Josh Funk's Blog, page 4

Dear Dragon Wins a Nerdy Book Club Award!

I’ve got astonishing news, people (and dragons)! Dear Dragon has been awarded a Nerdy – a Nerdy Book Club Award, that is!

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I’m truly honored and thrilled. Dear Dragon was one of twenty books incredible picture books bestowed with this award as selected by members of the Nerdy Book Club. Thank you so much! And congratulations to Rodolfo Montalvo, who created all of the stellar art, and everyone at Viking/Penguin who helped make this book as awesome as I like to think it is and got it into the hands of children and educators and parents and Nerdy Book Club members!

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For more info on the Nerdy Book Club and The #Nerdies, check out this post from last year (when Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast was awarded a 2015 Nerdy Award for Fiction Picture Books – *blushy-smiley-face*).

Where I’ll Be Next





Saturday, 1/7 at 2:00pm: Storytime & Signing at BookEnds, 559 Main Street, Winchester, MA, USA
Saturday, 1/14 at 11:00am: Storytime & Signing at Northborough Free Library, 34 Main Street, Northborough, MA, USA
Saturday-Monday, 1/28-30: American Booksellers Association (ABA) Winter Institute, Minneapolis, MN, USA





Two for You

(two books I recommend you read)

1. Worm Loves Worm written by J.J. Austrian & illustrated by Mike Curato

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2. The Airport Book written & illustrated by Lisa Brown

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Happy National French Toast Day!

November 28th is National French Toast Day in the U.S. – to celebrate (and honor Sir French Toast), I’m running a giveaway! What am I giving away? One winner will receive:

A signed copy of Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast (now) … AND
A signed copy of The Case of the Stinky Stench (as soon as I receive my 2nd copy – the first is for me … er, my kids).

Simply retweet the tweet below by midnight Hawaii time to enter!

For #NationalFrenchToastDay, RT by midnight to enter #Giveaway of signed Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast AND The Case of the Stinky Stench! pic.twitter.com/LsWEQ7Fvwn

— Josh Funk (@joshfunkbooks) November 28, 2016

(if you’re not on twitter, you can share on Facebook and post a comment below to enter)

Note: The Case of the Stinky Stench will be released on May 2, 2017, so I probably won’t receive my copy until spring.

Where I’ll Be Next





12/3, 11:00am: The Writers’ Loft Holiday Bazaar at An Unlikely Story (Plainville, MA, USA)
12/4, 1:00pm: The Concord Museum Family Tree Celebration (Concord, MA, USA)
12/10: Boston College Winter Wonderland (Boston, MA, USA)






Two for You

(two books I recommend you read)

1. Toby written & illustrated by Hazel Mitchell

2. Shy written & illustrated by Deborah Freedman

The Case of the Stinky Stench (Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast #2)

I’m so excited for this book! A few weeks back I did a live cover reveal on KidlitTV of the Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast sequel: THE CASE OF THE STINKY STENCH.

Watch the live cover reveal on KidlitTV here (along with me reading Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast aloud to a live audience at Books of Wonder in NYC).

And it’s now available for Pre-Order Everywhere!

        

Description from the publisher: There’s a stinky stench in the fridge–and our favorite foodie friends must solve a smelly mystery! Sir French Toast’s nephew, Inspector Croissant, begs him and Lady Pancake for help in finding the source of the foul odor. Could it be the devious Baron von Waffle? A fetid fish lurking in the bottom of Corn Chowder Lake? Featuring the same delectable wordplay and delicious art that won critical raves for Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast–this fun follow-up is an absolutely tasty treat for kids and adults alike!

Note from Josh: I think this follow-up is even better than the first.

As with all of my books, you can pre-order signed and personalized copies from my local indie, the Concord Bookshop (it’s best to call them directly at 978.369.2405).

Where I’ll Be Next





10/22, 11:00am: Wellesley Books (Wellesley, MA, USA)
10/26, 7:00pm: Concord Public Library (Concord, MA, USA)
11/1, 11:00am: Barnes & Noble Plaza Venezia (Orlando, FL, USA)
11/5, 2:30pm: nErDcampLI (Jericho, NY, USA)
11/11, 6:00pm: Barnes & Noble Framingham (Framingham, MA, USA)
11/12, 2:00pm: Books-A-Million South Portland (South Portland, ME, USA)
11/18, 7:00pm: Barnes & Noble Nashua (Nashua, NH, USA)
11/19, 11:00am: Newtonville Books (Newton, MA, USA)
12/3, 11:00am: The Writers’ Loft Holiday Bazaar at An Unlikely Story (Plainville, MA, USA)
12/4, 1:00pm: The Concord Museum Family Tree Celebration (Concord, MA, USA)
12/10: Boston College Winter Wonderland (Boston, MA, USA)
1/7, 2:00pm: BookEnds (Winchester, MA, USA)






Two for You

(two books I recommend you read)

1. Austin, Lost in America written & illustrated by Jef Czekaj

2. A Rule Is to Break: A Child’s Guide to Anarchy written & illustrated by Jana Christy & John Seven

Dear DEAR DRAGON, Happy Book Birthday!

My third book – Dear Dragon – comes out today!

Wait. Didn’t Pirasaurs! just come out? Yes. Due to a quirk in publishing, both books are being released a week apart. What an incredible ‘problem’ to have!

What’s Dear Dragon about?

George and Blaise are pen pals, and they write letters to each other about everything: their pets, birthdays, favorite sports, and Science Fair projects. There’s just one thing that the two friends don’t know: George is a human, while Blaise is a dragon! What will happen when these pen pals finally meet face-to-face? A sweet and clever friendship story about looking past physical differences to appreciate the person (or dragon) underneath.

Dear Dragon is illustrated by Rodolfo Montalvo and published by Viking Children’s Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House.

Watch the Dear Dragon Book Trailer:

Want Activity Pages? Download the Free Dear Dragon Activity Pages Here! (right click save link as)

Want read more about Dear Dragon? Check out these reviews, interviews, and guest blog posts:

*Starred Kirkus Review*
Book Buddy Blog
The Late Bloomer’s Book Blog
Unleashing Readers

Want to see me read Dear Dragon in person (and get a Dragon Latte)?

Where I’ll Be Next





THIS SATURDAY, 9/10 at 11am: Dear Dragon Book Launch at The Concord Bookshop, 65 Main St, Concord, MA, USA (plus Dragon Lattes from Haute Coffee next door)
Saturday, 9/17 at 9:30am: Talk Like a Pirasaur Storytime at Cary Memorial Library, 1874 Massachusetts Avenue, Lexington, MA, USA
Saturday, 9/17 at 1:00pm: Storytime at Barrington Books, 184 County Road, Barrington, RI, USA
Saturday, 9/24: Princeton Children’s Book Festival at Princeton Public Library and the Albert E. Hinds Memorial Plaza
Saturday, 9/25 from 1:00-3:00pm: Picture Book Showcase at Books of Wonder, 18 W 18th St, New York, NY, USA





Two for You

(two books I recommend you read)

1. A Fire Truck Named Red written by Randall de Sève & illustrated by Bob Staake

2. Before I Leave written & illustrated by Jessixa Bagley

Happy Birthday, PIRASAURS!

My second book – Pirasaurs! – comes out today!

They’re pirates. They’re dinosaurs? They’re Pirasaurs!

We’re Pirasaurs! We’re Pirasaurs!

We rule the open seas!

We’ll cannon-blast you to the past!

We do just what we please!

Meet the Pirasaurs, a ragtag team of seasoned pirate dinosaurs looking for adventure and treasure! There’s fearsome Captain Rex, golden-toothed Velocimate, one-eyed Bronto Beard, and more fearsome, buccaneering beasts….as well as one new recruit who may be small, but who’s eager to prove he can learn the ropes and find his place on the team.

But when a trap is set upon the Pirasaurs while looking for buried treasure, it’s up to the littlest recruit to show the team that there’s more to a Pirasaur than meets the eye patch!

Pirasaurs! is available for purchase here or wherever books are sold.

Watch the Pirasaurs! Book Trailer:

Which Pirasaur Are You?! Take the Quiz Here: https://www.boombox.com/c/quiz/256474/which-pirasaur-are-you

Want Coloring Pages? Download the Free Pirasaurs! Coloring Pages Here! (right click save link as)

Want to see me read Pirasaurs! in person? 
Where I’ll Be Next





TODAY! Tuesday, 8/30 at 3:00pm: Pirasaurs! Book Birthday Party! (An Unlikely Story’s Second Story, 111 South Street, Plainville, MA, USA)
Thursday, 9/1 at 7:00pm: Pirasaurs! Book Launch (Porter Square Books, 25 White St., Cambridge, MA, USA)
Saturday, 9/3 at 10:30am: Pirasaurs! Storytime (Brookline Booksmith, 279 Harvard Street, Brookline, MA, USA)
Saturday, 9/10 at 11am: Dear Dragon Book Launch! (The Concord Bookshop, 65 Main St, Concord, MA, USA)





Two for You

(two books I recommend you read)

1. Let Me Finish! written by Minh Lê & illustrated by Isabel Roxas

2. They All Saw a Cat written & illustrated by Brendan Wenzel

#pb10for10: Pirates, Dinosaurs, & Dragons! Oh, my!

Educators Cathy Mere & Mandy Robek have been running the #pb10for10 event for several years now. What’s #pb10for10? Well, you pick 10 picture books you simply can’t live without and share today, August 10th, with the hashtag #pb10for10 (see the official rules here). Share your own and check out all the others in the #pb10for10 Google Community.

I participated last year for the first time and had a blast. My theme was Rhyming Picture Books (you don’t need a theme, but sometimes it helps narrow down your choices when there are SOOO many great picture books out there).

This year, I’m sharing my favorite, Pirate, Dinosaur, and Dragon Picture Books (you can probably guess why – if not, see the sidebar —>)

1. The Pirates Next Door by Jonny Duddle

2. Rex Wrecks It by Ben Clanton

3. Take Care, Good Knight by Shelley Moore Thomas & Paul Meisel

4. The Night Pirates by Peter Harris & Deborah Allwright

5. Edwina: The Dinosaur Who Didn’t Know She Was Extinct by Mo Willems

6. When a Dragon Moves In by Jodi Moore & Howard McWilliam

7. Pirate Princess by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen & Jill McElmurry

8. Hiding Dinosaurs by Dan Moynihan

9. Have You Seen My Dragon? by Steve Light

10. Kid Sheriff and the Terrible Toads by Bob Shea & Lane Smith

(#10 isn’t strictly about dinosaurs, but it allows me to have three books each for pirates, dinosaurs, and dragons – and then this one – you’ll see when you read it)

Don’t forget to check out everyone else’s favorite picture books, comment, and share in the #pb10for10 Google Community!

Where I’ll Be Next





Tuesday, 8/30 at 3:00pm: Pirasaurs! Book Birthday Party! (An Unlikely Story’s Second Story, 111 South Street, Plainville, MA, USA)
Thursday, 9/1 at 7:00pm: Pirasaurs! Book Launch (Porter Square Books, 25 White St., Cambridge, MA, USA)
Saturday, 9/3 at 10:30am: Pirasaurs! Storytime (Brookline Booksmith, 279 Harvard Street, Brookline, MA, USA)
Saturday, 9/10 at 11am: Dear Dragon Book Launch! (The Concord Bookshop, 65 Main St, Concord, MA, USA)

Heading to ILA?

On Saturday, I’ll be attending the annual ILA Convention in Boston. What is ILA, you ask? According to their website:

The International Literacy Association (ILA) is a global advocacy and membership organization of more than 300,000 literacy educators, researchers, and experts across 75 countries. With over 60 years of experience, ILA has set the standard for how literacy is defined, taught, and evaluated.

Why am I going? The ILA Convention is a great place for publishers to share their upcoming titles with educators from around the world. I’m scheduled for a couple hours of signings, but when looking over the list of other authors … it kind of blew my mind.

From 11am-12pm I’ll be signing Dear Dragon at the Penguin booth #306. Here are the other Penguin authors signing over the weekend:

From 1-2pm I’ll be signing Pirasaurs! at the Scholastic booth #2107. Here are the other Scholastic authors signing over the weekend:

Starstruck? Me, too. But I’m really looking forward to meeting educators and other book people. After all, that’s really why I’m going.

Where I’ll Be Next





Saturday, 7/9: International Literacy Association (ILA) Convention (Hynes Convention Center, 900 Boylston Street, Boston, MA, USA)

11am-12pm at Penguin Booth – signing Dear Dragon
1-2pm at Scholastic Booth – signing Pirasaurs!


Monday, 7/11 – Tuesday, 7/12: nErDcampMI (Parma, MI, USA)
Saturday, 7/23 at 1pm: Barnes & Noble, 4801 Bethesda Avenue, Bethesda, MD, USA
Sunday, 7/24 at 11am: The Ivy Bookshop, 6080 Falls Road, Baltimore, MD, USA





Two for You

(two books I recommend you read)

1. Ghost in the House written by  Ammi-Joan Paquette & illustrated by Adam Record

2. Surf’s Up written by Kwame Alexander & illustrated by Daniel Miyares

It’s been kind of a big day…

First, this picture book sale posted Publisher’s Marketplace:

In case you didn’t read the fine print, it says: “Josh Funk’s LADY PANCAKE AND SIR FRENCH TOAST: The Case of the Stinky Stench, following leftover breakfast treats as they join forces to discover the source of a most odorous culprit in the refrigerator, illustrated by Brendan Kearney, to Zaneta Jung at Sterling Children’s, by Kathleen Rushall at Andrea Brown Literary Agency (while she was at Marsal Lyon Literary Agency) for the author and Hannah Whitty at Plum Pudding Illustration for the illustrator (World).”

I’m so excited about this book! I’m thrilled to be re-entering the fridge with these characters! And I can’t wait to share it with you! I’ve seen Brendan Kearney’s ingenious sketches – they’re hilarious! I think it’s gonna be better than the first! Huge thanks to my agent, Kathleen Rushall for making this happen!

Second, I got a couple packages in the mail.

Um, yeah. It’s gonna be tough to beat June 29, 2016. (but I’ll try)

Where I’ll Be Next





Thursday, 7/7 at 7pm: Storytime at Reuben Hoar Library in Littleton (41 Shattuck Street, Littleton, MA, USA)
Saturday, 7/9: International Literacy Association (ILA) Convention (Hynes Convention Center, 900 Boylston Street, Boston, MA, USA)

11am-12pm at Penguin Booth – signing Dear Dragon
1-2pm at Scholastic Booth – signing Pirasaurs!


Monday, 7/11 – Tuesday, 7/12: nErDcampMI (Parma, MI, USA)





Two for You

(two books I recommend you read)

1. Your Alien written by  Tammi Sauer and illustrated by Goro Fujita

2. Mind Your Monsters written by Catherine Bailey and illustrated by Oriol Vidal

Pirasaurs! Book Trailer!

In case you missed it, the book trailer for Pirasaurs! debuted yesterday on Watch. Connect. Read. where I also finished the sentences of Mr. Schu. I’m not gonna lie, I’ve been reading Mr. Schu’s site for years and to have the honor of finishing his sentences is pretty freakin’ cool.

You can check out the full interview and book trailer premiere here. Pirasaurs! is illustrated by Michael Slack (*genius*) and will be published by Scholastic on August 30, 2016 (but is available for pre-order from all bookstores now).

Where I’ll Be Next





Saturday, 5/14: School Librarians of Rhode Island Conference (University of Rhode Island, Kingston Campus, USA)
Saturday, 5/21 at 11am: Mansfield Public Library (255 Hope Street, Mansfield, MA, USA, USA)
Saturday, 5/21 at 3pm: Park Street Books & Toys with Nancy Tupper Ling & Ammi-Joan Paquette (504 Main Street, Medfield, MA, USA, USA)





Two for You

(two books I recommend you read)

1. Orangutangled written by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen and illustrated by Aaron Zenz

2. Polkabats and Octopus Slacks written & illustrated by Calef Brown

Happy Mother’s Day Brunch!

To celebrate Mother’s Day, I was invited to the KidLit TV kitchen to cook pancakes and french toast with Storymakers host Rocco Staino and Jason Greene of One Good Dad. Watch me cause crazed culinary chaos …

See the full KidLit TV post here. And Happy Mother’s Day!

Where I’ll Be Next





Saturday, 5/14: School Librarians of Rhode Island Conference (University of Rhode Island, Kingston Campus, USA)
Saturday, 5/21 at 11am: Mansfield Public Library (255 Hope Street, Mansfield, MA, USA, USA)
Saturday, 5/21 at 3pm: Park Street Books & Toys with Nancy Tupper Ling & Ammi-Joan Paquette (504 Main Street, Medfield, MA, USA, USA)





Two for You

(two books I recommend you read)

1. Where’s My Mummy by Carolyn Crimi and illustrated by John Manders

2. Gator Dad written & illustrated by Brian Lies