Maggie Mason and I are writing thank you notes to our five favorite authors in the #ThankAWriter project. This is letter #4. Please join us! See this post to find out how to create a Go Mighty profile and see all the other inspiring letters. Every one you write and post about on Go Mighty enters you to win the first six books in the Penguin Drop Caps series.
My fourth letter in the #ThankAWriter project is to Ann Jonas, who wrote and illustrated the first book I remember loving. Round Trip is a picture book that is read straight through, and when you turn the book upside down the illustrations become something entirely different for the trip home. Completely amazing, and it kicked off my lifelong love of books.
Dear Ms. Jonas,
“Round Trip” was the first book I ever remembered being read to me by my parents, and to say that it blew my freaking mind is an understatement. I begged them to read “Round Trip Jonas” (as I called it) nearly every night, and it helped kick off a livelong love of books that culminated in me writing them myself.
Thank you for dreaming up such an incredibly inventive concept and for showing me the worlds that could be revealed through books. “Round Trip” sent me on a happy journey I am still glad to be traveling.
Nathan Bransford
This is a great idea. I loved the letter you wrote to Ann Jonas.
Rather than try to track down the author who wrote Beauty and The Beast for Ladybird, right now I would like to thank Don and Audrey Wood who wrote "The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry and The Big Hungry Bear." Within the pages of this book, I found everything I needed to teach my autistic son about inference and deduction; as well as how to talk about fear.
My thanks to you, and to Don and Audrey Wood.
I even like the octopus.
Sounds like a book my kids (almost 7 and almost 5) would love! Also, for fun concepts, Nathan, you might want to look for "Press Here" by Herve Tuller, an inventive book about a bunch of spots in primary colors that use interaction to move on the pages (it'll make more sense when you see the book.) Thanks for sharing!
Is it too late to join the #ThankAWriter idea? I'd like to do this and send letters to writers, and also include them in my blog.
Dave-
Not too late!
Going to make time for this.
I remember this book! 🙂 I think I was first introduced to it on "Reading Rainbow" (one of my all-time favorite shows). "Round Trip" — what a perfect title.
And how nice your parents read to you so much. I've always been grateful that I had parents who read to me, too. I know it doesn't always happen, so I've always considered myself lucky.
I love that you acknowledged a picture book author, and the impact it has on you. Sweet. Picture books really are so important to kids!
This books concept sounds very cool – I'm going to check it out. 🙂
Waaay off topic, but I'd love to hear your thoughts on "Pheed." And your explanation of it as a social media expert.
anon-
I think it's interesting! I haven't used it too much yet but it strikes me as a sort of like Instagram with more options.