Beth Stilborn: Books ~ Encouragement ~ Teaching ~ Hope
June 11, 2018
Well, not until Fall, but early-bird registration begins on June 14th! What is Picture Book Summit? It’s a fantastic day-long conference for picture book writers, that happens entirely online, so there are no travel or accommodation costs, and you can attend in your jammies if you want. It is hosted by author, editor and educator Emma Walton Hamilton, author and founder of the 12×12 picture book challenge Julie Foster Hedlund,…
May 29, 2018
I read an all-too-brief article on Broadway World, with an equally brief — but delightful — video, and I wanted to share them with you (in an equally brief blog post!) Those of you who’ve been following my blog for some time may recall my previous posts about illustrator, costume designer, set designer, director Tony Walton. I featured Tony as a “Wednesday Worthy” back in 2012, and in October 2013,…
April 30, 2018
Thank you for sticking with me through this year’s version of alphabetical posts! While it did give me a bit of a focus for each week, rest assured that next blogging year, I will find some other way to focus my posts. I will leave the alphabet to experts like Kermit and Joey. (I just love those two!) I do have other books and resources I want to share during…
April 23, 2018
I have been waiting impatiently to finish my alphabetical blog posts so I could share this book with you. Finally, I’m able to do so! It’s an important new book from my cousin, Beverley Brenna. I hope it will be widely read and taken to heart. Title: Fox Magic Author: Beverley Brenna Publisher: Markham, Ontario, Canada: Red Deer Press, 2017 Genre: Middle Grade Fiction for older middle grade kids Audience…
April 16, 2018
Title: THE ZOOKEEPER’S WIFE: A WAR STORY Author: Diane Ackerman Publisher: New York, Norton, 2007 Genre: Adult non-fiction Audience Age: Adult Themes/topics: World War II, Poland, Hiding Jews during World War II Opening Sentences: Summer, 1935. At dawn in an outlying district of Warsaw, sunlight swarmed around the trunks of blooming linden trees and crept up the white walls of a 1930s stucco and glass villa where the director and…
Title: The Youngest Marcher: The Story of Audrey Faye Hendricks, a Young Civil Rights Activist Author: Cynthia Levinson Illustrator: Vanessa Brantley Newton Publisher: New York: Simon & Schuster/Atheneum, 2017 Genre: Picture book, nonfiction/biography Audience Age: 5 to 10 years Themes/topics: Audrey Faye Hendricks, civil rights movement, protest marches, The Children’s March Opening Sentences: Whenever Mike flew into town, Audrey and her momma COO-OOOKED! (Note from Beth: “Mike” refers to Martin Luther…
April 2, 2018
Title: XO OX: A Love Story Author: Adam Rex Illustrator: Scott Campbell Publisher: New York: Roaring Brook Press, 2017 Genre: Picture book, fiction Audience Age: 3 to 8 years Themes/topics: Love, letters, misunderstandings, changes of heart Opening Sentences: Dear Gazelle, For some time now I have wanted to write a letter to say how much I admire you. You are so graceful and fine. … … I think that what I…
March 19, 2018
Title: Vincent’s Colors Author/Illustrator: Vincent van Gogh Publisher: New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art / San Francisco, Chronicle Books, 2005 Genre: Non-fiction picture book Audience Age: 3 to 10 or more years Themes, topics: Vincent van Gogh’s art, creativity, color Opening Sentences: A yellow sky with yellow sun, a jug in squares of blue and white, a reddish cap and orange bricks, twelve flowers that are light on light. Synopsis:…