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September 22, 2011 - Skype visit with Monroe Catholic School in Fairbanks, Alaska.

October 11, 2011 - LIGHT UP THE NIGHT release. YIPPEEEE!!

October - November 2011 - LIGHT UP THE NIGHT blog tour. Stay tuned for links.

November 7-18, 2011 - LIGHT UP THE LIBRARY auction to benefit the library at Musana Children's Home in Iganga, Uganda.

November 12, 2011 - LIGHT UP THE NIGHT  reading and signing at the Tattered Cover in Highlands Ranch, CO 10:30 A.M.

February 1-12, 2012 presenting at the CCIRA Conference on Literacy.

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Received this in my e-mail inbox today:

Library People—Friends of Colorado Libraries, is having a fundraiser with Barnes & Noble. This is being held on International Literacy Day, September 8, at two main stores:

• The Loveland Centerra Barnes & Noble, 5835 Sky Pond Drive
• And the South Colorado Barnes & Noble, 960 S Colorado Blvd, Denver, noon to 8 p.m. Special appearance by author Dick Kreck (The Smaldones)at this store at 5 p.m.

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Swooning!

LIGHT UP THE NIGHT [KIRKUS STARRED REVIEW!]
By Jean Reidy; illus. by Margaret Chodos-Irvine

The coziest of quilts becomes a rocket ship in this gorgeous, mesmerizingly rhythmic read-aloud that explores a boy’s small place in a vast world. Sporting star-spangled pajamas, the not-too-sleepy astronaut wraps his red-and-white quilt around his shoulders and zooms off into outer space. The slow-building rhyme echoes the cumulative structure of “The House That Jack Built”: “These are the planets that circle the sun, / which hides its face when the day is done, / while stars glow bright / and light up the night, / in my own little piece of the universe.” The soothing rhythms and comforting refrain are just right for very young ears, and the geographical terms will stretch young minds. During the boy’s fanciful flight, his aerial view of Earth includes hemispheres, continents and countries—eventually zeroing in on his own town, house, street and bed. Caldecott Honor–winner Chodos-Irvine’s colorful illustrations are fun and friendly, from the retro linocut spot art of the boy in his bedroom (“This is me”)—to dramatic full-bleed spreads that capture the expansive galaxies, complete with a smiling moon, animal constellations, planets and four-eyed aliens. The richly textured mixed-media artwork—incorporating various printmaking techniques and what looks like cut-paper collage—offers many clever self-referential moments and something new to discover with each reading. A dreamy-yet-instructive ode to the universe. (Picture book. 2-6)

LIGHT UP THE NIGHT [HORN BOOK REVIEW]

by Jean Reidy; illus. by Margaret Chodos-Irvine

Before bedtime, a young boy plays with his toys—vehicles of all kinds, from a truck to a spaceship. He quietly identifies himself by saying, “This is me,” captioning a small spot art illustration surrounded by white space. Why so small? Because, as listeners soon discover, he’s part of something big. His mother tucks him in, but he doesn’t go straight to sleep. Instead, he takes his blanket, transforms it into a rocket ship, and soars off into the vastness of the heavens. Thus begins a cumulative tale that takes him out of this world (“These are my galaxy stars so bright— / they light up the heavens late at night”) and back again to his “own little piece of the universe”: “This is my room, with my name on the door, and my dinosaur lamp, and my rug on the floor.” Soft assonant sounds soothe the cumulative rhyme that parallels nighttime routines through its repetition and structure. Visually, the most important object in the book is the boy’s best bedtime companion: his blanket. Reproduced on the endpapers, the blanket first swaddles the book and then the boy as pieces of it morph into the vehicles that transport him. Double-page spreads of bright but not overpowering collages depict his journey, while the opening and closing actions (of going to bed and going to sleep) are shown in smaller wordless panels, bringing the story full circle. Betty Carter

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TOO PURPLEY! comes out in board book format on July 19th. It's purple. It's adorable. AND it's virtually indestructible. Now that's something to celebrate!

So in honor of its board book birthday I'm holding a

Sign up for a critique by entering your picture book WORKING TITLE in the comment section of this blog post anytime (midnight to midnight Mountain Time) on July 19th. Titles submitted before or after July 19th will not be considered.

I'll throw all titles into a hat and pick 1 for critique.

Keep in mind:
* Manuscripts must be 1000 words or less.

* I accept only fiction.

* Level of detail in the critique will vary based on my impression of the caliber of the writing.

* Please understand that I'm not an editor and will not be providing line-editing of your work. My critique will be comprised of suggestions for improving your manuscript. So please send me your most polished piece.

* The critique winner must e-mail me his/her manuscript as a Word attachment within 48 hours of the announcement . Manuscripts will be kept completely confidential. When I receive the manuscript, I'll let the author know when they can expect my critique.

* As with any art form, likes and dislikes are entirely subjective. Please understand that my critiques are only one reader's/writer's opinion. It's always wise to seek feedback from a few different readers. If my ideas resonate with you, they're yours to use. If you disagree, I encourage you to compare my comments with those of other readers. But in the end, it's your book. Stay true to your vision.


I look forward to reading your work.
Jean

P.S. And don't forget to check out the