Perfect Picture Book Friday - Slugs In Love (one more time :))

Woo hoo!  It's Perfect Picture Book Friday!

And not just ANY Perfect Picture Book Friday, mind you, but the one that's the day before Valentine's Day!

This is great!, I thought gleefully to myself last week.  Surely there are a plethora - a PLETHORA, I say -  of fantabulous Valentine's books that have been waiting all year for this day - THEIR day - the one time they can rightfully be shared!  I did a small jig in anticipation.

But day after day has gone by as I've searched for a great Valentine's Day book to share, and good golly if I haven't been just flat-out underwhelemed by titles I was hoping would knock my socks off!  (I myself have written two Valentine's books: A Valentine For Phyllis, which apparently failed to knock Holiday House's socks off since they declined the opportunity to publish it, and Be Mine, which left my agent's socks drooping around her ankles because, as she said, it's so hard to sell books that are only holiday books, so my efforts have been underwhelming too!  Oh, plus I mustn't forget my dreadful entry in the Valentine's Contest of 2012 - a "story" that just proves that with a low enough word count requirement I can barely make sense! :)  But we seem to have gotten off on a tangent here... and by "we" I mean would you guys please stop asking about my Valentine stories? Sheesh! We're here for Perfect Picture Books!)

Anyway, it would be morally wrong to post a book for Perfect Picture Books that I did not consider Perfect just so I could post a Valentine's Day book.  So instead, I will repost one of my favorite love books.

I am downright tingly with excitement because it is arguably one of the best love stories ever.  Are you ready?  It involves slugs.  What's not to love? :)

Slugs In Love
Written By: Susan Pearson
Illustrated By: Kevin O'Malley
Marshall Cavendish Children's Books, November 2006, Fiction
Suitable For: ages 4-8
Themes/Topics: love, friendship, perseverance, humor, Valentines Day
Opening:  "Marylou loved everything about Herbie - how his slime trail glistened in the dark, how he could stretch himself thin to squeeze inside the cellar window, how he always found the juiciest tomato.  Though she never spoke a single word to him - she was too shy - she thought about Herbie every morning and every night and most of the hours in between.

On Monday, while she grazed in the strawberry patch, Herbie filled her mind and a love poem filled her heart.  She wrote it in slime on the watering can."

Brief Synopsis:  (From Publishers Weekly) "Herbie keeps finding Marylou's poems, etched in slug slime and full of devotion, but Marylou keeps missing the longing letters he writes in return.  While she watches his every move, he can't find anyone who knows where she is so he can meet her."  How will the "slime-crossed" lovers ever meet?

Links To Resources:  Cool Facts About Slugs, Doorknob Valentine, Finger Puppet Valentine - (and with a little ingenuity, the last two could incorporate slugs! :))  Kids could make up their own poems like Herbie and Marylou.

Why I Like This Book:  It's sweet and it's funny.  It's maybe not technically a Valentines Day book (as in, it's not about Valentines Day) but it is about love/friendship on a level that I think kids can relate to.  Because Marylou and Herbie can't seem to connect, there's the added fun of rooting for the heroes. And the art complements the story perfectly.  It's so wonderful - really, I think it takes a genius to make slugs look so expressive :)

For the complete list of books with resources, please visit Perfect Picture Books.

PPBF bloggers please be sure to leave your post-specific link in the list below so we can all come visit you!

Happy Valentine's Weekend, everyone!  May you all revel in hearts, flowers, and chocolate - especially chocolate :)

Valentines Day Contest!!!

Throw pink confetti!  Open the chocolates!  It's here!  It's here!

The VALENTINES DAY CONTEST!!!!

And do you know why I'm so excited?

It's not because I'm about to publicly humiliate myself with my sample entry.  (Although I suppose that does beg for a certain amount of excitement.)

It's because I'm going to get to read all of your FABULOUS entries!!!

At least I hope I am.  Was anyone able (or willing?) to write one?

We shall see...

For any who may not have heard yet and who might like to join us in our contest, all the info is HERE.  (Please scroll down below the slugs, and please note the word count, slightly raised from the original.)

Meanwhile, for your roll-on-the-floor-and-possibly-die-laughing-at-me pleasure, here is my sample:

Fishing Valentine

So it's Valentines Day and we're in the Secret Clubhouse.
We is me, my little brother Ty, and our dog, Leroy.
Not Bronwyn.
I'm boss of the club because I can talk.
Ty and Leroy are perfect sidekicks because they can't.
Bronwyn wore a dress to school today.  Traitor.
"Here's the problem," I tell them.  "Valentines Day is so full of silly it ruins the only decent girls."
"Lala," says Ty.
"Exactly," I say.  "Pink overload.  It's probably poisonous."
Ty and Leroy do not disagree.
"Luckily, I have a plan."
Here it is:
1. Cancel Valentines Day.
I am a master of simplicity.
Someone bangs on the clubhouse roof.
It's Bronwyn.
"Go away!" I say.
Ty eats some dirt.  Leroy wags his tail.  Traitor.
"I've got worms," says Bronwyn.  "Want to do some Valentine fishing?"
Fishing Valentine?
Maybe her mother made her wear that dress.  "Okay," I say.
As we head for the fishing hole, I make up a Valentine for her.

Roses are red

Violets are blue

Girls are gross

Except for you.

Yikes!  Looks like the pink poisoned me, too!

SO.  After that, I think everyone should feel pret-ty confident they can do better!  I had trouble getting an idea I could squeeze into such a low word count.  This was 22,067 words at the outset.  (Well.  I may be exaggerating a little :))

This time I am remembering the link list on the first try (yay me!) so get your entry-specific links right on there so we can all come applaud your genius!  I can't wait to read everyone's stories!!!

Remember, this post will stay up until Monday evening, and you have until 5PM EST Monday to post your link.  Then we'll have a special post Tuesday with the finalists for you to vote.

Ready?

GO!!!
(Oh, and P.S. I am being featured today, February 11, on Kai Strand's blog, on the topic of industry love!  Should you care to pop over and have a look, I wrote about my indie :))

Also, please check the comments - there are at least 2 entries posted there, one under jrzoch and one under my name due to posting trouble.

Happy Valentines Day!

Happy Valentines Day, Everyone!

I hope you all have someone to celebrate love in your life with, whether a spouse/significant other or a feisty groundhog (Phyllis will find a way to get mentioned as often as possible!)  I also hope that you will have the opportunity to over-indulge in chocolate today because really, why not :)

Since Valentines Day is about love, I thought I'd take a moment to mention a few of the things I love about being a children's writer.

I love that it has let me stay home with my children.

I love that it's creative - every day brings something new.

I love that it offers me the chance to visit schools, share my passion for writing, and meet the people I write for.

I love being part of the writing community - so many interesting, talented, creative, wonderful people!

And I love sharing the writing experience in the blogosphere, and look forward to hearing your thoughts on writing, parenting, teaching, and the world of children's literature each day.

Here a few Valentines children's picture books I love (for your enjoyment if you haven't read them yet!):

The Ballad of Valentine by Alison Jackson
Slugs In Love by Susan Pearson
Love, Ruby Valentine by Laurie Friedman
Love, Splat by Rob Scotten
Henry In Love by Peter McCarty (not, strictly speaking, a Valentine book, but so cute!)

But wait a minute!  What's this?

Who is that handsome stranger?

And what is he doing with Phyllis?

Do you think Phyllis has a secret admirer???  We'll have to keep an eye on that situation...!

Have a wonderful Valentines Day everyone! and please join in the comments with your favorite Valentines books, groundhog love stories, or anything else that tickles your fancy on this love-ly day :)  Oh, and in keeping with the pink theme of the week, don't forget our Meet Cori Doerffeld post coming up in the next couple of days, with an opportunity to win her new picture book, PENNY LOVES PINK!