Book Giveaway: JUST FLOWERS by Erin Dealey

Erin Dealey has a new picture book, JUST FLOWERS, illustrated by Kate Cosgrove and published by Sleeping Bear Press on April 15th. Sleeping Bear Press has agreed to send a copy to one lucky winner in the US.

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 about a new book. So, thanks for helping Erin and Kate.

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

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Izzy’s new neighbor is a bit of a grump–though they are both botanically inclined. When the neighbor discovers unwanted flowers–again and again–in his precious rose garden, he bids Izzy to take them away. Izzy does–and uses the blooms to brighten someone else’s day. Before long, the town is bursting with Izzy’s flowers. The grumpy neighbor doesn’t see the fuss. “They’re JUST FLOWERS!” he yells. “Just flowers” that brought joy and color to everyone in town. Can Izzy finally get that neighbor to accept the bloom of friendship? Back matter includes a seek-and-find and information on the flowers mentioned in the book.

BOOK JOURNEY:

Thank you, Kathy Temean, for inviting me back to your blog. I’m happy to share how Izzy’s story blossomed into our picture book, JUST FLOWERS.

The seeds for JUST FLOWERS were planted four years ago, when I discovered gorgeous photos of flowers in an Instagram thread called #ayearinflowers. (I think that’s what it was called.)

Flowers thumbnail and / or early idea scribbles

The idea germinated when I laughed out loud at the ranunculus read-aloud fun of botanical Latin classifications. WOW! They had to be in a book.

I tended those crazy-but-why-not? idea sprouts, puzzling how to feature such Galanthus gems in a picture book without sounding didactic. Then the grumpy neighbor moved into my brain and things got interesting.

Thumbnail –Izzy, neighbor

Izzy showed up soon after. Well actually Stella came first, but then I renamed Stella’s character Lizzie and out of nowhere IZZY popped onto the page with a zing! Isn’t IZZY fun to say?

Note to writers: Every word counts—even your protagonist’s name.

My drafts were as messy as ever, just like working in the garden. Sometimes, you weed out a few phrases and other times you replant. One version wanted to rhyme SO MUCH, and you know I love rhyme but rhyming felt like too much alongside the word play of matching community members with appropriate flowers (The pediatrician needed the Mums—right?) and those delicious Latin classifications. Thus we left the rhyme for another time.

Note to writers: I am often guilty of trying to put too much “cleverness” into a book. I’ve learned to save some for other stories.

As always, my crit group, the PBJs, helped to prune and water JUST FLOWERS as it grew. Many thanks to Bitsy Kemper, Patricia Newman, and Lori Mortensen, and my agent Deborah Warren at East West Literary. They are the BEST gardening club ever.

Photo of Bitsy Kemper taken from my Sleeping Bear Press Instagram takeover!

Once I teamed up (happily!) again with the master gardeners at Sleeping Bear Press, editor Sarah Rockett dug in, and we narrowed the scope of the story to match the spring/summer growing period. It was important to make sure the flowers in the story fit the season, so again, some flowers were uprooted. And the glossary in the back grew into a Can You Find Them? spread.

Note to writers: If your story has nonfiction elements, make sure you’ve done your research homework.

Last but certainly not least, the brilliant #1 NYT Bestselling illustrator Kate Cosgrove brought an incredible world of sunshine and diversity. I am continually blown away by her details, palette choices, and stunningly unique style. Link to my chat with Kate about her process. https://erindealey.com/kid-lit-illustrators/meet-1-nyt-bestselling-illustrator-kate-cosgrove/

Bouquets of gratitude to all.

And, yes, like many florists, we experienced some delivery issues but thankfully those are all behind us, and JUST FLOWERS is blooming on shelves everywhere.

May it bring you as much joy as our budding Botanist, Izzy, brings the neighbors and community members in JUST FLOWERS. Link to a fun and easy classroom extension: https://erindealey.com/teachers-fun-ideas-for-your-classroom/be-like-izzy-fun-easy-just-flowers-class-activity-for-all-levels-art-kindness-flowers/

ERIN‘S BIO:

Erin Dealey (@ErinDealey) is a playwright and children’s author of 20+ picture books, including DEAR EARTH…FROM YOUR FRIENDS IN ROOM FIVE (Be an Earth Hero!) and PETER EASTER FROG.

Sleeping Bear titles include SNOW GLOBE WISHES –A lyrical holiday story about wishes and community and snow–lots and lots of snow; K IS FOR KINDERGARTEN–with activities for almost Kindergartners and their parents who CAN’T wait for school, as well as Kinders and their K teachers learning/teaching about expectations; CHRISTMAS AHOY!, a holiday boat parade + counting book, and DECK THE WALLS, a rollicking sing-along about the kids’ table at a holiday dinner.

Her first published picture books were with Atheneum/ Simon & Schuster: GOLDIE LOCKS HAS CHICKEN POX, and LITTLE BO PEEP CAN’T GET TO SLEEP two classics featuring a neighborhood of familiar nursery rhyme characters. See erindealey.com for more.

KATE’S BIO:

Kate Cosgrove is the #1 New York Times bestselling illustrator of A Day With No Words; winner of the 2024 Dolly Gray Children’s Literature Award.

Cosgrove’s book illustrations juried into The 41st and 43rd Original Art Annual Exhibition in NYC. Her other notable picture books include And the Bullfrogs Sing: A Life Cycle, a Bank Street Best Book of the Year, and a Maryland Blue Crab Young Reader Award Honors book.

She’s usually hiding in her probably-haunted art studio, with pencil-smudged fingers and a smelly dog named Stanley.

Erin, thank you for sharing your book and journey with us. When I noticed Erin Dealey and Kate Cosgrove teamed up for this book, I quickly grabbed it. I have enjoyed all of Erin’s other books and I love all of Kate’s illustrations, so I was eager to open up the book and read. I was not disappointed. This book is not just about flowers. It is so much more. Yes, it is a wonderful book that will help children identify different kinds of flowers while telling the story of a little boy who loves flowers and lives next door to a grumpy old man who is only interested in roses.

Little Izzy tries to give him different flowers but is always told to get rid of them, so Izzy finds other people around town to give his flowers to and it always makes them smile. I love the illustration where he weaves the buttercups threw his mother’s hair after she has had a bad day. It is so sweet. What a wonderful lesson for children to learn, that just because there is someone grumpy, there are other people with whom you can share things and make happy.

I think many of us young or old run into people who are grumpy and we turn and walk away. Why waste our time? But Izzy doesn’t give up, he keeps trying to give the old man other flowers and is repeatedly told to get rid of them, until one day he gives the old neighbor marigolds to keep the aphids off his roses and the man thanks him. Then Izzy adds, “And Not just flowers. Rubbus alleghensis.” The neighbor interrupts, “I don’t see any Blackberries.” And Izzy says, “PIE! Come join us.” So the old man does. He joins all of Izzy’s new friends at the table to enjoy the blackberry pies. Proving the old sayings that, “Persistence pays off,” and “A way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.” 

It was a nice touch to end with two pages of illustrations of the flowers in the story with their common name and scientific name. Parents will love taking walks with their children to look for the flowers and parents will be impressed when their child remembers the names. Another thing I appreciated was the mention of Monarch Butterflies and how Milkweed provides the nectar the Monarchs need to lay their eggs. They will only lay their eggs on Milkweed, so by planting that in your garden you are helping the propagation of Monarchs. It is very exciting to watch the eggs turn into caterpillars. See the beautiful chrysalis form and watch until the new Monarch emerges. It’s a win-win for the family and nature.

Great combo of writing and Illustrating. Good luck with the book.

Kathy