Thanks to Little Willow over at Slayground for naming Peg Leg Peke as one of the best picture books for 2008!  Thanks so much, it means a lot to be recognized along with all those other great titles.

Best picture books of 2008:
Seamore, the Very Forgetful Porpoise by Darcie Edgemon, illustrated by J.otto Siebold
Mermaid Sister by Mary Ann Fraser
Wave by Suzy Lee
Gone Fishing by David McLimans
South by Patrick McDonnell
A Kitten Tale by Eric Rohmann
Dog and Bear: Two’s Company written and illustrated by Laura Vaccaro Seeger
Peg Leg Peke by Brie Spangler

Linky-Dink

From the San Gabriel Valley Tribune out in California:

Too cute is the best way to describe “Peg Leg Peke” (Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers, $16) by Brie Spangler.  You’ll want to sit down with readers ages 3-6 and have them share this charming story of the Pekingese pup with a broken leg who uses his imagination to become a pirate and forget his troubles for a while.

Thanks California and Michelle J. Mills for the nice blurb.  And now I can’t help but imagine the nice California weather out west you guys must be having.

Thank you Nashville Parent for the nice blurb!

When the world gives you lemons… make lemonade!  Peke, a pekingese puppy with a peg leg decides to become a swash-buckling pirate.  Follow this happy puppy as he searches for treasure while learning the valuable lesson of refusing to let a disability keep him down.

This guard was so funny, I held up Peke to take a picture and he just looked at me completely deadpan and said, “Why?”  And then I told him I wrote a picturebook and so on and asked him to be in the shot.  Nice guy except when you get too close, hehe.

I want to wish the world a happy and healthy 2009!  All my best to you and yours.

ps- one of my New Years resolutions is to do a better job updating the Peke-A-Blog.  ;o)

This was a really fun day.  I went with the wonderful Heather Nolen from Believe in Books on a visit to the Lin-Wood Community Childcare Center.  All the kids were so cute and we all had a great time reading stories and coloring pictures together.

Thank you for having me, it was a treat!

I’d like to thank Amanda for the interview and also direct everyone over to her great blog, A Patchwork of Books, where she reads and reviews books for all ages and genres of young readers.  I was glad to help in a small way and grateful for the opportunity to chat with her.  Here’s an excerpt:

3. How in the world did you come up with the concept for Peg Leg Peke?
BS- I’m afraid it is as advertised! I have a little pekingese and she needed an operation on her foot, it led to a long, fun month in a cast and Peg Leg Peke came soon after. Oh, she was quite pitiful. When the book got picked up I bought her a great big peanut butter doggie-cookie.

Click here for the whole interview and many thanks again to the wonderful Amanda, always in my thoughts.

I love these adorable, adorable drawings from kids.  They are too darn wonderful!

And check out this great ocean and pirate ship!  Love the crabs.