Michelle Hauck's Blog, page 35
July 20, 2016
Picture Book Party 2016 Agent Round
I don't have enough words to say how much I've enjoyed this contest. Once again, the entries just blew Sharon and I away. They are beyond adorable, heart touching, hilarious, sweet and informative. I don't know about Sharon, but I felt like I was in the middle of a group love hug while reading them. Something we all need in these difficult times.
Commenting on entries is for agents only. If you'd like to cheer or rave about a favorite, please hop over to twitter at the hashtag #PBParty. The party continues there as we celebrate and support our fellow writers.
Thanks to everyone who entered. Stay tuned to the blog or sign up for my newsletter for future contests.
Note: If you want your entry taken down after the agent round, please email the contest address or ask me on twitter.
PBParty 1: Karina the Dancer, Character-driven, multicultural PB
Title: KARINA THE DANCERGenre: Character-driven, Humorous, Multi-cultural PBWord Count: 640
Query:
Dear Agent,
Free-spirited Karina wants to be a dancer like her older sister, so she signs up for Indian classical dance. But her colorful attire, bopping moves, and improvisations land her in hot water with Guruji, the teacher. Karina learns that to be a dancer, she only needs to follow her inner beat.
KARINA THE DANCER is a 644 - word picture book for children ages 4-8 that celebrates individuality through Indian dance. Karina has the potential to play a similar role for the South Asian community as Marisol McDonald did for the Latino community.
I am an SCBWI member and have been a judge for the Cybils Book Awards in 2011 and 2012. I’ve completed a picture book mentorship with Kathi Appelt. I run a children’s book review blog, Flowering Minds, and assist with curating books for the Stratford Schools (Pre-school-8th grade, 16 campuses). In addition, I participate in critique groups and online writing challenges like 12x12 and PiBoIdMo.
Thank you for taking the time to participate in the PBParty.
First 50 Words:
I love to dance.While walking to school. Waiting in line. Even during chores (maybe not).
My sister, Didi, and I practice dance every afternoon.Didi is a classical dancer.She’s a graceful peacock with her stomp-stomp-pose.I’m a zippy butterfly with my flip-flap-twirl.“You sure you want to start classical dance?” asks Didi.
Query:
Dear Agent,
Free-spirited Karina wants to be a dancer like her older sister, so she signs up for Indian classical dance. But her colorful attire, bopping moves, and improvisations land her in hot water with Guruji, the teacher. Karina learns that to be a dancer, she only needs to follow her inner beat.
KARINA THE DANCER is a 644 - word picture book for children ages 4-8 that celebrates individuality through Indian dance. Karina has the potential to play a similar role for the South Asian community as Marisol McDonald did for the Latino community.
I am an SCBWI member and have been a judge for the Cybils Book Awards in 2011 and 2012. I’ve completed a picture book mentorship with Kathi Appelt. I run a children’s book review blog, Flowering Minds, and assist with curating books for the Stratford Schools (Pre-school-8th grade, 16 campuses). In addition, I participate in critique groups and online writing challenges like 12x12 and PiBoIdMo.
Thank you for taking the time to participate in the PBParty.
First 50 Words:
I love to dance.While walking to school. Waiting in line. Even during chores (maybe not).
My sister, Didi, and I practice dance every afternoon.Didi is a classical dancer.She’s a graceful peacock with her stomp-stomp-pose.I’m a zippy butterfly with my flip-flap-twirl.“You sure you want to start classical dance?” asks Didi.
PBParty 2: Three Pickles Downtown, Humorous PB
Title: Three Pickles DowntownGenre: Humorous picture bookWord Count: 778
(Author/Illustrator)
Query:
Dear Agent,
I hope my slapstick humor will appeal to you.
Three pickles decide to escape from the deli to seek excitement and adventure in the outside world. SLIM, FATS and LOUIE must hide their identify with disguises before they venture out in the big city. On their way to the circus, they face several near-disasters, but it is Louie’s triple flip that a causes chaos at an outdoor cafe.
In the end, their misadventures make the runaways appreciate coming home to the deli…until the next adventure.
Young children sometimes want to run away from home, thinking that life is more exciting in the “outside world.” I have written and illustrated several picture books. My 22-year career as a high school art and art history teacher was fertile ground from which I took many of my ideas for stories. As a member of SCBWI I have attended a number of conferences where agents and editors have favorably critiqued my work. I am including an illustration from the story.
Thank you for considering my work. I look forward to hearing from you.
First 50 words
Something strange was brewing in the pickle barrel during lunchtime at “Sam’s Famous Deli.” Dozens of pickles floated in the brine. Each waited to join a sandwich on a plate. However, three pimply pickles had other plans. No sandwiches for them today.
Slim, Fats and Louie were plotting an escape.
(Author/Illustrator)
Query:
Dear Agent,
I hope my slapstick humor will appeal to you.
Three pickles decide to escape from the deli to seek excitement and adventure in the outside world. SLIM, FATS and LOUIE must hide their identify with disguises before they venture out in the big city. On their way to the circus, they face several near-disasters, but it is Louie’s triple flip that a causes chaos at an outdoor cafe.
In the end, their misadventures make the runaways appreciate coming home to the deli…until the next adventure.
Young children sometimes want to run away from home, thinking that life is more exciting in the “outside world.” I have written and illustrated several picture books. My 22-year career as a high school art and art history teacher was fertile ground from which I took many of my ideas for stories. As a member of SCBWI I have attended a number of conferences where agents and editors have favorably critiqued my work. I am including an illustration from the story.
Thank you for considering my work. I look forward to hearing from you.
First 50 words
Something strange was brewing in the pickle barrel during lunchtime at “Sam’s Famous Deli.” Dozens of pickles floated in the brine. Each waited to join a sandwich on a plate. However, three pimply pickles had other plans. No sandwiches for them today.
Slim, Fats and Louie were plotting an escape.
PBParty 3: Mary Anning and the Colossal Fossil, Non-fiction
Title: Mary Anning & the Colossal FossilGenre: Non-fictionWord Count: 670 Query:
Dear Michelle and Sharon:
In 1810, when men dominated science, Mary Anning was only a girl, but a very determined girl. At age eleven, she changed science, proving the earth was older than believed. She, along with her brother, found the world’s first Ichthyosaur fossil and she excavated it herself. Mary went on to discover a full plesiosaur, and the first pterantodon in Great Britain. Though she didn’t receive credit for her accomplishments during her lifetime, current paleontologists have recognized her contribution and named a genus of plesiosaurs for her as well as a species of Ichthyosaurs. Her findings led to the establishment of the science of Paleontology.
Comps for MARY ANNING & the COLOSSAL FOSSIL, complete at 670 words, would be Fossil Girl by Catherine Brighton (1999) and Stone Girl, Bone Girl: The Story of Mary Anning by Sheila Moxley, (2006) both of which are outdated.
As a former Pre-K director, I can vouch for young children’s avid interest in dinosaurs and prehistoric marine reptiles. Some will amaze you that they can recognize the genus by the creature’s footprint. As an adult, I was fascinated with Mary’s story and I’m sure young children will be too.
I’m a published picture book author, an active SCBWI member, and a member of KIDLIT, INK, a marketing organization that promotes published children’s authors. My picture book is ROCK STAR SANTA (Scholastic 2008).
I’d like to thank you in advance for considering my manuscript. I look forward to your reply.
First 50 Words: If you give a girl a shovel, what will she dig up?If she’s Mary Anning— an Ichthyosaurus, a Plesiosaur, and a Pteranodon. And that’s just what she did! Her father was a poor carpenter and an avid fossil hunter.He taught Mary about the preserved remainsof sea creatures in the shale near their
Dear Michelle and Sharon:
In 1810, when men dominated science, Mary Anning was only a girl, but a very determined girl. At age eleven, she changed science, proving the earth was older than believed. She, along with her brother, found the world’s first Ichthyosaur fossil and she excavated it herself. Mary went on to discover a full plesiosaur, and the first pterantodon in Great Britain. Though she didn’t receive credit for her accomplishments during her lifetime, current paleontologists have recognized her contribution and named a genus of plesiosaurs for her as well as a species of Ichthyosaurs. Her findings led to the establishment of the science of Paleontology.
Comps for MARY ANNING & the COLOSSAL FOSSIL, complete at 670 words, would be Fossil Girl by Catherine Brighton (1999) and Stone Girl, Bone Girl: The Story of Mary Anning by Sheila Moxley, (2006) both of which are outdated.
As a former Pre-K director, I can vouch for young children’s avid interest in dinosaurs and prehistoric marine reptiles. Some will amaze you that they can recognize the genus by the creature’s footprint. As an adult, I was fascinated with Mary’s story and I’m sure young children will be too.
I’m a published picture book author, an active SCBWI member, and a member of KIDLIT, INK, a marketing organization that promotes published children’s authors. My picture book is ROCK STAR SANTA (Scholastic 2008).
I’d like to thank you in advance for considering my manuscript. I look forward to your reply.
First 50 Words: If you give a girl a shovel, what will she dig up?If she’s Mary Anning— an Ichthyosaurus, a Plesiosaur, and a Pteranodon. And that’s just what she did! Her father was a poor carpenter and an avid fossil hunter.He taught Mary about the preserved remainsof sea creatures in the shale near their
PBParty 4: My World, Concept, Early PB
Title: MY WORLDGenre: Concept, Early PictureWord Count: 220Query:
Dear Michelle and Sharon,
Thank you for the opportunity to submit my concept picture book, MY WORLD, to your picture book party.
MY WORLD traces a child’s beautiful web of relationships from its center out to its widest rings. With each widening of the child's relationships, we see the child widen and deepen. MY WORLD shares the focus on connections of All The World by Liz Garton Scanlon and the appealing rhythm of My Friends/Mis Amigos by Taro Gomi. I wrote My World for my daughter who is growing up with a Mexican father and American mother and invite illustrations that show multicultural influences. To capture both the languages we speak at home and inspired by My Friends/Mis Amigos, I also wrote a Spanish version of the story.
I have co-authored a book on ADHD coming out January 2017 (New Harbinger Publications). But my true love is children’s books, and I am a member of SCBWI and the 12x12 picture book challenge.
Thank you for your time and consideration.First 50 pages:
I am small spaces and wide waves. From my spaces and waves, I learn to see and be seen.
My mother is warm skin and open arms. From my mother, I learn to seek and trust.
My father is sleepy-time reading and bike rides. From my father, I learn to carry many books and
Dear Michelle and Sharon,
Thank you for the opportunity to submit my concept picture book, MY WORLD, to your picture book party.
MY WORLD traces a child’s beautiful web of relationships from its center out to its widest rings. With each widening of the child's relationships, we see the child widen and deepen. MY WORLD shares the focus on connections of All The World by Liz Garton Scanlon and the appealing rhythm of My Friends/Mis Amigos by Taro Gomi. I wrote My World for my daughter who is growing up with a Mexican father and American mother and invite illustrations that show multicultural influences. To capture both the languages we speak at home and inspired by My Friends/Mis Amigos, I also wrote a Spanish version of the story.
I have co-authored a book on ADHD coming out January 2017 (New Harbinger Publications). But my true love is children’s books, and I am a member of SCBWI and the 12x12 picture book challenge.
Thank you for your time and consideration.First 50 pages:
I am small spaces and wide waves. From my spaces and waves, I learn to see and be seen.
My mother is warm skin and open arms. From my mother, I learn to seek and trust.
My father is sleepy-time reading and bike rides. From my father, I learn to carry many books and
PBParty 5: Standing Up While Sitting Down, PB with wheelchair
Title: STANDING UP WHILE SITTING DOWN
Genre: Picture Book includes wheelchair use
Word Count: 820
Query:
Dear Agent:
Many picture books reflect, with sensitivity and directness, issues which children face. Such works are needed for children using wheelchairs. Thus I am sendingStanding Up While Sitting Down, my 820-word picture book for your consideration.
Based on a true incident, aquarium-loving Evan’s view has been hampered by his capacity to see over crowds from his wheelchair. He and Granny brainstorm solutions for an upcoming visit, without success. When his power wheelchair finally arrives, Evan is sure he has the solution. He will surprise Granny by “getting tall” at the aquarium. However, getting tall is not where his victory lies.
Rare picture books show children in wheelchairs or present their issues. In the last five years only two picture books show a child as a main character using a wheelchair: King for a Day (Lee & Low 2013) where the character’s wheelchair use is unmentioned and Snow Rabbit (Enchanted Lion, 2015) which relies on fantasy elements. While each is captivating, Standing Up While Sitting Down is different. It affirms children who use wheelchairs by approaching some of their real feelings and circumstances, offers insight to others and gives additional information in a glossary.
Writing picture books became important to me when my grandson needed a wheelchair at sixteen months and I found few books reflecting his situation. Since then I have continued writing picture books. A city school teacher for thirty years, I joined SCBWI, Rochester Area Children’s Writers and Illustrators (RACWI), and Rochester’s own literary center, Writers and Books, to help me with this transition.
Thank you for your time.
First 50 Words:
[Note: Evan uses a manual wheelchair]
The aquarium was buzzing. The green moray eel had been peeking from the coral reef.
“Granny, here’s the best spot,” Evan said, finding a place where only small children stood between him and the reef - until two teenagers stepped in front of Evan.
“Young men,” Granny said, tapping on their shoulders, “We can’t see.”
Genre: Picture Book includes wheelchair use
Word Count: 820
Query:
Dear Agent:
Many picture books reflect, with sensitivity and directness, issues which children face. Such works are needed for children using wheelchairs. Thus I am sendingStanding Up While Sitting Down, my 820-word picture book for your consideration.
Based on a true incident, aquarium-loving Evan’s view has been hampered by his capacity to see over crowds from his wheelchair. He and Granny brainstorm solutions for an upcoming visit, without success. When his power wheelchair finally arrives, Evan is sure he has the solution. He will surprise Granny by “getting tall” at the aquarium. However, getting tall is not where his victory lies.
Rare picture books show children in wheelchairs or present their issues. In the last five years only two picture books show a child as a main character using a wheelchair: King for a Day (Lee & Low 2013) where the character’s wheelchair use is unmentioned and Snow Rabbit (Enchanted Lion, 2015) which relies on fantasy elements. While each is captivating, Standing Up While Sitting Down is different. It affirms children who use wheelchairs by approaching some of their real feelings and circumstances, offers insight to others and gives additional information in a glossary.
Writing picture books became important to me when my grandson needed a wheelchair at sixteen months and I found few books reflecting his situation. Since then I have continued writing picture books. A city school teacher for thirty years, I joined SCBWI, Rochester Area Children’s Writers and Illustrators (RACWI), and Rochester’s own literary center, Writers and Books, to help me with this transition.
Thank you for your time.
First 50 Words:
[Note: Evan uses a manual wheelchair]
The aquarium was buzzing. The green moray eel had been peeking from the coral reef.
“Granny, here’s the best spot,” Evan said, finding a place where only small children stood between him and the reef - until two teenagers stepped in front of Evan.
“Young men,” Granny said, tapping on their shoulders, “We can’t see.”
PBParty 6: Ants in Space, Character-driven
Title: ANTS IN SPACEGenre: Character-driven, Funny, Picture Book Word Count: 800Query:
Dear Agent:
In January 2014, NASA conducted a live Ants in Space investigation on the International Space Station. The experiment examined how ants work together to build new habitats in space. The story of these ants in space became my muse and inspired my picture book, ANTS IN SPACE. When scientists send two ants on a mission to Mars, they must adapt to the new environment and each other. Back matter about ants and space would make it useful for students and teachers in the classroom. ANTS IN SPACE is a quirky 800 word picture book targeted to peak the interest of young readers from ages 3-6.
I have BA in Journalism and Broadcasting from Oklahoma State University. I am a member of the SCBWI and Oklahoma Writer's Federation, Inc. I am also active in two critique groups.
In keeping with your instructions, I included the first fifty words of the manuscript. Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you.
50 Words:
When Armstrong hatched, the Queen gave him a job."I dub thee Armstrong and you shall be a worker ant for the royal colony."
"YES, MA'AM!"
Day after day, Armstrong collected. He dug. And swaddled.
"There has to be something better than this."
Armstrong explored other employment opportunities.
Dear Agent:
In January 2014, NASA conducted a live Ants in Space investigation on the International Space Station. The experiment examined how ants work together to build new habitats in space. The story of these ants in space became my muse and inspired my picture book, ANTS IN SPACE. When scientists send two ants on a mission to Mars, they must adapt to the new environment and each other. Back matter about ants and space would make it useful for students and teachers in the classroom. ANTS IN SPACE is a quirky 800 word picture book targeted to peak the interest of young readers from ages 3-6.
I have BA in Journalism and Broadcasting from Oklahoma State University. I am a member of the SCBWI and Oklahoma Writer's Federation, Inc. I am also active in two critique groups.
In keeping with your instructions, I included the first fifty words of the manuscript. Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you.
50 Words:
When Armstrong hatched, the Queen gave him a job."I dub thee Armstrong and you shall be a worker ant for the royal colony."
"YES, MA'AM!"
Day after day, Armstrong collected. He dug. And swaddled.
"There has to be something better than this."
Armstrong explored other employment opportunities.
PBParty 7: Don't Fret, Fred, Humorous PB
Title: DON’T FRET, FRED
Genre: A humorous picture book
Word Count: 800 words
(Author/Illustrator)
Query:
Dear Interested Party:
Cut off from the electronic world, Fred is worried a day with Gram and Grandpa out in the boondocks will be boring. Boy, was he wrong. While balling Gram’s yarn (yawn!), he asks her for a story. Crazy and out-of-this-world things begin to happen, spinning them up into a wild yarn of an adventure bigger than all of them. Fred will have to use his own rusty imagination to get them back home before they are lost in space.
An author and an illustrator, I am at home in the kid lit world. My short story, SASSY SLIME SLIDER was purchased by Highlights Magazine. My black and white illustrations can be found inside New Moon Magazine and my colorful art on the cover, and I have illustrated several picture books for publishers and self published authors.
I am a long-time member of SCBWI (since before it had the I) and participate in regular critiques with my wonderful crit buddies. I have several more picture books in various stages as well as a MG and a YA in final revisions.
Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to hearing from you.
First 50 words:
A cloud of dust caught up to the car as it stopped in front of Gram and Gramp’s house. A boy got out.
“You can’t leave me here,” Fred said. “This place is BORING. There’s no video games. No internet. NO FAIR! You might as well send me to the MOON!”
Genre: A humorous picture book
Word Count: 800 words
(Author/Illustrator)
Query:
Dear Interested Party:
Cut off from the electronic world, Fred is worried a day with Gram and Grandpa out in the boondocks will be boring. Boy, was he wrong. While balling Gram’s yarn (yawn!), he asks her for a story. Crazy and out-of-this-world things begin to happen, spinning them up into a wild yarn of an adventure bigger than all of them. Fred will have to use his own rusty imagination to get them back home before they are lost in space.
An author and an illustrator, I am at home in the kid lit world. My short story, SASSY SLIME SLIDER was purchased by Highlights Magazine. My black and white illustrations can be found inside New Moon Magazine and my colorful art on the cover, and I have illustrated several picture books for publishers and self published authors.
I am a long-time member of SCBWI (since before it had the I) and participate in regular critiques with my wonderful crit buddies. I have several more picture books in various stages as well as a MG and a YA in final revisions.
Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to hearing from you.
First 50 words:
A cloud of dust caught up to the car as it stopped in front of Gram and Gramp’s house. A boy got out.
“You can’t leave me here,” Fred said. “This place is BORING. There’s no video games. No internet. NO FAIR! You might as well send me to the MOON!”
PBParty 8: Knights of the Neighborhood, CB
Title: KNIGHTS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD
Genre: Chapter Book with series potential, adventure mystery with touch of magical realism
Word Count: 5,300Query:
Dear Michelle and Sharon,
I am thrilled to have found #PBParty. Many thanks for your efforts to make this happen. For this party, I would like to offer a chapter book for your consideration called KNIGHTS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD – MISSION #1: YARD ANTICS, for children ages 7-10. KNIGHTS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD is an adventurous mystery with a touch of magical realism and can be compared to a modern mash-up of ENCYCLOPEDIA BROWN meets THE MAGIC TREE HOUSE with a dash of FUDGE. I've approached the story as a series and have books two and three in draft form.
Mars Keller, a know-it-all nine-and-a half-year-old, and his younger lead-with-his-face brother, Levi, have unexpectedly found themselves the protectors of their small neighborhood of Hazeltown. The boys' current mission is to figure out who or what is trampling lawns, tearing shrubs, and rooting up flowers in everyone’s yard. A mysterious double-decker bus the boys come to depend on leads them to the backyard of Ms. Flinish, an eccentric, old neighbor with a love of wiener dogs and all things pink. It’s up to the brothers to discover whether Ms. Flinish and her yippy dogs have their paws in the dirt or if something greater and stranger is in the works. KNIGHTS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD explores the many facets of brotherhood and the serendipitous possibilities that can unfold when making connections to people within a community.
Currently, I have my own mysteries to solve involving two little boys in my household, such as who left the milk out or who “Sharpied” the walls. Beyond that, I am a current member of SCBWI and the social media coordinator for the Austin chapter. I have more than 15 years of writing experience creating and pitching stories for clients of one of the largest PR firms in the world, FleishmanHillard, as well as working as an independent marketing/PR consultant. I have a Bachelor of Journalism degree and continue my writing education with Writer's Digest boot camps, the Austin SCBWI conferences, and various SCBWI webinars and meet-ups.
Again, thank you for your time and the opportunity to present my work to you.
First 100 Words:
The front wall of my room scrolls up and away like a garage door. This happens every time my brother and I spend the night together. Then come the bright flashing lights and the loud honking of the bus. It sits at the curb waiting for my seven-year-old brother Levi and me.
The first time the bus appeared, I couldn't find the scream to scream. Levi didn't have the same reaction. He was still asleep, which is typical. I had to give him a good shake or two to wake him. Once he opened his eyes, I think he was in shock.
Genre: Chapter Book with series potential, adventure mystery with touch of magical realism
Word Count: 5,300Query:
Dear Michelle and Sharon,
I am thrilled to have found #PBParty. Many thanks for your efforts to make this happen. For this party, I would like to offer a chapter book for your consideration called KNIGHTS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD – MISSION #1: YARD ANTICS, for children ages 7-10. KNIGHTS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD is an adventurous mystery with a touch of magical realism and can be compared to a modern mash-up of ENCYCLOPEDIA BROWN meets THE MAGIC TREE HOUSE with a dash of FUDGE. I've approached the story as a series and have books two and three in draft form.
Mars Keller, a know-it-all nine-and-a half-year-old, and his younger lead-with-his-face brother, Levi, have unexpectedly found themselves the protectors of their small neighborhood of Hazeltown. The boys' current mission is to figure out who or what is trampling lawns, tearing shrubs, and rooting up flowers in everyone’s yard. A mysterious double-decker bus the boys come to depend on leads them to the backyard of Ms. Flinish, an eccentric, old neighbor with a love of wiener dogs and all things pink. It’s up to the brothers to discover whether Ms. Flinish and her yippy dogs have their paws in the dirt or if something greater and stranger is in the works. KNIGHTS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD explores the many facets of brotherhood and the serendipitous possibilities that can unfold when making connections to people within a community.
Currently, I have my own mysteries to solve involving two little boys in my household, such as who left the milk out or who “Sharpied” the walls. Beyond that, I am a current member of SCBWI and the social media coordinator for the Austin chapter. I have more than 15 years of writing experience creating and pitching stories for clients of one of the largest PR firms in the world, FleishmanHillard, as well as working as an independent marketing/PR consultant. I have a Bachelor of Journalism degree and continue my writing education with Writer's Digest boot camps, the Austin SCBWI conferences, and various SCBWI webinars and meet-ups.
Again, thank you for your time and the opportunity to present my work to you.
First 100 Words:
The front wall of my room scrolls up and away like a garage door. This happens every time my brother and I spend the night together. Then come the bright flashing lights and the loud honking of the bus. It sits at the curb waiting for my seven-year-old brother Levi and me.
The first time the bus appeared, I couldn't find the scream to scream. Levi didn't have the same reaction. He was still asleep, which is typical. I had to give him a good shake or two to wake him. Once he opened his eyes, I think he was in shock.
PBParty 9: The Uncool Friendship of Pablo and the Knitting Club, CB
Title: The Uncool Friendship of Pablo and the Knitting ClubGenre: Chapter book Word count: 8,400Query:
Dear Michelle and Sharon,
Pablo accidentally becomes the knitting club’s newest member, thanks to a game of hide-and-seek gone wrong. The competitive nine-year-old will do anything to win a game, including joining a knitting club of elderly women.
He wasn’t planning on spending his afternoons knitting with a group of old ladies. And he never dreamed that he’d actually LIKE it.
Pablo loves a good story, and these women have plenty. They talk basketball and segregation, weddings and funerals, about their own city and far off places. Quirky Helen is the unofficial knitting group leader and has a story for everything from giant dogs to water parks. Mrs. Ramos takes Pablo under her wing and shows him how he can gain strength from the past to face his future. And sweet Mrs. O’Malley doesn’t even knit, she crochets.
But Pablo has a problem: knitting isn't cool and hanging out with grandmas isn't cool either. If any of the other kids find out he’s in a knitting club he’s doomed! He doesn't want to be labeled as "uncool" for the rest of his life.
THE UNCOOL FRIENDSHIP OF PABLO AND THE KNITTING CLUB complete at 9,000 words is a chapter book set in present day San Antonio, Texas. It draws from both the city's history and it's current culture, and the strong cousin relationship will resonate with chapter book readers.
I am a San Antonio native who has worked with children in a variety of settings including teaching them how to knit. I am a multiracial Latina of Hispanic and white heritage, as are many of the characters in this story.
First 100 words:
Knitting isn’t cool. Knitting clubs definitely aren’t cool. I’m in fourth grade. I play basketball, and (sometimes) hang out with the popular kids. No one expects that I am a knitter, but I do like to knit. It all started last year, when my aunt, Tia Lina, had a baby. That was when Abuela told me and my cousin Rachel it was time for us to knit baby hats.
We knit while watching the Spurs play on TV. The game makes the knitting go by faster. For some reason Abuela didn’t trust us with sharp, long, knitting needles so she gave us little circle looms.
Dear Michelle and Sharon,
Pablo accidentally becomes the knitting club’s newest member, thanks to a game of hide-and-seek gone wrong. The competitive nine-year-old will do anything to win a game, including joining a knitting club of elderly women.
He wasn’t planning on spending his afternoons knitting with a group of old ladies. And he never dreamed that he’d actually LIKE it.
Pablo loves a good story, and these women have plenty. They talk basketball and segregation, weddings and funerals, about their own city and far off places. Quirky Helen is the unofficial knitting group leader and has a story for everything from giant dogs to water parks. Mrs. Ramos takes Pablo under her wing and shows him how he can gain strength from the past to face his future. And sweet Mrs. O’Malley doesn’t even knit, she crochets.
But Pablo has a problem: knitting isn't cool and hanging out with grandmas isn't cool either. If any of the other kids find out he’s in a knitting club he’s doomed! He doesn't want to be labeled as "uncool" for the rest of his life.
THE UNCOOL FRIENDSHIP OF PABLO AND THE KNITTING CLUB complete at 9,000 words is a chapter book set in present day San Antonio, Texas. It draws from both the city's history and it's current culture, and the strong cousin relationship will resonate with chapter book readers.
I am a San Antonio native who has worked with children in a variety of settings including teaching them how to knit. I am a multiracial Latina of Hispanic and white heritage, as are many of the characters in this story.
First 100 words:
Knitting isn’t cool. Knitting clubs definitely aren’t cool. I’m in fourth grade. I play basketball, and (sometimes) hang out with the popular kids. No one expects that I am a knitter, but I do like to knit. It all started last year, when my aunt, Tia Lina, had a baby. That was when Abuela told me and my cousin Rachel it was time for us to knit baby hats.
We knit while watching the Spurs play on TV. The game makes the knitting go by faster. For some reason Abuela didn’t trust us with sharp, long, knitting needles so she gave us little circle looms.
