On My Nightstand Tuesday




Check out this adorable baby aardvark.
Permission to be Awesome + Thankful Thursday
In light of the news yesterday that Apple CEO Steve Jobs stepped down, my husband found a speech Mr. Jobs gave in 2005 at Stanford’s graduation.
Oh, Abrams Books,
I already love your books and authors.
The Story Spine
I recently read a post at Imagination Soup by the talented Deborah Underwood, author of A Balloon for Isabel and the NYT best-selling The Quiet Book.
Although the Story Spine seems simple, it’s really an ingenious way to help kids learn how to construct a satisfying story.
Doggy Whys? A picture book review.
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I adored this non-fiction picture book, written in an original, engaging format. Q&As (Why do dogs wag their tails?) feature on the left-hand side of a spread, while more detailed information can be found in paragraphs on the right. The author cleverly divides the book by common dog breeds. Did I mention the illustrations! are! adorable!? My heart about melted on spot by the rendering of a terrier I had years ago. A must-buy for any dog-lover, big or small.
Jonathan and the Big Blue Boat, a review.
Jonathan and the Big Blue Boat by Philip Christian Stead
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Having viewed the trailer (over and over), for which Mr. Stead also composed the music, I so wanted to fall in love with this story. I laughed out loud over the item bartered for, enjoyed the clever ways animals participate in this cumulative tale, but overall I didn’t connect as much as I’d hoped. That said, the art is some of the best I’ve seen. Brilliant, vibrant, detailed, and whimsical, it demonstrates the creator’s passion for all things nautical. All in all, I loved this story enough to gift it to a Jonathan who entered the world last week. May Mr. Stead produce more amazing art, and soon. I can’t think of any better gift than that.
How Querying is Like Sending Your Kids Off to Camp

2. The cool kids. If your camper is going alone, you might find yourself tossing and turning at 2:00 a.m. Will he/she fit in, find the right friend or home? The same with your manuscript. You want it to succeed, to grow, or you wouldn’t be sending it out. Also, TUMS.
Story Endings (Or, Johnny Depp & Alan Rickman in the same post.)
I’m having a time brainstorming a couple of picture book endings. I usually start strong with a single idea that somehow chases a rascally rabbit down a deep dark hole. Which leads me to Johnny Depp when I’d started with an outdoor garden party. Some of you may be wondering what’s the problem.