The Water Seeker's Biggest Fans

In May, Leslie Kilbourn’s 8^th grade Language Arts class received a big surprise in the mail — two dozen copies of the paperback version of The Water Seeker (pictured above).

These Deer Park Junior High School students had a direct impact on the design of the paperback’s cover! Author Kimberly Willis Holt had visited the classroom several months earlier, where the students confessed their love for The Water Seeker and discussed the upcoming publication of the paperback version — pointing out that something important to the story was missing from the cover mockup Holt shared. Can you guess what it was? 

Kilbourn and class were so excited to receive the books that she wrote a thank you note to the author, with the picture above.

THANK YOU, Ms. Kilbourn! Teachers getting students excited about reading AND talking about what they read makes our day.

Learn more about The Water Seeker! 

Charlie Joe Jackson’s Guide To Summer

Hi everyone! Since Summer is well underway, which is my favorite time of year, it seemed like a good time to check in! Here’s a short list to help you make the most of this wonderful, fantastic, perfect, homework-free season. 

1. Never use the words “summer” and “school” in the same sentence.

2.  Don’t  wear socks between June 1 and September 30.

3.  Ice cream melts fast, so eat it quickly, then have some more.

4.  If a girl asks you if she looks fat in a bathing suit, never say “yes.”

5.  French fries go with everything.

6. Swimming counts as a shower.

7.  When your mom tells you you’re getting too much sun, go inside and play video games.

8.  Sand belongs on the beach, not in your bed.

9.  Stay away from movies that involve a lot of screaming.

10. Never use the words “summer” and “reading list” in the same sentence.

--Charlie Joe Jackson

MacKidsBooks at ALA

We're headed to Anaheim, CA and MacKids will be in Booths 2534-2535 with free galleys and 29 author signings!

Booth Signings at 2534-2535:

	Friday, June 22
	Mignon Fogarty	5:30 - 6:30 pm
	Janet Tashjian	6:00 - 6:30 pm
	Matthew Cordell	6:30 - 7:00 pm
	Julie Halpern	6:30 - 7:00 pm
	Saturday, June 23
	Steve Sheinkin	10:00 - 11:00 am		YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Award!
	Andrew Smith	10:00 - 11:00 am
	David McPhail	11:00 - 11:30 am
	Mark Siegel	11:00 - 11:30 am
	David Small and Sarah Stewart	1:00 - 2:00 pm
	Monika Schroder	1:30 - 2:00 pm
	Jack Gantos	2:00 - 3:00 pm		Newbery Medal!
	Erin Stead and Philip C. Stead	3:00 - 4:00 pm
	Marissa Meyer	3:30 - 4:30 pm
	Sunday, June 24
	Denise Fleming	9:00 - 9:30 am
	Lane Smith	9:30 - 10:30 am		Caldecott Honor!
	Shane W. Evans	10:30 - 11:30 am		Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award!
	Eugene Yelchin	11:00 am - 12:00 pm		Newbery Honor!
	Laura Vaccaro Seeger	11:30 am - 12:30 pm
	Michael Grant and Katherine Applegate	1:00 - 1:30 pm
	Faith Erin Hicks	1:00 - 1:30 pm
	Leigh Bardugo	1:30 - 2:30 pm
	Marissa Meyer	1:30 - 2:30 pm
	Gennifer Albin	2:30 - 3:30 pm
	Karen Hesse	2:30 - 3:30 pm
	Margarita Engle	4:00 - 5:00 pm		Pura Belpré Honor!
	Monday, June 25
	Jack Gantos	9:00 - 10:30 am		Newbery Medal!
	Eugene Yelchin	9:30 - 10:30 am		Newbery Honor!
	Lee Wardlaw	10:00 - 10:30 am
	Lane Smith	10:30 -11:30 am		Caldecott Honor!

MacKidsBooks at BookExpoAmerica

Macmillan Children's Publishing Group will be at BEA 2012! Come by Booth #3358. Check out our schedule below:

Tuesday, June 5

• 9:00 AM - Wrinkle in Time tote giveaway at Macmillan Booth 3358
• 9:30 AM - Gabrielle Zevin signing for Because It Is My Blood. Autographing area table #21.
• 9:30 AM - Tommy Greenwald signing for Charlie Joe Jackson. Autographing area table #24.
• 10:00 AM - Young Adult Editor’s Buzz Panel with author Gennifer Albin and MacKids’ J.O. Malley. Moderated by BookPeople (Austin, TX) book buyer Meghan Dietsche Goel. Room 1E14 / 1E15.
• 10:30 AM - Lane Smith signing for Abe Lincoln’s Dream. Autographing area table #21.
• 10:30 AM - Catherynne M. Valente signing for The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There. Autographing area table #23.
• 11:30 AM - Gennifer Albin signing for Crewel. In-booth signing. Tickets required.
• 11:30 AM - Natalie Merchant signing for Leave Your Sleep. Autograph area table #21. Tickets required.
• 3:00 PM - Caragh M. O’Brien signing for Promised & Birthmarked. Autograph area table #21.
• 3:00 PM - The Apocalypsies: Meet the Authors of 2012’s Must-Reads! Mix and mingle with members of the YA & MG 2012 debut author group The Apocalypsies. Come learn about our books and us – and get swag, prizes, cookies and more.
• 3:30 PM - Phillip C. Stead and Erin E. Stead signing for Bear Has a Story to Tell. Ticket’s required.
• 4:00 PM - Nancy Tillman signing for Tumford 1 & 2. Autographing area table #21. Tickets required.
•  

Wednesday, June 6

• 9:00 AM - Wrinkle in Time tote giveaway at Macmillan Booth 3358
• 9:30 AM - Graphic Novel Events for Bookstores. Moderated by Mark Siegel, Editorial Director at First Second Books. Room 1E04.
• 10:30 AM - Obert Skye signing for Potterwookie. Autographing area table #23.
• 11:00 AM - In-booth galley giveaway of Gennifer Albin’s Crewel.
• 11:00 AM - BEA Graphic Novel Authors Stage. Moderated by Jenny Brown. Uptown Stage.
• 11:30 AM - Stephen Savage signing for Little Tug. Autographing area table #23.
• 12:15 PM - CBC Speed Dating with Obert Skye, author of Potterwookie. Room 1E14/15
• 12:30 PM - Young Adult Buzz Author Event with Gennifer Albin. Downtown stage.
• 1:00 PM - Gennifer Albin signing for Crewel.
• 2:00 PM - Michael Grant and Katherine Apple signing for Eve & Adam. Ticketed signing.
• 3:30 PM - CBC Tea with Children’s Authors with Erin Stead and Phil Stead. Room 1E12/13.

SHADOW AND BONE Blog Tour

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo goes on sale June 5, 2012 and is also another one of our Fierce Reads titles. Be sure to visit all the stops on the blog tour, and see Leigh and the rest of the Fierce Reads authors on tour in June!

This blog tour is an international event, with bloggers from the US, Canada, and the UK!

Monday 6/4                      http://bookalicio.us/

Tuesday 6/5                     http://www.fantasticbookreview.com/

Wednesday 6/6                 UK Blog Tour Stop: http://www.wondrousreads.com

Thursday 6/7                    http://www.mochalattereads.blogspot.com/

Friday 6/8                        http://paperbackdolls.com/

Saturday 6/9                    UK Blog Tour Stop: http://www.overflowinglibrary.com

Sunday 6/10                     http://scifichick.com/

Monday 6/11                     UK Blog Tour Stop: http://realmoffiction.blogspot.co.uk

Tuesday 6/12                    http://mermaidvision.wordpress.com/

Wednesday 6/13               UK Blog Tour Stop: http://www.gollancz.co.uk

Thursday 6/14                  http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com/

Friday 6/15                      UK Blog Tour Stop: http://www.bookchickcity.com

Saturday 6/16                  http://www.karinsbooknook.com/

Sunday 6/17                    http://www.idsoratherbereading.com/

Monday 6/18                    UK Blog Tour Stop: http://www.serendipityreviews.co.uk

Tuesday 6/19                   http://bookmigik.blogspot.com/

Wednesday 6/20              http://willasramblings.wordpress.com/

Thursday 6/21                  UK Blog Tour Stop: http://onceuponabookcase.blogspot.co.uk

Friday 6/22                      http://cuddlebuggery.com/

Saturday 6/23                  http://thehidingspot.blogspot.com/

Sunday 6/24                    http://watercolormoods.blogspot.com/

Monday 6/25                    UK Blog Tour Stop: http://falcatatimes.blogspot.co.uk

Friday 6/29                      UK Blog Tour Stop: http://www.migmag.co.uk