RJ Julia Celebrates 20th Anniversary with 20,000 Books
In response to RJ Julia’s Booksellers’ call for volunteers, 100 people showed up earlier this week to help the Madison, Ct.-based bookstore celebrate its 20th anniversary by delivering 20,000 books to 38 New Haven schools. Every child in grades K-8 received a new book as part of the book drive. Here bookstore owner Roxanne Coady (back, r.) meets with a group of second graders and their teacher at the King/Robinson Magnet School. According to buyer Karen Corvello’s post on the store’s blog, “We think everyone was pretty happy, if all the grinning faces are any evidence. The schools were thrilled and overwhelmed. A great, great day.”
A Fair to Remember
Last weekend, author Debra Frasier visited Red Balloon Bookshop in St. Paul, Minn., to launch her new picture book, A Fabulous Fair Alphabet (S&S/Beach Lane, June), an alphabet book that features photographs of letters taken from fairs. Visitors were treated to a fair-themed event (complete with popcorn machine); here, Frasier (l.) and Red Balloon co-owner Carol Erdahl show off some signage that mimics the typography featured in the book.
Walker Celebrates 30 Years
Walker Books in the U.K. is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, and last week the publisher hosted a party at the Mary Ward House in London. Among the many authors and illustrators in attendance were Allan Ahlberg, Anthony Browne, Elspeth Graham, Bruce Ingman, Mal Peet, and Helen Oxenbury. Here, a shot of the (ample) crowd from above.
Puffin Books: 70 Years and Counting
Britain’s Puffin Books is also marking a major milestone this year—its 70 birthday—which the house commemorated with a party whose guests included Kevin Brooks, Morris Gleitzman, Charlie Higson, Nick Sharratt, and Meg Rosoff, who blogged about the many conversations she had at the party, “all conducted at very high volume.” Seen here, l. to r., are attendees Jeanne Willis, Lauren Child, and Cressida Cowell.
The Fab Five
A June 8 event at Books & Co in Dayton, Ohio, brought five young adult authors to a lively all-ages audience. Seen here, l. to r., writers Julie Kagawa (The Iron King), Amy Brecount White (Forget-Her-Nots), Saundra Mitchell (Shadowed Summer), Kay Cassidy (The Cinderella Society), and Kristina McBride (The Tension of Opposites) discussed the origins of their books and answered questions about the business side of writing for teens.
