This week, two members of Team Dork take New Jersey; Mary Pope Osborne and Natalie Pope Boyce have a magical visit at Symphony Space; Maria Scrivan and Sharon Cameron share a matching moment; Cecile Richards celebrates troublemaking for young readers; Highlights sets a world record; and Laura Sassi makes a love-ly tour stop in Pennsylvania.
Draw, Partner
Author Rachel Renée Russell (l.) and illustrator Nikki Russell recently visited Indigo in Short Hills, N.J., the first U.S. outpost of Canada’s largest bookstore chain. The mother-daughter team celebrated their latest collaboration, Dork Diaries 14: Tales from a Not-So-Best Friend Forever (S&S/Aladdin), with a q&a and book signing session. Guests also received complimentary posters, stickers, and bookmarks, and Nikki drew a few Dork Diaries-style portraits of audience members (pictured).
Let's Give It Up for Sisters
On November 10, authors Mary Pope Osborne (c.) (Magic Tree House series) and Natalie Pope Boyce (r.) (Magic Tree House Fact Tracker series) visited Symphony Space on Manhattan’s Upper West Side to launch the deluxe holiday edition of Christmas in Camelot (Random House). After actor Fred Hechinger performed an excerpt, the authors discussed their journeys to book writing with Madeline Cohen (l.), the education director of Symphony Space. Next, guests were given a Magic Tree House-inspired writing prompt to imagine themselves in famous historical moments. Osborne closed with a q&a session and revealed the titles of two upcoming books in the series, Narwhal on a Sunny Night and Late Lunch with Llamas, releasing in January and July 2020, respectively.
Red-dy for Anything
Authors Maria Scrivan (Nat Enough, Scholastic/Graphix) and Sharon Cameron (The Light In Hidden Places, Scholastic Press) attended a spring 2020 prepublication dinner with booksellers in St. Paul, Minn., on November 14. Pictured here in serendipitously matching crimson coats (from l.): Scholastic district sales manager Chris Satterlund, Scrivan, Cameron, and Red Balloon Bookshop marketing coordinator Lily Tschudi-Campbell.
Little Trouble
Activist and former Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards (c.) visited Austin, Tex., on November 18 to discuss the young readers edition of her memoir Make Trouble (S&S/McElderry), written with Lauren Peterson and adapted by Ruby Shamir. Presented by BookPeople at Central Presbyterian Church, the conversation was moderated by Taelor Andrews (l.) and Fatima Rosales, two students from the Ann Richards School for Young Woman Leaders. After the discussion, Richards signed copies of her book.
Long, Long, Long
Highlights’ Longest Hidden Pictures Puzzle Ever recently secured the Guinness World Records title for the longest hidden picture puzzle fold-out book (commercially available). On November 20, Guinness representative Callie Smith presented the award to Highlights CEO Kent Johnson at the publisher’s corporate offices in Columbus, Ohio. The 48-page Longest Hidden Pictures Puzzle Ever book folds out to 16 feet and nine inches long, featuring more than 280 hidden objects to seek and find.
I Want to Know What Love Is
Earlier this month, author Laura Sassi (Love Is Kind, Zonderkidz) stopped by Lahaska Bookshop in Lahaska, Pa., where she signed books and talked with guests. Love Is Kind stars Little Owl, who attempts to buy chocolates for his grandmother in vain before learning the true meaning of love. Sassi continued her book tour by visiting three preschools and a store.
