Guest Blog on Travelin' Local

I just did a guest blog over on Lisa Newton's Travelin' Local all about Reach Out and Read...check it out here! Travelin' Local is a great blog all about Southern California...perfect if you're looking for something new to do in the LA area!

Happy Earth Day!

"Yes, I am the Lorax who speaks for the trees, which you seem to be chopping as fast as you please. But I'm also in charge of the brown Bar-ba-loots, who played in the shade in their Bar-ba-loot suits and happily lived eating truffula fruits. Now, thanks to your hacking my trees to the ground, there's not enough truffula fruit to go 'round!"

Today is the fortieth anniversary of Earth Day! (Check out www.earthday.org for tips on going green, and of course visit www.shoporganicallygrown.com for environmentally friendly fashion!)

I was inspired by my roommate to write about one of my favorite picture books, The Lorax by Dr. Seuss. I know I have already written a blog post about this book, but I think its message is one that bears repeating. Without being didactic in getting his message across, Dr. Seuss spreads the message of conservation.

Another book that spreads a similar message is Aani and the Tree Huggers, written by my mom Jeannine Atkins. When this book first came out, I was in about first grade, and this book made it "cool" to want to save trees.

Any other books that spread the message of saving the environment?

Have a great & green Earth Day, everyone!

Barnes and Noble Book Fair This Weekend!

This weekend, from April 22-25, support the Los Angeles branch of Reach Out and Read with any purchase you make from Barnes & Noble!

When you use our coupon code, a 10% rebate will be given to support the efforts of Reach Out and Read to promote literacy in children.

There are three easy ways to support Reach Out and Read Los Angeles this weekend:

1.) Visit bn.com/bookfairs to support us online from 4/22 to 4/25 by entering Bookfair ID # 10182228 at checkout.

2.) Shop at: Barnes & Noble, Woodland Hills

The Promenade, 6100 Topanga Canyon Blvd

Thursday, April 22nd – Sunday, April 25th

The voucher is attached that needs to be presented at the store for ROR to receive credit for a purchase.

3.) Visit any Barnes & Noble and show the voucher

Please e-mail me at emily@rorla.org if you need a copy of the voucher!

ROR Los Angeles Website Launch!

VERY exciting news! Our brand new website for the Los Angeles branch of Reach Out and Read is now LIVE! Please visit and tell us what you think!

Also, be sure to become a fan on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter!

A Celebration of Jewish Picture Books

My roommate Colleen and I just got back from an amazing lecture and exhibit opening at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles, celebrating the art of the Jewish picture book. The exhibit, entitled "Monsters and Miracles: A Journey through Jewish Picture Books," was curated in conjuction with The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art of Amherst, Massachusetts, and showcases the history of classics and modern favorites from Jewish picture book authors from all over the world.

Hosted by Amherst College professor Ilan Stevens, the lecture we attended, "A Celebration of Jewish Picture Books," featured French artist Serge Block, Caldecott winner Mordicai Gerstein, and Laurel Snyder, author of Max: The Pig who Wanted to be Kosher. The lecture examined some very interest points about children's books, specifically relating to those featuring Jewish themes.

Although all three authors were clearly chosen for their Jewish heritage, they all had very different stories as well as unique perspectives on children's literature.

Gerstein first began drawing when he was inspired by the pictures his mother cut out and scrapbooked from LIFE magazine, and although he spent time working on animated films, he always knew he wanted to tell the stories of the Old Testament. When Stevens asked him what drove him to tell stories with a biblical narrative, he responded with one of his favorite sayings: "Nothing is new but you," meaning that there are no new stories, it's all in the way you tell them.

In fourth grade, Snyder decided that when she grew up, she wanted to become rich and famous by writing books and plays for children. When she was growing up, she gravitated towards the midcentury canon of children's books featuring kids in nuclear families, having magical adventures. She realized she wanted to focus on the Jewish experience when she saw a divide between the Jewish picture books she saw in stores and the ones she wanted to read.

Block began his career as an illustrator for children's books "par hazard," that is to say, by accident. He furthered his career when, by chance, an American agent offered to represent him, and his horizons expanded when he moved to New York, where he admired the work of illustrators such as William Steig.

I was thrilled to see that one of the common themes of the lecture was the importance of reading picture books as a way to connect parents with their children, which is, of course, one of the most important messages of Reach Out and Read. Stevens stressed the importance of the aural tradition, as a method in which parents can introduce their children to the act of reading.

"I just finished the most wonderful story..."

While my mom was in town last week, the two of us went to see an amazing documentary called Waking Sleeping Beauty, which tells the story of the renaissance of Disney animation between 1984-94, including their masterpieces The Little Mermaid, Beauty & the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King. Using old footage, interviews, and caricatures drawn by the animators, the movie was moving, funny, and memorable. We would both definitely recommend it to any Disney fan.

As we drove home that night, we of course put on my playlist of Disney tunes to sing along to the songs we've heard a million times.

Listening to some of the songs from Beauty & the Beast reminded me of what a great role model Belle is. She is a princess who truly loves and values books. The people in her town think she is bizarre for having "her nose stuck in a book," but Belle literally sings the praises of the book she is reading: "Oh! Isn't this amazing? It's my favorite part because you'll see. Here's where she meets prince charming. But she won't discover that it's him till chapter three." Even when she is living at the Beast's enchanted castle, her favorite room is not the ballroom or dining room...It's the library.

I might be biased as a diehard Disney fan, but I think Belle is a great role model for young girls, as she shows how reading can truly be magical.

Who's ready for Twilight 5?

Big news today for fans of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight Saga. On her website today, Meyer announced that there would be a fifth installment of the series, due out on June 7th. Unfortunately for fans, this is not a continuation of Bella and Edward's story. Instead, it is a short novella told from the point of view of Bree Tanner, one of Victoria's newborn army from Eclipse.

I'm not so sure I'm interested in hearing the backstory of one of such a minor character, but it might be an interesting read in preparation for the June 30 release of The Twilight Saga: Eclipse. And it's free! Meyer and her publisher at Little Brown have agreed to release the entire novella on www.breetanner.com. For those who want to add a tangible book to their collection, it will also be available for purchase, with $1 of each US purchase donated to the American Red Cross' Haiti efforts. Two great choices! Try out the story for free online, and if you like it, indulge your Twilight obsession while helping out with a great cause!

From Meyer's website:

I began this story a long time ago—beforeTwilight was even released. Back then I was just editing Eclipse, and in the thick of my vampire world. I was thinking a lot about the newborns, imagining their side of the story, and one thing led to another. I started writing from Bree's perspective about those final days, and what it was like to be a newborn.

This story was something that I worked on off and on for a while, just for fun, in between the times I was writing or editing other Twilight novels. Later, when the concept for The Twilight Saga: The Official Guide came up, I thought that might be a good place for Bree. Her story is a nice complement to Eclipse; it explains a lot of the things that Bella never knew. So I dusted it off and finished it up for placement in the Guide.