Thursday, March 31, 2016

THE CLASSY CROOKS CLUB by Alison Cherry / Blog Tour: Author Interview


Hello and welcome to the next stop in THE CLASSY CROOKS CLUB blog tour. Today I'm so thrilled to have author Alison Cherry on the blog to talk about her new release! First, here's a little bit about this fantastic middle grade read! 

ABOUT THE BOOK 
By: Alison Cherry
Published by: Aladdin
Released on: March 29th, 2015
Purchase from: Amazon | B&N
Add it to Goodreads

Twelve-year-old AJ dreads spending an entire month living with her strict Grandma Jo. Not only does her grandmother dictate how she walks, what she eats, and which rooms she can enter, she fills all AJ's free time with boring sewing lessons. Grandma Jo wants nothing more than to transform her adventurous, fun-loving granddaughter into a prim and proper lady.

But AJ’s dull summer takes a sharp turn when she discovers that her grandmother's "bridge group" is actually a heist club. When Grandma Jo offers to let AJ learn lock-picking instead of embroidery in exchange for help with a few capers, AJ is happy to join her grandmother's madcap band of thieves, who claim to steal only for ethical reasons. But even the most respectable ladies can hide truly surprising secrets, and AJ finds she must decide for herself what it means to be one of the good guys.

AUTHOR INTERVIEW



* How would you describe your book in 5 words or less?

HOLY CRAP! GRANDMA'S A THIEF!

* Which character did you have the most fun getting to know? Who surprised you the most? 

My favorite character is Grandma Jo's friend Cookie, who dresses entirely in red, has been married five times, uses her oven as a shoe rack, and describes her profession as "muse." Writing her dialogue was the most fun part of the whole process, and it came very easily to me! (Maybe that's what I'll be like when I'm old? Let's hope.) AJ's archenemy Brianna was the character who surprised me the most; she started out as a pretty stereotypical mean girl, but she turned out to have significantly more depth than I expected.

* What's something you admire about your main character, AJ? 

AJ probably wouldn't agree with me about this, but I think she's incredibly brave. It takes a lot of courage to stand up for what you think is right, even when it means you might lose the respect of the people around you. (For that matter, it takes a lot of courage to break into someone's house and steal a taxidermy bear.) AJ's also able to stay cool under pressure in ways I'm not sure I ever could.

* I love your book's cover! What were your first thoughts when you saw it?

I am completely in love with it, too! It hasn't changed at all from the initial sketches my publisher showed me; my reaction was basically "OMGGGGG YES YES YES, THAT PLEASE." Angela Li, the illustrator, designed the cover of my next middle grade book as well, and it's equally fabulous!

* Will fans get to read more stories about AJ? 

I don't think so; I like to wrap my stories up and move on to something else. But you never know—maybe she'll pop back up somewhere!

* What advice would you give to young aspiring authors?

In the words of Maureen Johnson, don't be afraid to suck! Your first draft will probably be terrible, and that's totally fine. Every book you've ever read and loved started out as a terrible first draft. Push on through to the end; you can worry about making it great later! That's what revisions are for, and you can't fix words that don't exist.
*  *  *  *  *  * 

Thank you Alison for stopping by Mundie Kids today! Be sure to stop back by later today to read my review for THE CLASSY CROOKS CLUB!

Tuesday, March 29, 2016

SUMMERLOST by Ally Condie / Release Day Blitz & Giveaway


SUMMERLOST, a new middle grade book by Ally Condie, is out today! Fans are already praising this new book, and it's one I feel may be Condie's best work yet! I'm thrilled to be apart of today's release day blitz, which includes an exclusive letter from Ally, as well as a giveaway, and don't forget to get a sneak peak inside Summerlost, by reading an excerpt below!


A Letter from Ally Condie

Dear Readers,

I think most of us have had our hearts broken. Sometimes we can see it coming, and sometimes it comes down with the unexpected force of a sudden gale of wind or a rising of waters that we thought were still and safe. Loss is universal to human experience, but the way we each feel and recover is one of the most personal things we do.


In Summerlost, Cedar is dealing with the loss of her father and younger brother. And my intent was to show how hard their deaths are for her. But this is also a book about the healing power of friendship. Most of us have been broken-hearted; I hope that most of us have also discovered the miracle of friendships that were just what we needed. Cedar and Leo’s friendship is based on someone I met when I was twelve. Like Leo, my friend was fun and liked to enlist me in crazy adventures (although we never gave a secret guided tour of our town the way they do in Summerlost). And, like Leo, he thought I was wonderful and of worth at a time when I needed it most. 


SUMMERLOST is my attempt to pay tribute both to the pain we feel and the friendships that save us. Thank you so much for supporting this book, and for your willingness to give Cedar’s story a try. I hope it makes you think of a wonderful friend of your own, whether that is someone you met in the pages of a favorite book or outside, in the world where it is often hard and beautiful to live.


Best wishes and happy reading always,
Ally Condie

ABOUT THE BOOK
By: Ally Condie
Published by: Penguin Random House
Released on: March 29th, 2016
Purchase from: Penguin Random House | Amazon | B&N | IndieBound
Add it to Goodreads

It's the first real summer since the devastating accident that killed Cedar's father and younger brother, Ben. But now Cedar and what’s left of her family are returning to the town of Iron Creek for the summer. They’re just settling into their new house when a boy named Leo, dressed in costume, rides by on his bike. Intrigued, Cedar follows him to the renowned Summerlost theatre festival. Soon, she not only has a new friend in Leo and a job working concessions at the festival, she finds herself surrounded by mystery. The mystery of the tragic, too-short life of the Hollywood actress who haunts the halls of Summerlost. And the mystery of the strange gifts that keep appearing for Cedar. 

Infused with emotion and rich with understanding, Summerlost is the touching middle grade debut from Ally Condie, the international bestselling author of the Matched series, that highlights the strength of family and personal resilience in the face of tragedy.


READ AN EXCERPT
Link: http://issuu.com/penguinteen/docs/summerlost_p1-19?e=0/34476640




PRIASE FOR THE BOOK:

A Spring 2016 Kids' Indie Next List Top 10 Pick!

Named one of Publishers Weekly’s Most Anticipated Children’s and YA Books of Spring 2016


“Condie (Matched) strikes a deep emotional chord with this coming-of-age story.” – Publishers Weekly, starred review


“Multiple, seemingly random details, including a family of turkey vultures that now roost outside Cedar’s window, an absurd soap opera narrative of a woman buried alive, and Leo’s quest for a trip with his father, coalesce into metaphors that help Cedar make sense of her grief and the life she now has to look forward to. Thoughtful, poetic chapter endings guide readers new to psychological depth toward meaningful connections between plot events and thematic reflections.” – BCCB 


“A moving tale of friendship and loss. I loved these characters—I wish we could have been friends when I was a kid.” –Brandon Mull, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Fablehaven and Five Kingdoms series


“Ally Condie’s first middle grade book might also be my favorite out of ALL her books to date. Summerlost is a story packed with nostalgia, heart, and gorgeous prose.” – The Novel Novice


“A nuanced portrait of grief deeply grounded in the middle-school mind-set.” – Booklist 


“Honest, lovely, and sad.” – Kirkus Reviews


“A sweet, heartfelt story.” – School Library Journal 


“Achingly good.” – Summer Laurie, Books Inc.

Sunday, March 27, 2016

Happy Easter!

Image Source

Wishing all our readers who celebrate, a Happy Easter!

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Ordinary People Change the World: I AM LUCILLE BALL by Brad Meltzer / Book Review #OrdinaryPeopleChangeTheWorld


By: Brad Meltzer
Illustrated by: Christopher Eliopoulos
Published by: Dial Books for Young Readers
Released on: January 1st, 2014 
Purchase from: The Author | The Publisher Amazon | B&N
Add it to Goodreads
Rating: 5 Owlets - I Loved It

Introduce kids the creator and star of I Love Lucy with this illustrated biography of Lucille Ball, perfect for kids between five and eight years old.

"Kids always search for heroes, so we might as well have a say in it," Brad Meltzer realized, and so he envisioned this friendly, fun approach to biography for kids. Each book tells the story of one of America's icons in a vivacious, conversational way that works well for the youngest nonfiction readers, those who aren't quite ready for the Who Was biography series. Each book focuses on a particular character trait that made that role model heroic. For example, Lucille Ball could make any situation funny. By making people around the world laugh, she proved that humor can take on anything.

*I received this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review

Back in the day when I was a kid, I remember watching Lucille Ball on tv. I was mesmerized by this women who seemed larger than life. She was hilarious, and went against the norm of what seemed to excepted of her. I loved that. I admired that she was who she was, and she didn't apologize for that. 

What I didn't realize about Lucille, until reading this book, was the stern upbringing she had, and that she really did go against the norm. She was made fun of, and she was different, but she didn't let that effect her. She had a dream, and she didn't let anything stand in the way of that. She also had a talent, and that was using humor to make other people feel better. Her talent is what lead her to do some incredible things. 

Another thing I didn't know until reading this book, is that Lucille and her husband, who stared along side her in their famous, I LOVE LUCY show, also started a studio together called Desilu, which produced shows like Star Trek and Mission: Impossible. It's amazing to think of all the incredible things Lucy did, like become the first women to run a major Hollywood studio. I also didn't know that Lucille was nominated for an Emmy Award 13 times, and won four times. 

There's a lot to be said for how incredible Lucille was and the path she paved for women. Not just in Hollywood, but every where. She didn't let what other people said she should do, or shouldn't do, or what they allowed her to do, or not do, stand in the way of the person she was, and what she wanted to do. She was who she was, and she embraced that. By doing so, she proved what an incredibly strong women she was. She never apologized for who she was. She also worked hard, and never gave up. I admire that about her. If you haven't yet watched an episode of I LOVE LUCY, I highly recommend that you do, but first, go pick up this book!

Like every book in this fabulous series, at the end of the story is a quote, along with pictures, and facts about this incredible person! This is another fantastic book to pick up and add to your personal, classroom or public library.


Ordinary People Change The World is a fantastic series for kids. Let me rephrase that, it's great for adults as well. I've enjoyed reading these books along side my children. I was thrilled to have the chance to spotlight the entire series though out the month of February, here on Mundie Kids. Check out my reviews for other books in the Ordinary People Change The World series, here. This is such a great series to pick up! You can't go wrong with reading any of these books. 

Monday, March 21, 2016

A Dragon's Guide To The Care and Feeding of Humans by Laurence Yep & Joanne Ryder / Book Review


One of the things I have enjoyed being able to do as a book reviewer, is donate countless books to school classrooms, libraries, and children's shelters. One of the books I recently donated was to a friend of mine's second grade classroom. Not long after I donated this book, did she had me back a review written by one of the students in her classroom. I've shared Gavin's reviews, which he wrote in his own words, below. First, here's a little bit about the book.

ABOUT THE BOOK

By: Laurence Yep & Joanne Ryder
Published by: Crown Books for Young Readers
Released on: March 10th, 2015
Series: A Dragon's Guide #1
Purchase from: Random House | Amazon | B&N
Add it to Goodreads

Crusty dragon Miss Drake has a new pet human, precocious Winnie. Oddly enough, Winnie seems to think Miss Drake is her pet—a ridiculous notion!

Unknown to most of its inhabitants, the City by the Bay is home to many mysterious and fantastic creatures, hidden beneath the parks, among the clouds, and even in plain sight. And Winnie wants to draw every new creature she encounters: the good, the bad, and the ugly. But Winnie’s sketchbook is not what it seems. Somehow, her sketchlings have been set loose on the city streets! It will take Winnie and Miss Drake’s combined efforts to put an end to the mayhem . . . before it’s too late.

GUEST REVIEW

A Dragon's Guide To The Care and Feeding of Humans is magical, exciting, and a little frightening. I liked this book a lot because it is about magic and magical sketchlings. My favorite part was reading the climax when Miss Drake fights a magic eating sketching called a pembru. In the beginning the story moves slowly, then when you get to the middle the problem starts and gets more exciting. I would change the part when Miss Drake and Winnie are playing checkers, and make it more exciting. It would be more exciting if Mss Drake told the adventures of "Fluffy". I think the genre of this book is fantasy. I think it is fantasy because it has magic and made up characters.

- Guest reviewer, Gavin W., 2nd grade

Thursday, March 17, 2016

Wednesday, March 16, 2016

SOME KIND OF HAPPINESS by Claire Legrand / Waiting on Wednesday



By: Claire Legrand
Published by: Simon & Schuster Young Readers 
To Be Released on: May 17th, 2016
Ages: 8-12
Pre-Order from: Amazon 
Add it to Goodreads

THINGS FINLEY HART DOESN’T WANT TO TALK ABOUT

• Her parents, who are having problems. (But they pretend like they’re not.)
• Being sent to her grandparents’ house for the summer.
• Never having met said grandparents.
• Her blue days—when life feels overwhelming, and it’s hard to keep her head up. (This happens a lot.)

Finley’s only retreat is the Everwood, a forest kingdom that exists in the pages of her notebook. Until she discovers the endless woods behind her grandparents’ house and realizes the Everwood is real--and holds more mysteries than she'd ever imagined, including a family of pirates that she isn’t allowed to talk to, trees covered in ash, and a strange old wizard living in a house made of bones.

With the help of her cousins, Finley sets out on a mission to save the dying Everwood and uncover its secrets. But as the mysteries pile up and the frightening sadness inside her grows, Finley realizes that if she wants to save the Everwood, she’ll first have to save herself.

Reality and fantasy collide in this powerful, heartfelt novel about family, depression, and the power of imagination.

I am really looking forward to this book's release, so I can read it. It sounds like one of those reads that will stay with you long after you read it. I'm really intrigued by the premise of it. Plus, this cover is calling my name. What upcoming MG/KidLit releases are you looking forward to?

Thursday, March 10, 2016

THE DOOR IN THE STAIRCASE by Katherine Marsh / Blog Tour: Excerpt & Giveaway



Hello and welcome to today's blog tour stop for Katherine Marsh's THE DOOR IN THE STAIRCASE. Today's stop includes an excerpt from the book, along with a giveaway! First, here's a little bit about the book.


ABOUT THE BOOK

By: Katherine Marsh
Published by: Disney Hyperion
Released on: January 5th, 2016
Purchase from:Amazon | B&N | Indiebound | The Book Depository
Add it to: Goodreads

Twelve-year-old Mary Hayes can't stand her orphanage for another night. But when an attempted escape through the stove pipe doesn't go quite as well as she'd hoped, Mary fears she'll be stuck in the Buffalo Asylum for Young Ladies forever. 

The very next day, a mysterious woman named Madame Z appears at the orphanage requesting to adopt Mary, and the matron's all too happy to get the girl off her hands. Soon, Mary is fed a hearty meal, dressed in a clean, new nightgown and shown to a soft bed with blankets piled high. She can hardly believe she isn't dreaming!

But when Mary begins to explore the strange nearby town with the help of her new friend, Jacob, she learns a terrifying secret about Madame Z's true identity. If Mary's not careful, her new home might just turn into a nightmare.


READ AN EXCERPT

The Household Tales lay inside her shoulder bag, tucked snugly against her. The book was her most cherished possession now that Caleb and her mother were gone. But it was a poor substitute for a family. The acrid smell of soot made her eyes sting. Or was it the memory of her mother, an arm around each of them before bed, calling one her heart, the other her soul? Mary was never quite sure which one she was, only that there was a power in their being three. She murmured her mother’s words—my heart, my soul—but they just made her feel worse. Her forehead slid onto her knees. At least the dark stove seemed the right place to mourn, curled into a fetal ball in its cast-iron belly of ashes.

It was tempting to stay like this forever; but Mary knew it was only a matter of time before Mrs. Boot realized she was missing and went looking for her. So after a few minutes she sat up, wiped away her tears, and began to hunt in the dark, feeling blindly along the crusty sides of the stove until she found what she was looking for—the pipe that led up into the chimney.

The opening of the pipe was narrow and round. She pushed her bag, with her copy of Household Tales, up through the pipe, then stuck in her head. But she had to press the soles of her boots against the sides of the stove to wedge her shoulders through. After an uncomfortably tight squeeze, she popped into the flue. She wriggled all the way out of the pipe and began to shimmy her way up, using her elbows and knees. But as the smell of soot grew stronger, she felt a stab of breathless panic. She had read stories in the newspaper about chimney sweeps, boy apprentices even smaller than she, who had suffocated trying to clean inside the tight flues. Her palms felt sweaty and slick against the brick, and her heart pounded as she imagined a similar fate. The stove would start to smoke and Mrs. Boot would complain that something—a dead animal, perhaps—was blocking the chimney. Eventually, they would find her blackened body. Mary’s breath came in ragged gasps, and she struggled to control her trembling, which for once wasn’t from the cold or the threat of Mrs. Boot’s switch.

But turning back wasn’t an option. For the first four years after the fire, she had lived at an orphanage for younger girls, where she had been kept warm and decently fed in the hope that one of the wealthy couples who sometimes came through would adopt her. But the few girls who were adopted were cheerful and eager to please. Even their straight, tightly braided hair seemed obedient. Mary had wild brown curls and clung to a battered copy of Grimm’s fairy tales—she seemed too bookish, too sly. And here, among the older girls, there was no such hope. No one ever came to adopt. If the girls were lucky enough to survive the cold and the meager portions, Mrs. Boot might find them a job at a textile factory. But Mary wasn’t going to be one of the lucky ones—Mrs. Boot had taken an instant disliking to her. Within weeks of arriving, Mary had realized that her only chance at a better life was to flee, preferably before winter.

Counting silently to distract herself, Mary climbed farther up the flue. Her knees and elbows scraped against the blackened brick as she shoved herself upward. Once, a patch of hardened creosote gave way, and she nearly fell before catching herself by jamming her knees and elbows out to stop her. She was certain she was bleeding, but she dared not look. As the flue narrowed, her shoulder bag wedged against her. Her head began to feel thick and heavy from the smell of soot. How far, she wondered, could the chimney cap be?

ENTER TO WIN
3 Finished Copies of THE DOOR BY THE STAIRCASE (US Only)


a Rafflecopter giveaway

FOLLOW THE TOUR
Week 1:

Week 2:

Thursday, March 3, 2016

THE MEMORY THIEF by Bryce Moore / Cover Reveal

Hello and welcome to today's cover reveal for Bryce Moore's THE MEMORY THIEF! Set to be released on September 20th, 2016 from Adaptive Books, THE MEMORY THIEF has been called, "An evocative middle grade novel that explores the power of memory and family, that is INSIDE OUT meets a modern SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES.

CHECK OUT THIS COVER!!


What a great cover! It's definitely got that catchy middle grade vibe to it. It's one that I'd pick up if I knew nothing else about the book. I like the illustrations, and I really like the color scheme. 

A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR ABOUT THE COVER

When I first started out with the idea for The Memory Thief, I really wanted to recreate a feeling more than anything else: the feeling of watching those old school Disney horror movies I watched as a kid. Watcher in the Woods was a favorite, but the best was by far Something Wicked This Way Comes. I loved how the whole film gave me the creeps, and when I went to my county fair in Maine, I couldn't help but keep remembering those experiences. So when I saw the first draft of the cover, with its spooky carnival vibe and air of mystery, I was instantly in love. It does a great job of representing the feeling I had started out with, and it was a confirmation to me that I'd ended up in the right spot. The color scheme, the characters, the setting, the lettering--it was all right in line with how I'd pictured it, and I think it's the best sort of introduction The Memory Thief could ask for to its audience. I can't wait to share the whole book with you this fall, just in time for fair season.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Twin brother and sister Benji and Kelly wander off at the local county fair after witnessing their parents argue. When Benji runs into a group of bullies, he escapes into a tent called The Memory Emporium, where he meets a strange old man inside named Louis. The old man shows him a magically vivid memory of a fighter pilot, in the hopes of getting Benji to pay to see other memories Louis has collected from people over the years. 

Benji quickly realizes the ability to take memories could help his parents stop fighting with each other, and he asks Louis to teach him how to become a “memory thief.”  But Louis isn't the only person with the ability to show and manipulate memories. There's also the mysterious Genevieve, a Memory Thief with much more nefarious motives. 

Benji learns how to manipulate memories himself, but having that power comes at a cost to his family, and possibly to his own mind as well. Genevieve’s powers get out of control as she steals more and more memories from people in town – including Benji’s sister Kelly. Benji must learn to use this newfound power, as he is the only one able to stop Genevieve. 

You can pre-Order it from: Barnes & Noble / Add it to Goodreads 


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Bryce Moore is also the author of Vodnik. When he’s not authoring, he’s a librarian in Western Maine, where he’s also the current president of the Maine Library Association. He’s been happily married since 2001 and is doing his best to raise three new geeks of his very own, while simultaneously convincing his wife that sci-fi/fantasy is awesome. He uses his spare time to fix up his old 1841 farmhouse and shovel snow.


Happy World Book Day! #WBD2016


I love it when I scroll through Twitter early in the morning and find out from some of our friends in the UK that today is WORLD BOOK DAY! I love this! I had no idea there was a world book day, but I'm totally behind this celebration. I wish this was a holiday in which we could stay home all day and read. That would be the perfect way to celebrate world book day. Find out more about World Book Day here


Wednesday, March 2, 2016

In Honor of Dr. Seuss's 112th Birthday


In honor of Dr. Seuss's 112th birthday today, I wanted to take a moment a spotlight an author who's books I remember being read to me at a very young age, and who's books I grew up learning to read from. Dr. Seuss's legacy lives on his in books, which have inspired an love of reading, and inspired creative thinking for countless children over the last few decades. The beloved author has sold 650 million copies world wide. His books continue to be sold throughout the world! Some of my favorites include his top 5 selling titles:


  1. Green Eggs and Ham (1960)
  2. One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish (1960)
  3. Dr. Seuss's ABC (1963)
  4. The Cat In The Hat (1957)
  5. Oh, The Places You'll Go! (1990)
In honor of Dr. Seuss's birthday today, I'm not only going to take the time to read some of my favorite books of his, I'm donating some of his books to a local women's and children's shelter.



In honor of Dr. Seuss's 112th birthday, Random House Children's Books and Dr. Seuss Enterprises are donating 50,000 NEW Dr. Seuss Books to First Book! Please read their full press release below (shared with permission).

*  *  *  *  *  * 

RANDOM HOUSE CHILDREN’S BOOKS AND DR. SEUSS ENTERPRISES TO DONATE
50,000 NEW DR. SEUSS BOOKS TO FIRST BOOK

Nationwide “Hats Off to Reading” birthday celebrations honor the beloved children’s author

New York, NY (March 1, 2016)—In honor of Dr. Seuss’s 112th birthday on Wednesday, March 2, Random House Children’s Books (RHCB), together with Dr. Seuss Enterprises (DSE), will make a donation of 50,000 new Dr. Seuss books to First Book, it was announced today by Barbara Marcus, President & Publisher, RHCB.

The books donated to First Book by Random House Children’s Books and Dr. Seuss Enterprises will be provided to children in need through First Book’s network of more than 230,000 educators and program leaders nationwide. First Book supports educators and program leaders serving children from low-income families by providing ongoing access to free and affordable, high-quality new books and educational resources. To date, the organization has distributed more than 140 million books in the U.S. and Canada.
“Dr. Seuss’s incredible imagination, unique storytelling, and beloved characters have inspired generations of readers to learn to love to read, and we at Random House aspire to carry this legacy on in our work every day,” says Marcus. “We are thrilled to work with First Book to give children who do not have access to books the opportunity to experience the magic of reading a Dr. Seuss book.”

“Helping kids become lifelong readers is the number one reason why educators seek books from First Book,” said Kyle Zimmer, president and CEO of First Book. “Just imagine their excitement when receiving 50,000 brand-new Dr. Seuss books! Thank you to our heroes at Random House Children’s Books and Dr. Seuss Enterprises for sharing this generous donation of books to kids who need them most.”

“Ted wanted to make reading fun for children and inspire their imaginations so it would please him to know that those without books at home are being given the opportunity to read and imagine the possibilities by receiving their very own first book, says Susan Brandt, President of Licensing and Marketing, Dr. Seuss Enterprises, L.P. “We at DSE are thrilled to announce this donation in honor of his birthday, and together with our partners at First Book and Random House.” 
Dr. Seuss’s birthday is an annually recognized nationwide reading event, with millions of children celebrating in stores, libraries, schools and even military bases across the country. Visit Seussville.com for a listing of events and more information about “Hats Off to Reading” activities.

2015 marked an extraordinary year for Dr. Seuss, with the publication of a newly discovered book, What Pet Should I Get?—making this year’s “Hats Off to Reading” events even more special, and a celebration of not only Dr. Seuss’s birthday but this exciting new addition to his classic canon. The manuscript and accompanying sketches for the picture book were discovered in the late author’s La Jolla, California, home and the book was published on July 28, 2015. It debuted at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list and went on to become the fastest-selling picture book in Random House Children’s Books history.


About Dr. Seuss
Theodor “Seuss” Geisel is quite simply one of the most beloved children’s book authors of all time. His long list of awards includes Caldecott Honors for McElligot’s Pool, If I Ran the Zoo, and Bartholomew and the Oobleck, the Pulitzer Prize, and eight honorary doctorates. Works based on his original stories have won three Oscars, three Emmys, three Grammys, and a Peabody. Geisel wrote and illustrated 45 books during his lifetime, and his books have sold more than 650 million copies worldwide. Though Theodor Geisel died on September 24, 1991, Dr. Seuss lives on, inspiring generations of children of all ages to explore the joys of reading. For more information about Dr. Seuss and his works, visit Seussville.com. 

About Dr. Seuss Enterprises, L.P.
The primary focus of Dr. Seuss Enterprises, L.P., is to protect the integrity of Dr. Seuss books while expanding beyond books into ancillary areas. This effort is a strategic part of the overall mission to nurture and safeguard the relationship consumers have with Dr. Seuss characters. Theodor Seuss Geisel (Dr. Seuss) said he never wanted to license his characters to anyone who would “round out the edges.” That is one of the guiding philosophies of Dr. Seuss Enterprises. Audrey S. Geisel, the widow of Dr. Seuss, heads Dr. Seuss Enterprises as CEO.

About First Book
First Book is a nonprofit social enterprise that has distributed more than 140 million books and educational resources to programs and schools serving children from low-income families throughout the United States and Canada. By making new, high-quality books and educational resources available on an ongoing basis, First Book is transforming the lives of children in need and elevating the quality of education. For more information, please visit firstbook.org or follow the latest news on Facebook and Twitter.

Random House Children’s Books is the world’s largest English-language children’s trade book publisher. Creating books for toddlers through young adult readers, in all formats from board books to activity books to picture books, novels, ebooks, and apps, the imprints of Random House Children’s Books bring together award-winning authors and illustrators, world-famous franchise characters, and multimillion-copy series. Random House is the longtime home of the beloved and bestselling Dr. Seuss books, which continue to make learning to read fun for millions of children everywhere. The company’s website, Kids@Random (randomhousekids.com), offers an array of activities, games, and educational resources for children, teens, parents, and educators. Random House Children’s Books is a division of Penguin Random House LLC.

I would be most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves. ~ Anna Quindlen

Good children's literature appeals not only to
the child in the adult, but to the adult in the child.
~ Anonymous ~