Anastasia Suen - Developmental Editor

Shapes at Home
A Rookie Toddler board book

Booktalk: The BIG Picture

Familiar photos from around the house help toddlers learn to identify the shapes all around them.

#kidlit Writing Lesson: the small details

There are only four words on the first two pages of this nonfiction board book:

circle
See the circle.

The first shape is named on the left (reverso) page:

circle

The facing page on the right (recto) page shows the shape in a home:

See the circle.

The use of labels and short simple sentences helps toddlers memorize the words and “read” the book by themselves, an important step in early literacy.

It’s Nonfiction Monday!

Enter the ROLL OF THUNDER, HEAR MY CRY National Writing Contest!

“In 1974, the Council on Interracial Books sponsored a writing contest seeking out diverse voices. Mildred D. Taylor was the winner of the African-American segment for the manuscript that became Song of the Trees (Dial, 1975), her first book. It introduced the Logan family and was followed by Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry (1976), which won the Newbery Medal.

Forty years later, in partnership with We Need Diverse Books™, Penguin Young Readers celebrates this momentous publication by launching a debut children’s fiction contest to find talented, ethnically diverse authors writing for readers ages 8-14.”

Submit your manuscript HERE! “Enter between 12:01:01 AM Eastern Time on April 26, 2016 and 11:59:59 PM Eastern Time on June 21, 2016.”

PRIZE: The confirmed winner will receive a book publishing contract for the publication of a novel for ages 8-14 by Penguin Random House LLC, with an advance of $35,000, plus royalties as follows: (i) on hardcover, 10% up to 50,000 copies and 12.5% thereafter; (ii) on paperback, 6% up to 50,000 copies and 7% thereafter; (iii) on audio, 8% of net; (iv) ebook, 25% of net; (v) world rights/all subrights at a 50/50 split; and (vi) an option on their next children’s or YA novel.

Author: Anastasia Suen

Shapes at Home

Debut Children’s Fiction Contest