INTERVIEW and GIVEAWAY: Baby Penguins Love Their Mama! by Melissa Guion
ABOUT THE BOOK
When you're a mama penguin with lots (and lots) of little ones to take care of, the days can melt together in a blur. Monday: swimming lessons. Tuesday: sliding. Wednesday: waddling. And on and on. Mama loves her babies so much. Do they know, she wonders, just how much?
As it turns out, they do--because they love her just as much! And to show it, they surprise her with a thoughtful gesture of their own on Sunday.
In her companion to Baby Penguins Everywhere! Melissa Guion offers another adorable book for sharing between mother and child. A perfect Valentine's Day, Mother's Day—or any day—gift for the person who is always there for us.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
INTERVIEW
What’s the ‘story
behind the story’?
Hmmm, the story behind the story. I can
tell you something funny. After my first big NY library reading of BABY
PENGUINS EVERYWHERE, which went pretty well, a senior librarian said to me, “and
to think it was FOUND ON THE SLUSH PILE!” I thought he was making a joke about,
I don’t know, snow. There’s a lot of snow in the book. But he insisted, no, he
heard the manuscript was discovered in the slush pile at my publisher. I’m
sorry to disillusion anyone who heard this rumor, but the book is not a
million-to-one slush-pile success story. It was sold in a fairly normal way to
the publisher after my agent set up a meeting with my now-editor, Michael Green,
of Philomel. Perhaps someday I will have a slush pile story to share, though. Don’t
count me out!
What do you
enjoy/hate most about writing/illustrating picture books?
The thing I enjoy most is simple. Getting
to do what I love for a living, getting to invent things for a living. What do
I hate? Sitting down all the time.
Which
author/illustrator would you most like to meet?
In the last year I’ve been lucky to
meet many, many amazing author/illustrators, so my list is shrinking. I’d still
really like to meet Tom Ungerer. I worry that it would be hard to connect with
him, but it would be worth it, if we were actually able to talk. I’d also love
to meet Alice Provensen. I’d ask her all about her life and work. Who knows,
maybe she’s also terrifying.
Where in the world would you most love to travel if you could?
Antarctica is the place I want to
travel that seems most outside the realm of possibility. Every year the
National Science Foundation gives a grant to one writer or artist to travel
there, and live and work at one of the base stations. I fantasize about winning
that some day. Total pipe dream. That’s where I’d go.
REVIEW
Is there ever any way to fully thank our mothers for all they do? The good ones anyway! This book beautifully celebrates all that mothers do to help their children reach their full potential. Mama penguin has many babies and she spends her week training them to swim, slide, waddle, preen, fish, and squawk followed by a weekend to recover. A sweet discussion at the end of the week reminds us all that mothering is a job that never ends yet has the sweetest of rewards. A perfect book to share for Mother's Day or any day of the year between a mother and her children. Loved this one and plan to share it with all the mothers I know. Adorable illustrations and a simple story make this especially appropriate for preschoolers.
GIVEAWAY
Be sure to follow the adorable mama and baby penguins on Melissa Guion’s blog tour!
Monday, Jan 13
|
Susan Heim on Parenting
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Tues, Jan 14
|
The Children's Book Review
| |
Wed, Jan 15
|
Once Upon a Story
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Thurs, Jan 16
|
Kid Lit Frenzy
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Fri, Jan 17
|
Momma Drama
| |
Sat, Jan 18
|
Booking Mama
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Mon, Jan 20
|
5 Minutes for Books
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Tues, Jan 21
|
Just a Little Creativity
| |
Wed, Jan 22
|
Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers
| |
Thurs, Jan 23
|
Geo Librarian
| |
Fri, Jan 24
|
As They Grow Up
| |
Sat, Jan 25
|
Obsessive Mommy
|
Heidi, thanks for sharing my book on your blog, and for the kind words! They mean a lot.
ReplyDeleteMelissa
Great interview Heidi. I saw Melissa's book during our PiBoIdMo month and thought it looked fabulous. Thanks Melissa for sharing your non slush pile story and for joining us on the Kid Lit blog Hop
ReplyDeleteHi! One of my son's favourite animals is the penguin, he'd love this book. Thanks for the tip!
ReplyDeleteBest regards from Spain,
Marta
http://abilingualbb.blogspot.com.es/
Oh nuts! I was hoping your giveaway would be open to Canadians! That looks like such a sweet book. My kids and I love penguins, and I'm with Melissa - I'd love to visit Antarctica one day! Thanks for linking into the Kid Lit Blog Hop. I will tweet about your giveaway.
ReplyDelete