That’s what happened with my new book, Animal Snuggles. Years ago, I saw one of my children nestled on my husband’s chest and said out loud, “That looks cozy.” I jotted a note about the scene in my writing book.
Years later, when I came across that note, I immediately recalled the safe, peaceful moment of cuddling that inspired it. A poem started forming in my mind:
Belly to belly.
Cheek to cheek.
Elbow to elbow.
Beak to beak . . .
These words were the beginning of the text for Animal Snuggles, which releases from Sourcebooks eXplore on November 7th, 2023. The book features 13 animal pairs showing physical affection: elephants, swans, penguins, kangaroos, dolphins, and more. Sebastien Braun’s adorable illustrations capture the tender bonds that exist between these caregivers and their young.
The otters on the cover are positioned much like the snuggle that inspired the book—belly to belly. The final spread shows human adults and children who are hugging “heartbeat to heartbeat.”
The child who sparked the idea for this book has now grown into a curious, competent teenager who is full of information about the natural world. I’m happy that the book contains information about each animal pair in the back matter so those who are interested can learn more.
I hope that readers will enjoy sharing this book. What’s more, I hope they do so while snuggled up with a trusted loved one. Moments like those leave lasting memories.
In celebration of all of the affection in our world, I am holding two giveaways!
Draw for bookstore gift certificates!
What’s better than buying a book? More books—for free!
Everyone who pre-orders Animal Snuggles can:
enter a draw for one of two $50 gift certificates. The winners may select their favorite store, and I’ll arrange for the gift certificate in the funds of your country.
receive a link to my online launch, which will include puppetry, music, action rhymes, and a reading of Animal Snuggles (available for a limited time).
Here is the link to enter this draw:
The deadline to enter is midnight (EST) on November 6th, 2023. One entry per person.
Teacher Giveaway!
As a teacher, I recognize all of the work and care that goes into making a classroom a safe, interesting place to learn, so I am holding a special giveaway for teachers.
Each teacher who pre-orders Animal Snuggles will receive:
a link to the pre-recorded online launch video for the book that you can share in your school at your convenience,
a curriculum extension activity guide with ideas for ways to use the book with your students, and
Did you know that most authors and illustrators never meet? Yet a good picture book is a beautiful marriage of text and art. Opening my computer to see finished illustrations is always a highlight of the process of bringing a book into the world.
Thanks to Telling Tales, a wonderful literacy festival, teachers are invited to experience a free virtual visit with me and artist Jing Jing Tsong, illustrator of my newest picture book, First Morning Sun.
This session is a great opportunity to watch Jing Jing demonstrate some techniques and hear about how she approached illustrating the text.
Teachers, please sign up and share! This session has had a lot of interest already, but because each classroom only counts as one registration, there is plenty of room for you and your colleagues. Parents and grandparents, feel free to pass along the information to educators you know.
Since I’m releasing two new books this spring, I’m giving away twice the prizes: two copies of each book, two bookstore gift certificates, and two author visits to teachers. (See details below.)
It’s been wonderful to connect with readers from all kinds of locations and settings—-schools, libraries, faith-based organizations, moms’ groups, preschools, and family gatherings. I wanted to hold a virtual book launch that people can join at their convenience, no matter their time zone.
Welcome Home, with art by Rashin Kheiriyeh, depicts the joyful welcome of a new baby. First Morning Sun, with art by Jing Jing Tsong, follows the milestones a child experiences as she grows. Together, these books invite us to form welcoming communities that celebrate belonging and growth, which is the focus of the launch.
The event is 20 minutes of family-friendly content suitable for classrooms, libraries, preschools, and viewers of all ages. Thanks to Simon & Schuster for permission to read the books aloud during the school year. The video will remain available through June 24th, 2022.
You can view the video here:
Giveaway details:
Enter the giveaway here:
Prizes will be drawn randomly on June 25th. I’ll contact the winners by email and post a notice about the winners on this blog. Registrants from Canada and the United States are eligible to participate.
Books and bookstore certificates giveaway:
I’m giving away two signed copies of each book (approximate value $25 CAD each) and two bookstore gift certificates ($50 each, either USD or CAD depending on the location of the bookstore). If your name is drawn as a winner for a gift certificate, you can select the bookstore, and I’ll make arrangements for you to receive your prize.
Author visit giveaway for teachers:
I’m giving away two online author visits (approximate value $350). The author visits may be booked anytime through December 2022.
I’m grateful to be welcoming two new books into the world, both of which celebrate beginnings. Two giveaways seemed appropriate. Read on to find out how you could win a signed book or a certificate for your favorite bookstore.
Welcome Home depicts the joyful celebration surrounding the birth of a new baby.
The welcome begins with the baby’s mom and dad and expands to siblings and grandparents. Then aunties, uncles, cousins, and neighbors join in, and finally the circle widens to include the whole community in embracing this new life. Rashin Kheiriyeh’s exuberant art gives the book the expansive, cheerful feeling of a warm hug. It’s been a joy to sign this book for new babies!
“In this moving picture book in rhyme . . . an idealized and irresistible picture of community is formed, amplifying the book’s message of earnest affection and welcome.” — Publishers Weekly
First Morning Sun begins with a baby’s first day and traces the milestones she experiences as she grows.
We witness her first peekaboo, first word, and first birthday cake, then cheering her on as she moves into brave new experiences such as her first day of school. The story closes with the addition of a brand new sibling with whom the family will experience firsts all over again. Jing Jing Tsong’s illustrations capture the poignancy and wonder of a child’s early years.
If you share one of my books with someone, I’d love to hear about it! It’s always special to receive an email or see a post. Finding a review online is another wonderful way to know that my books are being discovered.
I think it’s important to celebrate goodness wherever we find it, and that’s what I hope my books will encourage.
As we enter this season of new growth, I’m wishing you everything good.
Aimee
Giveaways:
You’re invited to join in the fun by participating in these giveaways! (Canada and USA only)
First Morning Sun pre-order:
This book releases on May 3rd, which is perfect timing for a Mother’s Day gift. If you pre-order the book, please send me an email at this link. I’ll enter you in a draw to receive a personally inscribed copy of Welcome Home as well as a signed bookplate to place inside of First Morning Sun. The giveaway closes at 11:59 p.m. EST on May 2, 2022.
New Books and Beginnings giveaway:
I’m holding a draw for a $100 gift certificate to your favorite store. There are five ways you can enter, and each of them will give you one entry into the draw (to a maximum of five). The contest closes by 11:59 EST on May 6th, 2022. I’ll draw a name and announce the winner here on May 7th, 2022. Entry options are:
Comment on a favorite early childhood memory on this blog post,
Sign up for my newsletter by entering your email address through the “subscribe” form at the bottom of this page,
Find the New Books and Beginnings post on my Facebook author page, be sure you’re following the page, and leave your comment about a favorite early childhood memory on the post,
Make sure you’re following me on Twitter at @aimeereidbooks, find my pinned tweet about this giveaway, and share your comment on a favorite early childhood memory,
Share a favorite early childhood memory on the New Books and Beginnings Giveaway Instagram post @aimeereidbooks, and make sure you’re following me on Instagram.
Many of you have reached out to ask when you can purchase Welcome Home. Thanks for your enthusiasm! It means a great deal to me that you are happy to welcome this book into the world.
That’s why I’m especially excited to share news of a giveaway being hosted by Simon & Schuster Canada. Pre-order your copy of Welcome Home from any Canadian retailer and go to Simon & Schuster on release day, January 4th, 2021: spr.ly/6014JosgK. You’ll be able to enter to win a gift certificate of $100 CAD for any Canadian bookstore. I love the idea of someone—maybe you!—picking out some some new books to enjoy.
As well, I’m happy to sign bookplates and send them out for free to the first 200 people who request one. Just let me know to whom I should write my message and where you’d like me to mail the envelope. It’s the next best thing to having me drop by your loved one’s home to sign a copy.
One of my favourite parts of being a children’s author is signing books for families. I still treasure books from my childhood, and it’s an honour to inscribe my books with a message written just for each recipient.
Please know that I am sending my heartfelt wishes for a safe, wonder-filled holiday season. Each one of you is worth celebrating. Together, we share this fragile, beautiful world, and I am grateful.
Mama Bell Frampton was a neighbor of the young Fred Rogers. Fred describes with fondness his visits to her home. Time and again, she welcomed him with a cheery greeting and the gift of a simple offering: buttered toast. What’s more, she showed young Freddie how to make “toast sticks” all by himself. She had no way of knowing how deeply her everyday kindness would affect her young neighbor.
Mama Bell Frampton’s consistent, caring presence helped to form Fred’s vision of a healthy neighborhood—a place where all were welcomed and encouraged to grow. That sense of connection and warmth pervaded the television program that would bring Mr. Rogers into the homes and hearts of countless families over the decades it was on the air.
Fred recognized the transformative power of those who care for children, calling them his heroes. As a former teacher, I honor the vital work of educators. I’m cheering you on as you create communities that recognize the dignity of the students in your care. In honor of World Kindness Day, which is recognized on November 13th, I want to celebrate Kindness in the Classroom.
I am holding a giveaway for a special prize pack. It will include an online author visit and a signed copy of You Are My Friend: The Story of Mister Rogers and His Neighborhoodas well as postcards and temporary tattoos featuring art from the book for every student in the winning teacher’s class.
If you are a teacher, you can enter the draw in four ways:
(3) tag me on Twitter (@aimeereidbooks) and use the hashtags #WorldKindnessDay and #teaching, and
(4) tag me on Instagram (@aimeereidbooks), using the hashtags #WorldKindnessDay and #teaching. Each of the four options will give you an entry.
I’ll hold a draw on Sunday, November 14th and be in touch with the recipient to find out how you’d like your book personalized and where you’d like me to send the book, postcards, and temporary tattoos. We’ll also set up a time for the online visit.
All teachers who participatewill receive a link for a downloadable booklet that expands on the themes in You Are My Friend and invites students to write or draw about their own uniqueness. I’d love to see pictures of the booklets your students create!
I spent some time standing on my front lawn last night, listening to a neighbor. The stress of the pandemic had taken a toll. I didn’t have answers for the thorny questions that troubled this person, and that was okay. We lingered while my dog played until the growing chill nudged us back indoors.
At the end of the conversation, my neighbor expressed gratitude for an increase in front-lawn visits on our street over the past year or so. “It’s something good,” said my neighbor, who made sure that I knew this observation was not meant to diminish the loss and uncertainty of these months.
I agree.
You may know of Fred Rogers’ advice for children when they encounter frightening situations: “Look for the helpers.” Fred was passing along his mother’s words when, as a child, he had heard scary news on the radio.
One reason I admire Fred Rogers’ work is that he told the truth to children. Fred’s advice was not meant to simply distract them from the fact that the world contains sadness. It was rooted in equally deep and, I believe, more compelling truths: our world is filled with kindness and we have the power to choose our responses.
Good people are everywhere. Thoughtful acts are woven into the fabric of our society, and we can pay attention to them. Cups of tea poured, hands extended, neighbors shoveling walks: these ordinary decisions to care for one another deserve celebration.
(3) tag me on Twitter (@aimeereidbooks) and use the hashtag #WorldKindnessDay, and
(4) tag me on Instagram (@aimeereidbooks), using the hashtag #WorldKindnessDay.
Each of the four options will give you an entry. I’ll hold a random draw for the two prizes on Sunday, November 14th and be in touch with the recipients to find out how you’d like your books personalized and where you’d like me to send them.
Holiday gifts
If you would like to order a personalized copy of You Are My Friend as a gift, let me know. You can reach me through the contact form on my website. I’ll be happy to personalize an inscription and send a copy out in time for the holidays.
Dawn Babb Prochovnic is the author of Where Does a Cowgirl Go Potty?; Where Does a Pirate Go Potty?; First Day Jitters, featured in the award-winning book, Oregon Reads Aloud; and 16 books in the Story Time with Signs & Rhymes Series, including one title that was selected as an Oregon Book Awards finalist. Dawn is a vocal advocate for school and public libraries and was honored as a 2015 Oregon Library Supporter of the Year by the Oregon Library Association. She is a frequent presenter at schools, libraries and educational conferences, and the founder of SmallTalk Learning, which provides American Sign Language and early literacy education. Dawn loves to travel and has visited thousands of potties across the Pacific Northwest and around the world. She lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband, two kids, two cats, and a feisty dog. Learn more at www.dawnprochovnic.com.
Please share about your experience of connecting with books as a child. What positive memories do you have?
What a great question, Aimee. I’m now flooded with positive memories of connecting with books as a child. I always had a supply of books at home, but my earliest book-related memories are associated with my Grandma Lynn. She lived in the upstairs apartment of a commercial building that housed the hair salon she owned and operated. Her building was on a busy street without a safe outside play area, so when I visited her (which was often), I listened to music (Sonny & Cher and Donny & Marie), and I read. I still have copies of a few of my most treasured picture books from that time. Two of those books, The Best Nest and A Fly Went By were likely rattling around in my brain when I wrote my book, The Nest Where I Like to Rest.
I also have positive memories of my elementary school teachers’ daily readings of beloved books such as, Where the Red Fern Grows, Old Yeller, Charlotte’s Web, and Harriet the Spy. One summer, I actually became Harriet the Spy … I carried my spy notebook with me everywhere so I could jot down my many observations.
Fifth grade was a particularly momentous year for me in terms of reading engagement. That was the year I earned the coveted Pleasure Reading Award in Mr. Snook’s 5th grade class. Mr. Snook ran a pleasure reading contest each year; the student who read the most books during the school year won the award. That school year, I started at one end of my school library and snaked my way around the room. I do not remember how many books I read or how far I got into the library’s shelves, but I do know that I read the most books of any student that year.
Dawn’s reading award
Tell us about your experiences of being an adult and reading to a child or children. What are your favorite aspects of sharing good books with kids?
Reading books with kids is sincerely one of my favorite things to do. I first got the “reading to children bug” when I taught my younger sister how to read. I have a distinct memory of the evening I patiently worked with her until she “got it.” I remember the glee on her face and the excitement in her voice when, as if by magic, she suddenly understood how to sound out the letters and read the words on the page.
Fast forward to parenthood about two decades later, and some of my happiest memories involve reading to my own two children. When my daughter, now in college, was an infant, I held her on my lap and read to her for hours. I taught her how to communicate using basic American Sign Language (ASL) signs before she could communicate verbally, and I have clear memories of her vigorously signing MORE! as soon as each book ended. As she developed a stronger and stronger ASL vocabulary, she signed along with key words in the story, and she made signs that matched with the objects I’d point to in the illustrations.
Three years later, my son came along, and the three of us would sit together and read for hours. He was less gentle on books than my daughter was (I didn’t understand the purpose of board books until he came along!), but he still enjoyed reading. I started writing my first picture books when my son was an infant. My book, See the Colors, first came to me as a song. I worked out the rhymes and “verses” during tuck-in time. Each evening I would sit next to my daughter and scratch her back while I rocked my son and sang the verses of my story/song. As soon as the kids fell asleep, I would dash into the kitchen to write down whatever words/verses came to me that evening.
Shifting to group settings, I especially love reading stories that have some element of repetition and/or opportunity for participation. For example, in my story, The Big Blue Bowl, there is a repeating phrase: “Fill it up, fill it up, fill it up, I say. And my friends fill it up with me.” I absolutely love when a room full of kids (and their grown-ups!) join in on that repeating phrase as I read the book.
My college-aged daughter is currently the summer nanny for two 4 1/2 year-old twin boys. I have a soft spot for preschoolers, and these boys are no exception. This past week my daughter brought the boys to our house for a couple of hours for a visit. The last time she brought the boys for a visit was about a month ago, soon after I had received my Advanced Reader Copies for my forthcoming books, Where Does a Pirate Go Potty? and Where Does a Cowgirl Go Potty? During that earlier visit, I read my forthcoming books to the boys. Imagine my delight when, upon their return to the house, they noticed the cover image for one of the two books sitting on the counter and called out the title by name, enthusiastically asking me to read them both books again … and again … Here’s hoping my test-market of two is a strong indication of how the books will do when they hit bookstores in the fall!
What are your thoughts on and tips for sharing good books with children?
I have three main tips: 1) Take your child’s lead; 2) Lean into pleasure reading; 3) Read during non-traditional times.
Children will tell you what they want out of a reading experience. Many kids want to read a story over and over and over again. Indulge them. Some kids like to fast-forward to their favorite parts of the book and skip the rest. That’s A-Ok. Some kids want to stop reading before the story is over. That’s okay, too. Some kids really get into “their part” in the story. Some kids really, really love when the reader uses a variety of voices. Some kids memorize the words on the page and will call you out if you miss a word. Other kids are so enraptured with the illustrations that they don’t care much about the written story and instead want to read the visual story.
If you take your child’s lead in each of these circumstances, you will naturally flow into my second tip: Lean into pleasure reading. Let kids choose the books and genres that they want to read. Let kid re-read the books they love, over and over again. Let kids read books that are “not challenging enough” or “not sophisticated/literary/honorable/etc enough.” Reading is reading is reading is reading is reading. When a child finds the experience of reading pleasurable, they will more likely become readers for life vs. seeing reading as a chore.
Speaking of chores, please resist the temptation to categorize reading as a daily “chore” or task that a child must accomplish. I understand that reading logs and assignments come from good intentions, but in my experience these tools hurt young readers more than they help them. When reading is viewed as a required chore (that is coupled with the added task of writing down what was read), reading becomes less pleasurable. What if we re-framed reading as a reward: “Yay, you! You’ve earned 15 minutes of time to yourself to read whatever book you choose!” “Oh, lucky you! How many chapters (or books) did you get to read this past week?” “Turn to your table partner and tell him/her something amazing about the book you are currently reading…” Doesn’t that sound more fun than “You are required to read for at least 15 minutes each and every day, and you must log the title, author, genre, and number of pages read for each day …”
My third and last tip is to find ways to incorporate reading into nontraditional times of the day. We often think of reading with a child as something that we do at bedtime, but bedtime can be a hard time of the day to allow your child (and yourself) the pleasure of reading for long stretches of time. What about “bathtime stories?” Or “books on tape while we’re cooking dinner” stories? Or “Storytime while we’re waiting for the school bus to come…” Think outside of the box. Bedtime stories are great, but there are other parts of the day that might be more suitable for reading with wild abandon.
Thank you, Dawn, for these great suggestions and for sharing your childhood experiences with us. I, too, loved the book The Best Nest when I was young!
Giveaway: Dawn is offering two prize options if you are the winner of the giveaway. You can choose an advanced reading copy of either Where Does a Cowgilrl Go Potty or Where Does a Pirate Go Potty OR you can opt to receive a manuscript critique from Dawn! Just comment on this post by Sunday, August 25 to enter.
Sue Todd is a freelance illustrator whose work encompasses retail design and children’s books. Her images can be seen not only in books but also packaging, posters, tshirts, a tv commercial, and a bus!
Sue enjoys linocarving, which is an ancient printmaking technique. Read on for a glimpse of her process.
Please share about your experience of connecting with books as a child. What memories do you have?
I have memories of being very young and poring over the pages of fairytale collections, paying special attention to the pictures, of course! I always judged a book by its cover, and my favourite gift under the Christmas tree was usually a book. I still remember the feeling of excitement at opening a new one.
My parents encouraged reading, and I spent a lot of time at the library exploring the shelves, looking for just the right picture books. My favourites were The Cat in the Hat and The Little Engine That Could. I remember the suspense of watching Thing One and Thing Two make a mess as Mom’s ankles approached the house, and the Little Engine That Could continues to be a philosophical inspiration. I loved the Narnia series, Alice in Wonderland and any fantasy and mystery stories, including Nancy Drew.
Sue’s studio bookshelf
I volunteered at the school library to get first crack at the new books, so I guess you could call me a book worm. I still remember one incident from Brownies when we had a Christmas gift exchange. I had carefully selected a book that I really wanted to read, and my gift exchange partner gave me a book of Lifesavers. Seriously, it was a selection of different flavours of Lifesaver candies inside a cardboard book! My friend and I were equally dismayed with our gifts and agreed to trade back, so I ended up with the book I wanted after all. 🙂
I wish I had kept the book series I wrote and illustrated around age twelve, The Adventures of Horace the Hippopotamus. It was just a Babar knock-off, but my younger sisters found it entertaining.
Can you tell us a little bit about your process of making art for children’s books?
Every book begins in my sketchbook where I scribble ideas and develop characters. Once I have established the look, I create a small dummy, about half size, to keep a consistency and flow throughout the story. After approval of rough sketches, I begin my final art process.
My technique is linocut, which is a form of relief printmaking similar to woodcut. The medium is linoleum just like the flooring material but without the finish. With relief printing you carve away the bits you don’t want and whatever is left will be the image that is rolled with ink and printed on paper. I have a table-top press for smaller images and use an old fashioned burnisher and lots of muscle for larger pieces. The black and white print is then scanned and coloured in Photoshop.
I like the combination of analog and digital technologies and enjoy each stage of the process for different reasons. The sketching stage is most creative and requires quiet concentration whereas the carving stage is more meditative, like knitting. The colouring stage is sheer fun and takes me back to kindergarten.
Please share your thoughts on and tips for sharing good books with children.
Although I have illustrated many things including educational picture books, my first trade book was released only last year. The Incredible Adventures of Mary Jane Mosquito is a wonderful play by Tomson Highway published by Fifth House/Fitzhenry & Whiteside. My second trade book was released in March. I look forward to sharing An African Alphabet with pre-schoolers. It was written by Eric Walters and published by Orca Books.
Thanks, Sue, for sharing your process with us!I wish I could read The Adventures of Horace the Hippopotamus.
Have a look at Sue’s new books:
Sue has a new book coming out with Eric Walters in the fall of 2018. It’s called The Wild Beast. Be sure to watch for it!
How about you? Which illustrations intrigued you as a child?
Post a comment on this blog, and your name will be entered in a draw for a personally inscribed copy of Sue’s newest book, An African Alphabet? This book will be a lovely addition to a toddler’s library. I’ll draw the winning name on September 13, 2017.
Sign up to Aimee’s newsletter below for more giveaways and to receive inside information from children’s book writers and illustrators.
Rebecca Bender is an art director and designer as well as an author-illustrator. Her books, Giraffe and Bird and Don’t Laugh at Giraffe, have won the Ontario Library Association’s Blue Spruce Award and Blue Spruce Honour, respectively. Rebecca’s newest book, How Do You Feel?, releases in 2017. Be sure to comment on this post in order to be entered in the draw for a signed copy!
Please share about your experience of connecting with books as a child. What positive memories do you have?
We were lucky that my mother read to us a lot. The way I remember it, she always wanted to read the more serious stories, like The Little Match Girl, whereas I always preferred something light that would make me laugh and think at the same time, like Dr. Seuss.
I was a child that loved to draw and get lost in make-believe worlds. Picture books were inspiration for my art, and I was drawn to ones where the illustrations hooked me and took me somewhere. I spent a lot of time with the Serendipity series and still have a few of these books today. They were beautifully illustrated and full of vivid, endearing characters. I can see why I adored them as a child.
From left: me, my mother, my sisterSome books I’ve hung onto since childhood; part of a series called Serendipity by Stephen Cosgrove, illustrated by Robin James
What are your favorite aspects of sharing good books with kids?
I’m always amazed to see how children internalize a good book and the fruits that come from it; be it my 3 year-old architect meticulously building his own home with Magformers and Lego, after reading If I Built a House by Chris Van Dusen, or my 5-year-old fashion designer creating her own line of clothing after reading Birdie’s Big-Girl Dress by Sujean Rim.
We also have fun adopting terms and phrases from stories into our way of communicating with each other, such as, are you feeling like a Boo Hoo Bird today? Or, remember Hamilton Squidlegger, stay in your own mud tonight. Or, if I’m too clean The Witches will smell me!
Me reading with my two children. (Pulling photos for this post, it struck me how similar this one looks to the earlier one of my mom reading to my sister and I!)My daughter’s line of fashion clothing, inspired by a picture book we read together
Please share your thoughts on and tips for sharing good books with children.
When I’m sharing my books in a classroom I set up the story first by showing the cover and then asking the children what they learn from the illustrations alone. It’s a good opportunity to show them how illustrations play a big role in telling the story in a picture book. Sometimes I introduce my characters by drawing them on chart paper and talking about who and what inspired them. Before reading we also practice sound effects so they are ready to make the silly noises that happen in the story. While reading I stop to ask questions at key moments in the story. Afterwards I like to hear how they connect the story to their own lives; we discuss, for example, if Giraffe and Bird really like each other or not, and if this is similar to how siblings behave sometimes.
My daughter reading to me from my new book, How Do You Feel?
I take a similar approach at home with my kids. I focus on finding connections in their lives, and even days after we’ve read a book I will refer back to it if something comes up that relates. I try to keep drawing supplies, building supplies, and raw materials available for them to follow their whims and inspirations and suggest crafts and activities relating to the books we read.
Looking back, I’m glad my mother read the more serious books to me. I’m a believer in letting children make their own choices whenever possible, so I do let them pick their own books at story time, but I also adopted the rule that mommy gets a pick, too!
My studio while working on art for How Do You Feel?
Close up of painting in progress on my desk
Thanks, Rebecca! How fun to see your illustrations in progress.
Check out Rebecca’s work:
Exciting news—my first picture book, Giraffe and Bird will be re-released with Pajama Press, in a padded, hardcover edition (April 2017)These lively and unlikely friends are back.Enter to win a signed copy!
How about you? Which books captivated you because of their illustrations?
Post a comment on this blog, and your name will be entered in a draw for a personally inscribed copy of Rebecca’s newest book, How Do You Feel?This bookwill be sure to captivate young readers. I’ll draw the winning name on February 13, 2017.
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