Jean Reidy's Blog, page 5

GROUP HUG Instagram Book Tour!

I’m thrilled that GROUP HUG will be making its way through all of these awesome readers and reviewers! I hope you’ll follow along!

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Hooray! GROUP HUG is out today!

Hooray! GROUP HUG is out today from Macmillan/Henry Holt/Godwin Books, Joey Chou and me! Kirkus Reviews calls it “a captivating winner.” Publishers Weekly says it “radiate(s) a sense of unalloyed communal joy.” And School Library Journal calls it an “excellent storytelling experience.” If you’d like a copy for yourself or a young reader in your life, buying options are right here:  IndieBound Barnes & Noble Amazon Hugs all around!Jean

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Give Hugs this Holiday Season!

“This sweetly endearing charmer, highlighting kindness, is expressed in jaunty, witty rhymes that read and scan beautifully … Readers will embrace this captivating winner.”

– Kirkus STARRED Review –

“The economic text has a surfeit of aural pleasures, and Reidy (Truman) strikes a comic tone that never sinks into sentimentality: an overworked beaver is beckoned with ‘Come join our crew./ Let the hugging ensue!’ Digital art by Chou (Ways to Welcome) combines strong lines and shapes with intricate, expertly balanced overlays of color and texture. Together, text and art radiate a sense of unalloyed communal joy.”

– Publishers Weekly –

“(A)n excellent storytelling experience … enhancing the message of kindness and understanding.”

– School Library Journal –Coming 12/14/21! Order it now! IndieBound Barnes & Noble Amazon With excitement and gratitude,Jean

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Introducing my latest picture book – GROUP HUG!

I’m thrilled to introduce you to my latest picture book!

Join a forest of friendly animals as one-by-one they learn the contagious happiness that hugs can bring.
This delightful picture book encourages kindness and goes to show “that a hugger finds happiness ‘longside the hugged!”

Coming 12/14/21 from Macmillan/Henry Holt/Godwin Books

ADVANCE PRAISE

“This sweetly endearing charmer, highlighting kindness, is expressed in jaunty, witty rhymes that read and scan beautifully … The adorably simple, lively illustrations layer colors to depict the various critters with delightfully expressive charm. Readers will embrace this captivating winner.”
– Kirkus STARRED Review –

“Together, text and art radiate a sense
of unalloyed communal joy.” 
– Publishers Weekly-

Friends, check out the adorable case cover AND the
full-color poster on the back of the book jacket. So fun!BUYING THE BOOK AND AUTOGRAPHED BOOKPLATES

GROUP HUG is scheduled to be available on 12/14/21. Due to current U.S. supply chain issues, it’s more important than ever to preorder your books. You can preorder your copy from your favorite bookseller (IndieBound, Barnes & Noble, Amazon) or request it at your library. Would you like an autographed bookplate to go with it? Request it here!

TEACHERS, LIBRARIANS & PARENTSCheck out my FREE Downloadable Curriculum/Storytime Guide linked to learning standards available on my book page.For other FREE resources and information about booking school visits, check out the Schools and Libraries page of my website.
HELP SPREAD THE WORD
If you’re excited about GROUP HUG, please help me spread the word. Here are some sample social media posts and the cover photo to get you started:Encourage #kindness and join this forest of friendly animals as they learn the contapiness that hugs can bring! GROUP HUG a new #picturebook from @jeanreidy and illustrated by @choogious hapchoojoey. Coming 12/14/21 from @MacKidsBooks. Preorder it now: https://tinyurl.com/yrvdu4fjCheck out this perfect holiday gift and see the contagious happiness that hugs can bring! GROUP HUG – a new #picturebook from @jeanreidy and illustrated by @choochoojoey. Coming 12/14/21 from @MacKidsBooks. Preorder it right here: https://tinyurl.com/yrvdu4fjDo you know someone in need of the happiness that hugs can bring? Send them GROUP HUG – a new #picturebook from @jeanreidy and illustrated by @choochoojoey. Coming 12/14/21 from @MacKidsBooks. Preorder it right here: https://tinyurl.com/yrvdu4fj“This sweetly endearing charmer, highlighting kindness, is expressed in jaunty, witty rhymes that read and scan beautifully … Readers will embrace this captivating winner.” Kirkus STARRED Review. GROUP HUG from @jeanreidy, @choochoojoey & @MacKidsBooks. https://tinyurl.com/yrvdu4fjWith excitement and gratitude,Jean

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SYLVIE Cover Reveal!

Friends, get ready to meet SYLVIE – a sweet and surreptitious spider with a big, bold heart. I’m so, SO excited to reveal her adorable cover. And I can’t wait for you all to read her story. (It features a favorite tortoise of mine!) Coming May 2022 from Lucy Ruth Cummins, Atheneum/Simon & Schuster and ME and it’s available for preorder now!

IndieBound

Barnes & Noble

Amazon

Happy Reading!

Jean

 

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WHEN THE SNOW IS DEEPER THAN MY BOOTS ARE TALL in Scholastic Book Clubs

Hi friends!

This month, you’ll see WHEN THE SNOW IS DEEPER THAN MY BOOTS ARE TALL in the Kindergarten Scholastic Book Clubs Flyer! As a kid, I loved these flyers and loved ordering many, MANY books. And now, I really appreciate the way Scholastic brings low-cost books to more young readers. Yay! Thank you Macmillan/Henry Holt/Godwin Books and Scholastic Book Clubs.

To find out more about this book, including buying options and free resources for parents, librarians, educators and bookstores, please check out my book page!

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Two Fun Surprises in the GROUP HUG Book Design!

Friends, do you know what I might love most about the GROUP HUG book design? Two simple surprises. The adorable case cover AND the full-color, all-in hug poster on the back of the book jacket!! So, so fun! GROUP HUG – coming in December from Joey Chou, MacKids Books and me! You can preorder it now right here!

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Red Reading Hub Review of GROUP HUG!

While we’re a little over a month away from GROUP HUG’s U.S. release date, it publishes today in the UK from Scallywag Press. And I’m loving this Red Reading Hub review!

“Jean Reidy’s telling comprises story elements both young listeners and beginning readers delight in: a repeat refrain (the title in this case), a spare rhythmic rhyming text, gentle humour, along with themes of kindness, acceptance and inclusivity. All this, together with Joey Chou’s digital scenes, each of which is imbued with a sense of community delight, make for a welcome heart-warming hug of a book for group sharing and individual reading.”

To read the whole wonderful review check out the Red Reading Hub blog post! 

To learn more about GROUP HUG and preorder your copy, check out my book page!

And if you live in the UK you can order GROUP HUG from Scallyway Press right here.

U.S. readers, December will be here before you know it. Preorder GROUP HUG here!

Happy Reading!

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Oh My Stars! It’s a STARRED review for GROUP HUG!

[image error]Friends, it’s a good-newsy kind of week, so I apologize for all these braggy-sounding posts, but … oh, my stars! It’s a @Kirkus STARRED review for GROUP HUG from MacKids Books, Joey Chou and me!

“Paying it forward with cuddles. Starting with an affectionate slug, a bevy of down-in-the-dumps animals, including a beetle, a mouse, a skunk, a beaver, a porcupine, a goose, and a fox, encounter one another, one by one. Each needs something to lift it out of the doldrums. That’s soon taken care of as each newcomer in turn is invited to become enfolded in an ever larger…GROUP HUG! The cumulative hug always manages to make room for others and become more inclusive—until Bear lumbers onto this cozy scene. Suddenly, all the huggers quickly skedaddle, leaving only Slug and Bear in their wake. At this point, Slug shares a very important secret with the forlorn ursine and readers: ‘that a hugger finds happiness… / ’longside the hugged!’ Unsurprisingly, the book concludes with a very heartwarming (and expansive) bear (and slug) hug. This sweetly endearing charmer, highlighting kindness, is expressed in jaunty, witty rhymes that read and scan beautifully and will develop kids’ aural skills and vocabulary. They beg to be read aloud in order to capture the verses’ full emotional and punchy effect. The adorably simple, lively illustrations layer colors to depict the various critters with delightfully expressive charm. Readers will embrace this captivating winner.”

Hugs all around!!

Jean

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Cover Reveal: ME AND YOU IN A BOOK MADE FOR TWO!

[image error]Friends, take a peek at this so, SO sweet cover for the next picturebook in the “What Would You Do” series. It’s about those very special first and best friendships and it’s coming August 2022 from HarperKids Books, Joey Chou and me!

It’s never too soon to get excited!

To learn more about all my books check out my Books page!

Thanks for stopping by and …

Happy reading!

Jean

 

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