Jane Sutton's Blog, page 23

Last Day of Hanukkah Temple Event

In my picture book Esther’s Hanukkah Disaster, Esther the purple gorilla (spoiler alert) hosts a party on the last night of Hanukkah. Besides singing, lighting candles and feasting, the guests trade gifts in order to rectify Esther’s disastrous shopping mistakes.

This Sunday – the last day of Hanukkah – at 10 AM, I’ll be at Temple Israel in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, reading the book aloud, running games, signing this book and others, and then joining the Community Hanukkah party, starting at 11 AM!

I can already taste the latkes!

Link to Event at Temple

2 Events this Saturday

Thank goodness for rolling suitcases. I’ll be using one to shlep my books around this Saturday, December 5th.

In the morning, from 11 to 1 to be exact, 20 other Lexington authors (it’s a prolific town!) and I will be at Cary Memorial Library’s Local Author Books Fair. We’ll be chatting with readers of all ages and signing books. I’ll have picture books and novels for older readers for sale. Since I have to leave at 1 to get to the afternoon event (see below), my husband will man my table until 2.

Cary Library Link

Then fellow Lexington author Heather Lang and I will head to Framingham High School for its annual Holiday Marketplace.

From 2- 4 PM our books table will be among many vendors offering a variety of crafted gifts, goodies and raffles, all benefiting Framingham High School arts and athletics programs.

Both events should be fun!

PS: Thank you, inventor of the rolling suitcase!

Holiday Marketplace link

 

Indies First! Story Time on Saturday

Indies First! is a day to celebrate local bookstores, which add so much to their communities. This year it’s on Saturday, November 28th, just in time for holiday shopping! My wonderful fellow Lexington children’s book author Heather Lang and I will be reading our newest picture books at Bookends in Winchester, MA. The store has a terrific selection of all kinds of books and hosts lots of events for local authors.

Heather and I will read, run kids’ activities, and sign books from 2-3 PM.

We hope to see you!

Small Business Saturday

This Saturday is not just November 28th or 2 days after Thanksgiving or the day after Black Friday, but also Small Business Saturday. The town of Lexington, where I live, is having special events for children at Depot Square from 11-3: music, crafts, stories…and at 11:30-12, yours truly reading Esther’s Hanukkah Disaster, followed by silly gifts games.

Come by and have your picture taken with Frosty the Snowman!

 

Shop Lexington First Saturday

Esther the Purple Gorilla is Back!

This Sunday, November 22nd, Temple Isaiah in my hometown of Lexington, MA will be holding its wonderful annual Holiday Marketplace. Before it starts–at 9:30 AM–there will be a Chanukah Story Time featuring a reading by moi of my picture book Esther’s Hanukkah Disaster.

After the story, I’ll ask young listeners to help the shopping-challenged Esther the Purple Gorilla plan her Hanukkah gift-buying for next year. Using props, I’ll ask questions like, “Esther has a friend who’s a snake. Would sneakers be a good gift? What? Why not?!!”

I’ll sign books (I hope). And afterwards, there will be a craft and snacks! What could be bad?

Temple Event Details

 

Big Doings at Diary of a Wimpy Kid Author’s Bookstore!

This Saturday, November 21st, I’ll be among the 20 authors at An Unlikely Story, Jeff Kinney’s new independent bookstore. I’m excited to check out the store, which has been featured in the New York Times and the Today Show, among other places.

Sponsored by the wonderful Writers’ Loft, there will be activities for kids and signed books for sale! Should be lots of fun!

Central Mass Children’s Book Festival: November 14th!

If you’re near Mt. Wachusett Community College in Gardner, MA tomorrow, check out the Central Mass Children’s Book Festival, from 10-3! I’ll be selling my picture books and middle grade novels and hobnobbing with lots of other authors. From 10:50 until 11:10 AM I’ll read my newest book, What’s Up With this Chicken?, in the Story Time Nook.

festival author bios

Brrrrr….

Yesterday was the first event for my new book, at the Harvard University Farmers Market. The weather was raw, and market customers were mostly Harvard students standing in line–not to check out my children’s books–but to buy Union Square Donuts. I had fun anyway greeting friends and unveiling my new chicken props.

 

 

 

Farmers Market Story Hour Tomorrow!

If you’re around Harvard Square tomorrow afternoon, November 10th, drop by the Farmers Market near the Harvard Science Center and say hi: I’ll be doing a story hour featuring (I guess story hours!) from 2-4 PM. I’ll read Don’t Call Me Sidney and What’s Up With this Chicken? followed by my debut interactive readers theater when volunteers can act out aspects of the story with a chicken puppet and other props. 

We Found Trudy!

Oscar Wilde observed that life imitates art (I just looked it up, so I know he’s the one who said it). I was delighted to find an example of this at the MSPCA Farm and Adoption Center in Methuen, MA. Perched in the chicken section–among lots of colorful, interesting-looking feathered creatures–was a lookalike Trudy, the broody hen in What’s Up With this Chicken? Thank you to my friend Irene for snapping a photo of me and wannabe Trudy!