September 2012

BRING ON THE SCHOOL VISITS!

Popular presenters Fred Bowen, Henry Cole, Priscilla Cummings and Mary Downing Hahn kick off the 2012-2013 Guild programs with a dynamic panel discussion in which they share their secrets on engaging children, marketing themselves and generating school visits.

Bowen, a newspaper contributor and former lawyer, has visited more than 250 schools in 15 years. Cole, once an elementary school science teacher, has visited several hundred schools in the past 17 years. Hahn, who used to be a librarian, knows she has been a repeat presenter in many schools during the past 30 years on the road. And Cummings, a former newspaper reporter, says that in 25 years as an author she's visited between 20 and 70 schools a year for a grand total of nearly 1,000 schools!

So, how do schools find authors? Should you actively seek schools? Should you send out a contract? Does it help to provide a teacher's guide or handouts? What do you do when the school's equipment doesn't work? Or if the little boy in the front row--the one who was put there to pay attention--keeps blurting out comments that distract you, but no one comes to your rescue? Join us to learn the answers to these questions--and laugh at a few good stories! These four Guild members have a wealth of tips to offer on what works, and what doesn't. They will even share a snippet of a session popular with kids.

Moderator Lulu Delacre encourages attendees to submit questions in advance: luludela@verizon.net.

Date: Thursday, September 13
Time:  11:30 a.m. "social hour"; noon luncheon
Place: Busboys and Poets 
1025 Fifth Street NW (at K Street)
Menu: All choices $20

:: CHOICE OF SANDWICH (all sandwiches served with house-made kettle chips) ::
• Falafel Sandwich (vegetarian/vegan) with house-made hummus, cucumbers, lettuce, tomato and onion on whole-wheat pita, served with tahini sauce (vegan without tahini sauce)

• Home-Roasted Turkey Sandwich with havarti cheese, Dijonnaise, lettuce, tomato and onion on wheat bread
• Grilled Chicken Panini with chipotle mayo, caramelized onions, pepper jack, lettuce and tomato on ciabatta
• Portabella Mushroom Panini (vegetarian) with pesto, roasted red pepper and fresh mozzarella on herb ciabatta  
:: DESSERT ::
Assorted Cookies (family style)
:: BEVERAGES ::
Fountain Drinks (unlimited soft drinks and iced tea)

 RSVP NOW! 

PAM COUGHLAN EXPLAINS BLOGGERS' GROWING ROLE

by Fred Bowen

Battling a balky microphone and background sounds of lunchtime pool games, Pam Coughlan gave Guild members (and their guests) a practical, informative tour of the new world of blogging at the June meeting of the Children’s Book Guild at Bailey’s Pub and Grill in Alexandria.

Coughlan started her blog, MotherReader, more than five years ago as a way to share ideas about children’s books. Coughlan, who has been a librarian in Northern Virginia, noticed that she was more interested in the subject than most of her coworkers and friends. So she ventured onto the Internet to find kindred spirits.

She found them. Now she is part of a spiderweb network of bloggers opining on kids' books and issues in children’s literature. Coughlan gave the crowd the names of some blogs everyone in the kidlit world should know. They include:

·         Kidlitosphere Central

·         Cynthia Leitich Smith

·         The Reading Tub

Coughlan said that bloggers may not “make or break” a book or writer or illustrator, but blogs are another way to “get your name out there,” especially in these days of dwindling publicity money and support from publishers for mid-list authors.

The Cybils–the Children’s and Young Adult Bloggers Literary Awards–are another way that bloggers and online reviewers are taking their place among the more traditional reviewing outlets. Coughlan explained in detail how the awards are given, with panels creating a shortlist and then picking the winners in 10 categories.

The Cybils are given to books that combine literary quality and kid appeal. In this way, Coughlan said, they bridge a gap between the Newbery and Children’s Choice awards.  Whatever the reason, the Cybils are becoming better known.

The message is: the bloggers are coming! The bloggers are coming! And Pam Coughlan is among those leading the charge.


MEMBER NEWS

SUSAN ROTH and KAREN LEGGETT are incredibly excited to announce the publication of Hands Around the Library: Protecting Egypt's Treasured Books (Dial Books for Young Readers, ages six through nine, August 2012), with an accompanying website designed by Karen's son, Adam Abouraya (http://www.handsaroundthelibrary.com). Hands has received a starred review in Kirkus: "Freedom and libraries: an essential combination....A stunning visual recreation of a recent historical event." Karen and Susan are planning a celebration at Burgundy Farm Country Day School with the help of Guild member and Burgundy Farm librarian Ann Van Deusen. Burgundy Farm is one of two area schools where Karen and Susan led Skyping sessions between American students and Egyptian youngsters at the Alexandria Library, Egypt. Everyone is invited to join the celebration on September 13, from 7:30 to 9 p.m., at Burgundy Farm School, 3700 Burgundy Road, Alexandria, VA 22303. RSVP and directions at www.burgundyfarm.org. Enjoy a presentation, book signing, exhibit of original art, Egyptian music and treats. 

JACQUELINE JULES and KATHERINE JANUS KAHN are excited to announce that their book The Hardest Word has been made into a musical play, The Quest of the ZIZ Bird, by Jimi Kinstle, artistic director of Baltimore's Pumpkin Theatre, with music by Ryan Michael Haase. The play will be performed January 26 and 27 and February 2 and 3, 2013. For more details, visit The Pumpkin Theatre website http://www.pumpkintheatre.com/

JENNIFER ALLISON has moved to Chicago and will miss seeing Guild members each month! She wants to stay in touch, however, so send her a note at jennifer@gildajoyce.com if a book event brings you to the Chicago area. 

 
BRENDA SEABROOKE reports that her poem "On a Windy Wash Day Morn," about Grandma Moses painting Wash Day, which was first published in the award-winning Heart to Heart (Abrams, 2000), has just been republished in Art and Artists (Knopf, UK), along with poems by Homer, John Dos Passos, Rita Dove, Mark Strand, Amy Lowell and others. 

 

CATHERINE REEF's book The Bronte Sisters, which Clarion will release this fall, has earned a second starred review, this one from Kirkus.