Waiting for Snow Blog Tour: Waiting and Patience and Dreams - Oh, My!

Waiting for Snow
by Marsha Diane Arnold; Illustrated by Renata Liwska
HMH Books for Young Readers (November 1, 2016)
Fiction * Nature * Weather
Audience: Preschool to 3
Indiebound | WorldCat
 

About the book: 
Badger loves snow and he just can’t wait for it any longer! Patience does not come easily to Badger. He bangs pots and pans and shouts, “Wake up, Sky! It’s time to snow.” His animal friends, Hedgehog, Rabbit, Vole, and Possum, try to help by using other tricks and superstitions, but snow is taking its time. Sensible Hedgehog explains that everything has its season and all that’s required is waiting. But what can they do while they wait? Be a friend?

Waiting and Patience and Dreams - Oh, My!

I’m just going to blurt it out. I love anthropomorphic animals, absolutely love them. Indeed, I like anthropomorphic plants, rocks and dishes (especially that one who ran away with the spoon.) Deep inside me, I believe all things are sentient, just as small children do. So writing about Badger and his friends was an absolute delight. Indeed I followed Waiting for Snow with two more Badger stories, which may someday find their way into book form...with a little bit of patience.

Waiting for Snow is about seasons, a second Badger story involves searching for sunshine, and a third is about seeds. Obviously, my Kansas farm girl roots are showing. There’s no doubt my father’s influence is in Waiting for Snow. As a farmer it was his job to understand the earth and the rhythm of each season. “Everything in its time,” he often said. As a nature-lover, he knew every wild flower in the county. He often consulted the Farmer’s Almanac, which might have been a good idea for Badger too.

But why did I write about patience? Perhaps because I am so lacking in it myself! A friend of mine once traveled the country in two “gypsy” wagons along with about twenty animals: donkeys, goats, and chickens.  He parked his wagons in what he called “the margins” along the sides of the road. When he found a new friend willing to share their water, he would carry the water in buckets with a yoke, from source to his twenty-some animals. If anyone required patience, John did. I can hear his words in my mind still:  “You have to take your time and do things right. If you hurry, you just mess things up.”

Badger and his friends tried to hurry snow. It didn’t work well. They were rained on by pebbles, got sore feet, and wore uncomfortable pajamas to bed. Though it was hard, it was better to wait – to play together, cook, read, and knit a warm hat for a friend until the snow arrived.

How lucky I am to have my editor Kate O’Sullivan and illustrator Renata Liwska as teammates for this story. Years ago, when I was a California gal, I was in a writing group with Deborah Underwood during the time she was writing The Quiet Book. Deborah waxed poetic about her amazing editor and illustrator. It was then I put a wish in my heart that someday I would work with these two shining stars. But honestly, I didn’t hold out much hope. I would never have expressed my wish outloud.  So when it did come true, it was like a wonderful surprise present.

Here I am, some 8 years later, with a book edited by Kate O’Sullivan and illustrated by Renata Liwska! Of course, the dedication had to be: “For Kate O’Sullivan and Renata Liwska, a dream editor and illustrator worth waiting for.”

Renata Liwska’s vision for the art in Waiting for Snow is so brilliant. She added things like the classroom, the telescope, and the disco ball. Although I often have images in my mind for my stories, I can’t recall having a lot for Waiting for Snow. The text came to me almost as a meditation: “The sun comes back every day,” said Hedgehog, “and the stars every night.”

Renata’s characters and images, like the mushrooms on Hedgehog’s back, bring the story to a wonderful kid-friendly level. Indeed, my three-year old granddaughter’s favorite image in the book is the first page with mushrooms sticking on Hedgehog’s back. Look carefully at Hedgehog later in the story. Renata has now whimsically painted him with quills holding yarn for knitting. Hedgehog quills are so useful!

I hope my readers don’t have to wait long to find Badger and his friends in their bookstore or library.  But if they have to wait a bit, I hope they find as many fun things to do during that time as Badger and his friends did. 

About the author: 
Marsha Diane Arnold is an award-winning author with over one million books sold. Waiting for Snow is her 14th book with four more coming soon.

Her popular Writing Character-Driven Picture Books course can be found here: http://www.childrensbookacademy.com/writing-character-driven-stories.html. There’s a special going on in November in honor of Waiting for Snow’s birthday!

Follow the blog tour: 
October 31st, Monday - Cynthia Alaniz, Librarian in Cute Shoes  
Nov 1st, Tuesday - Alyson Beecher, Kid Lit Frenzy
Nov 2nd, Wednesday - Dylan Teut, Reading with Mr. Teut 
Nov 3rd, Thursday - Mia Wengen, Pragmatic Mom 
Nov 4th, Friday - Margie Myers-Culver - Librarian’s Quest 
Nov 6th, Sunday - Matthew Winner - The Best Book Ever (This Week) 
Nov 7th, Monday - Niki Ohs Barnes, Daydream Reader 
Nov 8th, Tuesday - Bridget and the Books 

If You Give a Mouse a Brownie - Blog Tour & Giveaway

If You Give a Mouse a Brownie
by Laura Numeroff; Illustrated by Felicia Bond
HarperCollins (October 18, 2016)
Audience: Ages 4 to 8 years old
Fiction * Humor * Read Aloud
IndieBound | WorldCat
Click for Activity Book

Description of the book:
You’ve given a mouse a cookie, but what happens if you give a Mouse a brownie? Mouse is back in this delicious new story in the #1 New York Times bestselling If You Give series, which has sold over 14 million copies, from author and illustrator duo Laura Numeroff and Felicia Bond. This book is also the first one to feature Mouse in 14 years.  With its spare, rhythmic text and circular tale, If You Give a Mouse a Brownie is perfect for beginning readers and storytime.

Thoughts on the book:
First let's stop for a moment....

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie is celebrating its 30th Anniversary. This makes me feel a bit old, since there was only this book at the time and I used it a lot in my first few years as a teacher. Though I have enjoyed the other books, I am particularly excited to see that the adorable mouse has returned. 

Numeroff and Bond have paired up again to bring readers another If You Give books. We haven't seen mouse in 14 years. In similar format to the original story, mouse and his friend start off by enjoying a brownie. Yet, you can't have a brownie without ice cream. Well...ice cream leads to an impromptu drumming session and the adventure is back on.  Young readers will delight in how one action triggers another moment and another one until things circle back to ice cream and brownies are 

To celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the first book and now the newest book, I made chocolate chip cookies into bars and added in a layer of caramel. 

Sorry no kitchen pictures because seriously....the kitchen somehow became a disaster. And though it looked like it could be a scene in one of Numeroff's Cookie books, I was way too embarrassed to photo document it. However, I did share this with a friend and packaged up the rest for other friends. 

Look for a copy of If You Give a Mouse a Brownie at your local indie bookstore or public library, or enter the giveaway below.

Don't miss the giveaway: 
If you give a child this prize pack, they are going to want another book!

One (1) winner receives:

·         If You Give a Mouse a Cookie and If You Give a Mouse a Brownie.

Open to US addresses only.

Prizing and samples provided by HarperCollins.

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Mighty Jack and Favorite Fairy Tales Blog Post

Mighty Jack
by Ben Hatke
First Second (September 6, 2016)
Fiction * Fairy Tale Adaptation * Graphic Novel
Audience: Ages 9 to 12 years
IndieBound | WorldCat

Description from GoodReads: 
Jack might be the only kid in the world who's dreading summer. But he's got a good reason: summer is when his single mom takes a second job and leaves him at home to watch his autistic kid sister, Maddy. It's a lot of responsibility, and it's boring, too, because Maddy doesn't talk. Ever. But then, one day at the flea market, Maddy does talk—to tell Jack to trade their mom's car for a box of mysterious seeds. It's the best mistake Jack has ever made.

What starts as a normal little garden out back behind the house quickly grows up into a wild, magical jungle with tiny onion babies running amok, huge, pink pumpkins that bite, and, on one moonlit night that changes everything…a dragon.

KK's thoughts on the book:
In June, I acquired an advanced copy of MIGHTY JACK at ALA's Annual Conference. I read the book on the plane ride home knowing that when I got home I would need to turn over the copy to the 10 year old. I will call her KK for this purpose. Since giving it to her, she has read the book at least 10 times and I have found it in bed with her at night. The book wasn't even officially out and she was asking for the sequel. Yes, I would say that she liked it. 

For this post, I sat down and asked her some questions. 

Me: What did you like the most about MIGHTY JACK?

KK: I really liked the journey that Jack is on because of a packet of seeds and what the seeds can create.

Me: Why did you read it so many times?

KK: I really liked the ending and how things kept popping up that you didn’t think would happen.

Me: What were some of your favorite parts?

KK: Jack and Maddy’s relationship: It is not like most brother and sisters but they got along really well.

When Lily helped Jack with all of the weapons and armor that her brother made for the recent Ren Fair. 

Me: Who would you recommend this book to?

KK: I would recommend it to anyone who is into action books and recommend it to all of my friends.

MIGHTY JACK is sure to be popular with young readers looking for an exciting, suspenseful read. 

When thinking about my favorite Fairy Tales and Fairy Tale adaptations, I realized I couldn't name just one. Here are four of my favorites....

A Tale Dark & Grimm by Adam Gidwitz (Dutton Books for Young Readers) - As one young reader described this..."deliciously creepy" just like a Grimm Tale should be. 

The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom by Christopher Healy (Walden Pond Press) - Prince Charming and what happens in the "happily ever after". 

Cinder by Marissa Meyer (Feiwel & Friends)  - Cyborg Cinderella. Do I really need to say much more?

Far Far Away by Tom McNeal (Knopf Books for Young Readers) - A Grimm adaptation that is dark and creepy with Grimm as narrator. 

What are your favorite fairy tales or adaptations? 

Check out the other stops in the MIGHTY JACK blog tour:

Miss Print, 9/26
Teen Lit Rocks, 9/27
Charlotte’s Library, 9/28
Kid Lit Frenzy, 9/29
Librarians’ Quest, 9/30
YA Bibliophile, 10/3
Ex Libris Kate, 10/4
The Book Rat, 10/5
Love Is Not a Triangle, 10/6
The Reading Nook, 10/7

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: Mountain Chef

This month authors Janet Fox, Barbara Rosenstock, and Liz Garton Scanlon are shining a light on our National Parks with a series of blog posts - Page Through the Parks. I am joining them in celebrating the 100th Anniversary of National Park Service. Check out my earlier post here. 

My post this week celebrates a frequent participant in the Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge and author, Annette Bay Pimentel's new book. 

Mountain Chef: How One Man Lost His Groceries, Changed His Plans, and Helped Cook Up the National Park Service
by Annette Bay Pimentel, Illustrated by Rich Lo
Charlesbridge Publishing (August 2, 2016)
Nonfiction * Biography * Cultural Heritage
Audience: Ages 6 to 9
Indiebound | Worldcat

Description from GoodReads: The true story of a Chinese American mountain man who fed thirty people for ten days in the wilderness--and helped inspire the creation of the National Park Service.
 
Tie Sing was born in the mountains. The mountains were in his blood. But because he was of Chinese descent at a time in America when to be Chinese meant working in restaurants or laundries, Tie Sing’s prospects were limited. But he had bigger plans. He began cooking for mapmakers and soon built a reputation as the best trail cook in California. 
 
When millionaire Stephen Mather began his quest to create a national park service in 1915, he invited a group of influential men—writers, tycoons, members of Congress, and even a movie star—to go camping in the Sierras. Tie Sing was hired to cook. 
 
Tie Sing planned diligently. He understood the importance of this trip. But when disaster struck—twice!—and Tie Sing’s supplies were lost, it was his creative spirit and quick mind that saved the day. His sumptuous menus had to be struck and Tie Sing had to start over in order to feed the thirty people in the group for ten whole days. His skills were tested and Tie Sing rose to the challenge. 
 
On the last night, he fed not just the campers' bodies, but also their minds, reminding them to remember and protect the mountains.
 
2016 marks the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service, created by Congress on August 25, 1916. 
 
Today, you can hike to Sing Peak, named for Tie Sing, in Yosemite National Park.

Quick thoughts on this book: 

I love when a children's biography introduces me to a new person and a fascinating piece of history. 

In celebration of the 100th anniversary of National Park Service, I am featuring Mountain Chef by Annette Bay Pimentel.  Can you imagine lugging everything you need to cook basically gourmet meals (without modern amenities) in the mountains and do so on the backs of mules? A few years ago, I went camping with friends. We camped not far from the beach. We took care to weigh down coolers and to make sure food was secure and yet, by early morning raccoons had lifted one of the cooler lids enough to reach in and pull things out. However, in our case, we could drive a car into town to pick up anything that we needed. Tie Sing and his small crew didn't have those options so when things were lost, they were gone.  It was a tough trip. 

Pimentel provides readers with insight into the one small element of Tie Sing's life and how his dedication, creativity, and perseverance as a cook may have influenced Stephen Mather's guests on a very special camping trip. 

Another aspect of this story that I appreciated was the focus on an individual of Chinese decent who during his lifetime had to face extreme prejudices but still managed to make his own mark.

Check out these two posts from Annette here and Rich here. Pick up a copy of Mountain Chef at your favorite indie bookstore or check it out at your local library. 

Join the giveaway for teachers and librarians sponsored by Janet, Barb, and Liz. For more information about the giveaway, check out Janet's post here.

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Don't forget to link up your nonfiction posts below: 

Blog Tour & Giveaway: The Full Moon of the Were-Hyena

Thank you Bruce Hale for stopping by Kid Lit Frenzy and sharing about your favorite author visits. 

Author visits, to borrow a phrase, are like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’ll get. But over and over again, as I’ve visited schools and libraries from New York to New Delhi, I’ve been surprised, charmed, and touched by the warm welcomes I’ve received.

Here, in no particular order, are some of my favorite author visit experiences:

1. Riding the float

One warm August, the Huxley Public Library invited me to present at that Iowa town’s Prairie Fest. And as a capper, they invited me to ride the library’s float in the Prairie Fest parade.

What a hoot! As the parade wound through town, I sat surrounded by kids with buckets of candy, waving to passersby and tossing sweets. The older boys competed to see who could throw Tootsie Pops hard enough to embed them in bystanders’ foreheads.

2. Red carpet memories

As I approached the cafeteria door of a Long Beach, California, school, two students unfurled a 20-foot-long roll of red construction paper, their version of a red carpet. Kids lined up on either side of it, and as I strolled down the “carpet,” each student told me something they particularly liked about my books.

3. I’m with the band

A Lamont, California, school librarian noticed on my bio that I sing jazz. She mentioned that the middle school jazz band would be playing for the family literacy night, and wondered if I’d like to sing with them? The student band swung hard as we did Route 66 and Well, Alright together, entertaining a crowd of pizza-eating parents and kids.

4. Which cookie rules?

Author visits aren’t usually fattening. But that changed when Crane School in Santa Barbara invited me to be a celebrity judge of their County Fair Day baking contest. As a major cookie hound, I never thought I could ever eat my fill of chocolate chip cookies. I was wrong. After sampling 22 different chocolate chip cookies from 22 different bakers, my student co-judge and I were desperate for something savory.

5. Gettin’ sharky with it

I love it when schools engage kids in projects relating to my books. The students express their creativity, and they end up getting much more out of the experience that way.

Many schools have drawing contests, but a Fort Thomas, Kentucky, school went even further. Not only did students create a Lego version of Clark the Shark and his world, but they turned the library door into a gigantic, open shark mouth. So they only way the students and I could enter the venue was by going down the gullet of a shark!

6. Meeting the bear

On a summer reading tour of Alaska libraries, I discovered that memorable experiences can occur even after the day’s presentation has concluded.

After speaking at Seward Library, I visited a glacier valley for a short hike before leaving town. The views were stunning, and on my way back down the trail, I spotted two bear cubs playing in a tree. Fascinated, I stopped to watch—and then spotted the 400-lb. mama bear at the base of the tree. For several long minutes, she stared at me, and I stared at her. And then, slowly-slowly, I went on my way and she went back to minding her cubs.

7. Hitting the Taj

For my first major international school trip, I began with the Cadillac of author visits. The American Embassy School of New Delhi invited Bruce Coville and me for five days’ worth of presentations to their kids. After treating us like visiting royalty and feeding us at fine restaurants every night, the school sent us on a side trip to the Taj Mahal. I suspect this will be the only time one of my visits involves a trip to a UNESCO World Heritage site, but over time, I’ve learned that with author visits, you never can tell.

Photo Credit: Jose Carpizo

Edgar-nominated author Bruce Hale is passionate about inspiring reluctant readers to read. He has written or illustrated more than 35 seriously funny books for children, including the popular School for S.P.I.E.S. and Chet Gecko Mysteries series; as well as picture books such as Clark the Shark, Snoring Beauty, and Big Bad Baby. His creeptastic new series, The Monstertown Mysteries, debuted last month with THE CURSE OF THE WERE-HYENA. An actor and a Fulbright Scholar in Storytelling, Bruce is in demand as a speaker, having presented at conferences, universities, and schools around the world. Bruce's book The Malted Falcon was an Edgar Award Finalist and Murder, My Tweet won the Little D Award for Humor Writing. He lives in Santa Barbara, California with his wife and dog. You can find him online at www.brucehale.com. 
Connect with him on Twitter | Facebook
Free Discussion Guide and Activities can be found here. 

The Full Moon of the Were-Hyena Howling Good Giveaway!
Ten winners will receive a copy of Bruce Hale’s The Curse of the Were-Hyena. Four Grand Prize winners will receive The Curse of the Were-Hyena plus an advance reading copy of the second book in the series, Mutant Mantis Lunch Ladies! And as a bonus, Grand Prize winners will also get a signed photo of Bruce Hale disguised as a were-wolf! Click here to enter.