Book love! A great review in Bookpage and a third star for Raindrops Roll (Beach Lane/S&S), this time in Publisher’s Weekly. Woodpecker Wham, with Steve Jenkins, will be released May 12 and was recently reviewed by Kirkus. I’m just back from three weeks photographing creatures in FL beaches and wetlands. Can hardly wait to share the FL photos with you, readers. This year I’m going to update my website to make it more interactive. In the meantime, “Like” my facebook author page April Pulley Sayreand from there I’ll keep you updated on when the new interactive site is ready. Other recent blog reviews and interviews on Richie’s Picks, Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast, and Think Quick Interview.
Woodpecker Wham!
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“Verdict: Lovely and exciting, this title is a great hook for young researchers, as well as fledgling ornithologists.”
-Starred Review, School Library Journal.
“Repetitive onomatopoeic sounds such as ‘CHOP, CHIP, CHOP’ and ‘BONK-BONK-BONK’ combine with plentiful alliteration to make the simple verses come alive . . . Attractive and surprisingly informative, this should join the duo’s Eat Like a Bear (2013) on every preschool and primary nature shelf.”
-Kirkus
“Sayre introduces the distinctively noisy woodpecker and the rhythmic cadences that fill its industrious life through a rhyming, sound word-filled text.”
-Horn Book
“Short, playful text featuring plenty of action words and onomatopoeia describes a variety of woodpecker activities.”
-Booklist[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.3.2″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.3.2″][et_pb_column _builder_version=”4.3.2″ type=”4_4″][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]
Raindrops Roll
Text and photos by April Pulley Sayre. Beach Lane Books/S&S, January, 2015. Ages 3-8.
“With lyrical words and striking images, a poet, photographer, and veteran natural history writer celebrates rain . . . Preschoolers can appreciate the poem and pictures, but middle graders will want the facts in the concluding ‘Splash of Science’ . . . Wonder-full in every way. -Starred Review, Kirkus
Raindrops Roll in Wall Street Journal
Greetings from here at my desk, Jan 5, 2015! “. . . we read and are refreshed by such beauty and natural simplicity,” says the Wall Street Journal of my just released photo-illustrated book, Raindrops Roll. It was favorably reviewed in a Wall Street Journal article Jan 3, 2015, page C9. How wild is that? For another lovely review, see BookPage. There Julie Danielson says: “With expertly crafted, economical text and vivid photographs, April Pulley Sayre brings readers a tribute to the wonders of rain itself.” 2015 is shaping up to be a great year. I’m busy writing and out in nature doing photography for picture books and middle grade books under contract. In addition to Raindrops Roll, out now from Beach Lane/S&S, I’m also looking forward to Woodpecker Wham, illustrated by Steve Jenkins, which will be released by Henry Holt on May 12, 2015. My husband’s recent work, Kaufman Field Guide To Nature of the Midwest, coauthored with the Kaufmans, will be out from Houghton Mifflin in late April. We so appreciate your support, as readers and educators. Your buying our books and recommending them to others allows us to do this healthy, joyful work of exploring and sharing nature, science, and playful language. Happy 2015, friends!
Raindrops Roll: Miss Rumphius, Secrets & Science
Raindrops Roll , which has received two starred reviews, one in Kirkus, one in School Library Journal, comes out with Beach Lane/S&S on Jan 5, 2015. Each photo I took has a special meaning to me and some have hidden creatures in them. So this blog covers the behind-the-scenes secrets and science. Continue reading “Raindrops Roll: Miss Rumphius, Secrets & Science”
Board Book and News
Rah, Rah, Radishes! becomes a board book in the Little Simon Classic Board Book line on July 15th! In 2015, look for Woodpecker Wham illus by Steve Jenkins (Holt )and my photo-illustrated Raindrops Roll (Beach Lane/S&S.)
I am taking a speaking sabbatical through May 2015. So I won’t be scheduling any conferences or school visits during that time. If you are interested in future visits, contact me in March 2015 when I will start booking my schedule once again. Here’s a recent article about my work in Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/vicki-cobb/arousing-a-childrens-nonfiction_b_4859905.html
ALA Notable For Eat Like a Bear
Raising my bowl of blueberries this morning to illustrator Steve Jenkins. Our book, Eat Like a Bear, which received three starred reviews, was named an ALA (American Library Association) Notable Book for 2014! It is a huge honor to be chosen for recognition by the ALA Notables Committee—especially in a year with such a great crop of books. By tradition, the list also includes winners from ALA award categories, too. Steve and I have three more projects in the works. Next up is Woodpecker Wham.
Eat Like a Bear Writing Process
See my interview with Kirkus Reviews.com Julie Danielson of Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast.
Tips for Helping Kids Try New Foods
Preschool teachers rock! This teacher’s joy lifts my spirits every time I watch the video. While signing Rah, Rah, Radishes and Go, Go, Grapes last year in Atlanta, I met this fabulous teacher who agreed to share how she gets the 4-year olds in her class to try foods. The video is on my youtube channel. Jeff and I have also posted some of our nature clips on our Sayre Nature Youtube Channel.