For this year’s random acts of publicity week, I’d like to give a loud shout-out about  my friend Deb Diesen’s book, THE POUT-POUT FISH IN THE BIG-BIG DARK. (Illustrated by the talented Dan Hanna. Published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux.)

If you enjoyed the first book about the Pout-Pout Fish, you’ll love this one, too in which Fish must conquer his fears to help his friend Ms Clam recover her “yawn-gone pearl.”

And if you get a chance be sure to check out the hilarious book trailer made by Dan for the book. (See below.)

What’s it about?

It’s all about joy!

Shutta

In the playhouse!

Hope to see some of you soon!

Shutta

What a wonderful idea! Artists and writers have joined the wave of folks speaking directly to kids who are having a tough time, or who are being bullied, to let them know that “it gets better.” What a great way to encourage kids who are suffering. Many of us have “been there” and “done that.” Many writers, too, were bullied or depressed as kids. But we persevered to come through to the other side—to life as happy and productive adults. This is something teens need to hear.

The link is below. Please share this!

Shutta

Often I am asked about which book had the most impact on me when I was a child. A couple of years ago I finally decided to write about that.

The book was a Webster’s Dictionary that I rescued from an incinerator and lugged home to a house that did not have many books. Part of the “A” section was missing. Still, it was a wonder to me!  I continue to be enamored of dictionaries of all kinds.

To read my love song to dictionaries click below. This article was originally published in the Language Arts magazine, vol. 88, No. 2, November 2010. “Copyright 2007 by the National Council of Teachers of English.  Used with permission." 

LEXICAL LUST: AN INK-SLINGER’S CONFESSION

Enjoy . . . all you bibliophiles!

Shutta

The Last Word:  God and the Swearing Book

(Note: This article was originally published in Children and Libraries: The Journal of the Association for Library Service to Children, Vol. 7, no. 2, Summer/Fall 2009.)

Enjoy! 

And cherish your fathers, they are too quickly taken from us.

Shutta

Happy Writing!

Shutta

Since I have a really difficult time waiting for a book to be released, I thought I’d release a tantalizing bit of MINE! via a book trailer.

I hope you like it! I love, love, love Patrice Barton’s illustrations for our book!

And—just in case you haven’t heard . . . MINE! has gotten two great reviews thus far.

From the stars so far:

Starred Review, Publishers Weekly, April 18, 2011:
“Crum uses only the title word (if you don’t count a single “Woof?”), but the various inflections speak volumes about the comic dynamics of sharing…[Barton's] dizzyingly expressive digitized pencil sketches seem to be everywhere at once continually reframing the action to make sure readers savor every gleefully anarchic moment.”

Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews, May 15, 2011:
“The capricious artwork has touches of Helen Oxenbury and Marla Frazee’s babies, smudgy, digitized pencil sketches full of movement and joy…This charming, animated episode will elicit giggles and demands of ‘read it again!‘”

Enjoy!!

And be good-share,

Shutta

One of the greatest things that has happened since I started writing is that my network of friends keeps growing–writers and non-writers. Many of the writers host contests. (As I did for THOMAS AND THE DRAGON QUEEN last fall.) Below are links to some giveaway contests and good books written by good writers. So stop by one, or more, of them and enter. Someone has to win. It could be you!

Hugs,

Shutta

(p.s.:  I will be posting a permanent link on the right hand side to ongoing book-related contests. Be sure to check that out soon.)

Katie Davis:  In honor of the hatching of her new book: LITTLE CHICKEN’S BIG DAY. In addition to autographed books there are different prizes each week. This week it’s a baby quilt she made herself!  So stop by Katie’s site at katiedavis.com. 

And stop by the YA Fusion blog where book giveaways happen often. It is co-written by a number of young adult book authors and readers, including my friends Kristin Lenz and Tracy Bilen.

Thursday April 7, 2011 @ 7:00 p.m.
Ann Arbor Public Library, Traverwood Branch
3333 Traverwood Drive, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48105

Panelists are:

Shutta Crum, author and storyteller

Heather Hughes, Sleeping Bear Press publisher

Colleen Kammer, owner of the the Book Beat in Oak Park, Michigan

Marian Nelson, publisher at Nelson Publishing, LLC

Erin Stead, illustrator and 2011 Caldecott winner

Philip Stead, author, illustrator, and writer of the 2011 Caldecott winner

moderated by Dr. Harry Eiss, professor of children’s literature at Eastern Michigan University

And it’s FREE!

Come as you are. Books will be for sale. Bring friends (or even foes-we’re not particular).

For more information please contact Ahuva Rogers: ahuvar@comcast.net or 248-895-7241 or call the Ann Arbor District Library at: 734-327-4265.

Sponsored by the Women’s National Book Association–Detroit and the Ann Arbor District Library.

I’m tickled and so-o-o-o excited to announce that award-winning illustrator R. Gregory Christie has agreed to illustrate my upcoming book with Hyperion:  JUBAH. It’s a picture book story of a young girl with the power of creation in her hands . . . based partly on African creation myths. The hard part, of course, is waiting to see his art. He uses a mix of realism, abstraction, and folk art. But, it will be a while before the book will be out. In the meantime-here is a link to his website Gregarious Art Statements. Enjoy!

Shutta

p.s.:  Check out the new widget for the Children’s Choice Awards!