school, and public library bookshelves.

Ages 3 – 7

Princeton Architectural Press, 2020 | ISBN 978-1616898403

Discover more about Marianne Dubuc, her books, and her art on her website.

Children’s Book Week Activity

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-bookworm-bookmark

Bookworm Bookmark

Are you a bookworm? If so, then this bookmark is for you! Just print, color, and cut along the dotted line. This little worm will happily save your page for you!

Bookworm Bookmark Template

**You can find Little Cheetah’s Shadow at these booksellers**

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

May 4 – It Is (Not) Perfect Book Tour Launch

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

A new book in a favorite series is always something for readers to celebrate. Today, I’m thrilled to be launching the book tour for the fifth installment in Anna Kang’s and Christopher Weyant’s beloved You Are (Not) Small series, starring two fuzzy friends who take on life’s lessons with humor and friendship. We’re also beginning Get Caught Reading Month, which promotes the fun of reading for all ages and encourages people to set aside a special time each day to read. To join in the fun, you can take a picture of yourself reading and share it using #GetCaughtReading. Why not get started with today’s book?

I received a copy of It Is (Not) Perfect from Two Lions for review consideration. All opinions are my own. I’m happy to be teaming with Blue Slip Media and Two Lions ina giveaway of the book. See details below.

It Is (Not) Perfect

Written by Anna Kang | Illustrated by Christopher Weyant

Two fuzzy friends are at the beach, building a sandcastle. It has two bucket-shaped turrets, a trio of shell decorations, and a low wall around it. The orange friend happily declares, “It is perfect!” But his purple companion looks at the castle askance and says, “It is not perfect.” If only it had flags then it would be perfect. But for the orange fuzzy creature, the flags only emphasize how short the castle is.

With a little extra sand patted into a cone on top of each turret, the castle is now perfect. Until…. Two beachgoers passing by think the castle could use some improvement. The blue fuzzy one gives it a good examination and decides the wall “is too small.” Orange fuzzy and purple fuzzy look on with disappointment and distress. They bring in more sand and dig furiously until the blue fuzzy judge finds it to be “perfect!”

But not so fast. Other beachcombers have more suggestions. Lots of suggestions. Purple fuzzy and orange fuzzy go to work. They dig, they sculp, they decorate. And when the flag is finally ploinked down on the tallest tower, everyone shouts in jubilation, “IT IS PERFECT!” Everyone gathers around the castle to take a picture just as… “SPLASH! CLICK!”… the castle is reduced to little more than a mound. But it’s nothing that a little patting, a couple of shells, a seaweed flag, and two delicious rainbow snow cones can’t make “Perfect. Truly.”

The latest book in Anna Kang’s and Christopher Weyant’s best-selling series examines a difficult conundrum: when is a work of art perfect? As the orange and purple fuzzy friends put the finishing touches on their sandcastle, happy in its perfection, niggling doubts come to the fore, causing them to reconsider if their creation couldn’t be just a little more…perfect. When others begin chiming in with their suggestions to make the castle bigger and “better,” these two friends go to work to improve it. While the result is a sensational, award-worthy spectacle, when a wave wipes it out, the two friends are just as happy with their original effort. For kids who may struggle with their inner critic or yielding to others’ opinions, this story humorously encourages them to stay true to their vision.

Anna Kang’s sparse text, conveyed entirely through short sentences of realistic dialogue, is funny and relatable as the crowd grows bigger and each person has their own suggestion for improvement. Readers may want to jump in themselves and talk about how they would build their own sandcastle. Kang’s superb storytelling is paired with Christopher Weyant’s expressive characters to create a fast-paced and entertaining page-turner.

As each iteration of the sandcastle brings smiles and then furrowed brows of doubt to the two fuzzy characters, readers will recognize feelings they may have about things they create or do. Add in the beachgoers, and the issue gets even more muddied. One enormous voice in the crowd will have kids giggling and wanting to hear it again and again. Weyant’s images of the purple and orange fuzzy friends furiously digging and patting, planning and decorating under the watchful eye of the group ramps up the suspense for the final reveal.

The rogue wave is sure to bring cringes and cries of “Oh no!,” but the resulting photo will elicit laughs. As the people disperse after the castle is destroyed, kids will understand that their interest was only fleeting while the orange and purple fuzzy characters’ friendship is forever. The final pages provide a sweet sense of satisfaction. While the final castle was a thing of beauty, it’s momentary perfection is nothing compared to the perfect day the two fuzzy characters spend together.

A delightful book for emergent and beginning readers to enjoy on their own as well as for dramatic read-alouds, It Is (Not) Perfect is a must for home, classroom, and public library collections.

Ages 3 – 7

Two Lions, 2020 | ISBN 978-1542016629

Anna Kang and Christopher Weyant are the creators of Theodor Seuss Geisel Award winner You Are (Not) Small as well as series titles That’s (Not) Mine, I Am (Not) Scared, and We Are (Not) Friends. They also wrote and illustrated Eraser, Can I Tell You a Secret?, and Will You Help Me Fall Asleep? Christopher’s work can also be seen in The New Yorker, and his cartoons are syndicated worldwide. This husband-and-wife team lives in New Jersey with their two daughters and their rescue dog.

You can connect with Anna Kang on

Her website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

You can connect with Christopher Weyant on

His website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

It Is (Not) Perfect Book Tour Activity

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-bringing-the-outside-in-painted-pails-craft

Personalized Painted Pail

A trip to the beach isn’t complete without a pail to make a sandcastle with or to collect shells, seaweed, sea glass, or other things in. But why should all the cool stuff be on the inside? With this craft you can decorate your pail to show your unique personality!

Supplies

Plastic or metal pail
Craft paint in various colors
Crystal Clear Acrylic Coating, for multi-surface use
Paint brush

Directions

Paint designs on the pail
When paint is dry spray with acrylic coating to set paint
Let dry

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-it-is-not-perfect-cover

**You can find It Is (Not) Perfect at these booksellers. The book will be released on May 12. It is available for preorder.**

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

April 26 – National Tell a Story Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Today’s holiday was established to celebrate the art of storytelling. Highlighting the tradition of oral storytelling, the day encourages families to get together and have fun remembering and sharing family tales. Reading together is another wonderful way to discover your own stories and those of others around the world.

My Bison

By Gaya Wisniewski

The first time a little girl meets the bison she was walking with her mother through a field of tall grass. “‘Look!’” her mother said. “‘He’s back!’” Every day after that the girl went out into the field to see the bison, coming a little closer each time until she was able to pet him. Once, she even thought she heard him whisper an invitation to come closer.