VALENSLIME: A Picture Book Review and an Autographed Giveaway

Do you remember back in July when I reviewed Joy Keller's book Frankenslime that is illustrated by my SCBWI-Carolinas friend, Ashley Belote?

I had announced that the next book in this series, Valenslime (Feiwel and Friends, 2021), would be ready in time for Valentine's Day. I am here today with a review and the perfect present for your little sweetheart!

REVIEW

Here is the opening paragraph that tells us about the main character:

 

Victoria Franklin was a 

slime scientist.

She loved her slime

Her slime, Goop,

loved her back. 

The next two pages show the reader the many ways in which Victoria and Goop love each other--the fun they have together in her lab, the science books they enjoy together, and their joint affection for Victoria's dog, Igor.

BUT...there's a problem. (Of course! There has to be a problem, right?) 

Victoria realizes that she has lots of friends to send Valentines to--but poor Goop, only has one friend. Her. It just isn't fair.

Victoria takes the problem into her capable hands. 

If Goop couldn't make a new friend,

She would make a new friend for him!

As any good scientist does, Victoria brainstorms slime recipes in order to make the perfect combination to make a friend for Goop. Finally, she assembles the perfect ingredients. Then she waits for lightening to strike so her creation will jolt to life. 

But there's no lightening! 

So, how does a scientist like Victoria solve that problem?

You create your own electricity!

But...that's when Victoria's slime solution grows into unmatched proportions and complicates Victoria's goal of creating a friend for Goop.

I don't want to give away the ending or spoil the surprise of Ashley's clever, colorful illustrations. Let's just say Victoria's slime solution ensures that everyone is happy.

This book is not only a cute Valentine read, it is also a fun way to teach young children about writing. Did you catch what I said in the first two paragraphs of this review? On the first page Ms. Keller tells the reader about Victoria's friendship with Goop. Then the author follows that with showing what this friendship looks like. 

The character then encounters a problem which she attempts to solve. This is a great way to show young writers that the main character is ALWAYS the one to solve her problem! Victoria meets obstacles but eventually obtains her goal-creating a special friend for Goop.

Three new slime recipes--including one that is edible--will delight young scientists. 

GIVEAWAY

Ashley is giving an autographed copy of VALENSLIME  to one fortunate reader. The giveaway ends on Tuesday, February at 9 AM. 

For a chance to win, leave a comment with your email address, or send me an email if you prefer. If you share this on social media, you will get one extra chance; if you follow my blog you will get another chance. Tell me what you have done and I will enter your name accordingly. Winner must live in the continental U.S.

Congratulations to Tiffany Slack, head librarian at the Matthews Christian Library, who won Photo ARK ABC on last week's blog and Danielle Hammelef who won The Short Life of Krill. By the way--Danielle's secret for winning so many books is that whenever she can. she shares my posts on social media. 

DINO PAJAMA PARTY: A Picture Book Review and Giveaway

It probably comes as no surprise to you, but not only do I enjoy giving books alway--I like winning them too! I was delighted to win Laurie Wallmark's new picture book, DINO PAJAMA PARTY (Running Press Kids, 2021) from Kathy Temean's wonderful blog. I recently featured Laurie with her other new book, Code Breaker, Spy Hunter. Which just goes to show--talented picture book authors can write in a variety of genres!) 

Move over Sandra Boynton (Dinosaur Dance)! DINO PAJAMA PARTY, featuring a cast of rollicking dinosaurs, is sure to be an equally asked for bedtime book. Illustrations by Michael Robertson provide humor which enhances the text. 

REVIEW

This opening stanza sets the stage:

Dinos rock, and dinos roll.

Dinos stomp and dinos stroll.

 

And what else do these pajama-dressed dinosaurs like to do?

They roar, they shriek, they boom, and squeak.

They sing, they dance; they plunk, and strum. "Dinos toot and dinos drum."

They even "come from all around just to play that rocking sound." (Note the band's name!)

Worn out from all that swinging and shaping, 

Dinos yawn,

and dinos drag.

Dinos droop,

and dinos sag.

Dinos toes are getting sore

All the dinos leave the floor.

Finally,

"Fast asleep, 

the dinos snore."

I've tried writing a rhyming picture book and Laurie Wallmark makes it look simple! The text is memorable and incorporates a great beat. Children will develop pre-reading skills as they chime in with the rhymes. 

For more information on the backstory behind this book, please see Laurie's description of her book journey on Kathy Temean's wonderful blog.

GIVEAWAY

To win a copy of this cute bedtime book, leave me a comment (with your email address if you are new to my blog) by noon on December 16th. If you decide to follow my blog or share on social media, I'll enter your name twice.  Continental U.S. addresses only. 

Congratulations to Antoinette Martin who won A FRIEND LIKE YOU from last week's blog. 

Let's Pop, Pop, Popcorn! A Picture Book Review and Giveaway

Today my 9-year-old granddaughter, Libbie, is helping me review books. Here's her first review of a recent Sleeping Bear Press picture book. 

 Guest Reviewer Libbie K.

REVIEW

Let's Pop, Pop, Popcorn! by Cynthia Schumerth, is a good book for little kids showing them the process of making popcorn. It includes how to plant, water, and grow corn and all the work that goes into it. 

I think kids will also like this book's clever rhymes. 

The illustrations, by Mary Reaves Uhles, are also very well done and show exactly how to grow corn and make popcorn.

This is an easy book to read and it makes me want to get up, pop some buttered popcorn, and eat it! You can always sit down and eat popcorn while you are reading this fun book (just make sure not to get buttery fingers on the book! 🍿 😂). This book was very good and I recommend it to 3-6 year olds. Or just about any age!

BACK MATTER

Did you know there are four types of corn? If you read the STEM  information and activities you will learn the differences between dent corn, flint corn, sweet corn, and popcorn, as well as the layers inside each kernel. Readers will discover what old maids are and have fun with two different popcorn activities. And like Libbie suggested, there's always good eating when someone says, Let's Pop, Pop, Popcorn!

                            

                

                            I found this cute reading of Let's POP, POP, POPCORN on youtube!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RN6rKeXVEF4

GIVEAWAY

Leave a comment by 6 PM on October 8 to enter this giveaway. Tell Libbie your favorite popcorn story and I'll enter your name twice! Continental U.S. addresses only.

Please leave your email address if you are new to my blog!!  

        

DIVA DELORES AND THE OPERA HOUSE MOUSE: A Picture Book Review, Author Interview, and Giveaway!

Congratulations to Angela Kunkel who won How to Find A Bird on last week's blog. Kim Doele and Jolene Gutiérrez won Skype visits in their classrooms. 

                                                                                *****

Last month, I announced Laura Sassi's picture book Master Class sponsored by Write2Ignite on April 24. Today I'm featuring her delightful friendship story, Diva Delores and the Opera House Mouse. 

REVIEW

The story begins with an introduction of the characters and their "backstories."

Fernando loved chocolate

and cheese on dry toast,

and popcorn and gumdrops,

But what he liked most...

was feasting on Mozart, 

Puccini and Strauss,

and lending a paw

at the Old Opera House.

On the next page, we meet Delores.

Delores loved glamour and

spotlights and praise.

She longed to be showered 

with fragrant bouquets.

Now here was her chance,

after years in the chorus,

to take center stage and be

Diva Delores!

Fernando is ready and willing to help Delores with her debut, but she haughtily determines she has no need of him. Not one to take rebuffs easily, Fernando continues to help her--despite her disdain.  On the day before the opening, Fernando comes to her rescue when Delores finds (ahem) that she has a problem fitting into her gown.

With one day remaining

till opening night

Delores discovered

her gown was too tight!

 

Needless to say, Fernando's efforts aren't appreciated.

Delores FINALLY comes to her senses when she falters during her performance. She needs help from her little friend--but where is he? Has he abandoned her?

Of course not! Fernando pops out of his hiding place inside her wig and saves the show amidst cheers from the crowd.

She sang high, she sang low,

with a voice rich and sweet,

as the Opera House mouse

tapped along to the beat.

And when she forgot 

the last verse of her song,

He said, "I can help!"

Then he tra-la'd along. 

And the audience loved them.

They brought down the house.

"Three cheers for Delores!"

"Three cheers for that mouse!"

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

Here is my email interview with Laura about her path to publication. 

Carol: Could you tell me a little about Diva’s publication journey? 

Laura: The journey from spark to publication took seven years. I got the original idea for my story while participating in Tara Lazar’s wonderful STORYSTORM challenge, or Picture Book Idea Month as it was called back in 2011. I worked on the story off and on for five years. I played with plot, rhyme, character development - everything but setting, really - until finally it was ready to sub in 2016. It was acquired by Sterling Children’s Books that spring and took another two years to be published, which is typical for picture books.

Carol: How did you EVER think of this idea?

Laura: The story was prompted by paging through my writing notebook and looking at early notes for a completely different piece called “Mouse House”, a short rebus about a little mouse curling up in his house in the woods to sleep.  Seeing those notes, prompted me to imagine where else a mouse might live - and that imagining led me to the opera house! And once I envisioned that opera house mouse it wasn’t long until Delores was there was there as well, snootily preparing for her opera debut.

Carol: How many drafts?  

Laura: I’ve lost count. YEARS worth!  

Carol: The illustrations match the text so well. Did you supply any illustration notes?   

Laura: Illustrator Rebecca Gerlings did a wonderful job and it was really all her! I saw sketches along the way, which was fun, but the illustrations were her domain.

Out of curiosity, I checked the final version I sent to Sterling and saw that I had only three illustration notes. Two were stage notes explaining, for example, that Fernando hides in Delores’s wig and that his home was in a hole at the Opera House (as opposed to elsewhere).

  

One of Rebecca's original sketches,
"Delores is a hippo."

But there’s a fun story behind the first note which said simply, “Delores is a hippo.”  Obviously that changed. The early sketches of Delores as a hippo were cute, but everyone - Rebecca, me, the art team etc. - all agreed that she wasn’t quite what we envisioned so the art director asked Rebecca to come up with another animal. The result? The wonderfully snooty, yet lovable Delores the seal!  

EXTENSION ACTIVITIES

You'll find several activities related to Delores and Fernando here.

VIDEO

And here is a short video that will make you run out and buy this book for your child, classroom, or grandchild:

WRITE2IGNITE MASTER CLASS

Want to know how Laura creates those fun, unqiue rhymes? Want to work on your own picture book ideas? Join her at Write2Ignite's picture book Master class. It's on Zoom and there is room for YOU!

For more information about the class, click here. 

GIVEAWAY

I'll be giving away a copy of Diva Delores in conjunction with an upcoming blogpost on Write2Ignite. If you leave me a comment, I'll add your name to that contest. Make sure you leave your email address if you are new to my blog. U.S. addresses only.