As of today we have officially moved off of SquareSpace and over to MacKidsBooks.com where we're going to continue to bring you geeky posts about books, a look inside our Flatiron fortress and content from our authors.
See you there!
Swag
There's a saying going around the internet that “swag doesn’t pay the bills.” In Children’s Marketing, that is patently not true. Swag totally pays the bills—or, at least it helps sell books, which is what keeps the lights (and air conditioning) on in this funky-shaped building. [Note: Much of Macmillan is housed in New York City’s Flatiron Building, an angular architectural wonder that is on the National Register of Historic Places and has a perfect five-star rating on Yelp. Swag.]
Kids book swag is kind of like a party favor—if your book had a birthday bash or a wedding, it would thank you for coming and hand you a little gift on your way out that looked like one of the following:
Bookmarks: Classic swag! A bookmark doesn’t stray too far from the world of ink and paper. Almost anything can be a bookmark, including smaller books—but do this too much and you get a Matryoshka doll effect with a couple of broken bindings. Better to pick up the real deal!
Poster: When you’re not reading your book, it can still beautify your world. A children’s book poster usually consists of a spread from the book with a tagline that is funny, telling or inspiring. Since they are often displayed in libraries and bookstores, these posters may have messages which encourage you to read. Consider yourself warned.
Class Activities: Sometimes class activities are on the back of a poster; sometimes they’re on their own. You can check out book pages on the Macmillan website to see if there are bonus activities! Is this type of swag a little like the carrot sticks that one of your neighbors gives out on Halloween instead of candy? Maybe. Did that person know what was best for you? Definitely. Some of these activities were created by interns, specifically this intern, and they are FUN—and good for you.
Buttons, Tote Bags, Pencils: This genre of swag is my favorite, as it’s a killer combination of practical and expressive. Plus, sometimes tote bags contain… more swag. And books.
Alternative Swag: Here’s where things get really creative. Did you know that Shadow and Bone has its own nail polish? And that the upcoming Crewel has its own swanky purple wristband? 52 Reasons to Hate My Father had a giveaway that included heiress sunglasses like the one in the book. Step aside, Duane Reade, because Mackids has this covered. These novelty items are a ton of fun to come up with in marketing meetings—it’s an interesting challenge to design a small object that both conveys something about a whole book and is useful or cool on its own.
Now you might be asking yourself: Where can I get my hands on some swag? Easy! To get a party favor, go to a party. Check out author signings and book festivals. Buddy up with your local librarian. Consider working in publishing! The whole floor may or may not have sampled custom Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group cookies to make sure they were OK for ALA. (They were, but it’s always good to check.) Turn your swag on, and happy reading!
-Katherine
Behind the Scenes | tagged Behind the Scenes, Intern Chronicles, Swag
Fierce Reads was launched in June with a spectacular tour! Four debut authors went on the road, with special author guests joining them along the way. The Fierce Reads tour took the authors across the country to meet new fans.
The four debut author and their books were:
And they were joined at various stops by Marissa Meyer, Jessica Brody, Lish McBride, Ann Aguirre, and Caragh O'Brien.
Couldn't make it to any of the events? Well you're in luck! Lots of bloggers went to the events and wrote up some recaps!
June 5: Mrs. Nelson's in La Verne, CA
June 6: Mysterious Galaxy in San Diego, CA
June 7: Books, Inc. in San Francisco, CA
June 8: Kepler's in Menlo Park, CA
June 9: Third Place Books in Lake Forest Park, WA
June 12: Provo City Library in Provo, UT
June 13: Blue Willow Bookshop in Houston, TX
June 14: Anderson's Bookshop in Naperville, IL
June 15: Schuler's Books in Lansing, MI
June 16: Barnes and Noble in Pensacola, FL
June 17: Oblong Books in Rhinebeck, NY
There will be a new Fierce Read Tour in the Fall, so be sure to check out the Fierce Reads Facebook Fan Page to see which authors will be coming and where/when.
And stay fierce!
Events | tagged Events, book tour, fierce reads, signings 
What do record players, batteries, and movie cameras have in common?
All these devices were created by the man known as The Wizard of Menlo Park: Thomas Edison.
Edison is most famous for inventing the incandescent lightbulb, but at his landmark laboratories in Menlo Park & West Orange, New Jersey, he also developed many other staples of modern technology. Despite many failures, Edison persevered. And good for that, because it would be very difficult to go through a day without using one of his life-changing inventions. In this enlightening book, Gene Barretta enters the laboratories of one of America’s most important inventors.
Timeless Thomas by Gene Barretta is "a glowing tribute to the inventor who continues to influence modern life", according to a starred Kirkus and a "...useful tool to introduce history and inventions to reluctant readers or students…" according to School Library Journal
Are you ready to read something fierce?
After the success of our spring 2012 Fierce Reads tour (read about it here in Publisher's Weekly!), we're back this fall with six NEW Fierce Reads authors for the tour, which also features three familiar faces.
Featuring Ann Aguirre, Elizabeth Fama, Lish McBride and Marissa Meyer:
Featuring Gennifer Albin, Caragh O'Brien, Marie Rutkoski and Leigh Bardugo:
Learn more about the Fall 2012 Fierce Reads titles at MacTeenBooks.com, our sister blog and become a fan of Fierce Reads on Facebook for
Go to our Fierce Reads Facebook page to RSVP to the stop closest to your hometown!
Fierce Reads
Fierce Reads is an online community and a brand that groups, well, fierce books together so that teens can interact with books they love and be a part of the discovery of new books.
On our Fierce Reads Facebook Page fans can talk about their favorite fierce titles, enter for a chance to win FREE books, see exclusively fierce content and download the song featured in the Fierce Reads book trailer (among many, many other things).
This summer, four debut authors -- Anna Banks, Leigh Bardugo, Jennifer Bosworth and Emmy Laybourne -- who each wrote fierce, funny and sometimes terrifying stories toured the country (literally from sea to shining sea) together for the first Fierce Reads book tour.
Learn more about our spring 2012 Fierce Reads on MacTeenBooks.com!
Teens | tagged YA, book signings, book tour, fierce reads