Goddess Girls 8: Medusa the Mean in progress

Goddess Girls 8: Medusa the Mean will hit stores in April 2012. Before that comes Goddess Girls 7: Artemis the Loyal this December 6, 2011. But Suzanne and I are hard at work on Medusa's book at the moment.  

 

 

 

 

 

This is the GG8 CEM. After we finish writing each GG book, our Aladdin editor reviews it for content issues, and we make changes. Then it goes to a copy editor who mostly looks for mistakes in grammar and punctuation, but she also asks questions if something doesn't make sense to her. We just got the CEM of GG8. CEM stands for Copy Edited Manuscript. GG8 stands for Goddess Girls 8: Medusa the Mean. Today, Suzanne and I are going over the CEM. 

Next we'll see typeset galleys, which we'll review. We won't get our actual bound books until 1 to 3 weeks before the book hits stores. They will look like this:

 

Isn't Glen Hanson's cover art gorgeous. I love all the green, and Medusa's expression is spot-on for her personality. Can you guess who the guy on the right is?

The Read Aloud Scaffold by Judy Bradbury

Look what came in the mail today. Lots of activities, author and illustrator interviews, and good curriculum stuff. If you're looking for ways to integrate books into your PreK-3 curriculum, take a look! Many thanks to Judy for including Groundhog Weather School and Apple Countdown.

The Read--Aloud Scaffold
Judy Bradbury
ABC CLIO
Libraries Unlimited
2011

A Kiss For You! in Target

Squeee! Look what I found in Target today. *waving*

A Kiss For You!
Illustrated by Caroline Jayne Church
Author: Me
Board book with magnetic, movable lift-the-flap hand
Scholastic / Cartwheel Books, fall 2011

CSI Librarian: Reading is her beat

CSI Librarian posted about my upcoming Zero the Hero in her awesome picture book round-up. This is the first mention I've seen of it online. Yay!

Quoting from her post:

"If you’re down, stressed, or just plain grumpy, nothing is better for you than an awesome picture book. And it is always pretty exciting when there’s forthcoming picture books to pine after. Since I am still not at all ashamed of my picture book love, here are 4 titles I cannot wait to read. Even if it’s only to myself.

Zero the Hero by Joan Holub and Tom Lichtenheld (February 2012) - Zero. Zip. Zilch. Nada. That’s what all the other numbers think of Zero. He doesn’t add anything in addition. He’s of no use in division. And don’t even ask what he does in multiplication. (Hint: Poof!) But Zero knows he’s worth a lot, and when the other numbers get into trouble, he swoops in to prove that his talents are innumerable. 

No pun intended, but this looks super cute!"

Thanks, CSI Librarian! You made my day.

Zero the Hero

February 28, 2012

Christy Ottaviano Books, Henry Holt & Co., Macmillan

~ Joan

My Goddess Girls bracelet came!

My Aladdin editor scored this cute charm bracelet 

for me from the Scholastic Arrow Book Club (Sept. flyer).
There's a heart, a bow & arrow, a flower, and an owl.

It comes with a five-pack of Goddess Girls books.

Awesome!