A major focus of this blog and my site is spreading the word that good books matter. I also do a good bit of that in my public speaking. For example, I’m giving a talk with Greg at Texas State University in San Marcos this week, and we’ll be giving away signed books by Texas children’s authors and illustrators along with a bibliography of those folks’ titles and Web site URLs.
It’ll probably take five or so minutes out of our presentation to briefly booktalk each one, and I spent at most another ten putting together and printing the bibliography.
Since writers are readers, it makes sense that we act as ambassadors as children’s/YA literature. This is an example of an easy and effective way to do just that.
Here’s the list I’ll be handing out (while also presenting a signed copy of A Great And Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray (Delacorte, 2003) to the hosting professor):
Central Texas Children’s/YA Authors & Illustrators
Kathi Appelt: http://www.kathiappelt.com
My Father’s Summers: A Daughter’s Memoir (Henry Holt, 2004)
Anne Bustard: http://www.annebustard.com/
Buddy: The Story of Buddy Holly (Simon & Schuster, 2005)
Dianna Hutts Aston: http://www.diannaaston.com/
Loony Little (Candlewick, 2003)
Joy Fisher Hein: http://www.joyfisherhein.com/
Miss Lady Bird’s Wildflowers: How A First Lady Changed America (HarperCollins, 2005); note: book is written by Kathi Appelt (see above)
Julie Lake: http://www.julielake.com/
Galveston’s Summer of the Storm (TCU Press, 2003)
Lindsey Lane: http://www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com/catalog/titledetail.cfm?titleNumber=111609
Snuggle Mountain (Clarion, 2003)
Debbie Leland: http://www.debbie-leland.com
The Jalepeno Man (Wildflower Run, 2000); The Little Prairie Hen (Wildflower Run, 2003)
Jane Peddicord: http://www.janepeddicord.com/
Night Wonders (Charlesbridge, 2005)
Elizabeth Garton Scanlon: http://www.lizgartonscanlon.com/html/home.htm
A Sock Is A Pocket For Your Toes: A Pocket Book (HarperCollins, 2004)
Cynthia Leitich Smith: http://www.cynthialeitichsmith.com/
Jingle Dancer (Morrow, 2000); Rain Is Not My Indian Name (HarperCollins, 2001); Indian Shoes (HarperCollins, 2002)
Greg Leitich Smith: http://www.gregleitichsmith.com/
Ninjas Piranhas, and Galileo (Little Brown, 2003); Tofu and T. rex (Little Brown, 2005)
Jerry Wermund: http://www.rockonpub.com/
Earthscapes: Landforms Sculpted by Water, Wind, and Ice (Rockon Publishing, 2003)
Kathy Whitehead: http://www.scbwi-houston.org/new_page_4.htm
Looking For Uncle Louie On The Fourth of July (Boyds Mils Press, 2005)
note: I don’t just talk about books by Texans; I simply thought it would be a good fit/theme for this particular event. That said, if you are a central Texas author/illustrator who’s not participating in this sort of promotion and wants to, drop me a note! I’d love to hear from you and do what I can to raise awareness of your work.
Cynsational News & Links
Children’s Author, Illustrator, and Poet Kim Norman debuts her Web site. Kim illustrated The Museum Duck, written by Verne Edwards (Pearl Line Press, 200) and was a contributing poet to Rolling In The Ailses (Meadowbrook, 2004). She looks forward to the release of her first picture book, Jack Of All Tails, illustrated by David Clark (Dutton, TBA). Read her Bio Of A Not-Shy Author.
The Books of Robin Pulver: author Web site includes Axle Annie’s School Bus, Mrs. Toggle’s Classroom, A Vacation With Punctuation, Robin’s life story, publishing news, autographed bookmarks, illustrators’ drawings to print and color, and a Christmas kitten maze.