Book Giveaway: SQUISH SQUASH SQUISHED by Rebecca Kraft Rector

Rebecca Kraft Rector is helping us celebrate the holidays by sharing her picture book, SQUISH SQUASH SQUISHED illustrated by Dana Wulfekotte and published by Nancy Paulsen Books 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 Rebecca and Dana.

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 I will give you an extra ticket. Thanks!

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

A pair of kids learn what it is really like to be squished together during one hilarious and eventful car ride!

When Max and Molly can’t stop complaining about being squished in the back seat of the car, their clever mom knows exactly what to do–offer rides to their animal friends, who are happy to pile in and come along! As the back seat fills up with a wiggly piglet, two flitting ducklings, and three woofing puppies, soon Max and Molly are not only squished–they’re SQUISH SQUASH SQUISHED! So when they notice Mom slowing down to wave at Scooter Mooter and his calves, Max and Molly don’t say a word–they hush-mush. Thankfully, Mom keeps driving–and after everyone’s dropped off and it’s time to hustle-bustle home, Max and Molly are happy to stretch out in the back seat of their suddenly gracious-spacious automobile.

BOOK JOURNEY:

I first wrote SQUISH SQUASH SQUISHED 20 years ago. After many rejections I put the story away. In 2017, I applied to the Super Children’s Book Boot Camp with Pat Cummings and Denise Fleming at the Highlights Foundation. Initially I was rejected for the workshop, but they asked if I had another story I’d like to use for my application. So I dug through my million and one old stories and submitted SQUISH SQUASH SQUISHED. I was accepted.

The concept of the workshop was that participants would get feedback from peers and faculty. Then we’d present the story to a panel consisting of an editor, agent, and art director.

When I presented the story to the panel, I had my paper and pen ready to write down all the things they’d inevitably say needed to be improved. Instead, they loved it! All three of them! I was blown away.  Before I left the workshop, the agent, Erica Rand Silverman of Stimola Literary Studio, slipped me a note: Email me! The art director, Cecilia Yung of Penguin Random House, said she would show the text to Nancy Paulsen of Nancy Paulsen Books. Ken Geist, Vice President and Publisher at Scholastic also expressed interest.

My flights home were delayed and then cancelled and I ended up spending the night at the airport, but it didn’t matter. They’d loved my story!

A few days later I had an offer from Nancy Paulsen Books, a follow-up email from Scholastic, and I was in correspondence with Agent Erica. I soon signed with Erica and accepted the offer from Nancy Paulsen Books. Illustrator Dana Wulfekotte came on board in April 2018 and her fabulous illustrations brought the story to life. Nancy and Cecilia let me have input on the art right from the start. I made a few suggestions on the sketches and interiors, you know, really deep and professional comments like “I think Molly needs the ducklings on her head on page 28.” It’s been a wonderful journey and soon children will hold my picture book in their hands. I can’t wait!

A week later I had an agent and publisher. Illustrator Dana Wulfekotte came on board in April 2018 and her fabulous illustrations brought the story to life. Soon children will hold my picture book in their hands. I can’t wait!

REBECCA’S BIO:

I’m a twin and the oldest of four children. Our many car trips did not inspire me to write SQUISH SQUASH SQUISHED because we were always absolute angels. Absolute. Angels.

For as long as I can remember, I loved reading and writing stories and poems. So, it’s no surprise that I became a librarian and writer. But I’ve also worked as a cleaner, babysitter, shampoo girl, filer, typist, reading and study skills teacher, and elementary school network manager.

My cats Ollie and Opal keep me company while I write. I don’t care for coffee, so my writing is fueled by dark chocolate chips, often eaten on graham crackers.

Although I’ve had more than 30 books published, SQUISH SQUASH SQUISHED is my first picture book. My second picture book LITTLE RED is coming from Aladdin in Spring 2022. You can find me online at RebeccaKraftRector.wordpress.com.

DANA’S BIO:

Dana Wulfekotte (wolf – kah – tee) is a freelance animator, comic artist, and children’s book author-illustrator. She was born in Seoul, South Korea, raised in New Jersey, and currently lives in Queens with her boyfriend and two rabbits.

As an animator/designer, she has worked on various animation projects for HBO, PBS, Google, and many others. Her debut picture book RABBIT & POSSUM came out in February 2018 and was published by Greenwillow/HarperCollins. She also illustrated the 2019 Schneider Family Honor picture book THE REMEMBER BALLOONS (written by Jessie Oliveros, Simon & Schuster).

For book inquiries, please contact Sean McCarthy – sean [at] mccarthylit.com. For all other inquiries (work or otherwise!) please email me at dana.wulfekotte [at] gmail.com.

Rebecca, thank you for sharing your book and journey with us. I don’t have a copy of the book, but it looks like a fun ride with pigs in pink tutus, puppies with backpacks, and ducks on the kids heads. I can hear the little children laughing at this story while their parents read it to them. Dana’s illustrations are perfect and add to the fun. Good luck with the book.

Talk tomorrow,

Kathy