Contests
Picture Book Party Spring 2020
PB Party Entry 23: Sky Pie, STEM, Humor
Title:
Sky Pie
Genre:
STEM, Humor
Word Count:
530
Query:

Dear Michelle and Mindy,

What’s sky pie? That’s precisely the question—or is it the answer?—in SKY PIE (529 words), a math-happy picture book in which Archie, riddler extraordinaire, and his classmates are tasked with answering their math teacher’s trickiest riddle. But when Archie’s hard-thought answer is the laughing stock of the class, they all get a surprise when Miss Raquel explains the magical nature of pi—and why they’re celebrating Pi Day that day—with pie, of course!

SKY PIE is a humorous, easy-to-digest (pun intended!) introduction to pi for ages 6+. While the story is perfect for younger audiences, back matter takes a bigger bite into the history and real-world uses of pi, offers DIY pi calculations, and fun Pi Day activities. As a math enthusiast whose birthday is March 14th and whose mother was a math teacher, the subject of Pi Day is near and dear to my heart.

I’m an active member of both Julie Hedlund’s 12×12 Challenge and SCBWI and founder of two fantastic critique groups. Formerly, I studied art history and pretended to be an advertising producer (among other things). Though I grew up in New York City, I currently live in Puerto Rico with my husband and two young daughters, and have the immense pleasure of writing full-time.

Thanks so much for considering this story!

Excerpt:

Archie loved riddles.

“Pedro! I’m an ODD number. Take away one letter and I become EVEN. What number am I?”

“Er…You’re just odd,” Pedro said.

“Nope. Seven!”

“Roshni! If two’s company and three’s a crowd, what are four and five?”

“Er…Annoying?” Roshni said.

“Nope. Nine!”

Miss Raquel had a riddle, too:

[Miss Raquel is their math teacher. On blackboard:]

5 Comments
  • Color me intrigued! I’d love to read more.

    Please send to kfiechtn@gmail.com, subject PBParty Request, with the query in the body of the email and the full manuscript attached as a word document.

    Thanks so much! I’m looking forward to reading this!

  • Clelia Gore says:

    Always looking for more accessible math picture books to bring into the world. Would love to read more. Please query me via Query Manager (feel free to put #pbparty along with the title in the title section)–check out more details on our agency website, http://www.martinlit.com. I look forward to reading!

  • I’ve been closed for a while but LOVE when a math-themed pb finds it way to me :)) Would love to see the full! For this submission you may attach the full and forward to vicki.stormliteraryagency@gmail.com – Please put “PB Request” in the subject line. In query, please advise if you have other submission-ready manuscripts available (this is something that is important to me, if and when I move to the next step). Thank you!

  • Callie Metler-Smith says:

    I absolutely love this concept! Please send to callie@clearfork.media subject PBParty Request, with the query in the body of the email and the full manuscript attached as a word document.

Leave a reply

Disclaimer:

The information in this website is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

Feel free to disagree with me in the comments section of each entry, but I reserve the right to delete any comment for any reason whatsoever (abusive, profane, rude, or off topic). Keep it polite, please.

This contest entry was posted on Wednesday, 18 March 2020.