GENRE: *Humor, Character Driven, SEL
WORDS: 432
Query:
Dear Agents and Editors,
As an author / illustrator I’m excited to share HERB’S GARDEN, a humorous, character driven picture book at 432 words, perfect for fans of No, No, Gnome! by Ashlyn Anstee, and This Rock Is Mine! by Kaye Umansky.
Tending a garden is a giant job that goes around the clock. That job belongs to Herb. He doesn’t need any help because this gnome works alone! But after a series of missteps Herb’s Garden is destroyed. Mending the garden, while protecting it is a massive project. Whether Herb likes it or not, help has arrived. Refusing the help, Herb lands himself in an impossible situation. Herb must decide if maybe a little help can be, well helpful. If Herb could share his responsibilities instead of trying to do it all himself, he might even discover what else, a garden is for.
I am the author of a new chapter book series, GOLDA AND EZRA, published this year by Capstone. Recently I was a finalist for the Cornerstone Writer-in-Residence Program at Wilton Library, a RUCCL mentee in 24/23, and my illustration portfolio won the Tassy Walden Award for New Voices in 2023. I have two masters, one in Creative Writing and the other in Educational Theater. I am a former k-12 theater educator, a published youth playwright and an active member of 12X12, SCBWI, and Kids Comics Unite. Currently located in Connecticut, when I’m not creating stories for young people, I am wrangling my two little gnomes, and two fur babies.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Excerpt:
The Garden has many enemies. Defending it, is an around the clock job.
That job belongs to Herb.
HERB: The one and only.
If Herb does his job right, the garden is a peaceful place.
HERB: If? Have you looked around?
If Herb had help, he’d have time to stop and smell the roses.
HERB: Help? This Gnome works alone!
No gnome can tend the garden alone.
HERB: Watch me!
What inspired you to write this story & what do you have in common with it:
This story was inspired by watching my kid take on a large task on their own – rather than wait a moment for help – they tried to do the task quickly all by themself. Which lead to a big clean up after. That combined with working in my garden and discovering that I tend to do the same thing as my kids – take on a very large task that I should ask for help with – that made me think of this character I had been doodling – Herb – his curmudgeon tendency to just get the job done jumped onto the page.
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