Dump Truck Duck Book Blog Tour Stop -- Book Review, Author Q&A and Book #Giveway

Disclosure:  I was sent a review copy from the vendor in order to write up an honest review.  All views shared are mine and mine alone.

Dump Truck Duck is Megan Bryant's first picture book, and Kirkus called it "a fine addition to the truck shelf," praising its "bouncy rhythms and catchy rhymes" that "will entrance truck-loving tots."

Buy now in hardcover from Amazon for only $10.61

I have been helping out at my youngest daughter's preschool and pulling books from our bookshelf to share with the kids.  One book that my daughter picked to share with her friends was a new book that we received last week, and one that we have read over and over again over a dozen times, at bedtime and throughout the day.  Have you heard of "Dump Truck Duck" by Megan Bryant?  If you haven't and have a child who loves trucks, then you will want to pick up this cute book to share with them.

When it comes to trucks, you oftentimes think of boys being fans.  But, I have to say, my girls go crazy for trucks --- firetrucks, bulldozers, dump trucks, you name it.  The bigger, the better, my youngest says, when I ask which is her favorite. :-)

It took a matter of minutes from the time I opened up the package and put this book on the counter for my girls to ask me to sit down and read it to the.  And, when I did, they were all smiles from the cover to the last page.  They loved not only the story, but also the cute illustrations that showed the duck at work, turning a dirty lot into a beautiful park and playground.

In addition an easy flowing story, the author used playful rhymes that keep even the youngest of children entertained and engaged.  My daughter's preschool class has children in it that range from age 3 up to age 5 1/2.  Each and every child, both boys and girls, became instant fans of this book, as soon as I started to read it.  The girls loved the cute duck, and then found themselves falling in love trucks and rooting the duck on when his truck breaks down and he works to fix it. 

As I was reading this story, the kids would get excited when they heard me read.."But ducks can take it. Ducks are tough!" Each and every time they heard this, they would yell it back to me and give me their best duck face while flexing this muscles.  It was really cute, and made for a even more enjoyable read and story sharing time.

I have since brought this book home, and continue to share it with my girls, who show no signs of getting bored with it.  And, when I am not reading it to them, they are picking it off the shelf and flipping through the pages, telling each other their own rendition of the story based on the illustrations and what they remember me reading to them.  

So, if you are looking for a cute children's book that both boys and girls with love, then you will want to check out "Dump Truck Duck" today.  You will be glad you did! :-)

In addition to being able to review a copy of this cute children's book, I was also given the opportunity to interview the author, Megan Bryant, as well as have a copy of the book to giveaway to one lucky reader (read on to learn how to enter to win this book for that special child in your life)

Inspired by Savannah Author Q&A with Megan Bryant

o   Tell me about your book. How did you come up with that (story, angle, idea)?

Dump Truck Duck is a rhyming story about a crew of plucky ducks who use their tough trucks to reclaim an abandoned junk yard, transforming it into a beautiful park. When I was a little girl, I had a button collection, which I'd spend hours sorting and organizing. My daughter inherited my passion for buttons, and while we were sorting through our buttons one day, two particular buttons fell into my hand: a duck button and a dump truck button. The title Dump Truck Duck immediately popped into my mind, and I thought, That would be so funny—a bunch of ducks in hardhats, working at a construction site. I turned to my daughter, who was three years old then, and asked, “Would you like to read a book called Dump Truck Duck someday?” She nodded vigorously and said, “Mommy, go write that book. Go write that book right now!” Her enthusiasm told me that I was onto something.

o   How did you get interested in writing this particular genre?  

I've always wanted to write a jacketed hardcover picture book; I think I was just waiting for the right story to come along. I'm lucky to write for several age groups, all the way from board books for babies to novels for young adults. Picture books hold a very special place in my heart; I personally find them to be one of the most challenging formats to write, so I'm very proud of Dump Truck Duck for making it into the world!

o   Do you have any favorite authors or favorite books? 

My favorite books are the ones I call "friend books"--the kind that you can return to again and again, whether you're happy or sad, tired or troubled, and find comfort and reassurance. A very short list of some of my current "friend books" would include Waiting by Kevin Henkes, Kate DiCamillo's Because of Winn-Dixie and The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, L. M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables series, and anything by Madeleine L'Engle.

o   What's a typical working day like for you? When and where do you write? Do you set a daily writing goal? 

I have an office in my home, which is where I do the bulk of my writing. It's extremely important to me to have my own space for creative pursuits--a place where I can close the door on everyday life and fully immerse myself in the project at hand. I write almost every day, usually between 9 AM and 1 PM and again from 8 PM to 10 PM--though when I'm under deadline, I add an afternoon shift in there, too. Since I have young children, I'm very grateful for the flexibility I have with my schedule. When I'm writing a novel, my average word count is about 3,000 words per day--though that can range from 1,000 words if I'm just getting started on a new project to 6,000 words if I know exactly where the story's going. Those high word count days are exhilarating--sometimes I feel like I'm flying!

o   What is the hardest part of writing for you?

I find self-promotion to be really challenging. I'm shy by nature, and I was raised to be modest about my accomplishments and talents, so promoting my books doesn't always come easily to me. However, I feel strongly that it's an author's responsibility to do everything in her power to promote her book. A writer's job doesn't end when the manuscript is accepted; my publisher has worked so hard to make Dump Truck Duck the best book it can be, and as part of the team I want to do everything I can to spread the word! Even though it's a challenge, I appreciate that self-promotion gives me the opportunity to push myself beyond my comfort zone by setting up events, publicity, and promotional opportunities.

o   What’s the best thing about being an author? 

When there is a story locked away in your heart, it longs for freedom. It demands your attention, wakes you up in the night, becomes a constant nagging ache that pulls at you no matter what else you try to do. To not tell that story, to deny that urge, can be physically painful. Being an author means having the key to release that story and send it out into the wide world, where it always wanted to be.

o   What are you working on now?  

A whole bunch of exciting projects! I'm finishing revisions on my YA novel, Glow, which will be published next year, and I'm almost done with the first book in my new chapter book series, Pocket Genius, which also releases in 2017. In addition, I'm about halfway done drafting my first nonfiction picture book.

o   What advice would you give aspiring writers?

Dream small--really! There's so much about publishing that's out of an author's control--which agent will show interest in your query letter; whether or not an editor will like your manuscript; which journals will review it; what sort of conferences you'll be invited to speak at; and ultimately, how well your book will sell. Once I started setting goals that were within my power to meet--is this idea fully developed; is this manuscript the absolute best I can make it--I found so much more peace along the often bumpy and frustrating path to publication.

o   What question have you always wanted to be asked in an interview? How would you answer that question?

Well, no one has ever asked me if I’d like to be part of the first colony on the moon. The answer is absolutely, unequivocally YES—on one condition: that I get to come back to Earth after a few years. There’s way too much I love about our wonderful world to say good-bye to it forever, even for the chance to live in space!

And, here are other stops on the Dump Truck Duck Blog Tour which have happened in recent days, so that you can visit and see what other bloggers thought of this wonderful children's book from Megan Bryant...

--GIVEAWAY--

Thanks to the author, Megan Bryant, one lucky reader will win a copy of her new release, "Dump Truck Duck", to share with that special child in their life.  To enter, please complete the entries on the Rafflecopter form below.  Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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More About the Author:

Megan E. Bryant is the author of more than 170 books for children. Her books Mythlopedia: Oh My Gods! and Mythlopedia: She's All That! were VOYA Honor Books. She lives in North Carolina.  

You can learn more about Megan and other books she has written by visiting her official website - http://meganebryant.com/.

Disclosure:  I was sent a review copy from the vendor in order to write up an honest review.  All views shared are mine and mine alone.