Fun for kids | Mindy Baker Books

Today I’m highlighting Bunny Finds Easter, the latest board book from author Laura Sassi. I invited Laura here today because I wanted to discuss how much the role of the illustrations play in bringing a picture book story to life. I’m so thrilled that she accepted my request!

MINDY: First of all, Laura, thank you so much for stopping by! What a treat for you to be here!

LAURA: I’m happy to join you, Mindy. I love to discuss picture books!

MINDY: I have to tell you, Laura, how much I have enjoyed my advance copy! I really love that Jesus is highlighted so prominently as the reason we celebrate Easter. That is so dear to my heart and my faith! I also adore the illustrations in this book and wanted to discuss that topic with you a little bit. I know that once you turn your manuscript in, the artist job begins. It is always amazing to me how much charm illustrators are able to add to the text. My first question for you is, what is your favorite page spread in this book?

LAURA: Truly, I love them all but I’m going to pick the spread that reads “She hops to town. Cheep. Chirp. Who’s there? Babies, babies, everywhere!” because I think it captures beautifully the amplified way that the illustrations add heart and depth to the story in board books.

MINDY: What do you love about it?

LAURA: At first glance, this spread seems simple enough. But if you look carefully, there are oodles of picture clues and story elements for littlest ones and their parents to notice and enjoy.

First, the text says simply “Babies, babies, everywhere.” The illustrations fill that out with adorable chicks sliding down a hay stack while a mother hen (with matching Easter bonnet and purse) looks one. But there are other babies, too. Can you spot the tadpoles?

MINDY: I do spot them! So adorable!

LAURA: Second, observant little ones might notice that Mama is now carrying a bouquet of lilies. These are the lilies that Bunny clipped on the previous spread. Now we know why she clipped them. For Mama!

MINDY: I love how the story connects from page to page. Brilliant!

LAURA: Third, look what’s peeking through in the background. It’s the church! If you are observant, you will notice that from this spread on, Bunny keeps hopping closer and closer to church. I like to think of this as the board book version of foreshadowing because guess where Bunny will discover what Easter is all about? If you guessed that the will find the final clue in that little chapel, you are right!

MINDY: I am so intrigued by this! What else?

LAURA: Other details to notice on the spread. The houses. Where is everybody? On their way to church, maybe? And is Bunny holding a basket? Why might that be? (Hint: It’s a clue to the activity on the next page.)

MINDY: Wow, Laura! The illustrator truly did a fabulous job bringing your words to life! I have loved taking this deeper look at some of the treasures on each page.

LAURA: Yes, the illustrations are so important in picture books!

MINDY: One other thing I wanted to ask, I have heard you mentioning on social media about some fantastic freebies that accompany this book. Can you tell us how we can take advantage of these opportunities?

LAURA: Yes, Zonderkidz has created two great resources for BUNNY FINDS EASTER. The first is an activity kit that includes coloring pages, a maze, a printable Easter card and more. Here’s the link for that: https://laurasassitales.wordpress.com/2022/02/03/parents-teachers-kidmin-download-your-free-activity-kit-for-bunny-finds-easter-2/

The second is an instruction sheet for a BUNNY FINDS EASTER book walk, an intergenerational event in which participants walk from station to station to read spreads from the story and have an activity at the end. Here’s the link for that: https://laurasassitales.wordpress.com/2022/01/24/host-a-bunny-finds-easter-book-walk-free-printable-resource/

MINDY: Both of these resources look fantastic and fun. I truly can’t recommend it your new book enough, especially as the perfect gift to be tucked into an Easter basket! Thank you so much for joining me today, Laura! I wish you all the best in your future writing endeavors. I know you have a book coming out this fall for the Christmas season. I will be following your blog to hear more details about that one, too!

LAURA: Thanks for having me! It has been a delight to chat together.

MINDY: Thank you, Laura! It has been a treat!

And, for all of you readers, if you are interested in buying the book, here is a link.

Also, to find out more about Laura and her other books, check out her website or follower her on social media. I also recommend following her blog. She posts regularly with fantastic content!

Did you know?? Laura and I work together with several other authors including Rebecca Gomez, Tina Cho, and Trine Grillo on a new website called www.readdiscussdo.com. I will be doing another interview with Laura there later this month.

Watch for more details and thanks for joining us today!

Book Review and Author Interviews, Devotional, family devotions, Fun for kids, Giveaway, Kid Ministry, My Faith, Parent and Child Connection

Twas the Season of Advent–Giveaway for Glenys Nellist’s new release

November 12, 2021March 20, 2022 admin

Hey everyone! I’m so excited to be hosting a give-away for Glenys Nellist’s latest release in the Twas series entitled, Twas the Season of Advent. It is a fabulous family devotional with accompanying artwork by Elena Selivanova.

Description: This is a product perfect for family devotions along with many other settings. There are 25 devotions, one for each day leading up to Christmas, with a blend of stories from the Old and New Testament. I love that Nellist has included the story of Isaiah, as I believe it is so important to remember the fact that God promised to send Jesus seven hundred years before he was born! What a miracle!

At the beginning of each page is a poem in the cadence of Clement C. Moore’s classic, ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas. There is also a highlighted scripture, and several paragraphs to read aloud together with your child. Each devotion concludes with a heart-felt prayer that also serves to summarize the main point of the day and personalize it for the reader.

For example: I love the story of the angel appearing to Mary. This is the content of the devotion for December 6th. The title is “My Answer is Yes.” The prayer reads:

“Dear God, thank you for Mary who was so brave and trusted you. When I need to be brave, help me remember that you are with me.“

Another page that is especially meaningful is the way Nellist concludes the book:

“I wonder how you are celebrating this holy night. I hope that wherever you are, whatever you’re doing, you might come to the manger, where God is waiting to meet you. No matter if your home is quiet or noisy this Christmas Eve–in the hustle or the hush; in the chaos or the calm; in the sound or in the silence, God is waiting to meet you there.

Dear God, as we gather around the manger, help us to listen as you whisper into our heart. Help each one of us truly know that this child–Jesus, Prince of Peace, Immanuel, the Word, was born for us. Thank you for this holy Christmas Eve.“

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There is so much rich and meaningful content packed into this book! I pray that God will powerfully use it in the hearts of all who read it. Jesus is the King of kings and Lord of lords, and he is also the Savior–the Messiah–the one who was born to save each of us from our sin. I am so thankful that Glenys Nellist has written this book, and that Zonderkidz has chosen to publish it. It speaks of the most important message.The message of Jesus Christ.

You will be glad you purchased this book and decided to use it with your family!!!

AND NOW FOR THE GIVEAWAY DETAILS!

I am so happy to be giving away one copy of ‘Twas the Season of Advent!

This giveaway is sponsored by the publisher, Zonderkidz, and is open to entrants living in the USA with a physical street address (no PO boxes.)

HOW TO ENTER:

1. Follow @mindybakerbooks and @glenysnellist on Instagram and leave a comment on any Instagram post this weekend about the give-away.

2. You can also tag a friend on any Instagram post this weekend for even more entries. One entry per tag.

3. Leave a comment on this blog post for an additional entry.

4. For 10 additional entries, follow this blog and/or subscribe to my mini-magazine. You will receive free bi-monthly content and also be notified of any new posts.

5. You must enter by 6pm EST on Sunday, November 14, 2021. I will draw the winner and post the result here and on Instagram Monday morning, November 15, 2021.

MORE INFORMATION:

Here is a link to purchase the book!

You can find out more about Glenys at her website. She has loads of other wonderful titles!

I absolutely love how Zonderkidz produces free resources to accompany their books. There is a free Parent/Teacher Guide for Twas the Season of Advent that has daily questions and follow-up activities. You can download them at the Zonderkidz website. Check it out!

This blog post is part of a BLOG HOP. The next scheduled post will be December 15th on the Instagram of @DeeperKidmin (Brittany Nelson)

Book Review and Author Interviews, Fun for kids, Promoting Literacy, Summer reading

Four Mermaid Picture Books and an Extension Craft Idea

July 9, 2021July 9, 2021 admin

Directions: Let your imagination take over and create a crown, necklace, ring, or bracelet. String beads, glue feathers, find some sticky foamies and have fun! We used a glue gun for the feathers. This is a great craft to practice patterns!

Here is a fun photo of my daughter and a few friends who helped me create my samples. Notice that mermaids come in all sizes!

Check out this Mermaid Pinterest Board for more mermaid craft ideas and mermaid snack ideas.

And now for some mermaid books! Drumroll please….

Part-time Mermaid by Deborah Underwood and illustrated by Cambria Evans celebrates the imagination and imaginative play! Pretending to be mermaids was always a very popular playtime event for my daughters when they were young. The book is told in first person and the reader experiences the adventure of a little girl who becomes a mermaid at night. She pets the otters, explores a sunken pirate ship, and even encounters a sea witch while attending the Midsummer Sea Festival.

How to Meet a Mermaid by Sue Fliess and illustrated by Simona Sanfilippo is a charming book that invites playtime fun. The author takes you through a progression of ideas of how you might meet a mermaid. One of the suggestions is to have a crown she can wear. In the back of the book there are directions for making a mermaid crown (I based my crown and jewelry craft off of this idea). There are also directions for going on a field trip to the beach, and even the suggestion of cleaning up the beach by throwing away any litter you may encounter.

The Ocean Calls– This is a beautiful book by Tinal Cho and illustrated by Jess X Snow. It is the beautiful story of a girl who has a grandmother that shows her how to be a “haenyeo” which is like a treasure-hunting mermaid. The back matter explains and gives quotes from authentic present-day Korean haenyeo divers. The beauty of the artwork drew me in and the story captured my heart. Love this book!

The Little Mermaid-by Jerry Pinkney. Melody wants to explore and find out what is above the surface of the water, and she really wants to be friends with a little girl she spies on the shore. She trades her voice for legs. Don’t you love variations of familiar stories? The stunning artwork will keep you mesmerized for a long time.

Book Review and Author Interviews, Fun for kids, Instagram Round Ups, Parent and Child Connection, Promoting Literacy, Summer reading

Instagram Book Review Round-Up #2

June 16, 2021June 16, 2021 admin

I’ve been posting a lot of new content on Instagram–you can find me @mindybakerbooks, but I wanted to have a way to share it on the blog, too!

Here is my second ROUND-UP!

Remember, for a sneak peek inside all of these books…check out the individual posts on my Instagram page @mindybakerbooks. I usually share a few photo spreads from the books I review.

Here are 6 more books that I have reviewed in the past few months! Enjoy!

How to Build an Orchestra –Want to pass on your love of music to your children? This is a book you should try! Written by Mary Auld and illustrated by Elisa Paganeli, each page spread is full of fascinating details and treasures to discover. It comes wth a QR code to unlock so that your child can listen to the sounds of the London Symphony Orchestra.

Rare and Blue–Finding Nature’s Treasures Blue just happens to be one of my FAVORITE colors…so it was really fun to find this uniquely structured “spring” picture book highlighting different hues of blue. Written by Constance VanHoven and illustrated by Alan Marks, each page spread gives facts that highlight a specific creature in nature. Turquoise, cerulean, iridescent…what’s your favorite shade?

A Gift From Abuela–Abuela is saving her pesos to buy Nina a gift, but circumstances make that impossible. Written by author/illustrator Cecilia Ruiz, this is a book that reminds us that time together is the most precious gift of all.

Can I Be Your Dog by Troy Cummings is a picture book treasure. The text is all in letters from a puppy who writes to different people in the neighborhood trying to find his owner “match.” One by one they all reject him until at last the mail carrier adopts him.

C.R. Mudgeon –Every once in a while you find a sweet story that you just LOVE 100%. For me, this picture book by Leslie Muir, illustrated by Julian Hector, is just that. I loved this sweet-and-stuck-in-his-ways hedgehog from the first time I read his name and saw his cuteness on the front cover. The clever details of characterization make this book stand out above the others. The story is how a neighbor named Paprika moves next door and challenges C.R. to “spice” up his life. It is a wonderful friendship story with lots of embedded lessons. One important one is that even when someone is different than us, we should give him/her a chance.

Silent Music–by James Rumford. I think kids will connect with Ali, the main character of this book. He loves soccer, music, and the art of writing calligraphy. He compares writing the Arabic words to a soccer player running down the field. His hero is Yakut, a famous calligrapher from Baghdad, who wrote in ancient times of war. Ali writes calligraphy in modern times and longs for peace. Like Ali, I also long for peace. I loved the culture-filled images in this beautiful picture book featuring the Arabic language and the city of Baghdad.

Which of these books have your read? Which of these books would you like to read?

In case you didn’t know…summer is a great time to read!

***If you haven’t heard, I’ve teamed up with some author friends (Laura Sassi, Tina Cho, and Rebecca Gomez) to create a new website! We are hosting summer reading challenges and you are officially invited to join us! The website is called www.readdiscussdo.com. Stop on by and see the latest news! (So far eating ice cream and playing in dirt have been involved!…Aren’t you glad I didn’t say playing in ice-cream and eating dirt??? Ha ha!)

Author life, Book Review and Author Interviews, Fun for kids, Giveaway, Parent and Child Connection

Interview with Laura Sassi and a GIVEAWAY of LITTLE EWE!

May 19, 2021May 19, 2021 admin

Hey everyone! I am thrilled to welcome best-selling author Laura Sassi to my blog today. She has so much creativity and talent…I just love all of her publications. Today I am featuring her newest realease, Little Ewe. And, thanks to Beaming Books, I am giving away a copy of Little Ewe (details at the bottom of this post).

I have to tell you Laura, in case you didn’t know, I am a huge fan of your writing, and I also consider it an honor to call you a friend! Thank you very much for joining me. I know everyone is excited to hear your answers to my questions!

Thank you so much for having me, Mindy. It is wonderful to be here.

First of all, where did the idea for Little Ewe originate? What inspired you to write Little Ewe?

The little lamb, who I have named Little Ewe in my story, is inspired by one of my favorite of Jesus’ parables. Known as the parable of the lost sheep, or the parable of the ninety-nine, Jesus’s story is about a shepherd who realizes one sheep is missing, so he leaves the flock to find that one and bring it safely home.

As a child I loved this beautiful reminder that, like the shepherd in the parable, Jesus came to find the lost and, oh my, how wonderful it feels to be found. My hope is that, like Little Ewe in my story, readers of all ages will sense the comfort and joy of knowing that our Shepherd, too, wants to find us and care for us when we are lost.

That is such a wonderful Bible story. I am so glad that the Savior cares for us and searches for us when we are lost. Let’s talk writing for a moment. I am curious about your writing process. How do you shape a manuscript into its final form?

I let ideas percolate for a long time before writing by making lists, playing with possible plot twists, settings, points-of view etc For Little Ewe I also wanted to honor the original setting of the parable – the hills where Jesus walked – so my percolating stage included investigating to make sure the wonders my protagonist discovers along the way would have indeed been native to that time and place. My list included sparrows, figs, frogs, spiders and more!

Because of all this time spent pre-writing, once I was ready to write, I wrote the entire (early version) in one sitting. But, the story, at that point was far from publishable. For starters, the earliest versions were far too long, involving not just a numeric climb, but also a countdown, which caused issues with pacing. Resolving these issues and making sure the story was the best it could be took time, lots of it.

So, in addition to ample percolating, I would say the use of a time filter is a key part of my writing process. Once I have a draft I’m happy with, I set it aside for several days, or weeks, before taking a re-look. This way, I approach each revision with fresh eyes. I repeat this process again and again until every word and moment pushes the story forward in a fun, meaningful way. I also ask for feedback along the way from my critique buddies. This has been the process for each and every story. It works!

I love the word percolating. And that is very good advice. I know it is easy to rush things instead of making sure that the story is as top-notch as it can be. I am also curious, what is your favorite illustration from the book and why?

It’s hard to pick a favorite spread because I think they all work together so well to enhance the story’s mood. However, at school visits, I’ve noticed that littlest readers, who feel sad when Little Ewe gets lost, especially love that next-to-last spread where Shepherd finds her. You can almost feel preschoolers’ relief at the sight of Little Ewe so snug in Shepherd’s hug. I also love the tender way Tommy depicts that moment, which is glowingly enhanced by his choice of sunset hues to capture the warmth of their reunion.

That is a beautiful illustration. I can really feel the love of the shepherd for his sheep. Laura, you have been doing this for awhile and have published many titles. What is your favorite thing about being a picture book author?

Good question. My favorite part of being a picture book author is the opportunity it gives me to connect with others through the sharing of story. This answer, of course, is maybe cheating a little bit, because this sharing of story involves many stages. First is the stage of joyful observation, where I get to look at the world through my writer’s glasses, writing down little sparks of inspiration that might lead to a story.

The next stage, at least for this picture book writer, is playing with those ideas in my notebook. Then comes the stage of writing and polishing and sending the stories off to my agent who sends them to publishers. Then, if I’m blessed to have a story published, I get to enjoy the final stage of sharing that story with the world – through events etc. So, I guess I should really say that I love everything about being a picture book author! It’s my joy and my jam!

I love these pictures of you sharing your stories with the world. Your events look so interesting! If you are interested in doing an event with Laura, you can contact her via her website. Finally, one more question, do you have any future news you would like to share with us?

Yes! I have a new book coming out with Zonderkidz just in time for Easter 2022. It’s called BUNNY FINDS EASTER and it’s a board book, perfect for Easter baskets. Stay tuned for the cover reveal…coming soon to a blog near you!

Ooh! Congratulations! That is wonderful news! I can hardly wait to see the cover and hear more about it. Laura, thank you so much for taking the time to join me and answer my questions today! I am sure all of my readers will really enjoy this interview! Best wishes!

About the author:

Laura Sassi has a passion for telling stories in prose and rhyme. She is the author of five picture books including the best-selling GOODNIGHT, ARK (Zonderkidz, 2014), which was a 2015 Christian Book Award Finalist; GOODNIGHT, MANGER (Zonderkidz, 2015); DIVA DELORES AND THE OPERA HOUSE MOUSE (Sterling Children’s Books, 2018), which won First Honor Book for the 2019 Best in Rhyme Award; LOVE IS KIND (Zonderkidz, 2018), which was a 2020 Anna Dewdney Read Together Award Honor Book; and LITTLE EWE: THE STORY OF ONE LOST SHEEP (Beaming Books, 2021). In addition to books, she’s published over one hundred poems, stories, crafts, and articles in various children’s publications. She lives in New Jersey with her husband, two children, and a black Cockapoo named Sophie.

Connect with Laura on her website

Connect with Laura on Instagram

Connect with Laura on Facebook

Connect with Laura on Twitter

Buy Little Ewe

And now, drumroll please, details about the GIVE-AWAY!

Beaming Books has graciously provided one copy of Little Ewe to be awarded to someone who lives in the continental United States.

There are several ways to enter:

For 10 entries, follow this blog! (If you do, you will receive a free mini-magazine called “Make the Time!” It has loads of “togetherness” ideas for parents and caregivers of little ones.
For one entry, comment on this blog post!
For one entry, comment on any Instagram post this week that pertains to this contest.
After entering using one of the three methods above, an entry will be given if you follow both @mindybakerbooks and @Laurasassitales on Instagram. If you already follow both accounts, you will still receive the additional entry.
Tag a friend or friends on any Instagram post this week that pertains to this contest. One entry per friend tagged.

NOTE: No entries will be accepted after 6pm EST on Friday, May 21, 2021.

Winner announced on Saturday morning 5/22/21 on both this blog and my Instagram account! Happy entering!

Note: This contest is not sponsored by Instagram.