I love picture books. And I’m sad that my youngest child is now crazy over chapter books and hardly picks up a picture book. Yesterday I asked my husband to take us to the only English bookstore in Seoul that has a decent, recent picture book selection. I was in there for 45 minutes catching up on picture books from the United States that I hadn’t read yet! As a writer, I need to keep tabs on what topics have been written about and what the trends are. I had a delightful time!
This month I’m participating in writer Kathy Ellen Davis’ 31 in 31 challenge. Simply read 1 book each day in October and report our title on her blog daily. That’s it. This is a great, low-key challenge for busy me.
Next month is author Tara Lazar’s PiBoIdMo challenge, which is Picture Book Idea Month. Each day write down one picture book idea. I joined last year, and from last year’s list of ideas, I’ve been able to write picture book manuscripts. Each day she has a guest post, full of encouragement, which is just what I need. Before PiBoIdMo, I had the hardest time coming up with ideas. I think I only wrote 3-4 new stories that previous year. But after this challenge I had over 30 spankin’ new ideas! One will be published as a nonfiction magazine article for Clubhouse Jr next year. And the others I’m still working on getting them published. If you’ve never tried, I encourage you to join!
And next month is Picture Book Month, started by a group of authors, who celebrate picture books each day with a blog post from an author/illustrator. Picture books are definitely needed by our children.
If you’re an educator, Teach with Picture Books, is a neat blog that shows how to use picture books with elementary and even middle school students.
And if you’re an educator, librarian, or parent, check out author Susanna Hill’s blog of Perfect Picture Books, book reviews of great picture books, arranged by theme. Writer friends post a book review each Friday on their blogs. They list activities you can do with your children.
Fall is a busy time for picture book writers and readers. What’s your favorite picture book? I have too many. One favorite from my childhood was Little Rabbit’s Loose Tooth by Lucy Bates.
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October 8, 2012 at 2:28 am
Genevieve Petrillo
What’s better than sitting down with a cup of coffee and a stack of picture books? I tell myself it’s research, but I know it’s just plain fun!
October 8, 2012 at 2:57 am
tinamcho
Exactly, Genevieve! This is a FUN job!
October 8, 2012 at 3:33 am
patientdreamer
You are one busy lady! Love how passionate you are Tina!
October 8, 2012 at 3:51 am
tinamcho
I hope you can join PiBoIdMo, Diane!
October 8, 2012 at 4:03 am
Heather Newman (@HeatherNewman12)
What books did you get to enjoy? I would love to hear what you’ve been reading!
October 8, 2012 at 4:41 am
tinamcho
Heather,
This store doesn’t get the pb’s hot off the press, but still recent enough. So I read Crafty Chloe by Kelly DiPucchio, Children Make Terrible Pets by Peter Brown, The Hueys in the New Sweater by Oliver Jeffers, Vote for Me by Ben Clanton, Goldilocks and the 3 Dinosaurs by Mo Willems, Amanda & the Alligator by Mo Willems, and Penny and Her Song by Kevin Henke. I truly enjoyed it! I bought only one, Crafty Chloe, cuz my daughter would really like it. Plus they hike up the price for bringing it overseas. Thanks for asking!
October 8, 2012 at 5:20 am
Laura Sassi
Thanks for sharing all these neat picture book websites with us, as well as the great writing opportunities. I’ll be participating in PiBoIdMO as well! I’ve got a new notebook waiting impatiently on my shelf just for that purpose.
October 8, 2012 at 5:56 am
tinamcho
Oooh, you just reminded me about designating a special notebook for PiBoIdMo, Laura. Thanks! Looking forward to participating in it with you.
October 8, 2012 at 6:58 pm
Hannah Holt
I’ll also be sad the day my youngest prefers chapter books to picture books. Fortunately I have a few more years. Next month is going to be a lot of fun. I’ll be joining PIBoIdMo, too. I can’t wait.
October 9, 2012 at 12:07 am
tinamcho
Enjoy your picture book days with your kids, Hannah! I’ll see you at PiBoIdMo then.
October 9, 2012 at 6:45 am
Carrie Finison
My son reads chapter books on his own, but will still pick up picture books and read them, and will listen in when I read them to his sister. I do try to pick some that I think have topics that would interest him, and are longer stories.
I agree, Tina, there’s so much to look forward to this fall. It’s very energizing.
October 12, 2012 at 1:20 am
Dianne De Las Casas
Thank you for highlighting Picture Book Month! We are excited about this year’s lineup of Picture Book Month Champions including Kathi Appelt, Doreen Cronin, Chris Raschka, John Rocco, Jon Scieszka, Paul O. Zelinksy and many more luminaries in the field. Picture books are being celebrated around the world. November is Picture Book Month. Read * Share * Celebrate!
Warmly,
Dianne de Las Casas
Founder, Picture Book Month
October 12, 2012 at 1:40 am
tinamcho
Wow, thanks, Diane, for stopping by. I can’t wait to read all the posts celebrating PB Month!
October 15, 2012 at 3:58 am
thepicturebookreview
This is such a great blog! This post alone has been so helpful for me as I learn about blogging and the world of children’s picture books. I had no idea there were things like Picture Book Month. I really appreciate this.
October 15, 2012 at 4:11 am
tinamcho
I’m glad it was of help to you, Tiffa. Do you write picture books as well? I’ve been trying to write them for the last few years.
October 15, 2012 at 4:22 am
thepicturebookreview
Not yet, but who knows? I may one day be inspired. For now, I’m just enjoying reading them to my son and watching his reactions to them. That’s wonderful that you’re writing them!
October 17, 2012 at 5:41 am
Mirka Breen
How wistful I felt when my youngest left picture books behind, so I know how bittersweet it is to watch them ‘move on.’ But then some of them ‘come back’ even before they have kids of their own to read to. I returned to reading and buying selected picture books in my twenties, when the best of them seemed like poetry with good art.
October 17, 2012 at 11:02 pm
tinamcho
Thanks for sharing, Mirka! That’s a great description of pb’s, poetry with good art!