How to use this Page

Here is a small piece of a much larger one I am working on - can't share too much else about it.

Display Comments Add a Comment

Recently, we took a hard look at the effects of Summer Slide on children without access to books. We also saw the incredible effects that providing books over the summer, not only to children in general, but to children from low income families specifically, had on reading, comprehension and test scores.

In that spirit, the Junior League of Washington as a part of their Resolution Read project took Summer Slide head on, distributing 15,000 books from First Book to D.C. Public Schools at Garfield Elementary in D.C. Children were asked to perform various physical activites; dancing or doing jumping jacks in order to ‘earn’ their books to take home. Jumping and dancing was led by NFL player Visanthe Shiancoe.  After successfully completing their exercises, children went to a table to select books and then read their new books with volunteers. These books were distributed as part of a program with Let’s Read. Let’s Move, encouraging children to continue moving and learning throughout the summer.

“It feels tremendous to give away the 100,000th book hand-in-hand with partners like CNCS, DCPS, First Book and DC SCORES.” said Wendy Cumberland, President of the Junior League of Washington.

 

More Great Photos (Courtesy of the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS)

 

 

 

 

The post Take THAT Summer Slide! 15,000 Books to Kids in DC appeared first on First Book Blog.

Add a Comment

It's finally here! SOLSTICE, my debut young adult novel, releases today! Woot! Woot!

So yes, I am totally going to the bookstore to look for it on the shelves. And I am going to celebrate big!

I am so thankful to all the people who have made this day possible. SOLSTICE is a book I love, and I could not have done it without you all!

In honor of the release of SOLSTICE...


Why 42?
Because it's the answer to Life, The Universe, and Everything, so it only seems right.





I divided the books into 6 groups of 7 books a piece. That means there are six chances to win!

Each group has:

• 7 books, including 2 books by one author
• 1 Tasty Treat
• 1 Swag collection featuring postcards and 6 SOLSTICE character trading cards
• 2 Texas Sweethearts & Scoundrels buttons: 1 sweetheart and 1 scoundrel

GROUP 1:


1 Box of 10 Twinkies*
1 Awesome Swag Set
Original paperback of SOLSTICE back before it was edited by Tor
Signed hardcover of INVISIBILITY by David Levithan and Andrea Cremer (yes, signed by both authors)
ARC of RAGS & BONES by Melissa Marr and Tim Pratt
ARC of TEMPEST by Julie Cross
Hardcover of VORTEX by Julie Cross
Signed Paperback of THE MARBURY LENS by Andrew Smith
ARC of EVERNEATH by Brodi Ashton


GROUP 2:


1 box of 10 Twinkies*
1 Awesome Swag Set
Signed ARC of SCORCHED by Mari Mancusi
ARC of SHARDS & ASHES by Melissa Marr, Kelly Armstrong, Veronica Roth, and Kami Garcia
ARC of HOURGLASS by Myra McEntire
ARC of TIMEPIECE by Myra McEntire
ARC of UNRAVEL ME by Tahrerah Mafi
Signed Hardcover of DOOMED by Tracy Deebs
ARC of BREATHE by Sarah Crossan


GROUP 3:


1 Box of Girl Scout Thanks a Lot cookies
1 Awesome Swag Set
ARC of SHADOWS by Robin McKinley
ARC of SERAPHINA by Rachel Hartman
Paperback of REALITY ALI by Christine Marcniniak
Paperback of RIPTIDE by Lindsey Scheibe
Paperback of DEAR TEEN ME edited by E. Kristin Anderson and Miranda Kenneally
Paperback of BUT I LOVE HIM by Amanda Grace
Paperback of IN TOO DEEP by Amanda Grace


GROUP 4:


1 Box of Girl Scout Thanks a Lot cookies
1 Awesome Swag Set
ARC of SCHOOL SPIRITS by Rachel Hawkins
Signed Paperback of THE SELECTION by Kiera Cass
ARC of THE ELITE by Kiera Cass
Paperback of CALLI by Jessica Lee Anderson
Signed Paperback of SWEET VENOM Tera Lynn Childs
ARC of ETIQUETTE AND ESPIONAGE by Gail Carringer
ARC of HEMLOCK by Kathleen Peacock



GROUP 5:


1 Box of Girl Scout Thanks a Lot cookies
1 Awesome Swag Set
ARC of ASHES ON THE WAVES by Mary Linsdey
ARC of BURN BRIGHT (DARK STAR) by Bethany Frenette
ARC of SHADOWLANDS by Kate Brian
ARC of HEREAFTER by Kate Brian
Signed Paperback of FIRELIGHT by Sophie Jordan
Signed Paperback of THE FARM by Emily McKay
ARC of IF I SHOULD DIE by Amy Plum



GROUP 6:


1 Box of Girl Scout Thanks a Lot cookies
1 Awesome Swag Set
ARC of FERAL NIGHTS by Cynthia Leitich Smith
ARC of GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS by Rae Carson
ARC of CROWN OF EMBERS by Rae Carson
ARC of GILT by Katherine Longshore
ARC of THE LEGACY OF TRIL: SOULBOUND by Heather Brewer
Paperback of ONYX by Jennifer Armentrout
ARC of GODDESS by Josephine Angelini


*Okay, so the Twinkies are past their expiration date! If you win this set and prefer Girl Scout Cookies, please let me know!

*****

It's easy to win! Two things to note...

1) This giveaway is open until 12:01 am on July 3, 2013
2) Book prizes are US only.

To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!

Display Comments Add a Comment

I’m so excited to be a part of the Kids Read Comics! festival this weekend in Ann Arbor, Michigan! I’ll be taking part in a couple of drawing events, conducting a workshop at 826 Ann Arbor, and meeting fans and signing copies of Giants Beware! at the Artist Alley.

 

Here’s a link listing all the events. There’s great stuff going on Friday through Sunday:

http://mlatcomics.com/krc/programming

Hope to see you there!

-Rafael

Add a Comment

...Alexander London letter, let's about-face and guffaw over the Smart Bitches' review of the Jude Deveraux, The Raider - Barbie® and Ken® Doll Giftset.

SO. MANY. PICTURES. DEPICTING. SO. MUCH. HILARIOUSNESS.

Add a Comment

Identifying the next Jeffrey Katzenberg or George Lucas isn’t something easily done, but a columnist at the Washington Post has figured out who it is: Nick Weidenfeld.

Weidenfeld, the former Adult Swim development executive whose recent move to Fox has the industry buzzing with anticipation, was the recipient of a glowing profile in last Sunday’s Post, in which his grand plans for the animation industry were revealed.

Post columnist Thomas Heath details Weidenfeld’s career path, starting with his humble beginnings in Washington D.C. where he was raised by an estate lawyer and Betty Ford’s former press secretary—the latter being the daughter of a presidential confidant and ambassador to Italy. Educated at Georgetown Day School and then Columbia University, the Post recounts Weidenfeld’s hardscrabble upbringing where he bounced from an internship at the Pentagon to writing about hip hop and rap, and then clawed his way to a writing gig at Esquire. It was at the last job, while researching a piece about Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim, that he ‘bonded’ with CN exec Mike Lazzo over a mutual love of William Faulkner, which was the obvious qualification for a career in animation.

“You wake up one day and you are head of development at the number one ad-supported network on cable TV,” Weidenfeld told the Washington Post. “The nice thing about my story is about the connections I made, but not family connections. I broke into this business myself through friends.”

Weidenfeld attributes his inspirational trajectory from scion to media mogul to his ability to “be open.” When pressed for an explanation, he clarifies, “It’s just being open… to be open to know what you are good at, and know what value you bring to something, you find a way to fit it into whatever job it is. I’m good at making connections or putting an organization or putting pieces together. I’m a good global thinker.”

This unequivocal business acumen was refined by reading the biography of Steve Jobs, the history of Pixar, and Clayton M. Christensen’s The Innovator’s Dilemma: When New Technologies Cause Great Firms to Fail. “These guys had these ideas and figured out that the old systems don’t work anymore,” Weidenfeld said. “The first thing I said to Fox is I don’t want to just make shows. I want to build a business for you that takes advantage of the best parts of animation.”

Using only the choicest parts of animation, Weidenfeld is ready to reinvent how cartoons are made. He is putting all phases of production for Fox’s upcoming animation block, ADHD (Animation Domination High-Def), from development to animation, under a single roof at his new 120-person Los Angeles studio, generously provided by Fox. From there he intends to usurp the young male demographic from YouTube and Saturday Night Live by producing loads of animated content and writing off the costs. He told the Post that when he presented this foolproof business plan to Fox, they said, “Okay, here you go.”

“It sounds like a parallel universe to me,” writes Heath, “but he’s the one who is becoming the next Jeffrey Katzenberg or George Lucas, not me.”

Add a Comment

Part 1.

When was the first time you guys started to feel like celebrities? Was that a feeling back then or not quite that early?

No, not generally. The only time I felt like a celebrity was back in my home town. A local celebrity.

Can you think of any anecdotes about Bill that you haven’t told anybody else? Something that gives a little bit of texture to him, like a joke that he made or something that he once did that made a big influence on the strip?

If something pops to my head, I’ll tell you.

Did you know his parents?

No.

Did he ever talk about them?

Not very much.

And he didn’t have siblings, right?

No, not that I know of. 


[NOTE: turns out he did]

Did you know Freddie?

I knew him when he was a baby. He was a, you know, uh…he was a…Batman was long gone—Bill was long gone before he grew up to know anything about it.

[NOTE: Jerry’s timeline was off. Bill died in 1974, the year Fred turned 26.]

You mean before Freddie knew what was going on?

Yeah.

So you never saw Freddie as an adult?

No. I may have once. I was trying to think of that the other day. I know I spoke to Portia about him several times. I can’t remember meeting him. If I did, it wasn’t very much.

Do you remember Bill talking about him?

Only as a child, when he was young.

Was Freddie born while you guys were already working on Batman?

No, I think he was born later, as I recall? At least it might have been after I had left Batman, not Bill.

And what year did you leave?

I left about ‘47.

Was Judaism important to Bill?

Not that I recall.

Do you know what his inspiration was for his oversized props? You drew oversized villains on the covers. I was wondering if that might have influenced him or he influenced you?

I also drew oversized props. I haven’t thought of where that began. I know I used them in my covers ‘cause I tried to do very symbolic covers and splash pages if you ever looked at them. I never tried to do a literal theme.

So you don’t remember where you guys—

[unintelligible] track it down. I know he had employed them in his scripts. I would hesitate to take credit for them, but who knows, I might have done [here?] without even thinking of it, [thinking?] of doing a symbolic cover, you know, obviously has part of the symbolism.

Did you guys ever have a moment where you felt, to use a modern word, “cool”—like if you were on the street and you saw some kids eagerly buying a Batman comic?

Yeah, I would say that might have occurred. I [could] remember that, yes. It’s kind of marveling that it was so part our culture already.

Do you have a specific incident in mind?

Not with Bill… [tells the Cuba story that’s also in one of his Alter Ego interviews]

What did Bill look like?

[NOTE: At the time of this interview, I’d seen only the two regularly republished photos of Bill, neither of which was an especially clear likeness; I went on to uncover close to a dozen others.]

He was not tall. I’m not tall either but I think he might’ve been a little shorter than me. I was like five eight 5’8” or something. I think he was [slightly?] shorter. He was a little stocky—not heavy. Strong. As you probably know, he loved golf.

Was he balding?

Not at that time.

But later?

Later he was.

Did he have a certain style?

No, I don’t think he was that concerned with fashion. I think it was just everyday stuff.

What did his workspace look like?

He worked in his apartment. The times that I visited he and Portia there, it was just a part of the living room, but he may have had a study, I’m trying to remember now, with files. I think he did, because he had extensive files.

In filing cabinets?

Yeah.

And back then they were probably wood, right?

I would guess. Although we had steel files then [too]. We’re not talking about prehistoric times. (we both laugh)

Part 3.

Add a Comment

Add a Comment

I'm so excited for today! It's the release day for DEFY THE DARK, a collection of stories by awesome writers including Carrie Ryan, Malinda Lo, Rachel Hawkins, and one of my critique partners, the fabulous Valerie Kemp. I've read Valerie's story, STILLWATER, and it's incredible...I can't wait to read the whole book.Valerie is doing a giveaway of Defy the Dark and discusses what inspired her story. Hurry, because you only have until Friday the 21st to enter!

From Goodreads: It features 16 stories by critically-acclaimed and bestselling YA authors as they explore things that can only happen in the dark.

You can order the book here. Also, if you don't win Valerie's giveaway, you have another chance to win next week. I'm giving this book away too, because I have something big to share with everyone...so check back for details next Tuesday the 25th!

Display Comments Add a Comment

Book: Happy Birdday, Tacky!
Author: Helen Lester
Illustrator: Lynn Munsinger
Pages: 32
Age Range: 3-8 

I love Tacky the Penguin. The board book was one of my favorites to read to Baby Bookworm when she was a little bit younger. I've not read all of Helen Lester and Lynn Munsinger's books about Tacky, but I did quite enjoy the latest one, Happy Birdday, Tacky!

Tacky the Penguin is a quirky bird who lives in Nice Icy Land with his companions, Goodly, Lovely, Angel, Neatly, and Perfect. The companions are all calm and orderly, but Tacky always keeps things interesting. In Happy Birdday, Tacky!, Goodly, Lovely, Angel, Neatly and Perfect spend weeks planning the perfect birthday party for Tacky. But when the big day arrives, things don't go exactly as planned (they never do, when Tacky is around). But, of course, it all turns out ok in the end. 

I think it helps, in appreciating Happy Birdday, Tacky!, to have read at least the first Tacky book. For example, the other penguins make birthday cards for Tacky, "but since Tacky was an odd bird with an odd way of counting, it only made sense that he had told them odd things about how old he was." This odd way of counting is straight out of the first book, and a nice nod back to the launch of the series. 

I love the vocabulary in this book. Tacky is "quite busy flippiting about". He then pauses in "mid-flapwaddle." And of course "birdday" instead of "birthday". There's enough of this sort of thing to make Happy Birthday, Tacky! fun to read aloud, but not so much as to be confusing. Here are a couple of bits that made me laugh:

""Everything's perfect!" declared Perfect.
(This confused his companions, for as far they knew, Perfect was Perfect. But never mind.) "

Guest dancer Twinklewebs announces:

""I vant to perform for you a denz peez from Swan Frozen-Body-of-Water."

OK, kids might not get that one, but I thought it was funny. And finally:

"They hovered over Twinklewebs, writing their flippers and becoming covered with perspiration icicles. 
What a dreadful end for their Perfect Party.
They were ready to tear their hair, if only they had any."

As you can see, this is not a book that offers a sophisticated humor. But I think it's perfect for three to five year olds. There is perhaps an implied message about going with the flow, but it's otherwise just pure, silly fun. There should be more picture books like that.

Munsinger's illustrations add to the fun. The last quote above is accompanied by a picture of Tacky with a smushed cake on his head (and feet), surrounded by the other penguins. Twinklewebs, a penguin in a pink tutu and feathers, is priceless. There is, as befitting a book set in a nice, icy land, plenty of white space. And step by step vignettes showing Tacky's latest dance will have four year olds everywhere performing on makeshift stages. 

I'm a long-time Tacky fan, and I found Happy Birdday, Tacky! to be an enjoyable addition to the series. A must-purchase for libraries, and a fine choice for anyone who could benefit from taking a less rigid approach to life. Recommended!

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children (@hmhkids)
Publication Date: May 14, 2013
Source of Book: Review copy from the publisher

FTC Required Disclosure:

This site is an Amazon affiliate, and purchases made through Amazon links (including linked book covers) may result in my receiving a small commission (at no additional cost to you).

© 2013 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. You can also follow me @JensBookPage or at my Growing Bookworms page on Facebook. 

Add a Comment

...have been announced, and the YA winner is Flesh & Bone, by Jonathan Maberry.

See the rest of the winners here, and the other YA finalists here!

Add a Comment

...I wrote about Dianne K. Salerni's The Caged Graves, which I LOVED.

LOOOOOOOOOVED.

Add a Comment

Author: Patricia Abrams
Publisher: The Peppertree Press
Genre: Children / Dogs
ISBN: 978-1-61493-031-0
Pages: 20
Price: $12.95

Buy it at Amazon

Noah was adopted by the Abrams family on Valentine’s Day. He knew he wanted to be a search dog, so his new family encouraged him to go to school and learn all about his new job. In his training, Noah learned important skills in safety, obedience, and service.

Noah and the Search Dogs doesn’t actually show Noah at work.  Instead, it takes the life skills Noah learns in school and encourages kids through his actions. Great pictures of Noah in his training are included.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Add a Comment

Seventeen things to consider when choosing your book title. 

http://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/2013/05/17-steps-to-reader-grabbing-title.html

Add a Comment

[View the story "Links, etc.: June 12-17." on Storify]

Add a Comment

As of November 20, 2012 (that is, Midnight Eastern Time tonight) I am closed to queries. I will reopen to queries January 7, 2013.

If I already have your work, you should hear from me by January 7. (That's the point of taking the break, I have to catch up!)

Display Comments Add a Comment

     Joan Aiken writing at her very best was a perfect companion.      Well travelled, cultured, with a wealth of personal experience, and the ability not just to tell a gripping story, but to draw the reader in to the very process of writing.   What she loved was to hold her audience in a […]

Add a Comment

Today’s Cartoon Brew Artist of the Day post is sponsored by the CG Master Academy. Sign up TODAY for Philip Dimitriadis’s class Environment Sketching.

---

Philip Dimitriadis works as a conceptual 2D and 3D artist for animation productions.

For the “Arabia project” that Philip was working on at Mike Young Productions in 2007, he was assigned to create a fictional hieroglyphic alphabet for use in the background environments which can be viewed here.

Above is a foliage study and robot design that Philip modeled in Maya.

More work in both 2D and 3D is available for viewing on his blog.

Add a Comment

Head on over to Alexander London's letter at Dear Teen Me:

You didn’t kiss anyone for two years. When you got back to the states, you even dyed your hair back to brown. You stayed in a closet of your own making. You got angry and seethed in silence. You hid behind your eyes and watched reality happen to other people.

When you eventually did kiss a guy and let life open up to you, it really was all you hoped it would be and more. It wasn’t just the kiss or coming out, though that was part of it. It was realizing you could be your whole self.

Blubbering all over my desk.

Add a Comment

SAN MARCOS, TEXAS – Maggie Steele cheered herself hoarse Saturday, June 15th, at one of the biggest pole-vault festivals in the nation, the Texas River Vault Championship! “It was one of the greatest things that ever happened to her,” said … Continue reading →

Display Comments Add a Comment

And here it is…the teaser trailer for Disney’s Frozen:

SEE ALSO: First Stills From Disney’s Frozen

Add a Comment

Add a Comment

Gabe is celebrating National Go Fishing Day but that means he’s left Ethan all alone. Keep Ethan company in I Need My Monster. Enjoy the full pdf here.

Tonight, when I looked under my bed for my monster, I found this note instead. “Gone fishing. Back in a week. -Gabe” What was I going to do?

Add a Comment

Life is already so complicated that we, humans, make it even more worse with our thought process. One of the thoughts that make our lives miserable is the word ‘COMPARE’. Endless comparison with our neighbor, our friend, our colleague, our family and our spouse also!!! There are two sides to a coin and also comparison. You can either feel good or bad about comparison. Scene 1: Imagine you’re

Add a Comment

The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom is out in paperback and The Hero's Guide to Storming the Castle is out now! The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom by Christopher Healy is a book that has caused me to do some serious thinking about what makes a book worth reading, the (sometimes unfortunate and unhelpful) perspective an adult reader can bring to children's literature and the value

Display Comments Add a Comment