GENRE: **SEL, Lyrical, Concept
WORDS: 321
Query:
Dear PBParty Judges, Agents, and Editors,
Thank you for this opportunity to share The Little Girl Who Took Her Time Everywhere, a 321-word, lyrical picture book about a girl who struggles with her friend, Time.
Suki loves Time – until she starts school, and Time changes into a bossy, always-against-her, no-fair-friend. When she wants it to wait for her, Time flies by. When she needs it to move faster, Time crawls. And whenever she gets to the front of the jump rope line, Time always runs out on her. Suki decides there’s only one thing to do – get rid of Time. But when she gets hurt in an unfixable way, can Time be the one to heal her?
Fans of Oliver Jeffers’ The Boy series and Kobi Yamada’s What Do You Do With an Idea? will be captivated by this whimsical, layered tale that explores big ideas through friendship with an unlikely friend. Perfect for kids starting school or going through a tough transition, this story encourages readers to treasure Time’s presents (and presence!) in all kinds of moments – the highs, the lows, and in all the in-betweens.
I am a mom of three quickly-growing children who, like Suki, is learning to accept that “Everyone and everything has its own time” (and trying to lead my kids to do the same!). I am also a former contributing writer for lifestyle site Mom.com, and a former educator, with 15 years of experience in county jails, inner-city high schools, and a private elementary school. My writing has been recognized in both the PB Party (2024) and PB Rising Stars (2022, 2025) contests. I am an active member of the SCBWI and two critique groups, who have kept me writing even in my current newborn baby season.
Thank you for sharing your time with me today.
Excerpt:
One day, Suki discovered Time.
It swept through her room with each sunrise
and put the stars in their place each night,
beckoning her through the days with colors and light.
She wondered if Time would be her friend.
Could she hug it?
No.
Did it like peanut butter pickle sandwiches?
No.
Would it play hide-and-seek?
Maybe… it was good at sneaking up on people.
What inspired you to write this story & what do you have in common with it:
I wrote this story during a heavy, hectic season when time felt like an enemy. A friend said one day, “Time is good. It’s on your side.” I wondered if treasuring time – all sides of it – might actually change the way it “behaves,” much like what happens when you love a difficult person. I started practicing this with my girls – we’d look for “presents” during times they felt disheartened, angry, or even bored, and found we could turn the most difficult moments around. The name Suki means beloved, as she is meant to represent any child who picks up this book.
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