SUSAN HOLT KRALOVANSKY
Author, Speaker, Librarian
  • Home
  • About Me
    • Writer's Critique Service
  • Books
    • We Really, Really Want a Dog!
    • El libro que Jake tomo prestado
    • How the Fire Ants Got Their Fire
    • The Book That Jake Borrowed
    • Twelve Cowboys Ropin'
    • There Was a Tall Texan
    • Counting Colors in Texas
  • Author Visits
    • For Student Writers
  • Inky Kids
  • Blog
  • Fun Stuff
  • Contact Me

My New Favorite Pictute Book

7/4/2019

0 Comments

 

​The Impossible Patriotism Project 

Picture




Written BY LINDA SKEERS
Illustrated BY Ard Hoyt

Today author and fellow Nonfiction Ninja  Nancy Churnin wrote an excellent post featuring one of my favorite books: The Impossible Patriotism Project.
http://www.nancychurnin.com/thekidsareallwrite/2019/6/30/celebrate-july-4-with-linda-skeers-the-impossible-patriotism-project
I love how Linda's story explores patriotism and celebrating heroes.
​From Amazon: 
Caleb’s class is making projects that represent patriotism to display at Parents’ Night. But Caleb can’t think of a way to show what patriotism means to him. Besides, his dad can’t come because he is away, serving as a soldier. Then when Caleb really starts thinking about what his dad is doing for the country, inspiration finally strikes!
Picture
According to Linda:

I've worked as a nurse and librarian but my favorite job by far is Children's Book Author! I've been making up stories since I was a child and being able to share them with others is amazing. I love to write books. I love to read books. I love to talk about books... Hmmm, I see a theme developing here!

Follow Linda on her website and on social media:

lindaskeers.com
facebook.com/linda.skeers
twitter.com/skeerswriter
nonfictionninjas.com
pinterest.com


0 Comments

My New Favorite Picture Book!

2/5/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture



Stegothesaurus      
 written by Bridget Heos                         and illustrated by T.L. McBeth 

This is a fun story about family - and synonyms - starring two stegosauruses and one stegothesaurus! Kids, teachers, and librarians will enjoy the antics of Stegothesaurus, who has three words for every one that his brothers speak. Why describe a food as yummy when you could call it savory, succulent and scrumptious instead? Stegothesaurus learns that his friend allothesaurus has very different ideas about what constitutes a good meal, and discovers there’s one thing that he loves more than words: his family.
​Ages: Preschool - 3rd grade.

Picture

Bridget Heos
 is the author of more than sixty nonfiction books for children, including Who Wants to Be a Princess? She lives in Kansas City with her family.
T.L. McBeth is an author and illustrator living and working in New York. His illustrations have been featured on Threadless and displayed at the Society of Illustrators.

Link to the author's website

​Link to a teacher's guide
​


0 Comments

My New Favorite Picture Book

12/14/2018

0 Comments

 
C is for Christmas by Michelle Medlock Adams
Picture

This book has all the very best elements of the season - Mary and Joseph, the three kings, the shepherds, and the big man in red - and brings them together in a delightful read-aloud.

Picture
​

Michelle started her career as a newspaper reporter for a medium-sized daily in Southern Indiana. Then, five years later, she moved to Texas to take a feature writing position for a worldwide ministry magazine. While there, she fell in love with writing for children. Today, Michelle has written and published more than 80 books and is the president of Platinum Literary Services. She also has taught at more than 100 writers conferences and retreats and won over a dozen industry awards for both fiction and non-fiction.
​
Follow Michelle on her website and social media:
www.MichelleMedlockAdams.com
www.MichelleMedlockAdams.com/BLOG
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/INwritergirl/
Twitter and Instagram: @INwritergirl
0 Comments

My New Favorite Picture Book

11/8/2018

0 Comments

 

FINDING A DOVE FOR GRAMPS 
​by Lisa J. Amstutz.

Picture
​A boy and his mom continue the family tradition of participating in the annual bird count. Since Gramps went South for the winter, the boy hopes to spot Gramps's favorite bird for him—a dove! But with so many different birds in the nature preserve, will he be able to spot one? This heart-warming family story about nature celebrates a holiday census that was first started in 1900 and happens every year.

Picture
Lisa J. Amstutz is the author of 100 children's books. Her work has also appeared in a wide variety of magazines and newspapers. A former outdoor educator, Lisa specializes in topics related to science, nature, and agriculture. Her background includes a B.A. in Biology from Goshen College and an M.S. in Environmental Science/Ecology from the University of Virginia. Lisa lives with her family on a hobby farm in rural Ohio.

Website: 
http://www.lisaamstutz.com/​

0 Comments

My New Favorite Picture Book

10/26/2018

0 Comments

 

Check out some of my favorite authors and illustrators that will be in Austin at the Texas Book Festival's  Read Me A Story Tent this weekend,   
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 27 AND SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2018! 


Saturday, October 27th
Vanessa Brantley-Newton
​
11:30 am - 12:00 pm      
Author and illustrator Vanessa Brantley-Newton reads GRANDMA’S PURSE, where a visit with Grandma Mimi turns magical when she and her granddaughter discover the special treats found in her purse: there is fancy jewelry, tokens from around the world and—who knows what else? 
​
Juana Martinez-Neal
12:00 pm - 12:30 pm
Author Juana Martinez-Neal reads Alma and How She Got Her Name, a story about Alma Sofia Esperanza José Pura Candela who asks how such a small person wound up with such a large name. And then she discovers all the travelers and artists and book-lovers she was named after; she realizes her name tells the vibrant story of where she came from, and who she may one day be. 

Arree Chung
1:00 pm - 1:30 pm
Author Arree Chung reads Mixed: A Colorful Story, where all the colors—reds, yellows, blues—all think they’re the best and start a color kerfuffle, separating into their own colors. Then one day, a never before seen color arrives and saves the day in this inspiring book about color, tolerance, and embracing differences.

Don Tate
3:30 PM - 4:00 PM
Illustrator Don Tate reads No Small Potatoes, the true story of one of history’s most successful potato farmers who began life as a slave but dreamed of owning his own farm. Over time he rented land, he worked hard, built a family, and an empire and was named the “Potato King of the World”!

Sunday, October, 28th
Vanessa Roeder

11:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Author and illustrator Vanessa Roeder reads Lucy and the String, a sweet and silly story about Lucy who spots a string and can’t help but give it a yank, and before she knows it, at the end of the string, she finds a bear! Now she must find a way to both make his pants stop unraveling and win this dubious bear’s heart.


Bethany Hegedus
12:00 pm - 12:30 pm
Author Bethany Hegedus reads Alabama Spitfire, the true story of Nelle Harper Lee and To Kill a Mockingbird, who from the get-go was a spitfire. Unlike most girls her age, Nelle wore overalls, climbed trees, devoured books with her best friend, Tru, and wrote stories until she discovered the one she was born to tell, fulfilling her dream of being a writer. ​

​Carolyn Dee Flores
1:00 PM - 1:30 PM 
Author and illustrator Carolyn Dee Flores reads The Amazing Watercolor Fish, a story about a lonely pet fish that longs to know what exists in the world beyond her bowl—she imagines a giant tree, a wooly goat, and a purple sea, and wonders if there could be someone out there who looks like her. When she meets a nearby fish, Mike, she uses watercolors to paint (and discover) the world as she thinks it could be.

Marla Frazee
1:30 PM - 2:00 PM
Author and illustrator Marla Frazee reads Little Brown, a story about a grumpy, lonely little dog at the dog park who decides to take matters into his own paws when no one will play with him. He takes all of the toys and sticks and blankets from all of the dogs at the park and won’t give them back—what happens now?

Liz Garton Scanlon
2:30 PM - 3:00 PM
Author Liz Garton Scanlon reads Dear Substitute, where one student bristles at the change in routine in the classroom when Miss Pelly, the substitute, does things a little differently and might be a little silly—but, as it turns out, mixing things up might not be so bad!

Laurie Keller
3:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Author and illustrator Laurie Keller reads from Potato Pants, a story about how a potato and his eggplant nemesis struggle to find the perfect pants during a one day potato pants sale at Lance Vance’s Fancy Pants Store in a series of hilarious misunderstandings, which amidst everything also teach forgiveness.

Cate Berry
3:30 PM - 4:00 PM
Local author Cate Berry reads Penguin & Tiny Shrimp Don't Do Bedtime! in which Penguin and Tiny Shrimp are very clear: they DO NOT have a bedtime story to share with you. There are no soft beds or cozy covers here. There are fireworks and shark infested waters! This book will never make you sleepy. Not at all. Not even a little...
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
0 Comments

My New Favorite Picture Book

10/19/2018

0 Comments

 

THE QUEEN and the FIRST CHRISTMAS TREE: Queen Charlotte's Gift to England by Nancy Churnin, pictures by Luisa Uribe.

Picture
Queen Charlotte brought her family's festive holiday yule bough from Germany to England. While planning a Christmas Day party in 1800 at Windsor Castle for over 100 children, she realized a single bough isn't enough. So she brought in the whole tree instead, making it the first known Christmas Tree in England. This story tells a little known fact about a favorite holiday tradition.
Nancy has a true talent for writing nonfiction stories that bring history to life. She and Luisa have spun a beautiful story about one of the worlds most recognized Christmas traditions.
Ages 5 and up

link to the author website 
link to the illustrator’s website
link to library lessons
link to book trailer
0 Comments

My New Favorite Picture Book!

8/25/2018

3 Comments

 
Picture

I WALK WITH VANESSA: A STORY ABOUT A SIMPLE ACT  OF KINDNESS 
BY KERASCOËT
​

This charming wordless picture book - from a New York Times bestselling husband-and-wife team-tells the story of a young girl who has just moved into the neighborhood and is new at school.
​No one asks her to join the class basketball game or sit with them. After school she’s left to walk home alone, ignored by all except one little boy who says something unkind. Only one girl notices the altercation and has an idea about how to help the new girl. 
The book offers a useful guide with suggestions about helping someone who is being bullied, as well as some helpful words to use during your discussions.
I recommend this book be added to your home library, as well as to every public and school library for ages 4 – 7.
​
link to the author and/or illustrator’s website: kerascoet.fr.
link to library lessons: https://librarylessonswithbooks.com/2018/07/29/i-walk-with-vanessa-a-story-about-a-simple-of-kindness-by-kerascoet/

​Kindness, empathy, friendship, school stories
​

Picture
3 Comments

    Author

    I love connecting kid and books. As a librarian, I started every week introducing my new favorite picture book. I loved discovering new picture books and now I’ll be sharing my favorites with you. 

    Archives

    July 2019
    February 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    August 2018

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

© 2019, Susan H. Kralovansky