Category: Book Giveaways

Book Giveaway for Teachers: Help OPB Create a Future Post

On By Only Picture BooksIn Book Giveaways

Teachers of preschool, kindergarten, and grades 1 or 2–I need you! In return for your help, you can win a stack of free books for your classroom.

You heard me…I said, “FREE BOOKS!”

What I’m asking of you: Just poll one or more of your preschool, kindergarten, or grade 1 or 2 classes about “Things Kids Love” and send that list to me to before midnight on January 31, 2023. Use the form here: https://www.onlypicturebooks.com/contact/

**The more specific the items on your list, the better. For example, “toys” is far less interesting/​helpful than, say, “Super Soakers,” “LEGOs,” or “Mr. Potato Head.”**

Tell me about those free books!!!: On February 1, 2023, I’ll draw 10 teacher names at random from all entries, and each of those 10 winners will receive a free stack of 10 books (most are picture books, but some are early readers or chapter books).

**Shipping to US only—sorry!**

Can I increase my chances of getting some of those much-​ballyhooed free books?: For one additional entry, poll your class about “Things Kids Don’t Like” and send me that list before the January 31, 2022 deadline, too. **Entrants can only win one set of books, but this would increase your chance of winning anything!**

What are you doing with this information?: I’ll be compiling all the results (anonymously) into lists that appear as a free resource via a post or two for writers, teachers, librarians, and parents right here at www.OnlyPictureBooks.com

Do you have an example of what you’re looking for? Yes, indeed. Check out these links–I’m essentially creating up-​to-​date versions of these terrific lists.

I’m not a preschool, kindergarten, or grade 1 or 2 teacher. Can I still win books?: Not this time, sorry! But you can earn yourself some literary karma by sharing this opportunity with a preschool, kindergarten, or grade 1 or 2 teacher,

Book Giveaway: Clarinet & Trumpet (& Bonus Mini-Interviews)

On By Only Picture BooksIn Book Giveaways6 Comments

This is the first signed copy giveaway we’ve ever done at OPB! To learn a bit more about the picture book you might win, enjoy the mini-​interviews below with both the author and illustrator of Clarinet & Trumpet.

Also, feel free to read about the book at Goodreads or via its starred review at School Library Journal!

(The details for how to get your name in the running for a free copy will be at the very bottom!)

Questions for author Melanie Ellsworth

RVC: What’s something about Trumpet we wouldn’t guess from just reading the story?

ME: Trumpet has a unicorn collection at home–stickers, figurines, posters, t‑shirts, you name it! Trumpet believes in things that others dismiss.

RVC: What music puns didn’t quite make the final cut? (As we all know, music puns can lead to treble!)

ME: So many! Face the music, music to my ears, ring a bell, off key, off beat, jump on the bandwagon, composed (I thought of starting with, “Clarinet was quite composed,” but ended up going with, “Sure, Trumpet was rather brass, and Clarinet a bit long-winded.”)

RVC: What’s your own musical background?

ME: I started piano lessons when I was seven years old and kept at it until 10th grade, and I started playing the clarinet in 4th grade and continued through college. What I loved about clarinet was that I could play it with others–starting with band in elementary school and adding orchestra, pit band, and Northeast district bands in high school. I picked up the saxophone for a bit in high school, hoping to join the jazz band but never quite got there!

These days, I dream of playing the bagpipes…

RVC: Your favorite image from the book?

ME: That’s a tough question because John’s work is amazing. It might be the scene where Trumpet is desperately trying to get Clarinet’s attention–I love the various expressions and gestures as Trumpet works through his entire repertoire of friendship strategies. But that’s tied with the stage scene where Oboe lassos Trombone with her cleaning rag–the movement of the characters and the deep purple of the curtains just grab me.

Questions for illustrator John Herzog

RVC: Which instrument-​character was the most challenging to illustrate?

JH: All of them had their challenges, but Clarinet was surprisingly hard to get right. Her design changed significantly over the course of working on the book.

RVC: What’s something fun that only an eagle-​eyed reader might notice?

JH: There’s a little J+B in a heart on the chalkboard in the music room. J and B are my and my wife’s initials.

RVC: What’s your own musical background?

JH: My dad and my brother are musical–they both play piano. I greatly appreciate music, but I myself am not very musical.

RVC: Your favorite line from the story?

JH: “The woodwinds tweeted, tooted, and trilled. The brass blew, blasted, and blared.” Love the alliteration there.

“How Do I Get a Chance at a Freebie Signed Copy?

Are you read to take your chance at winning a free signed copy of Clarinet & Trumpet? There are THREE ways to do this–each will earn you a single entry toward the signed copy drawing.

  1. Leave a comment right here on this blog post (the LEAVE A COMMENT button is at the top of the post) that answers the question: “What’s the best concert band instrument?”
  2. Leave a comment on FB that answers the question: “What’s your favorite song that includes a trumpet?” https://www.facebook.com/OnlyPictureBooks
  3. Like and retweet the giveaway post on Twitter. https://twitter.com/OPBblog

(It’s three entries max, and only one per source, so hit up all three options if you want to increase your chances at winning!)

**The drawing will be 11:59pm on Wednesday, May 19.**