Zag Animation Studios is a new feature animation outfit that plans to release two family-oriented films per year—one fully-CGI and one live-action/CGI hybrid—beginning in 2017.
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Blog: Cartoon Brew (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Business, Melody, Studios, Haim Saban, Chris Columbus, Abominable, Ghostforce, Jeremy Zag, Michael Barnathan, Zag Animation Studios, Add a tag
Blog: WORDS (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: evening, haiku Tuesday, melodies, autumn, summer, snow, haiku, snowflakes, songs, writing for children, melody, thaw, night, blankets, Add a tag
Night falls like snowflakes, I slide under warm blankets and wait for dawn’s thaw Autumn sings her song echoing through the evening golden melodies Filed under: writing for children Tagged: autumn, blankets, evening, haiku, haiku Tuesday, melodies, melody, night, snow, snowflakes, songs, summer, thaw
Blog: Kid Lit Reviews (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: food, holidays, boys, historical, celebrations, carnival, children's book reviews, melody, chicken, Caribbean, bands, drums, de, Lee and Low Books, calypso, Frané Lessac, Mark Greenwood, beaches, beats, drummer, limbo, dat, author notes, black sand, drummer boy, gourd, bass beat, biscuit tin, book glossary, bottle-and-spoon, Caribbean Islands, Caribbean Sea, chac-chac, coastal beach, fried pancakes, John John, John John Trinidad, maraca, metal pings and pongs, NonFiction, Historical Fiction, pirates, music, picture books, Favorites, African, ocean, tone, rhythm, spices, Atlantic Ocean, Holiday Book, picture book reviews, pancakes, run, note, tune, pitch, Trinidad, 4stars, Library Donated Books, white sand, roti, "Spree", book reviews, paartiee, shango drum, steel drums, streel drum, tamboo bamboo, Winston "spree" Simon, Winston Simon, Children's Books, Add a tag
4 Stars Drummer Boy of John John Mark Greenwood Frané Lessac Lee and Low Books Pages: 32 Ages: 4+ Jacket: Carnival is coming and the villagers of John John, Trinidad, are getting ready to jump up and celebrate with music dancing, and a parade. Best of all, the Roti King has promised free rotis—tasty friend [...]
Add a CommentBlog: Crazy For Kids Books (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: memory, rhyme, melody, prepositions, rhythm, melody, rhythm, prepositions, Add a tag
For those who have days when accessing a particular fact in your brain is like chasing marbles across a high-gloss floor, here is a fun little ditty for word lovers. I have called this my one-and-only bar trick, but it was actually taught to me by my 5th grade teacher, Sister Mary Dolorita, in St. Mary's parish school in Bordentown, NJ. I have never forgotten it and I'm happy to sing it upon request. I would love to hear about others who may have learned something this way.
The prepositions in alphabetical order sung to the tune of Yankee Doodle.
About, above, across, after,
Against, among, around, at.
Before, behind, beside, between,
Beyond, by, down, during, except.
For, from, into, near,
Of, off, on, over, past,
Through, throughout, to, toward, under,
Until, up, with.
Blog: Corazonadas (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: san pedro school, letters, letters, san pedro school, Add a tag
After reading what they wrote to me, I am feeling mighty good about the following:
Being smart
Being a good illustrator
Having a pretty dress
Bringing my bolsa de sorpresas
Showing kids my underwear. I got a bunch of thank-you comments for this one. But really, it wasn’t what it sounds like! For instance, I wasn’t wearing it…
Bringing my hats
Reading the kids a book
Playing with my toys
Bringing Señor Calavera
Showing my dog
Being tall (really?)
Singing a song
Taking a picture with the kids
Being the best woman ever
Rising my hands
Bringing “the man who does jumps”
Coming to San Pedro School
Clearly, these children are nice!
Blog: Stone Arch Books (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: letters, librarians, letters, Add a tag
Today we're sharing a love letter to Stone Arch Books that we recently received. Happy Valentine's Day!
Dear Stone Arch Books,
I never imagined that I would be writing a love letter to a publisher of books, but then again I never could have imagined books as wonderful as yours!
We love your books! When I first spied the titles in your catalog I was fascinated and when the books arrived I was thrilled. It was like opening a special gift for my students. The most startling thing happened is when the books hit the shelves…. They magically disappeared… every copy flew as if enchanted into the hands of all the kids in our school.
The teachers soon started asking about the newest treasures (your books) their students were hooked on. I explained that not only are your books Character Counts, and AR books but they were very COOL! Everyone is excited about the creative graphics and fonts used in your books. The storylines and subjects are just perfect!!!!!
In addition to all of those incentives to read the books there was also the extra added features at the end of every volume. There is kid friendly information about the authors, an easy to read glossary of terms used in the book, the kids really get excited about the internet sites mentioned.
Teachers just love, and use the discussion questions and writing prompts that are included on the final pages too!
I contacted our school character counts committee and gave them their very own catalog. I bought as many sets as we could afford and your books are first on our wish lists for next year. They are also FIRST in the hearts of our kids!!
Keep up the good work and we will keep on ordering as many books as we can.
Thank you so much
Cindy Price
Show Low Primary School Library
Show Low Arizona
Blog: Stone Arch Books (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: letters, kid reviews, readers, letters, Jake Maddox, Jake Maddox, Add a tag
We love to visit libraries and classrooms whenever we can, but we don’t have time to do it as much as we’d like. So we love it when we get letters from fans. Here’s what one 11-year-old reader from Texas wanted to tell Jake Maddox. Our Jake Maddox sports books are some of our most popular with kids, teachers, librarians, and parents. Letters like this keep us energized and excited to publish more great books!
Dear Mr.Maddox,
My name is ------ ------ but just call me
------. I am in 4th grade. I really got
Hooked on your books! Don’t get the wrong
Idea I am not some geek that sits home all
Day reading. Iam 11 years old .The first
Book I read of yours was Mr.Strike Out.
I read a lot of your books.
I am hoping you write me back. If so send me
an autographed picture of you wallet size
Please!!! also a copy of Mr.Strike Out.
YOUR BEST READER
------
ilivegreen, a Toronto-based site that is creating an online community of environmentally active individuals, seeks "Open Letters". Writers with an interest or background in environmental issues are invited to submit a 500-1000 word open letter. Letters should be informal (not essays) and evoke an epistle (reminiscent of old-fashioned snail mail letters). Writers are encouraged to mix personal and political views. All work must begin with Dear ______ (one reader). Send submissions to: [email protected].
Add a CommentBlog: Books4Ever (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: clinical depression, fairy tale, writing, children's, letters, tragedy, Add a tag
While I was weeding the other day, I came across this book and thought it a retelling of Rapunzel (for obvious reasons) ….oh as a side note, I did not check it out just to keep it, it was going to be kept anyway. However, it is not a retelling at all, but rather an insightful look into the life of a young girl who renames herself Rapunzel who is dealing with a father that is under an Evil Spell (otherwise known as clinical depression). Despite it not being the fluffy story I thought it was going to be, I have to say I was very impressed with the tale. It is told through the letters the girl writes and shows what she goes through when her dad goes away for treatment. Her relationships suffer, school suffers, she gets into trouble, etc. But all she really wants is to know what is going on; only problem is no one is telling her. It is a great story that I imagine accurately depicts what it would be like for a child whose parent is suffering a mental illness. Cleverly done. This one is definitely going on the display shelf when I get back to work.
Blog: NOTE TO MYSELF (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Canada Post, Write to Santa, life, Canada, miscellaneous, Santa Claus, letters, good news, swear words, good news, swear words, Canada Post, Write to Santa, letters, Add a tag
NOTE TO SELF: JUST WHO IS NAUGHTY AND NICE, ANYWAY?
Every year Canada Post gets into the holiday spirit by acting as an intermediary between children and the North Pole in its annual "Write to Santa." To this end kids are encouraged to mail their letters to Santa at "SANTA CLAUS, NORTH POLE, HOH OHO, CANADA" The service in both English and French, has been offered going on 26 years and is overseen by 11,000 Canada Post employees known affectionately as Postal Elves. More than a million children send letters to the jolly, old, elf and receive a reply but some received an unexpected response. Make that shocked response.
Seems that somebody - likely not "the" Santa - has been dropping letters in the mail box over the last couple of days to kids living in Ottawa, Ontario, but not the nice kind. In fact some of them contained filthy messages, much to the consternation of parents'. For its part Canada Post is understandably shocked and along with the Ottawa police, have been attempting to trace down the baaaaaad Santa.
One young recipient aged 2 years received a P.S. to her letter that read: "This letter is too long, you dumb shit." Definitely not Santa-like content. Her 10 year old brother, meanwhile, had the add-on message: "Your mom is s****d**** and your dad is gay."
Lucky their mother read the letter before she handed it to her children.
Meanwhile, yesterday Canada Post shut down its Write to Santa program across the city in a joint effort with the police to track down Santa's un-helper.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20071214.wsantletters1214/BNStory/National/home
Blog: Phenomenon Books (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: agent, query, publishing, writing, editors, letters, Add a tag
This is a short list of things that irk agents most when reading a query--
1. Saying no other titles are comparable to yours because it is too unique.
Well, the thing is your story may be unique to you. All stories are unique in some way or the other, but what this statement really tells me is that you don't know your market, or there is no market for your book. Do the research, find something you can compare to your work.
2. Saying you're the next Dan Brown, Harry Potter.
There are many writers whose books can be compared to Potter or Brown or James Patterson, etc. in some way. Try to find other authors to include in your comparable titles, authors with great track records, but not so much hype.
3. Too much personal info.
You wouldn't go to a job interview and tell that person how much your dog, or your parents, or whomever, loved your ability to brew coffee (or file papers, etc.). So, don't tell me how much everyone loved your story.
On the other hand, if a published author or a known editor has read it and made positive comments, by all means give me a BRIEF run down.
4. Too little essential information.
You can tell me as much about the story as you want, but I need the genre and word count.
In the same vein, you can regale me with your publishing experience, but please include something about the story your pitching me.
5. Addressing your query.
Do not 'Dear Sir or Madam.' Do not "To Whom it May Concern.' This tells me up front that you have done absolutely no research about who we are, what we want, and what we need.
Blog: Read Write Believe (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Writing, Letters, Depression, Sisters, Letters From Rapunzel, Evil Spells, National Depression Screening Day, Add a tag
(I'm posting this several days in advance so the word will get out. Feel free to forward it or re-post it anywhere you think it might be helpful.)
Is it a stretch to call clinical depression "An Evil Spell"?
When I had finished a draft of Letters From Rapunzel, and before I gave it to anyone else, I showed it to my sister and asked her: Is this how you feel?
"Yes," she said. "And more."
I had described The Evil Spell as:
"...being locked in a dark room, and you've forgotten your name, why you're there, where the door is..."To my words, she added:
"and even that there is a door."
"Once upon a time, there were two little girls who slept in a wide bed under a rose-patterned comforter. Before they fell asleep, the younger (not by much) of the two would describe for her sister the spectral objects appearing before her eyes: 'Look...a wedding ring!...there's a piano!...now I see a mushroom...' The older sister strained to see what her sibling was identifying, calling out by name in the darkness. Sometimes, she could almost believe she saw those filaments of her sister's imagination, but mostly she enjoyed hearing her voice exclaiming, 'Look! There goes a...'
Reading Letters From Rapunzel, I heard my sister's voice again, saw her imagination forming images into words on a page. Piecing together letters, lists, fortunes, essays, free-writing, and fairy tales into a telling collage. Believing that if she can only name what she sees in the deep space of her imagination, others will glimpse the fairy trails also. Hoping that they will be as delighted and comforted as I was.
Thanks, Sara, for keeping me company in the dark and for having the courage to break the Spell of Silence."
Ah, Sister Bear. You showed how me how.
National Depression Screening Day is next week: October 11, 2007. You don't have to be alone in the dark.
Blog: Read Write Believe (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Revelation, The Courage to Write, Ralph Keyes, Poetry, Essays, Letters, Add a tag
This is an essay I wrote several years ago, before I published (or even wrote) my first book. It chronicles a turning point in my life as a writer, and I dug it out recently because it talks about being seventeen and unsure of your role in life, things that were on my mind as I drove my daughter to college a few days ago. Also, because some of you have asked about the letters I'm lying on in the picture to the right. Here's part one:
Taking It All Off in Knoxville,Tennessee
It didn't matter what the voice commanded. I was desperate to know what I was meant to do in life. The choices were endless and staggering, from Stanford mathematician to Broadway ticket seller. From French pastry chef to
Years later, I find myself still awaiting a revelation. No, not a voice announcing what I am to do with my life–somehow I stumbled down the path of a writer and it seems too late to turn back–but I long for a revelation of what I am meant to write. I think I am here to write for children. But am I meant to write easy-to-read primers or lyrical picture books? Fantasy tales of dandies and dragons or biting real life stories of drugs and despair? A novel of teenage sex or a counting book called Ten Aged Socks?
It would be so much easier if Revelation would speak up. A simple "Go forth and ease aching teenage hearts" would be welcome. "Go forth and make fifth-graders giggle" might be fun. I could even tolerate "Go forth scare the pants off pre-teens with hackneyed plots and free-flowing gore" if Revelation were adamant enough.
Until that moment, though, I am in the dark. I do what I used to do in the dark as a kid: read under the covers. I study books about dialogue, books about character development, books about marketing technique. I read in search of answers. Of revelations.
Recently, the book under the covers was The Courage to Write, by Ralph Keyes. What I learned there first shocked, and then shamed me. The shock came on page twenty-eight when I read that some writers hide finished manuscripts in desk drawers. They are terrified of sending them to an editor. Are these writers mad? What use is slaving over the perfect mix of words without a reader to savor the final result? Get it to the starving customers, already!
Yet, the stories of these fearful writers spawned an annoying idea. “Why aren't you afraid to drop an envelope in the mailbox?” it buzzed. "Why don't your stories try to wriggle from your hands and burrow deep into a desk drawer?” Maybe it was because my work was shallow and easily fashioned, instead of deep and fearfully wrought. Maybe I lacked courage. I felt shamed that the only words I’d written that I trembled to send were personal letters.
There was the letter I wrote my first boyfriend, telling him it was over. In it, I swore I loved him (as a friend, of course), but we weren't meant to be. It caused his mother and sister, to whom he showed it, to hate me. We didn't speak again.
There was the letter I sent my parents from college, trumpeting my determination to get married, and detailing the injustice of their opposition. It was about six pages long, passionate, and full of as much confusion as truth. It was written in pain, and induced more pain when it was read.
There were the letters I wrote my husband during our four years of long-distance courtship before we married. Hundreds of letters on such gut-wrenching topics as whether I loved him or not, what I feared most about marriage, and what attracted me to other men. Many of these letters caused major earthquakes when they arrived, and I shook in my shoes as I wrote them and cried after I'd mailed them. At least he didn't show them to his mother. She's a creative seamstress, a generous woman, who might have sewn me into a pillow and donated me to a homeless shelter.
I compared these letters to my more recent work: short stories for children, an occasional nonfiction article, a stab at science fiction for adults, a few word puzzles written out of boredom. My most ambitious project was a one-act play I had begun that month. Of course, I worried about this work: that an embarrassing spelling error would creep in. Or that a story would not meet the needs of the magazine's audience. Or that an article would feature obvious misinformation. But had I trembled to send my words out to editors? No. I was ashamed to admit I had not.
The Courage to Write implied that fear was a natural outcome of writing, like sweat pouring out of skin during ditch digging. Where was my sweat of fear? Maybe I could find it in those early letters. Digging furiously, I unearthed the first letter I had written to my husband and studied it. Lovestruck after just two weeks of dating, and just seventeen, I had composed the following: (continued tomorrow)
Donna,
Thanks for sharing your haikus. I especially like your description of night with winter images. Really lovely!
Beautiful!
Thank you!