This is a warning, folks. On June 30th at 7:00 PM a rugged band of children’s and YA authors will be gathering at the Barnes & Noble bookstore at Colonie Center in Colonie, NY.
That’s right, it’s time for the Summer Reading Kickoff Bookfair Spectacular . . . celebrating (wait for it) the Dolly Parton Imagination Library! Because when it comes to Dolly, the first two things anyone thinks of are reading and, erm, I forget the second thing.
So, hey, let’s put the focus on reading this summer. Bring your young readers to pick up their free Barnes & Noble Summer Reading Journal to earn a FREE BOOK and the chance to WIN A NOOK COLOR. Authors will be standing by — sitting, hopefully, on cushy chairs, under a tasteful arrangement of palm fronds — happy to autograph books. Any books.
Check out this list of authors I think will be there . . .
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Julia DeVillers * Aimee Ferris * Rose Kent * Jackie Morse Kessler
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Sarah Darer Littman * Eric Luper * James Preller * Jennifer Roy
Publisher: EgmontUSA (February 8, 2011)
ARC: 265 Pages
Genre: YA Contemporary
Book From Publisher*
From Goodreads. Quigley Johnson has, reluctantly, given up the rest of her last year of high school to take part in her best friend Ann's Betterment Plan, which will turn them into the best-dressed, most sought-after, most admired girls at their senior formal. Because - hey - who doesn't want the perfect prom, complete with a dream dress and a devastatingly handsome date?
But the prom costs money - lots of money - and even though the girls could easily have Ann's mom design their dresses (she's only Victoria Parisi, one of the most famous designers in the world), Ann insists that they pay their own way. And that's how Quigley gets stuck making artistic topping masterpieces on frozen pizzas canvases, before becoming a live model for Ms. Parisi's fashion design class, where she meets Zander.
He's cute, and cool, and funny, with a killer design sensibility (even if he can't sketch). But is he too good to be true? And what about David, the hot, talented artist at school, who's also kind of a jerk, but won't leave Quigley alone? And Ann - she started the Betterment Plan to improve Quigley and herself, but it seems like it's ripping their friendship to shreds.
This road to the prom dream may just end in disaster.
Review by Kate
WILL WORK FOR PROM DRESS, by Aimee Ferris, is an absolutely charming story about a normal girl who works hard to buy a perfect prom dress for a perfect prom. Quigley and Anne are best friends who are seniors in high school. They offer up most of their spare time to part-time jobs to get money for prom. With school, boys, and work piling up, Quigley is on a path of discovery that even she didn't see coming.
This book was chock full of hilarity and bittersweet moments. Ferris charmed me right away with the ridiculous jobs that these girls took on. Quigley was the type of girl who was clumsy and sometimes a bit naive, but I related to her. I felt bad when she was embarrassed and I reminisced to a time where everything was wrong and awkward (AKA high school!). She was the perfect friend to Anne, even when sometimes it wasn't reciprocated. And she managed to be humble with her amazing artistic talent. I think many girls and women alike will enjoy Quigley as much as I did.
I loved the relationship dynamic between Quigley and Zander. It was a typical slow moving type of romance but both of them carried secrets that consistently threatened the couple. Zander was handsome, talented, and an absolute sweetheart. I definitely developed a character-crush on him.
Ferris truly created a fantastic novel. There were unexpected twists and turns that I could not have imagined but added such a great depth to the book. I highly recommend this one!!
*FTC Disclosure: I received this ARC from the publisher. I
Marketing yourself. Yeah, forget the hokey-pokey. We know what it’s really all about in this game. You poor authors and illustrators. Isn’t it enough that you sweat and strain to create the highest quality literature for the generation that will inherit the earth after we are dead and gone . . . and now you’ve gotta go and publicize your own book yourself?!? Who’s the yahoo who made THAT rule up? I feel your pain, and so in an effort to help you I shall direct you, today anyway, to someone who shows that the best way to bring attention to yourself is to be creative, low-key, and involve a lot of other folks. The author of Will Work for Prom Dress, Aimee Ferris (she of many names) has for the past few weeks been “posting daily photos of ‘mystery YA authors’ in their angsty teen best (showcasing a range of tragic teen fashion choices), as well as a few truly surly anti-prom shots on http://willworkforpromdress.com/ in anticipation of my upcoming book release on Feb 8.” She’s calling it the “Promapalooza” and promises that in the future weeks there will be serious cases of “Man Perm” an “Agent Week” and much much more. What she has up already is pretty impressive though. I’m not giving away who the cute gal in this photo I lifted from her site is, but I will say that she has a picture book out this year (and she’s definitely not me).
- Speaking of Blue Rose Girls, we’ve all heard of authors and illustrators talking about getting “the call” that told them they’d won a Caldecott or a Newbery. But an agent talking about getting “the call”? I’ve never heard of that one before.
- Well, geez. I was all set to tell you about Ward Jenkins and his crazy contest to convince enough people to “Like” his Facebook profile page for the upcoming picture book Chicks Run Wild. He said that if 300 people “liked” it he’d wear a chicken suit. The happy ending? It hit 333 as of this post. Didn’t need my help. Chicken suit-up, Ward my man.
More than just a dog that dies — a dog you have to shoot yourself. Even better!
ew, what next, SOUNDER kibbles?
when, oh please, when will they stop destroying jay ward cartoons? who watches those things? my kids loved the originals when i showed them the DVDs and had no desire to see any of the movies that were made because the “looked dumb.”
and while i agree about john hodgman, i think he’s more deserving an original creation for voice work. something in the pixar family, i believe.
finally, i’ve had my eye on picking up a copy of suzuki bean ever since i found out about it a year ago. i’ve read the scribd copy but its become a sort of fetish desire object for me. i cannot explain why.
They named the dog food after a dog that GOES MAD, then dies. Hm. Nutrition at it’s best. Wacky.
You know, I would’ve suited up and worn that chicken suit in public even if I *didn’t* hit that magic number 300.
It’s crazy the things we have to do to get our books noticed!
I loved All of a Kind Family, and I was a Catholic kid growing up in the New Orleans area. I also loved Miriam Chaikin’s books, although hers were more subdued and serious (from what I remember…it’s been a while, but I think one of the siblings was chronically ill?).
Hodgman did do the voice of the dad in Coraline. And I too am horrified by the notion of a Peabody movie but . . . . GAH! Not to have Hodgman, if you’re going to make the film anyway, seems the greatest crime of all. Downey Jr. can be Sherman, if he wants.
Why stop at rabid dead dog food? How about Velveteen Rabbit Food (plush and inedible and maybe tinged with scarlet fever, but LOOKS Real) or Wanda Gag Cat Chow (dosed with fertility drugs)?
And thanks for the All-of-a-Kind shout-out, Betsy!
rams, that sounds like a great/horrible tagline for the bag “Old Yeller Dog Chow – for the dog you have to shoot yourself!”
I too loved All-of-a-Kind Family. Thanks for the heads up on that lovely article!
I live in KC, but haven’t been to the Reading Reptile in a while. I might have to scoot over there and see what’s what with the DNA collection…
Thanks for the shout out, Elizabeth. Much appreciated,
James Preller (Fathersread.com)
Enjoyed the All-of-a-Kind Family article so much!! (There are five of the books, but I only knew about four of them till I was a parent, when I found the fifth.)
Also, there’s a great article linked in the All-of-a-Kind Family comments – links to a post about fictional characters reading about other fictional characters (as Henny in All-of-a-Kind Family waits early for the sequel to Anne of Green Gables, a plot point I had forgotten).
http://eveninaustraliakidlit.blogspot.com/2011/01/to-get-all-meta-on-you-books-about.html