NOLA and INDIE BOUND

I'm honored to be sharing THESE BEES COUNT! at the American Booksellers Association Winter Institute in New Orleans. I can't wait to meet independent booksellers from all over America. It'll be nice to see the French Quarter, too.

Bees, Trees, and a Prize!

Long time no blog.
THESE BEES COUNT! is now available for pre-sale. Sarah Snow has done it again with her fabulous cover art!

Here's what's been happening with THIS TREE COUNTS! It's been honored with the 2011 Youth Fiction Green Prize for Sustainable Literature from the fantastic librarians at the gorgeous Santa Monica Public Library.

It was wonderful to attend the ceremony with illustrator extraordinaire Sarah Snow and spend a few autumn days in sunny California.

Summer!

It's been a bit since I last posted, but I've been busy writing, reading, and traveling.

I hope you're doing what you love this summer, too.

Oh, So Lovely Planet...

HAPPY EARTH DAY!

Raptor Cam-A Family of Eagles

Check out this amazing, cute and sometimes gruesome (when the parent brings food) live link to a nest of eagles and their newly hatched young.

THIS TREE COUNTS! is a 2011 CRYSTAL KITE FINALIST!

Thanks to all of the SCBWI members in my region who voted for THIS TREE COUNTS!

It may be a cliche, but it truly is an honor to be a finalist. I might not have found my editor for this book unless I'd attended a regional SCBWI event, so thank you SCBWI.

http://www.scbwi.org/Pages.aspx/Crystal-Kite-Member-Choice-Awards

Contest Winners!

Thanks to all those who entered for the chance to win THIS TREE, 1, 2, 3 and help plant trees, too.

The lucky winners—
PAM VICKERS!
KIPEROO
JD STOKES

I will be donating trees for each of you, too.

Please email aforment at optonline dot net with your street address.
Thanks to all who entered!

Happy Book Birthday, THIS TREE, 1, 2, 3

Do you know a toddler or pre-schooler? Maybe you are a parent of one of these bundles of pure energy. To celebrate my newest book I'm giving away three copies of THIS TREE, 1, 2, 3, and planting 30 trees through American Forests.org.

HOW TO WIN:
Deadline: St. Patrick's Day
Post the first name of the favorite toddler or preschooler in your life in the comment section of this blog.

Three lucky winners will get my book and ten trees planted in their name, too. 

THIS TREE, 1, 2, 3

Snow still covers my yard, but a little bit of Spring arrived today—

Thanks to Sarah Snow for the wonderful illustrations and to our publisher Albert Whitman & Company for believing in trees as much as I do.

Busy as a Bee

It's that time of year.
Breathe through the chaos of this hectic season and do what's most important—being with those you love. And if you've got a little time, help someone who needs a little love in their lives.

Happy Holidays!

THANKS!

Happy Thanksgiving!

It's Pumpkin Time!

Book Festivals: Let's Celebrate Books!

September wanes and autumn has officially arrived. I'm looking forward to sharing my book at several upcoming book festivals, along with the glorious KidLit Authors Club.

If we're in your area, come by and say hi!

September 25th, BOOKFEST at the Ocean County Library in Toms River, NJ.

October 2nd, Collingswood Book Festival

October 9th, Burlington Book Festival

2010 Princeton Children's Book Festival

A wonderful day ahead on September 11th for those that love children's literature.
I'll be signing books, and seeing all the great authors appearing at The 5th Annual Princeton Children's Book Festival. I hope to see you there!

READ, RELAX, REPEAT

Whatever you're doing this August, I hope you enjoy every moment.

Boxcars, Books, & a Blog

Check out Albert Whitman & Company's new and improved blog.

It features podcasts, archival gems and useful resources for educators. Oh, did I mention there are also links to author blogs like this one, and some lovely illustrations, too, including one from THIS TREE COUNTS! by my wonderful illustrator Sarah Snow.

It's In Your Hands

Award winning author Ellen Jackson hosts a fabulous blog and website. For all aspiring writers, she generously shares a bevy of information entitled "Articles and Fun Stuff" which includes editors listed A-Z and their publishing needs.

I especially enjoy visiting her blog where she posts a daily suggestion of something you can do to make a difference in this world.

It's in your hands...

COMPOST STEW

Mary McKenna Siddals has written several lovely picture books. Her latest story, COMPOST STEW, is a tasty A to Z Earth Recipe, illustrated by Ashley Wolff. Younger children who may not know about composting will have fun learning from this whimsical, rhyming tale.

One of my favorite refrains from the book:
“Just add to the pot / and let it all rot / into Compost Stew.” 

2010 Children's Choice Awards

Congratulations to KitLit Authors Irene Breznak, author of SNEEZY LOUISE,  and Lee Harper, illustrator extraordinaire of TURKEY TROUBLE, for making the 2010 Children's Choice Award List. 

Both of these books are pure fun for readers of every age!

YASMIN'S HAMMER

In the noisy streets of Dhaka, Bangladesh, another busy morning is beginning as Yasmin rides to work in her father's rattling rickshaw. Yasmin yearns to go to school so she can read. 

YASMIN'S HAMMER is a gorgeous new story by Ann Malaspina inspired by her travels in South Asia and the children she saw working there, many doing hard labor, and to whom this new picture book published by Lee & Low is dedicated. Doug Chayka's illustrations echo the extreme poverty in the story and Yasmin's hope for an education. With every brick Yasmin and her sister struggle to break, readers begin hoping, too, that the girls will find a way to attend school.

From BookDragon, blogger for the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Program: She [Malaspina] also provides a welcome list of ways that readers – both the youngest and their parents – can help the children of Bangladesh … if you can read, you can also help.