Day 7 (last) #picturebookpicnic giveaway

LOUIS has celebrated World Picnic Day with picnics and his picture book friends – and stuffies – all WEEK! I’ve posted pictures on Instagram where anyone (in the US) can comment – on any of the week’s posts – for a chance to win. Deadline is TODAY, Thurs., 6/24/21 12pm MDT. Winner will be announced on the next Perfect Picture Book Friday!

Today we’re having a #picturebookpicnic in the crabapple tree with old classics and teddy-guests that are hand-made! Just small towels a few rubber bands and ribbon. Plenty of how-to videos on youtube for your convenience.

Chanticleer and the Fox, by Geoffrey Chaucer, illus. by Barbara Cooney, Thomas Y. Crowell, 1958: A sly fox tries to outwit a proud rooster through the use of flattery. (“Adaptation of the ‘Nun’s priest’s tale’ from the Canterbury tales”–T.p. verso.)

Journeycakes Ho!, by Ruth Sawyer and illus. by Robert McCloskey, Viking Press, 1953: Johnny is leaving the farm because of hard times when his Journey Cake leads him on a merry chase that results in a farm yard full of animals and the family all together again. (my blogpost HERE)

The Crows of Pearlblossom, by Aldous Huxley and illus. by Barbara Cooney, Random House, 1967: When Mrs. Crow discovers a snake has been eating her eggs, Mr. Crow and his friend Owl fool Mr. Snake and put an end to that problem.

Miss Twiggley’s Tree, by Dorothea Warren Fox, Parents’ Magazine Press, 1966: see my blog post HERE

*Book descriptions form my library’s catalog.

*I will announce the winner in my PPBF post tomorrow – GOOD LUCK!

#kidlitwomen: My Homage-Doodles

Posted by julie rowan zoch

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Inspired by the #kidlitwomen articles and actions during Women’s History Month, I’ve been doodling my Tiger into images from picture books illustrated by a few of my favorites. You can follow these posts on Instagram, where I also post ‘image packets’ daily from other female illustrators I admire in children’s literature.

Sandra Boynton

Nina Crews

Tove Janson

Alice Provensen

Rosemary Wells

Kitty Crowther

LeUyen Pham

Barbara Cooney

Ingrid Vang Nyman

Hyewon Yum

Marianne Dubuc

Anna Dewdney

Lois Ehlert

PPBF: The Little Fir Tree

Posted by julie rowan zoch

Author: Margaret Wise Brown
Illustrator: Barbara Cooney
Publisher: Thomas Y. Crowell, 1954
Age: 3-7
Themes: trees, growth, christmas story
Opening: A little fir tree stood by the edge of a forest, a little way off from the great green trees.
Summary: (from my library catalog) A lonely little fir tree, standing by itself at the edge of the forest, has its life transformed when a father takes it home to serve as a living Christmas tree for his bedridden son.

Why I like this book: I like this version of Margaret Wise Brown’s book out of sentimentality: my beloved school librarian, Mrs. Nurnberg, read this one to us in elementary school.

Resources/Activities: take a walk in the forest and identify trees by their species and their age; discuss illnesses and what an illness might prevent one from doing; share your favorite Christmas songs.

littlefirtree4 For more Perfect Picture Book picks with teacher/parent resources, check out the list on Susanna Hill’s blog HERE.

littlefirtreesong

#pb10for10 – fresh classics

Posted by julie rowan zoch

I just had to jump in, so forgive me, please, if I am not following guidelines. In the vein of ‘make new friends’, but keep the old’, here are 10 picture book gems I wouldn’t want to live without, and I hope one or two may be new to you. Of course, I’m using the label old rather loosely – a book I may have read to my now adult kids. In no particular order:

Miss Twiggley’s Tree