Book Giveaway: SLOTH AND SQUIRREL IN A PICKLE by Cathy Ballou Mealey

Cathy Ballou Mealey has a new picture book SLOTH AND SQUIRREL IN A PICKLE, illustrated by KELLY COLLIER and published by Kids Can Press. They have agreed to share a copy with one lucky winner living in the United States.

All you have to do to get in the running is leave a comment. Reblog, tweet, or talk about it on Facebook with a link and you will get additional chances to win. Just let me know other things you do to share the good news, so I can put the right amount of tickets in my basket for you.

Sharing on Facebook, Twitter or reblogging really helps spread the word for a new book. So, thanks for helping Cathy and Kelly.

If you have signed up to follow my blog and it is delivered to you everyday, please let me know when you leave a comment and receive an extra ticket. Thanks!

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

A speedy squirrel and a sleepy sloth try to get the job done in this funny, heartwarming tale of two lovable, but unlikely, friends.

Though Sloth and Squirrel are good friends, they have different ways of doing things — and different speeds of doing them. So, when Squirrel gets them jobs as pickle packers to earn money for a new bike, things don’t go according to plan. It seems that the contrasting skill sets of a fast-as-lightening squirrel and a slow-as-molasses sloth can make for a mess of an outcome, and before long, the friends are shown the pickle factory’s door, along with the 677 1/2 jars of pickles they packed incorrectly! Now the pair are bicycle-less, with only pickles to show for themselves. Or so they think — until the resourceful pair come up with an ingenious plan!

This delightful story from Cathy Ballou Mealey is a celebration of friendships of all kinds and a testament to ingenuity and hard work. Packed with funny details that aren’t in the text, Kelly Collier’s engaging illustrations are full of personality and silly, emotionally expressive humor. Together they create a hilarious picture book that’s perfect for a fun and lively read-aloud. At the same time, the positive themes in the book highlight a growth mindset and character education lessons on teamwork, perseverance and initiative.

BOOK JOURNEY:

In 2018 I clicked on a Wall Street Journal article about animal ambassadors entitled Sloths Hot, Armadillos Not: Zoos Seek Affection for Overlooked Species. While I would not recommend writing toward a trend, I thought the slow, sleepy, cuddly-looking creature had plenty of appeal as a picture book protagonist. To enliven the illustration potential, I added Squirrel, an active and animated tree-dwelling buddy to become Sloth’s perfect sidekick in a funny friendship adventure.

At a sloth’s pace, their silly storyline unfolded. I happened to notice a billboard for “Brooklyn Pickle Packers” and loved the crisp, staccato ‘k’ sounds. I decided Sloth and Squirrel would become pickle packers in order to do something fun, like pedal along together on a tandem bicycle. And why not add in another alliterative character – a peacock? Soon I had assembled a fun cast with tangy, tasty ingredients for a satisfying picture book manuscript.

After many drafts and much revision, the pickle packers found a perfect publishing home at Kids Can Press. Sloth and Squirrel were brought to life on the page by the hand of the terrifically talented Kelly Collier. Kelly showcased Sloth’s eager, fuzzy earnestness and Squirrel’s energetic enthusiasm in a stylish, pale pickle-green palette accented with vibrant red and turquoise touches. Plus she designed a magnificent office for Mr. Peacock, the pickle plant manager, that is beyond compare!

CATHY’S BIO:

Cathy Ballou Mealey has never picked a peck of pickled popsicles, but she has been a crossing guard, pet-sitter, and professional gift-wrapper among many other jobs. Her favorite pickle is a crisp and tangy bread-and-butter chip. She lives with her family north of Boston, where she delights in watching silly squirrel antics and is waiting patiently for a sloth to appear.

Cathy’s debut picture book WHEN A TREE GROWS, illustrated by Kasia Nowowiejska, was published by Sterling Children’s Books in 2019. SLOTH AND SQUIRREL IN A PICKLE, illustrated by Kelly Collier, was published by Kids Can Press in 2021. Cathy is represented by Liza Fleissig of Liza Royce Associates.

Website: https://cathyballoumealey.wordpress.com/about/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CatBallouMealey

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/catballoumealey/

ILLUSTRATOR KELLY COLLIER’S BIO:

Author-illustrator Kelly Collier was born in Ottawa and grew up in Toronto. She has an identical twin sister and an older brother. As kids, Kelly and her sister drew all the time, mostly in an effort to “outdraw” their brother. Kelly studied illustration in college and has had lots of editorial work published, but has always wanted to create a children’s book. The idea for A Horse Named Steve came from a doodle she did to fill a small empty frame at home. Kelly married a fellow artist who doesn’t complain when her projects take over the entire house, she has a dog who sort of resembles Steve and she really loves gold.

Cathy, thank you for sharing your book and journey with us. I don’t have a copy of the book, but it looks like it is a ton of fun and a load of giggles. I love the illustrations Kelly created for the book and how your book will help kids understand that friends can be totally different and still be best friends. Good luck with the book!

Talk tomorrow,

Kathy