Three Good Books

by Susan J. Berger
Happy first day of December and all the days that follow.

Three good books:

In case you missed the SCBWI blog post, SCBWI co-founder, Stephen Mooser, author of over sixty traditionally published books,  self published his new book, Class Clown Academy.
The books has a wonderful website for kids and grownups alike.
Please take time to visit The Class Clown Academy Website
You negotiate the site by clicking on the school map  -An image located on the lower left hand corner of the picture frame.
Click on the map; go to the Theatre and watch the film, Farts and You. It's delightful. A lovely way to start your day.
Be sure and visit the library to read, Jokes, Riddles and Tall Tales. The Class Clown Academy App is free on iTunes.
I love Steve's marketing plan and I think the website will be a great sales tool. There is a link in the Student Store portion of the website to the book and to other fun merchandise.
The site's a bit difficult for a grown up to navigate, as you have to find the map. I hope his team is planning to make better links to the activities. The Diary of a Wimpy Kid got it's start on a website, Fun Brain. I wish for Steve that kind of success.

On December second, The Hero's Guide Complete Collection:  will be available on Kindle for the first time. 22.99 for all three books. I love Christopher Healy's Hero series. Our Junior correspondent, Sam Krol, interviewed Christopher Healy last February. Both Sam and Victoria join me in loving The Heroes Guides. Don't wait for the movie. Please check them out. Hero's Guide also has a website
 Prince Liam. Prince Frederic. Prince Duncan. Prince Gustav. You’ve never heard of them, have you? These are the princes who saved Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Snow White, and Rapunzel, respectively, and yet, thanks to those lousy bards who wrote the tales, you likely know them only as Prince Charming. But all of this is about to change.

 How I saved Hannukah by Amy Goldman Koss is now available as a Kindle book. I own the paperback and I love this story,
From School Library Journal

        Hanukkah is fast approaching, but to fourth-grader Marla Feinstein, it doesn't seem like a very big deal. While all of her neighbors are festooning their houses with Christmas lights and decorations, Marla has to make do with a plain menorah, a plastic dreidel that won't spin, a mom who doesn't even wrap her Hanukkah presents, and a dad who is out of town on a business trip. With her friend Lucy, Maria embarks on a mission to make Hanukkah fun, and soon has her mother making latkes, her little brother winning at dreidel, and the whole neighborhood dancing the hora. The fun and breezy tone and affectionately drawn characters will appeal to readers who will find themselves learning a bit about the meaning of Hanukkah in the bargain. DeGroat's pen-and-ink illustrations complement this warm and funny story.

I am so happy this story has a new life as a Kindle Book. (If you don't do Kindle, it's still available from independent users in paperback.

On a side note. Support your Independent Local Bookstore!
I spent the weekend in Reno, Nevada, visiting friends and I found an independent bookstore. Always a thrilling experience. At home, I have the wonderful Flintridge Bookstore in La Canada, and Once Upon a Time Bookstore in Montrose. Grass Roots Books is small with chock full shelves and a fair number of customers. Their prices are unbelievably low for new books.
I always check out the children's section first. I saw many of my favorites, and many new books to check out.







Christmas, Hanukah and Kwanza were well represented. But there are so many books and so little shelf space.  Many of may favorite books, - adult and children were missing.
 None of the three books mentioned above were there. I am so grateful for electronic books keeping in print books that I love. Happy reading and shopping, my friends.  Write on.