Monet tried to take a break from her cozy nap to announce the winner, but could not keep her eyes open.
The winner of a copy of Laura Sassi’s Happy Easter, Risen King! is
ROBIN CURRIE
Congratulations, Robin! Please contact me with your mailing address so I can get it to Laura and Paraclete Press so they can mail you a copy! I hope you enjoy this beautiful Easter board book!
Thank you, Laura Sassi and Paraclete Press, for offering a copy of Happy Easter, Risen King! to one reader! What a special gift!
Author Laura Sassi is joining us today with some great tips for reading board books to our littles. As a special treat, Paraclete Press is offering a copy of Laura’s newest book Happy Easter, Risen King! to one reader. Please comment on this blog post to get your name in the hat (US only). A winner will be chosen one week from today.
Welcome, Laura!
Every night when my kids were little – starting when they were babies – we wrapped up our day with some cozy reading time, followed by a lullaby and a prayer. It was precious time on many levels as we enjoyed the joy of togetherness, the cozy calm of settling down for the night, the connections we were making through the board books we explored, and the faith seeds that were planted as we sang of God’s love and wrapped it all up in a prayer.
Now, in celebration of the joy of doing all of the above using board books as the hook, here are 8 tips for reading board books with babies and toddlers, using my newest board book Happy Easter, Risen King! as the joyful model.
Tip #1: Make reading time special. Get cozy. Snuggle. Remember, reading the board book at hand is about more than just reading. It’s about bonding, interacting and fostering a love of books and storytelling, and in the case of exploring faith-based books, letting your children know, from the very beginning, how much God loves them.
Tip #2: Pause as you read to ask simple, interactive questions. In Happy Easter, Risen King! for example, you could ask: “Where’s the sun?” “Who is in the garden?” “What’s the angel doing?”
Tip #3: Add simple actions and/or sounds. In Happy Easter, Risen King! for example, you could have your children squeak like the little mice that appear in almost every spread. For actions, they could pretend to carry jars of perfume or to be picking up petals along the path in the story.
Tip #4: Vary the delivery. Sing the story. Use different voices. My children especially loved when I sang the stories we read. Try singing Happy Easter, Risen King! to the tune of “Happy Birthday to You” and see how it goes. Fun, right?
Tip #5: Let toddlers turn the pages. Anticipate together what will happen on the next page. Then see if you were right.
Tip #6: Point and name things as you read. In Happy Easter, Risen King! for example, you can have your toddler point to and name the colors, etc.
Tip #7: Extend the story with an activity. For Happy Easter Risen King! it might be fun to go on a color hunt or paint a rainbow. Another idea would be to build a cave tomb, similar to the one in the story, by putting a blanket over a couple of chairs. Then, with your child, take turns peeking in and rejoicing because Jesus isn’t there! He has risen, just like He said he would!
Tip #8: Read the same stories again and again… if they ask! That’s how they learn and grow. And remember, to wrap it all up in with a hug and a prayer.
Thank you so much, Laura! These are great tips for reading board books with the littles. Everyone, be sure to comment below to get your name in the hat to win a copy of Happy Easter, Risen King! Thank you, Paraclete Press! Laura’s board book is just right for Easter!
Each year on November 13, we celebrate World Kindness Day, “a day to celebrate and promote positive human interactions.” We focus on showing kindness in ways big and small. Every kindness extended to others spreads goodwill and lightens the load of stress people shoulder as they go about their days.
Need more info and ideas? I found Awareness Days very helpful. I especially like the list of ideas and the #hashtags to use when sharing and talking about World Kindness Day (and kindness in general).
Some things you could do include showing random acts of kindness, volunteering, donating to a charitable cause, and teaching kindness to children and young people.
Not quite two years old, my picture bookBe Kind, Make Friends, helps preschoolers and the younger audience learn about showing kindness and making friends. I’m glad to have this resource to encourage us to celebrate kindness every day! Do you know of any other resources to help promote kindness to the younger crowd? Add them to the comment section so we can all hear about them.
What will you do to celebrate World Kindness Day?
To celebrate World Kindness Day, I’m giving away one copy of Be Kind, Make Friends to someone who comments on this blog post (US only). Let us know how you would use Be Kind, Make Friends with someone in your world. Winner chosen in one week on November 20. Check back next Thursday to see who won!
Happy World Kindness Day! Thank you for being a part of this blog world!
Author of Pumpkin Day for Boo and Belle (Paraclete Press, 2025) Laura Sassi is here to share a special blog post about encouraging littles to grow friendships. Paraclete Press is offering to give a copy of Pumpkin Day for Boo and Belle to one reader who comments below on this blog (US only). Be sure to read to the end for details and comment on this post. Thank you, Laura and Paraclete Press!
Now, let’s hear about 5 ways to foster friendship with pumpkins. Welcome, Laura!
Five Ways to Foster Friendship with Pumpkins
Children love the pumpkin patch setting of my newest book, Pumpkin Day for Boo and Belle, because we all love pumpkins! And since celebrating friendship (despite misunderstandings) is a central theme in the story, I thought it would be fun to share five ideas for fostering friendship with our kids using pumpkins! I hope they spark even more ideas for celebrating friendship, pumpkins, and thankfulness.
1. Take a field trip to a pumpkin patch with your child and a friend or group of friends. Explore the pumpkin patch together. Look for the tallest, plumpest, biggest pumpkin, etc. Count all the pumpkins you see in a row. Maybe even enjoy a cup of cider or water while sitting on pumpkins! Afterwards, give thanks together for special friends and special days like this.
2. With parental supervision, using fresh or canned pumpkin, have your child and a friend bake a pumpkin treat to eat…together! Have the children take turns as they stir, mix, pour, etc. When the treat is ready to eat, cut a slice for each friend to enjoy. Before taking that first nibble be sure give thanks, once again, for the wonderful gift of friendship and good food.
3. Ahead of time, get a pumpkin for your child and each friend. Then, set up a painting station outside and paint some pumpkins! (Alternatively, carve the pumpkins—but this is harder for our littlest friends.) As the children enjoy each other’s pumpkin-y creations, encourage them to let each other know that they appreciate their friendship.
4. Have your child and a friend gather a few of their favorite stuffed animals, then have a pumpkin-themed story time! Check my guest post at Read, Discuss, Do for some of my favorite fall picture books that include pumpkins. Do you think my newest book Pumpkin Day for Boo and Belle is on the list? Yes!
5. Organize a pumpkin-themed “act of kindness” for your child and a friend to participate in together. This could be something as simple as baking a pumpkin treat (see idea #2) and then delivering it to a neighbor in need. Other ideas might include making cards that feature a pumpkin (and a short hand-written note of encouragement) to mail to shut-ins, for example, or others going through a hard time.
Wow, great ideas! Thank you, Laura! I love that you shared ideas for fostering friendships that were based on pumpkins. It’s the perfect time of year for pumpkin fun. In fact, today I had to harvest my pumpkin patch. There were SO many pumpkins (over 100!). I bet some of them would work just right with your ideas. I am thankful for God blessing our pumpkin crop this year!
Friends, Pumpkin Day for Boo and Belle is an adorable book about friendship. To get your name in the hat for a chance to win a copy, make sure to leave a comment below. Maybe you can share something you enjoy doing with pumpkins and friends, or maybe you have another idea of a fun activity littles can do with pumpkins and friends. Do share! We love ideas AND littles!
A winner will be chosen in one week, Monday, October 20.
Thank you, Laura, for being our guest today! Congratulations on your newest book!
Written by Darlene Beck Jacobson, Wishes, Dares, and How to Stand Up to a Bully might be just what your middle grade reader needs! OR maybe you also write for middle grade and want to do some research about middle grade books. Either way, thanks Darlene, for this opportunity!
Darlene is offering a copy of her book to someone who comments over on Kathy Temean’s blog. I mean, I would love to hear from you as well (wink, wink), but to get in her drawing, you need to hop over to Kathy’s blog and comment there.
Click the link below to comment. Happy reading, everyone!
Author Kim A. Larson visited the blog a week ago to share her plans leading up to her debut picture book launch on October 1. That’s when Goat’s Boat Won’t Float will be released to the world! You can read that post here. (Hint: it’s chock full of great ideas!)
Kim offered one lucky winner a free critique of a non-rhyming picture book manuscript under 700 words or a 30-minute AMA Zoom meeting! Wow!
Come on down, Eleanor! Please reach out to let us know the best way to contact you! Congratulations! I know from personal experience that Kim is a wonderful critique partner and shares insightful comments.
Thank you, Kim, for sharing your pre-release plans and for offering a giveaway here on my blog. Congratulations to you on Goat’s Boat Won’t Float! October is nearly here!
Thank you, Danna Smith, for sharing all about haiku last week in a very special blog post. You can read it here. Danna has offered a giveaway of 2 (TWO!) of her Poetry Pop Journals! Wow!
But first. I had to play. I used the template Danna shared and penned a haiku comic. Sadly, you have to use your imagination to understand the drawings, and it was much harder to print small words than it looks! This is Monet, our cat. She loves the garden and watching moving things. I assure you, she is much prettier in real life.
In case you can’t read the print, here is my haiku comic:
Monet writes a haiku.
hot summer bees buzz
zig-zag garden rocket ships
orbiting flowers
Now that was fun! We would LOVE to read your haiku! Post one in the comments or tag us with #haikumoment so we can find you!
Drum roll, please.
The winner (with assistant Monet) of the Poetry Pop journals is:
It got a little dicey after this, because then Monet wanted to play a paper game.
Alyson, come on down! You are the winner of 2 Poetry Pop journals!
Thanks, everyone, for reading and participating in the fun. And thank you, Danna, for the word play fun and inspiration!
It’s pretty amazing to walk into a bookstore and find just the right book. Actually, that’s one of my favorite things! I digress. But did you know how much work an author does BEFORE a book hits the shelves (or virtual cart)?
Today I’ve invited author Kim A. Larson to share what she is doing to prepare for the book launch of her debut picture book, Goat’s Boat Won’t Float. I love learning from authors. This post is chock full of great ideas. Be sure to read to the end to learn about 2 opportunities for a chance to win (one deadline is tomorrow). Let’s go!
Welcome, Kim!
Hi, Angie!
When Angie asked me to talk about what I’ve been doing to prepare for my book launch, I was reminded of the importance of being part of a writing community—and the KidLit community is the best! So it is with gratitude that I acknowledge that most, if not all, of what I’m about to share I learned from others.
When I received my book contract, the first thing I did was update my website. I had self-published a devotional-style Bible study prior, so I wanted my website to look like that of a children’s author.
Next, I tried to find a co-marketing group. The ones I approached wisely told me I couldn’t join until my publisher had hired the illustrator and announced my book in Publisher’s Weekly. The reason was for my benefit. If my book got bumped into the next year, the group may no longer be active.
Once my book was announced, I couldn’t find a co-marketing group with an opening. So, I started one with two other authors (seventeen months before our release dates). As our guide, we used the PDF booklet Starting a Book Co-Marketing Group in 5 Easy(ish) Steps by Kirsten W. Larson. It’s free when you sign up for the Soaring ’20s Flying High Picture Book Debuts newsletter.
My experience with a co-marketing group wasn’t stellar. Not everyone participated and I spent a lot of time organizing it. But I made many new friends. Some groups work out well, like the “Soaring ’20s,” which is still going strong.
Self-promotion is hard for most authors, so after I shared the sale of my book on social media, I didn’t post anything more about my book for another year. By then, the illustrator had finished the book’s cover, and I was within six months of its release date. Some publishers do a cover unveiling post. If yours doesn’t, you’ll want to do one yourself.
Ten months before my release date, I emailed the KidLit bloggers I follow and asked to be on their blogs. They joyfully said, “Yes!” Some even offered an extra post, like Angie. I also subscribe to authors’ newsletters. Here I learned of podcasts and radio opportunities. My spreadsheet of scheduled blog and podcast dates filled up quickly.
I would say that organization is an important part of this process!
Around this time, I applied for a grant through my regional arts council. I proposed that I would read my book and present at area schools, with the grant paying for my mileage and time. The application required confirmation from the schools, and this was much harder to get than expected. Before the deadline, I had seven schools confirmed—and I got the grant!
Kim, can I just say, “Wow!” You really hit this with tons of hard work. I love that you applied for a grant!!
From their examples, I created a book order form, a school contract, a sell sheet for librarians and retailers, and an online Google form for teachers to evaluate my performance. In addition, I designed bookmarks and thank-you cards. Some publishers provide book swag, but mine didn’t. They created a teacher’s guide, and I made activity sheets for kids. I also watched several SCBWI webinars on school visits and learned what to include in my PowerPoint presentation.
I also hired DerbyMonsterQuilts on Etsy to make adorable plushies of my book’s characters to bring along on my school visits.
I LOVE the plushies! Perfect!
Once my book was available for pre-order, I changed my name on Twitter/X to include this fact. By then, I had a PDF ARC (advanced reader’s copy) of my book. I contacted other authors who had soon-to-be-released books and asked if they’d like to exchange ARCs and post reviews on Goodreads and Barnes & Noble. (Amazon doesn’t allow reviews until a book is released.) You’ll want to set up Goodreads and Amazon author pages if you don’t have them.
A few months before the release date, I scheduled book signings at my local and hometown indie bookstores. I also asked my local library to buy my book—and they did. Later, I contacted newspapers and magazines and shared my press release. As the questions for my blog tour rolled in, I prepared my answers.
Finally, I put together a social media campaign and created social media giveaway posts that would begin two months before the book’s release. This pushed me to tackle MailChimp and finally send a newsletter. Here I shared my first giveaway opportunity: one newsletter subscriber will win a signed copy of my book (US only) on August 21, World Goat Day! (I plan to do future promotions around other holidays, like National Turkey Lovers Day.)
A week before my campaign started, I posted that I was looking for people to join my Launch Team. Many friends and family members signed up, agreeing to review my book and boost my social media posts. (One team member will also win a signed copy of my book.) If you want to hear about the other four giveaways—and for more chances to win—follow me here:
Again, I want to express my appreciation to the KidLit community—and especially to Angie! She is a wonderful writer, encourager, and critique partner. Thank you, everyone!
I am blessed to be one of your critique partners, Kim. I learn SO much from you! Thank you for sharing your journey and process. And wow, you’ve given us so much great information!
Friends, you still have one more day (until 8-21, TOMORROW) to subscribe to Kim’s newsletter to get in on her first giveaway.
In addition, Kim is offering a free critique of a non-rhyming picture book manuscript under 700 words or a 30-minute AMA Zoom meeting to one lucky winner.
*To enter, please comment below.
*For extra entries, share this on social media and let me know in the comments.
*Please leave your email so I can contact the winner after the drawing.
Thanks for stopping by friends. Best wishes on the giveaway!
Today I’m blessed to have author Laura Sassi stopping by for a visit! She’s going to share about her new book, My Tender Heart Devotions, which is coming out on October 1 from Paraclete Press. Be sure to read to the bottom to learn about your opportunity to win a copy of My Tender Heart Devotions!
Now, let’s get right to it!
Welcome, Laura! I’m so excited to have you visit today. Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I am a former teacher and children’s ministry director who is now blessed to be able to spend my days writing books, poems, and other pieces that offer messages of hope, faith and joy for little ones and the grown-ups who love them. My books include Goodnight, Ark, Love is Kind, Little Ewe, Bunny Finds Easter, Happy Birthday Christmas Child and the My Tender Heart series. I live in New Jersey with my husband, two young adult kids and a sweet little cockapoo named Sophie. And, every day, rain or shine, in my living room or on my porch, I write! I also love visiting schools, churches and more with a variety of book-themed programs.
It’s so nice to meet you and learn more about your life.
I did a Book Share on my blog about your last book, My Tender Heart Prayer Book, back in January. Tell us about your newest book, My Tender Heart Devotions. It is gorgeous!
Thank you, Angie. My Tender Heart Devotions is the third in the My Tender Heart series. Clocking in at 112 pages (my longest book yet!), it’s a collection of 52 age-appropriate devotions for little ones. Each fully illustrated devotion includes an opening poem about a fun, kid-friendly topic followed by a short message that includes a Bible passage, a “Heart Moment” activity, and a prayer. It’s the kind of devotional I wish I’d had to read with my own kids when they were small — so I decided to write one!
So amazing! I’m saving My Tender Heart Prayer Book for my new grandbaby, and I think he/she will need My Tender Heart Devotions as well!
My Tender Heart Devotions is published by Paraclete Press. Tell us more about your book series with them and how you connected with Paraclete Press.
The My Tender Heart Series consists of three books. The first to release was My Tender Heart Bible, a collection of 12 rhyming Bible stories that all point to God’s redemptive love. Each is paired with a Scripture citation and a Heart Moment of response. My Tender Heart Prayer Bookserves as a companion but with a focus on prayer. It contains 23 prayers to take a young child through the day and foster conversations with God. Like the Bible each prayer concludes with a Heart Moment of connection and response. That Heart Moment carries through to the Devotions as well because when we encounter God’s love and God’s truth we can’t help but respond with our whole heart!
As for Paraclete Press, I had seen and admired their books for children. And when I read their mission statement, I knew that we shared the same heart for God. It reads:
“In all times, in different branches of the Christian family, there are people who have written or sung or spoken things that encouraged us to give our lives to God and to listen to His voice. At Paraclete Press, we gather and share these treasures.”
I LOVE this! What a beautiful connection!
Laura, I love how My Tender Heart Devotions is going to be the perfect gift for little ones! I have a new grandbaby coming in December, and I know this baby and the parents need a copy! (I’m trying really hard not to say he or she, since the reveal party is AFTER this blog post!) The 52-week schedule is exactly right. Share more about how you decided on this format and what you include in each devotional spread.
Actually, when I started the project, it was for forty devotions, but then as I got rolling, I realized I had enough for fifty. But, then I thought, don’t stop there! Make it fifty-two so that there can be one for each week of the year. But even though there are fifty-two, they are not dated and they can be read and enjoyed in any order. In fact, the book includes a handy topical index at the end so the devotions can be paired with a particular theme or situation in a child’s life.
As for the format for each spread, I thought about what I, as a parent of young children, would want the components to be and went from there. Thus, each devotional spread includes a title, a Bible citation (so children can practice digging directly into Scripture), a fun poem that serves as the spark for the devotion, an anchor verse (so tired parents don’t necessarily have to look up the verse right then and there), a short kid-friendly message that links it all together with God’s Word in an applicable way, and a Heart Moment of response.
Here are two examples from the book:
I really like all you have included with each devotion. Every family should be able to choose and adjust to what their young ones need and can handle at any given time.
Your author voice is just right for this book. And Sandra’s illustrations are a perfect match. How did the two of you hook up? How much feedback do you give Sandra? Did you send art notes? I must say, you make a great team!
Thank you so much. I totally agree about Sandra’s darling illustrations and think they are a lovely match to the text. She is amazing! The team at Paraclete Press paired us together.
In terms of art notes, editors really discourage including art notes in a manuscript unless absolutely necessary. That being said, for the Devotions I did send my editor a couple of photos in the hopes that Sandra might use them for inspiration as she illustrated. The first, to pair with the devotion “Toy Sailboat”, was a photo of me and my sister as children pushing toy sail boats in a city fountain. The second to go with “Clock Trust” was a picture of the lovely nineteenth century steeple clock we have on the mantel in our living room. And she did!
More great connections! You work well together!
My Tender Heart Devotions will be released on October 1. Happy book birthday! Do you have any special plans for your book release day?
I don’t have anything planned yet for the exact release day, but here’s an event that’s almost on release day! If any of y’all live in the Oklahoma City area, please join me for a pajama story time with the Devotions on Thursday, October 3, 2024 at 6pm at Best of Books in Edmond, OK.
And please do check my website in the next few weeks for other fall events because I’m building a little book tour as we speak. It will include visits to bookstores, schools and churches.
A pajama party! How fun! If only Oklahoma was not so far from Washington state, I would be there with my jammies on!
What’s next for you, Laura? Any new projects in the works or anything else you want to share?
I’m delighted to share that I have a new picture book releasing in early January. It’s called FAITHFUL FEET. Learn all about it here.
And if you’re curious about the My Tender Heart series, or want to download the free printables that go with each book, head on over to mytenderheartbooks.com.
Congratulations on all of your books and upcoming books! Wow!Thank you, Laura, for stopping by today!
Friends, Laura and Paraclete Press have offered to give a copy of My Tender Heart Devotions to one reader once it is released on October 1. To put your name in the hat, please comment below and give Laura some love! Please make sure to leave your email so I can contact the winner after the drawing.
A winner will be drawn Monday, August 12 (US only).
Love, Laughter, and Life 
