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BEST IN RHYME TOP 10 – INTERVIEW with Josh Dopirak by Debbie Vidovich

Top 10 Best in Rhyme

    We are honoring the late Kate Dopirak and her wonderful talents with this interview of Kate’s husband Josh by Debbie Vidovich.

Debbie: Twinkle Twinkle Little Car is a bit of change for Kate, in that her previous books spoke to a slightly younger/Mommy and me type audience.  This is for a slightly older, more independent child.  What inspired her to write this story? Did…

BEST IN RHYME TOP 10 – Laura Sassi INTERVIEW BY Linda S. Mai

Top 10 Best in Rhyme

  Congratulations on being chosen for Angie Karcher’s Top Ten Rhyming Picture Books for 2018!  I’m very honored to have this chance to interview you.

Linda: Your book DIVA DELORES AND THE OPERA HOUSE MOUSE is adorable and your rhyme delightful. What was the inspiration for this book? Was there any special reason why you chose an opera house for your setting?

Laura: My…

BEST IN RHYME TOP 10 – Linda Vander Heyden INTERVIEW BY Manju Howard

Top 10 Best in Rhyme

Manju: I’m excited to present Linda Vander Heyden and her Best in Rhyme nominated picture books.

Linda: Thanks, Manju! I’m excited and honored to have my books be among those nominated!

A Horse Named Jackis about a curious horse who loves children. One day, when the children don’t show up to play, Jack grows bored, Bored, BORED! He clip-clops through the barnyard and raids…

2018 BEST IN RHYME TOP 10 – Sue Fleiss INTERVIEW BY Cathy C. Hall

2018 Top 10 Best in Rhyme

  Wheee! It’s Sue Fliess (Pronounced “Fleece”)!

Sue Fliess, whose name is pronounced “fleece” (which is the perfect tie-in to her book, Mary Had a Little Lab) is a prolific picture book author as well as one of the authors with a book in our Top Ten Best in Rhyme Picture Books of 2018.

Wheeeee!

So off we go with lots of questions for Sue:

Cathy:

I LOVE Mary Had a…

2018 BEST IN RHYME TOP 10 – Karen Beaumont INTERVIEW by Darlene Ivy

2018 Top 10 Best in Rhyme

    Q I have to ask. Do you have cats? Did they find you or did you find them?

KB I don’t have cats now, but I’ve had many cats through my life. I like to think we found each  other!

  Q Pretty Kitty reminds me of an updated and urban version of Millions of Cats by Wanda Gag. Was that book an inspiration for yours or did something else spark this story?

KB No, her…

2018 Best in Rhyme Top 10 – Tim McCanna Interview by Nancy Riley

2018 Top 10 Best in Rhyme

  Bitty Bot is a busy little robot! In your first story Bitty Bot builds a rocket to go on a space adventure. Now, in Bitty Bot’s Big Beach Getaway, Bitty Bot builds a submarine to explore the ocean. Was Getaway in the works before Bitty Bot was published?

  Yes and no. I wrote the first draft of Bitty Botback in 2011 and tweaked it for years until I got my agent in…

2018 Best in Rhyme Top 10 – Josh Funk Interview by Gayle C. Krause

       2018 Top 10 Best in Rhyme

  INTERVIEW TITLE: THE PICTURE BOOK FUNKMEISTER

 by Author Gayle C. Krause

Thank you so much for inviting me to chat! I’m incredibly honored to have

three books nominated for the Best Rhyming Picture Book of 2018 Award!

  1. Tell us something we, as rhyming picture book fans, don’t already know about

you.

  I have been rhyming my whole life. My first word was…

2018 Best in Rhyme Award

The 2018 Best in Rhyme Award nominations are underway!

I am so excited that my friend and fellow-rhymer Debbie Vidovich has taken the reins for this year’s Best in Rhyme Award. She has stepped in to organize the nominations and voting and our 2018 Committee is in place!

Thank you to our 2018 Best in Rhyme Committee

Manju Gulati Howard Nancy Derey Riley Linda S. Mai Cathy C. Hall Darlene Ivy Gayle…

The 2017 Best in Rhyme Award Announcement – February 4th, 6:00 pm ET, KidLitTV Studio, NYC

The 2017 Best in Rhyme Award Announcement is February 4th at 6:00pm ET. Don’t miss this exciting live streaming announcement from the KidLitTV Studio in NYC!   I want to thank the Best in Rhyme Committee who is a group of truly amazing writers and friends! This group, led by Manju Gulati Howard and Debbie Vidovich read, scored and blogged about the Top 10 books on the list. I was thrilled to…

2017 BEST IN RHYME TOP 10 – REVIEW OF ANNA DEWDNEY’S LITTLE EXCAVATOR BY DEBBIE VIDOVICH

2017 TOP 10 List

Written and Illustrated

by Anna Dewdney

THE STORY OF LITTLE EXCAVATOR

Little Excavator is the rollicking tale of a young excavator trying hard to find his place in the grownup world. He fails and fails again!  With pluck and determination, Little Ex finds the one special thing that only he can do. Kids of all ages will relate to this universal tale of finding the specialness in…

2017 TOP 10 List

Written by Diana Murray

Illustrated by Heather Ross

I’m rolling out the Best of Rhyme carpet for Diana Murray and her picture book, Grimelda and the Spooktacular Pet Show. In Diana’s entertaining sequel, Grimelda’s spell book goes missing in her still very messy room. The young witch wants to find a spell to turn her typical cat named Wizzlewarts into a spooktacular pet, so…

2017 BEST IN RHYME TOP 10 – REVIEW OF SHERRI DUSKEY RINKER’S MIGHTY, MIGHTY CONSTRUCTION SITE BY DARLENE IVY

2017 TOP 10 List

MIGHTY, MIGHTY CONSTRUCTION SITE by Sherri Duskey Rinker Illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld

They’re back! The five hardworking crew members from Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site, written by Sherri Duskey Rinker and illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld, are back and gearing up for a new day and a new job. But, in the new Mighty, Mighty Construction Site, the task is “a massive…

2017 TOP 10 List

THE CASE OF THE STINKY STENCH by Josh Funk Illustrated by Brendan Kearney  

  There’s a stinky stench in the fridge–and our favorite foodie friends must solve a smelly mystery! Sir French Toast’s nephew, Inspector Croissant, begs him and Lady Pancake for help in finding the source of the foul odor. Could it be the devious Baron von Waffle? A fetid fish lurking in the bottom of…

2017 TOP 10 List

SANTA’S GIFT by Angie Karcher Illustrated by Dana Karcher

  What a delight it was to meet you, Angie. The year was 2015. Both you and I were attending the WOW [Week of Writing] Conference in Georgia. Since we both live in the Midwest, I feel a special connection to you. Just wish we lived closer, as you live in Indiana and I live in Illinois. Congratulations, Angie, on your…

2017 BEST IN RHYME TOP 10 – REBECCA COLBY INTERVIEW BY KENDA HENTHORN

2017 TOP 10 List

CAPTAIN BLING’S CHRISTMAS PLUNDER by Rebecca Colby Illustrated by Rob McClurkan

CAPTAIN BLING’S CHRISTMAS PLUNDER by Rebecca Colby, Illustrated by Rob McClurkan:

Captain Bling and his merry crew set off to find treasure, but they get blown off course and end up at the North Pole. When they spy the elves carefully wrapping presents, the pirates think they have found the ultimate…

2017 BEST IN RHYME TOP 10 – DENISE DOYEN INTERVIEW BY CATHY C. HALL

2017 TOP 10 List

THE POMEGRANATE WITCH by Denise Doyen Illustrated by Eliza Wheeler

    When a scary old tree blooms with the most beautiful pomegranates ever seen, the neighborhood kids’ mouths water with anticipation. But the tree isn’t theirs—and it has a protector! So begins the Pomegranate War, a fun, rollicking, rhyming tale of a battle between the sly, plucky young rascals and their wry,…

2017 BEST IN RHYME TOP 10 – DIANA MURRAY INTERVIEW BY SHERRI JONES RIVERS

2017 TOP 10 List

DORIS THE BOOKASAURUS by Diana Murray Illustrated by Yuyi Chen “We shouldn’t have to beg or plead To make our brothers want to read.” Doris the Bookasaurus finds a way to make reading fun for Max and TJ.

 I first “met” the talented author Diana Murry in 2010 when I won a Letter of Merit from SCBWI’s Barbara Karlin Grant and she WON the award. I emailed to congratulate her and…