Have you seen this yet?
I’m in love — and so excited that both Margaret Cardillo and Julia Denos will be stopping by next week to tell us all about their brand new Audrey Hepburn picture book biography! I’ve been an Audrey fan forever, and think this gorgeous book is a marvelous choice for Women’s History Month.
To whet your appetite, here’s the official book trailer and a video of Audrey singing "Moon River" from Breakfast at Tiffany’s — one of my all-time favorite cinematic moments.
Hello there! Hope you had a nice holiday weekend.
Unhappy to report I’m feeling quite poorly, so my posts may be sporadic this week. Was rushed to the ER because of a kidney stone, something I wouldn’t wish upon my worst enemy. People have said the pain of trying to pass a kidney stone is worse than childbirth. I haven’t experienced that, so I can’t compare the two. Suffice to say, you do NOT want this to happen to you. For now, all there is to do is wait, take pain meds, drink plenty of fluids, and hope it’s all over soon.
Like everyone else in the kidlit world, I was saddened and shocked last week to learn of L.K. Madigan’s cancer diagnosis. Her brave and eloquent words speak volumes about the kind of person she is. If, by chance, you haven’t yet read her post titled "Hard News," you must, even if you don’t know Lisa personally or haven’t read her books.
It’s been simply wonderful getting to know Lisa here on LJ, reading her amazing books, and being inspired by her fine example as a professional author. We happily celebrated the publication of her debut novel Flash Burnout, and was thrilled when it won the 2010 William C. Morris Young Adult Debut Award. It was her second book, The Mermaid’s Mirror, which I read on the long plane ride to Hawai’i last September — a story so magical and compelling I read it straight through and even almost forgot how much I hated flying.
I had the distinct pleasure of meeting Lisa last summer at the VCFA Katherine Paterson Tea — she was so lovely and unassuming, a little surprised that I was so anxious to have my picture taken with her. My gut instincts about people are usually right, and they told me here was a beautiful, unselfish spirit, an extremely talented writer, someone who values her relationships with others above all else, someone who is unfailingly kind and generous. It’s easy to see why she is so beloved by her peers.
If you’d like to show your love and support for Lisa’s fight against cancer, consider contributing to the Book of Love being compiled by Tiffany Trent and Melodye Shore. Lisa loves photography, so send along a photo that in some way depicts, represents, or symbolizes how your life has been touched or impacted by Lisa’s. You can also include a poem, anecdote or illustration if you like. All submissions will be printed in a special gift book and sent to Lisa. Get the full details here, and remember to act quickly, since the deadline for submissions is this Friday, January 21.
You’ve probably already heard about L.K. Madigan’s Feast of Awesome Giveaway sponsored by the 2009 Debs, but it certainly bears repeating. The Debs are giving away 40 sets of Lisa’s books, and all you have to do to enter is spread a little Lisa love by celebrating her books. There are several ways to do this (add her books to your Goodreads shelf, tell a friend about her books, post a review on your blog, etc.). Full details here. Giveaway runs through January 31.
Finally, LJ friend Sharon Putnam has started a Gratefulness Candelight Site for Lisa — a place where people can leave a message of love, support, hope and healing. As Sharon says, "May our tiny flames grow into a beacon of healing light shining through the darkness."
I wish you all a good week, whether writing, working, playing, seeking, growing, or just being. More 2011 Winter Comfort and Joy coming your way as soon as I can manage. Stay warm!
Copyright © 2011 Jama Rattigan of jama rattigan’s alphabet soup. All rights reserved.
Young adult author Tanita S. Davis has just created a very cool Multidisciplinary Homeschooling Unit for her 2010 Coretta Scott King Honor winning novel, Mare’s War! I especially like the Social Studies/Sociology Reflection Essay ideas and the Social Studies/Geography/History Activities Guide.
Just because she feels like it, Tanita is having a special giveaway just for homeschooling families beginning Tuesday, January 11. Be sure to visit her blog for a chance to win a brand new paperback copy! WooHoo! Looks like 1-11-11 may just be your lucky day. ☺
Check out Tanita’s official website for more about Mare’s War.
Copyright © 2011 Jama Rattigan of jama rattigan’s alphabet soup. All rights reserved.
"No matter where I take my guests, it seems they like my kitchen best." ~ Pennsylvania Dutch Saying
Happy New Year, friends!
Oh my goodness. How is it possible?
You’re even more good looking this year than you were last year!
Turn around. Now to the side. Yes, that’s definitely an impressive profile. I see a few cookie crumbs on your cheek and a drop of champagne on your chin, understandable after all the holiday festivities. But otherwise, you’re the most beautiful version of you I’ve ever seen, and I’m so happy you’re here!☺
Len and I nibbled, noshed, crunched and chewed our way through the holidays, perfecting an admirable snack-sup-swallow routine day after day. We kept our burps civilized and polite, our starched napkins perennially tucked neath our chins, and are now gleefully lolling about the house all gastronomed and gourmandized. Happy to report we are still cute, and like you, quite good looking. After all, it’s a new year, our slates are clean, and anything is possible.
Santa brought Len new boots for Christmas.
It was fun taking some of our New Hampshire relatives to a favorite local restaurant, where we feasted on Grilled Sesame Salmon, Roast Breast of Duck with Gingered Brown Sauce, and Filet Mignon with Cabernet Wine Sauce & Caramelized Onions. They were out of pecan pie, though. Sacrilege!
Maha with Time to Pray and her first book, The White Nights of Ramadan.
Recently I attended a booksigning at my local Barnes & Noble for Maha Addasi’s new picture book, Time to Pray (Boyds Mills Press, 2010).
You may remember that I featured it in a special Soup of the Day post this past summer. This is a lovely story about Yasmin, who learns how to pray while visiting her grandmother in the Middle East. It’s beautifully illustrated with Ned Gannon’s oil paintings, which showcase the intricate geometric patterns and earth tones of Arab architecture.
No booksigning is complete without a little chocolate!
I picked up an extra copy and had Maha sign it for one lucky alphabet soup reader! Time to Pray would make a wonderful holiday gift or a welcome donation to any school library. High quality picture books about Arab/Islamic culture are rare and in high demand by educators. Time to Pray is a wonderful introduction to Salah, the five times a day worship practiced by Muslims, and will help satisfy the curiosity of American children. The bond between Yasmin and her grandmother makes for a warm, satisfying story that’s not in the least bit didactic, and it resonates on a universal level.
For a chance to win a signed copy of Time to Pray, simply leave a comment here no later than midnight (EST), Sunday, December 12th. You can also enter by emailing me: readermail (at) jamakimrattigan (dot) com, with "Time to Pray Giveaway" in the subject line. Extra entries for tweeting, blogging, or Facebooking (just let me know in the comments). Open to U.S. residents only.
"Familiarizing Islamic prayer through realistic fiction makes this a fine choice for most collections." ~ School Library Journal.
"A girl’s visit to her grandmother in an unnamed Middle Eastern town introduces her to her spiritual heritage in this visually arresting tale, which subtly addresses the challenges and importance of passing on faith traditions from one generation to the next." Publishers Weekly
♥ Click here to read my Soup of the Day review, which includes spreads from the book.
♥ This post is brought to you by Fajr, the first, pre-dawn prayer of the day.
Copyright © 2010 Jama Rattigan of jama rattigan’s alphabet soup. All rights reserved.
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