Nancy E. Shaw's Blog, page 3

Upcoming Events

All the stuffed sheep in my house are waiting for the release of Sheep Go to Sleep May 5.  A busy March Is Reading Month has given way to April's National Poetry Month, and May will have the sheep on the go. If you're in southeast Michigan, come to the Monroe County Library's Children's Author Meet & Greet at the Frenchtown-Dixie Branch,  2881 Nadeau, Monroe, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 2, with book signings and more. Among the authors will be Jim Benton of Dear Dumb Diary, Debbie Diesen of The Pout-Pout Fish, Cynthia Furlong Reynolds of S Is for Star, and me.

On May 5, Sheep Go to Sleep will be out, and the sheep will celebrate--until they start to snooze, of course.

In Maryland on May 16, they will be wide awake to greet mid-Atlantic readers at the Gaithersburg Book Festival, which features a strong line-up of authors for young people, including Kevin O'Malley, Robert Sabuda, Marissa Moss, and Newbery winners Phyllis Reynolds Naylor and Kwame Alexander. Political titles are also a  special strength, with David Axelrod and Clarence Page among the speakers. The sheep hope to see you there.

ReaderKidZ

The sheep woke up to a turn in the spotlight today--Debbie Gonzales's ReaderKidZ site is recommending their upcoming adventure, Sheep Go to Sleep. They are all excited, and so is their friend the collie. Thanks, Debbie, for all you do on ReaderKidZ.

The Year of the Sheep

February 19 brings the Lunar New Year, and this time it's the Year of the Sheep (or Ram, or Goat). Which makes a good time to introduce what a certain flock of sheep are up to, though May is the publication date.
They will meet their new friend the collie, and will be counting down to slumber time. And how does the collie do? Let's just say he gets pretty tired.

Meanwhile, here's what critics are already saying: "Rhyming text softly rocks readers alongside a patient border collie who puts five sheep to sleep by fulfilling their bedtime wishes...This book will be a favorite for any reluctant sleepyheads."--School Library Journal

 "Sweet, lilting rhymes and charming colored-pencil illustrations hit all of the right notes and blend together flawlessly as a friendly border collie tries his best to shepherd his wooly charges off to sleep... A beguiling bedtime book and a nice choice for just before nap time."--Kirkus Reviews

M.A.M.E. Conference

I enjoyed meeting library people and authors from around Michigan today at the Michigan Association for Media in Education Conference, held in Ann Arbor.  Here are a few portraits:
Sandra Novacek and Cynthia Furlong Reynolds signed books after speaking in the Cavalcade of Authors. 

Marquin Parks talked about the importance of humor in writing. Library Media Specialist Kariana Gonzales organized the Cavalcade of Authors, programs to introduce Michigan writers to conference attendees.


It was great to have a signing time for Elena's Story and talk with the Cherry Lake Publishing/Sleeping Bear Press folks at their booth...and they had cider, ginger cookies and apples to share with customers--Michigan treats to go with Michigan-published books.

Kerrytown BookFest 2014

The 2014 Kerrytown BookFest gave out awards Friday evening for the winners of the annual high-school cover contest--scroll down to September 6 to see them on the festival's Facebook page. Art students were asked to re-imagine the cover for Holling Clancy Holling's classic Paddle-to-the-Sea , published in 1941. Out of about 80 entries, eight were chosen as finalists (see them here), and Mariah Rossi's storm-tossed-ship-and-canoe painting placed first. I was one of three judges, and we were inspired by the imagination of the contestants.

The Sunday festival, whose theme was Celebrating the Art of the Book, started with a children's-book breakfast organized by author Shanda Trent, and went on to numerous programs. Here are some samples:
Bookseller Nicola Rooney, receiving the Community Book Award, answers a question from BookFest president Robin Agnew.
Ruth McNally Barshaw, author of the Ellie McDoodle books, gave a drawing workshop for kids. Author Deborah Diesen interviews Caldecott winners Brian Floca, Philip and Erin Stead, and Chris Raschka.

Rolling Down Front Street

The weather was perfect for the National Cherry Festival's Junior Royale Parade held last Thursday in Traverse City. Over two dozen elementary schools constructed floats with Michigan children's books as the theme. From in front of beloved indie store Horizon Books, we watched the results of imagination, handicraft, and lots of work by area families. The floats were also scheduled for Saturday's Cherry Royale Parade. Here are some of my favorites:
Westwoods Elementary School showed the story of Sheep in a Jeep. Behind the jeep: the tree that caused some trouble, with a sign on it: "JEEP for SALE--Cheap!" The first-grade prince & princess wave from the towing Jeep.

Leslie Helakoski's Big Chickens in their feathery finery. Gloria Whelan's Mackinac Bridge: The Story of the Five-Mile Poem celebrates a Michigan wonder. The unreliable narrator of Jon Scieszka's The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs waves to the crowd.

Celebrating Michigan Children's Authors

The National Cherry Festival will be held in Traverse City July 4 through 12, with concerts, cherry pie eating & cherry pit spit contests, lots of doings, and on July 10 and 12, parades. Elementary schools are building floats on the theme of Celebrating Michigan Children’s Authors. I'm looking forward to the Sheep in a Jeep float rolling down Front Street.

Celebrating Miichigan Children's Authors

The National Cherry Festival will be held in Traverse City July 4 through 12, with concerts, cherry pie eating & cherry pit spit contests, lots of doings, and on July 10 and 12, parades. Elementary schools are building floats on the theme of Celebrating Michigan Children’s Authors. I'm looking forward to the Sheep in a Jeep float rolling down Front Street.

Claire's Day

Over 700 Toledo-area kids who have made progress in reading got to choose a book as part of the 13th annual Claire's Day book festival, and there were book signings, readings, and activities all day. The festival honors Claire Lynsey Rubini, a book-lover who died at age ten. Some pictures from the day, with some of the authors and illustrators:
Outdoor activities at the Maumee branch library  



Barry Gott, illustrator of the Dino-sports books by Lisa Wheeler
Margaret McMullan, author of historical novels of coming of age in Mississippi
Rebecca Barnhouse,whose novels have a medieval background Bryan Chick, author of the Secret Zoo books
Dandi Daley Mackall's books cover a wide range.

Indies First Story Time Photos

I couldn't be at the Book Beat in Oak Park, MI for its Indies First Story Time on Saturday, but my Sheep in a Jeep was there, read by Detroit's own Jean Alicia Elster! Look here for photos of the Book Beat's stellar group of authors and illustrators.