WA State Book Award finalists announced, and...

...there are more than a few names we recognize in their respective categories of the Scandiuzzi Children’s Book Award Finalists:

 Picture Book

• “Little Green Peas: A Big Book of Color” (Beach Lane Books) written and illustrated by Keith Baker of Seattle
• “Two Speckled Eggs” (Candlewick Press) written and illustrated by Bainbridge Island resident Jennifer K. Mann of Bainbridge Island
• “Hands Say Love” (Little Brown Books for Young Readers by George Shannon of Bainbridge Island, illustrated by Taeeun Yoo
• “S Is for Salmon: A Pacific Northwest Alphabet” (Sasquatch) written and illustrated by Hannah Viano of Seattle

Books for Middle Readers (ages 9 to 12)

• “Phoebe and Her Unicorn” (Andrews McMeel Publishing) by Dana Simpson of Des Moines, Wash
• “Ken Jennings’ Junior Genius Guides: Maps and Geography” by Ken Jennings of Seattle (Little Simon)
• “Time Out of Time: Book One: Beyond the Door” by Maureen McQuerry, of Richland (Amulet Books)

Books for Young Adults (ages 13 to 18)

• “Pure Grit: How American World War II Nurses Survived Battle and Prison Camp in the Pacific” (Abrams Books for Young Readers) by Mary Cronk Farrell of Spokane
• “Between Two Worlds” (Wendy Lamb Books) by Katherine Kirkpatrick of Seattle
• “Six Feet Over It” (Random House Books for Young Readers) by Jennifer Longo of Seattle
• “The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender” (Candlewick Press) by Seattle resident Leslye Walton

Wonderful, wonderful news for all! Congratulations and high-fives
to everyone for such an incredible honor!

Good News Abounds!!!

Happy Friday All!! We're busting with Good News today!!!

First up The Golden Kites have been announced and it's Good News and Happy times for our Region!!!

Golden Kites Winners:

* The 2012 Golden Kite Award for Picture Book Illustration goes to "BALLOONS OVER BROADWAY" by Melissa Sweet (Houghton Mifflin)- Melissa will be a keynote speaker at our annual conference in April!

* There are also four 2012 Golden Kite Honor Recipients: For Non-Fiction, "MYSTERIOUS BONES: THE STORY OF KENNEWICK MAN" by Katherine Kirkpatrick, Illustrated by Emma Stevenson (Holiday House)- Congratulations Katherine!!

And from today's deals@publishersmarketplace.com:

SMELLS LIKE DOG author Suzanne Selfors's THE IMAGINARY VETERINARY, a chapter book series in which a string of unusual events -- from finding a lost dragon hatchling to tracking an escaped sasquatch -- leads ten-year-olds to become apprentices to a veterinarian for imaginary creatures, to Julie Scheina at Little, Brown Children's, in a three-book deal, for publication starting in Spring 2013, by Michael Bourret at Dystel & Goderich Literary Management (World). Woohoo for Suzanne!!

Congratulations to our fellow SCBWI WWA members!! Thanks to Laurie for being the Good News messenger!!

Lois Harris Booksigning and NW Bookfest Event

Lois Harris will be signing her CHARLIE RUSSELL: TALE-TELLING COWBOY ARTIST book on October 1, at 2 p.m. in SCBWI’s booth at Northwest Bookfest in Kirkland. There will be other SCBWI members at the booth throughout the weekend as well.

In addition Lois, Clare Hodgson Meeker and Katherine Kirkpatrick will discuss Children’s Nonfiction as panelists during Northwest Bookfest, on Saturday, October 1, from 12-1 p.m., at the Kirkland Community Center, Room 2, 12421 103rd Ave. N.E. Tina Hoggatt will be moderating the panel. For more information on Lois, and her work, visit her website.