Kid Lit Family

I didn't post last Monday, so this week you get a double dose of what I've been doing. The reason there was no article last week was because I didn't arrive home until late Sunday evening, and Sunday is the day I usually write my blog. Why did I arrive home so late, you ask. Because I had just spent a wonderful weekend at the home of one of my literary besties in the Tennesseee Smokies.

The generous, talented, and hostess extraordinaire, Debbie Dadey, writer of The Baily School Kids series and The Mermaid Tales, had invited me and three other ladies to her home for a writing retreat. We ate, we took pictures, we wrote, we shared, we critiqued, and had more fun than five squirrels in a sack full of acorns.

I already knew Stephanie Faris and Molly McCaffrey from the Southern Kentucky Book Festival, so it was great to hang out and catch up. But in addition, I had the pleasure of getting to know Rinda Beach, former teacher and pre-published picture book author. It was a melding of YA, Middle Grade, and Picture Book talk that weekend. It was a weekend of bliss.

I took my tripod, in the hopes of getting a group shot for my memory scrapbook, which I did. As I set up, Molly mentioned that she felt like we were posing for a family photo, and in a way she was right. We are a literary family, a tribe, a community, or whatever you want to call a group of people with something in common who chose to focus on similarities and support each other.

I spent this past weekend in a similar vein. I took Emily to a craft fair in Reynoldsburg, Ohio where we shared a table with another of my literary besties, Deborah Boerema, author of one of my favorite Christmas stories, The Inn Keepers Dog. Deb and I only get to visit a few times a year, so I treasure every moment. I bring lunch. She brings dessert. And we talk about all things bookish and life in general.

So this week when I snagged two books from my library book pile, it was fun to see that one was about friends full of imagination and the other was about a book monster. The first, Buddy and Earl Meet the Neighbors, was a fun and wordier than normal picture book. By wordier than normal I mean longer than the current 300 to 500 hundred word industry standard. And you know what? I love longer picture books with a meaty story line.

Buddy the dog and Earl the hedgehog are trying to decide what to do. Buddy is all set to nap, but Earl uses his imagination to take them on a super hero journey which leads them into the neighbors yard where they meet two new occupants, Mister the bulldog and Snowflake the cat. The four have an adventure of imaginary proportions, advert disaster, and in the end, Buddy finally gets that nap. This book would be a great classroom read aloud leaving room for fun discussions on super heroes, imagination, and friendship.

The second book, Nibbles the Book Monster, blew me away. Full of interactive flaps and cut-outs, this book took me on a journey that followed a book nibbling monster who escaped from his own book and ended up in many other stories where he wreaked havoc. Every page was as delightful as the last and would surely be right for boys and girls from five to eight.

Well, that about wraps it up for this week. Join me next week, same crazy time, same crazy channel. Also be sure to drop by Literacy Musings Mondays for more great blogs as well as my personal website Fun With Aileen where you will find more on reading, writing, and my very own chapter and picture books. And finally, you can find me on twitter if you want an extremely brief glimpse into my days.

So Many Good Things, And A Give-Away!

It's always an exiting week when books arrive on my doorstep. This week was no exception when my friend Debbie Dadey's latest mermaid tale, Wish Upon A Starfish, arrived. This particular story is the tale of one mergirl's dream to become a star and the rocky road leading to stardom. I loved the characters, the oceany references to things familiar in the human world, and the homework the teacher gave the students to compare and contrast two sea stars. The homework part gave me a particular giggle because  comparing and contrasting is exactly what we just covered in last week's English class. Debbie's colorful descriptions made me wish there really was such a place as trident academy. So if y ou have a little mermaid lover of your own, be sure to check out the whole Mermaid Tales Series!

And as if that wasn't exciting enough, the twitter launch party for my new picture book, Quack and Daisy, started off with a splash and several fantastic reviews. Mom bloggers from Indonesia, the United Kingdom, and all parts of the United States shared their opinions of my story. Blessedly, Quack and Daisy seems to be a hit so far. And for those of you who are fond of picture books, please join the fun and enter the party contest for a chance to win a copy of your very own! You can enter at my book launch coordinators site or anyone of the mom blogger sites hosting me.

The excitement doesn't even end there. Today as  you are reading this, I will probably be making my way to The Learned Owl Bookstore in Hudson, Ohio to meet the fantastic Drew Daywalt in person and to pick up an autographed copy of his new book, The Day The Crayons Came Home.

Well, that about wraps it up for this week. Join me next week for another exciting episode, same crazy time, same crazy channel. And feel free to drop by my personal website, Fun With Aileen, any day of the week for even more on reading, writing, my very own early grade chapter book, Fern Valley, the sequel, Return To Fern Valley, the soon to be released Cooking In Fern Valley (fall 2015)and my very first picture book, Quack and Daisy! I'm also on twitter @AileenWStewart if you want an extremely brief glimpse into my days. 

The Hudson Children's Book Festival and Some Really Great Books!

This past weekend was the last of my spring trips, and I must say that attending the Hudson Children's Book Festival was a great way to wrap up those travels! I was seated next to one of my besties, Miss Debbie Dadey, who has been writing for many years and has two popular series: The Bailey School Kids and The Mermaid Tales.

My daughter, Emily, began reading the Baily School Kids series just this past month and really likes them, so you know they come highly recommended. And, I was able to get a first hand glance at Debbie's newest Mermaid Tale which won't even be available for a few more weeks.

 

I participated in an interview with Artie Bennett and Doug Snelson which was most exciting. Artie almost made poop sound fun with his lyrical sharing of his book Poopendous, and Doug's book, Who's Got The Face sound pretty intriguing as well.

 

 

I had fun hanging out with Miss Tara Lazar who was there signing her book, The Monstore, which really is for both boys and girls, I promise!

I could go on and on, but I need to get this article finished up, and I need to get the dishes done. I know, the glamorous life we authors lead.

Well, that about wraps it up for this week. Join me next week for another exciting episode, same crazy time, same crazy channel. And feel free to drop by my personal website, Fun With Aileen, any day of the week for even more on reading, writing, my very own early grade chapter book, Fern Valley, the sequel, Return To Fern Valley, and the soon to be released Cooking In Fern Valley (fall 2015)! I'm also on twitter @AileenWStewart if you want an extremely brief glimpse into my days.