Calling All Picture Book Writers!

Boot up your laptop! Sharpen your pencils! Then pour yourself a nice big mug of....coffee. It's time for NaPiBoWriWee, or National Picture Book Writing Week, and you're all invited! We'll be doing it and we hope you will, too!

Our fabulous friend, Paula Yoo, is the mastermind behind this. We'll be posting tips and story starters all week. We've copied the rules from her website below. Have fun and get ready, peeps!

In the spirit of National Novel Writing Month ("NaNoWriMo") where
people across the country try to write a complete novel in one month,
the fine folks at www.paulayoo.com have decided to start the first
ever National Picture Book Writing Week, affectionately nicknamed
"NaPiBoWriWee."

The goal? To write 7 picture books in 7 days.

All NaPiBoWriWee participants should register on my website http://paulayoo.com
and comment on my blogs every day with your own progress.

For those of you who participate in the first annual NaPiBoWriWee, I
will select a winner at random on the 7th day - that winner will
receive an autographed copy of my latest picture book, "SHINING STAR:
THE ANNA MAY WONG STORY" (Lee & Low Books, 2009).

(For more info on the book, go here: http://www.leeandlow.com/books/368/hc/shining_star_the_anna_may_wong_story

The basic rules? Just write 7 complete and separate picture books in
one week. Each picture book must have a clear beginning, middle, and
end. There is no required minimum word count because picture book
lengths can vary from 50 words to 2000 words, depending on the genre.

I will be posting a blog every day for seven days with picture book
writing tips and encouragement and updates on my own progress, plus
links to The Three Silly Chicks who will also be providing similar
helpful blog tips.

For everyone who has a website or blog - you are encouraged to promote
NaPiBoWriWee on your blog/website/myspace/Facebook/Twitter. I only
request that you provide a link to my website - http://paulayoo.com.

And for those of you attending the national Society for Children's
Book Writers & Illustrators http://scbwi.org conference in August,
let me know and I'll arrange for an informal gathering during the
conference so we can meet in person and celebrate our first
NaPiBoWriWee!

For more info, contact me at paula@paulayoo.com.

To summarize, the basic rules:

1. Midnight May 1st to 11:59 p.m. May 7th: Write 7 separate and
complete picture books.
2. You are NOT allowed to write the same picture book in 7 variations.
Each book must be complete and separate.
3. No minimum word count. Instead, each book must have a clear
beginning, middle and end.
4. You are allowed to brainstorm and research book topics before May
1st.
5. You are NOT allowed to write a single word of your draft until
midnight May 1st.
6. There is NO minimum word count required. The fine folks of
NaPiBoWriWee require nothing but your word of honor. We will embrace
the Honor Code. If you say you have written 7 complete picture book
drafts in 7 days, we will believe you. Besides, why would you lie to
us? You're writing picture books for little children! Picture Book
Authors are nice, honest people who would never lie!
7. Please register on http://paulayoo.com in order to write comments
on Paula's blog every day with your progress and questions.
8. If you plan to blog about your NaPiBoWriWee journey, please include
a link to: http://paulayoo.com
9. A winner will be chosen from random of all the people who comment
from May 1-7 on http://paulayoo.com/. That winner will receive an
autographed copy of Paula Yoo's latest picture book biography,
"SHINING STAR: THE ANNA MAY WONG STORY" (Lee & Low Books 2009) by June
2009 when the book is released.
10. For those of you attending the national Society of Children Book
Writers & Illustrators conference in August, let
me know and I'll arrange for an informal gathering during the
conference so we can meet in person and celebrate our first
NaPiBoWriWee!

Good luck and I look forward to writing 7 picture books in 7 days with
everyone!

In the Coop with Jill Esbaum

We hope you've had as much fun as we've had celebrating National Poetry Month. As we sail into the final week of April, we thought we'd go out with a bang by inviting one of our favorite children's book authors to the coop. Jill Esbaum is the author of several fun books for kids, including Stink Soup, Estelle Takes a Bath, To the Big Top and Ste-e-e-e-eamboat A-Comin'! Now she's combined funny + poetry in Stanza, a delightful book about a tough street dog who secretly loves to pen poems. Illustrated by Jack E. Davis, Stanza is sure to please underdogs and poets of all stripes: secret poets, exuberant poets, reluctant poets... perhaps even poets-who-don't-know-it yet.

As if being a fabulous author weren't enough, Jill lives on a farm! And drives a tractor! And kisses piglets! (Don't believe us? Check it out!) Welcome to the coop, Jill!

How do you know when what you write is funny?

If it makes me laugh – and feels too clever to have come from my head. Unfortunately, after the first few drafts, lines that once had me ROFL feel about as fresh as a last summer’s roadkill.

Do you have any tips for writing funny books?

Only if I reveal it in secret code: Put the funniest end of the sentence at the word(s).

Has being funny ever gotten you into or out of trouble?

Not since junior high, when I underestimated the sensitivity of my phys ed teacher’s ears and learned that his sense of humor wasn’t compatible with my own.

What are some of your favorite funny books?

My current favorite is Mary Amato’s Chicken of the Family. I read it aloud at a picture book workshop last summer and had to keep stopping because my audience was hysterical.

If you could live in one of your books, which one would you choose?

Hmmm. I already live inside Stink Soup, so I think I’d like to visit Stanza’s alley. We could have some kickin’ poetry slams.

Who do you like more, The Marx Bros or Three Stooges?

Animaniacs, a hybrid of both.

What was your best Halloween costume?

My costumes must not have been too exciting, because I can only remember one: Jill. Like, of Jack and Jill fame? I know, real original. One of my friends was Jack, and we wore the costumes to walk in our small town’s Mother Goose-themed parade. Actually, we looked pretty good – down to the big silver buckles on our shoes. Too bad that, directly ahead of us, some farm girl was riding a cock horse to Banbury Cross.

What is your Dream Job for a Day?

I already have my dream job. But if I could try something else for a day, I’d like to give Editor a shot.

Clown V. Mime Deathmatch. Pick your winner.

Clown, definitely. Those shoes were made for stomping.

Funniest dead person you’d like to meet?

Ogden Nash. His poems have inspired me since I discovered “The Termite” in 4th grade:

Some primal termite knocked on wood

And tasted it, and found it good!

And that is why your Cousin May

Fell through the parlor floor today.

- Ogden Nash

Is there anything that you do on the sly (like Stanza) that we should know about?

Write novels. So far, I’ve done a spectacular job of keeping that a secret. Yeah, baby!

We've Got Our Eye on These Peeps

We chicks like to think that we can predict the future. For instance, we know it will snow again in the Chicagoland area this spring and we know that by the end of the April we will have eaten 25 leftover chocolate bunnies between us. We think we're downright spooky. So our readers should listen to us when we say that the following children's book authors and illustrators, who all have fewer than 4 books, will be BIG BIG BIG, and not from chocolate bunnies. No, these peeps will win BIG awards and make BIG speeches at ALA and possibly even ride a BIG float in the Macy's Day Parade.

We're talking BIG, and you heard it here first.



Antoinette Portis is Not a Stick or a Box or a Penguin. But she's a really cool author-illustrator.







Bob Shea is all that and then some. Really.












Let's not forget the fabulous Jan Thomas, who wonders about things like, "What Will Fat Cat Sit On?" The strange thing is, we've been wondering that ourselves.








These are our current picks. Let us know who you think is a real up-and-comer!

Happy Hector

Happy Hector
Written and illustrated by Polly Dunbar
Candlewick Press



We're about to boss you around a little. First, put down whatever you're doing and cruise on over to your nearest independent bookstore. You there yet? Good. Now grab a cup of coffee and browse through the Tilly and Friends series by Polly Dunbar, but please, don't spill your coffee on these books. Honestly, how cute are those characters? One look at Hector the pig and we just want to eat him up with a side of hash browns!

In clear, precise language we learn on the very first page that Hector is sooo happy to be sitting on Tilly's lap.

"I am the happiest I have ever been!" says Hector.

When Tumpty, Doodle, Pru and Tiptoe (we heart those names!) want to play with Tilly, Hector tells them she's fine sitting there just with him, thank-you-very-much. But Hector's pals are insistent, and before he knows it everyone is sitting on Tilly's lap. (And that Tumpty has got some pudge on her!) Poor Hector is on the bottom of the pile.

"Now I am the unhappiest I have ever been," says Hector.

One by one, Hector's friends try to console him by asking him if he'd like his ears combed or if he'd like his nose painted blue. But all Hector wants is his dear Tilly, who is, as it turns out, making a present for Hector that is absolutely perfect for the sweet little pink porker.

Like Christopher Robin, Tilly is the ruler of her small kingdom, where she manages to solve all the animals' problems. This empowering, kid friendly book with its quirky characters is perfect to use with threes and fours at storytime. Don't forget to ask everyone to bring their favorite bear or pig!

In the Coop with Kenn Nesbitt

Poetry Month is almost here, and to kick it off we thought we'd feature a...journalist! No, no, no. Not a journalist. Don't be silly. We're featuring a poet, of course. And not just any poet--a fabulously funny poet, our favorite kind! When he's not penning poems, Kenn is probably talking to kids about poetry. He does over 60 school visits a year, a truly impressive feat. Please welcome Kenn into the coop!


Tell us about your hilarious new book, My Hippo Has The Hiccups.
Oh my gosh... I'm so excited I can barely stand it, for so many different reasons. Ethan Long's illustrations are just wonderfully whimsical, and I'm so lucky he was able to work on it. This is also the first book where I've gotten to include an audio CD in the book. I had a blast recording and producing it. Oh, and it's my biggest collection of poems to date; over 100 poems about every silly thing under the sun. I'm tickled that it's finally out.

How do you know when what you write is funny?

If it's really funny, I crack myself up. It's fun, if a little bit strange, to make yourself laugh. But, even then, it's not always as funny to other poeple as I think it ought to be. Sometimes I miss the mark. So, after I finish writing something, the first thing I do is run it by my kids, Madison and Max. They're 9 and 11 now, and they are the toughest critics. If I can make them snicker, I know I'm on to something. Then I put it on my website and let my readers grade it. If a poem doesn't get top marks, it's not going to get published.

Do you have any tips for writing funny books?

Yes.

Has being funny ever gotten you into or out of trouble?
Perhaps just now, when I answered that last question. Aside from that, being funny has gotten me into trouble on at least one occasion that I can recall, but I'd rather not go into it. I mean, why bore your readers with an embarassing story of me cracking a joke at a completely inappropriate time only to have everyone glower at me as if I'd just tooted in church? As for getting OUT of trouble, I rely on "puppy dog eyes."

What are some of your favorite funny books?

Oh, that's an easy one. The funniest books I've read in the last couple of years are M.T. Anderson's Whales on Stilts, and Mary Amato's Snarf Attack, Underfoodle, and the Secret of Life: The Riot Brothers Tell All. The Riot Brothers series, by the way, was illustrated by Ethan Long, who also did the drawings in My Hippo.

Who do you like more, the Marx Brothers or Three Stooges?
Marx Brothers, hands down. Don't get me wrong, Larry, Curly, Moe, and Shemp -- wait... isn't that four stooges? -- were geniuses of physical comedy. (And "Shemp" is such a brilliantly funny name. Is it too late to change my name to Shemp?) But Groucho, Harpo, Zeppo, and Gummo were masters of both physical and intellectual comedy. I don't think anyone ever accused the Stooges of being witty. So, yeah I prefer comedy that gets you in both the belly and the brain.

Clown Vs. Mime Deathmatch. Pick your winner.
Thanks for all the slow-pitch softball questions. I love the easy ones. I mean, mimes are annoying, but clowns can be downright evil. The last time I went to the circus, I saw clowns that I would NOT want to tangle with. Besides, clowns run, jump, and do cartwheels, while mimes move in slo-mo. My money is on the clown.

Funniest dead person you'd ever like to meet?

Do they have to still be dead when I meet them? Could we bring them back to life and dust them off a bit first? If so, I would love to exhume, er..., spend an afternoon with a humorous Victorian poet such as Edward Lear, Charles Dodgson (aka Lewis Carroll), or W.S. Gilbert (of Gilbert & Sullivan) to see what makes them tick. Sure, maybe they're not as funny as Charlie Chaplin or John Belushi, but I expect they'd be more fun to have lunch with.

What is your Dream Job for a Day?
I know I'm supposed to say something like President or Rock Star or International Spy -- and that last one does sound pretty tempting -- but those jobs seem like they might be too much work (or too dangerous)! In truth, I'd think I'd really like to be the guy that brings you the drinks with the little umbrellas on some white, sandy beach in the South Pacific. I like working with happy people, and I'm pretty sure that everyone is happy while lying on a white, sandy beach in the South Pacific, having drinks with little umbrellas brought to them. In fact, could we make that my Dream Job for a Week or Two?

You do a lot of school visits! Can you tell us a little something about your program?
Well, let's see... I run around like a maniac and show kids how to write ridiculously funny poetry about sports, pets, food, space llamas, or anything else they want to write about. I yell a bunch of poems, crack jokes, and show them how much fun they can have with a book. I love my job! It is insanely fun to perform for hundreds of kids and have them laughing themselves completely silly. They seem to like it too.

National Poetry Month is almost here! Do you have a favorite poem you'd like to share in honor of it?

I have lots of favorite poems, so I'll just share this one, from My Hippo Has the Hiccups. It's not one of my funnier poems, but it just seems so apropos for National Poetry Month.

Today I Wrote This Poem

Today I wrote this poem,
but I wonder if it's good.
It doesn't have the things
my teacher says a poem should.

It doesn't share the feelings
I have deep inside of me.
It hasn't any metaphors
and not one simile.

It's missing any narrative.
Alliteration too.
It isn't an acrostic,
diamante, or haiku.

There's nothing that's personified.
It doesn't have a plot.
I'm pretty sure that rhyming
is the only thing it's got.

It sure was fun to write it,
and I think it's long enough.
It's just too bad it's missing
all that great poetic stuff.

I put it on my teacher's desk
and, wow, she made a fuss.
She handed back my poem
with an A++++!

The Cow that was the Best Moo-ther

The Cow that was the Best Moo-ther
by Andy Cutbill
illustrated by Russel Ayto
Random House
ISBN-13: 978-0061664724
Daisy is a special cow. A VERY special cow. At least to her mother, Marjorie. Since the day Daisy hatched from an egg, she has been the apple of her mother's eye. And what's not to love? She's feathery, funky and fun-loving. The perfect bovine!

Of course the other cows are quick to point out that Daisy hasn't even started chewing her cud and she is suspiciously small for a cow. None of that matters to Marjorie. She loves Daisy with all her heart and is determined that Daisy win the Beautiful Baby contest in the barnyard. Daisy, however, is far too busy bouncing around with the chickens to care about the contest. Luckily, Daisy's true talents shine through when she spies a worm on the judge's hat and saves the contest from calamaty.

Of course, Marjorie isn't the only one to love Daisy. We know Three Silly Chicks who fell in love with the crazy little cow from the start. We said it then and we'll say it again: Silly, Sweet and Succinct. What more could we want in a picture book?

Patricia von Peasantsquirrel

Patricia von Pleasantsquirrel
by James Proimos
Dial
ISBN: 978-0803730663

Can we let you in on a little secret? We are worried about the mailman. We wonder if his memory is slipping. You see, we've been waiting for a long time now for a very special delivery--our crowns and invitations to be princesses in a distant land. We eagerly check the mail each day and bupkiss. So we were delighted to read about another Princess-in-Waiting (and waiting and waiting . . . ) named Patrica von Pleasantsquirrel.


Patricia is definitely a princess, but nobody seems to realize it. Her mother won't let her stay up late or have cake before dinner. Her brother is fussy and even her dog disappoints by not being a great white stallion. Really. It's simply too much for the royally-inclined to endure. So, Patricia flies off in her airplane to the land where the hippos are, because as she says, "If a silly boy with no social graces would be king with no effort at all, then imagine how easy it would be for me to find my princessdom!" Exactly!


Patricia finds her princessdom and loves it! Until she finds out about her 230 princessly duties. Who knew it could be such hard work being a princess! This sassy, fun book will be a hit with kids (and parents) who enjoy a bit of Sendak before bed and a bit of cake before dinner.

Happy Birthday Julia!

We Silly Chicks pride ourselves on being refined and literary poultry. But when one of us has a birthday, we throw out the Thoreau, ditch the Dostoyevsky, and say "What the Dickens, Let's party!" This week is Julia Durango's birthday and she has been working very hard. So, join us in wishing our dear chickie a very Happy Birthday!

Here's a little birthday song for you, Miss Julia! And because the only thing funnier than singing chickens is singing monkeys, here's another and yet another! And because we have no idea what this thing is, here's one more!

Wishing you a very Happy Birthday and many, many more!!!!!!! Love ya!

Illinois ASCD Statewide Conference

Howdy!

We want to give a great big shout out to all the friends we made today at the 28th Annual Illinois ASCD Statewide Conference for Pre-Kindergarten & Kindergarten Educators!

We had a blast presenting a collection of our favorite funny books to share with preschoolers and kinders. Special thanks to the fabulous volunteers who helped our sessions run so smoothly and to Donald Kachur, Bev Taylor and all the wonderful folks at Illinois ASCD for having us!

As promised, here's a list of the titles we presented:

365 Penguins
by Jean-Luc Fromental
Illustrated by Joëlle Jolivet
Abrams
ISBN-13: 978-0810944602




Cha-Cha Chimps
by Julia Durango
Illustrated by Eleanor Taylor
Simon & Schuster
ISBN-13: 978-0689864568
Teacher's Guide



Doctor Ted
by Andrea Beaty
Illustrated by Pascal Lemaitre
Margaret K. McElderry
ISBN-10: 1416928200
Teacher's Guide

The Doghouse
by Jan Thomas
Harcourt
ISBN-13: 978-0152065331




Ducks Don't Wear Socks
by John Nedwidek
Viking
ISBN-10: 0670061360





I Love My New Toy!
by Mo Willems
Hyperion
ISBN-13: 978-1423109617







My Dog is as Smelly as Dirty Socks
by Hanoch Piven
Scwartz & Wade
ISBN-13: 978-0375840524





New Socks
by Bob Shea
Little Brown
ISBN-13: 978-0316013574




Not a Box
by Antoinette Portis
HarperCollins
ISBN-13: 978-0061123221




Where's My Mummy?
by Carolyn Crimi
Illustrated by John Manders
Candlewick
ISBN-13: 978-0763631963
Teacher's Guide

Duck! Rabbit!

Duck! Rabbit!
by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
Illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld
Chronical Books
ISBN: 978-0-8118-6865-5
Has this ever happened to you? You're walking down the street and you think you see an eskimo but you're wrong. If so, you've experienced an optical aleutian. Optical aleutions are funny. Optical illusions are also funny. And so is Duck! Rabbit! by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld.

Is this is a simple tale of ears or a beak? Is this a duck eating bread or a rabbit nibbling a carrot? Each double page spread shows essentially the same image of the creature with objects added to change the perspective. Kids will have great fun debating whether it's a duck or a rabbit. This book is a topsy-turvy delight.

(Personally, we think it's an altogether new beast probably related to the jackalope or turducken. But no matter if you call it a duck, a rabbit, a duckit or a rabbuck, you'll call this book fun!)

Chicken Cheeks

Chicken Cheeks
by Michael Ian Black
illustrated by Kevin Hawkes
Simon & Schuster
ISBN: 978-1416948643

Warning: If you are the type of person who doesn't believe the word "bum" belongs in a children's book, then read no further. This book is not for you. Trust us. However, if you are the type of person who couldn't help but snicker or at least grin when you read the word "bum" a few seconds ago, then welcome to the coop, dear friend! Because we chicks find bums pretty darn funny, and the kids we hang out with think they're even funnier.

Chicken Cheeks is a fanny extravaganza, a delightful romp of rumps throughout the Wild Kingdom. From the cheeky chick on the cover to the moose caboose inside, each animal modestly displays his or her backside in an attempt to reach...oops, never mind, we don't want to ruin the surprise (rear) end! Master illustrator Kevin Hawkes never fails to deliver, and children's book newcomer Michael Ian Black slings around his synonyms so effortlessly that old Roget would be green with envy. Plus, it turns out Michael Ian Black is really one of us.

Wordless Wonders

We love words. That's probably a very good thing since we are, after all, writers. Fluffy yellow writers with a jones for bean dip, true. But writers nonetheless.

However, we have decided that the problem with words is that they make you want to flip the page to find out what happens next. That's what they are supposed to do and it's a wonderful thing, don't get us wrong. But sometimes, we want to enjoy a book so slowly that we forget to turn the page. We love books that invite us to pour over the illustrations at a snail's pace, taking in and savouring each and every picture like a treasure map. Full of possibility and excitement and intrigue.

We Chicks have personally spent hours (okay years) of our chickie lives analyzing that dog party in GO DOG GO and trying to decide how we would spend our time if we were lucky enough to be invited. (Still waiting for that invite, btw, Mr. P.D. Eastman. And NO, being dead is not an excuse.) In case you're wondering, we are torn between between playing on the trampoline, eating cake and being shot from the cannon.)

But we digress . . .

The point is this. We love books with intricate, detail-filled illustrations that carry the narrative with a minimum of words or even without any words at all. We call them wordless wonders. (We were going to call them Usually Wordless Wonders but that wasn't catchy.) And it's true that GO DOG GO doesn't really qualify because learning to read the words is the point of the book, but you get the idea. And truly, we love that picture! It has cannons AND cake!

So, here are some of our favorites Wordless Wonders. What are yours?

Phooey!

by Marc Rosenthal

Joanna cotler Books

ISBN: 978-0060752484

A bored (and thus by our definition a boring) kid complains that nothing exciting ever happens. Of course, in his bad mood, he kicks a can into the air and yells, "Phooey!"

The can hits a sleeping cat which freaks out and gets chased by a dog into a zoo. The mahem includes pirates, elephants, keystone cops, housepainters, and pie throwing.

Where is the Cake?

by T.T. Khing

Abrams Books for Young Readers

ISBN: 978-0-8109-1798-9

A cake thief sends everyone hunting through the woods, over hills, and hither and yon. Read our previous review here.

And tomorrow, we'll tell you about our new favorite wordless wonder! See you then!

Sunday ...

Book reviewed from abrams about the cake

Tough Chicks

Tough Chicks, by Cece Meng, illustrated by Melissa Suber
Clarion Books
ISBN 0618824154

Okay, if you thought we could pass up a book titled Tough Chicks, well, then, you really don't know us very well. Plus, this book is fun, lively and has a message we embrace. This is definitely up our Chick Alley! Kudos, bean dip and chicken feed to Cece Meng and Melissa Suber!

"From the moment Mama Hen's eggs burst open, she knew she was dealing with some pretty tough chicks. Penny, Polly and Molly shook out their wet fluff and immediately began to strut their stuff. Peep, peep, zoom, zip, cheep!"

Oh, how we love the image of three tough, strutting chicks! These new heroes of ours wrestle with worms, race with bugs and check under the hood of Farmer Fred's tractor. They love the mud, they love to rope roosters and they love to hitch a ride on the cow's tail. Folks, these are not your average cuddly-duddly chicks, and we adore that about them!

Unfortunately, the other animals on the farm are not pleased with their rough and tumble ways. "Make them be good!" they insist. "But they ARE good!" Mama Hen tells them.This answer isn't good enough, so the animals give them lessons on how to be behave like proper chicks. They try teaching them to scratch for feed, build a nest, and cluck in a calm manner. But the chicks keep stirring things up with their wild and raucous ways.

"You are little fuzzy-headed chicks. Be cute. Be quiet. Be good," says Farmer Fred.

Grrrrr! say The Three Silly Chicks. Luckily, Penny, Polly and Molly stay true to themselves, and when Farmer Fred's tractor starts rolling down the hill towards the farm, these tough smart chicks know exactly what to do!

Melissa Suber's illustrations are bright and bursting with energy, just like the chicks themselves. We love the refrain, "Peep, peep, zoom, zip, cheep!" and think that kids will love repeating that during Spring storytimes. A positively chickalicious book in every way!

In the Coop with Jeff Kinney!

You might not be able to tell it by looking, but we are actually wimpy chicks. It's true that we can lift large bowls of guacamole with our feathery wings without much trouble. And we've been known to leap tall buildings for a great bowl of bean dip. But let it be known that when push comes to shove we do what any self-respecting wimp does. RUN!!!

So it is that we love Jeff Kinney's books about fellow wimp, Gregg Heffley, who might not always do the right thing, but who always does the thing right.

We are very excited that Jeff stopped by the Coop on his way hither and yon to talk about The Last Straw, the brand new installment of the Wimpy Kid Series. Though, of course, we hope it's not the Last Straw! By the way, check out the blog of Book Designer Extraordinaire, Chad Beckerman, who has some great pics of Jeff in action at a recent book launch.

Welcome, Jeff!

1. When you create a book, do the pictures or story come to you first?
The jokes come first. Once I’m done writing jokes, I try to string them together into a narrative.

2. How do you know when what you write is funny??
If I don’t feel embarrassed by the joke, or if it isn’t clichéd.

3. Do you have any tips for writing funny books?
Yes…. Write lots and lots of material, and then throw out the worst 90%.

4. Are you in any way like Greg or any of the other characters in Wimpy Kid?
Sure, Greg is an amplification of my worst points both as a kid and as an adult.

5. Has being funny ever gotten you into or out of trouble?
Once, my Algebra teacher, who had recently shaved his beard, told the class his wife said it was like sleeping with a different person. I said, “How would she know?” It got a laugh from the class, but not from the teacher.

6. What are some of your favorite funny books?????
Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, by Judy Blume, and the Calvin and Hobbes books.

7. If you could live in one of your books, which one would you choose?
In an alternate universe, I feel like I’ve already lived in my books

8. Do you prefer The Marx Bros or Three Stooges?
The Marx Brothers.

9. What was your best Halloween costume ever?
C-3P0

10. What is your Dream Job for a Day?
To have any one job instead of the three that I have!

11. Clown V. Mime Deathmatch.? Pick your winner.
Mime, because they must have thicker skin.

12. Funniest dead person you'd like to meet
Dead people aren’t funny… what are you trying to pull here?

13. Do you keep a diary of your own?
I used to, but then I realized I was spending more time chronicling my life than living it.

Doggone Dogs!
by Karen Beaumont
illustrated by David Catrow
Penguin
ISBN: 9780803731578

It's a momentous day here in the coop. While two of us remain glued to our media outlets, one of us is shaking her tail feathers in Washington, DC to celebrate an event of EGG-ceptionally EGG-citing proportions...a new puppy in the White House!!! We are besides ourselves with anticipation. Will the new first dog be a purebred Portuguese water dog or a lucky labradoodle? Or perhaps a frisky cockapoo or a lovable bullschitzu? Whatever it is, the Three Silly Chicks are ready to welcome our new first pooch with open wings, chew toys and doggy treats.

In the meantime, we highly recommend Doggone Dogs, to our fellow dog-loving readers. Brought to you by the same talented team who gave us I Ain't Gonna Paint No More, this rhyming picture book guarantees belly laughs with Beaumont's playful romp of a text accompanied by Catrow's comedic crew of canines. Parents and Librarians: read this aloud to your kids (or have them read it to you!) and then let the doggone discussion ensue! Some questions to consider: Which dog in the book is your favorite? What kind of dog would make a good White House pet? If you were Malia and Sasha Obama, what would you name the first dog? Feel free to leave your own opinions in the comment section!

Mole's In Love

Mole's In Love
by David Bedford
illustrated by Rosalind Beardshaw
Tiger Tales
ISBN 9781589254176






We love the first line of this book. "One bright day, Morris the mole peeped out of his hole to find that it was spring."

Spring.

Is there really such a thing? The Three Silly Chicks are not entirely sure, especially when the thermometer says it's 400 below zero. But, like Morris, we have hope.

The uber endearing Morris, seeing that it is spring, hops down from his hill to find someone to love. As we all know, that can be a little tricky. And if you are a nearsighted gent with an impulsive nature, trickier still. Morris falls instantly in love with Luscious Black Fur, Pretty Pink Nose, and Gorgeous Wide Feet, only to find out seconds later that they are, um, a little different from what he expected. Is Morris destined to spend spring alone and loveless?

Oh, gosh, of course not. This is a picture book, for crying out loud. Morris does find love--right at the end of his nose. A funny and satisfying read that is sure to be as popular as heart-shaped candy on Valentine's Day.

In the Coop with David Roberts

Question: Why did the chickens cross the road?
Answer: To get more bean dip for our party with David Roberts! Duh!

This month we are doubly excited to be in the coop with the amazing and talented and --did we say amazing-- David Roberts. To start with, we are excited because David is the illustrator of Andrea's book, Iggy Peck, Architect.

But do you know why we are doubly excited?

It's because David (who has illustrated more than 30 books) is also the illustrator of Carolyn's upcoming title, Dear Tabby, which comes out in 2010.

Welcome, David!!!!

What artists have influenced your work?

I have been inspired by artists such as Edward Gorey, Maurice Sendak, David Hockney, John Burningham, Brian Wildsmith, Tomi Ungerer and from Dore particularly I have learned how to get great tone by just using line.

How do you know when what you create is funny??
If it makes me laugh!

Do you have any tips for illustrating and/or writing funny books?
Not really, but if something makes you laugh it might work but it is just really hard.

Has being funny ever gotten you into or out of trouble?
I do a lot of events like book festivals and one of my characters is a boy called Dirty Bertie who has a joke book and I often ask the children what their favourite jokes are and this can sometimes prove a bit risque!

What is one of your favorite funny books?
I love a "Hole is to Dig" by Ruth Kraus and Maurice Sendak which is funny and charming.

If you could live in one of your books, which one would you choose?
Bearing in mind that a lot of the stories I illustrate are of a spooky nature and sometimes even rather scary ghost stories I would not want to live in any of these as I would be permanently terrified. I do have a passion for the 1930's and art deco and I would not mind spending a day or two in Cinderella, an Art Deco Love Story by Lynn Roberts.

Nobody but NOBODY does skit comedy better than the British. Do you have a favorite show?
I quite agree and there are so many to choose from Little Britain, Absolutely Fabulous

and Victoria Wood on TV. There is a show that was on in the 80's called Girls on Top

and this is my all time favourite.


What was your best Halloween costume ever?
I was a vampire victim with two holes in my neck, a white face and I wore my Marilyn Monroe T-shirt drenched in fake blood.

What is your Dream Job for a Day?
Wine taster, whiskey taster, gin taster, chocolate taster, cake taster - but I do that most days any way! I would quite like to be able to play the trumpet in a brass band.

Clown V. Mime Deathmatch?
Pick your winner. I suppose the mime artist could be the underdog so I would say that.

Funniest dead person you'd like to meet??
Loved Laurel and Hardy, a custard pie fight never ceases to make me laugh.

And because the fourth season of Doctor Who just ended on this side of the Pond and the Chick in pink is now experiencing serious withdrawal, we must ask: Who is YOUR Doctor?
Without a shadow of a doubt Tom Baker. My brother and I spent a lot of time behind the sofa when he was on the screen. I illustrated his one and only children's book,

The Boy who Kicked Pigs, and when I met him we were in a taxi on our way to dinner and I was thinking to myself we could end up anywhere!!!!!

Honorary Silly Flock of Chicks - the Stevenson-Trupiano-Durango-Washburn Gang

On Christmas Eve, the Stevenson-Trupiano-Durango-Washburn gang from Ottawa, Illinois held a tacky sweater contest with proceeds going to Heifer International. Altogether, they were able to purchase 8 flocks of chicks due to their tasteless attire. Seen here are the patriarch and matriarch of this shameless clan, Bill and Diane Stevenson circa 1977. As you can see, this attractive couple has been making fashion statements for decades.

Honorary Silly Chick - Sherry Stanford

Sherry Stanford (sister of silly chick Julia) bought a flock of chicks for Christmas. Sherry teaches 2nd grade in St. Charles, MO. Her favorite funny book to share with students is Fox on the Job by James Marshall. Her secret skill is the ability to tame cowlicks (and she has many!) by wearing a knit hat for an hour before she leaves the house.

Timothy and the Strong Pajamas

Timothy and the Strong Pajamas
written and illustrated by Viviane Schwarz
Arthur Levine Books
ISBN 0545033299

We think this book is especially appropriate for a day when we Three Silly Chicks have decided to stay in our pajamas all day and eat bean dip. Making New Year's resolutions makes us soooo tired. Thank goodness for cozy bedtime stories featuring Super Strong Pajamas and sock monkeys!

Timothy Smallbeast isn't big and he isn't strong. Every night he puts on his pajamas, drinks his fortified milk, does his exercises and thinks STRONG thoughts. Alas, no matter how hard he tries, he stays small and weak. But all that exercising is tough on his pjs. His mom comes to the rescue and fixes them with extra strong thread. In fact, Timothy's mom fixes them so well they are now Super Strong Pajamas! Timothy and his best friend Monkey use the pajamas to perform all sorts of heroic acts, like saving elephant ladies, zookeepers, kittens, and sailors. It seems there's absolutely nothing Timothy can't do when he's in his Super Strong Pajamas. Then one day Timothy rips them while trying to pull his friend Monkey out from under a very large bear. Uh oh! How will Timothy be able to save his friend without his Super Strong Pajamas?

Newcomer Viviane Schwarz has written and illustrated a fast-paced, kid-pleasing super hero tale that is destined to be read on Pajama Days in schools across the country. Serve it up with fortified milk and extra-tough cookies!