Happy International Rhyming Picture Book Day!
How are you gonna celebrate this most wondrously magical day of the year?
(two books I recommend you read)
1. Guess Again! by Mac Barnett and illustrated by Adam Rex
2. Iggy Peck, Architect written by Andrea “No Lithgow” Beaty & illustrated by David Roberts
19 awesome rhyming picture books (and Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast) were recently nominated for the first annual Best in Rhyme Award. This award will be presented at Angie Karcher’s Rhyming Picture Book Revolution Conference.
It’s such an honor to be listed with these 19 other fantastic books:
What is Angie Karcher’s Rhyming Picture Book (or RPB) Revolution Conference? It’s a conference dedicated entirely to writing rhyming picture books. Faculty include all-star rhyming authors Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen, Lori Degman, Karma Wilson, Corey Rosen-Schwartz, and the Kidlit TV-ers! More info on the conference and registration can be found at Angie Karcher’s RPB Revolution website here.
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And as I do with every blog post, here are two recommendations for you (in addition to the 19 up above):
1. Under a Pig Tree: A History of the Noble Fruit (A Mixed Up Book) written by Margie Palatini and illustrated by Chuck Groenink
My new favorite book. So clever and meta and funny!
2. Ally-Saurus & the First Day of School written and illustrated by Richard Torrey
Very cool layered first day of school imagination book! The illustrations add a ton to the story.
I was interviewed by The Book Doctors in the Huffington Post today in an article entitled “Josh Funk on the War Between Pancakes & French Toast, SCBWI & Getting Published” – it’s probably the most in depth interview I’ve done to date, with some seriously awesome questions, such as:
And I got to share the #TeamKrush logo designed by Jessie Devine.
(two books I highly recommend)
1. Backhoe Joe written by Lori Alexander and illustrated by Craig Cameron
Want a backhoe for a pet? Of course you do!
2. There Was a Wee Lassie Who Swallowed a Midgie written by Rebecca Colby and illustrated by Kate McLelland
A Scottish twist on this much-loved rhyme!
Just a quick note today: if you’ve never listened to the Let’s Get Busy Podcast with Matthew Winner, you certainly should. And today you have TWO reasons … because I am the featured guest on Episode #193 talking about Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast!
In this interview I:
I highly recommend you subscribe to the Let’s Get Busy Podcast if you haven’t already. Matthew Winner has so many amazing interviews with fabulous guests in the previous 192 episodes (and many more lined up to come!). And certainly check out his new home for the podcast – All the Wonders, a home for readers to discover new books and to experience the stories they love in wondrous ways.
Also, I decided today to start a new tradition. Because so many of my blog posts are about me, I’d like to share two favorite books by others at the end of every post from this day forward. I’ve decided to very creatively call this:
(two books I highly recommend)
1. Boats for Papa written and illustrated by Jessixa Bagley
I love everything about this book. Get the tissues ready, cause it made me start crying in the middle of a bookstore.
2. Snoozefest written by Samantha Berger and illustrated by Kristyna Litten
Great rhymes and illustrations, and starring a sloth.
Educators Cathy Mere & Mandy Robek have been running the #pb10for10 event for years now. Basically, pick 10 picture books you simply can’t live without and share today, August 10th, with the hashtag #pb10for10 (see the official rules here).
It’s hard to pick just 10, so to help narrow my field I’m going to stick to my favorite rhyming picture books.
written by Andrea Beaty & illustrated by David Roberts
I’ve said it over and over and over again, but this is one of four books that inspired me to become a writer. Advanced rhyming at its best.
written by Samantha Berger & illustrated by Kristyna Litten
Woodstock for the sleepy. And starring a sloth.
written & illustrated by Chris Van Dusen
I could have gone with Circus Ship or any one of Van Dusen’s other rhymers, but I just love the wackiness of this one.
written by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen & illustrated by Aaron Zenz
Sudsy is one of the best rhymers out there, and all her books are great, but this one continues to entertain me and the kids every time we read it.
written by Sarah Stewart & illustrated by David Small
This and The Gardener (which doesn’t rhyme) are two of my favorites ever.
written by Corey Rosen-Schwartz & illustrated by Dan Santat
Be on the lookout for a third in this series coming in 2016!
written by Lori Degman & illustrated by Colin Jack
The award winning debut from a stellar rhymer!
written & illustrated by Aaron Zenz
He illustrated Orangutangled (above), but he is also an expert at dishing out rhyming text. This series (including Hug a Bull & I Love Ewe) are AWESOME gifts for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, or to a newborn baby!
written by Paul Czajak & illustrated by Wendy Grieb
I know it’s not out until August 25th (in 15 days!!!), but I’m a big fan of the Monster & Me series, and this is the first one being published that I helped critique.
written by Mac Barnett & illustrated by Adam Rex
Technically, this isn’t quite rhyming, but if you’ve read it, you’ll get it.
And those are my ten for #pb10for10!
My publicist would behead me if I didn’t mention that my debut picture book Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast (illustrated by Brendan Kearney, out on September 1st) also rhymes.
That is all. Make sure to check out all the other #pb10for10’s linked up!
Yesterday I updated my official website (joshfunkbooks.com) to include a new Resources for Writers section.
For those of you that have been following this blog for a while, those 12 lessons may look familiar. I took my Tips for Writing Picture Books series and reorganized it a bit to make it a little cleaner and available all in one place.
Lesson #1: So, You Wrote a Book. Now What?
Lesson #2: Picture Books Are Short
Lesson #3: Every Word Counts
Lesson #4: The Illustrator Is Your Partner
Lesson #5: Show Don’t Tell
Lesson #6: Write with Active Emotion
Lesson #7: Story Arc Components
Lesson #8: Don’t Write In Rhyme
Lesson #9: Rhyming Is All About Rhythm
Lesson #10: Some Ideas Don’t Work
Lesson #11: Keep Learning
Lesson #12: Now You’re Ready! Dive In!
I hope that these lessons help any prospective picture book authors, as it’s basically a massive brain dump of things I’ve learned in the last ~4 years.
Feel free to share – and enjoy!
The last several years have been filled with firsts … and there are certainly more on the way. But my first official review for LADY PANCAKE & SIR FRENCH TOAST appeared today on the Kirkus website. I’ve pasted the review below, but you can see it in its entirety here.
Brace yourself for descriptions of acrobatic rhymes, trippy wonders, illustrations that kick butter, and a comparison to the Hunger Games! (not a joke – I definitely didn’t see that one coming)
I hope you enjoy digging in to the book as much as this Kirkus reviewer did!
