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Three kidlit Authors writing from the heart of Texas
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By: PJ Hoover,
on 5/4/2016
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Thank you for sharing TLA 2016 with us! |
Thank you so much to all those who stopped by to see us at TLA! We adored sharing our TLA reception with you! Congratulations to the winner of the custom Sweethearts cake, Robbi Lenox of Cimarron Elementary in Galena Park ISD, who celebrated her birthday at TLA and was able to share the cake with some friends. Also a huge thank you to our cake illustratrator Akiko White!
| Sweethearts with the cake!
(L to R: Jessica Lee Anderson, Cory Putman Oakes, Akiko White, P. J. Hoover, Jeanette Larson, Bethany Hegedus, Christina Soontornvat, Nikki Loftin, and Carmen Oliver) |
| | Akiko White with our cake winner, Robbi Lenox! |
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We can't wait for TLA 2016! |
The Texas Sweethearts & Scoundrels are so excited for our annual librarian conference! This year we'll be raffling off a custom cake designed by cake illustratrator Akiko White! Akiko was the winner of the 2014 SCBWI Tomie dePaola Award. Her jaw dropping works of art are also incredibly delicious. You won't want to miss this raffle!
DATE: Wednesday, April 20th
TIME: 11:00 - 12:00
PLACE: Booth 1421 (Texas Overlooked Books)
| | Akiko's amazing typewriter cake! |
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Where to find the Sweethearts at TLA!
The Texas Sweethearts have tons going on at TLA this year, and we'd love to see you! Our complete schedule is below. Please come by and say hi! Also we love hearing when people read our newsletter <3 span="">
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TUESDAY, APRIL 19, 2016
2:00-3:00 - Emma Virján and Carmen Oliver speak on the panel "What's New with Texas Authors and Illustrators for Elementary Readers"
3:00-4:00 - P. J. Hoover and Cory Putman Oakes speak on the panel "What's New with Texas Authors and Illustrators for Middle Grade to YA". Jessica Lee Anderson moderating.
4:00-5:20 - Texas Authors & Illustrators Meet and Greet (Hilton Americas-Houston Hotel, 1600 Lamar Street)WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20, 2016
10:15-11:50 - K.A. Holt participates in the Poetry Round Up, reading from HOUSE ARREST
10:30-11:00 - Cory Putman Oakes speaks in "Sofa Secrets" with the Junior Library Guild
10:30 - Christina Soontornvat signs ARCs of THE CHANGELINGS in the Sourcebooks booth
11:00-12:00 - Texas Sweethearts and Scoundrels Annual Reception at Texas Overlooked Books (booth 1421)
11:00-11:45 - P. J. Hoover signs TUT in the Tor booth (booth 1546)
1:00-2:00 - K.A. Holt signs HOUSE ARREST and RED MOON RISING in the Authors Area
2:00-3:50 - P. J. Hoover will be on the panel "Discover the Spirit of Texas Reading Program"
2:00-3:00 - Nikki Loftin signs WISH GIRL, NIGHTINGALE'S NEST, and THE SINISTER SWEETNESS OF SPLENDID ACADEMY at Overlooked Books, Booth 1421
2:00-2:30 - Emma Virján signs WHAT THIS STORY NEEDS IS A HUSH AND A SHUSH (Aisle 4)
2:00-3:00 - Carmen Oliver Signs BEARS MAKE THE BEST READING BUDDIES at Capstone Booth #1621
3:30 - Cory Putman Oakes Signs DINOSAUR BOY SAVES MARS at the Sourcebooks booth
4:00-5:30 - P. J. Hoover and K.A. Holt are featured authors at the YART Texas Tea
4:00-5:20 - Christina Soontornvat participates in "Debutante Ball: Children's Literature Debut Authors 2016"
THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2016
11:00-12:30 - P. J. Hoover and Jessica Lee Anderson sign at Texas Overlooked Books (booth 1421)
2:00-3:00 - Nikki Loftin signs WISH GIRL for Penguin Young Readers in TLA Author Signing Aisle #TK
6:30-8:30 - P. J. Hoover will be at Murder by the Book bookstore on a panel with David Lubar & Alan Gratz
The Texas Sweethearts & Scoundrels are thrilled to announced we've added new members to our group! Please help us give them a Texas-sized welcome! Our complete lineup of active members is below. We welcome you to check out our website for more information on any of our members. We would love for you to discover new books and authors through our website.
Also, we challenge you...which of us are Sweethearts and which are Scoundrels :)
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TLA Annual Conference
The Texas Sweethearts are gearing up for the annual Texas Library Association conference. Please watch your inbox next month for our complete schedule including details on our annual TLA reception (complete with sweet treats!). We can't wait to see you there!
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Our Books Our highlighted titles are below, but these are only a small part of what we have to offer. Our books are aimed at readers of all ages. Please take some time to browse our website. And thank you for your time!
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Thank you for all you do! We appreciate your support!
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Happy Holidays from The Texas Sweethearts & Scoundrels! |
Thank you all for a wonderful year of sharing the love of reading! We Texas Sweethearts (and Scoundrels) are honored by the wonderful, supportive reading community we are a part of. We appreciate you! |
Holiday Signing
Please join P. J. Hoover, K. A. Holt, and Jo Whittemore for a Texas Sweethearts holiday signing at Austin's favorite cupcake shop, Cupprimo. Scoop up some presents while enjoying sweet treats! Books make amazing gifts and cupcakes are always in season :)
WHEN: Saturday, December 12th, 2015, 2:00-4:00 WHERE: Cupprimo, Austin, TX*** Librarians will be treated to a complementary Hot Caramel Apple Cider or Small Coffee *** *** Free cupcake with book purchase *** Books + Cupcakes = Win! |
| | Caldecott Medalist Brian Floca takes a break to #readtut |
P. J. Hoover
P. J. had a wonderful fall visiting schools and speaking at librarian conferences. Thank you, librarians, for being so supportive! If you are interested in a school visit with P. J. Hoover, please contact her. She would love to visit!
The #readtut campaign continues to be a ton of fun! Don't forget to take a picture of someone reading TUT and post it online with hashtag #readtut. Everyone is doing it :) |
| | Ms. Angela Holcek's second grade class (Elsa England Elementary) getting ready to introduce Emma Virján at the Texas Book Festival. |
Emma Virján Emma would like to thank all of the Texas librarians and teachers who have supported What This Story Needs is a Pig in a Wig this year. An extra BIG shout out to Ms. Holcek's second grade class, not only for their wonderful introduction at this year's Texas Book Festival, but for volunteering to be The Pig in a Wig Players during the presentation.
Want more Pig in a Wig? What This Story Needs is a Hush and Shush will release in January, 2016. Publishers Weekly is calling it "...good-natured rhyming fun." Kirkus states that it's "... a book that will satisfy, even after many readings." |
| | (from L to R) Emma Virjan, Jessica Lee Anderson, and P. J. Hoover |
Jessica Lee Anderson
Jessica Lee Anderson is excited to announce she's signed a contract for five new chapter books with Rourke Educational Media!
Jessica had a wonderful time signing books with PJ Hoover at Cupprimo and she looks forward to several upcoming school visits. She has a few remaining school visit openings this spring.
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Jo Whittemore
Jo Whittemore is pleased to share a very sweet review from Publishers Weekly for Book 1 of the Confidentially Yours series, due to release in tandem with Book 2 on January 5, 2016.
"The banter and quips bouncing around among these classmates and friends energize the story, which reinforces the importance of recognizing one's limits, learning how to both take and give advice, and knowing how to be a good friend." Eager readers will also receive a lovely completion certificate when they finish Books 1 & 2! Visit Jo Whittemore's website for more information! |
| | Don poses with a fan at NCSS |
Don Tate November was a busy traveling month for Don, which took him to Columbus, Minneapolis, New Orleans and Shreveport. He spoke, signed books, and presented at NCTE, NCSS, and AASL. While traveling, he was able to research and create sketches on his next book, STALEBREAD CHARLIE AND THE RAZZY DAZZY SPASAM BAND, which is set in old New Orleans.
Don will wind down his 2015 school visit program next week with a weeklong visit to Houston schools. At this time, he is looking to book school visits in April and May of 2016. |
K. A. Holt Kari is booking school visits for March, April and May. If you'd like to show your upper elementary grades or 6th or 7th graders that poetry can be fun (writing found poetry! writing zombie haiku!) please contact her. Visit K. A. Holt's website for more information! |
Jeanette Larson Jeanette will be at the Laredo Book Festival on December 12th, 2015 at the Laredo Public Library. More information can be found on the festival website.
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Our Books Our books are aimed at readers of all ages! Please take some time to browse our website and see what we have to offer.
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Thank you for all you do! We appreciate your support!
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We've got a case of fall fever, even if the weather hasn't quite cooled off. Besides the excitement of pumpkin spice lattes making a return, we have lots of thrilling news to share, fun festival events and school visits to look forward to, plus giveaways! As always, we thank you for reading and staying connected. |
Our Texas Book Festival Schedule P. J. Hoover: - October 17, 2015, 1:00-1:45 pm - "In a World" Panel
K.A. Holt: - October 17, 2015, 4:00-4:45 pm - "Ink Blots" Panel
Emma Virjan: - October 18, 2015, 1:00-1:30 pm - Read Me a Story Tent
Don Tate: - October 18, 2015, 3:30-4:00 pm - Read Me a Story Tent
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Latest News
Jessica Lee Anderson
Jessica is thrilled to announce the release of 5 mystery chapter books from Rourke Educational Media. The books appeal to 2nd-5th graders and are connected yet stand alone. They are also perfect for your early fluent reader! Each mystery has educational components such as character interviews, discussion questions, and writing prompts. Jessica is available for school visits and is now offering a mystery writing workshop for small groups and "The Mysteries of the Writing Life" for larger groups. If you book a school visit before Halloween, she will include a set of the five mysteries. Contact Jessica for more information. P. J. Hoover
What's the craziest thing you can do while reading TUT? Where is the craziest place you can be while reading TUT? Snap a picture of yourself doing it and post it with the hashtag #readtut and share it with all your friends on social media.(Keep it safe. Keep it clean.) Encourage the kids at your schools to do the same. And thank you for your TUT support! #readtut Cynthia Leitich Smith reads TUT while Kwame Alexander and e. E. Charlton-Trujillo look up to the sky P. J. Hoover has kicked off the school year with some amazing visits, including Austin Discovery School, Walsh Middle School in Round Rock, TX, Ford and Curtis Middle Schools in Allen, TX, the Region 20 Library Conference in San Antonio, TX, and the first annual Mansfield Book Festival in Mansfield, TX. P. J. would love to visit your school or festival. For information and availability, please contact P. J. Look for P. J. Hoover at the following places. She would love to see you! - October 7, 2015, 6:00-8:00 pm - Barnes & Noble Palms Crossing Mall, McAllen, TX
- October 9, 2015 - Region 1 Library Fall Media Conference, South Padre Island, TX
- October 16, 2015 - Region 13 Library Roundup, Austin, TX
- October 17, 2015, 1:00-1:45 pm - Texas Book Festival, "In a World" Panel, Austin, TX
- October 22, 2015, 6:00-8:00 pm - Barnes & Noble Northwoods, San Antonio, TX
- October 30-31, 2015 - Austin Comic Con, Austin, TX
Emma Virján Come watch the What This Story Need is a Pig in a Wig trailer here! Don't miss your chance to get to know Pig at the Texas Book Festival at 1:00 on Sunday 10/18. K. A. Holt Kari has some great news to share this month: her newest novel, GNOMEAGEDDON has been sold to McElderry Books editor Karen Wojtyla, with a tentative publication date of fall 2017. In further exciting news, Kari's middle grade novel in verse, HOUSE ARREST, will be released on October 6th! Also in October, the ebook of RHYME SCHEMER will be available for $1.99 as part of Chronicle Book's Eye Candy Best of the Best promotion. If you're going to be Austin for the Texas Book Festival, check out Kari's panel, Ink Blots. Also at the festival, Kari will be typing spontaneous custom poems on a vintage typewriter as part of Typewriter Rodeo.
Don Tate Don Tate launched his new book, POET: THE REMARKABLE STORY OF GEORGE MOSES HORTON, in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where the story is set. Don also had the opportunity to meet many Horton's descendants, who turned out to get a signed copy of the book. "It was such an honor to meet Horton's family, and put a book about their relative in their hands," Tate said. Texas Book Festival Don Tate and Chris Barton will be featured authors at next month's Texas Book Festival. They will present their books, THE AMAZING AGE OF JOHN ROY LYNCH and POET, on Sunday, October 18 at the Children's Read Me a Story Tent. School Visits Don's fall school visit schedule is now all booked up. He is now booking library visits for the winter and spring. Book early, we want to get everyone in! Thank you, Texas librarians, for your support!
Jo Whittemore
Jo is excited to share the covers for the first two books in the Confidentially Yours series, coming January 5, 2016: Brooke's Not-So Perfect-Plan and Vanessa's Fashion Face-Off. Stay tuned for a giveaway!
FEATURED SWEETHEART
This month, our Featured Sweetheart is...
Jennifer Coleman at Murchison Elementary in Pflugerville ISD
because of her innovative ideas and the way she gets students jazzed about reading! She isn't afraid to wear an electric blue wig to spread book love.
Thank you, Jennifer, for being this month's Featured Sweetheart!
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SWEET MONTHLY TIP: REVIEWS
Encourage your students to write reviews of the books they're reading.Reviews matter to readers, authors, and illustrators, plus it is a great way to get your students analyzing and writing! The students can get creative with their reviews such as making "student selection cards" by decorating an index card which can then be displayed on the book shelf. Here are some review tips: start with a brief yet lively description of the book, discuss reactions and connections (no spoilers!), and make suggestions for who the book would be a good fit for or recommendations for related books. |
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THANK YOU, LIBRARIANS!
Here's to pumpkin flavored treats and a happy fall for everyone! |
It's time for school buses, backpacks, hallways filled with students, and reading. The Texas Sweethearts & Scoundrels are looking forward to celebrating another school year with you. Thank you for your continued support! We love Librarians!
We have so much wonderful news to share with you along with some sneak peaks of what is ahead. Thank you for reading! |
Catch us in the Next Month
Emma Virján will be a featured author/illustrator at the Region 3 2015 Library Roundup, September 24, 2015.
P. J. Hoover will be a featured author at the Mansfield ISD Book Festival coming up on September 19, 2015. P. J. Hoover will be signing books at the Stonebriar Mall Barnes & Noble in Frisco, TX on September 23, 2015 from 7:00-9:00 pm.
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Latest News
P. J. Hoover
P. J.'s summer included a yearly trip to D.C., travel to the Los Angeles SCBWI Conference, and getting her son ready for his first year of high school :) She's looking forward to a fun year filled with school visits, book events, Friday night football games, and much writing goodness.
P. J. still has some openings for 2015-2016 school visits. If you are interested in a school visit, please contact P. J. for information! www.pjhoover.com
| | Watch P. J.'s Spirit of Texas Middle School Reading List video! |
Huge thank you to Kate DiPronio, librarian at Cedar Valley Middle School in Round Rock ISD, for featuring TUT: THE STORY OF MY IMMORTAL LIFE painted on the lockers! This is amazing! TUT is in such wonderful company :)
There are new hardcover dust jackets for P. J.'sForgotten Worlds trilogy. These dust jackets can be placed overtop the old ones or used instead. If you currently have P. J.'s Forgotten Worlds trilogy in hardcover in your library and you would like a set of these new (much more kid-friendly) dust jackets, please drop P. J. a line and let her know. If you don't have these in hardcover and are interested in a set, please also, drop P. J. a line. The Forgotten Worlds trilogy is appropriate for kids 3rd grade and up.
For those audiobook fans, TUT: THE STORY OF MY IMMORTAL LIFE is now available in audio. You can get all the information here!
Jessica Lee Anderson
Jessica Lee Anderson enjoyed the summer tremendously but has a case of back-to-school fever! She's offering discounts for school visits booked before September 15. She's currently working on an early chapter book series and hopes to share more information about it soon. To contact Jessica, visit www.jessicaleeanderson.com.
Emma Virján Emma is pleased to share some great reviews for What This Story Needs is a Pig in a Wig. New York Times, Laura Lutz "With its frequent use of sight words and a story line that builds on itself, this is a great choice for absolute beginners and - bonus! - it has a true story arc, with a plot about friendship and cooperation." Publisher's Weekly (starred review): "In a story with the echoes of Seuss and Willems, Virján offers a very funny lesson about the unreliability of narrators." Kirkus Reviews: "A boatload of giggles will keep the reader returning for more easy-to-read fun." Emma is also excited to reveal a sneak peak of the cover of What This Story Needs is a Hush and a Shush, book 2 in thePig In A Wig Book Series. (Harper, January 2016)
K. A. Holt
Kari has been busy this summer traveling and sharing her love of poetry. First, she was off to Boston and Nantucket as part of Typewriter Rodeo, a quartet of poets who write spontaneous poetry on vintage typewriters. She also attended the Nantucket Book Festival to speak about RHYME SCHEMER. Nantucket was lovely, and the festival goers were infectious with enthusiasm for books. After her Northeast adventure, Kari went to the ALA conference in San Francisco, speaking on a panel about verse novels and engaging reluctant readers. As always, it was a blast meeting up with librarians and teachers and talking books, books, books non-stop for several days. Her final trip was to Wisconsin, to retreat with other members of her literary agency and to brainstorm new projects. It was great fun to hang out with so many talented authors. (From left, clockwise around the table: Anne Nesbit's hand, Dashka Slater, Audrey Vernick, me, Lynda Mullaly Hunt, and Janet Fox) Kari also recorded a handful of podcasts this summer. If you're interested in listening to her talk about the writing processes of RHYME SCHEMER and HOUSE ARREST (releasing October 6th from Chronicle books), you can listen here and here. And finally, Kari is very excited to share this lovely review in Publisher's Weekly for HOUSE ARREST.
"Touches of humor lighten the mood, and Holt's firsthand knowledge of the subject (her own son had trachea problems, the acknowledgments reveal) adds depth to this poignant drama without overwhelming it."
Don Tate
School Library Journal, Kirkus, and Publishers Weekly have all raved on this nonfiction picture book which officially publishes on September 1.
Don will launch this special book in Austin, TX, on October 10, and hopes that locals can make it out the the celebration. Details to come. | | Watch the Book Trailer for POET! |
Currently Don is booking a few remaining spots for the fall, and is seeking out opportunities to present to students in the spring. As both an author and an illustrator of many nonfiction titles, Don has the unique ability to share both sides of the bookmaking process with young readers. Please see his school visit page for more info.
Jo Whittemore
Jo has big surprises coming up next month, so keep a watch for that!
Jeanette Larson
With her continued enjoyment of retirement, Jeanette Larson will become our first Texas Sweetheart Emeritus. We'll do our best to rope her into joining us for book signings and receptions at TLA, and wish her the very best! |
THANK YOU, LIBRARIANS!
Here's to a happy and healthy school year for everyone! |
By: PJ Hoover,
on 5/28/2015
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Texas Sweethearts
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Time to pack up that classroom or library and head to the beach! While you're relaxing, let us offer a little light reading with our recent goings-on. |
Latest News
Emma Virján
Emma is pleased to announce that her latest book What This Story Needs is a Pig in a Wig is now officially on sale! Publisher's Weekly has listed the book as one of the Best Books of Summer 2015, so be sure to pick up a copy for your trip to the beach. A HUGE thank you to BookPeople for hosting Pig's fantastic book launch. Learn more about the book and see the trailer here. Thank you Texas librarians and teachers for your support!
Jeanette Larson
Jeanette was honored to receive the Texas Library Association's Distinguished Service Award, one of the state's highest recognitions for librarians and educators across the state, at the TLA Conference in April. Way to go, Jeanette!
P. J. Hoover
P. J. had a busy month filled with school visits, wrapping up a great year, including a highlighted visit to her own son's middle school (he wouldn't talk to her for a solid hour afterward!). During the 2014-2015 school year, P. J. visited over thirty schools, talking with kids from 3rd grade through high school. It was a blast, and she is looking forward to doing the same next year. Her schedule is filling up, so if you are interested in an author visit for the 2015-2016 school year, please contact P. J. as soon as possible. P. J. surprised students at Trinity Episcopal School in Austin for a Lone Star List celebration lunch.
Over Memorial Day weekend, P. J. banded together with Texas Writing Ninjas Mari Mancusi, Madeline Smoot, and Joy Preble for Comicpalooza in Houston. Aside from having fun at the booth and talking to book fans, she participated in panels on everything from YA Literature to Star Wars vs. Star Trek: It's on. (Star Trek, btw, is definitely the winner!) P. J. ran into all sorts of awesome SFF icons at Comicpalooza.
K. A. Holt
Kari is excited to show you a sneak peek of the cover of her newest middle grade novel, RED MOON RISING. It will be released by McElderry Books (Simon & Schuster) in the Spring of 2016. Pitched as Firefly meets Little House on the Prairie, RED MOON RISING is about a feisty 13-year-old who becomes an unwitting pawn in the standoff between her struggling colony and an enclave of aliens who may be something quite different than they seem.
If you are going to be at ALA in San Francisco this June, Kari would love to see you. She'll be signing books on Sunday the 28th from 11:30-12:30, and she'll be on the Engaging Reluctant Readers panel at the Pop Top Stage on Monday 29th at 1 pm.
Don Tate
School Visiting Don says: Thank you for your support, Texas librarians! Each month, I visit schools all over Texas, and beyond; it's because of you that I get to do what I love-create inspiring, important books for young readers. Thank you for taking the time to read our newsletters, and for all of the won
derful responses you've sent me throughout the school year. You rock! Freedom Touring Last week, author-illustrator Don Tate and his colleague, author Kelly Starling Lyons, forged the next leg of their Freedom Book Tour through the Washington D.C. area. The tour featured their books that celebrate inspiring African-American historical figures and their journeys to freedom. Stops included: a live taping of RIF Live!, to kick off RIF's (Reading Is Fundamental) 2015 Multicultural Booklist; a Diversity in the Classroom event sponsored by We Need Diverse Books; an Early Childhood Education Literacy Workshop with the National Black Child Development Institute; and a reading at the African-American Civil War Museum. A blurb about the event in Publisher's Weekly can be found here. Above: Don at RIF Live! Below: Don speaks to students at Sherrod Elementary in Arlington, Texas.
Jessica Lee Anderson
Jessica Lee Anderson looks forward to sharing more details about her educational books in the pipeline soon! She's now booking school visits for Fall 2015 and is currently offering a discount if the visit is booked by June 15, 2015. You can visit Jessica's website for contact information and more details.
Jo Whittemore
Jo has been juggling working on the new Confidentially Yoursseries for Harper Collins, debuting January 2016, with teaching craft to her fellow writers. She's looking forward to a brief summer break between projects!
SWEET MONTHLY TIP: SUMMER READING
For some kids, reading is strictly a school activity, where books are abandoned once the last bell rings. Before they head out the door, why not suggest a summer reading program like the Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge? Or create one of your own!
THANK YOU, LIBRARIANS, AND HAVE A GREAT SUMMER! |
April showers bring May flowers...and TLA. We hope to see many of you there. Below is our complete schedule and other Sweetheart/Scoundrel news. As always, thank you Texas librarians for all that you do and for your love of books.
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TLA Schedule
P.J. Hoover Wednesday, April 15 11:00-11:45 am - P. J. Hoover signing copies of TUT: THE STORY OF MY IMMORTAL LIFE at Tor/Forge Booth (1352)
2:00-3:00 pm - P. J. Hoover and Jessica Lee Anderson signing at Overlooked Books Booth (2142)
4:00-5:30 pm - P. J. Hoover at YART Texas Tea Event
Thursday, April 16 9:50-10:20 am - P. J. Hoover at TT4L Event, Meet and Greet area
2:00-2:30 pm - P. J. Hoover on TT4L Author Panel
6:30-8:30 pm - Texas Authors and Illustrators Meet and Greet event at Hilton Hotel
Jeanette Larson Tuesday, April 14 4:00-4:50 pm - moderating Stacks Full of Murder with three mystery writers.
Wednesday, April 15 4:00-4:50 pm - Weeding is Not a Crime
Thursday, April 16 10:00-11:00 am - Signing at Overlooked Books Booth (2142)
Jessica Lee Anderson Wednesday, April 152:00-3:00 pm - P.J. Hoover and Jessica Lee Anderson signing at Overlooked Books Booth (2142)
K.A. Holt Wednesday, April 15 10:15-11:50 am - Kari will be reading from HOUSE ARREST at the POETRY ROUNDUP.
3:00-3:45 pm - book signing for HOUSE ARREST in the Author's Area
4:00-5:20 pm - Texas Tea for YA Authors. Kari will be sharing about HOUSE ARREST, and signing ARCs.
Thursday, April 16
9:00-9:45 am - TT4L meet & greet 9:50-10:35 am - Kari will be signing HOUSE ARREST ARCs at the TT4L event 10:35-Noon - Kari will be typing spontaneous, customized poems on a vintage typewriter, withTypewriter RodeoQuick side note: In a non-TLA capacity, Kari will be reading and competing at the Literary Death Match at 8:30 on Tuesday 4/14 at Austin's North Door. Hit the exhibit hall at the conference center, and then come by for some literary smashmouth fun. Don Tate Tuesday, April 14 2:00-3:00 pm - A Colorful Canon: Celebrate Our Diversity. (CPE #275: SBEC2.0) 6:00- 6:45 pm - Signing ARCs during Grand Opening, POET: THE REMARKABLE STORY OF GEORGE MOSES HORTON
Wednesday, April 15
10:15-11:50 am - Annual Poetry Roundup (CPE #305: SBEC 1.5)
2:00 -2:45 pm - Signing IT JES' HAPPENED: WHEN BILL TRAYLOR STARTED TO DRAW, (Lee & Low Books)
3:30 - Booth signing, THE AMAZING AGE OF JOHN ROY LYNCH (Eerdmans booth 1475)
Thursday, April 16
9:00- 9:45 am - Peachtree booth signing (1656), POET: THE REMARKABLE STORY OF GEORGE MOSES HORTON
2:00-3:00 pm - I Met Them at the Library: Picture Book Biographies (CPE#478: 2.0)
FRIDAY, April 17 9:00 am - Booth signing, THE AMAZING AGE OF JOHN ROY LYNCH (Eerdmans booth 1475)
Latest Sweetheart/Scoundrel News
Don Tate
The Amazing Age of John Roy Lynch, illustrated by Don Tate, has received its second starred review. This one from Booklist: The fascinating story of John Roy Lynch's life in slavery to his election to the U. S. House of Representatives at age 25, gets a stirring treatment here. . . . Tate's often expansive illustrations emphasize important incidents in the text. The emphasis in other illustrations is on faces, full of emotion add to the power of the telling and the rich soft tones of Tate's palette welcome the eye to linger. " Don also announces his speaking and book tour website: The Freedom Tour, with dates, teacher resources, more! Contact Don for more information or to book an event. Don Tate recently had the pleasure of touring schools in Nacogdoches, Houston, and Round Rock, Texas. Thank you, Texas librarians, for bringing students and authors together for a wonderful literacy experience!  K.A. Holt Kari is excited to announce that RHYME SCHEMER has received a starred review from Library Media Connection, stating, "A delightful story with just the right amount of boy language, wonderful free verse poetry, and underlying messages." RHYME SCHEMER was also recently named a Bank Street Best Book of the Year, with Outstanding Merit. Kari will be attending TLA this year, promoting her soon-to-be-released book HOUSE ARREST, a middle grade novel in verse about one boy's path to redemption as he navigates a sick brother, a grieving mother, and one tough probation officer.
Emma J. Virján What This Story Needs is a Pig in a Wig is coming May 12, 2015. You can pre-order now. Checkout the Pig in a Wig booktrailer.
Emma is excited to announce that What This Story Needs is a Pig in a Wig has received a starred review from Publisher's Weekly: "In a story with the echoes of Seuss and Willems, Virjan offers a very funny lesson about the unreliability of narrators."
FEATURED SWEETHEART
This month, our Featured Sweetheart is...
Graciela Cunninghamwith TeacherThinkTank
Teacher Think Tank offers lesson plans and thematic resources to help in lesson planning. Graciela is both a Sweetheart and a Scoundrel.
Thank you, Graciela, for being this month's Featured Sweetheart!
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SWEET MONTHLY TIP: Enjoying your Austin Visit
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By: PJ Hoover,
on 3/23/2015
Blog:
Texas Sweethearts
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March is Roaring By!
It's finally Spring and the Sweethearts are happy to see nicer weather. We are looking forward to the wildflowers blooming, birds migrating, and some great events! |
Signed Book Giveaway
Thank you to all who entered to win signed copies of Tut: The Story of My Immortal Life by P. J. Hoover and Colonial Madness by Jo Whittemore. The winner is Cristofer Mattern! Please email us your mailing information and who you'd like us to sign the books to, and we will send them out. This month we are offering up signed copies of Rhyme Schemer by Kari Holt and an ARC (advanced reader copy)  of Don Tate's Poet.
To enter, please email us for your chance to win. And please forward on to others that you think may be interested also! |
Latest News
Teen Bookfest by the Bay On a rainy, cold February day in Corpus Christi, P. J. Hoover and Jessica Lee Anderson had the honor of participating in the first annual Teen Bookfest by the Bay. Despite the weather, the festival was stellar in every way possible with an amazing committee and a fantastic turnout. Pat Anderson at Texas Overlooked Books did a great job handling book sales, and the community support helped make the festival a huge success. | | Teen Bookfest by the Bay authors |
Jeanette Larson
Children's Services Today A Practical Guide for Librarians is finally out! If you are a new or aspiring children's librarian this is a great guide for learning all about what we do. You can read more about the book here.
Jeanette is booking school and library visits for spring and summer. Her book, Hummingbirds, is great for science learning and folklore writing. Activities and coloring sheets are online at jeanettelarson.com. Jeanette also enjoys working with festivals, birding festivals or book festivals. Contact her at [email protected].
P.J. Hoover
This past month P. J. enjoyed visiting St. Stephen's school where she participated in the annual Literary Festival, speaking to 6th and 7th graders about her books and writing. She also visited Lampasas Middle School and High School where, in addition to presenting to students, she was able to have lunch with the book club who had just finished reading Solstice. Thank you, Book Club, for the amazing gift of a POMEGRANATE TREE! And thank you, Julie Salvato, for hosting such a wonderful author visit.
P. J. still has a couple May openings for school visits and is currently booking into next school year. If you are interested in a school visit for next year, please contact P. J. for information!www.pjhoover.com
Don Tate
Jessica Lee Anderson
Jessica Lee Anderson had a wonderful time at the Teen Bookfest by the Bay along with fellow Sweetheart PJ Hoover (see article above). She was also honored to be speaking on a diversity panel at the Austin SCBWI Conference along with Sweethearts Emma Virjan, Jo Whittemore, and Don Tate.
Jo Whittemore
Jo celebrated the official release of Colonial Madness by having a dual launch party with fellow Austin author Nikki Loftin.
| | Jo & Nikki sign books for the audience |
| | Jo makes colonial crafts with the kids |
After the book launch party, Jo embarked on a dual book tour with another Austin author, Cory Putman Oakes.
Emma Virján
Emma Virján and Team Pig are very excited that What This Story Needs is a Pig in a Wig, (HarperCollins) is getting ready to launch - May 12, 2015. You can pre-order a copy now. In the meantime, you can download fun Pig activities and learn more about this cute swine with Texas-big red hair.
Here is what reviewers are saying about Emma's book:
"In a story with the echoes of Seuss and Willems, Virjan offers a very funny lesson about the unreliability of narrators." -Publishers Weekly, Starred Review "A boatload of giggles will keep the reader returning for more easy-to-read fun" -Kirkus Reviews
FEATURED SWEETHEART
This month, our Featured Sweetheart is...
Julie Todaro,
Dean of Library Services. Austin Community College.
Julie started her library career as a children's and young adult librarian and she has contributed to the profession in many ways, including as a founding member of the Texas Bluebonnet Award. As dean of Austin Community College's libraries, Julie works with high school students who are taking college level courses while completing high school and provides information literacy classes for graduating high school seniors. As a popular trainer, Julie incorporates youth services and children's literature into her courses. In her spare time, she works with Austin Settlement Club to help homeless children have a library. And she is a candidate for president of the American Library Association!
Thank you, Julie, for being this month's Featured Sweetheart!
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SWEET MONTHLY TIP: Keep your collection current
One of the hardest tasks librarians face is weeding the collection. Research shows that a well-tended collection is used more than one that is full of outdated or irrelevant materials. Get tips for weeding from the CREW manual, updated by Sweetheart Jeanette Larson. It's free from the Texas State Library. A quick weed is to look for books that are MUSTIE--misleading, ugly, superseded, trivial, irrelevant, or available elsewhere.
We hope to see you all at the TLA conference in April. Our next newsletter will include our schedules and information about our reception! |
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By: PJ Hoover,
on 2/17/2015
Blog:
Texas Sweethearts
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With Valentine's Day just past and Saint Patrick's Day right around the corner, the Texas Sweethearts are enjoying the shiny new year! We have so much wonderful news to share with you along with some sneak peaks of what is ahead. Thank you for reading! |
Catch us in the Next Month
Sweethearts Jessica Lee Anderson and P. J. Hoover will be participating in the first annual Teen Bookfest by the Bay taking place in Corpus Christi on Saturday, February 28th. More information can be found here.
Sweethearts Jo Whittemore, Emma Virján, Jessica Lee Anderson, and Don Tate (though he is a Scoundrel) will be on the faculty at the upcoming Austin SCBWI conference on March 7-8 taking place at the Marriot Austin South. More information can be found here. |
Signed Book Giveaway
Thank you, educators! As a way to give back for all the support the library and educator community gives us, we will be offering monthly giveaways! We'll be happy to sign these books for to your school, your niece or nephew, or even your pet gerbil!
This month we are offering up signed copies of Tut by P. J. Hoover and Colonial Madness by Jo Whittemore.
To enter, email us for your chance to win. And please forward on to others that you think may be interested also! |
Latest News
Jo Whittemore
Jo Whittemore is happy to announce the release ofColonial Madness, her latest middle grade humor novel!
Booklist says, "This light, fun read is a playful way to explore history."
Learn more about it here.
P. J. Hoover
This past month, P. J. enjoyed school visits at Wharton ISD middle school and high school, and Casis Elementary in Austin. She looks forward to visiting St. Stephens School in Austin for their Literary Festival and Lampasas Middle School and High school in the upcoming weeks. Her schedule and availability can be found here.
P. J. posing with the "Giant Book" outside Casis Elementary
P. J. still has some openings for spring school visitsand is also booking into next school year. If you are interested in a school visit, please contact P. J. for information!www.pjhoover.com
K. A. Holt
Kari is THRILLED to reveal the cover for her new book, HOUSE ARREST, a middle grade novel in verse about one boy's path to redemption as he navigates a sick brother, a grieving mother, and one tough probation officer. HOUSE ARREST will be published by Chronicle books in Fall 2015.
Jeanette Larson
Jeanette is please to announce that her book for librarians, Children's Services Today A Practical Guide for Librarians, will be published by Rowman & Littlefield in March 2015. You can read more about the book here.
Don Tate
This year at The American Library Association's midwinter meeting in Chicago, author-illustrator Don Tate had the pleasure of revealing his upcoming book POET: THE REMARKABLE STORY OF GEORGE MOSES HORTONon the Pop Top Stage. The discussion included his journey to getting the book published as well as a reading of the book, poetry readings, and a book signing. Here's a recap.
Don signs advanced reader's copies of his forthcoming book, POET.
Don delivers a lively discussion on the Pop Top Stage at ALA Midwinter
The following weekend, Don traveled to New York to the national Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators and Illustrators conference, where he served as a conference blogger. "I am a total fan of children's book creators, so it was a blast to be in the presence of so many all at one time," Tate says. Here's a recap. Last week, Don presented a full week of school visits in Nacogdoches, Texas. "That was the best presentation we've had at this school," said a Nacogdoches librarian. Don looks forward to visiting schools all around Texas and beyond. Don's spring schedule is mostly booked up, however the fall is wide open! Please book early as dates fill fast. Don would love to share his writing and illustrating process with your students, with a goal of inspiring young readers.
Jessica Lee Anderson
Jessica Lee Anderson has been busy working on a series of books for an educational publisher, and she's excited to participate in the upcoming Teen Bookfest by the Bay on February 28.
Looking to book an author for a school visit? Jessica still has availability from mid-March until the end of the school year. Visit www.jessicaleeanderson.com for more information.
Emma Virján
This month, Emma is happy to offer up this SNEAK PEAK at the book we've all been anticipating, WHAT THIS STORY NEEDS IS A PIG IN A WIG!
Pig in her Wig on a Boat in a Moat!
FEATURED SWEETHEART
This month, our Featured Sweetheart is...
Barbara Nichols, Librarian at Casis Elementary in Austin, TX
Barbara does an amazing job encouraging her kids to love reading. At Casis, the entire month of February is devoted to books, writing, and celebrating readers, all rolled into the title, "Casis Loves Books!"
Thank you, Barbara, for being this month's Featured Sweetheart! |
SWEET MONTHLY TIP: If you or other educators you know are looking for a great way to keep track of kids' reading, please check out Goodreads. Goodreads provides a great way not only for teachers to keep track of the reading that kids are doing, it also allows kids to see what they've read, see what others who have read the same books think about the books, and to provide opinions of their own.
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By: PJ Hoover,
on 1/15/2015
Blog:
Texas Sweethearts
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Happy New Year from The Texas Sweethearts & Scoundrels!
The Texas Sweethearts & Scoundrels are thrilled about the year ahead! We have so many wonderful events planned, and we're looking forward to sharing our book news and love for books with you all. We also hope to see each of you at an event throughout the year!
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Latest News
P. J. Hoover
In addition to writing more books and visiting schools, P. J. has been busy coding more games on SCRATCH, working to encourage kids to learn computer programming. P. J. knows that many of you were involved in the Hour of Code initiative that took place in December, and she is amazed and thankful for your efforts.
Please consider introducing your kids to SCRATCH and encouraging them to write games based on books they love. You can share P. J.'s SCRATCH studio with them here on the SCRATCH website where you can find her latest games including a game based on her novel THE EMERALD TABLET.
Quest for the Hidden Keys is a SCRATCH game based on THE EMERALD TABLET
This spring, in addition to author visits, P. J. looks forward to the Teen Bookfest by the Bay (along with Sweetheart Jessica Lee Anderson), TLA here in Austin, and Comicpalooza in Houston.
Jo Whittemore
 Jo Whittemore is pleased to share some more great reviews for Colonial Madness (coming February 10. 2015).
Publishers Weekly says,
"Making the most of a fun premise, Whittemore adeptly fuses comic moments with a testy but loving mother-daughter relationship and intriguing details about 17th-century life."
Booklist says,
"...it is also flat-out fun. Characters are well-rounded with believable emotions, and the plot moves quickly.
This light, fun read is a playful way to explore history."
Jo will be doing a dual book release party with fellow Austin author Nikki Loftin (Wish Girl) at BookPeople on February 28 at 3:00pm. She hopes to see you there!
Jessica Lee Anderson
Jessica Lee Anderson looks forward to participating in theTeen Bookfest by the Bay on Saturday, February 28, 2015 along with Sweetheart PJ Hoover and many other fab authors!
Jessica still has some school visit openings this spring, so please contact her at www.jessicaleeanderson.com if you're interested.
K. A. Holt
This month Kari is busy meeting deadlines and preparing for future festivals and conferences. She's excited to be participating in the Montgomery County Book Festivalnext month.
Don Tate
The most gratifying aspect of Don's career is sharing his writing and illustrating experiences with students. In 2014, Don visited more than 41 schools around Texas. That's a lot of schools! But he looks forward to visiting even more schools in 2015. Don is currently booking school visits for the months of March through May. Please contact him athttp://dontate.com/contact/ In 2014, Don visited more than 41 schools, ending with a week of school visits in Garland, Texas (where he immediately took a nap).
Emma Virján
Thank you to Sweetheart Emma Virján for our beautiful banner! |
Thanksgiving is almost here and we're anticipating plates overflowing with turkey (or Tofurky for our vegetarian friends), stuffing, and all the fixings. Regardless of our family traditions, one thing is for sure-we're overwhelmed with gratitude! Thanks for all that you do and for your dedication to books!
We appreciate you staying connected with us and we have some exciting updates...
Don Tate
Don Tate, along with Carolyn Flores and Duncan Tonatiuh appear at the inaugural McAllen Book Festival.
Emma Virjan
Jeanette Larson
Jeanette is currently booking spring and summer library visits. Programs can focus on the science of birds and birding and writing folktales or can include a fun hummingbird activity.
Jeanette had a great time at the YALSA Book Blitz in Austin. Nothing beats being able to give away books to librarians!
Jessica Lee Anderson
Jessica has teaching credentials and loves to share her passion with students of all ages! Please contact her at
Jessica Lee Anderson for more information about booking spring and summer visits. She's currently offering a special presentation rate for visits in the San Antonio and Austin area.
Jessica had a wonderful time visiting Tuloso-Midway High School in Corpus Christi along with Sweetheart P.J. Hoover. Jessica loved connecting with the students and spending time with the talented and dedicated
Debbie VanZandt, one of our previous Featured Sweethearts. Jessica can't wait to return to Corpus for the
Teen Bookfest by the Bayon February 28, 2015!
Jo Whittemore
Jo Whittemore had the privilege of moderating "Do You Believe in Magic?" at the Texas Book Festival that featured stellar authors Annie Barrows, Nikki Loftin, and Natalie Lloyd.
Jo also received a great Kirkus review for Colonial Madness!Her favorite excerpt: "Whittemore brings her customary insight and humor to every page of this funny and sometimes-suspenseful romp. The history goes down easy, with lots of laughs."
Kari Anne Holt
Kari enjoyed her time at the YALSA Symposium last weekend, participating in panels on tween readers, and engaging young readers with poetry. The Book Blitz was also fun - so many fantastic books up for grabs, so many excited librarians!
Kari's newest book RHYME SCHEMER recently enjoyed a spotlight moment as an Amazon Best Book of the Month for October and as a #1 New Release in "Children's Bullies Issues Books".
There's a big announcement coming soon--keep an eye on Kari's Facebook page and Twitter for details!
P.J. Hoover
In addition to having TUT: THE STORY OF MY IMMORTAL LIFE named to the 2015 Lone Star Reading List, P. J. is honored to have been named to the 2015 Spirit of Texas Middle School Reading List! Thank you, Texas Librarians!
P. J. is actively booking school visits for the spring! If you are interested in a school visit, P. J. would love to come to your school! P. J.'s presentation focuses on mythology, goal setting, and the writing process, and is great for 3rd-12th grade. P. J. also speaks at conferences and would love to present at your next conference. Please contact P. J. via her
website for more information.
This past month, P. J. had a wonderful time presenting to students at Keefer Crossing Middle School in New Caney, Annunciation Orthodox School in Houston, Hopewell Middle School in Round Rock, Brownsville Academic Center, Garcia Middle School in Brownsville ISD, Tuloso-Midway High School in Corpus Christi (with Sweetheart Jessica Lee Anderson), and Fulmore Middle School in Austin.
P. J. participated in the Texas Book Festival along with authors S. S. Taylor and Michael Fry on the "Adventure is Out There" panel. She also attended the "Youth Fiction Contest Awards" panel and was thrilled to celebrate her teen friend, Kate Lee's, first place win for her piece "Bittersweet Stars." More information on the TBF Youth Fiction Contest can be found
here.
Just over a week ago, P. J. attended the first annual McAllen Book Festival along with Sweethearts Don Tate and Jeanette Larson. The festival was a huge success with a great turnout from the community, and the library (a converted Wal-Mart) was beautiful.
And finally, this past weekend, P. J. participated in the "Bridge to Tweenabithia: The Gap Between Juvenile and Young Adult" panel at the YALSA Symposium here in Austin, Texas, along with Sweetheart K. A. Holt.
Happy Thanksgiving!
By: PJ Hoover,
on 11/12/2014
Blog:
Texas Sweethearts
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Tut: The Story of My
Immortal Life
makes the 2015
Lone Star Reading List!
Thank you, Texas Librarians, for all your support!
How is it late October?!
The fall is flying by, and just to make it fly even faster, we have some amazing events (and book launches and big news) we want to share with you...
Don Tate
Last week in Springfield, Illinois, Don gave the keynote address at the Illinois Library Association Youth Services Author Breakfast, followed by an enthusiastic book signing. As the 2015 artist for iRead Summer Reading Program, Don's artwork, Read to the Rhythm, will be used by librarians and students nationwide. http://www.ireadprogram.org/The next day, Don addressed students at the Chicago Public Library, where all of 800 students received a package of books, thanks to
Bernie's Book Bank.
If you will be visiting the Texas Book Festival this weekend, Don invites you to join him and an esteemed group of authors in a discussion of diversity. The #WeNeedDiverse Books panel will take place on Saturday at noon, in the sanctuary at the First United Methodist Church (1201 Lavaca St.), with authors Pat Mora, Andrea Pinkney, Jacqueline Woodson, Tim Tingle, and Diane Gonzales Bertrand.
(Don Tate signs Read to the Rhythm posters at the Illinois Library Association conference)
In July, Don finished illustrations for his next book, Poet: The Remarkable Story of George Moses Horton of Chapel Hill(Peachtree, 2015). This will be Don's first authored andillustrated book! In addition, he won a BOOK LAUNCH award-$2,000.00!-from the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). The money will allow him to take the book on a national book tour next year. For Don,
school visits and literary presentations will take off first thing this September, when he presents at schools in Round Rock, Texas; Delray Beach, Florida; San Antonio, Texas; and Springfield, Illinois! Please contact him early to inquire about his lively and interactive school visits.
Emma Virjan
Emma Virján is pleased to announce May 12, 2015 is the release date for What This Story Needs is a Pig in a Wig.
Stay tuned for more Pig News.
Jeanette Larson
Jeanette Larson will participate in the ESC Region 2 Technology Conference on November 4 in Corpus Christi. If you are in the area, stop by to say hello. On November 8 Jeanette will be at the Overlooked Books booth at the McAllen Book Festival, McAllen, TX.
As part of the
YALSA YA Literature Symposium, Jeanette will participate in the Book Blitz on Saturday, November 15 in Austin. Registered participants receive tickets to get free books from participating authors.
Jessica Lee Anderson
Jessica Lee Anderson enjoyed speaking on a panel with PJ Hoover at the ESC-20 Library Resource Roundup! Jessica loves spending time with friends and making new ones, even the most unlikely of friends. (Hello, Snake!) She's looking forward to visiting with students at several upcoming school visits. Don't hesitate to contact Jessica if you're interested in a school visit or a writing workshop! Not only does she still have some availability for the fall and the spring, she's also offering discounts. Please contact her at
Jessica Lee Anderson for more information.
Jo Whittemore
Jo Whittemore is honored to be moderating a panel at Texas Book Festival entitled "Do You Believe in Magic?" from 1:15pm-2:15pm on Saturday, October 25th in Capitol Extension Room E2.026.
Jo will also be doing a joint book release tour in March 2015 with author Cory Putman Oakes. She'll be offering a "two authors for the price of one" deal on school visits!
Contact her for more info.
Kari Anne Holt
Kari's October is barreling by at warp speed. She is so excited to announce the launch of her new book, RHYME SCHEMER, a middle grade novel-in-verse.
RHYME SCHEMER has received some lovely reviews, which is always very exciting.
"A strong anti-bullying message. Ideal for classroom use."
School Library Journal
"This transformative tale offers important lessons for all persuasions of middle graders, whether bullies or targets, complicit or horrified bystanders."
Kirkus Reviews
"Poetry-writing seventh-grade bully both is believable and sympathetic, and his voice rings totally authentic."
Booklist
Kari is having a joint book launch with author
Chris Barton, to celebrate the release of her book, RHYME SCHEMER, and his book, ATTACK! BOSS! CHEAT CODE! If you'll be in the Austin area on Saturday, November 1st at 2pm, stop by
Book People for a fun party.
Kari is also busy at work on her next two releases, HOUSE ARREST (Chronicle, 2015) and RED MOON RISING (McElderry, S&S, 2016).
If you're planning to stop by the Texas Book Festival (October 25-26), Kari will be on the Poetry For You panel with authors Jacqueline Woodson and Isabel Quintero at the Family Life Center (1300 Lavaca) on Saturday the 25th from 2:30-3:30. They will all be signing books directly after the panel.
P.J. Hoover
P. J. Hoover is thrilled to share two new wonderful reviews for TUT: THE STORY OF MY IMMORTAL LIFE! Other reviews and more information about the book can be found on her
website.
"Cleverly funny, rich in Egyptian history, and intriguingly fast-paced, Tut brilliantly blends fantasy with thoughtfully constructed characterization to create a story that will beguile fans of modern-day mythology."
-VOYA
"Hoover's fun interpretations of Egyptian gods and goddesses, frenetic pace, and appropriately modern snark propel this highly entertaining adventure."
-Booklist
Huge thank you to Texas librarians for nominating TUT: THE STORY OF MY IMMORTAL LIFE for the Lone Star list!
September was a wonderful whirlwind month for P. J. Hoover. Following the release of TUT: THE STORY OF MY IMMORTAL LIFE, P. J. spent much of the time on the road, traveling to schools and presenting at conferences.
P. J. spent a week presenting to students at Curtis Middle School and Ford Middle School in Allen, TX. Thank you to librarians Kay Hawkins and Morgan LeFevre for inviting P. J. back for the third year in a row!
P. J. next flew to Tampa, FL where she delivered the keynote address for the annual TBAWP (Tampa Bay Area Writing Project) Fall Conference. P. J. spoke to a group of about 200 educators about the importance of enjoying the journey rather than focusing on the destination.
Fall is the time for those wonderful regional librarian conferences, and P. J. enjoyed presenting at Region 13, Region 3, and Region 20 (along with Texas Sweetheart Jessica Lee Anderson). P. J. presented on cross-curriculum, combining reading with things like book trailer creation, video game creation, and Minecraft. Her hopes are to promote out-of-the-box ideas to get and keep kids excited about reading.
Thank you to Laurel Mountain Elementary School and librarian David Jurecka for supporting TUT: THE STORY OF MY IMMORTAL LIFE with a wonderful pre-order campaign! I appreciate you guys!
Along with cooler weather, October brought Austin Comic Con! P. J. Hoover (along with Texas authors Joy Preble, Cory Putman Oakes, Madeline Smoot, and Texas Sweetheart Jo Whittemore) dressed up in costume and sold books at the Writing Ninjas of Texas booth. P. J. was delighted when San Antonio librarians Dana Hutchins and Lorrie Roussin stopped by the booth to say hi! P. J. also participated in a panel on using martial arts in writing fight scenes.
Look for P. J. Hoover at the Texas Book Festival! She will be on the Adventure is Out There panel with authors Michael Fry and S. S. Taylor on Saturday, October 25th at 2:30 in Capital Extension Room E.2.026. Book signing will follow immediately in the author signing tent.
P. J. brushed off her computer programming skills again, this time releasing CASTLE OF DOOM! (a video game she originally wrote back in college) on Scratch. Please consider sharing Scratch and P. J.'s games with your students. Scratch is used widely in schools to get kids excited about learning computer programming skills. You can find more information about Scratch and P. J.'s games on her
website.
This month P. J. looks forward to school visits in both Houston and Austin! Please contact P. J. if you are interested in having her visit your school or speak to your group!
By: PJ Hoover,
on 8/15/2014
Blog:
Texas Sweethearts
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Welcome Back!
We missed you over the summer break! Did you eat your weight in watermelon? Why not??
We've got some amazing things happening to kick off the school year: new books, new talks, and new news in general!
Don Tate
It was a busy summer for Don. In June, he attended the American Library Association (ALA) conference in Las Vegas, signing books and posters for various publishers. The highlight of his weekend was attending the Newbery-Caldecott awards banquet and the Coretta Scott King awards breakfast.
"The only thing more exciting than witnessing Brian Floca accept a Caldecott for Locomotive, was sharing the evening with so many enthusiastic librarians," said Don.
In July, Don finished illustrations for his next book, Poet: The Remarkable Story of George Moses Horton of Chapel Hill (Peachtree, 2015). This will be Don's first authored andillustrated book! In addition, he won a BOOK LAUNCH award-$2,000.00!-from the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). The money will allow him to take the book on a national book tour next year.For Don,
school visits and literary presentations will take off first thing this September, when he presents at schools in Round Rock, Texas; Delray Beach, Florida; San Antonio, Texas; and Springfield, Illinois! Please contact him early to inquire about his lively and interactive school visits.
Emma Virjan
Emma is pleased to reveal the cover of her upcoming picture book, What This Story Needs is a Pig in a Wig(HarperCollins, Summer 2015).
Jeanette Larson
Jeanette will share ways for writers to use their virtual library card to do research at the Austin SCBWI chapter's Fall Workshop: Research for Fiction, Non-fiction and Historical Fiction Writers on September 13.
She'll also be talking about hummingbirds at the Port O'Connor branch of Calhoun County Library on September 16. This coincides with the annual migration of the hummingbirds through the Coastal Bend area of Texas.
Jessica Lee Anderson
Jessica had an amazing time visiting and giving a talk at her alma mater, Hollins University. And what better way to top off the presentation? Glitter Mehndi by talented Hollins student, Kassy Keppol!
Jo Whittemore
Jo has ARCs of Colonial Madness (Aladdin, February 2015)!
Want a chance to win one?
Email her with the name of the first permanent English colony in America!
Jo will also be speaking along with Kari Holt on a panel at the Writers' League of Texas monthly meeting Thursday, August 21st, 7pm at BookPeople. The subject? Writing for tweens!
Kari Holt
Kari had a thrilling time at ALA, signing advanced copies of her upcoming verse novel Rhyme Schemer (Chronicle, October 2014), and reading during the Poetry Blast. It was wonderful to meet so many librarians and educators!
Kari will be joining several other middle grade authors at theHulen Center Barnes & Noble in Fort Worth on Sunday, August 17th at 4:00. They will be discussing world-building in middle grade novels. Please drop by for a great discussion!
She will also be participating on a middle grade panel in Round Rock at the Book Spot on Monday, August 18th at 6:30. Prepare for some fun trivia questions and awesome prizes!
To round out a busy month, Kari will be on a Writers' League of Texas panel at Book People in Austin, on Thursday, August 21st at 7pm. The authors will be discussing writing for tweens. Come by for a great conversation!
Mark your calendars, and keep an eye out for fun book launch events online and in Austin, coming soon. P.J. Hoover
P. J. is thrilled to share some wonderful reviews for her upcoming middle grade book TUT: The Story of My Immortal Life (Starscape/Tor, September 16, 2014):
"The entertaining premise and fast pace keep this adventure on track, while the way Hoover reimagines the Egyptian pantheon ... is pleasantly reminiscent of Rick Riordan's work." - Publishers Weekly
"A pyramid history buffs and fantasy fans will delight in excavating." -Kirkus
P. J. is also excited to share the book trailer for TUT: THE STORY OF MY IMMORTAL LIFE.
P. J. loved presenting at the recent Region 13 ESC Library and Literary Summit here in Austin. Her presentation was titled "Beyond the Book: Creative Ways to Link Curriculum and Reading" and P. J. spoke on linking Minecraft and Video Games with reading among other things.
Curriculum activities for P. J.'s books can be found on her website.
P. J. would love to visit your school! Please contact P. J. today for school visit inquiries. There is still a bit of room in her fall schedule. Information on her school visits can be found here.
The school year is winding down and summer is around
the corner. Before the last bell rings, The Texas Sweethearts & Scoundrels want to thank you for another great school year.
Thanks for inviting us into your classrooms and your continued support of our books. We look forward to the next school year! Have a fantastic summer.
We have a busy summer planned, including signings at the
American Library Association conference in Las Vegas, June 26 - July 1. We'd love to see you there.
Don Tate
On Saturday, June 28, Don will sign It Jes' Happened: When Bill Traylor Started to Draw at the Lee and Low Books booth (#626) from 10 a.m. to 10:40.
Immediately following at 11:00, he will sign The Cart That Carried Martin at the Charlesbridge Publishing booth (#557).
P.J. Hoover
Saturday, June 28, 10:39-11:30 - Children's & Teen Author Speed Dating Event
Saturday, June 28, 1:00-3:30 - YALSA's Best Fiction for Young Adults Teen Feedback Session
Sunday, June 29, 8:30-10:00 - YALSA's Coffee Klatch
Sunday, June 29, 1:00-2:00 - Book Signing at Cbay
Books Booth
Sunday, June 29, 3:00-4:00 - Book Signing at Tor/Macmillan Booth
Kari Holt
Kari will be signing ARCs of RHYME SCHEMER in the Chronicle booth on Saturday, June 28th, and she'll be participating in the Poetry Blast at 3pm on Sunday,
June 29th.
News and Updates
Jessica Lee Anderson
Jessica Lee Anderson had an incredible visit at the Alternative Learning Center! She's been working on a variety of projects and has four educational books for young readers in the pipeline.
KA Holt
KA Holt is super excited to announce her latest book deal! From Publisher's Weekly:
"Karen Wojtyla at Margaret K. McElderry Books has acquired K.A. Holt's Red Moon Rising, pitched as Firefly meets Little House on the Prairie. In the novel, a feisty 13-year-old becomes an unwitting pawn in the standoff between her struggling colony and the enclave of aliens who may be something quite different than they seem. The book is slated for early 2016 publication. Ammi-Joan Paquette at Erin Murphy Literary Agency did the deal for North American rights."
This book will follow the release of HOUSE ARREST, a middle grade novel in verse releasing in Fall 2015 from Chronicle Books, and RHYME SCHEMER, also a middle grade novel in verse releasing from Chronicle Book on October 14th, 2014.
P.J. Hoover
Thank you to all those who entered P. J. Hoover 's
TUT: THE STORY OF MY IMMORTAL LIFE ARC Giveaway!
It was wonderful to hear from so many of you with such enthusiasm! The winners of the ARCs are Keri Rabe (Round Rock ISD), Lorrie Roussin(North East ISD), Jo Martin (New Caney ISD), Suzanne Webb (Houston ISD), and Cheryl Michulka (Pflugerville ISD).
Round Rock ISD Partners in Education Foundation sponsored a school visit for P. J. Hoover to visit the students of Grisham Middle School. Thank you to wonderful librarians Diane Hance for such amazing hospitality and a great event!
P. J. still has limited availability in her May schedule for those looking for a last minute author visit. If you are considering a visit for the 2014-2015 school year, please
contact P. J. now. She would love to visit you school! P. J. speaks to students 3rd grade through high school
Don Tate
Awards
Don will wind down the year this week in North Texas, where he will speak at Alice Ponder Elementary (Mansfield), Tarver Rendon (Mansfield) Elementary, and Walnut Glen Academy (Garland).
School Visits for the Fall of 2014
As both an award-winning author and illustrator (and former book designer), Don is in the unique position to discuss all aspects of the book making process. Where do authors get their ideas? Why is revision necessary? And do illustrators also revise? These questions and many more are answered through a lively, interactive and entertaining presentation. Contact Don personally at this link.
You can also contact him through his booking agent, Carmen Oliver, at
theBooking Biz!Don Tate presented at Barnes & Noble, Garland, Texas, Educator Appreciation Day, April 2014.
The Texas Sweethearts & Scoundrels look forward to TLA all year, and it's finally here! We hope you all will come by our annual reception and say hi (and of course, maybe grab a cookie or two)!
Our complete schedule is below, including currently published book signings, ARC signings, and more. Please make sure to mention you read our newsletter when you come by! And be prepared to tell us whether you are a Sweetheart or a Scoundrel :)
***TLA Schedule***
Monday, April 7th
Wednesday, April 9th
-
10:15-11:00 - P. J. Hoover & Jessica Lee Anderson book signing - Booth 2522 (Overlooked Books booth)
- 11:00-12:00 - Texas Sweethearts & Scoundrels Annual Reception - Booth 2522 (Overlooked Books Booth)
11:00-12:00 - Jo Whittemore book signing - Booth 1443 (Book Festivals of Texas booth)
- 3:00-4:00 - P. J. Hoover & Jessica Lee Anderson book signing - Booth 1443 (Book Festivals of Texas booth)
Thursday, April 10th
- 9:00-10:00 - Don Tate book signing - Booth 2522
(Overlooked Books booth)
- 9:30-10:00 - TT4L Event - P. J. Hoover, K. A. Holt
- 11:00-12:00 - Don Tate READ TO THE RHYTHM poster signing - Booth 1835 (iREAD booth)
- 12:00-2:00 -YART Texas Tea Event - P. J. Hoover, K. A. Holt
See you there!
The Texas Sweethearts & Scoundrels!
Following a colder than normal winter, many Texans are experiencing cabin fever. But the Texas Sweethearts & Scoundrels are not waiting on Mother Nature to heat things up. Each and every one of us - P.J., Jessica, Kari, Jo, Jeanette, and Don -has a burning desire to inspire young children and teens to read more books. So we are saying goodbye to winter hibernation and turning up the heat on our already busy schedules, in order to reach more kids.
Here is a look at what is happening now, and what is ahead:
NEWS & UPDATES
NEWS FROM P.J. HOOVER
March has been a busy and exciting month for P. J. Hoover. First, and foremost, P. J. is thrilled to reveal the cover for her brand new middle grade novel,
TUT: THE STORY OF MY IMMORTAL LIFE (Starscape/Macmillan, September 16, 2014). TUT is the story of King Tut (yes, the boy king), but he's fourteen, immortal, and lives in modern-day Washington, D.C with his one-eyed cat, Horus. When his crazy uncle Horemheb shows up after being locked in a tomb for 3000 years, Tut enlists the help of the dorky kid from school who wants to be his best friend and the mysterious new girl who's got secrets of her own.
*****
P. J. braved ice and snow to spend a wonderful week in Mansfield, Texas visiting intermediate and middle schools. She visited four schools in all (T. A. Howard MS, Jobe MS, Wester MS, and Lillard Intermediate School), met some wonderful librarians and teachers, and had a fantastic time talking with kids about her books, her path to writing, and what it's like to be an author. P. J. still has room available during May if you're interested in a school visit for this school year, and she is also actively booking school visits and speaking events for next fall, so please contact P. J. if you think you might be interested in a school visit. More information on P. J.'s visits can be found on her
visits page.
******
 |
| with Marsha Riti, Amy Farrier, Samantha Clark, Cynthia Leitich Smith, & Jeff Crosby Photo credit: Greg Leitich Smith |
Just before spring break, P. J. spoke at the monthly Austin SCBWI meeting on the topic of World Building. She covered everything from Terry Pratchett to the Hobbit and loved the crowd that turned out for the event. Thank you! She's looking forward to attending the April monthly meeting featuring Austin librarians on a panel talking about school visits.
******
In other news, P. J. discovered West Texas over spring break on a family road trip visiting Fort Davis, Pecos, Carlsbad Caverns, and Roswell. Texas is an amazing state with so much to offer, and it's wonderful living here!
*****
NEWS FROM JESSICA LEE ANDERSON
Jessica Lee Anderson looks forward to visiting the Alternative Learning Center in Austin on April 17, 2014. Jessica offers programs for all ages and still has availability this spring. Don't hesitate to contact her for more information.
Kari is excited to announce a redesign to her website: www.kaholt.com. Swing by and check it out! She's also thrilled to have been able to take sneak peek at the new discussion guide created for her forthcoming middle grade novel, RYHME SCHEMER (October 2014, Chronicle). The discussion guide and ARCs of RHYME SCHEMER will be available at the TLA conference next month. Woo! NEWS FROM DON TATE
 |
Photo by Frances Woolsey, Doss Elementary |
Educator Open House and PresentationDon will speak next month at Barnes & Noble in Garland, Texas (Firewheel Towne Center), as a part of their Educator Appreciation Day, on Saturday April 19. The event runs from 10 to 12 a.m. Educators will receive free materials for their classrooms and refreshments will be served. Be sure to register for prizes. In addition to a chance to win a NOOK and a $500 gift card from B&N, Don will give away one half-day school presentation. Yes, Don will present at your school at no cost!
In addition, Don would like to visit schools on the two days leading up the the event. For that reason - and because of the short notice - Don is offering a very reduced honorarium for those days (half day rate for a full day visit). Please
Don's School Visits
Don recently visited schools in the sandy town of Monahans, Texas. Yes, sand-and a lot of it! "The librarians there are super," Don said, "and the children are big readers. I was impressed."
Don still has plenty of days open to book a school visit in April and May.
*******
NEWS FROM JEANETTE LARSON
Jeanette Larson is currently booking public library and school presentations for the summer. In addition to talking about writing and reading, summer programs can include a craft activity. Kids enjoy making hummingbird Mardi Gras-style masks or hummingbird feeders. Jeanette is also pleased to announce that she is moving to the Coastal Bend area, making it easier to visit libraries in the Rio Grande Valley and other South Texas locations. Contact Jeanette at [email protected].
FEATURED SWEETHEARTS!
Our Featured Sweetheart for this month is librarian Norma Chapa of Sunset Valley Elementary. Don Tate nominated Norma for no other reason than, "She has a kind spirit and I was touched by her heart and personal story."
By: PJ Hoover,
on 2/17/2014
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HAPPY WINTER
from
The Texas Sweethearts & Scoundrels!
It's been a cold, crazy winter here in the heart of Texas! We've had delayed school, snow days, and some record-breaking chilly temperatures. Snow days, while wreaking havoc on scheduling and activities, make for wonderful days to stay home and read a great book. We hope you have discovered some wonderful gems this season in your to-be-read pile!
With spring approaching, we Texas Sweethearts & Scoundrels have so much to look forward to. TLA is right around the corner, and we are hoping to see many of you there! In the meantime, however, here are the latest going-ons with us.
NEWS & UPDATES
NEWS FROM P.J. HOOVER
P. J.'s School Visits
January and February have been filled with wonderful school visits for P. J. Hoover. Since our last newsletter, P. J. visited Laurel Mountain Elementary where she presented to 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades. She also spent a few days in Irving, Texas speaking to eight different middle schools. This past week, P. J. stayed closer to home and visited O. Henry Middle School and Martin Middle School, both here in Austin. The kids had awesome questions, and it was so nice meeting some new librarians!
Now is a great time to think about treating your kids to an author visit in May after testing is complete! More information on P. J.'s author visits can be found on her
website visit page.
Montgomery County Book Festival
This past weekend, P. J.  |
P. J. with Jessica Brody. We dubbed our panel the "Purple Panel." |
traveled to Houston to participate in the Montgomery Country Book Festival Literary Love-Fest. She was on the "It's More than just Robots and Outer Space" panel along with Marissa Meyer, Jessica Brody, Lindsay Cummings, and Belle Whittington. Thousands of teens turned out, and the panel attendance was standing room only!
NEWS FROM DON TATE
Eve Bunting Book Drawing
Winners were announced
on Don's blog on February 4th. Don was not able to make contact with one winner, so if no response has been received by the end of this week (2/21), another name will be drawn.
Don was a featured author in the 22nd Annual African American Children's Book Festival in Philadelphia, where hundreds of children and their families came out to purchase and celebrate books. See Snapshots from the festival on the
Lee & Low Blog.
Several Fort Worth area librarians have suggested that Don's first authored book, It Jes' Happened, become a RIF title. And guess what-the book has now been included in RIF's (Reading Is Fundamental)
2013-2014 STEAM Multicultural Booklist (Grades Pre-K to 5). So what does this mean? It means that more than 3,200 children in low-income communities throughout the U.S. will receive a copy of Don's book, and many others.
Don's School Visits
Don recently completed a full week of school visits in Richland and Garland, Texas, where he presented 24 presentations to 7 schools. "I was so impressed with the children," Don said, "who gave me their complete undivided attention. They were so excited and asked great questions. Speaks to the hard work of their school librarians."
Next week, Don looks forward to a week of school visits in Killeen, Texas. For more information about Don's school visit program, see
Don's website. Don still has plenty of days open to book a school visit in April and May.
NEWS FROM JESSICA LEE ANDERSON
Jessica Lee Anderson recently made some
updates to her website, so swing on and say hello! She has some availability for school visits this spring, so please contact her for more information.
FEATURED SWEETHEARTS!
Our Featured Sweethearts for this month are librarians in the Richland and Garland schools: Kathy Chicoine, Taressa Anderson, Toni Dowd, Amy Shaffner, Ann Rubin, Shannon Glidden. Pictured here is Ms. Robin McMahan, librarian Heather Glen in Garland. Thank you for working so hard on behalf of literacy for kids! (nominated by Don Tate)
By: PJ Hoover,
on 1/16/2014
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In the sentiments of Winnie the Pooh, 2014 feels like a grand adventure is about to begin. We're already exploding with good news!
Did you make any resolutions for 2014? Or did you resolve not to make any resolutions? Either way, we hope this will be a rewarding and grand year for you! One of our goals for this year is to connect with you, so check out the calendar sections on our websites to find out where we'll be. Please note that we're still scheduling school and library visits for this spring.
NEWS & UPDATES
Jo Whittemore is thrilled to announce the sale of SIX new books to Harper Collins for a humorous middle grade series, CONFIDENTIALLY YOURS, about students writing an advice column and all the ways it can go wrong.
P. J. finished up 2013 with an amazing school visit at Gorzycki Middle School in Austin and started 2014 with an equally amazing school visit to Taylor Middle School! If you're considering an author visit at your school, please contact P. J.
P. J. is also getting excited for her next book. TUT: THE STORY OF MY IMMORTAL LIFE will be released September 16, 2014 from Tor/Starscape. More details to come, but copyedits are done (!), the cover is currently being designed (P. J. just had a sneak peak at a cover sketch), and P. J. is hard at work at a secret project tied into the book. Go, King Tut!
NEWS FROM JEANETTE LARSON
Jeanette invites you to check out her blog, Bird Brainz, where she talks about birding and books. For those of you around the Texas Coastal Bend area, Jeanette will be spending more time birding in your area, making it easier to book school visits!
NEWS FROM DON TATE
New Author-Illustrator Photos!
Over the holidays, Don had new author-illustrator photos taken by the wonderful Sam Bond Photography. For school visits or other literary events, feel free to download photos from his website.
In honor of Black History Month, Don will give away two signed copies of his newest book with Eve Bunting, The Cart That Carried Martin. The books will be signed by both Don and Eve! Two ways to enter the drawing: #1: Like
Don's Facebook page and be sure to leave a comment anywhere mentioning the giveaway. #2: Simply
send Don an email and he'll enter you in the drawing. The drawing will be held on February 4, and the winners announced on
his blog. Due to shipping costs, books will be shipped to US mailing addresses only.
The book was recently reviewed in the New York Times with Don's art for the final spread
prominently displayed. How exciting!
It was an ordinary cart pulled by ordinary mules. On the day of Dr. Martin Luther King's funeral, that humble cart carried greatness. On April 9th, 1968, on the streets of Atlanta, that cart carried the body of Dr. Martin Luther King. A crowd of tens of thousands of people followed behind.
"An affecting snapshot of a tragic day." - Kirkus Reviews
School visits
Don's first school visit kicks off in North Texas! He will present his school visit program to students at Taylor Elementary in Grapevine, Texas
on January 16, and to students at Colleyville Elementary in Colleyville, Texas, on the 17th. Plenty of dates are still open for school visits during the months of March, April and May. Please contact Don early to book
school library visits.
" Thank you again . . . Your presentations were outstanding!
Library Media Specialist/CTL, NISD
NEWS FROM K.A. HOLT
Kari is looking forward to the release of new her book, RHYME SCHEMER, in the fall, and she is busy drafting her latest book, HOUSE ARREST, due out in fall 2015.
NEWS FROM JESSICA LEE ANDERSON
Jessica Lee Anderson also has a new author photo!
Jessica recently completed a fun work-for-hire project for an educational publisher focused on emergent readers. Jessica has published stories from Pre-K to YA and offers a variety of school and library presentations appropriate for each grade level. She's a former certified teacher and is quite passionate about education! Please visit her website for more information about visits.
Jessica Lee Anderson's little Sweetheart is a huge fan of Emma Virjan's NACHO THE PARTY PUPPY!
Thanks to Emma for the banner design!
By: PJ Hoover,
on 11/21/2013
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NEWS & UPDATES
NEWS FROM P.J. HOOVER
P. J. Hoover is thrilled to announce that her school visit presentations are now aligned to the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). She would love the opportunity to partner with educators in supporting students' writing development. Her presentation meets academic standards and offers substantive follow-up projects and topics for discussion.
A Common Core State Standards (CCSS) Aligned Analysis and Post-Presentation Discussion & Writing Lesson Application Guide for P. J.'s author presentations that is appropriate for Grades 3-12 can be found and downloaded
here.
Please contact P. J. directly for author visit inquiries. She would love to visit your school!
Says librarian Dorcas Hand of Annunciation Orthodox School,
"P.J. Hoover was a huge hit with our 4th-8th grades. She made the classic Hero's Journey a metaphor for life that allowed her to talk about changing career paths, writing & revision, and mythology all in a consistent narrative that engaged the kids. Teachers were thrilled at the motivational aspects of her talk..."
More information on P. J.'s author visits can be found on her website visit page.
NEWS FROM DON TATE
In October, Don was a featured author-illustrator in the Texas Book Festival. In addition, he participated in the
Texas Book Festival's Reading Rock Star program and presented his works at two economically-disadvantaged public schools, where each student received a book.
"It was so cool to see the happy expression on the children's faces when they received their very own book. For many students, it was the first book they'd ever owned," Tate says.
Last week, Don completed a full week of school visits in Fort Worth area schools.
"The librarians were amazing!" Don says.
"They prepared the students by having them write and draw, and even create high tech presentations based upon my books."
Upon leaving Fort Worth, Don headed off to Savannah, Georgia where he was a featured author in the Savannah Children's Book Festival.
School VisitsDon loves to visit school libraries and share his book making experiences with students.
"Your presentations were outstanding!"said a Fort Worth librarian, "It was just what our students needed to hear."
Currently Don is booking school visits for January through May. Don will present at area schools in the Dallas area during the third week of January, in Richardson (Dallas) during the second week of February, and in Killeen the first week of March. Feel free to contact Don about visiting your school during those same weeks, or others. Don understands that library budgets have been challenged as of late.
Contact Don before determining that an author visit is out of the question. He will work with you to help make a visit happen.
NEWS FROM JEANETTE LARSON
If you are not able to drop by The Book Spot, you can order personalized books to be mailed to you by clicking here.
NEWS FROM JESSICA LEE ANDERSON
Jessica Lee Anderson had a wonderful time visiting the Girls' School of Austin! She will continue to offer discounted school visit rates to schools in the San Antonio and Austin area. Please visit her website for more information:
By: PJ Hoover,
on 11/21/2013
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On Friday, Saturday, and Sunday November 22-24, 2013, four members of the Texas Sweethearts & Scoundrels will be part of
the Writing Ninjas:
P. J. Hoover, Jessica Lee Anderson, K. A. Holt, and Jo Whittemore!
We'll be performing a stealthy but deadly assault on the Austin Comic Con. We will be at booths #428/430 where we will be signing copies of our books.
Our postcards!
Come by our booth for candy, free books, and the chance to get your favorite Writing Ninja books signed.
THE AUTHORS! OUR FEATURED BOOKS!
By: PJ Hoover,
on 10/26/2013
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Hello, boys and ghouls! Here's some news we've been dying to share. So many exciting things going on, it's frightening! (Are the puns killing you yet?) Read on to see what October's about.
We are all scheduling school and library visits, so give us a shout if your school is looking for a fun visit. Also, check out our news or the calendar sections on our websites to find out where we'll be this fall. We'd love to be able to visit with you in person!
NEWS & UPDATES
NEWS FROM P.J. HOOVER
This Saturday is the Texas Book Festival here in Austin, Texas. Located down at the Capital, the Texas Book Festival has something for everyone!
If you're interested in young adult books or books about girls with special powers, P. J. will be on a panel on Saturday, October 26th, 2013 from 1:30-2:30 pm.
In addition to P.J., the panel will be made up of Jessica Khoury (author of Origin), Cynthia Leitich Smith (author of Feral Nights), and Kami Garcia (author of Unbreakable) and will be moderated by local Austin author Sean Petrie.
P. J. Hoover has had a busy month filled with school visits and regional librarian conferences. She enjoyed visiting Cathey Middle School and Mission High School in McAllen, Texas, prior to the Region 1 Librarian Conference in South Padre Island. It was wonderful to see so many familiar faces, and nice to meet so many new friends.
In addition, P. J. just spent a week in Allen, Texas talking to 7th graders about the Hero's Journey and how it relates to writing and life in general. This Friday, P. J. will visit Annunciation Orthodox School in Houston where she will be talking with 4th-8th graders.
P. J. enjoys speaking to kids of all ages, and her favorite presentation is "My Quest for the Golden Fleece: 12 Things I've Learned on my Hero's Journey."
Structured around mythology and The Hero's Journey, she talks about the importance of goal setting (and sticking to those goals!), facing fears, and getting back up after failure to try again and again until success is achieved. She also talks about the writing process, from ideas to revisions, from rejections to publication. For kids who are interested in mythology or who are learning about The Hero's Journey, it is a great tie-in because they can relate.
Attention Region 2 (Corpus) and Region 12 (Waco) librarians! P. J. Hoover will be at the Regional Librarian Conferences in November. Please come by and say hello!
Upcoming Signings for P. J.:
P. J. will be talking with readers and signing Solstice at the Houston BOOKRAVE event on Saturday, November 2nd at the Zotz Education Center.
P. J. will be signing at the Round Rock, TX Barnes & Noble with author Cynthia Leitich Smith on Saturday, November 9th at 2:00.
NEWS FROM DON TATE
Don Tate has written and sold a new nonfiction picture book! And Charlesbridge Publishing snatched up the story exactly a month after Don finished putting the final touches on it. It's still too early to discuss details, but Don says the book will publish in 2017, and is the story many have asked him to write. Don can't wait to share his writing and research process with students.
Don will present the book he illustrated,
Hope's Gift,
this Sunday at the Children's Read Me a Story Tent (13th and Colorado streets) at the
Texas Book Festival.
The Cart That Carried Martin, Don's newest book with Eve Bunting, received a starred review from Booklist (American Library Association)! See the November issue of Booklist for the rave review.
School visits
(Students in Garland, Texas share drawings created from visual problem solving activity.)
Don't let budget cuts and bureaucrats keep your students away from the inspiration of an in-person author/illustrator from Don Tate. Librarians are facing challenging times due to cuts, and Don is fully aware. Don's presentations are competitively priced -- AND ALWAYS NEGOTIABLE. Some schools have found it helpful to partner with each other, splitting the morning and afternoon as well as the day fee. Contact Don to discuss your budget and needs for a school visit.
NEWS FROM JO WHITTEMORE
Jo is tickled to share the Polish cover of her well-reviewed novel Odd Girl In from Aladdin MIX. The title translates to This Girl is a Little Strange, but no matter how you say it, we think it's a hilarious read!
NEWS FROM JESSICA LEE ANDERSON
Jessica Lee Anderson is continuing to offer discounted half-day school visit rates to schools in and around the San Antonio/Austin area.
Please visit www.jessicaleeanderson.com for school visit and contact information.
By: PJ Hoover,
on 8/19/2013
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Back to school is the favorite time of year for some of the Sweethearts. New beginnings and ALL those school supplies! Our reports on What We Did Over the Summer are in the News & Updates section. We were busy!
We are all scheduling school and library visits for the Fall and looking forward to cooler weather. Check out our news or the calendar sections on our websites to find out where we'll be this fall. And think about inviting us to your community!
NEWS & UPDATES NEWS FROM JEANETTE LARSON
Jeanette was the keynote speaker for the first South Texas Library Mini-conference, Down in the Valley, in McAllen. The Mini-Conference was attended by more than 100 school and public librarians. In addition to  being the keynote speaker, Jeanette presented information on developing a multicultural collection during a break-out session. Both Jeanette and Don were honored to have their books, HUMMINGBIRDS: FACTS & FOLKORE FROM THE AMERICAS and IT JES' HAPPENED: WHEN BILL TRAYLOR STARTED TO DRAW, named to the list of four finalists for The 2013 Writers' League of Texas Book Awards. The winner will be named in September.
The Westbank Library will host Jeanette on Wednesday, September 4 at 6:30 p.m. She'll be talking about birding and nature photography.
Later in September Jeanette will travel to Florida to present a workshop for librarians on behalf of the Northeast Florida Library Information Network on September 23. Librarian in-service presentations are a lot of fun! NEWS FROM K. A. HOLT K. A. Holt is very excited to announce a new book deal! HOUSE ARREST is a middle-grade novel in verse which tells the story of a boy whose baby brother is perilously ill. Choosing to take matters into his own hands leads our protagonist into all sorts of trouble, which he must now make reparations for over the course of one very tumultuous year. This is a moving, transformative novel which you won't want to miss. HOUSE ARREST was acquired by Tamra Tuller at Chronicle and will be hitting shelves in Fall 2015. NEWS FROM JESSICA LEE ANDERSON
Jessica Lee Anderson had a wonderful time at a writing retreat this summer with fellow Sweethearts Jo Whittemore, K.A. Holt, and P.J. Hoover, along with a fun group of other Texas authors.
Check out the Featured Sweethearts section to see what else Jessica did this summer! NEWS FROM P. J. HOOVER  P. J. Hoover is thrilled with the positive feedback being received for SOLSTICE. Booklist calls SOLSTICE "...a debut novel that consistently delivers...". In addition, SOLSTICE has been named to the 2013 ABC Best Books for Children list by the American Booksellers Association. The release of P. J. Hoover's debut young adult novel, SOLSTICE has kept her busy this summer! P. J. kicked off the release with a party on the actual summer solstice at her house, celebrating not only the release of the book, but the fact that she finally got around to remodeling her kitchen!  Continuing on in celebrating the release of SOLSTICE, P. J. signed books in Chicago at this year's ALA conference. After ALA, P. J. had bookstore readings/signings at Hooray 4 Books in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia, Barnes & Noble in The Woodlands, Texas as well as Barnes & Noble in Tysons Corner, Virginia, Alamosa Books in New Mexico, and Murder by the Book in Houston, Texas.P. J. is looking forward to a busy fall with school visits and appearances at the Cedar Park Teen Book Club, the Austin Teen Book Festival, the NASA Young Adult Book Club, bookstore signings in Austin, Houston, and San Antonio, as well as panel presentations at the Texas Region 3 and Region 12 Librarian conferences.  HOPE'S GIFT, a book illustrated by Don Tate, will be featured at the 2013 National Book Festival! The book will be on display with an exhibit that shows the history behind the story, at the Pavilion of the States, Discover Great Places Through Reading. Pretty cool! IT JES' HAPPENED: WHEN BILL TRAYLOR STARTED TO DRAW will be featured at the Folk Art Museum in NYC. On September 21, Don Tate will discuss his book and lead a Family Day activity at the museum. During the event, Don will also launch a new Bill Traylor arts curriculum to be used in museums and classrooms. The curriculum, created by award-winning educator Kelly McConnell, will feature a narrative lexicon, a pictograph diary, and an activity for story constructions. The guide will be available soon as a free download on Don's website. Don's newest b ook publishes this month! THE CART THAT CARRIED MARTIN, written by Eve Bunting, is a unique retelling of Martin Luther King Jr.s funeral, focusing on the cart used to transport his coffin through the streets of Atlanta, Georgia, fromEbenezer Baptist Church to Morehouse College. Described by Kirkus as, "[an] affecting snapshot of a tragic day." Don recently signed on to illustrate a second book written by Chris Barton', a picture book biography called WHOOSH! LONNIE JOHNSON'S SUPER STREAM OF IDEAS, about the Tuskegee-educated inventor, entrepreneur, and NASA engineer whose knowledge of fluid dynamics led to the invention of the Super Soaker. Look for the book in 2016! Don is offering special pricing -- up to half off -- for school visits during August and September 2013, for schools near Austin, San Antonio, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston. Contact Don with inquiries. Don's first school visit of the 2013-'14 year will kick off in a two-day visit in Naples, Florida! Don still offers special reduced pricing for school visits during the month of August and September, to schools in Austin, Houston, San Antonio, Dallas/Fort Worth areas. Contact Don directly for more details: http://dontate.com/contact/. "Don Tate approaches the content of his lively presentations from both an illustrator's and author's perspectives, his school visits offer a solid integration of the Common Core Curriculum Anchor Standards for reading, writing, and speaking & listening, all of which are annotated, aligned, and available for review." --- Debbie Gonzales, Educator |
FEATURED SWEETHEARTS
Our featured Sweetheart is a little different this time. Over summer vacation, Jessica Anderson and her husband, Mike, became the proud parents of Ava. Our youngest sweetheart was born on August 8, weighing 8 pounds and 5 ounces and measuring in at 22 inches long. Congratulations to Jessica and Mike.
*************************************
By: PJ Hoover,
on 5/30/2013
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FUN IN THE SUMMER
with The Texas Sweethearts & Scoundrels
Before the school year winds down, The Texas Sweethearts & Scoundrels want to thank you for all the support you've given us throughout the year. You've read our newsletters, invited us to your schools, purchased our books. Our gratitude is endless - but our work is not! We have a full summer of writing, reading, speaking ahead - not to mention preparing for the upcoming school year. Somewhere in there, we plan to visit the beach! We hope you do, too. Have a great summer.
Good times at TLA!
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| (from left to right) Don Tate, Jessica Lee Anderson, P.J. Hoover sign books at The Texas Library Association Conference, one of our favorite events of the year. |
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| Jeanette (right) having a fun time at TLA! |
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| Austin ISD Librarians: TxLA Book Cart Drill Team Champions 2013 |
NEWS & UPDATES NEWS FROM P. J. HOOVER  As for hot summer releases, P. J. Hoover can't wait for the release of her debut young adult novel, Solstice, on June 18, just before the actual summer solstice. Set in Austin in the future when global warming is destroying the earth, Solstice is a perfect choice for those hot summer days by the pool or the beach.
Solstice also got a nice shout out in the Kirkus blog as a Science Fiction & Fantasy June Highlight & Top Pick. "Solstice by P.J. Hoover is a clever blend of mythology and dystopia set against the backdrop of a dying world."
NEWS FROM JESSICA LEE ANDERSON NEWS FROM JEANETTE LARSON
Jeanette enjoyed a fabulous visit at Purple Sage Elementary in Austin for Children's Book Week, visiting kindergarten through second grade students.
This summer she is teaching for Texas Woman's University and finishing writing a book for librarians this summer so public appearances are limited. On August 5, Jeanette will be a presenter at the youth services library conference at the McAllen Public Library and later that month will travel to Florida to speak to librarians and hopefully visit some bookstores in the Daytona Beach area.
NEWS FROM DON TATE
Don wound-down the school year by visiting school libraries in Fort Worth, Dallas, and Houston.
 | | Don poses with library clerk (Thing 1) and librarian (The Cat), Ms. Petrie at Eiland Elementary in Houston. |
Don is offering special pricing -- up to half off -- for school visits in August and September 2013, for schools near Austin, San Antonio, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston. Contact Don with inquiries. |
FEATURED SWEETHEARTS
You can read about our latest Featured Sweethearts who are making a different in their communities! This month we featured
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Don Tate's debut as both author and illustrator,
Tate - 
We are beyond honored to be featured! Ava has some great books to look forward to reading in the near future from board books up to YA. I adore all of you!