Thank you to every writer and author/illustrator who put themselves out there and entered PBParty. The judges and I loved reading your entries. You made us laugh, cry, think, and learn all kinds of new things. We can’t wait for your books to be out in the world!
Huge thanks to the Dream Team of Judges who made this all possible with their hard work and dedication. You didn’t make this easy on us! We had 81 entries with three or more yeses, and had to knock 31 of them out of the running during our battle-for-the-final-spots Zoom. *Those 31 are at the top, in no particular order…under them are the rest of the Honorable Mentions that received a combination of at least 3 yes/maybe votes.
Please thank the judges again:
Sylvia Chen * Matt Tesoriero * Gabriele Davis * Jenna Waldman * Aixa Perez-Prado *Lori Degman (Rhyming Pro)
In addition to being a judge, Sylvia Chen has done so much before and during the contest, she needs a shiny new title. She’s officially a judge and PBParty Ninja Rockstar! Her Ninja spreadsheet and organizational skills are amazing, and she’s been my rock this entire time. Always there when I need her (or before I even know I need her). Plus, Sylvia and her husband fixed my website issue after my host couldn’t for over 24 hours.
Sylvia wants to share this with all of you:
“As you review the Honorable Mentions, you’ll see so much talent from these titles alone! But please know that we truly enjoyed reviewing every single entry—you are ALL inspiring for the dedication, courage, and creativity you showed in your excerpts and queries. It only takes one yes and the right match for your dream to reach the next step.”
I’m so grateful to every agent and editor who took time out of their busy schedules to browse the finalists and Illustration Showcase. We had:
47 agents
22 editors
Total of 69 agents and editors who made 507 requests. Wahooooooooo!
I can’t wait to celebrate all the magical matches that happen. Some finalists had over 15 requests. A few had over 20! We’ve already had lots of agent calls, R&Rs from agents & editors, offers…and our first 2022 PBParty finalist already signed with an agent. Wahoooo! We’re going to have so many Success Stories to shout out. 😊
Top Genres Requested by Agents & Editors
*Remember that participants entered up to three genres*
53% Diverse
33% Lyrical
29% SEL
26% STEM/STEAM
25% NF
22% Character Driven
22% Humor
If not seeing your title on the Honorable Mention list will be too difficult for you—please stop reading now. Not having your title here doesn’t mean it isn’t good. Or great. Maybe it could use another revision or two. But other judges (plus agents and editors) might love it as is. Don’t forget this is out of almost 1000 entries. You all made our job so difficult.
Competition was incredibly tough. You were up against 317 entries from authors who are traditionally published (33%) and 86 entries from those who used to have an agent (9%). We were also extra-hard on rhyme and bios, because they’re tougher sells at the moment (although our 2 bios in the finals did AMAZING)!
One thing that stood out to me is the number of finalists who said they didn’t make it into PBParty for a year or more. They studied past finalists, worked on craft, found new critique groups or critique partners. Some wrote their PBParty entries within the past few months. They really thought about the types of stories they were meant to write… and magic happened!
We don’t have a set date for PBParty 2023 submissions yet, but it’s usually around March 1st. That gives you less than 11 months to write, revise, and get ready to dazzle everyone next year! You might have some ‘aha’ moments that bring existing manuscripts up a few levels. Or the next manuscript or two might be your golden ticket to a YES!
If you’d like an extra boost to write a new picture book this month plus give and receive a critique, I hope you’ll join the April 21 PBParty New Draft Challenge & Critique Train. We wrote 66 new picture books in March. I can’t wait to see how many will be born in April!
Whether or not you’re on the list below, the judges and I are sending tons of good vibes your way and hope you find agents and editors soon. We can’t wait to celebrate when that happens!
Congratulations 2022 PBParty Honorable Mentions!
Family Brain
Lupita’s Slippers
Johnny’s Freedom Drum
On Our Winter Walk
Cultivating Critters: Animal Farmers at Work
Nana’s Yogurt
Stewart, The Dog Who Purred
Cluck, Cluck Luck
Sinking Her Teeth Into It! Emeline Roberts Jones, First Female Dentist
What Are You?
The Superhero Below: What Boils Beneath Yellowstone National Park
“Don’t Forget To Buckle Up” Nils Bohlin And His Amazing Seat Belt
Bert: The Tooth Fairy For Dangerous Animals
Sky Wolves
Fame Moose
The Earth is Slowly Turning
The Bare Bear
Rock, Paper, Scissors Need a Break!
Road Builder Maya
Onward and Upward: Louise Thaden, Pioneering Pilot
Jenny Walks Alone: Inspired By A True Story
Plantimals Wait For You
Hip To Be Square
Who’s Under That Rock?…In the River
Sled Hockey
Owl Patrol: How Barn Owls Saved An Ecosystem And Bridged Borders
Born to Dance: Mary Verdi Creates Wheelchair Dance
The Woman Who Saw Vincent’s Color
Duck, Duck, Badger
Finding Summer
Silenced Songs – Why Russian Poet Anna Akhmatova Hid Poems in Her Head
Flowers In My Hair
The King of Ugly Carrots
Name Games: tricky-but-true animal names
Diego & the Dancing Princes
Narrator, Stop!
Popo’s Pancakes
Lodgepole!
Jeepney Jitters
Pot Heads
Who Are You Wearing?
Aunt Alice
Check Me Out!
The Worst Dare Ever
Camila, Abuelia, y Salsa
Cora the Ballpark Cat
No Zombies in the Library!
Dracu-Lynn Is Weird!
Neigh Kid
Aria
Dale Chihuly’s Colorful Dreams
Vicki Makes A Splash
New Hope
Ainalani And Marawa
City of Seasons
Why Beaver Built
Sandman’s Dreamland
Mary Ann Bugg: Aboriginal, Mom, Bushranger, Spy
When Sheep Can’t Sleep a Wink
Cluckerella
A Home for Felix
Playing With Bindu Mashi
Out For Delivery
Louise of the Flying Trapeze
Dance Of The Gods – A Bharatanatyam Recital
From Villain to Hero
Leftovers
Never And Always
Polar Plunge
Nick Braves The Night
The Wishing Jar
Bijan’s Two Searching Eyes (And One Evil One)
Otto’s Baby Brother
Olives, Milalla And Me
Wanted: Substitute Tooth Fairy
Detective Millie And The Case Of The Missing Monkey
Planet Pandemonium
Maia’s Moving Mitzvah
Your Friend, Breath: Always Here to Help
Arnold and Amelia: A True Story of Geese in Love
Mamita Linda and the Sandbox
Like the Art on my Kheta
Queen Of The Oak Savanna
Help Me Escape This Book!
Our Invisible Wings
When Mommy’s Monsters Get Big
Time to Slime!
Let Your Tongue Shine
Guessy Bessy
The Picture-Perfect Birthday Pet
Go Bigfoot or Go Home!
Must. Have. Snack.
Attack of the Snowman
Omar’s Little Hearts
Tigris to Sea: The Brave Story of Ezra Daoud and the Jews of Iraq
Guac!!
Lucky Stink
The Dragons of More
Fox On The Farm
Zippy Chippy: The Racehorse They Called “An Underdog”
Bedtime (Not) To-Do List
Dancing in the Stars
Its Name Is Me
Home
The Letter Garden
The Best Vet You’ve Never Met
Eyes on Me
Caddy Yak
Ida Pluck’s Cluck
No Mistake: Bette Nesmith Graham and the Invention of Liquid Paper
Days in the Garden
Crawfish Day
Lothar and Duck-Duck
Monster Fart
Go Granny Go!
Lulu’s Little Sister
Piles of Peaches?
Taco Hates Tuesdays
Too Bad, Big Wolf!
Wake Up, Fireflies!
Pig Pen Problems
Currents of Change
Scaredy Shark
Missing Daddy
Asleep Across The World
Ernest the Escalator
Sunny With A Chance Of Rainbows
Sharks, Snakes, And Chocolate Cake
22 Paradise Street
My Name is Josefina
Illustration Showcase Honorable Mentions
How To Pee Your Pants (The Right Way)
The Alpha Bat Book
Roben Robin Wants a House
Pesto Change-O!
The Wild Within
Moe and Madison: the pollution solution
Snagged
Horrible Adorable!
Nina the Lizard Kid!
Mudabbir
Computer Bug On Mars
The Shopping List
The 3 Little Pignauts
Priscilla and the Tiger
Congrats, everyone!
And thank you all again for sharing your stories, illustrations, and chatting with us all March. It was so much fun. I can’t wait to do it again.
Please stay in touch…especially during Celebration Sunday, Motivation Monday, and the monthly New Draft Challenge & Critique Train.
Here’s hoping for lots of future yeses for all of us. And TONS of celebrations.
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