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Every year at Pesach time,
We eat the matzah, we drink the wine.
We ask four questions one by one,
But before the seder’s done…
The moment Afikomen Mambo arrived, my kids fought over it. One look at the bright, happy cover and they knew there was a fun beat inside.
While Christian children have the Easter egg hunt, at Passover our children search for the afikomen, a piece of matzah traditionally broken in half at the beginning of the seder and then hidden for the children to find when the seder is over. The child who finds the afikomen is awarded a prize, and what could be a better prize than Afikomen Mambo?
Now you can hide it in a table,
Hide it in a box,
Underneath the stairway,
Or inside the kitchen clock.
You can put it in your pocket,
Put it under the TV,
But you can’t hide the afikomen from me…
The book by Rabbi Joe Black sports a catchy rhyme and even catchier CD with the mambo song–you can play the music for the kids while they peek under pillows and behind bookcases. The whimsical watercolor illustrations by Linda Prater are bright and cheerful (except for when the characters make faces at the bitter herbs!).
I’m gonna find it, I’m gonna find it,
I’m gonna find it, I’m gonna find,
Gonna find the afikomen!
This is a must-have book for Jewish families with young children. You can begin a Passover tradition with the reading of the book and singing of the Afikomen Mambo song. Kudos to Kar-Ben Publishing for producing delightfully fun books for Jewish holidays.
Another playful book for Passover is The Matzah Man by Naomi Howland.
Hot from the oven I jumped and ran,
So clever and quick, I’m the Matzah Man!
You guessed it–it’s a take-off on the Gingerbread Man with a whole new rhyme scheme and cast of characters. There’s Grandma Tillie and her tender brisket, Auntie Bertha shopping in high heels, Grandpa Solly chopping onions, Miss Axelrod stirring her soup, and you’ll never guess who swaps roles with the tricky fox, finally outsmarting the Matzah Man.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to mambo while I make matzah ball soup.
Happy Passover!
#Kidlit4Japan Auction #49 from Tara Lazar
Description: Tara Lazar will critique two fiction picture books of 800 words or fewer. Preferably prose, but she will crit rhyming manuscripts, too. The critiques do not have to be submitted together and can be claimed at any time. Bid now, write later!
Estimated Value: $100
Auction Begins: Tuesday 3/29 @ 9:00AM EDT
Auction Ends: Friday 4/1 @ 9:00AM EDT
Bio: Tara Lazar is the author of THE MONSTORE (Aladdin/Simon & Schuster 2013) and the creator of PiBoIdMo, Picture Book Idea Month, the picture book writer’s alternative to NaNoWriMo.
If you’re an aspiring picture book author and you watched Celebrity Apprentice last night, you may have some [gross] misconceptions about what it takes to get a picture book published.
- “I know my ABC’s and my 123’s” is not a “genius” rhyme worthy of victory. Send an unimaginative, unoriginal rhyme like that to an editor and you’ll receive a form rejection…if they even bother sending a rejection.
- What the groups presented were first drafts written in a few hours. Do not send a first draft to be considered for publication.
- If a book is conceived by Dionne Warwick and written by Star Jones, by all means, let them take the credit.
- Donald said he’d publish the men’s book. But it will not be published without a lot of revision and editor input, because again, it’s a first draft that relies on simple, common rhymes.
- A picture book based on LaToya and the Jackson family? Do. Not. Go. There.
- “Just be yourself” is not too sophisticated a theme for a picture book–and both teams exhibited this theme, not just the women. (The men’s story was about standing up to bullies, a variant on the “be yourself” message.) Many successful picture books use this theme: Peggy Rathman’s RUBY THE COPYCAT, Audrey Penn’s SASSAFRAS, Kevin Henke’s CHRYSANTHEMUM, Helen Lester’s TACKY THE PENGUIN, Mo Willems’ NAKED MOLE RAT GETS DRESSED. I could go on and on…
There were many opportunities for snarky comments during the show, but here I’m going to focus on the positive:
- Margery Cuyler looked fabulous.
- I caught a glimpse of Pam Calvert’s PRINCESS PEEPERS!
- In this age of pumped-up puckers, Lisa Rinna had a lip REDUCTION.
Writing can be a solitary profession. That’s why you gotta have good writing friends.
When my oldest daughter was a toddler, I met a woman with a little girl and we arranged regular get-togethers for them—and for us. Like me, the woman was a writer.
I had only recently began writing children’s books, and she told me about a friend who had recently moved to New Jersey from Manhattan. This friend had already published a picture book and she suggested putting us in touch.
I hesitated at first. I didn’t want the author to think I was only interested in her friendship for helping me to achieve publication. I didn’t want to be a nuisance or a bother. And, I thought this author would poo-poo all over pathetic, unpublished me.
Wow, I couldn’t have been more wrong!
Interestingly, I don’t remember exactly when Corey Rosen Schwartz and I met, but I do remember it was after a few botched attempts on my part–forgotten dates at a local cafe. When we finally did meet, we clicked immediately. Corey was never snobbish. In fact, she’s got a charming self-deprecating personality.
Corey was indeed instrumental in helping me get my agent and my first picture book contract. I’ll let her tell you how–and how I rubbed her back…well, err, back.
The next part of our story will be on her blog later today!
(Click for a larger version.)
by Ruth Spiro
In 2003, I sold my first picture book manuscript, Lester Fizz, Bubble Gum Artist, as the result of a contact made at the SCBWI Annual Conference. In the five years between the sale and my book’s release in 2008, I had plenty of time to think about innovative ways to promote it. Yes, my marketing plan included the tried-and-true mailings, signings and presentations, but I also wanted to do something a little different. That’s just me.
With a moderate investment of time and money, in 2006 I created my own holiday, “Bubble Gum Day.” Unsure of my publication date at the time, I chose the first Friday in February because aside from Groundhog Day, there’s little else going on. This year, Bubble Gum Day falls on Friday, February 4.
The premise is simple: On Bubble Gum Day, kids pay fifty cents to chew gum at school, with the proceeds used for any project or charity the school chooses. Kids have fun, schools benefit, and my name and book title get valuable publicity.
Six years later, it’s become a fun and effective promotional tool that has increased my visibility as an author and “Bubble Gum Expert.” It has also gained me exposure in both print and broadcast media, including The Washington Post Express, The New York Daily News online and Good Day Sacramento, as well as on radio stations in both large and small markets. This holiday with kid-appeal has been celebrated in countless schools, public libraries, children’s museums and community organizations.
Most importantly, schools and community groups have used Bubble Gum Day to do some wonderful things. One school raised enough money to buy a goat for a village in Africa through Heifer International. Another used their proceeds to purchase snacks, which they sent to soldiers in Iraq. Yet another school collected used books instead of money, and wound up with over one thousand books, which they donated to local women’s shelters.
Frankly, when emails with these stories began appearing in my mailbox, I stopped thinking about the holiday as a promotional tool—it’s become so much bigger than that.
This year, I’ll spend Bubble Gum Day with a group of second and third graders in Oak Brook, IL. The money they collect will go to Reading is Fundamental. They don’t know this, but I plan to chew lots of bubble gum too, for which I’ll also make the required donation!
Then, as in past years, I’ll eagerly anticipate the emails, photos and packages of letters I’ll receive over the coming weeks, as schools tally up their proceeds and continue to make Bubble Gum Day a sweet success!
Win a signed copy of Lester Fizz and a bubble gum prize pack! Send a photo of your most creative bubble gum bubble—in a group (like your class), individually, or like one of Lester’s unique bubbles. Email photos to bubblegumday@gmail.com with the sujbect line “Tara Lazar contest” by February 7th. Ruth will select a winner and some bubble photos will be featured here. Good luck!
Ruth Spiro is the author of Lester Fizz, Bubble-Gum Artist, published by Dutton. Her essays and articles have appeared in FamilyFun, The Writer and Woman’s World, as well as The Right Words at the Right Time: Your Turn, edited by Marlo Thomas, and several Chicken Soup for the Soul titles. She frequently speaks at schools and conferences. Visit her online at www.ruthspiro.com. Learn more about Bubble Gum Day at www.bubblegumday.com.
Do you have a love/hate relationship with bedtime? It’s a cozy time to snuggle and read a book with the kids, but it’s also when they refuse to settle down to sleep. Mom, can I sleep in your bed? Dad, can I have a glass of water? Could you fluff my pillow? Can we read one more book? Please? Five more minutes? Pretty please with sugar on top?
Ey yi yi. It’s enough to drive any mama hen wild! And it does in Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen’s new picture book, Chicks Run Wild.
In her Coop Sweet Coop, Mama has five chicks to put to bed. She tucks them in, gives them each a peck goodnight, but when she closes the door, they leap out of bed and cause a riotous ruckus. Feathers fly and Mama’s patience wears thin.
At first Mama scolds her chicks, but when she realizes her little ones are not ready for dreamland, she does something unexpected. Chicks Run Wild lets both parents and kids know it’s okay to break the rules every once in a while.
With a bright and cheery color palate, Ward Jenkins creates an adorable brood of five chicks with distinct personalities. One chick always has one eye opened, awaiting Mama’s departure. And there’s other fun details, like a spoof of the Beatles’ album cover Abbey Road, and Mama’s favorite read, Gone with the Wing. Sudipta’s jaunty rhyme makes you want to get up and shake your tail feathers with the family.
Bedtime is going to be a lot more fun with Chicks Run Wild. When your kids ask to read one more book, you’ll happily pick this one.
Want it? Sure you do!Chicks Run Wild
Story by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen
Illustrations by Ward Jenkins
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
January 2011
Given the monsterly badges for PiBoIdMo, maybe you had a hunch…
Children’s: Picture book
James Burks’s illustrations for author Tara Lazar’s THE MONSTORE, to Emily Lawrence and Alyson Heller at Aladdin, in a nice deal, by Kelly Sonnack at Andrea Brown Literary Agency.
I’m thrilled to have James working on THE MONSTORE! Seeing the characters come alive is going to be fun. There’s Zack, his pesky little sister Gracie, the Monstore manager, and Manfred, Mookie and Mojo. (Geesh, how did I fit all those characters into 600 words?!) Hopefully I get permission to share some in-progress work.
While everyone’s a winner for having 30+ ideas to work on, these are the final prize winners.
Christine Poreba wins the silver “write” bracelet donated by writer and artist Laura Hamor.
Michelle Dennis Evans wins the “Anne of Green Gables” book club pendant donated by Heather Powers of Humblebeads.
Tricia Idrobo wins a mix & match 10-pack of artist Christina Peressini’s inventive die-cut greeting cards.
Cristy Burne and Corey Rosen Schwartz each win a custom-designed PiBoIdMo mug featuring the winner badge by James Burks and “I participated in Picture Book Idea Month and all I got was this lousy mug (and 30 great ideas).”
Congratulations, everyone!
Now please stay tuned for two great events coming in 2011: The Parent & Child Reading Challenge and the Debut Picture Book Author Showcase.
And I’ll see you for PiBoIdMo 2011 in November!
Stay inspired all year long with the “write” bracelet, donated by writer and artist Laura Hamor.Heather Powers has donated her “Anne of Green Gables” book club pendant. Check out her Etsy store Humblebeads for more lovely nature- and literary-inspired wares.
Greeting Cards
Artist Christina Peressini’s inventive die-cut greeting cards have also been donated. The winner chooses a mix & match 10-pack from her original designs, like the “Wishing You Peace” card.
And, there might be some extra-special stuff added as the month progresses, so stay tuned.
The following picture books were donated by editor Alyson Heller and her colleagues at Simon & Schuster.
Linda Kulp wins FAIRLY FAIRY TALES
Diana of Circle Stables wins SQUARE CAT
Tanya Finestone wins PRESENTING…TALLULAH!
Angela Peña Dahle wins CHRISTMAS SWEATER
Lichen Frank wins DINOSAURS LOVE UNDERPANTS
Amanda Banks wins MONSTER PRINCESS
Diana Murray wins I LOVE VACATIONS
Mindy Alyse Weiss wins LET’S COUNT GOATS!
Kimberly Lynn wins LOUISE THE BIG CHEESE
Romelle Broas wins THE BOSS BABY
Congratulations and happy reading, everyone! Please check your email for a message from me. (Be sure to check your spam filter.)
Next up, the jewelry and greeting cards!
Writing for Kids (While Raising Them) 