Ever find yourself in an awkward situation at the supermarket or the mall when your little one points to someone who’s different and makes an unkind—but in all honesty, truthful—comment? It’s happened to me any number of times and each time I found myself wishing there was a book or a song or something that could help me explain the difference between being honest and being hurtful. And as if the literary gods had heard my plea, here is the book I’d longed for.
By Bianca Schulze, The Children’s Book Review
Published: January 28, 2010
Winter. A very fun season: Ice skating, skiing, sledding, building snowmen—or snow-ladies—and the perfect excuse for some good-old hibernation. Definition of hibernation: staying inside watching movies, playing board games, and reading books.
From picture books to a young adult novel, check out this uber-cool list …
Picture Books
Bedtime for Bear
by Brett Helquist
Reading level: Ages 2-7
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: HarperCollins (December 21, 2010)
Source: Publisher
Publisher’s synopsis: Wintertime is here, and that means it is bedtime for Bear. But Bear’s friends don’t think so. They want Bear to come and play outside in the snow. Bear can hear his friends calling. He hears them laughing and playing. Bear can’t sleep. But it’s bedtime! What is a bear to do?
Add this book to your collection: Bedtime for Bear
Learning to Ski with Mr. Magee
by Chris Van Dusen
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 36 pages
Publisher: Chronicle Books (October 27, 2010)
Source: Publisher
Publisher’s synopsis: One winter morning, Mr. Magee and his little dog, Dee, head out bright and early to learn how to ski. But what begins as a pleasant day in the snow quickly goes downhill when a run-in with a curious moose sends them flying through the air and hanging above an abyss! How will Dee and Magee find their way out of this snowy situation? Chris Van Dusen, the creator of Down to the Sea with Mr. Magee and A Camping Spree with Mr. Magee, has crafted yet another fun-filled adventure for Magee fans old and new.
Add this book to your collection: Learning to Ski with Mr. Magee
Ten on the Sled
by Kim Norman (Author), Liza Woodruff (Illustrator)
Reading level: Ages 3-7
Hardcover: 24 pages
Publisher: Sterling (October 5, 2010)
Source: Publisher
Publisher’s synopsis: Author Kim Norman (Crocodaddy) and illustrator Liz
Summer has been fun here in the Albert Whitman offices, because our new Spring 2011 titles are in full-tilt production.
Original art as been breezing through on the way to pre-press
Original art from Princess Kim and Too Much Truth by Maryann Cocca-Leffler, sequel to Princess K.I.M. and the Lie That Grew
color proofs float through on the way to the printer
Color proofs from The Goodbye Cancer Garden by Janna Matthies, illustrated by Kristi Valiant
and dummies spread across table tops for all to see.
Sales dummies for This Tree, 1, 2, 3 (The Board Book edition of This Tree Counts! by Alison Formento, illustrated by Sarah Snow) and Done with Diapers! A Potty ABC (The Board Book edition of Danny Is Done With Diapers! A Potty ABC by Rebecca O'Connell, illustrated by Amanda Gulliver)
Finished books are still months away and pub dates aren’t until March, but as the Spring 2011 selling season enters full swing in September, it’s very exciting to watch these final stages of book production come together.
Once again, I had the good fortune of going to the Whispering Pines Writer’s Retreat at the Alton Jones Campus in West Greenwich, RI. It’s not far from me, but a world away. The setting is more like something out of Maine.
Before anything happens there is food.
SCBWI’s Marilyn Salerno, editor mentor Sarah Shumway from Harper Collins, Barb Johansen-Newman, and author-illustrator mentor Maryann Cocca-Leffler.
The food is literally amazing here, and there’s plenty of it.
After dinner, Lynda gets the ball rolling with a First Pages panel.
Excellent readers!
The mentors: Author Ellen Wittlinger, Agent Anna Webman, Editor Jennifer Rees, and editor Sarah Shumway.
Here you can see the cozy fireplace room.
The girls sent me some mascots to keep me company over the weekend.
The next morning began with special helper awards.
Helper Sally Riley gets her trophy from Chief Organizer Lynda Hunt.
Laurie Murphy is at a loss for words…
Jan Kozlowski receives her very special award.
Jennifer Rees shared her editing process with us, and showed us some great examples of recent books from Scholastic.
Author Ellen Wittlinger read us some inspiring passages from well-written books, and at least 3 important points to think about in our writing!
Here is Sarah Shumway at her very cool podium giving us the lo-down about working at Harper Collins.
Laura’s trying to decide which way to go.
The view from the porch.
Mentor books for sale!
Another fabulous dinner! Honestly, it’s consistently the best food ever to be had at events like these.
Pictured here: Laura Fry, Laurie Murphy, Debra Wainwright, Maryann Cocca-Leffler, Lynda Mulally Hunt, Barb Johansen Newman, Jan Kozlowski, Mary Pierce.
After dinner, it was time for another rollicking session of First Pages!
The official mentor lineup shot!
Jennifer Rees, Maryann Cocca-Leffler, Anna Webman, Sarah Shumway, Ellen Wittlinger.
After hours fun at Laurel! Here’s Jan doing her best Vanna White impression with a fine array of themed baskets to be raffled off.
Cheers! Somehow there are always colorful beverages involved in the evening’s events.
Mary brought along Cadbury Creme Eggs. Not just the smaller, wimpier American ones, but the bigger, better British ones! This finally laid to rest the mystery of the incredible shrinking Cadbury Eggs. Americans should protest. Bring back the original sized eggs! Thanks to Mary for all the spare British ones…we’re loving them!
After another night of late-night chatting, the next day started with Barb introducing Maryann Cocca-Leffler.
Maryann has channeled all of her life experiences into her stories, and has used her winning personality and chutzpah to successfully navigate the minefield known as children’s publishing. Very inspiring.
New to the festivities this year: Children’s Book Jeopardy!
Lynda Trebek shot out the questions, and teams had only 15 seconds to guess them. Not easy!
Team 4 gets it right!
Anna Webman from the Curtis Brown Agency spoke next, shedding some light on what agents do.
Maryann signs her books for lucky children (and adults)!
The last of the themed baskets were raffled off, signifying the end of another fabulous retreat.
Basket cases!
A final look at the Whispering Pines:
See you next year!
If you’re nostalgic for retreats from previous years, follow the links:
Whispering Pines 2007
Whispering Pines 2008
By: Barbara O'Connor,
on 5/1/2012
Love the Yoo Hoo boats! Love them.
amazing photos! amazing school! Love these kind of visits!
What a terrific reception. Those kids will never forget this event!