we have a winner!

May 28, 2012May 27, 2012 ~ jama ~ 11 Comments

We are pleased to announce that we have a winner in the Iva Honeysuckle Discovers the World giveaway!

After the most recent fiasco, Mr. Random Integer Generator decided he needed some time off in the south of France, where he is, at this very moment, nibbling on Salade Nicoise and sipping L’Estandon. He was only too pleased to pass le bâton to Monsieur Cornelius, who then acted with the utmost discretion to avoid any jealousy in the ranks.

M. Cornelius made sure no one could impersonate Mr. Generator by securing all stray mustaches. No monkey business this time.

After reading Iva Honeysuckle for the fourteenth time, he channeled his favorite main character by cutting a fresh Y-shaped branch from a willow tree. Though this was his first experience with ~~dozing~~ ~~dowsing~~ divining, Cornelius held steady and employed enviable powers of concentration.

After a mere 3 minutes and 24 seconds, his dowsing rod twitched and dipped and pointed to one lucky commenter.

*drum roll, please*

Ladies and Gentlemen, the winner of a brand new, signed copy of Iva Honeysuckle Discovers the World by Candice Ransom is:

WOOHOO! CONGRATULATIONS, JANE!!

Please send your snail mail address to: readermail (at) jamakimrattigan (dot) com, so we can get your prize out to you zippity quick!

BIG THANKS to everyone for all your great comments (please have some unsweetened cherry Kool-Aid). We hope you all discover wonderful new worlds in your summer reading!

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See, things went swimmingly this time. No monkey business. No monkey business at all.

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author chat: a special aloha from margo sorenson

May 22, 2012May 27, 2024 ~ jama ~ 22 Comments

Of all the wonderful things Hawaiʻi has to offer — breathtaking natural beauty, world-renown beaches, stunning tropical flora, rich cultural diversity, divinely delicious variety of ethnic foods — its most valuable commodity is, and always will be, the genuine warmth and friendliness of its people.

Because I’ve always wished that this “spirit of Aloha” was more prevalent in the United States, I was especially pleased to read Margo Sorenson’s latest picture book, Aloha for Carol Ann (Marimba Books, 2011). In her heartwarming story, which is illustrated in bright colors by Priscilla Garcia Burris, Margo gives the “new kid in school” theme a tropical treatment. And there’s a nice twist: it’s a multicultural book where the main character is Caucasian.

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cornelius discovers iva honeysuckle

May 14, 2012May 13, 2012 ~ jama ~ 16 Comments

While we were busy Poetry Potlucking last month, Candice Ransom’s brand new chapter book, Iva Honeysuckle Discovers the World (Disney/Hyperion, 2012), was released into the wild.

With her loyal canine companion Sweetlips, Iva embarked on her very first adventure — to find buried treasure right in her own little hometown of Uncertain, Virginia. Cornelius loved the book so much he read it three times in a row and was thrilled when we told him we were going to surprise Candice at her Book Launch Party. He was hoping he might get to eat some Preacher Cookies like Iva did in the book.

So, on a beautiful sunny Saturday, we headed down to the bbgb Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia — “bbgb” standing for “bring back good books,” “buy a book give a book,” or whatever else you like (Cornelius says, “bears believe in good books”).

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goodbye

May 9, 2012 ~ jama ~ 22 Comments

MAY

In May
I truly think it best
to be a robin
lightly dressed
concocting soup
inside my nest.
Mix it once
mix it twice
mix that chicken soup
with rice.

~ from Chicken Soup with Rice by Maurice Sendak (Harper & Row, 1962)

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RIP Maurice Sendak (June 10, 1928 – May 8, 2012)

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Open Fields School Great Goose Egg Auction

May 7, 2012 ~ jama ~ 7 Comments

It’s time once again for the Open Fields School Great Goose Egg Auction!

This biennial fundraiser is being held on Friday, May 11, 2012, at the AVA Gallery in Lebanon, New Hampshire. Open Fields is a small private non-graded school open to children ages 4-12 in Thetford Hill, Vermont.

Many of the eggs up for bidding have been decorated by eminent children’s book illustrators. Take a gander at some of my favorites (click on any image to access its bidding page):

diane degroat — “Homer, an Egg-traordinary Dog” by Diane deGroat

marla frazee — “Boss Baby Egg” by Marla Frazee

grace lin — “Year of the Water Dragon” by Grace Lin

hansel — “Hansel & Gretel” by Andrea Wisnewski

twins — “Glamorous Egglasses” by Barbara Johansen Newman

cindy — “Egg on Your Face/Face on Your Egg” by Cyndy Szekeres

Aren’t they all just too cool?

If you don’t live in the Lebanon area, you can bid online as an absentee bidder or by phone. Click here for all the details and to browse all the other eggciting goosey creations (46 in all)! Ashley Bryan! Thacher Hurd! Ed Young!!

Auction begins at 7 p.m., Doors open for viewing at 5:30 p.m.

Deadline for online bids: Noon (EDT), Thursday, May 10, 2012.

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