Most of the time, I talk about young adult or middle grade books. But my SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) writer’s group includes a fair number of picture book writers and illustrators, who awe me with their skills. I’m one of those people who thinks picture books (and poetry) are the hardest to write of all children’s works, because they involve a level of dedication to the word as literary music that I don’t quite grasp how to do. So, it is with great pleasure to announce my friend’s newest picture book, ONE DAY I WENT RAMBLING, a work of art in both words and illustrations:
by Kelly Bennett and Terri Murphy
When Zane goes rambling, his friends call him crazy and refuse to play along. When he finds a shining star, it doesn’t bother him when his friends try to tell him it’s just a hubcap. Undaunted, Zane uses his finds to create a secret project that piques his friends’ curiosity. After watching him ramble around the neighborhood, finding magic in the ordinary, his friends are eventually drawn into his imaginative game. Through the book’s art, attentive readers will see that Zane is using his finds to create a pirate ship, and once his friends realize what he’s up to, even the most skeptical realists join the fun and sail the afternoon away. Zane’s imagination sees the cowpoke’s lasso in a piece of vine, the pirate’s golden ring in an old pop top, and many other treasures that have been stolen from today’s children by electronic entertainment. Rambling enforces the joy of imaginative play.
(The illustrations are by Terri Murphy, my writing group friend.)
Terri is running a blog tour including cool prizes like signed picture books and a
COLOR CHANGING CHAMELEON from my favorite people over at Think Geek!
I’d throw my hands up and cheer, too!
HOP OVER to Terri’s blog to enter.
Congrats Terri!
Sounds like a cute picture book!
Congratulations Terri! The book sounds wonderful. PBs are difficult to write, but it's so much fun creating them!! I'll hope over to visit Terri and help spread the word.
That little girl looks very happy, so it must be good.
Thanks for sharing, I'll have to check it out for my kids.
Hooray for picture books! This one sounds like an adventure of imagination, which I love. Go Zane!
I had a chance to see "One Day I Went Rambling" when Kelly Bennett visited the Children's Book Festival in La Mesa. The book is colorful and fun, with fantastic illustrations and a lyrical story.
It was so fun to hear Terri's story about how she crafted the pictures and the special details she put into each one. #socool
I'm always amazed at the depth of picture books! Love them 🙂
I agree that picture books are an amazing art form and I'm in awe of those who create them. "Rambling" looks like a kick.
Dear Susan, thanks for joining the LGRBT and celebrating Rambling with us!
Hi Kelly! Thanks for stopping by! And congrats on your new book! 🙂
Thanks again, Susan…we appreciate the boost!