Author Interview: Jean Reidy (Blog Tour and Giveaway!)

Yay! Today is the day! Today is my day for the Busy Builders, Busy Week Blog Tour. I reviewed the book yesterday, and am so happy that I got to interview the author, too. Jean has written several picture books, Busy Builders, Busy Week, being her most recent. And you can enter to win a copy below! But first, let's learn more about Jean...

E: Hi Jean! Thanks so much for doing this interview. I've never actually had the opportunity to interview a picture book author before! So, tell me a little bit about the process of writing and publishing a picture book. How did you start out?

J: I’ve always been a reader. And I especially love children’s literature. So when I had children of my own, reading and rediscovering picture books with them was a special joy. But I don’t think a person can simply sit down one day and say, “I’m going to write a picture book.”

Busy Builders, Busy Week

Busy Builders, Busy Week
Written by Jean Reidy, illustrated by Leo Timmers

My rating: ★★★★

ISBN: 978-1619635562
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Date of publication: June 14, 2016
Age: 3 - 6 years
Format: received from published for review

Themes: days of the week, construction, play, animals, rhymes

"Sunday! Dream day!
Study, scribble, scheme day.
Map, measure, plan a treasure.
Gather up a team day!

A big project is under way in the neighborhood! And it's going to take lots of teamwork—and fun construction vehicles—to complete it quickly. What could all that digging, dumping, and bulldozing create? Find out, all while learning the days of the week!"

You know what I love? Subtly educational books that are so fun, you don't even realize you're learning. Which is what I love about this book. Like The Very Hungry Caterpillar, this book takes the reader through the days of the week while still telling an engaging story. I particularly enjoyed the "guessing game" aspect—just what exactly are they building??

And the rhyming is WONDERFUL. I mean, see the example at the top of this review? The whole book is like that. Such great rhythm. My lack of fifth star, though, has to do with the pacing. Each day of the week gets a similar four-line poem, but some are illustrated over a single spread, while others go across several pages, breaking up the poem. While I love the extra illustrations, this did mix up the pacing a bit. Oh, and the illustrations, by the way, are a great addition; they're colorful, vivid, and add just a touch of humor and fun.

Overall, hugely recommended. Perfect for storytime or reading aloud, because the rhymes are just so fun to say. Great for kids who love construction and play. Plus, there's the whole subtle learning aspect! See? It's just so great. Give it a try.

Want to use it in the library or classroom? Click here for a free classroom curriculum guide and storytime kit!

Stick around until tomorrow, when I'll post an interview with the author and a giveaway!


Find it at your library or on Amazon