Tuesday Kidlit Trivia for June 28, 2022

   This American couple met in art college in Philadelphia and wanted humorous books for their sons to read, so they began to write and illustrate them for the Random House "Beginner Books" series, started by Dr. Seuss. They created an animal family with a bumbling father, wise mother and a brother and sister who sometimes get into trouble. They are Jan and Stan Berenstain, creators of the Berenstain Bears series from the 1960's into the '90's. 

Tuesday Kidlit Trivia for June 21, 2022

   Her picture books reflect her childhood in West Virginia, where she had hot biscuits for breakfast and squirrel for dinner. She didn't read children's books until she worked in a library after college. Her first book came out in 1982 when she was 28 and became a Caldecott Honor Book. It is a warm recollection of growing up in Appalachia, "When I Was Young in the Mountains," by Cynthia Rylant.

Tuesday Kidlit Trivia for June 14, 2022

   One of the most charming moments in the Jubilee celebration for Queen Elizabeth II was the video she made with a beloved English children's book character. That would be Paddington Bear, named for the London station where he was found. The first Paddington book, A Bear Called Paddington, came out in 1958. Art by Eleanor Tomlinson.

Contest Entry about Beans and Feeling Awkward

I'm entering the Kidlit Vibes contest where I had to write a 125-word story onthe randomly chosen word, "Awkward." Here's my story:

Don’t Drop the Frijoles! (124 words)

By Deborah Holt Williams williamsdeborahholt@gmail.com

She said it was too heavy, but I promised my mom I could carry the bean crock to my Abuela’s.

“Hmmm…OK, but be careful and Don’t Drop the Frijoles!”

I carried the crock and almost stumbled down our steps, almost tripped over the garden hose,

nearly slipped on Abuela’s porch. I used my head to knock—and Uncle Jose 

opened the door right into me! SMASH! 

How could I tell my Abuela? 

I cried and told her the truth. 

“Are you hurt, Mijo?” I shook my head.

“But the frijoles?”

Abuela smiled.

“Ever since I broke my leg, Jose has made me beans for breakfast, lunch and dinner. 

You did me a great favor!”

She ordered pizza, and I felt so much better.

Tuesday Kidlit Trivia for June 7, 2022

 While a lot of childrens books written by celebrities are awful, "Tell Me Again About the Night I Was Born," which came out in 1996, is beloved among adoptive families. The author, an actor who is the child of two movie stars, is also a baroness through marriage but chooses not to use the title. This is Jamie Lee Curtis, mom to three adopted children. +