The Meaning of Maggie Blog Tour with Interview & Giveaway

Thank you to Chronicle Books and Megan Jean Sovern for inviting me to be a part of this Blog Tour for The Meaning of Maggie.  

So, first can I say where was this book when I was a couple of years older than Maggie and my mom was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis? 

If THE MEANING OF MAGGIE had existed way, way back then, it would have been my favorite book and you would have been my favorite author. (I still think you are really cool. =>) I really felt that no one understood especially since my mother's MS wasn't as visible in those early years but it still significantly impacted my family and me.

It’s just so curious because I really struggled with whether or not it should ever be revealed that Maggie’s dad has MS. I just didn’t think enough people would be able to relate to it. I was always the only kid with a parent who had it. And to be honest, I never felt a real connection to the illness. I heard those two letters a lot around my house but I never really knew what they meant. My dad could have had a really prolonged case of the chickenpox for all I knew.

But in the end it seemed most right to share that he had MS. We didn’t want to keep readers in the dark especially when we were asking so much of them. This story is a big emotional investment. That’s why I advise reading it with chocolate in close proximity.

As you were writing the story, were you thinking about the story that you wanted to tell or did you also think about how it might resonate with other readers who had their own experiences with a family member with MS?  I know that everyone's story/experience is different but when I meet someone who had a parent with MS I feel a certain connection with them. 

When I started writing I didn’t consider the reader as much as I considered the story. And how this story about these people being challenged by this disease was one worth telling. I didn’t think as much readers because I didn’t know if there would ever be any readers. It was just a Word Document for such a long time. One that I kept coming back to not knowing if I would ever let it see the light of day.

This story was in my bones because I lived it in many ways and because I just couldn’t walk away from it. No matter how hard I tried.

But now that it is out in the world, I’m so happy people with similar stories feel connected to it.

You chose to set the book in 1988 (not sure if that makes it historical fiction or not?!), but was there a reason to tell the story in that time period vs. the present day? From reading some things on-line and in the acknowledgements, it seems that the story is very autobiographical and I was wondering if that played a part in the decision for the time period? 

I mostly set the book in 1988 because I didn’t want Maggie to be able to Google every single thing. There’s a lot of mystery surrounding her life that could be easily solved with the Internet. I also set it in 1988 because that’s when Spaceballs came out on VHS and it was really important to me that Maggie like Spaceballs.

In one review on-line, someone mentioned that it felt odd that Maggie's family would have kept her in the dark about her father's condition. Since my mother tried to keep her diagnosis hidden for a while, I could relate to Maggie and also to her discovery of what MS is. Do you feel that families are more open to talking about these kinds of issues or concerns with children today than they were 20+ years ago? 

I don’t know if families are more open about sharing big issues today because they want to. I think it may be out of necessity. Again, kids just have access to so much information and I think you want them to be informed in an educated and responsible way. The Internet is a scary place for everybody. Except for cats. I feel like cats have a really safe and cozy home on the Internet.

I noticed that Chronicle has included the soundtrack (http://rd.io/x/QbRJUDPfhYw/ ) for the book? How did you select the music?  

Every book should have a soundtrack. We should really try to get this signed into law. The music we chose is pulled from the pages of Maggie. Her dad is such a dedicated hippie fan of rock n’ roll and the scenes they share over music are some of my favorites. I also listened to so much of it while I was writing. The Rolling Stones have some mellower melodies that are perfect for writing. Just put on Wild Horses and heat up a muffin and you have a perfect day of revising ahead of you.

To shift directions some, do you have other stories that you plan on sharing with readers? Any projects that you are working on that you can share with us? 

Oh gosh, I do have another story I am working on but it’s in the very early Post-It note and scrap paper stages. But I have high hopes it will take shape. Other than that I am doing my best to share Maggie with the world. I am also trying to keep three tomato plants alive. I don’t have such high hopes for them.

Finally, were there any questions that you wish I had asked? If so, what was it and what would be your answer? 

I wish you would have asked me my favorite thing about cinnamon rolls. And I would have said I love EVERYTHING about cinnamon rolls.

By the way, I truly appreciate your choice and the choice of Chronicle Books to donate a portion of the sales of the book to the National MS Society. 

I think I cried more buckets when Chronicle Books told me about this generous donation than when they actually bought Maggie. It just means the world. They are good people. Yes, indeed.

Side note: The nature of this book just hit me on a much more personal level then most books do that my questions were of a much more personal nature and I appreciate Megan's willingness to answer them. Here was her final comment...

I just can’t believe there are others out there like us! I really hope you felt at home in this story. It has been such a nice thing for me to come back to whenever I need to revisit all those many moons ago. MS is a terrible, horrible thing. But it does offer a few beautiful moments. Watching my dad give it his all shaped my whole entire life. I’m sure you feel the same way about your mom. Thank you so much for sharing your story.

The Meaning of Maggie

by Megan Jean Sovern

Chronicle Books (May 6, 2014)

Audience: Ages 8-12

IndieBound * WorldCat 

About the book:
As befits a future President of the United States of America, Maggie Mayfield has decided to write a memoir of the past year of her life. And what a banner year it’s been! During this period she’s Student of the Month on a regular basis, an official shareholder of Coca-Cola stock, and defending Science Fair champion. Most importantly, though, this is the year Maggie has to pull up her bootstraps (the family motto) and finally learn why her cool-dude dad is in a wheelchair, no matter how scary that is. Author Megan Jean Sovern, herself the daughter of a dad with multiple sclerosis, writes with the funny grace and assured prose of a new literary star.

A portion of the proceeds of the sale of this book will be donated to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Read a chapter here:

Meaning of Maggie by ChronicleBooks

Watch the Official Book Trailer:




Additional resources: Discussion Guide

click on image to go to PDF

About the author:

Megan Jean Sovern is a purveyor of fine teas, old time-y music and hugs. Recently she was in a bad break-up with muffins and her life hasn’t been the same since. She’s often mistaken for a seventh grader but don’t be fooled, she is very grown-up. A grown-up who watches television past ten o’clock and everything.

Before her first leap into fiction, she was an advertising copywriter for many moons where she worked with top-notch talent mostly named Matt or Karen.

She lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband Ted and his near complete collection of Transformers. He doesn’t like it when she says, “Zoinks.”

Her website: http://meganjeansovern.com/ 

Additional Blog Tour Stops:

5/13/2014          Chronicle Books.com  

5/14/2014          VVB32 reads   

5/15/2014          Mother Daughter Book Club    

5/16/2014          Actin' Up with Books   

5/17/2014          The Haunting of Orchid Forsythia       

5/18/2014          Kid Lit Frenzy 

5/19/2014          The Children's Book Review    

5/20/2014          Let's Get Busy podcast

Thank you to Chronicle Books, one lucky reader will be selected to receive a copy of The Meaning of Maggie plus a set of Maggie buttons.  You must be 13 years or older and have a US or Canadian mailing address.  Please enter the giveaway by filling out the Rafflecopter below.

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Always Emily Blog Tour, Guest Post & Giveaway

Today, I welcome Michaela MacColl to Kid Lit Frenzy. She shares with readers about The Forgotten Bronte.

Michaela MacColl

Thanks for hosting a stop on the Always Emily blog tour. I’m having a blast writing about the Bronte family and how I placed Charlotte and Emily Bronte in the middle of a mystery on the moors. I have found that so many people are fascinated by the Bronte sisters – and rightly so.

The Brontes were a close-knit family who lived in a parsonage at the edge of the moors in Haworth. Their father was a reverend and they had very little money. The four children (there were originally six, but two daughters died of tuberculosis at an early age) couldn’t afford to go to school so they were educated at home. Charlotte was the eldest, followed by the only boy, Branwell, then Emily and Anne. The children began writing from an early age, devising complex poems, novels and plays about imaginary worlds. They bound their stories in tiny books that require a magnifying glass to read.

As the world knows, Charlotte went on to write Jane Eyre and Emily wrote Wuthering Heights. Anne wrote The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. These novels were acclaimed and talked about during the girls’ lifetime. But what about Branwell? What about the only boy of the family? What did he accomplish.

Not much. Although considered bright and a fine conversationalist, he struggled to find his way. He wanted to write but couldn’t get his stories accepted to his favorite Blackwood Magazine. He eventually had some poems published in a local newspaper under another name. He had some drawing skill (see the self-portrait he drew).

But he wasn’t able to make it as an artist. He went to London to go to the Royal Academy as a painting student, but he lost his nerve and drank away his tuition and returned home with his tail between his legs. He tried working as a railway clerk (but was fired for incompetence ) and as a tutor (but was fired for having an affair with his employer’s wife). He ended up becoming addicted to opiates and drinking too much before he died of tuberculosis at the early age of 31.

To many biographers Branwell represented the perfect Romantic hero. His early promise seems so wasted. Some clever researchers decided that Branwell must have helped his sisters with their famous novels. This claim has been thoroughly debunked – there’s no evidence that he even knew that the novels had been published before his death. Daphne DuMaurier, the author of Rebecca, tried to rehabilitate Branwell in her The Infernal World of Branwell Bronte. But even du Maurier who was a brilliant storyteller couldn’t make Branwell’s story compelling. She loses patience with him by the end of her biography – no doubt just as his sisters did.

Charlotte and Emily have become renowned authors, whose work is still relevant and beloved today. Branwell has been more or less forgotten. I had fun using him in Always Emily as a rather pathetic figure who needs to be protected by his big sister. But perhaps Branwell had the final word: he painted the most famous portrait of the Bronte sisters. Originally he had painted himself in the picture, but then (in a fit of 19th c. style photoshopping) he edited himself out of the picture, leaving a conspicuious void. Poor Branwell!




It’s been a pleasure. Please visit me at www.michaelamaccoll.com or follow me on Twitter at @MichaelaMacColl or check out Author Michaela MacColl on Facebook.

Check out the Official Book Trailer for Always Emily:



About Always Emily:

Emily and Charlotte Brontë are about as opposite as two sisters can be. Charlotte is practical and cautious; Emily is headstrong and imaginative. But they do have one thing in common: a love of writing. This shared passion will lead them to be two of the first published female novelists and authors of several enduring works of classic literature. But they’re not there yet. First, they have to figure out if there is a connection between a string of local burglaries, rumors that a neighbor’s death may not have been accidental, and the appearance on the moors of a mysterious and handsome stranger. The girls have a lot of knots to untangle— before someone else gets killed.

To purchase a copy: Chronicle | IndieBound | Kobo |  Apple iTunes


To read an excerpt of the book on Scribd.

To download a CCSS aligned teacher's discussion guide, click here.

Follow the Tour:

Tuesday, April 8: Actin’ Up With Books
Wednesday, April 9: vvb32 reads
Thursday, April 10: The Children’s and Teens’ Book Connection
Friday, April 11: Teenreads Blog
Saturday, April 12: Caught Between the Pages
Sunday, April 13: The Bookish Daydreamer
Monday, April 14: Forever Young Adult
Tuesday, April 15: Kid Lit Frenzy - You are here!
Wednesday, April 16: Tales of a Ravenous Reader
Thursday, April 17: YA Book Shelf
Friday, April 18: The Book Cellar
Saturday, April 19: Mother Daughter Book Club

To enter to win a signed copy of Always Emily, please fill out the Rafflecopter below.  Open to those with US or Canadian mailing addresses.


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Going Over Blog Tour - Interview with Author Beth Kephart & Giveaway

Beth Kephart stops by to talk about her new book, GOING OVER, and shares with us about her own writing journey, favorite Indie Bookstore, and more.

GOING OVER takes place in 1983. Do you see this as a story that is told in the recent past or historical fiction? Does the difference even matter? 

I love that you ask — does the difference matter. Because I am just the worst of the worsts when it comes to labeling things. I think of GOING OVER precisely as you describe it—a story that takes place in 1983. Because I live inside that space in my imagination, it feels like right this instant.

What drew you to the story of Ada and Stefan? 

I had a conversation with my editor, Tamra Tuller, about Berlin—a city to which we have both traveled and a city with which we both fell in love. We felt it was important to tell a very personal story about the impact of the Wall. The Wall came first, then. And then I began to study geography, character, the historical record. Ada and Stefan emerged from that.

Authors doing research for books have some great tips and ideas for gaining information. Do you have one or two techniques that English teachers could adapt to make writing projects/prompts more interesting for students? 

There’s little I love more than doing the research. My gosh, it breaks my world wide open with the new. I think the trick lies in making the whole thing relevant, making it feel urgent. So, for example, Ada has pink hair. I needed to be sure that she would have access, in 1983, to pink dye, I needed to know how the pink hair would grow out, all of that stuff. I hopped on down to my hairdresser. Sat in her chair. Had her talk to me about hair color and its history. And then she began to talk to me about graffiti, believe it or not. And she gave me the details with which I begin the book.

What is your book story? (What was the book that made you a reader/writer and who was the person who recommended it if there was someone?) 

The book that made me a reader/writer! What a great question. Well. Let’s see. I was a writer (or thought I was) before I was a real reader, I hate to admit (since everything is wrong about that). Then again, I was only nine years old. But I have to say that it was a research project I did when I was sixteen (the subject: F. Scott and Hemingway) that turned me into a reader. You couldn’t stop me after that. For many years, I read only nonfiction—biography and history. (I majored in the History and Sociology of Science at Penn.) When I was in my early thirties I turned to memoir. Then I became a book omnivore.

Is there an author or authors that influenced your writing journey? 

I wish you could come to my house and see the hundreds upon hundreds of triple stacked books on my many shelves. (My house isn’t big, but my shelves are wide and long.) Every single book here has influenced me in some way — either because I loved it or because I didn’t and because, no matter what, I study the pages to understand why. But I happen to love Michael Ondaatje, Alice McDermott, Colum McCann, Chloe Aridjis, and many, many others. Really, the emphasis is on many.

What is your favorite indie bookstore? Where is it located? Why do you like it? 

I have visited many a great independent bookstore in my day. Locally I love, for example, that Children’s Book World, the Spiral Bookcase, Main Point Books, Harleysville Books, and Chester County Book Company are still here and near and proud. In Florence, Italy, I love Paperback Exchange. In California, I love Book Passage, Copperfield, and Kepler’s. In Decatur, GA, it’s all about Little House of Stories. In Larchmont, NY, it’s all about The Voracious Reader. When I’m on the Penn campus I always visit the used bookstore, The Last Word, and always bring something home (most recently Bill Bryson’s Mother Tongue). But I also have to mention the very first independent bookstore I ever frequented, as a young college girl. It’s called Joseph Fox Bookshop. Fabulously small and fabulously smart, in the city of Philadelphia. I bought every single architecture book they had, way back when. And today, at many Philadelphia events, you can count on Fox to be there.

Any new projects that you are working on that you can share with us? 

Gosh, yes. Many new projects. Next year, Chronicle will publish One Thing Stolen, a book that takes place in Florence, Italy, and West Philadelphia. In the fall, Temple University Press will re-release my river autobiography, Flow: The Life and Times of Philadelphia’s Schuylkill River, as a paperback—excited about that, because it’s such an odd, little book and because my river was just named PA River of the Year (woot) and because, after all these years, schools are beginning to assign the book in their science and literature classes. I’m also at work on an essay/photography collection about Philadelphia, based on my monthly columns for the Philadelphia Inquirer. And I have just started work on a new novel.

What is in your TBR (to-be-read) pile? Can you share a picture of it? 

Well, you just opened up a huge can of words, I mean worms. Because my TBR pile is the oddest one in the universe. I teach memoir at Penn, and so there are some old and new memoirs in there (not to mention my students’ work). I review adult novels for the Chicago Tribune, and so I’ve got some stuff I cannot show you. I’m still fascinated by Berlin and by walls in general, so I’m reading some new texts like Within Walls and Border Patrol Nation. I’m reading about linguistics and environmental science, I want to read several grand new novels like The Flamethrowers. I’m halfway through Andrew Smith’s Grasshopper Jungle. And on my Kindle reader is Boy, Snow, Bird. Yep. I’m one confused, crazy person.

Going Over

by Beth Kephart 

Chronicle Books (April 2014)

To read a excerpt:

Going Over by ChronicleBooks

What would Ada and Stefan have listened to on their Sony Walkmen?



Check out the blog tour schedule here

4/2/2014 My Friend Amy
4/3/2014 The Flyleaf Review
4/4/2014 The Book Swarm
4/5/2014 There’s A Book
4/6/2014 YA Romantics
4/7/2014 Teenreads Blog
4/8/2014 The 3 R’s Blog
4/9/2014 Forever Young Adult
4/10/2014 Kid Lit Frenzy
4/11/2014 Tales of the Ravenous Reader
4/12/2014 Addicted 2 Novels

Enter to win a copy of Going Over - the book and audiobook.  Please enter by completing the Rafflecopter below.  The winner must have a US mailing address and be over 13 years old. 

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Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday - Josephine: The Dazzling Life of Josephine Baker

Josephine: The Dazzling Life of Josephine Baker

Words by Patricia Hruby Powell

Illustrated by Christian Robinson

Chronicle Books (January 14, 2014)

Biography * Jazz Age * Women's History

"I shall dance all my life...I would like to die, breathless, spent, at the end of the dance." 

- Josephine Baker, 1927

Description from GoodReads:
In exuberant verse and stirring pictures, Patricia Hruby Powell and Christian Robinson create an extraordinary portrait of the passionate performer and civil rights advocate Josephine Baker, the woman who worked her way from the slums of St. Louis to the grandest stages in the world. Meticulously researched by both author and artist, Josephine's powerful story of struggle and triumph is an inspiration and a spectacle, just like the legend herself.

My thoughts on this book:
For Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesdays, I usually try to review only books that are current year releases.  It's just the way I set up the challenge.  However, when this book arrived in the mail from Chronicle Books, I just had to share it.

I first learned of Josephine Baker when I was exploring different African American writers, artists, and musicians that were part of the Harlem Renaissance for a project.  However, I wish I had had this book when I was working on that project.

Patricia Hruby Powell and Christian Robinson make a dynamic duo with this book.  Powell moves through Josephine's life beginning in St. Louis and traveling through her life as she journeyed from St. Louis to New Orleans to Philadelphia to New York and eventually Paris.  Josephine found a home and place where she felt accepted in Paris.  Throughout the book, readers discover Josephine as an entertainer and also some of the other aspects of  her life which included being a spy for France and her tendency to live in excess.  The story is told through quotes, poems, and verse in a manner that captures the essence that was Josephine. Robinson meticulously matches Powell's text with vibrant illustrations that perfectly captures Josephine's personality.

At the end, both Powell and Robinson include notes about their research, inspiration, and process in creating this beautiful tribute to Josephine Baker. 

This book is a must add to your classroom or school library biography collection for middle graders. Look for it at your local independent bookstore when it comes out in January.      

Pair it up with:

Jazz Age Josephine

by Jonah Winters; Illustrated by Marjorie Priceman

Atheneum Books for Young Readers (January 2012)

Link up your nonfiction reviews:

Thirty Days of Thanksgiving - Day 10

I have a simple post today...I am simply thankful for getting through the day.  I had an assignment due for my online class, and I had book club today and a few other things.  At one point, I wasn't sure I was going to get everything done. But it is over and everything turned out okay and for that I am very grateful.

....and for my picture book recommendation for the day I have picked a parody of Little Red Riding Hood in honor of our book club theme of fairy tales (we read Far, Far Away by Tom McNeal):

Little Red Writing 

by Joan Holub; Illustrated by Melissa Sweet

Chronicle Books (September 24, 2013)

Thirty Days of Thanksgiving - Day 1

Today is the first day of November.  Its the month that we celebrate Thanksgiving.  However, so often food preparation and eating, holiday sales, and general busy lives crowd out time to express gratitude.  I have a lot to be thankful for and need to take a moment to acknowledge those things.

So, today I am thankful for....

.....the community of friends that surround me and remind me of how rich my life really is.

.....homemade brownies baked with snickers that a friend made.

....a moment of quiet to reflect on all the amazing things in the world.

Also, today kicks of Picture Book Month.  And what better way to celebrate than by reading...

GIVING THANKS: 

Poems, Prayers, and Praise Songs of Thanksgiving

Edited with reflections by 

Katherine Paterson

Illustrated by Pamela Dalton

Chronicle Books (October 15, 2013)

What are you thankful for?

Carnivores Book Trailer & Giveaway

Carnivores

Author:  Aaron Reynolds

Illustrator:  Dan Santat

ISBN 978-0-8118-6690-3

Audience: Ages 5 to 8

Publication Date: September 2013

Description from Chronicle Books:
The lion is king of the jungle!
The great white shark is sovereign of the seas!
The timber wolf is emperor of the forests!
But . . . it’s lonely at the top of the food chain. It’s difficult to fit in when plant eaters can be so cruel—just because you ate a relative of theirs that one time! What’s a carnivore to do? Aaron Reynolds’s roaringly funny text is perfectly paired with Dan Santat’s mouthwatering illustrations, creating a toothsome book that’s sure to stand out from the herd.

Aaron Reynolds has written many delicious books for kids including the Caldecott Honor Book Creepy Carrots. Though Aaron spent six years as a vegetarian, he is now a committed carnivore. He lives in Chicago.

Dan Santat is the illustrator of many acclaimed books and the creator of Disney’s animated hit The Replacements. He lives in Southern California with his wife, two kids, a rabbit, a bird, and one cat.

Check out this great book trailer by Dan Santat:
 

Here is a peek at some pages:

It is tough being a vegetarian when your natural inclination is to be a carnivore.

Click here to download the Activity Kit.

Thanks to Chronicle, enter to win a special Carnivores Prize Pack including the book.  This giveaway is open to those with US or Canadian mailing addresses.  You must be 13 or older to enter.

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Sea Monster And the Bossy Fish Blog Tour - Giveaway & Interview with Kate Messner

When I was asked to participate in the Sea Monster and the Bossy Fish: Making Fishy Friends Blog Tour, I was thrilled.  I adore both Sea Monster's First Day and Sea Monster and the Bossy Fish.  And Kate Messner is an amazing author who writes picture books and early chapter books and middle grade novels and is one of my favorite authors.   Today, I am excited to welcome author, Kate Messner to Kid Lit Frenzy.  Thanks Kate for stopping by and chatting.

The Sea Monster books are wonderful and funny and have great lessons. What inspired you to write about a Sea Monster of all things and did you have someone in mind when you created the character?

Aw, thanks! The inspiration for Ernest the Sea Monster actually came from the legendary lake monster where I live: Champ of Lake Champlain. I’m not making this up…really. We have a Loch-Ness-Monster-esque lake monster that people have reported seeing since the 1600s. I always thought the people who reported those sightings were a bit over-imaginative until my family saw a big, unidentified something swimming through the waters near our house about eight years ago. What was it? I’m still not sure, but whatever it was, it got my writer’s brain churning, and the first sea monster book was the result!

Now that you are a full-time writer, what is the hardest thing or the thing you miss the most about the start of the school year?

The smell of new pencils. Confession: I have a bit of an office supply addiction, so I still pick up a few school supplies for myself when I do my kids’ fall shopping. I love teaching, and I’d miss it like crazy if teaching weren’t still very much a part of my job. These days, instead of showing up in the same classroom each morning, though, I’m visiting schools around the country to give presentations and writing workshops for kids, and I love it.

If you can spend the day with your favorite book character (not a character that you wrote) who would it be and what would you do?

Albus Dumbledore. I’d ask him to teach me everything he knows and share his lemon drops.

What is one book that you read over and over again as a child? What book did you never return to the library because you loved it so much and couldn’t let it go? 

Oh, gosh…there wasn’t just one! I was a voracious reader as a kid and remain one today. My favorites growing up were Beverly Cleary’s Ramona books and Judy Blume’s TALES OF A FOURTH GRADE NOTHING.

What was the book that turned you into a reader? 

Honestly, I don’t know. I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t a reader. My parents joke that they had to stop having dinner parties because I’d follow their guests around lugging a huge pile of books and looking pathetic until someone put down his or her drink and read to me.

What new projects are you working on?

I’m super-excited about my next picture book with Chronicle, which comes out in the spring. It’s called TREE OF LIFE, and it’s about Costa Rica’s almendro tree – a rainforest giant that provides food and shelter of various sorts to more than a thousand different kinds of organisms. In addition to exploring biodiversity, this book plays with numbers, too, as the animals multiply from page to page. I’m also putting the finishing touches on the third title in my Marty McGuire chapter book series with Scholastic (MARTY MCGUIRE HAS TOO MANY PETS!) and working on a new middle grade novel called ALL THE ANSWERS – my first book that involves magic! That one comes out in 2015.

What is the name of your favorite Indie bookstore and where is it located? 

Oh dear…I’m not sure I can choose just one because there are SO many amazing indies out there. But a few of my beloved local favorites are Flying Pig Books, Phoenix Books, and Bear Pond Books in Vermont and the fabulous Bookstore Plus in Lake Placid, which handles signed book sales for my Skype classroom visits. All of these stores have incredible, book-loving people behind the counters and are truly special places for readers.

What are you reading? 

My TBR pile (and currently reading pile) is always an eclectic mix of kids’ books and research, mixed in with the occasional grown-up book. Here’s what’s on the table by the couch right now…

Anything that you wished I had asked you about? Or anything else that you care to share with the readers of Kid Lit Frenzy? 

Just a big thank you! The readers of SEA MONSTER’S FIRST DAY are the reason that our lovable Ernest is back. I so appreciate everyone who loved this book and shared it, and I hope you’ll enjoy SEA MONSTER AND THE BOSSY FISH just as much!

Teachers, Librarians, and Parents - Chronicle has provided a "Friend Fish" Pledge.  

click on image to download PDF

To check out all of the post for the Sea Monster Blog tour, check out Chronicle Book's Interview with Kate Messner, here.

Thanks to Chronicle Books for providing a copy of Sea Monster and the Bossy Day by Kate Messner to one lucky reader.  Please enter the rafflecopter form below.  Participants need to be 13 years or older and have a US or Canadian mailing address.

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How a visit to an Indie Bookstore brings me to a picture book post on Chronicle Books...

Recently, I have been to a couple of author events at Skylight Books in Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles.  It is a quirky, artsy, independent bookstore in a quirky, diverse, artsy neighborhood.  I would spend more time visiting the store if it wasn't such an annoying drive to get there. 

However, while I was there yesterday waiting for Elizabeth Ross' book launch to begin, I spent some time browsing in the children's corner.  It made me realize that Chronicle Books is a perfect match with Skylight Books.  Both have the same quirky, artsy, indie feel that I have come to love and appreciate, which made me realize that I have a stack of picture books from Chronicle that I was trying to figure out how to feature.

Out of the stack of Chronicle Picture books here are some of my favorites that are sure to delight your youngest readers....

Upcoming Releases:

WIGGLE! and HIDE AND SEEK by Taro Gomi
Ages Infant to 2; Board Books - August 2013

DIGGERS GO by Steve Light
Ages 2 to 5; Board Book - August 2013

Sea Monster and Bossy Fish by Kate Messner; Illustrated by Andy Rash
Ages 3 to 6; Hardcover - August 2013

Ah Ha! by Jeff Mack
Ages 2 to 5; Hardcover - September 2013

Yeti Turn Out the Light by Greg Long and Chris Edmundson; Illustrated by Wednesday Kirwan
Ages 3 to 6; Hardcover - September 2013

The Bear's Song by Benjamin Chaud
Agues 3 to 6; Hardcover - October 2013

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday - On a Beam of Light

Author: Jennifer Berne
Illustrator: Vladimir Radunsky
Publisher: Chronicle Books (April 23, 2013)
Audience: 2nd to 5th grade
Source: Purchased
biographical *nonfiction * scientists

Description from GoodReads:
A boy rides a bicycle down a dusty road. But in his mind, he envisions himself traveling at a speed beyond imagining, on a beam of light. This brilliant mind will one day offer up some of the most revolutionary ideas ever conceived. From a boy endlessly fascinated by the wonders around him, Albert Einstein ultimately grows into a man of genius recognized the world over for profoundly illuminating our understanding of the universe. Jennifer Berne and Vladimir Radunsky invite the reader to travel along with Einstein on a journey full of curiosity, laughter, and scientific discovery. Parents and children alike will appreciate this moving story of the powerful difference imagination can make in any life.

My thoughts on this book:
I have read a few children's biographies on Albert Einstein.  Many were well done.  However, Berne's On a Beam of Light: A Story of Albert Einstein seems to have captured my attention on a different level.  Maybe it has to do with Radunsky's quirky illustrations that seem to spotlight Einstein's unique personality. Or maybe it just is the Berne's ability to write about Einstein in a personal way for young readers.  There is enough description of Einstein's early years and schooling to give readers a sense about Einstein.  Adults who know more of Einstein's background should feel that just the right balance of highlights from Einstein's life is mixed with some of the things that made Einstein such a great physicist. 

"He was racing through space on a beam of light"...doesn't the image above perfectly capture Berne's text?!

There is something about this picture of Einstein walking without shoes and licking an ice cream cone that made this a favorite image of mine.  I guess it felt like it captured Einstein's unique personality which always seemed to hint at his inner child.

Berne includes some great notes on the end page which can be used to encourage further learning and research.  Can I just say this is a wonderful book and you should go out and buy it?  Seriously, add it to your classroom or school library.  Read it aloud to kids.  However, no matter what you do, don't miss this book.

For more information about Jennifer Berne: website | publisher page

Don't forget to link up your nonfiction reviews:

Flora and the Flamingo by Molly Idle

Chronicle Books is one of those publishers that I count on to produce fun, creative books.  Sometimes those books are oversized.  Sometimes they have flaps, or pieces to open up or unfold.  I call these books "surprises on the inside".   The latest of these books:

Flora and the Flamingo by Molly Idle

From the publisher: In this innovative wordless picture book with interactive flaps, Flora and her graceful flamingo friend explore the trials and joys of friendship through an elaborate synchronized dance. With a twist, a turn, and even a flop, these unlikely friends learn at last how to dance together in perfect harmony. Full of humor and heart, this stunning performance (and splashy ending!) will have readers clapping for more! 

Molly Idle began her career as an artist working for DreamWorks Feature Animation, and from there she leapt into the world of children’s books. She lives in Tempe, Arizona.

Here's the Official Book Trailer - once you finish watching, go look for this at your local independent bookstore.

 

Book Review - Open This Little Book

Author: Jesse Klausmeier
Illustrator: Suzy Lee
Publisher: Chronicle Books (January 1, 2013)
Audience: Ages 4 to 7 years
Source: Copy for Review

Description from GoodReads:
What will you find when you open this little book? A fun story? Sweet characters? Enticing pictures? Yes! But much more. Open this book and you will find...another book...and another...and another. Debut author Jesse Klausmeier and master book creator Suzy Lee have combined their creative visions to craft a seemingly simple book about colors for the very youngest readers, an imaginative exploration of the art of book making for more sophisticated aficionados, and a charming story of friendship and the power of books for all.

My thoughts on this book:
Take a debut author with a creative book concept, mix in a skilled illustrator, and finish off with a publisher who gets  books that are not always mainstream (in size or concept) and you have a winner.  Delving into Klausmeier's debut picture book, Open This Little Book, was similar to opening a specially wrapped present that is just as special on the inside and is a win all the way to the end.

When I started to read, Open This Little Book, I expected a much more traditional story.  Instead I discovered the need to interact with the story by opening each book within a book.  Concepts such as colors, names of animals, and size are brought to life.  There is also a sense of coming full circle - first going from larger to smaller and then back and beyond.  Repetitive language assists younger readers to have success with reading the book, and also experience the comfort of a predictable pattern. 

If you haven't seen Open This Little Book at a local bookstore or library, please make sure that they order it.  You won't want to miss Klausmeier's debut picture book.        

More about Jesse Klausmeier: website | facebook | twitter | pinterest

More about Suzy Lee: website

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday - A Strange Place to Call Home

Author:  Marilyn Singer
Illustrator:  Ed Young
Publisher: Chronicle Books (August 22, 2012)
Source: Copy for Review
Audience:  Grades 1st to 5th
Poetry * Animal Habitats * Nonfiction

Description from GoodReads:
Under the desert's cracked and barren skin, spadefoot toads are waiting for rain. In the endless black of the deepest caves, blind fish find their way. Even in the frozen hearts of glaciers, ice worms by the billion flourish. In this fascinating look at fourteen animals who defy the odds by thriving in Earth's most dangerous places, renowned poet Marilyn Singer and celebrated artist Ed Young show that of all the miracles of life, it is life's persistence that astounds the most.

My thoughts on this book:
Take one talented poet, such as Marilyn Singer, and pair her with an awesome illustrator like Ed Young and the results are bound to be pretty spectacular.  Each two page spread in this book features a poem about 1 of 14 animals that make their home in unusual or challenging environments.  At the conclusion of this book, the end notes contain additional facts about each of the animals and their habitats, and provide a jumping off place for further discussion.

In addition to Marilyn Singer's fabulous poetry, Ed Young's torn and cut paper artwork gives the book a feeling of texture or of coming to life.  I have a feeling that if I had a chance to listen to Young speak about his process for creating the illustrations for this book that I would appreciate it at a whole new level.    

One of the things I have come to appreciate about many nonfiction picture books is the incredible end notes to extend the readers knowledge of the subject at hand.  And though, I sometimes wonder if children read the end notes, I do know that as a teacher, I have always appreciated them. 

I love that there are so many wonderful poetry books that tie in beautifully to classroom curriculum and also have an incredible way of exposing children to nonfiction in a very accessible manner.  After reading A Strange Place to Call Home, I began thinking about how to tie this into various units at different grade levels.  This is one book that will be easy to recommend to teachers and would make an nice addition to a classroom or school library.

Look for this book at your local school or public library, or consider purchasing it at your local independent bookstore.  

Check out this widget from Chronicle that allows you to get a glimpse of the inside of this book:

A Strange Place to Call Home

Don't forget...

Don't forget to link up your nonfiction picture book reviews below: 

Ivy & Bean Day Blog-a-Bration Week 3

And the count down to the 1st Annual International Ivy & Bean Day continues.  This week Chronicle Books is giving away a copy of Ivy & Bean Book 3: Break the Fossil Record to one lucky winner and a set of mini-note cards to 3 other winners. Click here to check out the Ivy & Bean official page.

World Record books have a way of drawing kids in.  Bean and her fellow second graders can't help but be thoroughly fascinated by all the different ways that people have ended up in the Book of World Records that Bean's teacher lends to her.  After several of Ivy & Bean's classmates state that they want to break some of the world records, Ivy begin concocting her own plan to break a world record.  Of course, in true Ivy & Bean fashion, it is filled with a few hilarious failed attempts including a broken dish when trying to break a record for fastest dishwashing to being banned to the outdoors after screaming so loud in an attempt to break one of Bean's sister's glass figurines.  Inspired by a book Ivy is reading about a women paleontologist, the two girls set out to discover dinosaur bones in Bean's back yard.  In true Ivy & Bean spirit, the girls do find bones but breaking a world record may come in a completely different manner in the end.

So does anyone have an interesting story about a student(s) who attempted to break a world record after reading World Record book? Love to hear your own story in the comments section.

Other Bloggers celebrating Ivy & Bean Blog-a-Bration:

                     Media Darlings                                  

                     There's A Book                                  

                    In the Pages                                      

                      The O.W.L.                                         

                  Coquette Maman                            

                   Ruth Ayres Writes                           

Watch. Connect. Read.

                 One Page to the Next                    

                 Van Meter Library Voice               

               The Family That Reads Together

                Roundtable Reviews for Kids      

                 Sharpread                                    

                                                               The Children's Book Review        

This week's giveaway will run from August 30th to September 1st.  Don't forget to enter the giveaway by filling in the form at the bottom of the page.

The Winners of this week's giveaways will be entered into the Grand Prize Giveaway.  Thanks Chronicle Books for this great prize pack:

A complete set of Ivy and Bean hardcover books signed by Annie Barrows 

1 set of Ivy and Bean Paper Dolls 

1 Ivy and Bean Button Factory 

1 Ivy and Bean READ Poster signed by Annie Barrows 

Set of Ivy and Bean Silly Bandz · Set of Ivy and Bean stickers 

AND – a super-secret really cool prize we’re working on (stay tuned!)