Lauri Fortino's Blog, page 5
February 6, 2024
Interview Alert: Colleen Olle
Please welcome author Colleen Olle to Frog on a Blog! Besides children’s picture books, Colleen also writes literary fiction for adults. Colleen enjoys writing picture books that combine elements of the natural world with fictional characters and plots. That’s exactly what she did in her latest book Sophia and Sinclair Get Lost!, the second book to feature the adorable animal friends Sophia the rabbit and Sinclair the turtle.
On her website, colleenolle.com, Colleen says that one of t...
January 1, 2024
Welcome 2024 and a (slightly) New Blog Focus!
Hello, everyone, and Happy New Year! I want to say how much I appreciate all of my blog followers, old and new, especially those of you who have liked, shared, or commented on any of my posts throughout the past year, and those who have stuck with me for many years. Frog on a Blog turns 15 in the fall, and I wouldn’t have kept going if not for all of you. Thank you 
In the spirit of starting fresh for the new year, and because of my love for all things animals and nature, I’ve decided to twea...
December 18, 2023
DEREK THE FLYING DODO: THE NEXT BIG ADVENTURE by Vanee Apoolingum
Please welcome author Vanee Apoolingum back to Frog on a Blog. Vanee visited back in 2018 to share the inspiration behind her picture book Derek The Flying Dodo. You can read that post HERE. Last month, she released a second book starring the lovable little dodo bird, entitled Derek The Flying Dodo: The Next Big Adventure, which also features colorful and bold illustrations by Daniel McCloskey, some of which can be seen below. Vanee’s returned today to speak a bit about her experience writin...
December 11, 2023
Interview Alert: Gina Soldano-Herrle
Please welcome author and professional ghostwriter Gina Soldano-Herrle to Frog on a Blog! Gina’s beautiful new picture book Nia’s Rescue Box is available now. With Christmas just a couple of weeks away, I’m sure many of you are in the giving spirit. Maybe you’re even feeling charitable and wondering about ways you can help out in your community. Or maybe you or someone you know is going through a tough time right now and could use a little assistance. Nia’s Rescue Box features a food rescue,...
December 4, 2023
Two Books Full Of Love (My View Book Review)
Title: Like So
Author: Ruth Forman
Illustrator: Raissa Figueroa
Publisher/Year: Little Simon/2024
Topic/Theme: family, grandparent/grandchild relationships, nature appreciation, love
Of Note: Gorgeous, dreamy illustrations
Title: Same Love, Different Hug
Author: Sarah Hovorka
Illustrator: Abbey Bryant
Publisher/Year: Clarion Books/2023
Topic/Theme: family, friendship, personal space/boundaries, love
Of Note: Fun, bouncy rhymes
Both of these l...
November 26, 2023
Picture Book Month Book Review: THE LITTLE TIGER by Nicola Killen
Title: The Little Tiger (My Little Animal Friend series)
Author: Nicola Killen
Illustrator: Nicola Killen
Publisher/Year: Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books/2023
Favorite Line from the Book: But then she remembered…she was a tiger!
Special Features: Die cuts and foil stamping
The ever-clever and always-curious Ollie is back in The Little Tiger. And this time, it’s her birthday! The Little Tiger is a super-sweet addition to Nicola Killen’s My Little Animal Friend serie...
November 19, 2023
Picture Book Month Book Review: I’M TRYING TO LOVE GERMS by Bethany Barton
Title: I’m Trying to Love Germs
Author: Bethany Barton
Illustrator: Bethany Barton
Publisher/Year: Viking Books for Young Readers/2023
Favorite Line from the Book: And sometimes just appreciating how different something is can make you love it!
Can germs be cute? They can if they was drawn by Bethany Barton, the author and illustrator of I’m Trying to Love Germs, an informational fiction picture book that earned a starred review from School Library Journal! This fun book i...
November 15, 2023
Picture Book Month Book Review: RED & GREEN by Lois Ehlert
Title: Red & Green
Author: Lois Ehlert
Illustrator: Lois Ehlert
Publisher/Year: Beach Lane Books/2023
Special Features: Die-cut pages/flaps
Christmas is a mere 40 days away. How many of you have started your Christmas shopping? Or put up your holiday decorations? Maybe you prefer to wait until after Thanksgiving, at least? Or maybe you need a little help getting into the Christmas spirit this year? I get it. It’s been a rough year, and thinking about everything that’s goin...
November 12, 2023
Picture Book Month Book Review: OUR CLASS IS A COUNTRY by Andria W. Rosenbaum
Title: Our Class Is A Country
Author: Andria W. Rosenbaum
Illustrator: Dream Chen
Publisher/Year: Albert Whitman & Company/2023
Favorite Line from the Book: Our class is a country with no room for hate.
I believe wholeheartedly that the following expression, which I’m sure many of you have heard before, is true: The opposite of love isn’t hate. It’s fear. People are afraid of many things, including, but not limited to, things that are different or things we don’t understan...
November 8, 2023
Picture Book Month Book Review: HOW THIS BOOK GOT RED by Margaret Chiu Greanias
Title: How This Book Got Red
Author: Margaret Chiu Greanias
Illustrator: Melissa Iwai
Publisher/Year: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky/2023
Favorite Line from the Book: “This will be better than bamboo bubble tea!” ~Red
What’s the first thing that pops into your head when you think about a panda? Probably the lovable, ever-popular black and white panda bear, right? That would be true for me, too, if my local zoo didn’t have red pandas. Red pandas are small, tree-dwelling mammals na...
