Poems in the Attic, written by Nikki Grimes and illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon, was recently nominated to the 2015-2016 Texas Bluebonnet Award Master List. The Texas Bluebonnet Award is a program aimed at encouraging reading in grades three through six, and allows students to vote for their favorite book. It’s one of the most prestigious programs in the country, and has been running since the early 1980’s! The winner will be announced in February.

Congratulations to Elizabeth Zunon and Nikki Grimes! Poems in the Attic can be purchased here. Here’s the Master List for 2015 to 2016.

Frederick’s Journey: The Life of Frederick Douglass, illustrated by London Ladd, made the Winter 2015-2016 Kids’ Indie Next List – “Inspired Recommendations for Kids from Indie Booksellers.” Congratulations! Frederick’s Journey can be bought online here!

Kirkus gave a wonderful review of I Can Dance and I Can Play, toddler board books written and illustrated by Betsy Snyder. Both books feature cut-outs where children can subsitute their own fingers for dancers’ legs and arms. Kirkus writes, “This is an appropriately brief, appealing title with a simple bit of interactivity that toddlers will appreciate.” The books are described as, “Encouraging activity on multiple levels, a good choice for toddler board-book collections.”

Check out the full review for yourself here!

You can order your own copy of I Can Dance here and I Can Play here.

The finalists have been announced for the 2015 Canadian Children’s Book Centre Awards, and Ashley Spires and Steve Adams have books on the list.  Ashley’s The Most Magnificent Thing and Steve’s If: A Mind-Bending New Way of Looking at Big Ideas and Numbers are both up for the  TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award. Congrats Steve and Ashley!

Read the full list here.

Race Car Count, illustrated by Michael Slack and written by Rebecca Kai Dotlich, received a great review in Publishers Weekly. They write, “The book’s bouncy rhymes and Matchbox-worthy vehicles (spoilers and bulging hot-red engines abound) combine to create a lively race with some tense back-and-forth moments.” You can pre-order a copy of the book here.

More praise for Race Car Count: 

“The flash and thrill of the race car track-it’s all here in a zippy counting book just right for the toddler set. . . .When the cars line up for another race, children will cheer.” – Kirkus Reviews

Amazon named Marilyn Sadler’s and Eric Comstock’s Charlie Piechart a Best Book of the Month for Ages 6-8. The book is available now online and in bookstores near you!

Author-illustrator Susan Reagan will be making several appearances in her native Ohio this fall to promote the release of Slipper and Flipper and the Quest for the Golden Sun. The book comes out September 22, published by Disney-Hyperion. If you’re in the Buckeye state this fall, catch up with Susan at these locations:

Story and Activity Time & Book Giveaway
Tremont Arts and Cultural Festival – Children’s Village
September 19-20

Slipper and Flipper In the Quest for the Golden Sun Book Launch
A Cookie And A Cupcake
2681 W 14th St, Cleveland, OH 44113
October 3, 2015  12:00 – 3:00

Meet Susan Reagan: Storytime & Signing
Barnes & Noble
Friday October 16, 2015 11:00 AM
198 Crocker Park Boulevard
Westlake, OH 44145

The Learned Owl Book Shop
Storytime and Book Signing
204 N Main St, Hudson, OH 44236
November 21, 2015  11:00 AM – 1:00 PM

28th Annual Buckeye Book Fair
November 7, 2015
9:30 to 4:00
Fisher Auditorium Wooster, Ohio

Shadra Strickland’s artwork will be featured alongside Robert Pruitt’s at the Pennsylvania College of Art & Design’s “Mosaic Project,” a multicultural exhibition that explores themes of individual and cultural identity. The exhibition is open now, and Shadra will be appearing at the exhibition on Oct. 2 & 16. See more details below and at PCA&D’s website.

Friday October 2

• 10 a.m.  Artist Lecture presented by Robert Pruitt, Atrium
• Meet the Artists and Book Signing from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m., Main Gallery. The following books will be available for purchase at the event, or you may bring your own book to be signed.
  • Fantastic Sagas limited edition Comic Book, Robert Pruitt
  • Bird and Sunday Shopping, Shadra Strickland
• First Friday reception from 5 – 9 p.m., Main Gallery

Friday October 16

• 10 a.m. Artist Lecture presented by Shadra Strickland, Atrium

Betsy Snyder’s inventive new board book, I Can Dance, has been picked by Amazon as a Best Book of the Month for Baby-Age 2.  This adorable novelty book includes two die-cuts for little fingers to dance along with the book’s characters.

Order a copy for your favorite budding reader here.

Watch the video tutorial here.

As the release of I Can Dance and I Can Play approaches, author-illustrator Betsy Snyder will be appearing at several upcoming events in the Ohio area.  She will be debuting the books at the Cuyahoga Library on two separate occasions – the first on Sept. 26 at the Independence Branch, and the second on Oct. 28 at the Strongsville Branch. More details can be found below.

Betsy will also be appearing at the 28th Annual Buckeye Book Fair in Wooster, Ohio. To learn more about I Can Dance and I Can Play, and to pre-order copies, please visit Chronicle’s website. The book will be available in bookstores after September 15th.

I Can Dance, I Can Play Book Launch – Independence Library

Saturday, September 26, 2015, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

I Can Dance, I Can Play Book Launch – Strongsville Library

Wednesday, October 28, 2015, 7:00 PM – 7:45 PM

28th Annual Buckeye Book Fair

November 7, 2015

9:30 to 4:00

Fisher Auditorium Wooster, Ohio