How Many Days until YOUR birthday?

Following the fun and frolic of the holiday season and New Year's gatherings, here's a delightful new picture book with a "birthday launch" to celebrate! I'm especially excited about this one because it is written by a friend and writing buddy, Stef Wade. She's also the author of other books you may know and love, as I do, reviewed HERE, with other great titles previously published and new ones on the way!

Running Press Kids, January, 2023

EVERY DAY'S A HOLIDAY: Winnie's Birthday Countdown is illustrated by Husna Aghniya with colorful, action-packed scenes featuring the very imaginative Winnie and her innovative mom in a romp of lively language and STEM-related possibilities. 

 Winnie’s post-birthday letdown has her asking in the opening line, “How many days ‘til my birthday?” I’m certain Winnie is not the only child who’s felt that way, even with 362 days left to go!

That relatively familiar situation leaves both mom and daughter with the same dilemma, from two different perspectives: how to get through SO. MANY. DAYS! What seems to begin as a creative one-day distraction (Winnie waking to find popcorn for breakfast on National Popcorn Day) diverts her attention only while the jumbo bag of popcorn lasts. Winnie is again dismayed at so many days to wait, and her mom is challenged to continue daily celebration recognitions. When her actual birthday finally returns, the year of alternatives has broadened Winnie’s perspective. This contemporary, realistic picture book incorporates entertainingly age-appropriate content connections to math, calendar skills, significant national holidays, and invites group sharing, discussion of familiar holidays, and pursuit of creative ideas for other holidays.

 

This delightfully entertaining premise is executed with perfect pacing, themed sequences, nicely varied language to sustain novelty at each page turn, and an effective blend of recognizable holidays and important days with surprising (but REAL!) minor ones. 

Wade’s knack for humor and lighthearted dialogue lift a strong offering to even higher levels. Share this with any child who has a birthday (those are easy to find, right?) and join in the fun yourselves. If your particular child(ren) need to wait all the way to or near December for a birthday, start now with those fun alternatives. An abundance of specialty celebration days are just a search-click away, or invent your own! How would YOU celebrate Lost Sock Memorial Day?

Congratulations and happy book birthday, Stef, on another kid-bait picture book that's jam-packed with learning potential!

 

Planetary Picture Books from Stef Wade: Worth the Journey!

 

CAPSTONE EDITIONS, (2019 and 2022)

Author Stef Wade writes all sorts of manuscripts, but her early success in publishing her efforts has been in the picture book realm. MOVING TO MARS is her companion/follow-up title to A PLACE FOR PLUTO. (Place for Pluto is also available in a board book version now!) The publisher for these two titles is an excellent match for the works, since they market strongly to schools and libraries. Wades mix of humor, science, and friendship allow young readers and audiences to empathize with the emotions and expressions of two "rocky" masses.

Wade's text is both direct and wry, combining standard line layouts with speech bubble dialogues Factual content is layered throughout, both in text and illustrations. Speaking of illustrations, these two deserve some closer scrutiny, side-by-side. The original Pluto title was illustrated with that warm mix of humor, science, and friendship by Melanie Demmer, whose style and color choices brought PLUTO to life own the page. 

When MARS was due to make an appearance, Demmer was fully booked with other projects and unavailable for several years. The Capstone folks searched for a different illustrator whose work could capture the style and tones of the original, but not simply "copy". Erin Taylor made the cut on this choice and achieved a challenging goal: a fully compatible book that pairs so well with the first, yet distinct individual elements can be noted by careful observers. I was impressed, and kids will be, too!

A PLACE FOR PLUTO is a lively and lighthearted offering of informational fiction that will tickle funny bones, tug heartstrings, and provide mentor text for voice, wordplay, and other writing craft skills that help STEM and science content "stick". Colorful in images, tone, and emotional arc, kids of many ages will find fun and fresh ideas about planetary study in this new picture book.

MOVING TO MARS continues the magical mix of lined text, speech bubbles, factual references and personified planets with a knack for wordplay and punchy line delivery. It is a winning combination, especially for  our planetary partner to Earth. The idea of shifting from being a loner to becoming a curious and eager host makes a fun plot arc. It also mirrors many kids who might read their own as their preference. With patience and attention (often from a respectful distance) those kids can discover the warm-hearted welcomes they'd like to offer to others. This will be a hit with kids of many ages.

Back matter is presented in equally appealing style. Both the main texts and those added details could well spark further investigation and reading. Highly recommended for classrooms, libraries, families, and space-hungry young readers!

Q & U Call It Quits: Laughable Lessons in Alone Time (and Letter Teams!)

Quill Tree Books/Harper Collins. 2021

 What kind of picture book would you get from two (former) advertising professionals? If the two you choose are author Stef Wade and illustrator Jorge Martin, you get Q & U CALL IT QUITS! 

And you get a picture book that wins on every level. In overall appeal, this is a story of soulmates, a perfect pair, two who are meant for each other. When jealousy and resentment, differing needs, and general misunderstandings develop, real conflict and eventual resolution follow a strong story arc. The fact that these "characters" are actual letter characters only makes the story (and analogy) all the more appealing. 

Wade's word play, strong secondary stories, and ultimate resolve are grin-worthy and provide rich resources for teachers, parents, and kids who want to explore the many ways in which our English alphabet relies on teamwork, flexibility, and careful attention. The very real emotional landscape suits young readers perfectly, ones who struggle with sharing (or making) friendships and setting boundaries without offending.

Martin's illustrations place these dynamic letter folks in a subtle virtual life in which everyday play and problems are confronted with kid-friendly reactions, conveyed through remarkably expressive eyes and line-mouths, activated only by stick arms and a pair of legs each. Using those limited elements, their adept application opens fully-lived lives in this colorful and dynamic world of letters.

The design team deserves my nod of approval for the effective but not overbearing use of color/bold/size font for each letter when being referred to as character, with color-shift-only for letter teams when placed in words, and otherwise not calling attention to specific letters within lines of text. Picture books are meant to be read aloud, but with a close-contact audience who will notice such things, but not be distracted or even fixated. The balance of visual cuing means that young eyes (and ears) will attend to the letter-sound-teamwork within our complex language at a natural and fun level, one that they will want to share with others. 

Wade and Martin are  two highly talented and skilled picture book creators. Both have award-winning books on their resumes. So why would I begin by mentioning their mutual advertising backgrounds? At first, I found it a novelty that they had each, on different continents and unknown to each other, come to their current lives from a similar background. So I did a quick search on principles of advertising and found this: 

(from small business.com/chron)

Text/Copy:  

The copy or text must communicate in clear, concise and focused language. Start with a headline (TITLE!) that grabs the reader’s attention, sparks interest in your product (story/premise!) and conveys your message succinctly. Potential customers (readers!)!have only seconds (of attention) to read your billboard (picture book).

Illustration and Graphic Elements:

"...more attention goes to pictures than words and human models get the most attention ..." 

"...using models that match or appeal to your target audience (readers) to forge an immediate connection between your product/service (picture book) and your potential customer (readers)..." 

So I'm thinking that doing some side study of advertising might strengthen my own picture book writing! In fact, we could all do well to learn, as Q & U finally do, that teaming up and benefiting from collaboration is a great way to operate, to be effective, and to build our strengths. 

In an aside here, I purchased a copy to review, then purchased more to give as gifts. Stef is a friend/writer/Wisconsin SCBWI member, whose career is in early stages. She is a force to follow" @Stef_Wade.  

Another SCBWI member/friend/picture book writer/NYTimesBESTSELLER is Pat Zietlow Miller (@PatZMiller). She retires from her "Business" career with American Family Insurance this week, with twelve (wildly) successful picture books and about a dozen more heading into print in the next few years. She wrote a parting essay that is worth reading. I hope you will, HERE. Like picture books, it is short and powerful. And you'll smile while reading it, remember it, mention it to others, and find ways her message fits into your own lives. Enjoy!