Monthly Archives: August 2019

7 Books for Kids to Read on Labor Day

Okay, full disclosure. I haven’t read every book on this list so I’ve put an asterisk next to the ones I have read.

#1 The Berenstain Bears Jobs Around Town *

Title: The Berenstain Bears Jobs Around Town
Written & Illustrated by Stan & Jan Berenstain
Publisher’s Synopsis: Searching for the perfect job, the Bear siblings learn to celebrate the many talents of others and begin to imagine where their own God-given gifts will take them as they grow.
Recommended Ages: 4 – 8 years
Published: Zonderkidz (March 5, 2011)

Find a Copy: Indiebound | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | WorldCat

#2 Curious George and the Firefighters *

Title: Curious George and the Firefighters
Written & Illustrated by Margret & H. A. Rey
Publisher’s Synopsis: Curious George and the Firefighters is a story based on H. A. and Margret Rey’s popular primate and painted in the original watercolor and charcoal style. Firefighters are a famously brave lot, but can they withstand a visit from one curious monkey? 
Recommended Ages: 4-7 years
Published: HMH Books for Young Readers (August 30, 2004)

Find a Copy: Indiebound | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | WorldCat

#3 A Labor Day Hooray

Title: A Labor Day Hooray
Written by Dee Smith
Publisher’s Synopsis: “It’s on the first Monday of every September.” “It’s a day for workers to relax.” “This day is fun to remember.” Labor Day is here! A dog invites children to celebrate with him. He explains what Labor Day means to him and why we should all celebrate. This book features a fun look at an illustrated dog character performing some important common jobs.
Recommended Ages: 5 – 6 years
Published: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (July 4, 2016)

Find a Copy: Indiebound | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | WorldCat

#4 Roadwork

Title: Roadwork
Written by Sally Sutton
Illustrated by Brian Lovelock
Publisher’s Synopsis: There are many big machines and busy people involved in building a road, and this riveting board book follows them every step of the way. From clearing a pathway (screek!) to rolling the tar (squelch!) to sweeping up at the end (swish!), Roadwork is sure to delight young truck-lovers with its rambunctious rhymes and noisy fun.
Recommended Ages: 2 – 5 years
Published: Candlewick (January 11, 2011)

Find a Copy: Indiebound | Amazon | Barnes and Noble| WorldCat

#5 When I Grow Up*

Title: When I Grow Up
Written by Mercer Mayer
Illustrated by Mercer Mayer
Publisher’s Synopsis Mercer Mayer’s Little Critter is thinking about all of the fun things he can do when he grows up in this classic, funny, and heartwarming book. Whether he’s spending his allowance on whatever he wants, making important phone calls, or staying up late, both parents and children alike will relate to this beloved story. A perfect way to celebrate growing up!
Recommended Ages: 2-5 years
Published: Random House Books for Young Readers (June 10, 2003)

Find a Copy: Indiebound | Amazon| Barnes and Noble| WorldCat

#6 Sam Who Never Forgets

Title: Sam Who Never Forgets
Written by Eve Rice
Illustrated by Eve Rice
Publisher’s Synopsis Could Sam the zookeeper have forgotten to feed Elephant, the other zoo animals wonder.
Recommended Ages: 4-8 years
Published: Greenwillow Books (September 23, 1987)

Find a Copy: Indiebound | Amazon| Barnes and Noble| WorldCat

#7 Who Started the Labor Day Celebration?

Title: Who Started the Labor Day Celebration?
Written by Baby Professor
Publisher’s Synopsis What is the Labor Day and who started it? Like all other celebration, the Labor Day has deep historic roots. This book will give you the juicy details that led to the celebrated annual holiday. Don’t settle with just the knowledge that today is Labor Day. Dig deeper and explain to your child further. That’s the way to unlimited knowledge. Begin today!
Published: Baby Professor (December 1, 2007)

Find a Copy: Indiebound | Amazon| Barnes and Noble| WorldCat

Cave Baby Book Review

Title: Cave Baby
Written by Julia Donaldson
Illustrated by Emily Gravett
Recommended Ages: 3-5 years
Published: Macmillan Children’s Books (May 6, 2011)

This is a cute story about a cave baby and the difference a response & encouragement can make.

The cave baby is full of curiosity and creativity leading to a bunch of paint scribbles on the wall, but cave mum and cave dad are not impressed. They tell cave baby that the big brown bear will eat him and now he is afraid. Late in the night a mammoth comes into the baby’s cave and the baby is worried he will be taken to the big brown bear.

Instead, the mammoth takes him to his own cave where the baby can freely express his imagination with paint. Afterward, the mammoth and the rest of the mammoth family are impressed with cave baby’s wall scribbles. At the end, the baby is back in his cave happy dreaming of his masterpiece in the mammoth cave. This story written by Julia Donaldson of the Gruffalo has the same charming rhyming and delightful repetition. Emily Gravett’s illustrations make you feel like you are in a cave with this mischievous baby.

Find a Copy: Indiebound | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | WorldCat

Pecan Pie Baby Book Review

Cover of the children's picture book Pecan Pie Baby to go with review

Title: Pecan Pie Baby
Written by
Jacqueline Woodson
Illustrated by Sophie Blackall
Recommended Ages: 5-8 years
Published: Puffin Books (October 17, 2013)

Pecan Pie Baby is a fun read with a sweet story — there is pie involved! This story is written in such a cute way that it literally made me smile the entire time I was reading it.

It has great pacing and repetition about the “ding-dang baby” which is what Gia keeps referring to the baby as. This coupled with the adorable illustrations will leave you with a smile on your face too. This book by Jacqueline Woodson and illustrated by Sophie Blackall follows Gia and her Mama as they prepare for a new baby. It’s a story of a little girl who is uncertain of what the baby is going to bring to her family dynamic with her Mama. After all, everyone is already making such a big deal about the new baby and it hasn’t even been born yet. It’s a great read for children who are having similar feelings of hesitation about a new baby on the way. In the story Gia doesn’t want to save clothes for the new baby, worries that the baby will displace her sleepover friend and hopes there won’t be any snow for the year since Mama says the baby will probably arrive by the first snow.

Gia and her Mama share a love of pecan pie and Gia thinks the baby is a copycat when Mama says the baby loves pecan pie too! But at the end of the story Gia understands that the baby will change things, but it will still be okay.

Find a Copy: Indiebound | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | WorldCat

Hello & Welcome to My New Blog about Writing for Children

I have always been a picture book lover. In fact, I still have many of the picture books from my own childhood — some of which I will be sharing on here. I began my journey to writing picture books as I imagine many people do — completely unsure of how to proceed. I’ve decided to start sharing the journey of finishing up my first picture book and going from a children’s book writer to a published children’s book author.

Along the way I’ll be sharing updates on my own picture book writing journey as well as children’s picture book reviews for stories both old and new, possibly reading an old picture book from time to time on YouTube (maybe), cool information about children’s books, their authors and illustrators, and various other kid lit related randomness.

I hope you’ll follow along and hopefully find something interesting to you along the way. If you have a children’s book blog, please comment with the link so I can follow you too!