I had the honor of being commissioned by Author Susanna Leonard Hill to create the email header for her new writing course,”Making Picture Book Magic“. If you have always wanted to write a picture book, or wanted to learn more about creating one, then sign up today for this very affordable four week course. Each day, for four weeks you will receive a lesson in your inbox. Most lessons only take 15-20 minutes, so this is a perfect course for the busy schedule. To learn more, please visit Susanna’s website. But, hurry, the course starts Feb 1!

Home Tweet Home Blank Greeting Card by loniedwards

My new Zazzle greeting card, “Home Tweet Home” was featured today on the blog, Inspiring Gifts. Please visit Inspiring Gifts to view the article. To see my “Home Tweet Home” card as well my other line of greeting cards, please visit my Zazzle shop. I am planning on adding more cards this week so please check back.

This week for Perfect Picture Book Fridays I chose the book Over in the Arctic: Where the Cold Wind Blows by Marianne Berkes and illustrated by Jill Dubin.

Title:  Over in the Arctic- Where The Cold Wind Blows

Author:  Marianne Berkes

Illustrated:  Jill Dubin

Publisher: Dawn Publications 2008

Ages: 3 and up

Themes:  Nature, Animals, Counting

Publishers summary:  A counting book in rhyme presents various Arctic animals and their offspring, from a mother polar bear and her “little cub one” to an old father wolf and his “little pups ten”. Includes related facts and activities.

Opening/Synopsis:

Over in the Arctic

Where the cold waters run,

Lived a mother polar bear

And her little cub one.

“Roll,” said the mother.

“I roll,” said the one.

So they rolled on the ice

Where the cold waters run.

Awards:

Winner of the 2009 Mom’s Choice Gold Award
2009 ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year Award Finalist
Winner of the 2008 IParenting Media Greatest Product Award

Activities:

There are quite a few ideas and activities in the back of the book! It was really neat to see a publisher take the time and space to add activities from both the author and illustrator. There also is a sheet of music to use along with the book.

The Alaska Sea Life Center offers a .pdf curriculum download of the life cycle of Salmon

This book would be great for an art or music lesson.

What I liked about this book:  I loved the familiar rhyme of this book (“Over in the meadow”). I enjoyed how the author used the terms for each of the young animals. This would be helpful when teaching children about animal family groups and basic counting. The artwork was created in collage format that was fun and interesting. Each page will captivate a child when reading aloud. I love picture books that are both entertaining and educational. They make a great resource for engaging a child in learning.

Here is a video of “Cookie” the little penguin at the Cincinnati Zoo. Isn’t Cookie adorable?

Perfect Picture Book Fridays are a weekly blog event where participants review some of their favorite picture books. The posts are compiled on author Susanna Leonard Hill’s website. They are categorized by theme to help parents, educators and readers find the perfect picture book easily. To learn more, please visit Susanna’s site where you will find the complete PPBF’s library.

This week’s Illustration Friday prompt is “Snow”

Please click on image to see it larger

We are now reaching the end of 2012 which also means the end of 12×12 in 2012. The challenge was to finish 12 first drafts in 12 months (one MS a month). I am happy to report that I now have 12 full picture book first drafts.

For me, this was quite an accomplishment. I faced many personal challenges this past year. Yet, I still was able to complete this challenge. I know that some will never see anyone’s eyes but my own, but a few do have potential with rewrites and critiques.

I thank Julie Hedlund for creating 12×12 and sharing it with all of us. Congrats to my fellow participants!!!

Happy Dance!!!

I have added new art in my Imagekind store. I will also be adding new products to my Zazzle store this week.

Christmas Moose Happy Holidays Card by loniedwards
Design your own card at Zazzle

For  my sister’s birthday on the 10th. She loves dolphins   Happy Birthday, Patti!

Hello everyone! The Fall term of college is over, and I now have some time to do some Perfect Picture Book reviews! Yay! To view more of today’s PPBF’s, please visit author (and founder of PPBF) Susanna Leonard Hill’s blog.

Title: When Dinosaurs Came With Everything
Author: Elise Broach
Illustrator: David Small
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers (Simon & Schuster). (2007)
Ages: 3 and Up
Themes: Adventure, Animals, Cause & Effect, Cleaning Up, Conflict Resolution, Consequences, Dinosaurs, Family, Fantasy, Fun, Humor, Imagination, Parenting, Perspective, Problem Solving, Positivity
Opening/Synopsis:
Friday is errand day. My mom goes on boring errands, and I have to go with her. And this Friday seemed like every other Friday…until we got to the bakery. A sign above the donuts read: “Buy a Dozen Get a Dinosaur”.

Inside book jacket:  Get what?! Free what?! Dinosaurs? Just when a little boy thinks he is going to die of boeredom from running errands with his mom, the most remarkable, the most stupendous thing happens. He discovers that on this day, and this day only, stores everywhere are giving away a very special treat with any purchase. No, not the usual lollipop or sticker. Something bigger. Much, MUCH bigger. It’s a dream come true, except…what exactly do you do with these Jurassic treats? And how do you convince Mom to let you keep them?

Reviews:

“Broach and Caldecott Medalist Small’s deadpan delivery of a delectably over-the-top premise makes this tall-format picture book a virtually guaranteed crowd pleaser… Packs an outsize helping of humor.”
– Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

“What if one day every merchant in town offered up, and indeed, insisted that shoppers take home a live dinosaur (free) with every purchase? That’s what happens to a boy and his mother in this sweet, absurd story that unfolds very much like a dream.”
– Kirkus, Starred Review

“Enticing, useful, and wish-fulfilling, this has ‘firm favorite’ written all over it, especially if you invite the audience to bring their own, presumably toy, dinosaurs.”
– Bulletin for the Center of Children’s Books, Starred Review

Activities:

Printable Coloring Sheets from Simon & Schuster

Dinosaur Quiz

Lesson Plans for Grades K-5 at Discovery.com

Videos from National Geographic Dinosaur 101

Awards this book has won:

• TIME MAGAZINE, #1 CHILDREN’S BOOK OF 2007
• AN ALA NOTABLE BOOK
• E.B. WHITE READ ALOUD AWARD, ASSOCIATION OF BOOKSELLERS FOR CHILDREN
• A JUNIOR LIBRARY GUILD SELECTION, 2007

What I liked about this book:  I liked how this book started ordinary, then took a turn for the unusual! I liked how it was told from a kids perspective. The book also had a theme of turning a negative into a positive concerning the Mom’s attitude about pet dinosaurs. The illustrations were lively and fun. This book won the E.B. White Read Aloud Award and I can see why. Each turn of the page offers more craziness as kids everywhere on that day, and that day only get dinosaurs!

Geena Davis read this book at the White House Easter Egg Roll in 2011:

Perfect Picture Book Fridays are a weekly blog event where participants review some of their favorite picture books. The posts are compiled on author Susanna Leonard Hill’s website. They are categorized by theme to help parents, educators and readers find the perfect picture book easily. To learn more, please visit Susanna’s site where you will find the complete PPBF’s library.

Today is the last day of November and I am happy to report that I finished PiBoIdMo with over 30 ideas. I also finished SkADaMo with 30 sketches. While some of the ideas and sketches are very promising, others were just good for the creative exercise. Many of my sketches were based off of my PiBo ideas. This one in particular is from an idea I had early this morning:

Another great thing that happened out of PiBoIdMo was I was able to do my MS for 12×12 from one of my ideas!

I hope I do as well on my finals coming up  as I did in the creativity department for November! Congrats to my fellow participants!

This is Jack. He is my in-laws little dog. We love him so much! What a little character he is. I decided to draw him for my Father-In-Law’s birthday

Happy Birthday, Bob!

Since I am late to the challenge, I decided I would post this sketch I did today as the 1st week. I have a few others that I did, but this is the only one worthy enough for publication   I also started PiBoIdMo last week. One of the story ideas I came up with involved a raccoon who was on the well…plump side. Here is my sketch of him.

I’ve been wanting to get into a routine of sketching more, so when I saw a post on Linda Sylvestri’s blog about her challenge: Sketch A Day Month for the Month of November, I decided to do it. I will be posting my sketches from time to time. I am not sure how much time I will have to post every day, but I will at least post at the end of the week my favorites.

I am adding the book, The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush retold and illustrated by Tomie de Paola to the Perfect Picture Book Fridays List.

Title: The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush

Author/Illustrator: Tomie de Paola

Publisher: Puffin 1996

Ages: 4 and Up

Themes: Be Yourself, Special Talents, Self-Esteem/Self-Worth, Self-Acceptance, Nature, History

Opening/Synopsis:

“Many years ago when the People traveled the Plains and lived in a circle of teepees, there was a boy who was smaller than the rest of the children in the tribe. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t keep up with the other boys who were always riding, running, shooting their bows, and wrestling to prove their strength. Sometimes his mother and father worried for him.”

This folk tale is a retold legend of how the wildflower, The Indian Paintbrush, came to be on the plains of North America. It is the tale of a Native American boy, Little Gopher, who is small and longs to be a warrior. His path leads different than others however. Little Gopher has a Dream Vision in which he is told to paint on buckskin the deeds of the warriors and the legends of the tribe. He longs to be a great hero to the tribe, and eventually he succeeds, but not in the way of the warrior as he thought.

The colorful illustrations accentuate the authenticity of a tale that encourages children to follow a different drummer. – Children’s Book Review Service.

The humanity expressed in this story illustrates the value of perseverance and of the endurance of effort that will bring its reward – School Library Journal (starred review).

Activities:

The Nebraska DOT has a roadside wildflower guide to download if you plan on traveling through the plains states.

Pinterest has a Wildflowers board of the Midwest

Here is what an Indian Paintbrush plant looks like

The US Forest Service has some coloring pages for wildflowers

Classroom/Home activity:  Discover what native wildflowers are located in the child’s own state. Pick one flower to research. Draw a picture of the flower.

Why I like this book: 

This book touched my heart because it is about a child who is different from everyone else around them. It is how this child overcame adversity to walk their own path in life. Tomie de Paola is one of my favorite author & illustrators who has a way of telling a complex story in a way that children can understand. His illustrations are delightful and fun, making the book even more engaging to children. Tomie writes at the end of the book that he is retelling this legend that was first published in 1965 in an article for Austin American-Statesman by Ruth D. Isley. It is now collected in the book, Texas Wildflowers, Stories and Legends.

Perfect Picture Book Fridays are a weekly blog event where participants review some of their favorite picture books. The posts are compiled on author Susanna Leonard Hill’s website. They are categorized by theme to help parents, educators and readers find the perfect picture book easily. To learn more, please visit Susanna’s site where you will find the complete PPBF’s library.

*November is Picture Book Month!  Read *Share *Celebrate!

Author Susanna Leonard Hill is having a short story contest on her blog today. The Halloweensie Contest rules are to write a short story of 100 words or less using the three words: witch, trick or treat and bat. Here is my entry:

Boo by Loni Edwards

Boo the cat went into the kitchen. The witch was singing, “It’s Halloween, the time is right – For all witches to give a good fright!” The witch put a bat wing into the stew she was brewing. “Tonight is special, Boo. It is your one hundredth time riding with me.” Boo loved to ride the witch’s broom. Flying through the air, feeling the wind on his fur. The witch tied something onto his head. He looked at his reflection. It was a witch hat! “Now let’s go scare some trick or treaters!” Boo purred.

To read more entries, please head over to Susanna’s blog. As for me, I’m off to a local cemetery  to play a seeking game. Creepy fun

Happy Halloween!

November is a busy month for literacy, with NaNoWriMo and PiBoIdMo both going on. Something else that is happening is Picture Book Month. Here is what their site about page reads:

Picture Book Month is an international literacy initiative that celebrates the print picture book during the month of November.

Founder, Dianne de Las Casas (author & storyteller) storyconnection.net, and Co-Founders, Katie Davis (author/illustrator) katiedavis.com, Elizabeth O. Dulemba (author/illustrator) www.dulemba.com, Tara Lazar (author) taralazar.wordpress.com, and Wendy Martin (author/illustrator) wendymartinillustration.com, put together their worldwide connections to make this happen.

Every day in November, there is a new post from a picture book champion explaining why he/she thinks picture books are important.

Come join me as an ambassador to celebrate the print picture book for the month of November!

Read *Share *Celebrate!

The sign up has opened up for PiBoIdMo this year on Tara’s blog. There are already 400 participants! Awesome!

For those that don’t know, Picture Book Idea Month (PiBoIdMo) was started in 2009 by children’s author, Tara Lazar, on her blog “Writing for Kids (While Raising Them)“. Every year there have been more and more participants. The guest bloggers every day help to fuel that creativity and inspire ideas. If you like to write for kids or maybe have always wanted to, now is your time to get doing it! One idea a day for the month of November. What are you waiting for? Sign up and join me!

I have closed my store on Red Bubble and will now be selling my prints on Imagekind.com. Check out my artwork for sale here

You can save 25% off of your order using the code: SCIFI25

Today only, 10/9/2012, Amazon is selling Sketchbook Pro 6 for $28.99. That is over 50% off! I have Sketchbook Pro 2011 and love it! If you already own 2011, there is an upgrade, though it looks like it is not on sale. If I find a sale link, I will let you know.

Check out the software at Amazon. It is very user friendly and easy to figure out!

Here’s a little doodle I did on an upcoming project.

The library was the only place where Morton could read his textbook in peace.

This is my second week of the Fall term at college. I have been very busy with classes, but I was able to find some time to do an interview with author, Joanna Marple.  Check it out here!

I was commissioned by author Susanna Hill to rework the Summer Short & Sweets web badge into one for her Fall event, Short & Sweets. Here is the badge I created using the same template as the summer version:

If you would like to learn more about Short & Sweets, please visit Susanna’s site !

Here is another small drawing I did for a new “top secret” project. This little giraffe is zipping right along on his new motorcycle. I wonder where he is going?

Hooray! It’s Fall and time for the weekly blog event Perfect Picture Book Fridays! Each week, author Susanna Hill hosts the event on her blog. To view more of the reviews of wonderful picture books, please go there! This week I am reviewing a fun classic, Petunia by Roger Duvoisin:

Title: Petunia

Author/Illustrator: Roger Duvoisin (1950 Alfred A. Knopf)

Suitable for ages: 4 and up

Themes: Affecting others, animals, cause and effect, confidence, reading

Opening/Synopsis:

In the meadow, early one morning, Petunia, the silly goose, went strolling.

She ate a bug here, clipped off a clover leaf there, and she picked at the dewdrops on the goldenrod leaves.

Then, suddenly, she saw something she had never seen before in the meadow, what was it?

This is the opening of a calamity of errors in which a farm goose finds a book and thinks that holding it will make her wiser. The farm animals start to believe it also and fall again and again for her words of “wisdom”.

Links to resources:

Coloring pages at 123coloring

Learning about the Goose on Animal Planet

Printable book about numbers and birds at Enchanted Learning

IlluStory- make your own story kit at Amazon

Teacher’s guide for Petunia (tv episode but can be used for book) at New Hampshire Public Television

Why I like this book:  I love stories that have a grander message. This one’s message is that just holding a book does not make someone wise, it is reading that counts. The author shows us time and again how the animals ask this silly goose for advice only to have something negative happen to them because of her unwise answer. This strong message about reading is a good rule of thumb for everyone, adults included. I loved the comedic value of the story also. The antics of the goose allowed for some fun illustrations that children will love.

Perfect Picture Book Fridays are a weekly blog event where participants review some of their favorite picture books. The posts are compiled on author Susanna Leonard Hill’s website. They are categorized by theme to help parents, educators and readers find the perfect picture book easily. To learn more, please visit Susanna’s site where you will find the complete PPBF’s library.

I am excited to announce that I have been working on a number of projects for a client. I can’t tell you what the projects are, but I am allowed to show a few of the art pieces I did for them. Here is one of the cute characters I came up with. I love his style :

I designed this badge for Susanna Hill’s Summer Short & Sweets blog event!

Isn’t Miss Kitty just as cute as can be? She’s trying to get those creative juices flowing while the kittens are off playing in the sand. Thank goodness for Summer Short & Sweets! With Susanna’s prompts, she is able to keep going with her dream of writing kitten books full time. And the cookies and lemonade are oh, so good!

If you would also like to participate, to write books for children though, not kittens…well, maybe kittens! Who knows? Then, please go to Susanna’s blog and learn more about it. The more the merrier!