Kane/Miller Kidlit

A Horse is a Horse...

2008-12-30T09:57:00.000-08:00

Jules, over at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast, inspired the following post since just this morning, she's listed Seven Reasons to Go Buy or Blog About a Horse Book Today">a Horse Book Todaya Horse Book Today"> over on her site.

Kane/Miller is releasing two books featuring horses in early 2009 so here's a quick look at each:

Moonrunner, written by California native Mark Thomason is about a young boy and a horse. Taking place in the 1890s, this story features 12-year-old Casey, a boy who has moved from the U.S. to Australia. He misses his home in Montana and his friends, but most of all he misses the wild mustangs. When Casey discovers a herd of wild brumbies, he develops a bond with a stallion, Moonrunner, that changes his life, and his view on life in Australia.

With over 200 pages of outdoor adventures, school bullies and horse races, this book is filled with fast-paced, page-turning excitement for readers 9 and up.

Moonrunner

Pet Vet (Book #2), The Mare's Tale

The Mare's Tale is the second book in the new Pet Vet series by Australian husband-and-wife author team Darrel & Sally Odgers. In the new series, Trump the dog lives with her owner Dr. Jeanie behind the Pet Vet clinic. It's Trumps job to help the sick animals and her senses are so acute that she often draws conclusions before the humans have even begun to think! Trump tells the stories of the animal patients and their families and provides young readers with animal tips, vocabulary words, and a new understanding of the animal world.

Both titles will be available in March.

My (Solar) Japan

2008-12-29T11:34:00.000-08:00

Ota City, in Japan, is one of the country's sunniest spots. According to Tree Hugger, Japan has earmarked 9 billion yen ($92 million) for solar panels for households in this year to March 2009. Its Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry is seeking 24 billion yen ($246 million) for subsidies in the year starting April 2009, and estimates that about 100,000 homes would install solar panels next year, with the subsidy.

To learn more about Japanese life, you'll want to check out the non-fiction picture book, My Japan, when it is published - also in March 2009.

Happy Holidays!

2008-12-23T09:58:00.000-08:00

by Jen Kulman

Do you have fun annual traditions for this time of the year? Like buying fresh new pajamas for everyone to rip into on Christmas Eve? Or using themes for each night of Hanukkah gifts?

My husband usually builds us a roaring fire for Christmas Eve, while our son careens about giddy with anticipation. This year, I put together a special S'mores kit for him. In addition to the boxed supplies, it also comes with an expandable metal stick for marshmallow roasting (hopefully not pug poking). We still in need fresh wood for our fire this year. For some reason, the wood fetcher is reluctant to face the opossum who recently claimed our woodpile as his den. No kidding.

Kane/Miller offers the perfect books for this time of year! It's Christmas by Tina Burke is a wonderful choice, featuring the sweetest illustrations. I like that the text is somewhat spare, which prompts children to give their own interpretations of what each photo represents. This is a wonderfully simple book that is a joy to read many times over.

Happy Holidays from all of us at Kane/Miller!

Life & Death

2008-12-19T12:30:00.000-08:00

Yesterday afternoon, I learned that my maternal grandmother passed away. This did not come as a big surprise, as she had been in hospice care since Thanksgiving weekend. Still, death is never easy to deal with and being so far away from my mom and family right now is especially difficult.

Talking to my son about my grandmother's death was also something that was not easy. Family is very important to me. I want to pass on to my son the value of relationships and the appreciation of family and respect and admiration for previous generations. How do I do that when we don't get a chance to spend time with my extended family as much as I would like to?

My grandmother was the first person to find my son's ticklish spot (under his chin) when he was just nine months old. She had seven children, fifteen grandchildren and sixteen great-grandchildren. Her husband died when her oldest (my mother) was just fifteen. She'd been through a lot in her 90+ years on this planet.

The book that Kane/Miller published a few years ago about death, And What Comes After a Thousand? is a beautifully illustrated and touching story about an old man and a young girl who share so much together. After his passing, Lisa must come to grips with her loss and finally recognizes that Otto will always be with her, just not in the same way.

It's one of those books that you know you'll want to share with those you love but is definitely not a bedtime story or one that you anticipate having a reason to read with a child. I'm bringing a copy home today and will set aside a special time to talk with my son about life and death.

He's got the life part down, almost. Just last night he asked me if he could have a little brother. This was followed by him trying to "see" if there was a baby in my belly. How do I explain that not everyone with a "belly" has a baby inside? I wish there were a book that spoke about that sensitive subject.

Cookies!

2008-12-18T09:31:00.000-08:00

by Jen Kulman

There is nothing quite like baking to get you in the holiday spirit! We have an annual Grandma Cookie Day where both our mothers come out to bake with the boy. The first year I spent two hours making him the perfect little apron for the event. He lost interest after fifteen minutes and buried himself in the couch. Subsequent years have been more successful, and we always make a point of trying a new recipe.

This year's cookie comes from Bunny's Warm Oven, a blog from a passionate baker. Her site is absolutely fabulous and boasts all sorts of lovely dishes, including some knockout cookies. These are an ideal choice because kids can get involved and the colorful sprinkles are guaranteed to grab their attention. Also grab your broom, because these darn sprinkles will bounce into every nook and cranny in your kitchen.

Of course, we have the perfect book to get you and your offspring into the kitchen! The Story of Cherry the Pig by Utako Yamada is about a baker pig who lives for eating. Every day she rifles though her recipes, searching for just the right dish. She bakes and devours (spoils to the cook!) one enormous dessert after another. Cherry enters the the Harvest Festival bake-off and discovers how good it feels to share her baked goods with others. Food always tastes better when you share with a friend, doesn't it?

Are you Thrifty or Creative?

2008-12-16T09:40:00.000-08:00

by Jen Kulman

Thriftiness is especially important for many families who are feeling the financial pinch this holiday season. Instead of enjoying time spent with family, they are concerned about paying the bills. If you have the patience, a great way to save money and get into the holiday spirit is to make your own gifts.

Some of the gifts I remember most clearly from my childhood are the ones my mom made for us. This year I sewed small pillows with appliqued wool felt animals for my son and nephew. Hmm, I swear these are much cuter in person!

Yes, I realize pillows are the marshmallow of the craft world. 'm constantly looking for bigger and better ideas online and was delighted to see that YouCanMakeThis.com is running a challenge for people to make as many presents as they can for under $50, titled Thrifty Under 50. The participants post their projects here as completed, so we can all be inspired.

One book that does a great job of using found object to make art is Half of an Elephant by Gusti. This is a humorous tale of animals losing half their bodies after an earthquake that splits the world in two. Each animal travels about, determined to either find or replace their lost half.

The illustrations are absolutely fabulous! Animals and scenery are created out all sorts of cast off items that would usually end up in the garbage can. "My idea," said Gusti, "is to show children that creativity helps us to live a better life." This story will delight and inspire the creative person in all of us!

Male Models

2008-12-15T10:16:00.000-08:00

Gail Giles is a young adult author who recently wrote an article in School Library Journal that touched on a topic close to home. As a single mom of a young boy, I really work at trying to get my son involved in reading, sports and anything else that interests him (dinosaurs, cars, action figures). I want him to be educated, active and intellectual. He, of course, will become the young person he's meant to become but for now, his interest in reading and books in general is pretty amazing.

In September, when his Pre-K teachers asked him what he wanted to learn this year his response was, "how to make books." He makes his own books at home, from comic books to newspapers. He's into pretending right now and reading and drawing are also of high interest.

From what Gail says in her article, Wanted: Male Models, I know that won't last so I enlist my dad and other male role models to help instill a love of reading that I hope will last. She writes:

A boy doesn't want to be a woman. He wants to do what a man does. And if he doesn't see a man reading, he won't read.

My dad is staying with us for the next three weeks and he loves to read. Both he and my mom taught me at a young age that reading can open your world and can provide you with experiences and insight that you might not be able to get elsewhere. You can explore different ways of living and get to know people unlike yourself.

I can't help but think that the type of books children are exposed to also makes a big impact on whether or not they'll continue to want to pick up a book later in life. My son, for example, enjoys non-fiction books. He likes reading books that tell him things, show him how to build things or how people invented machines or put things together. He likes numbers and facts, memorizing details like young boys used to quote baseball stats on the back of their collectible baseball cards. (Do kids still do that?)

Illustration from

Sebastian's Rol ler Skates

Personally, I enjoy fiction, escaping into worlds unknown and stories that I know could only be make-believe. I've grown to appreciate non-fiction books over the last few years since I see how excited my son gets when seeing real photographs or images of dinosaurs that he will never be able to see in real life. I pick up books and suggest titles that he doesn't want to read. I let him select books and I'm always amazed at what intrigues him, what captures his attention and what will keep him still - and paying attention - for twenty minutes a day.

Luckily, there are great websites that also keep me up to date with what other boys - and older men - are into reading. That way, I can get familiar with what to introduce to him as he gets older, guiding him to the perfect book that he'll grow into and stories he can share with his classmates, cousins, and Grandpa.

Here are just a few articles and sites that I found to help other parents and educators get their young boys to read:

Boys Rule! Boys Read!
Boys Read
Guys Read

Why dads should read to their children
Why dads should read aloud

It's Officially December!

2008-12-02T10:13:00.000-08:00

by Jen Kulman

We live in Michigan, where the snow flies thick and often. People here scramble to put up their exterior holiday decorations just as soon as the turkey carcass has been discarded. We spent the weekend doing just that. Tree in, lights up, snowflakes secured in the windows. Can you see the Christmas spirit and brotherly love here?

After all our hard work, we gathered an armload of books and plopped down in front of our cozy fire. One of our selections was Selma, by Jutta Bauer. This is a simple book about a sheep who is perfectly happy with her lot in life. Even if she had more time or a million dollars, Selma would still choose to play with her children in the afternoon and chat with her neighbors in the evenings. Reading this is a good reminder to take stock of your life and be grateful for what you have. So we did.

Taking a page from Selma's book, we slouched down in our chairs and just relaxed. I concentrated on enjoying our family instead of the list of chores that needed my attention. The laundry will wait for me, a four-year-old will not. It was wonderful to feel the fire toasty at our toes while the snow swirled wildly outside. Aaahh.

Happy Birthday Sally!

2008-11-26T14:36:00.000-08:00

Today is author Sally Odgers' birthday! Sally is co-author, along with her husband, Darrel, of the 8-title series Jack Russell: Dog Detective and the new series Pet Vets, coming in 2009.

Happy Birthday Sally!

Giving Thanks

2008-11-25T06:40:00.000-08:00

by Jen Kulman

Obviously, this is a big, happy week for eaters! Less so for poultry.

At our annual dinner, my mother starts out okay, but panics as the dinner hour approaches. She makes a quick visit to the wine bottle to settle her nerves, and invariably leaves a dish in the oven that won't be discovered until clean-up. "Hey, I knew I made more rolls!"

Of course, my mom will be wearing her fancy turkey hat. It wouldn't be Thanksgiving without Mr.Gobble.

If your mom doesn't wear a topic inducing hat like mine, you will need to explore other avenues for stimulating conversation. Is there anything worse than trading stilted lines with Cousin Steve once a year? Presenting the ideal book for the upcoming holidays: Could You? Would You? by Trudy White.

This book is thought provoking and fun. Pepper other family members with these questions and really get them thinking. Would you like to: Bathe in a laundry sink? Wash in a river? Soap up with an octopus? You may learn more about Cousin Steve than you actually intended...

Some of the questions are very funny, and some are more run-of-the-mill, but with hilarious answers. What is the best thing about you? Snails like me. Hmmm. May want to save that gem for your office holiday party.

No matter your plans or headgear, have a happy and safe Thanksgiving!

Fathers That Read!

2008-11-22T11:19:00.000-08:00

Discovering new blogs that focus on parenting and reading is always a good find. This morning, I spent a lot of time reading book reviews and blog posts from Book Dads: Fathers That Read!

I also signed into my GoodReads account for the first time in quite a while. There, somehow, I discovered the Never-Ending Book Quiz which is a whole lot of fun and wastes a whole lot of time too, so be careful! You can select the general quiz, or trivia based on the books in your reading list!

Please let me know about any great book sites or blogs that I may not already be aware of. I'm always on the lookout for more great reads!

A Follow Up on Canned Goods

2008-11-21T12:28:00.000-08:00

by Jen Kulman

This year marks the the 16th anniversary of Canstruction, a construction competition that aids in the fight against hunger. Teams must assemble their structures in a single night, made entirely from full cans of food. At the end of each competition, all canned food used as building materials is donated to local food banks.

New York City's exhibits will be shown today through December 2, followed by one hundred cities across North America who will hold their own competitions in the coming year. The price of admission for the general public to view these amazing creations? Why, canned goods, of course!

The creativity in these structures knows no bounds. Yet even more amazing is their charitable impact - millions of pounds of food are donated to needy families through the food banks. Aren't these things unbelievable? Check out more photos here, including the national winners.

In related news, a local library is also doing their part to assist with local hunger. The Fraser Public Library is accepting food donations in lieu of late fees. The Food for Fines project allows patrons to donate one can of food in exchange for having fifty cents waived from their library fines. This is a great way to get the reading community active in solving the hunger crisis.

Isn't it uplifting to read stories of the creative ways in which communities are helping their local food banks?

Interview with Jackie Morris

2008-11-20T02:46:00.000-08:00

Interview by Marya Jansen-Gruber

I'd like you to meet Jackie Morris, the talented artist who illustrated a beautiful fairy tale called Singing to the S un.

What did you think when you were first sent the text for Singing to the Sun?

I first heard the story of Singing to the Sun at a children’s book festival in Swansea. Viv was doing an evening event and I went along to listen. The story made pictures dance in my head, and after the event Viv asked me if I liked it. When I said yes she replied 'Good, because I wrote it with you in mind.’ And from there we began to look for a publisher together. The story was originally published in a collection of stories and the others in the collection are equally beautiful.

What do you think of the message that it imparts to young, and not so young, readers?

There are so many messages in the book if you want to look for them. For children, one message is that maybe love is better than wealth and power, but it is a thing to be freely given. For fathers, a reminder that daughters have free will and are fed up of being given away as prizes in stories. For parents, the message can be that arguing is frightening for children. For women, that it is always a good idea to keep your wolves close, if you have a wolf, and that cats are smart and music can often provide answers.

The artwork that you created for the story has a magical, ethereal quality. What inspired you to create these pictures in this way?

I love medieval manuscript, textiles, animals and birds. I suppose really the words inspired the images. Each book that I do is different, each a response to a different text.

How were the illustrations created?

The illustrations were created with watercolor on hot pressed paper, after 27 years of practice and much blood sweat and tears. Firstly, I did small thumbnail drawings and sketches trying to catch the characters, then went on to the finished work, which is larger than the published work. Some pieces flowed easily, others I had to work on a few times. I loved the wolves who are very much a side issue in the text, so I brought them down from the golden mountains to be beside the princesses, ready for when the princes get the answer wrong.

This is not the first fairy tale that you have illustrated. Do you have a fondness for this genre?

I have a fondness for story. I love listening to storytellers. I love the way a really good story can live in your heart and mind and grow with you and help to make sense of the mad world we live in.

What do you think fairy tales give children?

Hope. Understanding. Courage. Insight. Pleasure. Passion. Music. A connection through history to all the people in the world who have ever told the story before, who have ever listened to it. A place in the world and in time.

Did you like to read when you were a child, and if so what did you like to read?

I struggled to read when I was a child and only persisted because I knew that what was hidden in books behind the code of the alphabet was worth knowing, worth breaking through to. What I love to read now is stories that have magic, not necessarily witches and wizards, but that magical power where an author can make you believe, make you care, for a character whose bones are paper, whose blood is the letters on a page. Discoveries this last couple of years have been Robin Hobb, The Book Thief and Stardust. Two of my favorite books I read as a child were White Fang and The Call of the Wild.

You have created illustrations for many charitable organizations. What do you like about doing this kind of work?

I like to use the work I do for good. I do not want to advertise cars, do illustrations for banks and big business. I always felt very priveleged to be able to work for Amnesty International and Green Peace and Oxfam.

You often use one of your cats as a model for your paintings. What does he think of this?

Max is a private kind of cat who likes to sleep in cupboards. He does not often come to sit on a lap and tends to keep out of the limelight, unlike the ginger brethren who dominate the house. But I think he is secretly quite pleased. He is very handsome and dark like midnight with emerald eyes.

If you could travel anywhere in the world to paint where would you go and why?

I would go to Venice in Spring. The colors of the buildings, the madness of the water-filled streets, the crumbling decay are all inspiring. I would go to the arctic where the colors play in the sky and on the land and I would wait and watch for polar bears. I would go to Bhutan or Nepal and sit quietly and watch cranes fly over high mountains and hope a snow leopard would be watching me. I would go beneath the sea where great whales sing and see them swim and leap from the water, before it is too late, before there are no more and I would go to a jungle in India and wait for a tiger to burn the emerald forest bright. And for now I will go to my studio and paint some more.

You can find out more about Jackie on her wonderful website. If you are a cat lover do take the time to visit the blog written by her cat companions. Her journal will show you what the life of an illustrator is like.

A Touch of Magic

2008-11-19T09:00:00.000-08:00

Marya Jansen-Gruber is the editor of Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Review. Recently, Marya interviewed Jackie Morris, illustrator of our new picture book / fairy tale, Singing to the Sun.

Working with reviewers over the last five years (or so), I have gotten to know many wonderful people who share a love of reading and children's books, in particular. I'm pleased to have discovered a bit more about Marya and introduce her to the Kane/Miller community:

I review children’s books for my website Through the Looking Glass Book Review. I have been a prolific reader for as long as I can remember, and for me doing this work is about as good as it gets. My only complaint is that I can never read as many books as I would like because there aren’t enough hours in the day. I also wish I had time to write my own children’s books but I am confident that, when the time is right, my stories will get written.

I live in lovely Ashland, Oregon with my husband, my eight year old daughter, three dogs and three cats. Home to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, this town rests in a valley between two mountain ranges and it is full of people who appreciate the arts and who love books of all kinds. I could not have found a better place to live.

When I am not reading and writing I love to cook, to knit, to hike, to ski, and to explore my new home state. We moved to Oregon only a year ago from Virginia and there are so many places that we want to visit here on the west coast.

I grew up on the small Mediterranean island of Cyprus and, being the child of writers and journalists, I was able to travel to many countries around the world. These travels showed me that the world is full of variety and color. They also showed me that children in different countries are not that different. They have similar likes, fears, and pleasures. A little boy in England and a little boy in India will both love trains, and little girls from these countries will be delighted when someone gives them a stuffed animal to cuddle. I find this connectedness between people very interesting, and I think it is very important that children should be able to read books that come from countries other than their own. This is something that Kane/Miller gives us. Through their books we get to visit far away places and we get to see that we are more alike than we thought we were.

Read her review, below, of Singing to the Sun and be sure to come back tomorrow for her interview with Jackie Morris.

There once was a lord who thought that power mattered more than anything in the world. He did not care about love at all. His wife thought that wealth was the most important thing in the world, and she did not care about love either. Together they had a son called Thorfinn who was taught about great battles, and given books full of spells that were supposed to make people rich. One thing his parents did not give him was affection. For this, Thorfinn had to turn to the tabby cat and the jester who lived with Thorfinn and his family.

When Thorfinn was eighteen his parents decided that he needed to marry. His father wanted Thorfinn to marry someone who would make him the most powerful lord in the land. His mother wanted Thorfinn to marry someone who would give him wealth.

One day the jester came to tell Thorfinn’s parents that the King of the Golden Mountains was looking for husbands for his three daughters. One daughter would be given the king’s wealth, one would be given his power, and the third would bring her husband “nothing and everything,” “happiness and love.” Thorfinn decided to leave his home to try his luck with the daughters of the King of the Golden Mountains. Will he be able to figure out which princess is which and will he choose wisely if he guesses correctly?

All too often in our society today we admire people who are rich and powerful. We envy them their luxurious homes, their fast cars, and their fat bank accounts. What we forget to ask is if these people are happy. This book subtly shows readers what happens to people who forget to seek happiness and love. Touched with magic, and with beautifully lyrical text, this tale will resonate with readers of all ages.

Jackie Morris’ illustrations perfectly compliment this fairy-tale. Beautiful flowing colors and clever details make the paintings a joy to look at.

Let's Talk Food

2008-11-18T10:08:00.000-08:00

by Jen Kulman

Our first house had a very small kitchen, but our current house is more generous in this respect. I accepted the extra storage space as my personal challenge. During a particularly good cereal sale, a fellow shopper saw my cart and exclaimed "Wow! How many kids do you have?" Er, just the one. We're good eaters!

These are my cabinets for baking supplies and canned goods (with dog treats on the bottom for shameless beggars). I like being prepared for baking emergencies that pop up. Jen - we need four pans of brownies, STAT. I thought everyone stocked up like this, until some of my friends came over and made fun of me. I was going to give them each a bottle of corn syrup for quick energy, but they blew it with their snide comments.

In all seriousness, we actually stock up to save money. Our storage space and deep freeze make it possible to take advantage of store sales and coupons. When you have access to an abundance of food, it is easy to forget that others do not. Food banks across the country are asking us to help those who do not have the same resources. Our local unit, Gleaner's Community Food Bank states that one in eight families will need emergency food assistance this year. It is terrifying to think of not having food for your family.

Knowing that families across the nation are struggling with meeting their basic needs serves as a reminder of how fortunate we are. The Short and Incredibly Happy Life of Riley by Colin Thompson is a great book for helping kids understand the importance of appreciating what you have.

Riley is immensely happy with the basics of life - food, shelter, love, and a scratching stick for his back. His life may be short, but he glows with happiness. In contrast, humans desire more material goods, often unable to appreciate what we already have. This sweet purple rat allows us to teach our kids a valuable life lesson in a fun way.

Canadian Children's Book Week

2008-11-17T10:15:00.000-08:00

Today is the first day of Canadian Children's Book Week, the single most important national event celebrating Canadian children's books and the importance of reading. Every November, close to 35,000 children, teens and adults participate in activities held in every province and territory across the country. Hundreds of schools, public libraries, bookstores and community centres host events as part of this major literary festival.

The TD Canadian Children's Book Week program is organized by the Canadian Children's Book Centre, in partnership with the Storytellers of Canada/Conteurs du Canada, and is made possible through the generous support of our sponsors and funders.

Over a dozen Canadian authors and illustrators will tour Canada this week to highlight their books and promote reading among young readers. Find out who's touring, along with details about the week's events and ways to celebrate.

Check out Kane/Miller's Canadian title, Purple Hair? I Don't Care! written by Dianne Young with illustrations by Barbara Hartmann.

Purple Hair? I Don't Care!

Who? What? Where? Why? When?

2008-11-13T16:45:00.000-08:00

As a guest blogger here, I have conducted this scintillating self-interview as my introduction, accompanied by our self portrait. I'm sure it is obvious that we're super photogenic people.

Who? I am Jennifer Kulman, Children's Editor at For Immediate Release Reviews - Kids! We exist for the sole purpose of writing reviews for newly released children's books, videos, games and toys. We enjoy tracking down fun and fabulous items to share with other families. We try to move right along to keep it interesting for our readers, posting new reviews frequently, sometimes as often as daily.

Why? Because Kane/Miller is an awesome book publishing company. When they were looking for guest bloggers, I couldn't put my hand up fast enough. They put out some of the best and most interesting children's books on the market. It is an honor to be linked with a company who is committed to publishing such books with extraordinary care and attention.

Where? Physically, my husband and I live in small town Howell, Michigan; rural enough to see farm animals from our windows - not rural enough to own any ourselves. We do have an aging pug. And a four year old boy. They act like farm animals - fighting over snacks and space on the couch (not five minutes ago there was a flare up over stolen biscotti).

When? I'm here every Tuesday. Let the wild rumpus of randomness begin!

What? What? Isn't that enough to start with? Or are you one of those people who has an infinite number of questions? If so, you should check out Why?, a book of fun animal facts by Lila Prap. Why do hyenas laugh? Why do hippos yawn? The author has several silly and one factual answer to every question.

If Why? Why? Why? is often heard at your house, this book is an ideal choice. Most enjoyable of all is hearing the responses these questions will elicit from your child's imagination!

Meet Jen

2008-11-12T16:03:00.000-08:00

Jen Kulman is Children's Editor of For Immediate Release Reviews - KIDS! and will be a guest blogger every Tuesday at Kane/Miller Kidlit. Here's what she had to say when I asked her to a share a little bit about herself:

My name is Jennifer Kulman. I am a children's book enthusiast and am addicted to children's books. We believe all children deserve good books to read. The trouble is - the books just keep improving! They are funnier and way more clever than when I was a child - even the illustrations are better now! I hold Kane/Miller responsible for my shrinking bookshelf.

My husband and I live in the small town of Howell, Michigan. We are brave/foolhardy enough to lay claim to a nine-year-old pug and a four-year-old boy. They fight like brothers over snacks and space on the couch. That is no exaggeration. The boy just called "Mom! Toby won't stop looking at me!" Gosh, why do we only have two?

Even though we live in the country, I enjoy mostly indoor activities: reading, baking and decorating our old (1919) but new-to-us house. I'm a real fifties housewife type, except I work outside our home and my husband does a LOT of the housework. Possibly he does more than me, but he has not caught on. Sometimes (okay, every time) when he is out mowing the lawn, I lounge around on the Internet and leap up to vacuum when I hear him come in. Probably he has caught on and is just driving that mower about to catch a break from me. I know June would have done that to Ward, had the Internet been available then.

So that's the two minute intro to the Kulman family. I'm thrilled to be here and will be blogging at this space every Tuesday! Come back for more ramblings...

Note to Parents

2008-11-11T11:37:00.000-08:00

Those of you reading this blog are professionals at reading aloud, whether to your own kids or the kids in your classroom or that come into your library or bookstore.

If you know of parents or individuals that might not be sure how to go about selecting books for their young readers, or how to incorporate story time into their daily routine, here are a couple of articles that you might want to pass along to them:

A How-To on Reading Aloud to Your Kids
Harder Books Aren't Always Better Books: Talking with Parents about Text Difficulty

Choice Literacy, the source for this second article, is a great website which includes many great articles for educators and literacy professionals. They offer many great tips for free, or you can sign up for an annual membership ($99 per year) to receive:

All site materials in an ad-free environment, including hundreds of articles, web-based videos, and workshop e-Guides
Continuously updated content
Downloadable tips, tools, and templates for literacy leaders, curriculum specialists, principals, and teachers
The latest writing from your favorite teacher authors before it appears in their next book
Dozens of videos filmed and edited by our award-winning crew of videographers and technicians
Discounts on products and services available only to members

And much, much more

If you know of more resource sites to share, please add them in the comment section.

NYPL's 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing

2008-11-10T15:53:00.000-08:00

Two books from this season's list have been chosen to be included in this year's annual list from the New York Public Library, 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing.

Snake and Lizard
by Joy Cowley
Illustrated by Gavin Bishop

Wombat & Fox: Tales of the City
by Terry Denton

Both of these titles serve as Kane/Miller's first (and second) attempts at publishing hardcover chapter books for readers 5 - 11 years of age. The illustrations in both volumes add to the stories that are told with humor and sophisticated rhetoric that will appeal to both young boys and girls looking for adventure in a book that will challenge the readers without intimidating them (chapters in Snake & Lizard range from 2 - 5 pages).

Congratulations to our New Zealand and Australian authors and illustrators! We're pleased to be included in this annual list.

Greatest Fiction Travel Books of All Time

2008-11-03T12:24:00.000-08:00

The November issue of the Conde Nast Traveler magazine featured an article on the 69 Greatest Fiction Travel Books of all Time. Included on this list were Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Crime and Punishment, Don Quixote, For Whom the Bell Tolls, Heart of Darkness, Lolita, Lady Chatterley's Lover, The Odyssey, One Hundred Years of Solitude, On the Road, The Shipping News, along with a host of others.

They define fiction travel books as those "in which a place is as important a character as the protagonist."

Kane/Miller has several books that we feel would fit right in with this definition, including:

My Father's Shop

The Wickit Chronicles (Book #1), Ely Plot

The Wickit Chronicles (Book #2), Fen Gold

Little Fish

Are We There Yet?

Kali and the Rat Snake

New Clothes for New Year's Day

Sosu's Call

Tibili

Of course, we also have books coming out in the spring which would also make great additions to the list, including our middle grade fiction, Hannah's Winter and Moonrunner.

Singing to the Sun Wins Moonbeam Children's Award

2008-10-30T12:14:00.000-07:00

The Moonbeam Children's Awards were announced last week and Singing to the Sun by Vivian French and illustrated by Jackie Morris, tied for the Gold position in the Picture Books category for all ages.

Presented by Jenkins Group and Independent Publisher Online, the Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards are designed to bring increased recognition to exemplary children’s books and their creators, and to support childhood literacy and life-long reading. Awards are given in 30 categories covering the full range of subjects, styles and age groups that children’s books are written and published in today.

As our society has become more complex and growing up more complicated, children’s book authors and publishers have risen to the occasion, creating books that not only celebrate the joys of childhood, but also help kids and families deal with its challenges. The Moonbeam Awards recognize and reward the best of these books and bring them to the attention of parents, booksellers, librarians – and to children themselves.

Funny You Should Ask...

2008-10-21T11:32:00.000-07:00

It's been twenty days since my last post.

Starting in November, I'll be changing my schedule and working only four days a week. I'll still be traveling and you'll still see me on the road at conventions and conferences in different cities around the country.

But, I have begun already to scale down my time spent online and updating the blog. That's why I'm reaching out and asking fellow booklovers, kidlit bloggers and the audience of readers who enjoy our books (the children they were created for) for help.

Kane/Miller is a company that values everyone's input about how to spread the word about our award-winning children's books from around the world. We're a small, independent company with much to say about our books, but we want to hear from you.

What do you want to read about? Is there a comment, story, or observation you'd like to make about one of our books, authors, illustrators, or company in general?

I'm opening up the Kane/Miller Kidlit blog to you, our loyal readers. Please email me if you'd like to contribute as a guest blogger and attach your submission. I promise I'll do my best to include your writing in some capacity.

Banned Books Week

2008-10-01T05:43:00.000-07:00

Typically, I celebrate banned books week by checking out a book from my local library (or pulling one off of my bookshelf at home) that is included in the 1 00 Most Frequently Challenged Books that ALA mentions on their website under the Intellectual Freedom section.

Like many avid readers, I grew up with these books and I challenge each and every adult to read each and every one of the books from this list. Whether you agree with the ideas, values, or opinions that are expressed within these pages, I do believe there is something to be said for having the freedom to share one's thoughts, in writing, and having the equal right to close the cover of a book that might offend us, or make us feel uncomfortable in some way.

If you're not already familiar with the books on this list, or the fact that there is such a list, I encourage you to look it over. You'll find such classics included such as Of Mice and Men, To Kill a Mockingbird as well as books by Judy Blume, Mem Fox, Stephen King and Mark Twain. You'll also find Where's Waldo? on this list so you just never know who or what might prompt a book to become "challenged."

Literacy Evangalist

2008-09-30T12:41:00.000-07:00

Cybils nominations open tomorrow, October 1st. How can you participate?

Jen Robinson, Literacy Evangalist for the 2008 Cybils award, has several ideas.

This year, awards will be given in nine categories (Easy Readers, Fantasy & Science Fiction, Fiction Picture Books, Graphic Novels, Middle Grade Novels, Non-Fiction Middle Grade/Young Adult Books, Non-Fiction Picture Books, Poetry, Young Adult Novels). Anyone can nominate books in these categories (one nomination per person per category). Nominated titles must be published between January 1st and October 15th of this year, and the books must be in English (or bilingual, where one of the languages is English). To nominate titles, visit the Cybils blog between October 1st and 15th. A separate post will be available for each category - simply nominate by commenting on those individual posts. If you are not sure which category to choose for a particular book, a questions thread will also be available.

The Cybils were founded by Anne Boles Levy and Kelly Herold. This year's winners will be announced on February 14th, 2009.

First Book

2008-09-25T11:49:00.000-07:00

Since my role as Marketing Manager requires that I know what's going on in the on line world, I have been following many moms, writers, authors and marketing gurus through Facebook and Twitter.

The following video was included in a tweet by an author who was touched by the First Book's impact on literacy, as was I:

Terms of Endearment

2008-09-25T09:49:00.000-07:00

From time to time, I like to indulge in online quizzes. You know, take advantage of the opportunity to see how smart I truly am, because what other way is there to really test my knowledge than with an online quiz?

This morning, I came across a quiz that caught my attention. It's universal in appeal and even though I am only fluent in my native tongue, I still earned a whopping 70% on this one. Included in the quiz are words in German, Estonian, Hindi, Urdu, Hawaiian, Flemish, Italian, Croatian, Welsh, and Basque.

Go ahead and test your knowledge by taking the Mother or Father Terms of Endearment Quiz.

Best of La Jolla Award

2008-09-24T06:29:00.000-07:00

WASHINGTON D.C., September 22, 2008 -- Kane/Miller Book Publishers has been selected for the 2008 Best of La Jolla Award in the Publishers category by the U.S. Local Business Association (USLBA).

The USLBA "Best of Local Business" Award Program recognizes outstanding local businesses throughout the country. Each year, the USLBA identifies companies that they believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and community.

Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2008 USLBA Award Program focused on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally by the USLBA and data provided by third parties.

About U.S. Local Business Association (USLBA):

U.S. Local Business Association (USLBA) is a Washington D.C. based organization funded by local businesses operating in towns, large and small, across America. The purpose of USLBA is to promote local business through public relations, marketing and advertising.

The USLBA was established to recognize the best of local businesses in their community. Our organization works exclusively with local business owners, trade groups, professional associations, chambers of commerce and other business advertising and marketing groups. Our mission is to be an advocate for small and medium size businesses and business entrepreneurs across America.

SOURCE: U.S. Local Business Association

Bicycle Happiness

2008-09-23T11:42:00.000-07:00

GreenLAgirl wrote a post about bicycle happiness, over at the BlogHer site. Since we have two books featuring bicycle-riding creatures, I thought this would make a great way to remind readers about them.

Check out the 9 Steps for Bicycle Happiness after reading Marta and the Bicycle and A Bicycle for Rosaura.

Great Books Recommended by Great Dad

2008-09-22T12:01:00.000-07:00

I met the founder of Great Dad at ABC Kids Expo a few weeks back. Paul Banas, a fellow Minnesotan (there's many of us), formed the network of articles, blogs and forums found on Great Dad because he realized that there was a missing gap in the online world for dads.

I enjoy his humor, insight and of course, book recommendations, which actually overlaps with many books I have upon my personal bookshelf at home.

So, for those dads, grandparents and women looking for great sites to recommend to the dads in their lives, please stop by and meet Paul and the great site he created, if you haven't already. Oh, and please tell him I sent you!

Reading is Sexy!

2008-09-22T11:13:00.000-07:00

Apparently, the Reading is Sexy! messenger bags caused quite a stir at the recent MPIBA regional trade show.

I bought a Reading is Sexy! t-shirt from Bas Bleu a few years back but unfortunately, it doesn't fit me anymore. I'm always looking for more great ways to promote reading so any links or suggestions on where to buy great gear like these items is always appreciated!

Coleen Sally - A National Treasure

2008-09-18T10:21:00.000-07:00

This week, we mourn the loss of Ms. Coleen Sally. On Monday, we received an update of her condition from a fellow colleague.

After her recent diagnosis of the Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD), a terminal illness, her son David shared his thoughts with thousands of his mother's fans:

To say Mom has had a full life would be a monumental understatement. She has made more friends than most people can ever imagine, and touched and inspired thousands more.

Obviously Mom did not deserve this fate (no one does) and it is sad that it has happened to her. It is a little ironic that a disease that literally strikes only one in 1,000,000 struck someone who is one in 1,000,000, actually 10,000,000. I am sorry that I have to bring everyone this news.

However, I know each and every one of you have fond and fun filled memories of your times with Mom and I know you will recall those as you think of her at this time.

Hail to the Queen!!!

Update: If you've posted on the late Coleen Sally, please include the URL to the blog post in a comment below. I've already started by including the few I know of already.

Book Blogger Appreciation Week

2008-09-16T11:38:00.000-07:00

I think it's only fitting that the one year blogoversary of Kane/Miller Kidlit falls during Book Blogger Appreciation Week.

If it weren't for the many great bloggers who inspired me, I wouldn't be here writing this post today.

Every time I blink there seems to be a new book blogger that I'm introduced to. I wish I had the time - and the room - to include them all here.

Many kidlit bloggers are listed on the sidebar under What We Read. Many more can be found on the JacketFlap site or on Blog Central, a list of Children's/YA lit bloggers that Anastasia Suen put together.

Who are your favorite book bloggers? Show them some appreciation today by giving them a virtual high five or a virtual hug, depending on how loyal you are to their blog!

I'm sending the book bloggers that I know of comment love which is always appreciated.

I Have a Pill Bug

2008-09-15T10:52:00.000-07:00

My son is an animal lover as most children tend to be. He adores our neighbor's cats and likes petting dogs as they walk by us - as long as their owner is in agreement.

We had a tadpole at our house about a year ago, which sadly died. He and his father have a beta fish which they look after at their house but I wasn't so sure I needed a replacement pet, especially since I travel fairly often and am not able to commit to the daily care that having a pet requires.

My son mentioned that their school guinea pig, Sneakers, is able to go home with a different friend each weekend. I assumed he would want to sign up to bring it home during the school year so most likely Sneakers will make an appearance at our place in the next few months.

At the playground over the weekend, my son picked up a pill bug and immediately created a blanket and sleeping place for her (he claims it's a female) and spoke to her in a loving and - dare I say - motherly manner.

Illustration by Kiyoshi Takahashi

from I'm a Pill Bug,
written by Yukihisa Tokuda

So, when he asked me if we could bring her home, I could not resist. Of course, I had to search his overflowing bookshelves for the copy of I'm a Pill Bug that we had read many times after first bringing it home.

I'm a Pill Bug

In the book, the pill bug narrates the story and explains the science and nature behind these roly-polys, which some people refer to them as. I used the last few pages to emphasize what was needed in order to care for our new pet: soil, cement and water.

So far, so good. The pill bug (a.k.a. Moochi Moochie) is doing well. We spritzed her with water a few times during the day and provided plenty of moist dirt and small leaves from outside. Of course, the book does explain how important it is to bring the pill bug back outside near the fall since they like to stay close to their family.

I have a feeling my son will be ready to let go at that time. He's not quite ready for the real responsibilities of having a pet but this experiment is a good one for us both.

I Will Make a Difference

2008-09-14T05:46:00.000-07:00

booda brand, a clothing line founded by Ruchika Sahai and including Tinna Petursson as the Director of Retail Enlightenment (love that title), produces organic clothing with proud statements that are simple and direct (DREAM, IMAGINE, COURAGE, LOVE, PEACE, etc).

Ruchika states that, "as a new parent, my deepest desire is to share the values and spirit of diverse cultures with my children in the most unique ways. Most importantly, I want to be an example of one who follows my bliss while affecting positive change in the world."

And Tinna's role behind-the-scenes is "about being a part of something that will change a child's world."

Staying true to that promise, for every purchase, Booda brand will gift ONE book to a child in need through the organization Room to Read.

View their line of organic "conversational clothing" which include:

IMAGINE a Wild Kingdom tee – Inspired by the effort to protect wildlife in Africa

Way of the Samurai COURAGE tee – Inspired by the courage of the Samurai to live by the moral principles of the Bushido Code

Joie de Vivre LOVE tee – Inspired by the French motto “joie de vivre” which expresses the cheerful joy of life

DREAM tee – Inspired by the less fortunate children of India who dream of a more abundant life

Under One Sky PEACE tee – Inspired by the hope that one day the Middle East will see a lasting peace

For Cryin' Out Loud

2008-09-09T04:12:00.000-07:00

I couldn't have said it better myself:

Confessions of a Community College Dean shares his understanding of why bilingual education is so important in our culture.

If you've ever met anyone from a country outside of the U.S., you might be intimidated, like I am, when you discover how many languages they speak, fluently. There are many cultures who encourage their students to learn not two, but many different languages from an early age. Why should our country be any different?

Read on for more from Dean Dad:

"In the last few weeks, two of the biggest, most respected and sought after employers in our service area told me, independently and without prompting, that they desperately want bilingual employees.

Given two similarly qualified candidates, one bilingual and the other not, both employers made it abundantly clear to me that they’d hire the bilingual one in a heartbeat. The ability to communicate with Spanish-speaking clients (or, more importantly, potential clients) is a major business advantage, and one for which they’re willing to pay."

Each of the sixteen Kane/Miller Spanish language titles, from our Libros del Mundo series, are also available in English. These are great resources for young readers, or adults with little knowledge of Spanish, for an introduction to reading, writing, and speaking another language.

What are your thoughts on bilingual education in the U.S.?

Getting Lucky in Vegas

2008-09-08T18:28:00.000-07:00

I never win anything. Ever. Which is why I was so shocked when I sat down at one of the penny slot machines here in Vegas last night and won $177.00 on my first - and last - spin at that particular machine.

At first, I assumed I won 177 pennies so I was thinking to myself - as the machine added up the winnings with the sound of coins dropping - big deal, I won a lousy $1.77. As I watched the dollar amount increase on the screen in front of me, I realized that it was actually dollars that were adding up.

I immediately cashed out and excitedly sent a text message to everyone, who I thought would care, about my winnings. Of course, several people had to remind me that if I had only bet more than one penny per line (a whopping total of $0.21 was what I bet) I would've won a heckuva lot more money. Figures.

I was thrilled that I won something - since this has never happened to me before. My luck is beginning to change. At least that's what I've been telling myself ever since!

When I arrived at the Kane/Miller booth this morning at the ABC Kids Expo, I immediately wished I had the I Got Lucky stickers that we created a few years back when our picture book, Lucky, was first published.

The stickers said, "I Got Lucky in..." followed by a blank line. We had used these stickers at the promotional book fairs and trade shows we had attended, using the blank space on each sticker to write in the name of the city we were visiting.

Lucky, A Dog's Best Friend

Las Vegas would've been the perfect place for them (I Got Lucky in Vegas!), despite the fact that Lucky is not a new title.

Next year, remind me to bring more stickers! Or buttons! Or...well, you get the idea.

Brillante Weblog Premio Award

2008-08-27T15:35:00.000-07:00

Anastasia Suen nominated the Kane/Miller Kidlit blog for the Brillante Weblog Premio Award so I'm doing my part by adhering to the rules:

The award may be displayed on a winner’s blog.
Add a link to the person you received the award from.
Nominate up to seven other blogs.
Add their links to your blog.
Add a message to each person that you have passed the award on in the comments section of their blog.

Because I already have a blogroll which is included in the sidebar, I thought I'd use this as an opportunity to introduce blogs which I have discovered from our common membership in the Book Blogs social network, created over at NING.

Here are my nominations:

If you've guessed method of selecting the blogs (and bloggers) in this list, you'll be pleased to know that this is where a contest comes into play.

In the comments field, provide me with a list of the countries represented from the above bloggers and you'll be entered to win a set of our Fall 2008 titles (Ironically, winners must provide us with a U.S. address for which we will use to send the books to). Email must be included (it won't appear on line) in order to be eligible.

And, in case you're not already aware of the upcoming blogger events, check out the following links for details about Blog Day and Book Blogger Appreciation Wee k.

School Starts Soon

2008-08-26T16:35:00.000-07:00

For many of us this week marks the last and final week of summer vacation. My son is here with me in the office this week and I hate to admit this, but I have yet to purchase anything on his school supply list. I have a feeling by the time I get to the stores this weekend the Halloween decorations will be on display and the people behind the counters will look at me funny when I pull out the list.

Needless to say, he is much more prepared for the new school year than I am. He's starting Pre-K and has been in "school" since he was eighteen months old. So why do I get teary-eyed when thinking of sending him off to a new adventure with a group of children his age?

Here's the Kane/Miller books that we read today, and those that we've read in the past (more for my benefit than his, of course!):

Kevin Goes to School

Little School

Something for School

Tibili: The Little Boy Who Didn't Want to Go to School

Big Brothers Are...

2008-08-25T14:38:00.000-07:00

I don't have any brothers so I can't say for sure what the experience is like but watching my nephew with his new baby brother was certainly a pleasure and a treasure I will remember as they get older. I can just hear myself now, telling stories to the two of them about how loving and affectionate big brother J was towards his baby brother (at least that was the case last week).

I wish I could capture how much love was expressed in the countless number of times my three-year-old nephew brushed his lips on his brother's hair or toes, or fingers, or... you get the point. The fact that he did this all on his own, at random times throughout the day, made it even more poignant.

My sister is a few years older than me and among my dozens of cousins, there are mostly females (on both sides of our family), and we all, for the most part, have sons of our own. Watching babies and children grow up has been a life-changing experience and my little guy is not even five yet.

Check out the following Kane/Miller books that touch on the subject of new babies, siblings and family. They make great gifts when welcoming a loved one into the world.

And After That...

Little Brothers Are...
(Toddler Tales)

Purple Hair? I Don't Care!

What's Going On?

When I Was a Baby
(Toddler Tales)

Library Visit

2008-08-20T10:51:00.000-07:00

I just got back from the library.

I'm in Minnesota right now, visiting family and having a true vacation (I haven't checked my work email since I got here). Some of my friends questioned why I chose to come here for my week off (as opposed to going someplace more flashy like Mexico or Miami).

Family is a priority for me and since my sister just had her second baby I wanted to meet him as soon as possible. This week I'm here with both her 8 week old baby and his three year old brother. Believe it or not, it has been very relaxing.

During our trip to the library, Big Brother and I had the difficult task of picking out books from the library (which is part of the Hennipin County Library System).

In a matter of minutes, we had over a dozen books in our pile, many of which were Kane/Miller titles that I did not pick out. There were several Kane/Miller books that I came across while looking through the picture books but my nephew managed to add Yellow Umbrella (that was missing its CD) and My Father's Shop to our reading pile.

Yellow Umbrella

We did finally narrow down the number of books to six (My Father's Shop made it to the last round). Immediately, my nephew wanted to read them so he chose one to look at in the car on the way home and we read three more when we got back to the house.

My Father's Shop

The library is a great place to spend a hot summer day. It's also a great time for people-watching. There were families there with young children, young adults on the computers and adults of various ages enjoying quiet time with a book.

If there was anything I was meant to "get" out of my time here this week, it's that reminder that I need to take advantage of the San Diego library more often. My son has a growing library of books at our house, but it's not often enough that we experience what the library has to offer.

My son is with his dad this week on the East Coast, but I know that when we're both back in Southern California, one of the first places we'll head to is our local library and I'm looking forward to reading with him - one of the main things I miss when we're not together.

Happy Birthday Janine!

2008-08-09T11:48:00.000-07:00

Today is Janine Dawson's birthday. Janine is the illustrator behind Bobbie Dazzler and our Jack Russell: Dog Detective series.

Janine was born in New South Wales in 1957. She has lived and worked in Los Angeles, Canada, Taiwan, Thailand, and Sydney. She has worked as a film animator, director and teacher of English before settling on a career as a children's book illustrator.

Happy Birthday Trudy!

2008-08-07T05:04:00.000-07:00

Today is the birthday of Australian author/illustrator, Trudy White. She wrote and illustrated our amazing gift book, Could You? Would You? which was featured on The Martha Show back in February of this year.

Trudy recently became a mom for the first time and we look forward to hearing more about her new baby as well as learning more about her upcoming projects. Of course, she's probably still enjoying life with a little one so we wish her a Happy Birthday and many sleep-filled nights.

Back-to-School Bash

2008-08-06T10:31:00.000-07:00

Kane/Miller is pleased to be one of many sponsors for the upcoming VIRTUAL BACK TO SCHOOL PARTY - FOR ADULTS ONLY!

Getting ready for back to school isn't easy. Parents and educators deserve a bash too, right? Head to this back to school bash for a chance to connect with others and win some cool prizes (not JUST back to school gear for kids, but some great goodies for you, too).

Date: August 16
Time: 9pm
Location: MommyTalk

They will also announce the winner of the big Back to School Contest, which you can enter until August 15th. The grand prize is a Back to School Prize Pack worth more than $140! Be sure to register ahead of time (it's free!) so you can hop right into the chat room. Just show up at the time of the Back to School Bash and you're in.

BE SURE to invite your friends... Everyone is welcome.

Happy Birthday Julie!

2008-08-03T07:13:00.000-07:00

Julie Vivas, of Australia, celebrates her birthday today. She came to Kane/Miller back in the early days of our company with the gorgeous art inside Mem Fox's Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge.

Illustration from Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge

We've had the pleasure of working with Julie on other titles over the years - Samsara Dog being her latest.

We wish her another year of happiness and health.

Bad for Business

2008-08-01T08:45:00.000-07:00

Gas prices are the talk of the town lately. Every town. Is your business being affected by the high costs at the pump?

Supporting independent and locally owned businesses has always been a goal of Kane/Miller. We're a small, independent publisher and we know how important it is to support those who have supported us from day one.

If you own or manage an independent retail store let us know what you're doing to increase your sales during the dog days of summer. We could all use some innovative ideas to keep customers coming back for more.

Bookmarks - NorthPark

2008-07-31T10:06:00.000-07:00

For those of you who subscribe to School Library Journal, this is nothing new but even though this children's library was featured in the July issue, I thought it deserved another mention.

Dallas Public Library - BookMarks

I love the design and bold colors within the library and would love to visit the NorthPark shopping center - if nothing else but to see the library.

Pop Goes the Library!

2008-07-30T10:29:00.000-07:00

Librarian turned Kidlit Blogger turned Author!

Together with co-author Sophie Brookover, Liz Burns of A Chair, a Fireplace, and a Tea Cozy wrote Pop Goes the Library! Written to help librarians connect with patrons and to energize their staff, Pop Goes the Library! defines what pop culture is (and isn’t). Liz & Sophie share insights, tips, techniques, and success stories from all types of libraries.

Based on the blog, Pop Goes the Library! the book now has its own: PopBook!

Congratulations Liz and Sophie for putting together a creative, useful and exciting adventure into pop culture from a librarian's point of view. Congratulations again for introducing a new publishing model: from online to print.

What's On Your Nightstand?

2008-07-29T14:58:00.000-07:00

I realize that this will be considered cheating, but I'm asking those who truly are interested in what I'm reading to head on over to GoodReads for details.

For those who want to participate by adding your blog to the list (or comment below the post), Jennifer over at 5 Minutes for Books is asking readers - the 4th Tuesday of every month - to share.

Minneapolis Meetup

2008-07-28T14:24:00.000-07:00

How to Turn Your Business Trip into a Social Media Experience inspired me to let readers know that I am taking a trip to Minneapolis in just a few weeks.

Not that I typically like to turn my personal vacations into business trips, but since I'm heading home (birthplace: St. Paul, MN) to visit friends and family (without my son), I'm looking to keep busy during the day since most of these people will be at work.

Anyone close enough to the Twin Cities who is interested in meeting up for lunch? Please let me know. I'm going to be arriving on Monday, August 18th and heading back to San Diego on the 23rd.

Reading, Writing & Blaming

2008-07-28T09:40:00.000-07:00

The future of publishing is uncertain. Technology keeps changing and the way readers read continues to evolve. More books are being printed every day - in higher quantities - but there are still only 24 hours in a day.

As readers, consumers and booksellers, how do you sort through everything to truly find the gems?

Two interesting articles I discovered yesterday pointed out some very interesting challenges facing publishers, authors & booksellers:

RU Really Reading? (from the New York Times)
The Blame Game (from GalleyCat)

Literary Tattoos

2008-07-25T12:19:00.000-07:00

Those who know me, or have met me in person, know that I am a fan of tattoos, both temporary and otherwise!

Contrariwise is a blog dedicated to photos of literary tattoos, both from lyrics of literature, poetry and music to images found inside children's books.

Betsy Bird from SLJ's A Fuse #8 Production created temporary tattoos for the Newbery/Caldecott awards dinner at ALA last month.

For me, I think I'd prefer a quote - my favorite lines from Dougal the Garbage Dump Bear and written with the same scratchy font found inside the book.

"...sometimes bad things happen so that good things can happen. You just have to make the best of it."

If you were to sport a literary tattoo - even for one night - what would you choose?

National Independent Retailers Week

2008-07-20T11:34:00.000-07:00

Which bookstore would you vote for as your favorite local independent retailer? Even though I reside in San Diego, I purchase books from Indie bookstores around the country. These are the stores that I have recently bought books from:

Book People
The Book Works
Bookshop Santa Cruz
The Bookworm, Inc.
Powell's
The Red Balloon Bookshop
Tattered Cover Book Store
Warwick's
Wild Rumpus

Whether you're looking for a local independent bookstore, or want to find out where to shop on your next vacation, Indie Bound can send you in the right direction. I receive bookstore newsletters from many of the above mentioned stores.

Booksellers - What percentage of your sales are from online purchases?

Outstanding Literary Translations

2008-07-17T11:41:00.000-07:00

The Outstanding Literary Translations of adult books from the last 50 years was recently provided by the Times Online.

What are your favorite adult translated books that are not included in this list?

Judging a Person by the Books they Covet

2008-07-16T10:32:00.000-07:00

Reports on books and literature can be found in the most unlikely of places. Today, for example, the introduction to BookRabbit, a UK based site claiming to have books less expensive than some of the larger online bookstores, was mentioned on Daily Bedpost:

From the Daily Bedpost:

"You may not be able to judge a book by its cover, but you can certainly judge a person by the books they covet."

Warning: Daily Bedpost is a site which covers articles, information and book reviews that deal with sex.

Speaking of sex, Alison Morris over at PW's ShelfTalker discusses sexy bedtime stories...

National Rabbit Week

2008-07-15T11:01:00.000-07:00

This week is National Rabbit Week! Celebrate with one of the Kane/Miller books featuring a rabbit as the main character:

Obama on Writing

2008-07-15T06:35:00.000-07:00

MotherReader (aka Pam Coughlan) attended an event where Barack Obama was asked about what advice he would give to young writers.

His answer is one that should be passed along to parents, educators, employers and pretty much anyone interested in the future of our young people.

International Publishing Professionals

2008-07-14T07:22:00.000-07:00

Kane/Miller represents nearly 24 countries in our list of award-winning children's books from around the world.

I have come here to the Stanford Professional Publishing Course to meet new people, take home new skills, explore others' ideas and, hopefully, incorporate most of what I learned into the business and marketing plan for the future of our company.

While there are representatives here from both the book and magazine side of the industry, there are also publishing professionals here from - ironically - about 24 countries.

Over the last few days, I've sat down with professionals from South Africa, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Australia, Canada, Denmark, Spain, Taiwan, Japan, Mexico, Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Of course there's still dozens of other people who I have yet to talk to.

My horoscope this morning (I read it every day) states:

A foreign person will have a very positive influence in your life today, especially if they are a person from your past...

I may not know anyone here from my past but perhaps Kane/Miller's history will play a role.

Stanford University Bookstore

2008-07-13T18:33:00.000-07:00

I arrived in San Jose yesterday morning. I went directly to the campus after driving down University Avenue in downtown Palo Alto. I rented a bike as soon as I checked into my room and got settled in.

I met a wonderful group of people yesterday afternoon during the opening session as well as during the cocktail reception and dinner. The evening closed with an inspiring speech from Dorothy Kalins, former executive editor of Newsweek, and the first woman to be named Adweek's Editor of the Year.

Today, there were five separate sessions with many wonderful speakers, including Robert Miller (Harper Studio), Paul Saffo, Bill Tancer, and Kevin McKean (Consumer Reports).

Tonight, I will attend the 8pm session on the Art of the Interview presented by Dick Stolley (Time, Inc.), Greg Curtis and Mark Miller (Newsweek).

Until then, I enjoy the ambiance at the University Cafe. There was a bit of a problem with the internet connection on campus but I hopped on my bike after the last session this afternoon and found this hip, comfortable & computer friendly cafe which I plan on returning to later this week.

Also a place where I've returned to after my first discovery was the Stanford University Bookstore. That place is so overwhelming with its 5 floors of books, art & office supplies, clothing and computer products to explore.

Their kids section was amazing, and very busy. I definitely plan on stopping in this week and introduce myself to the buyer - if I can time it so that we're both there at the same time.

Stay tuned for more updates from Palo Alto.

Stanford Professional Publishing Course

2008-07-11T13:39:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow morning, I leave to attend the 8-day Professional Publishing Course at Stanford University.

Although I've been told to "leave work behind," and not check in with the office or check email (yeah, 8 days' worth of email when I get back - that's a good idea!) - I will attempt to update the Kane/Miller Kidlit blog with highlights from the course sessions.

For those who are also addicted to social networking sites, you'll understand why I'm so excited to be in the same room as Guy Kawasaki. I'm very eager to hear what he, and the other speakers, will be sharing with us.

Photos from ALA

2008-07-10T23:01:00.000-07:00

I received the photo from Betsy from my dinner with her and Jen:

I also discovered a lovely photo of the Kane/Miller booth from the bloggers over at Bees Knees Reads who have just recently made it home after two weeks on the West Coast!

By the way, this week's newsletter was sent out late due to a technical error (me, forgetting to hit SEND).

New Shoes for Antonella

2008-07-08T12:48:00.000-07:00

Fans of Antonella and her Santa Claus know that the one thing Antonella really wants for Christmas is a pair of red roller skates.

While browsing some of my favorite blogs the other night, I came across a mention of the name Antonela (one letter off from the name of our German protagonist) and was compelled to click through to see who else shared this unusual name.

Antonella and her Santa Claus

I was surprised - and delighted - to come across a pair of shoes (even better than roller skates) which were described as "a great platform pump that can be worn with tights or bare legs." If only Antonella could see them for herself...

...she just might ask for these instead!

Starring Sally & Dave

2008-07-07T14:32:00.000-07:00

Sally and Dave, the slimy and silly slugs from Australia are now featured in their very own cartoon blog - Starring Sally and Dave - courtesy of author / illustrator Felice Arena.

Be one of the first to sign up for the RSS feed. I guarantee that these two will make your day complete. Don't believe me? Check out the 4th of July post which seriously made me LOL.

Trudy White Welcomes Baby

2008-07-06T10:26:00.000-07:00

We received a lovely note from Trudy White, author and illustrator of Could You? Would You? along with an update and details of her new baby, Frazey. He was born on Friday, June 27th in Australia, weighing 8.9 pounds, measuring 54 centimeters and, in Trudy's words, is "pink and healthy and a good kicker."

Congratulations to Trudy and Simon. We can't wait to learn more about Frazey as he grows.

Happy Birthday Eun-hee!

2008-07-05T03:01:00.000-07:00

Today, July 5th, is Eun-hee Choung's birthday. She is the author and illustrator of Minji's Salon, an adorable story about the power of imaginative play.

Minji's mother heads to the hair salon for an update to her current hairstyle. Meanwhile, back at home, Minji and her black and bouncy canine companion make a mess, have fun and create memories with a hair salon setup all their own.

Told with bright and bold illustrations, Minji's Salon (also available in Spanish) is a lot of fun and guaranteed to be a favorite on the shelves of little girls everywhere.

Eun-hee Choung graduated from the College of Art, Chungang University and studied at the Hankuk Illustration School. In 2005 she was awarded the grand prize in the Korean Published Arts Contest. She lives in South Korea.

Best Gifts for New Babies

2008-07-04T15:21:00.000-07:00

Do you love giving Kane/Miller books to parents of new babies? New siblings? Tell Oprah. Since she doesn't have kiddos of her own, she's relying on her viewers and parents to suggest the most u nique gifts. Let her know why you think international children's literature should be included.

Illustration from
New Clothes for New Year's Day
by Hyun Ju Bae

Recovering from ALA

2008-07-03T11:29:00.000-07:00

ALA was a big show for us this year. We expanded the size of our booth space which allowed for us to display each and every one of our titles and it was a major success! Making a bold statement with this larger presence proved to be a great benefit for us. We received several compliments on our colorful displays which held our books as well as positive feedback about our fall titles, in particularly The Big Little Book of Happy Sadness, by Colin Thompson and Singing to the Sun by Vivian French and Jackie Morris.

Illustration from The Big Little Book of Happy Sadness by Colin Thompson

The chocolate globes that were given away were also a big hit and the snakes and lizards that we had on display to promote Snake and Lizard were gone after day one! Overall, ALA was a fabulous show and we look forward to seeing everyone again next year in Chicago. For those brave souls who will head to Denver in the middle of winter, we'll see you there, as well.

Sam I Am

2008-06-30T11:52:00.000-07:00

Pardon me while I brag. My sister welcomed Baby #2 early this morning. His name is Samuel but I've already taken to calling him Sam or Sammy - I haven't figured out yet which shortened version will suit him and probably won't until I meet him in August.

Big Brother was excited to meet him and couldn't get over how tiny his fingers and toes are. In a few weeks, when the new routine has kicked in and my nephew realizes that the baby is here to stay, I have a feeling he'll be thinking the same thoughts as the narrator in What's Going On? as he tries to figure out his new role and redefines his status as the first-born.

What's Going On?

There are several books from the K/M list that I plan on sharing with him when I visit in August (besides the above title):

Little Brothers Are... This is a great book that covers a wide range of emotions (and adjectives) that celebrate the relationship between siblings.

Little Brothers Are...
(Toddler Tales)

And After That... This adorable, lift-the-flap book discusses before and after events, ending with the before baby family rituals and the new routines established when baby arrives.

And After That...

Guji Guji I'm sure at some point, all brothers (and sisters) think about tossing their younger siblings to the crocodiles.

Guji Guji

When I Was a Baby Narrated by a little boy (not much older than 3), this book from the Toddler Tales series talks about the memories big brother has of his days as the baby of the family.

When I Was a Baby
(Toddler Tales)

Breasts Because every young person should learn about breastfeeding and the reason for their existence.

Breasts

Contemplating Your Bellybutton If you haven't shown your little ones the footage of the birth, this book shows it all.

Contemplating Your Bellybutton

ALA - Day One

2008-06-29T07:03:00.000-07:00

The doors opened to the Exhibit Hall yesterday and librarians (all sporting lovely orange ALA tote bags) flew down the aisles to get the morning schwag at the back of the room.

I spent the day greeting people who I only get to see once a year - several of whom I had the pleasure of finally meeting for the first time and several others who I introduced Kane/Miller books to.

Here are the names of the people who I spoke with (off the top of my head):

Sylvia Vardell (the first person to comment on our booth expansion and who was kind enough to offer me a great critique of the K/M newsletter and why she looks forward to reading it each week)

Laura Lutz (who is so adorable and had the cutest handbag that I forgot to ask her about)

Lisa von Drasek (who I saw in Los Angeles during BEA and who will be in San Diego in just a few weeks)

Ken & Sylvia Marantz (who have been fans of Kane/Miller since day one)

Cindy Mitchell (who adored Singing to the Sun)

Cyndi Giorgis (the lovely author of a fabulous new book which will feature art from Guji Guji)
Susanna Reich (author of a beautiful book on Native American artist George Catlin)

Eve Bunting (yes, the Eve Bunting - who signed a copy of Baby Shower for my sister who is in week 40 of her second pregnancy)

Pam Muñoz Ryan (who my son and I met - along with Brian Selznick - at the San Diego airport back in March when our plane to Minneapolis was delayed)

Judy Freeman (putting together a blog especially for parents to help them navigate children's books)

I did meet and chat with dozens more who I apologize for not naming here (it's early, the caffeine hasn't kicked in yet).

Stay tuned for more highlights from the Exhibit Hall floor.

Magic Happens in Downtown Disney

2008-06-28T06:19:00.000-07:00

Betsy Bird of SLJ's A Fuse #8 Production and Jen Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page, were kind enough to set aside time to join me last night for dinner during their visit to Anaheim for ALA.

We ate, drank, and helped Betsy create footage for her blog video in Downtown Disney. Our food came about five minutes after placing our order. Perhaps it was less than five minutes. Either way, it was suspiciously fast, like magic.

I do have a few regrets about the evening. One was that I didn't bring them a copy of Singing to the Sun (sorry, ladies - you'll have to pick one up at the booth). I also regret not bringing along a camera, although I suspect that if I Say Please, Betsy will arrange for the photo of the three of us to reach me. Another regret was that I didn't order a Sangria. They looked beautiful and were pretty tasty, from what I heard.

The discussion over dinner ranged from the Irish travelers that Betsy ran into to the six hour drive for Jen; the upcoming ALA events, the interesting culture that surrounds Disneyland and of course, blogging and blogging for outside sources.

We shared our individual experiences about the power of reading and being able to enjoy this magic with the young people in our lives. This, perhaps, was the highlight of my night as I talked about my son and could feel the same motherly-type pride that both Jen and Betsy expressed while sharing stories about the little ones that they enjoy reading with.

It's always a pleasure for me to hit the road and meet with people familiar with children's literature and to get feedback, from a marketing point of view. I head to the Stanford Professional Publishing Course in less than two weeks so I am preparing for more networking with others in the field. For now, and over the next three days, I will continue to share the magic that surrounds ALA.

Good Question

2008-06-27T01:33:00.000-07:00

I attended the ALSC pre-conference storytelling event last night, where I met many friendly, and humorous, librarians.

One woman asked me a very good question - one that I love answering but rarely have the opportunity to. She asked, "How long have you worked for Kane/Miller and what do you like about it?"

Instantly, I smiled. Actually, I think I beamed. I found it so intriguing that this woman actually wanted to know about my role and my experience with the company.

I'll sum it all up for those who haven't heard this before (Yes, this is the shortened version):

I've worked for Kane/Miller for seven years now, since March of 2001. I remember every detail of my career, especially the interview and requesting that I start after March 1st since I was flying home (St. Paul, MN) at the end of February to surprise my mom for her birthday.

I started working for K/M knowing little, if nothing, about children's publishing, even though I grew up with books, spent several years of my youth (cumulatively, of course) in the library, inside a book - and fell in love with language and literature because of my early exposure to storytelling.

My mom taught me to read before I started kindergarten. We went to the library often for story time, quiet time, and now that I have a child of my own, I realize that we also went there so my mom could have some alone time.

Now, thanks to my mom, teachers and librarians who encouraged my love of reading, I now have a job that I absolutely love. It was simply meant to be.

Kane/Miller is a small, independent publishing company, founded by siblings who shared a love of language, children's literature, art, and the world - and what I love most about Kane/Miller is...Everything. From the atmosphere at our office to the books we publish; from the mission statement that hasn't changed in 25 years to the logo which has; I can't see myself working in any other industry or for any other company.

I was honored to be asked such a personal question and I think it's safe to say that my response - my strong emotional reaction - impressed upon my audience why Kane/Miller is so unique.

While no job is perfect, I would have to say mine is pretty close. I get to work with people who share a love of language, children's literature, art, and the world. Plus, now that I have a son, I am able to pass on that love, nourish it, and watch it grow.

I can't imagine anywhere else I would rather be.

Ten Simple Rules for Librarians

2008-06-26T14:23:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Joanne Ladewig (a.k.a. "Library Lady"), Library Media Tech from Garden Grove, California for this post:

In 1907, there was in the Long Beach public library, a “Guide for Female Librarians.” It stated ten simple rules for librarians to follow:

“Do not get married.

Do not leave town without Library Board permission.

Do not keep company with men.

Be home between the hours of 8pm and 6am.

Do not smoke or imbibe.

Do not loiter around ice cream shops.

Do not dress in bright colors.

Do not dye you hair.

Do not wear any dress more than 2” above the ankle.

Do not get into any carriage with any man except your father or brother.”[1]

While this seems absurd to us now, it was the rules of the times.

[1] Card from Long Beach Public Library’s clippings file Public Library-1900’s

One hundred years later, I think it's fair to say that these rules are in need of a serious update. For those librarians who are reading this, please comment here about what you think are the top ten rules that all librarians (male or female) should follow.

Video Book Reviews

2008-06-26T11:04:00.000-07:00

Stay tuned to the KaneMillerBooks channel at YouTub e. There are now four new video teasers / book reviews that have been put together by local La Jolla students. They put together these videos all by themselves; they selected the titles they chose to discuss after reading through our Fall 2008 list, produced and edited the videos and have committed to doing more for us in the future.

If you're a teacher, have children of your own or know of a young reader that has the ability (and is willing) to provide audio or video book reviews, let us know. We're willing to send out FREE samples of our Fall 2008 titles (one per reader) to the first 25 people to respond. Summer reading assignments will never look the same again!

Wordless Wednesday

2008-06-25T09:45:00.000-07:00

Kane/Miller has a few wordless (or nearly wordless) books on our list:

Fly, Little Bird

Jukebox

Yellow Umbrella

Next week - and from that point forward - we'll be participating in Wordless Wednesday by sharing delightful interior illustrations from our books.

Wearing My Conference Shoes

2008-06-24T11:42:00.000-07:00

In preparation for any conference Kane/Miller attends, there are certain things that we must always keep in mind.
ALSC posted several Conference Tips on their blog - meant for those attending sessions, workshops and yes, walking through the Exhibit Hall. Several of these tips also carry over to exhibitors (I've made comments - italicized - from this exhibitor's point-of-view):

*Take Snacks. And take them with you to the conference hall (Concession stand food is an exhibitor's only alternative). Pack small zip lock baggies of pretzels, M&Ms, whatever gets you through the day. You’ll save money and time – the food lines are always long! *More food tips: Vendors have food. Candy, especially. Stop and see their goods, chat with them, and then eat their chocolate. Watch for free food events in the exhibit hall (We'll have chocolate globes at ALA - unless they somehow get consumed between San Diego and Anaheim).

*Scope out the local restaurants. Every time you walk somewhere, keep an eye out for good food spots. There will be a lot of librarians competing for the eateries, so if you see a cool, off-the- beaten-track spot, jot it down. (We make reservations ahead of time to avoid such competition.)

*Spy Pad! Take a little notebook with you and keep it handy for jotting down.. restaurants, ideas, phone numbers, etc. Keep it handy, as well as a good pen. Put the address and phone number of your hotel in the spy pad, just in case you need it — taxi drivers do NOT always know where they should go (Very good tip. I also bring a book).

*Swag…. Either take an extra bag to cart home all the freebies or be judicious in your picking up. Those free books and stickers get heavy. You can ship stuff home, too. Usually there is a handy postal service right at the conference center (Feel free to JUST SAY NO to an exhibitor who's handing you stuff - left and right - we'd rather see you turn it down than have you throw it away at the end of the day).

*Take a poster tube for all the cool posters you are going to bring home (We offer rolled posters for this reason).

*Take advantage of the free shuttles! Get the schedule down on the first day, and you’ll be set (See you there).

*Read your conference book and make a plan. Perhaps you’ll veer from the plan, but having one is half the battle. Jot down your daily schedule, including where the room is, in your Spy Pad. Then you can leave that heavy book in your room. (Don't walk and read. I've seen several near-miss accidents when people have walked through the Exhibit Hall while staring down at their Spy Pad! Plus, you may miss something fabulous!)

*Go to the workshops that sound fun. I always go to some that I think will be GOOD for me to attend, even though another sounds more fun. Do the fun thing at least once, whether it applies to your job or not. It will apply somehow. (Please remember to visit the vendors in the Exhibit Hall - we're lots of fun!)

*Sit in on Notable discussions. Check the schedule– you can see how committees work and get to hear lots of opinions. Good networking place, too! (Networking is key.)

*Wear your badge at all meetings and events, but take it off when you go out into the street. (Exhibitors will most likely take their badges off before stepping onto the Shuttle Bus. Save us a seat. We'll be standing all day.)

*Network, network, network. Introduce yourself, ask friends and colleagues to introduce you. Go to events that you get invited to, even if it is just for a quick hello. (Yes, yes, yes - talk to people in line - even when you're trying to get into the restroom!)

*Do something fun. Give yourself a treat and do something non-work related. (And invite me along!)

*Drink lots of water. Take your own water bottle. Remember, tap water is regulated, and is probably just as good as that $2 plastic bottle of H20 you don’t need to buy! (Where are the $2 bottles? I think they're closer to $3 these days!)

*Go to the ALSC meetings. Great place to network and to hear division news. (Kane/Miller will have a table at the networking reception Thursday night. Stop by and pick up a FREE book.)

*Check out the author signings at vendor tables (they’ll be listed in your conference book). Books are often cheaper at conference, and you can get them signed… never too early to shop for those holiday gifts! (Kane/Miller won't have authors present...or books for purchase. We will have chocolate!)

*Use the Internet Café to check your e-mails. Don’t take a laptop just for e-mail! You can do it on site, for free. (Kane/Miller will be blogging during ALA - laptop required.)

*Take comfy walking shoes. You are going to be walking a lot. (Exhibitors will be standing during the day. Most of us will not be wearing comfy shoes.)

*Dress in layers. It may be hot outside, but those conference rooms can be downright frigid. (Air-conditioning one day, heater going the next. This is the most important tip from this list.)

*Take at least one dressy outfit. You might get invited to something swank and you should be prepared. Dressy, of course, is in the eye of the beholder. (Exhibitors - don't forget to bring at least one comfortable outfit - you may actually have time to lounge - or work out - before bed).

*Have fun! Conference can be exhausting, but mostly it is very exciting and inspiring. Enjoy every minute! (Exhibitors will need a vacation after the long - always over a weekend - event - thank goodness for the 4th of July!)

Great Websites from ALSC

2008-06-19T10:54:00.000-07:00

ALSC (Association for Library Service to Children) is just one division of the American Library Association. They have their own blog, their own list serv (is this one word, or two?) and their own parties!

They also have a committee which suggests Great Websites for Kids and have recently made several additions to the list.

I personally enjoy this list as I share these sites with other parents I know who want their children to have a safe, fun and educational on line experience.

For the curious (like myself), you can read their selection criteria on line.

Take Your Dog to Work Day

2008-06-18T15:11:00.000-07:00

Friday, June 20th is Take Your Dog to Work Day. If you work at home, you should take a day off and spend it outside with your canine companion. I won't tell your boss.

Kane/Miller does not have a staff dog (not since our previous office pet tried to attack the postman) but we do have the occasional visitor stopping by to say hello.

For those who don't already know, our publisher has a terrier - pictured here and inspired by - Coco from Happy Birthday Coco. If there's anyone who has a pet either named after a book character or who reminds you of one, please leave a comment with your pet's name and breed (and where the name came from).

Favorite Potty Training Books

2008-06-17T11:50:00.000-07:00

Potty-training. What fond memories I have of that stage...

Parents magazine has put together a list of their 14 Favorite Potty Training Books - picture books to share with a child as well as books geared towards mom and dad. Guess which of our books made it to the list? Both Everyone Poops and I Want My Potty, of course.

Check out all the book lists on their site which are put together in a lovely little slide show. I personally couldn't get past the ads bouncing on the screen, but for those of you who have more patience than I, head on over to see which of your favorites made it to the lists.

This Day in History - June 16

2008-06-16T09:52:00.000-07:00

Courtesy of History:

1884 : First roller coaster in America opens

On this day in 1884, the first roller coaster in America opens at Coney Island, in Brooklyn, New York. Known as a switchback railway, it was the brainchild of LaMarcus Thompson, traveled approximately six miles per hour and cost a nickel to ride.

Mark David, author and illustrator of Crazy Cars created an original coaster of his own: The RollerRoadster.

The RollerRoadster turns a boring trip to the store into a hair-raising ride of twists, loops and gut-wrenching turns. Your friends will be so keen to get a ride home you'll be able to sell tickets! You'll wonder why all cars don't come equipped with a rollercoaster.

Also featured in this wacky collection of original state-of-the-art vehicles of the future, is the Velocitree, Chefrolet, Spiderwagon, and - my favorite - the Luxury Resortster.

Happy Father's Day!

2008-06-15T10:41:00.000-07:00

My mom is great at keeping me up to date with the parenting sites, blogs and articles that she comes across in her daily reads. This morning she sent a link to an article from the St. Paul Pioneer Press about daddy bloggers and the rise of stay-at-home dads and those who choose to write about their experiences and point of views of parenthood:

Collide and Converge
Dad Gone Mad
Tapirs Poop
Matt Logelin
Maya Reads
This Little Piggy Had Tofu
Team Trixie
Schuyler's Monster Blog
Jonathan Rundman
Looky Daddy

And don't forget to check out these great daddy blogs as well:

Dad's House
The Busy Dad Blog
Dorky Dad
Daddy in a Strange Land
From Here to Paternity
D is for Dad
Dad Thing
meta DAD
Discovering Dad
DIY Father
Try to Keep Up
Hey, Look What I Can Do
Makes Me Wanna Holler
A Man Among Mommies
I Have to Wipe His What?

These dads are all unique in their writing style and of course what they focus on. You'll find blogs written by single dads, stepfathers, new dads, stay-at-home dads, expectant fathers, dads who blog about raising their kids vegan or raising multi-racial children, from fathers who are also widows, and dads who blog about single life and dating. There's something here for everyone.

Happy Father's Day to all dad-types out there. Enjoy your special day.

Gained in Translation

2008-06-14T10:24:00.000-07:00

The June issue of San Diego Magazine included a feature on Kane/Miller and our 24 years of publishing award-winning children's books from around the world.

We're pleased that despite our growth over the last two decades, little has changed.

Kids are exposed to different cultures through the books' plots (a South Korean girl celebrates the Lunar New Year in New Clothes for New Year's Day) or illustrations (the Japanese wood-block prints in Hannah Duck). But themes such as friendship, self-esteem and manners show that children everywhere are similar in many ways.

Kane/Miller has exciting things in store for our 25th anniversary, happening in 2009! Don't miss out on the great promotions, events and celebrations that will take place throughout the year.

Working Dad: An Unauthorized Guide to Parenting

2008-06-13T12:24:00.000-07:00

I follow many blogs these days - about literature, parenting, education - you name it! One particular Daddy blogger, who writes for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, wrote a post this week that surprised me. Apparently, the internet is not a threat to children's reading habits:

The majority of kids, 62 percent, would rather read a book on paper than on the Internet, and even more, 68 percent, said they love or like reading books for fun.

Mind Your Manners

2008-06-11T15:05:00.000-07:00

I had a difficult morning with my son yesterday. He didn't want to cooperate and I was not in the mood to negotiate. He sat there in his pjs asking me to help him get his clothes on. I pointed out, impatiently, that he's been capable of putting his own clothes on for quite some time. He wasn't giving in and I was growing more impatient.

Finally, I lost the little patience I had left and insisted that he help me out by putting his clothes on so we could head out for the day and not be any more late than we were already. He burst into tears, mom guilt took over and I joined him on the couch where we sat quietly (except for the sniffling noise) until he was calm enough to explain why he was so upset.

"You made me sad because you didn't say please!"

I was speechless. Had I forgotten my manners simply because it was Monday and we were running late (and I hadn't made enough coffee)? I apologized to him, he said it was "a little OK and a lot not OK," and together, we got his clothes on, wiped away his tears and gathered our things to head out for the day.

My son is great at reminding me that it's more important to be nice and polite, than to be on time. Picture books can also serve as a reminder of the many important things in life, and the Little Princess reminds me a lot of my son. They're both very vocal about their needs - which is a good thing.

In Say Please! by Tony Ross, the Little Princess reminds a Blue Beastie to use the magic words. Tony Ross has created quite a little character with the Little Princess, who also appears in Wash Your Hands!, I Don't Want to go to Bed!, I Want My Pacifier, I Want My Potty, and I Want My Tooth.

What book characters do your children or students remind you of and why?

Stanford...Here I Come

2008-06-10T21:39:00.001-07:00

View my page on Stanford Professional Publishing Course Network

A World of Characters: From Antonella to Ziba

2008-06-10T06:20:00.000-07:00

UPDATE (June 18): I received an email from someone asking for clarification about the contest rules.

There is one name listed for each separate character. There are some names listed twice (Sebastian, Paul, Lisa) due to the fact that these are characters - from separate books - with the same name. I neglected to point out that there is one character listed who appears in more than one book within the same series. I apologize for the confusion and will select the winner according to the number of correct books listed for each character found on the alphabetical list.

Thanks to the Children's Literature Book Club, I've been looking at the characters of our books in a whole new way. Here's my version of our alphabetical list of guys, gals and critters great and small:

A
Anna
Antonella
Apollo / Apolo

B
Benny
Bobbie

C
Cherry
Claude
Coco

D
Daisy
Dan
Dave
Dougal

E
Eddie / Eduardo

F
Fanny
Figaro
Fox
Fox
Flusi

G
George
Grace
Growl
Guji Guji

H
Hannah

I

J
Jack Russell
Jeremy
Jonathon

K
Kali
Kevin

L
Lisa
Lisa
Lizard
Lucky

M
Madame Coco
Marc
Marta
Minji
Monique
Mustafa

N
Nico

O
Otto

P
Paul
Paul
Perfect
Pip

Q

R
Riley
Rosa
Rosaura
Rose

S
Sala
Sally
Sebastian
Sebastian
Selma
Shau-yu
Snake
Sophie
Sosu

T
Thorfinn
Thomas
Tibili
Troy

U

V

W
Wilfrid
Wombat

X

Y
Yoon

Z
Ziba

And, because we haven't put together a contest lately, the person who provides the most correct number of book titles that each character belongs to will win a FREE set of our fall titles. I'll give you a hint for the fall titles that haven't been released yet:

Thorfinn is from Singing to the Sun
Yoon is from Something for School
Growl ... The Story of Growl
George... The Big Little Book of Happy Sadness
Snake & Lizard from... (you guessed it) Snake and Lizard
Wombat & Fox... (yep) Wombat & Fox
Perfect and Pip from...The Wicket Chronicles (Books 1 & 2: Ely Plot and Fen Gold)

Readers have until August 1, 2008 to respond. Winners will be notified via email and in the K/M weekly newsletter, scheduled to be sent out on August 6, 2008.

Golf, Dinosaurs and Traffic

2008-06-09T12:58:00.000-07:00

The U.S. Open began here in La Jolla today. Apparently, the traffic was supposed to cause a major disruption to residents and those of us who work in the area. This morning was unusually quiet on the roads, especially for a Monday.

My son and I played golf last night. Granted, we were playing with a plastic golf set, and he's still learning the rules of the game but, we had a lot of fun.

He's especially interested in dinosaurs these days, so I made sure to pull out the copy of Could a Tyrannosaurus Play Table Tennis? from his bookshelf before bed. I turned to the page with the Gallimimus playing golf which led to giggles and him explaining to me, as he read me the additional pages, that dinosaurs weren't quite equipped to play golf, or any other sports and activities mentioned in the book.

Kane/Miller recently sent copies of the above title, by Andrew Plant, along with Dinosaurs, by Bénédicte Guettier to the Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center. They put together an art contest - Dino Art 2008 - and celebrated their four-year anniversary (or birthday) this last weekend.

I was pleased to not only learn about the great resources the center provides, but to also discover a wonderful new destination when traveling through Colorado. If you're in the area, I encourage you to check it out, if you haven't already.

Books to Share with Dad

2008-06-06T16:19:00.000-07:00

With Father's Day nearly a week away, I wanted to share with our readers the great father figures found in some of our children's books:

I Lost My Dad!

The Key to My Heart

On My Way to Buy Eggs

My Father's Shop

You Be Me, I'll Be You

Happy Father's Day to all of our readers, whether you're a Dad, Grandpa, Father or Daddy-to-be, enjoy this special day!

Guji Guji Honored

2008-06-05T16:13:00.000-07:00

The International Latino Book Awards awarded our Spanish edition of Guji Guji second place in the Best Children's Picture Book category.

Chih-Yuan Chen wrote Guji Guji as well as On My Way to Buy Eggs. Both titles are available in Spanish as part of our Libros del mundo series in paperback editions.

New Zealand Book Award

2008-06-02T15:23:00.000-07:00

Our first book from New Zealand, published originally by Gecko Press, has recently been honored with the New Zealand Post Best Children's Book of the Year award!

Congratulations to author Joy Cowley and illustrator Gavin Bishop for this great recognition. A collection of short stories about an unlikely pair, Snake and Lizard is a laugh-out-loud, sophisticated edition of tales (and tails) of friendship and life in the desert.

Snake and Lizard have much different tastes - especially when it comes to mealtime. In the story entitled, "Surprise," Lizard finds an egg "in the dust, smooth, white, and round as the moon," an egg which he feels is just perfect for Snake. He "carefully fitted his jaws around the egg and carried it back across the desert" to surprise his dear friend.

Hours later, when Snake finally arrives, Lizard is delighted to share his discovery with her and sends Snake down into the tunnel, where her surprise awaits.

Moments later, Snake shoots out of the hole, "hissing and shaking."

"The egg had hatched. No chicken had come out of it! There in Snake's bed, making a noise like a firecracker, was a very angry young rattlesnake."

After angry words between the two friends, Snake asks Lizard how he plans to get the rattlesnake out...it's nearly bedtime.

" 'Don't look at me in that tone of voice!' snaps Lizard. 'You know all about snakes. It's your cousin. Go and talk to it!' "

Humorous, delightful and simply charming, these two characters are highly developed, spectacularly entertaining and completely memorable.

Live from Los Angeles

2008-05-31T22:33:00.000-07:00

Today marked the second day of this year's BEA annual event, held in Los Angeles. I met several new contacts during the past two days and have been introduced to great websites, bookstores and librarians who are just as eager to get quality books into the hands of readers as we are.

Every year, I come back from BEA feeling refreshed and excited about the future of international children's books and our role in bringing the children of the world closer together and it wouldn't be possible without the others in this growing industry:

Las Comadres is a nationally known Latina organization empowering women to be actively engaged in the growing Latino/Hispanic communities through on line and face to face networks. Their mission is to help connect and empower Latinas everywhere through community building/networking, culture, learning and technology.

To Fathers With Love

2008-05-30T11:44:00.000-07:00

by Lisa Smith

In June of each year, we celebrate the wonderful Fathers and father figures in our lives! The modern celebration of Father’s Day has ancient roots, dating all the way back to the Babylonian period of history.

The earliest record of Father's Day was found in the ruins of ancient Babylon. A young boy named Elmesu carved a Father's Day message on a card made out of clay nearly 4,000 years ago. He wished his Babylonian father good health and a long life. The tradition was passed down from generation to generation and is currently celebrated in several countries throughout the world. In many countries, where the Catholic Church has had an important influence on the culture, Father's Day is celebrated on St. Joseph's Day (March 19) but in others, the date varies with the calendar year.

In the United States, we typically purchase greeting cards or small gifts for our fathers, grandfathers, uncles, brothers, etc. In other countries around the globe, they have unique and different ways to celebrate the Father’s Day tradition.

1. The UK and Australia: Breakfast meetings for fathers and families are held along with public games and activities that strengthen the father-family bond. These events include picnics with sports or games, fishing contests and hiking or running races.

2. Canada: Different colored roses are worn by families signifying the well-being of their fathers. A white Rose is worn if the father has passed away and a red Rose signifies father or grandfather in good health and vitality.

3. South Africa: Social and cultural societies host large community Father’s Day celebrations to stress the role of fathers in building a stronger society and in nurturing their children. They read stories and poems that have strong male characters.

4. Ireland: Families make donations in the name of their father or perform acts of community service that pay tribute to the important men in their lives.

This year in June, we can all look into some different ways to express thanks and gratitude for the fathers and father-figures in our lives. Whether we spend time strengthening our relationship by participating in an outdoor activity, performing some community service together or just sitting down to a meal together, we can all look to different cultures around the world to see that celebrating fathers is not just something we do here at home. It is an ancient and wonderful tradition that can be expanded upon to create some wonderful new memories and traditions of our own.

Lisa Smith has a BA in Psychology & is the Owner/CEO of Regionz Kidz, a multi-cultural infant & toddler clothing line featuring ethnically diverse characters and designs. She publishes a blog on her website http://www.regionzkidz.com that discusses cultural diversity & children & is a frequent guest blogger on other blogs and websites regarding parenting and children’s issues. You can contact Lisa directly at: lisa@regionzkidz.com

See you in L.A., Baby!

2008-05-27T16:23:00.000-07:00

We leave for Los Angeles on Thursday morning and will be in Booth 5129 over the weekend. Please stop by and say hello if you're one of the thousands walking the aisles. Oh, and in case you didn't already know, we'll be in the Children's Section.