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The Five-Minute Brain Workout for Kids: 365 Amazing, Fabulous, and Fun Word Puzzles Written by Kim Chamberlin Illustrated by Jon Chamberlin Sky Pony Press 11/17/2015 978-1-63450-159-0 416 pages Ages 7+ “A PUZZLE A DAY KEEPS THE BRAIN FARTS AWAY” “Get ready to give your brain a full workout each day . . . you’ll find …

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The Runaway Santa: A Christmas Adventure Story Written by Anne Margaret Lewis Illustrated by Aaron Zenz Sky Pony Press     11/03/2015 978-1-63450-589-1 32 pages     Ages 3—6 “Once there was a jolly Santa who wanted to leave the North Pole on an adventure before Christmas! Mrs. Claus, ever watchful of her sweet Mr. …

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Artist Marty Noble has signed a two-book deal with Skyhorse Publishing. She plans to create two adult coloring books: Sugar Skulls and Peaceful World.

Sugar Skulls will be released in January 2016 and Peaceful World will follow in March 2016. Each book contains 48 elaborate line illustrations.

Here’s more from the press release: “To make it easier for budding artists, the pages are perforated and printed on one side, allowing colorists to remove and display their finished designs easily…Since 2013, coloring books targeting adults have topped bestselling charts, selling more than 1.5 million copies in more than 22 languages.”

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Yesterday, the Armed Services Council of the Union League of Philadelphia hosted a celebration of Veterans Day. Well more than 300 people turned out for what was a moving remembrance. My friend Cindy was there; five generations in her family (including her son) have served our nation. General James L. Jones, the 32nd commandant of the United States Marine Corps and a former National Security Advisor to President Obama, was there, receiving the Union League Lincoln Award. The people to my left at the luncheon were remembering Coast Guard duty. Across the way was a man who, through a not-for-profit organization, helps those who lose their limbs to walk and write again.

And in that hallowed space, the Mighty Moms and Wounded Warriors of Walter Reed were honored—by flowers, by gifts, by standing ovations, and by the book, Unbreakable Bonds, released yesterday. Written by Dava Guerin and my friend Kevin Ferris, the book features forewords by President George H.W. Bush and Connie Morella. It tells ten moving stories about young people wounded at war and the mothers who will not leave their sides throughout the healing process. My thoughts on the book, published by Skyhorse, were first shared here.

Kevin isn't just my friend. He is an assistant editor with the editorial board of the Philadelphia Inquirer and a man who served in the US Army from 1976 to 1979. He's the sort of person who consistently shines the light on other writers and broad national and local issues. Yesterday was our chance to thank him and Dava and the Mighty Moms and the Vets and those who love them.

It was, as well, our chance to sing a medley of Service songs—the songs of the Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard. My father, who also served, sang those songs to me when I was young. It was hard to get through them without wiping away a few tears.

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Dixie Wants an Allergy

by Tori Corn & Nancy Cote, illustrator

Sky Pony Press      4/01/2014

978-1-62087-991-7

Age 4 to 8      32 pages

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“It’s Dixie’s first day of school, and some of her classmates are sharing about their allergies. Bridget tells of her wheat allergy and how she gets to order a special meal from restaurants, Dixie thinks that must be a really special meal! And Charlie had to be rushed to the hospital in an ambulance once due to his dairy allergy. Dixie thinks that must have been thrilling! Dixie races home and begins to eagerly search for the slightest sign of an allergy. After many failed attempts, Dixie discovers she is allergic to something after all. But is getting what you wish for actually as exciting as it once appeared?”

Opening

“On the first day of school, Dixie got to know her classmates. Some of them said they had allergies.”

Review

Have you ever wanted something so much you would do almost anything to get that thing? Dixie feels that way about having an allergy. Her kindergarten classmates talk about special bracelets, special restaurants meals, special school snacks, and even special rides in an ambulance, all because they have an allergy. This all sounds grand to Dixie. She goes home and begins searching for her allergy.

Dixie crawls under her bed and sniffs week-old, rank socks and dust bunnies. Nothing happens. She sniffs fresh flowers and waits. Nothing happens. She eats handfuls of pistachios and waits. It works! She gets a stomachache. Mom says she just ate too many pistachios. Oh.

Are you laughing yet? Dixie is a cute little girl. Of her six new friends, three get special treatment because of an allergy. I doubt Dixie understood an allergy is like being sick, and it is definitely not fun. None of her new friends were complaining about their allergy or saying it was a bad thing to have. Maybe Dixie should have asks some questions as she admired the allergy bracelet.

I do love her ingenuity when giving herself spots. Dixie must have a little understanding about allergies. Of course, those red spots do not itch or raise up into a welt. The illustrations use backgrounds of blue and yellow. Even the sky is yellow to represent a hot day. If Dixie had noticed the pinpoint eyes on her classmates, she would have noticed the allergy kids—except for special restaurant meals kid—were not happy when telling of their allergy.

Kids will enjoy Dixie Wants an Allergy, but it is best suited to kids with siblings or friends that already have an allergy, as a way of explaining the disease. According to the World Health Organization, nearly half of all school-age children have an allergy. To help explain the “special treatment” of some students, teachers of young children can read the kids Dixie Wants an Allergy.

I really love the illustration of Dixie marking herself with a red marker, hoping a fake allergy would be as much fun as a real allergy. I don’t have that spread to show you, but when you do see it, it will give you a belly-ache-laugh, especially if you have kids. The author doesn’t leave the story just yet. Dixie goes to school and tells her new friends about her allergy. Then comes a twist. A new thing to be jealous of and wanting for yourself. It’s always something, right? Here is a hint: it involves a photograph.

I like Dixie Wants an Allergy. The story will hold children’s attention, it will make them laugh, they might learn to be careful of what they wish for (as they might just get it), and the twist will start up a new topic of discussion—laughs and smiles included.

 

Buy Dixie Wants an Allergy at Amazon—B&N—Sky Pony Press—your local bookstore.

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Learn more about Dixie Wants an Allergy HERE.

Meet the author, Tori Corn, at her website:  [http://toricorn.com/

Meet the illustrator, Nancy Cote, at her website:   http://nancycote.com/

Find more books at the Sky Pony Press website:  http://www.skyponypress.com/

Sky Pony Press is an imprint of Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.

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Also by Tori Corn

 

 

 

 

 

Also by Nancy Cote

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Filed under: 5stars, Children's Books, Debut Author, Library Donated Books, Picture Book Tagged: Allergies, children's book reviews, Inc., Nancy Cote, picture books, Sky Pony Press, Skyhorse Publishing, Tori Corn, watch what you wish for

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Launching this fall 2011, Sky Pony Press is the children’s book imprint of Skyhorse Publishing. Following in the footsteps of our parent company, our goal is to provide books for readers with a wide variety of interests. As our list grows, we will be publishing fiction, picture books, educational books, novelty books, midgrade, and even reissuing some well-loved classics. Since we do not view our potential readers as generic age groups, but rather as individual children, each with specific talents and needs, we will be publishing in a broad range of subject matter to celebrate their diverse interests.

Many of you have asked what we are looking for, so here are some ideas.  This list will evolve and change as we begin to sell our early lists, so check back occasionally for new information.

We will consider picture books, early readers, midgrade novels, novelties, and informational books for all ages.  Although we are not searching for YA fiction, we would consider projects that tied in with the subject areas in which we are publishing.  We are mainly publishing single titles but are open to series ideas.

Our parent company publishes many excellent books in the fields of ecology, independent living, farm living, wilderness living, recycling, and other green topics, and this will be a theme in our children’s book line. We are also searching for books that have strong educational themes and that help inform children of the world in which they live. We are also interested in books with special needs themes, such as autism, ADHD, food allergies, and so forth.

To submit a manuscript or proposal to Sky Pony, please send an email to skyponysubmissions at skyhorsepublishing dot com.

Attach all material as Word documents—or as a jpeg if art is involved.  Include some relevant information about yourself, including your publishing history, any institutional associations you have, your occupation, a website link if relevant, and, for informational books, your qualifications as an expert in your subject area. Please do not mail hard copies to their office unless requested.

http://www.skyponypress.com/contacts/

Talk tomorrow,

Kathy

Filed under: authors and illustrators, Middle Grade Novels, need to know, New Imprint, News, opportunity, picture books, Places to sumit, publishers, Publishing Industry Tagged: New Chidlren's Imprint, Sky Pony Press, Skyhorse Publishing 3 Comments on New Place to Submit Your Books, last added: 8/16/2011