My 1-year Blog-iversary!

Dear Friends,

My blog turns ONE on Friday and I am amazed!

First, I am amazed that I set a goal for myself and I stuck to it (nearly) every week for a year. Second, I am amazed that there are people like you who are interested in reading my blog!

As many of you know, I am an aspiring children's writer and one of the BIG to-dos in the writing world is to build an online platform, even before publication. I guess that's what I'm doing. Baby steps! Thank you to everyone who has stopped here to encourage me along the way.

So to celebrate all of you, this week's theme is UNEXPECTED FRIENDSHIP. Friendship will also be the March topic for the online Kid Lit Book Club that I recently started, so head over there to share your favorite picture books on friendship.

Last Friday, I used Peach and Blue as my Perfect Picture Book Friday selection. Since it would be repetitive to cover it again here, I just encourage you to click the link to learn about that beautiful story of unexpected friendship.

A Splendid Friend, Indeed by Suzanne Bloom - Published in 2005, this Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book is a simple story of surprising friendship between a goose and a bear. The goose is talkative, barging in when bear is trying to quietly read, write, and think. Bear is surprised when Goose declares that Bear is his "splendid friend," which ends in a bear hug. Children will certainly relate to friends that can be both annoying and endearing.

The Lion and the Little Red Bird by Elisa Kleven - The mixed-media collages in this book are exquisite. A lion's tail mysteriously changes color everyday and a red bird follows this unusual development with curiosity. In this quiet story about art, beauty inspires friendship and bonds the two characters in a common joy.

Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox; Illustrated by Julie Vivas - This sweet book about the friendship between a young boy and an older woman who is losing her memory was my Perfect Picture Book Friday pick on May 18, 2012. Click the link to check it out!

The Old Woman Who Named Things by Cynthia Rylant; Illustrated by Kathryn Brown - On June 1, 2012, I posted this for Perfect Picture Book Friday. Click the link to learn about the unwanted and unexpected friendship of an old woman and a dog that visits her regularly.