Indie Bookstore Finder Rocks!

I recently came across this great tool: The Indie Bookstore Finder. Where ever you are in North America, plug in the zip or postal code and find the nearest booksellers to you. It's not perfect - booksellers, get yourselves listed! - but it is a big help if you want to find that special book, and don't want to go to the megasellers.

So give 'em a try and support your local bookseller!

http://www.indiebound.org/indie-store-finder

More about StoryWalk!

Here are two of the signs posted along the "Juba This Juba That" StoryWalk trail in Bridgetown, Nova Scotia. You follow the trail, read the story, and do the activities. How great is that - literacy, exercise and nature all in one!
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For more info on Active Kids, Healthy Kids (one of the sponsors), go to http://www.gov.ns.ca/hpp/pasr/akhk-intro.asp

Take a Storywalk with Juba!

What a GREAT idea! I only wish I could be there for the launch!


The Annapolis Valley Regional Library has received funding to create a StoryWalk™ from the picture


book, "Juba This, Juba That" by Helaine Becker and illustrated by Ron Lightburn, published by Tundra

Books. StoryWalk™ is an exciting initiative that combines a children’s story with a walking route, and

was developed in September, 2007 by Anne Ferguson and the Vermont Bicycle and Pedestrian Coalition.

This project combines the benefits of physical activity, time spent outdoors in nature, literacy, and

family time. Funds to create the project came from the Wellness Initiative Fund from the Annapolis

Valley Health Community Health Boards, and additional funds came from Eastern Kings and Annapolis

County's Active Kids Healthy Kids funding. Other partners include the Town of Bridgetown and the

Municipality of the County of Kings.


The StoryWalk™ will be installed at Jubilee Park in Bridgetown and at the Port Williams Community Park.

There will also be sets of the signs available for schools and community groups to borrow for group

events. The StoryWalk™ will be unveiled on June 11 at Jubilee Park in Bridgetown at 10:45 AM.

Illustrator Ron Lightburn will be attending the launch, and the public is invited. There will be a reading

of the book, walking the StoryWalk™, stickers for the kids, a book draw, and refreshments. Stay tuned for

pictures!!!


For further information, or to schedule an interview, please contact

Angela J. Reynolds, Head of Youth Services

902-665-2995 ext. 224

areynolds@valleylibrary.ca

Don't Judge This Book by Its Cover

I recently received a lovely letter from Cheryl Chambers, a Teacher-Librarian in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The letter said, in part,

"I recently read and reviewed (as part of the CANLIT reviews for schools in Halifax) your book "The Big Green Book of the Big Blue Sea."


I thought it was fabulous and gave it a 5/5 for its content. I recommended that every elementary school have at least one copy of the book.

There is however, one problem: the cover. None of the students I showed the book to would even take the time to open the book because they were put off by the cover....You have done such a fantastic job making all of the difficult concepts you bring up accessible. I think that "The Big Green Book" is an invaluable resource for educating students about the real problems facing our oceans today. But as you know, people can't help but judge a book by its cover. I would love to see this book republished with a new bright, interesting cover, so that more people will turn to "The Big Green Book" and hopefully learn from it and try to help improve the fate of our oceans...I think my favourite experiment in "The Big Green Book" was the one on over fishing, students should be able to easily understand the crisis facing the world's fish population after performing that simple experiment."

Letters like this are both thrilling (she liked it!) and disheartening for an author. We work hard on a book, as part of a team, and trust the other members of the team to do a great job all around. And they do. But sometimes, well, maybe there's a misstep.
 
I don't know if that's the case with The Big Green Book. Is Cheryl's opinion of the cover what's blowing in the prevailing wind? Is it a Slam Dunk, or an SOS? What do you think?
 
I hope, either way, that people will read the book and discover what's inside.  
 
"Hopefully," Cheryl added, "my glowing review to the school librarians in Halifax will encourage others to purchase your book. "  Me too.

Sneak Preview - Christmas Gift Set for Book, Porcupine Lovers #kidlit #xmas #bea

There's going to be a boxed set of The Porcupine in a Pine Tree this coming holiday season, complete with a new, smaller trim size (8 x 8) book and our dear fluffy stuffy, Quilliam. Hope you like it half as much as I do!

Not the final package...but still cute!

Two New Quiz Books - Sneak Preview!

I just got the covers for the two latest titles in my Quiz Book series from Scholastic Canada. They are so cute! Tell me what you think!