March 2, 2011

Read Across America and A PRIZE!!!

I will not post contestants' responses until all entries are in so that no one has an unfair advantage :)  But be assured if you posted your answers, I've got them!

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood!  Not even one speck of rain, ice or snow (except for the thigh-deep stuff still on the ground) :)  So in celebration of this beautiful morning, Read Across America, and April Fool, Phyllis's Book Birthday yesterday (and because it is Wednesday and we all need a little fun to boost us toward the end of the week) I have decided to host a game/contest with a PRIZE!!!

Anyone who has hung around this blog for any length of time knows I can't go very long without some kind of contest :)

So here it is:

Since it's Read Across America week and we should all be encouraging kids to enjoy the delights of reading, I will post 25 first lines of well-known picture books.  Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to identify the title and author of each book!

The prize?  (Well, I think it's a prize!)  The winner will receive a personalized signed copy of April Fool, Phyllis (it is her book birthday after all) hot off the presses!

The rules are:
1.  You must be a follower of this blog.
2.  You must list all 25 titles and authors correctly.
3.  You must post your answer by 5 PM EST Sunday March 6 (see how nice I'm being - giving you more than the usual 2 days?)

I will announce the winner in Monday morning's post, with plenty of time to mail the book before April Fool's Day!

Happy Reading with your kids and happy writing your contest answers everyone!  Good luck and have fun!

Here are the first lines:

1.  This is Olivia.
2.  When I leave home to walk to school, Dad always says to me, "Marco, keep your eyelids up and see what you can see."
3.  The day Helen gave Martha dog her alphabet soup, something unusual happened.
4.  Chester Raccoon stood at the edge of the forest and cried.
5.  This is the house.  The house on East 88th Street.
6.  The big hand of the clock is at 12.
7.  One day Little Sal went with her mother to Blueberry Hill to pick blueberries.
8.  I'm Emily Elizabeth, and I have a dog.
9.  Ava had a hard time falling asleep.
10.  Once upon a time there was a Little House way out in the country.
11.  In an old house in Paris that was covered with vines lived twelve little girls in two straight lines.
12.  Once upon a time there were four little rabbits, and their names were Flopsy, Mopsy, Cottontail, and Peter.
13.  Lilly loved school.
14.  Harry was a white dog with black spots who liked everything, except... getting a bath.
15.  The night Max wore his wolf suit and made mischief of one kind and another his mother called him "WILD THING" and Max said, "I'LL EAT YOU UP!" so he was sent to bed without eating anything.
16.  One evening, after thinking it over for some time, Harold decided to go for a walk in the moonlight.
17.  Once upon a time, there was a beautiful young duck named Ping.
18.  Chug, chug, chug.  Puff, puff, puff.  Ding-dong, ding-dong.
19.  Farmer Brown has a problem.
20.  In the great forest a little elephant is born.
21.  Little Nutbrown Hare, who was going to bed, held on tight to Big Nutbrown Hare's very long ears.
22.  In the light of the moon a little egg lay on a leaf.
23.  Once there was a tree... and she loved a little boy.
24.  Once upon a time there was a very old man and a very old woman.
25.  One Christmas Eve, many years ago, I lay quietly in my bed.

P.S.  I discovered this was surprisingly hard to make difficult!  So many first lines include the character's name, which totally gives it away!  Next time, I think I'll try last lines!  But at the very least, this will hopefully give you all a list of great books to read with your young friends... :)

I will not post contestants' responses until all entries are in so that no one has an unfair advantage :)  But be assured if you posted your answers, I've got them!

15 comments:

  1. Darn-- I love a good picture book, but I'm more well-read in middle grade. I don't think I'd be too good at this contest, but I look forward to hearing about the awesome people who are!

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  2. ...I'm beginning to think I don't read enough to my kids. Or maybe they're too old for picture books. *sigh*

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  3. Jess and Happily - I'd bet good money you both read at least 5-10 of these as kids! You could give it a shot :)

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  4. Oh I know these books...I even know a lot of the authors. I'll hop on it!

    P.S. We got Penny Loves Pink yesterday and read it 62 times. Seriously. Laynie even made me recite it at the doctor's office.

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  5. If you haven't told Cori, I will! She will be thrilled!

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  6. Aww, this is an adorable idea. Though I don't plan on entering, I am curious to find out where the quotes come from. Happy Belated Birthday to your book!

    <3 Gina Blechman

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  7. Tune in Monday, Gina! EIther someone will win or I'll post the answers :)

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  8. Oh, my gosh, I love this post! I don't have time today to go through whether I know title and author of each of them (but I'm a preschool teacher, so I'm pretty sure I do!) - but the most recognizable to me are: 1, 4, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 23, 24/

    My favorites are Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak and The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle. Great post!!!!!!

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  9. 1. Olivia by Ian Falconer
    2. And to Think That I Saw it on Mulberry Street by Dr. Seuss
    3. Martha Speaks by Susan Meddaugh
    4. The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn
    5. The House on East 88th Street by Bernard Waber
    6. Bedtime for Frances by Russell Hoban
    7. Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey
    8. Clifford, the Big Red Dog by Norman Bridwell
    9. Can’t Sleep Without Sheep by Susanna Leonard Hill
    10. The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton
    11. Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans
    12. The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter
    13. Lilly and the Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes
    14. Harry, the Dirty Dog by Gene Zion
    15. Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
    16. Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson
    18. The Story about Ping by Marjorie Flack
    18. The Little Engine that Could by Watty Piper
    19. Click Clack Moo Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin
    20. The Story of Babar, the Little Elephant by Jean de Brunhoff
    21. Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney
    22.The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
    23. The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
    24. Millions of Cats by Wanda Gag
    25. The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg

    Teri

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  10. I hope these are the right answers. I've my first grandbaby on the way and would love to win a copy of your new book.
    Thanks for the challenge. For a former school librarian, it was lots of fun.



    1. This is Olivia. OLIVIA by Ian Falconer

    2. When I leave home to walk to school, Dad always says to me, "Marco, keep your eyelids up and see what you can see."
    AND TO THINK I SAW IT ON MULBERRY STREET by Dr. Suess

    3. The day Helen gave Martha dog her alphabet soup, something unusual happened. MARTHA SPEAKS by Susan Meddaugh

    4. Chester Raccoon stood at the edge of the forest and cried. THE KISSING HAND by Audrey Penn

    5. This is the house. The house on East 88th Street.
    LYLE, LYLE CROCODILE by Bernard Waber

    6. The big hand of the clock is at 12. BEDTIME FOR FRANCES by Russell Hoban

    7. One day Little Sal went with her mother to Blueberry Hill to pick blueberries. BLUEBERRIES FOR SAL by Robert McCloskey

    8. I'm Emily Elizabeth, and I have a dog. CLIFFORD THE BIG RED DOG by Norman Bridwell

    9. Ava had a hard time falling asleep. CAN’T SLEEP WITHOUT SHEEP by Susanna Leonard Hill

    10. Once upon a time there was a Little House way out in the country. THE LITTLE HOUSE by Virginia Lee Burton

    11. In an old house in Paris that was covered with vines lived twelve little girls in two straight lines. MADELINE by Ludwig Bemelmans

    12. Once upon a time there were four little rabbits, and their names were Flopsy, Mopsy, Cottontail, and Peter. THE TALE OF PETER RABBIT by Beatrix Potter

    13. Lilly loved school. LILY’S PURPLE PLASTIC PURSE by Kevin Henkes

    14. Harry was a white dog with black spots who liked everything, except... getting a bath. HARRY THE DIRTY DOG by Gene Zion

    15. The night Max wore his wolf suit and made mischief of one kind and another his mother called him "WILD THING" and Max said, "I'LL EAT YOU UP!" so he was sent to bed without eating anything. WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE by Maurice Sendak

    16. One evening, after thinking it over for some time, Harold decided to go for a walk in the moonlight. HAROLD AND THE PURPLE CRAYON by Crockett Johnsons

    17. Once upon a time, there was a beautiful young duck named Ping. THE STORY ABOUT PING by Marjorie Flack

    18. Chug, chug, chug. Puff, puff, puff. Ding-dong, ding-dong.
    THE LITTLE ENGINE THAT COULD by Watty Piper

    19. Farmer Brown has a problem. CLICK CLACK MOO: COWS THAT TYPE by Doreen Cronin

    20. In the great forest a little elephant is born. THE STORY OF BABAAR the LITTLE ELEPHANT by Jean de Brunhoff

    21. Little Nutbrown Hare, who was going to bed, held on tight to Big Nutbrown Hare's very long ears. GUESS HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU by Sam McBratney

    22. In the light of the moon a little egg lay on a leaf.
    THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR by Eric Carle

    23. Once there was a tree... and she loved a little boy. THE GIVING TREE by Shel Silverstein

    24. Once upon a time there was a very old man and a very old woman.
    MILLIONS OF CATS by Wanda Gag

    25. One Christmas Eve, many years ago, I lay quietly in my bed.
    THE POLAR EXPRESS by Chris Van Allsburg

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  11. Don't worry - you've got plenty of time :)

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  12. I know quite a few, but certainly not all. How fun!

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  13. Fee free to take a stab at it, Christie :)

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  14. What a great idea, I bet I'd bomb at it though.

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  15. You won't know if you don't try :) Give it a go!

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