ONE BLUE GNU by Danna Smith
Art by Ana Zurita
Amicus, Ink 2021
Buy One Blue Gnu HERE.
Cover Blurb: When a box of cell phones is accidentally delivered to the zoo, one blue gnu calls two white sheep, who plan a party -- beep beep beep! Oh, no! Who invited tiger.
One Blue Gnu is a fun and colorful romp at the zoo, where we count from one to ten and down again in one huge party!
When I am discussing concept books in the context of a class or mentoring session, I often explain how editors and agents like to see several well-threaded hooks in a story, as well as even a slight narrative or character arc, even in this type of book.
One Blue Gnu is the perfect example of how to cover all the bases! First, you'll find have engaging, rollicking rhyme:
One blue gnu, home all alone.
One blue gun with a new cell phone.
Making calls to two white sheep,
she plans a party -- beep beep beep.
Then, you'll discover more fun and fundamentals -- this book promises a party and teaches counting (up and down again) and colors. But that's not it! It has a narrative arc! In addition, Ann Zurita's vivd art is engaging and fun!
Kids little and big will be easily entertained as they listen to this clever book.
Grab your copy of ONE BLUE GNU HERE.
REVIEW BY: Lynne Marie
Lynne Marie is the author of Hedgehog Goes to Kindergarten -- art by Anne Kennedy (Scholastic 2011), Hedgehog's 100th Day of School -- art by Lorna Hussey (Scholastic 2017), The Star of the Christmas Play -- art by Lorna Hussey (Beaming Books 2018), Moldilocks and the 3 Scares -- art by David Rodriguez Lorenzo (Sterling 2019 and Scholastic 2019), Let’s Eat! Mealtime Around the World -- art by Parwinder Singh (Beaming Books 2019), The Three Little Pigs and the Rocket Project AND The Three Little Pigs and the Rocket Project Coloring Book -- art by Wendy Fedan (Mac and Cheese Press 2022), and American Pie -- art by Dea Lenihan (Dancing Flamingo Press 2022) and more, coming soon!
She’s also the Owner and Administrator of both RateYourStory.org (which is currently taking 2022 Members at www.rateyourstory.org/become-a-member) and ThePictureBookMechanic.com, as well as a long-time Travel Agent with PixieVacations.com (www.pixievacationsbylynnemarie.com)! She's been a Cybil's Judge in the Fiction Picture Books and Board Books category since 2016. Recently, she's been handed the ReFoReMo torch from Kirsti Call and Carrie Charley Brown, which will return under it's new name March On With Mentor Texts in March, 2022 (www.rateyourstory.org/march-on). You can join her at her weekly Tinker and Talk Book Chat here: Tinker and Talk Book Chat by The Picture Book Mechanic | Facebook
When she’s not searching for stories all over the globe, she lives on a lake in South Florida with her family, a Schipperke named Anakin and several resident water birds. Visit her at www.LiterallyLynneMarie.com. Lynne Marie is represented by Marisa Cleveland of www.theseymouragency.com