Hugs and Hurrahs

 

 

Spring is coming! I hope everyone has been enjoying the nicer weather. I feel so fortunate to be able to celebrate so much good news with so many Michigan SCBWI members today.

 

Pam Ostrander’s book A MASK FOR MOLLY, which was illustrated by her former student, 14-year-old Seth Pennington, hit shelves locally at The Studio Shop in Williamston, Sparrow Health Center Gift Shop, and Schuler’s Books and has been shipped to eight different states, as well as to Germany. She has received attention from the media including mLive, WILX, WLNS, Michigan's "The Big Show" with Michael Patrick Sheils, and Civic Center TV/Internet/Radio Show. She has been reading to classrooms for March is Reading Month and doing Q & A's with the children. Kids are revealing their fears and sadness about how COVID affected their families lives. She has found that the humorous, yet informative nature of her book draws out kids to talk about their feelings. 

What important work for these challenging times, Pam!

 

Kirbi Fagan illustrated SUMMER OF THE TREE ARMY: A CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS STORY (written by Gloria Whelan; Sleeping Bear Press), which came out on March 15.

Woohoo, Kirbi!

 

Lisa Wheeler’s new book, SOMEONE BUILDS THE DREAM, illustrated by Loren Long (Dial/ Penguin Publishers), which got a starred review from Kirkus, comes out on March 23^rd.

That’s wonderful, Lisa!

 

Lisa Rose’s new book THE SINGER AND THE SCIENTIST (illustrated by Isabel Muñoz; Kar-Ben Publishing) will be released on April 1. After famous singer Marian Anderson gives a performance in 1937 for an all-white audience, she learns that the nearby hotel is closed to African Americans. She doesn't know where she'll stay for the night until the famous scientist Albert Einstein invites her to stay at his house. Marian, who endures constant discrimination as a Black performer, learns that Albert faced prejudice as a Jew in Germany. She discovers their shared passion for music―and their shared hopes for a more just world.

That’s fabulous, Lisa!

 

Lynne Rae Perkins’ picture book, THE MUSEUM OF EVERYTHING (Greenwillow Books) will be out on May 11. It features illustrations of varying 3-dimensionality (photographed, though: the pages are flat!), from watercolors with stuff glued on, to dioramas. It has received two starred reviews so far (Booklist and Kirkus).

That’s great, Lynne!

 

Jean Alicia Elster’s latest book, the YA novel HOW IT HAPPENS (Wayne State University Press) now has cover art and a release date of September 14, 2021.

How exciting, Jean!

 

Sondra Soderborg has sold her debut novel, CAMP WHATEVER, to Taylor Norman at Chronicle Books. Set in Michigan, it is the story of a 6th grade girl whose identity is fearlessness and toughness. She must negotiate the challenges of 6th grade team-building camp, including the highest high ropes east of the Mississippi, without anyone discovering that she is terrified of many things, including heights and being truly known.  Publication will be Spring 2023.

Very happy for you, Sondra!

Author/illustrator Heidi Woodward Sheffield has been chosen as the 2021 Ezra Jack Keats Illustrator Award Winner for her picture book BRICK BY BRICK. There will be an awards show at 1:30 PM EST, April 13, where you can ask Heidi questions about her work. She was also interviewed by April Baer of Stateside, Michigan Radio last fall. You can listen to the interview here.  Finally, Editor Jill Davis of HarperCollins has bought world rights to GOOD NIGHT, LITTLE MAN, coming Fall 2022 by author Daniel Bernstrom and illustrated by Heidi Woodward Sheffield.

That’s so much amazing news, Heidi!

 

Darrin Brege and Karen Bell-Brege are the first author/illustrator, husband/wife team to receive the Michigan Reading Association's Gwen Frostic Award.

Congratulations, Darrin and Karen!

Shutta Crum's poem "Reading Brodsky (in English) While Stirring Soup" was one of three winning poems in the 3rd Wednesday annual poetry contest. It will appear in their spring issue at: https://thirdwednesdaymagazine.org .

That’s super, Shutta!

 

Neal Levin has had several poems published recently, including “Dragon Wagon” (March 2021 issue of Highlights High Five), “A Mole In a Hole” (March 2021 issue of Ladybug), “Hang Time” (February 2021 issue of Babybug), and “The War of the Noses” (February 2021 issue of Spider).

Awesome, Neal!

 

Monica Harris has sold 6 non-fiction assessment pieces to Data Recognition Corporation/Michigan M-Step for grades ranging from grades 4 to 7. 

Way to go, Monica!

 

Well done and hugs and hurrahs for all of you! The next Hugs and Hurrahs post will be in June. Please send all of your good news to sarah.prusoff.locascio@gmail.com.