M IS FOR MOON PIE: ABCs in the Birthplace of Mardi Gras

by Candice Marley Conner, Julie Allen (Illustrator)

Azalea Trail Maids! Beads and beignets! M IS FOR MOON PIE is an alphabetical Carnival celebration set in the birthplace of Mardi Gras--Mobile, Alabama. It's a fun way to introduce children to the ABCs while learning about a unique Gulf Coast tradition full of history and revelry.

Printed in dyslexie font to build confidence in readers.

32 pages, Hardcover

Published January 6, 2023

About the author

Growing up between swamps, a river, and the Gulf Coast, Candice Marley Conner’s stories emerge from gnarled cypress knees, muddy water, and salty air. She is the kidlit haint at a haunted indie bookstore (but not haunted how you’re thinking), a Local Liaison for SCBWI, and an officer for her local writer’s guild. Her short stories and poems are in various anthologies and magazines including Smarty Pants Magazine for Kids, Highlights Hello, Cabinet of Curiosities, Under the Full Moon’s Light, Babybug, Chicken Soup for the Soul, and more. Her picture book, SASSAFRAS AND HER TEENY TINY TAIL debuts June 8, 2021 and her YA Southern mystery, THE EXISTENCE OF BEA PEARL, releases June 15, 2021. She lives in Alabama with her husband and two children (one of whom is possibly feral).
Candice is represented by Katelyn Detweiler of Jill Grinberg Literary Management.

Reviews

[Candice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Proud, biased author review here!

M IS FOR MOON PIE was such a fun book to research. My family and I went to parades, both extravagant downtown spectaculars and neighborhood kid parades, loading our bags with throws like cups, balls, beads, stuffed animals, and frisbees. We ate lots of moon pies, beignets, and king cake. Made our own masks and visited the Mobile Carnival Museum many times all in the name of research!

Most people immediately associate Mardi Gras with New Orleans, so one of my goals with this book was to showcase the history and what makes Carnival unique to its birthplace--Mobile, Alabama.

I hope you enjoy this alphabetical celebration and laissez les bon temps rouler!

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being from Mobile, Alabama, the birthplace of Mardi Gras, I loved this book! Ms. Conner got everything right with this charming little book. The illustrations are quirky, and the story is absolutely adorable. Whether you're new to Mardi Gras, or an old-timer like myself, I highly recommend this story for your littles.