What's the latest in PBs?

[Newguy1428]

Hi, I haven't seen any action here in days. I think everyone is mulling the the idea of publishing their own work after meeting Landon Parks in a previous thread. I came up with an idea for my website myself. That's off to the powers that be.

So, what's the latest in PBs? I discovered Moon Powder by John Rocco (new to me) and I am off in a new direction, illustration-wise.

[MsJudy]

I think everyone is mulling the the idea of publishing their own work after meeting Landon Parks in a previous thread.

Really? What makes you say that?

[stormie]

Hi, I haven't seen any action here in days. I think everyone is mulling the the idea of publishing their own work after meeting Landon Parks in a previous thread. Sometimes certain forums are quiet for awhile. It happens. And I don't think everyone is thinking about pubbing their own work. Probably most aren't, in fact.
So, what's the latest in PBs? I discovered Moon Powder by John Rocco (new to me) and I am off in a new direction, illustration-wise.It's good you know what direction you're going in. And as for the latest in PBs, what's popular now might not be popular when an accepted ms. goes to press.

[Hillary]

So, what's the latest in PBs?

I'll let you know. :)

I'll be reading a few hundred soon for, ah, one reason or another...

So far, only about 10 or so have been read.

The "best" stuff so far?

The self-published ones. Oh. Dear. God. THEY ARE INDESCRIBABLY TERRIBLE.

Truly, I nearly wet my pants laughing at how bad they are. Some are borderline terrifying.

*shakes head*

Anyway, I'm pretty stoked to get to read them all when they all show up. I'm sure there will be some brilliance in there.

ETA: Well, Edited to Subtract, really. Apparently I wasn't supposed to TELL any of that. I just figured, since self-published books arrived, everyone must know, right? No, turns out they go to the committee first. Oops!

[Newguy1428]

Hi Hillary. Congratulations to your mom! Please keep us posted.

[CammyMayHunny]

PBs?

[stormie]

PB=picture book
MG=middle grade book
YA=young adult book

[CammyMayHunny]

Ahhhh, thank you. I had the MG thing wrong, too.

[stormie]

I have a friend who illustrates PBs for HoughtonMifflin, etc, yet didn't know what MG or YA was. :) You aren't the only one!

[CammyMayHunny]

I always preferred the XKE. myself.
h

[Hillary]

I will share a self-published ATROCITY. So that everyone can feel better about their own writing.

First of all, the cover...

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51ox34SRDhL._SL500_AA240_.jpg

DOES that remind anyone of any other picture books?! ANY AT ALL?!!?!?!

*coughs*

Seriously, if that's not essentially the Green Eggs and Ham dude transplanted on the cover of Oh The Places You'll Go! I will eat my hat.

Worse is the text of the book. It's HORRIFYING to the point of hilarity. (For the record, the book is attempting to teach kids about good nutrition.) But you should see how it's done... Nothing like cramming a message down kids' throats WHILE treating them like they have the mental capacity of oxygen-deprived turtles. That SICKENS me. Also, it's just plain wrong a lot of times. For instance, the "J" rhyme is about juice. Okay, fine, whatever. But it says something like "enjoy this in moderation, mix it with water for a taste sensation!"

No. Just no. In fact, die. And while you're at it, DIE AGAIN.

You don't water down a drink to get a "taste sensation." It DILUTES the taste, numbnuts. And no kid is going to be fooled by that and I HATE YOU AND I HOPE YOU DIE FOR TALKING TO CHILDREN LIKE THEY ARE STUPID.

*hyperventilates*

Not to mention, the first rhyme in there is about apples. And, I kid you not, the rhyme ends with something like "should eat one everyday."

One word.

"Everyday."

Seriously.

NO, SERIOUSLY. Just like that, ONE frickin' word.

I about vomited on the book.

Which, when I think about it, may have improved it greatly.

[Newguy1428]

Alright Hilary, there's a lot of slush out here. Anything good?

[Hillary]

Alright Hilary, there's a lot of slush out here. Anything good?

Heh. Now that the venting is over...

I haven't seen any GENIUS, that's for sure.

14 Cows for America, however, definitely gets points for purity, simplicity, and honesty... And for making me cry like a baby. :) It's a pretty book to look at too, but this is about the text. I liked that one.

[Leila]

Believe it or not I've seen a lot worse, thanks to work. You don't want to know ;)

Anyway! Awesome new picture books!

Wow! Said the Owl, by Tim Hopgood. Striking and colourful, and a great way for toddlers to learn their colours. And Hello Baby by Mem Fox is another recent book which is really good for littlies. Simple and very effective.

For a bit older, Margaret Wild has a new book out called Going Home, about a boy in hospital. The hospital is next door to the zoo, and to keep himself entertained while he waits for the day when he can return home he goes on imaginary adventures with all the different animals in their original homelands. Margaret Wild is a consistantly wonderful writer in so many ways. Her books and characters often have an intriguing sense of melancholy, and a depth which stands up to many, many readings. She uses such a small number of words to say a thousand things. I love the way that the idea of the home which the boy will eventually return to contrasts with the idea of the animals' native habitats which they will never return to. And her portrayal of the kids in hospital is very poignant too.

And Colin Thompson has a new book out, Free to a Good Home. It's about two kids from a rather strange family, who one day bring home a little old lady the same way other kids might bring home a stray kitten. Odd, charming, and very funny. And worth it for the cake illustration alone :)

[Hillary]

Believe it or not I've seen a lot worse, thanks to work. You don't want to know ;)

Anyway! Awesome new picture books!

Wow! Said the Owl, by Tim Hopgood. Striking and colourful, and a great way for toddlers to learn their colours. And Hello Baby by Mem Fox is another recent book which is really good for littlies. Simple and very effective.

For a bit older, Margaret Wild has a new book out called Going Home, about a boy in hospital. The hospital is next door to the zoo, and to keep himself entertained while he waits for the day when he can return home he goes on imaginary adventures with all the different animals in their original homelands. Margaret Wild is a consistantly wonderful writer in so many ways. Her books and characters often have an intriguing sense of melancholy, and a depth which stands up to many, many readings. She uses such a small number of words to say a thousand things. I love the way that the idea of the home which the boy will eventually return to contrasts with the idea of the animals' native habitats which they will never return to. And her portrayal of the kids in hospital is very poignant too.

And Colin Thompson has a new book out, Free to a Good Home. It's about two kids from a rather strange family, who one day bring home a little old lady the same way other kids might bring home a stray kitten. Odd, charming, and very funny. And worth it for the cake illustration alone :)

Ooooo, I'll be curious to see if any of those come in as candidates!

So far I think just Peachtree and the Lerner Publishing Group have sent their selections for consideration. But the mailing deadline isn't for another four months so I figure the bigger houses may wait a while.

[MsJudy]

Today I read CHICKA CHICKA BOOM BOOM to my first-graders. I read it every year, and every year I am amazed at how fabulous it is. The rhythm of it - there's something to the sound that just makes kids laugh. I'd love to see more PBs with that magical a use of language.

[Timothy]

Mock Caldecott Awards are held by many public libraries. They can help you discover many well written and illustrated PB's.

Try these websites.

http://www.evpl.org/kids/caldecott/caldecott10.aspx

http://www.ashland.edu/library/irc/caldecott.html

http://www.westchesterlibraryassociation.org/MockCaldecott.html

http://www.kpl.gov/books/lists/caldecott-contenders.aspx

And the real thing:
http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/caldecottmedal/caldecottmedal.cfm

[Leila]

Today I read CHICKA CHICKA BOOM BOOM to my first-graders. I read it every year, and every year I am amazed at how fabulous it is. The rhythm of it - there's something to the sound that just makes kids laugh. I'd love to see more PBs with that magical a use of language.

Margaret Mahy has some brillant PBs in rhyme. Try Down the Back of the Chair and Bubble Trouble. The way she uses language is completely and utterly wonderful. She's the writer who made me want to be a writer.

[RoseColoredSkies]

Just have to add that I LOVED Chicka Chicka Boom Boom as a kid. I still have it at my parents house. It's just so damn adorable!

[stormie]

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom was always a favorite of pre-schoolers and primary grade kids. I even loved to read it to them. A lot of fun.

[abctriplets]

In my household the latest PB sensations are "Caps for Sale," "The Foot Book," and "Because a Bug Went Kachoo." I swear I read these at least three times each day...

[Kitty Pryde]

I freaking love this book called "Skippyjon Jones". There's a series but I've only read the first. Reading it aloud is a ridiculous amount of fun. It's about a cat who's superhero secret identity is a crime-fighting chihuahua named Skippito Friskito, who has to defeat Alfredo Buzzito, el blimpo bumblebeeto bandito. Say that aloud and tell me it doesn't make you smile. Anyways, great adventure, great art, great semi-rhyming text, and a sweet story about identity and imagination and such.

[MsJudy]

SKIPPYJON RULES!!! the second book is not nearly as good, the third is decent, but the first one is FABULOUS! Big hit with first graders, especially out in my neck of the woods where most of the folks are bilingual.

[LovetoWrite]

Worse is the text of the book. It's HORRIFYING to the point of hilarity. (For the record, the book is attempting to teach kids about good nutrition.) But you should see how it's done... Nothing like cramming a message down kids' throats WHILE treating them like they have the mental capacity of oxygen-deprived turtles. That SICKENS me. Also, it's just plain wrong a lot of times. For instance, the "J" rhyme is about juice. Okay, fine, whatever. But it says something like "enjoy this in moderation, mix it with water for a taste sensation!"

The information about this book took me by surprise. Not that I think it is bad or good, because I did not read it. I believe Hillary knows a good children's book when she reads it, and that is enough for me.

What drew me to the information was the fact it is a book about nutrition and the reference to juice. My daughter has several medical problems and regularly sees a Gastroenterologist, as well as a Nutritionist. They said the same thing about juice. To this day they still say it about juice. I had to dilute the juice with 50% water and over one years time 90% water and 10% juice. I thought it was beyond silly, but on a nutrition level this is what they want to see.

I agree with Hillary - What taste??? Yuk!!!

They assured me after awhile she would become so use to the water and juice flavor, she wouldn't see it as bland. They were right. Today she gulps it down like it was soda. No complaints.

Anyways, if another book was written for nutrition and done much, much better then what was shown, I have to say I wouldn't bat an eye at the juice and water mix. IMHO