blue apple books: what's new

Fabulous Long Tail Kitty review in PW

2009-11-03T11:55:00.000-08:00

Long Tail Kitty just got a great review in Publishers Weekly!

Long Tail Kitty Lark Pien. Blue Apple (Chronicle, dist.), $14.99 (64p) ISBN 978-1-934706-44-2

Newcomer Pien's aptly named protagonist, who debuted in comics Pien created starting in 2001, now appears in a full-color collection of five original stories, rich in friendly, blissfully unironic conversations. Mischievous but goodhearted Long Tail Kitty ice-skates with his new friend Good Tall Mouse, fixes supper with said mouse as well as Bernice the dog and has a playdate with some friendly aliens. By the time readers hit the foldout page with nearly 70 fun games Long Tail Kitty has planned to do with the aliens—which range from “Office Jobs!” to “Crazy Tornado!”—they'll be converts. The panels are resolutely low-tech; Long Tail Kitty and friends are drawn with a few deft brushstrokes, while watercolors soften but draw little attention to themselves. Pien embraces ideals of compassion but doesn't hit readers over the head with them. After a bee stings him, Long Tail Kitty bridles at the bee's request to return his stinger, but when he imagines life without his own tail (“There would be nothing to keep my stripe up! My bellybutton would show!”), he relents. More, please! Ages 4–up. (Nov.)

Amazing Accolades

2009-10-28T11:54:00.000-07:00

It's been a WHILE since we've been able to post some news, that's just how busy we've been. But in the interim, we've received some amazing awards and reviews.

The folks over at Oppenheim Toy Portfolio have just bestowed a Platinum Best Book Award upon Alphabeasties and Other Amazing Types, and Gold Awards were given to Colors and 1-2-3, both by Simms Taback, How to Win Friends and Influence Creatures by Deborah Zemke, and DwellStudio's Look.

Also, Alphabeasties has received a STARRED review in Publishers Weekly! Here it is:

★ "No ordinary abecedarian, this typographical trip will wow design fans and suggest creative projects with letterforms. The book's introduction speaks affectionately of typefaces—“just like people, they look different and have different personalities”—before embarking on a thrilling spin through the alphabet. The first spread presents an alligator's silhouette, made up of capital and lowercase As, as the repeated word “algae” forms green strands around it. A bat shaped from gothic Bs holds vampire connotations; tall, skinny Gs evoke the height of a giraffe that hides behind leafy, vertical folds; and breathless italic Rs make a rabbit seem poised to leap. Werner and Forss, a debuting team of graphic designers, devote page borders to extra wordplay: a C becomes the curved back and tail of a cat, a K's extended foot kicks a soccer ball, a cursive L is a lasso and rounded Ps nestle in a pod. Innovations arrive several to a page, rewarding repeat visits and encouraging readers to muse on the power of type and all that letters and words can imply or insinuate."

More to come!

Blue Apple Books at the Brooklyn Book Festival

2009-09-11T09:23:00.001-07:00

Blue Apple Books will have a booth at the Brooklyn Book Festival from 10am to 6pm Sunday, September 13th, in the Plaza by Brooklyn Borough Hall. Mark Jones and Yukiko Kido will be stopping by around noon to sign books, stop by if you can! For more information: http://www.brooklynbookfestival.org/

An Illustrated View of the World

2009-06-15T10:14:00.000-07:00

Blue Apple author/illustrator Roger DeMuth (Dinner for Eight, Please Don't Eat Me) got a wonderful write-up in his local paper, The Utica Observer-Dispatch - read it here.

How to Win Friends and Influence Creatures in PW!

2009-06-09T11:47:00.000-07:00

We received a very nice review of How to Win Friends and Influence Creatures in Publishers Weekly!

"The lessons about life and friendship that the quirky, cartoon animals learn in this diminutive book are both practical and fun. A blue creature peeks out above a white fence as the text reads, 'Stand up straight...'Opening the gate reveals a snake—and the rest of the sentence: 'unless you have no legs to stand on.' On another spread, one elephant stands apart from the noisy herd: 'When everyone else is talking... learn to listen' (the elephant is then shown with a mouse in his trunk and its ears perked up). The information—and the humorous touches in the art—lend it both kid and adult appeal. Wishes for You is also available. Ages 4–8."

Blue Apple Books at BEA

2009-06-03T11:55:00.000-07:00

Blue Apple Books has a wonderful time at Book Expo America - the largest book industry event in the country, held at the Javitz Center in New York City. We previewed many of the books that we'll be releasing next fall, and also hosted signings with Karla Gudeon, Harriet Ziefert and Mark Jones, as well as with Melissa Conroy, whose debut children's book, Poppy's Pants, will be released later this year.

Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Seal Award Winners!

2009-05-05T10:20:00.000-07:00

We're proud to announce that three Blue Apple titles have won the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award for 2009:

Simms Taback's City Animals (Simms Taback)

Dinner for Eight (Roger DeMuth)

How to Win Friends and Influence Creatures (Deborah Zemke)

Four Excellent Reviews from Kirkus

2009-04-29T12:01:00.000-07:00

We just received some tremendous reviews for books on our Spring list, from Kirkus Reviews! These appear in the 5/15 issue. Without further ado:

Hakala, Marjorie Rose

MERMAID DANCE

Illus. by Mark Jones

Hakala’s enchanting tale explores the fantastical world of mermaids. As evening arrives and the tide rises high, a school of colorful mermaids gathers at the shore. These fey creatures adorn the coast with ocean treasures for their midnight feast. After dining on the sea’s bounty, the mermaids dance among the waves in a celebration of the summer solstice. Gentle text that mimics the steady rhythm of the sea offers readers a soothing lullaby. Jones’s pastel illustrations provide a lush background for the beguiling tale. A vivid palette illuminates the intensity of the ocean at dusk. His layered, luminescent pictures present a unique perspective of activity both above and below the surface. This bewitching combination of ethereal paintings and fanciful text invites readers to contemplate the secrets of the sea long after the book is closed. (Picture book. 4-8)

Taback, Simms

SIMMS TABACK’S CITY ANIMALS

Illus. by the author

Following the same format as Simms Taback’s Safari Animals (2008), the author/illustrator celebrates the animals that make their homes in the city. The clever design offers children a tantalizing glimpse of one-fourth of an animal along with a clue as to its identity. The right-hand page then unfolds upward to reveal another fourth of the picture and an additional clue. Unfolding this page to the left reveals the entire animal and the answer in a poster-sized illustration. The city dwellers include a squirrel, a dog, a cat, a police horse, a pigeon and a mouse. Bold colors, clean lines and simple details suit the youngest listeners, who will be pleased with their deductive skills as they guess the animals’ identities before the final unfolding. The heavy cardstock should withstand many readings—good thing, as this one is sure to be a favorite among young patrons. (Picture book. 2-5)

Ziefert, Harriet

FURRY FRIENDS: Same and Different

Illus. by SAMi

An oversized book distinguished by SAMi’s trademark clean design and use of die-cuts encourages toddlers to examine small differences in facial features and expressions. On the left, a blank white face confronts readers; on the right, a cat looks out. Turn the page, and the die-cut layers a dog’s snout and ears over the blank face on the left and reveals the circle that backgrounded the cat’s tan-colored face, with only green-dot eyes and a black-dot nose and the text, “How is this face different from the dog’s face?” The differences are subtle, but interesting to explore—expressions, colors and number of features change, creating many avenues for conversation between grown-up and toddler as well as providing basic animal-identification opportunities. (18-36 mos.)

Ziefert, Harriet

YOU AND ME: WE’RE OPPOSITES

Illus. by Ethan Long

Zoo animals explore the ways they are different in this latest from Ziefert. Long’s tongue-in-cheek digital illustrations add pizzazz to the simple formula of the animals’ declarations of their opposite-ness, entirely rendered in speech balloons. Lion asserts his authority over tiger: “I come. You go.” Elephant terrorizes lizard: “I’m big. You’re little.” Giraffe states the obvious to the penguins: “I’m tall. You’re short.” And in the end an exhausted zookeeper breathes a sigh of relief: “I’m awake. They’re asleep.” Clean lines, simple details and bright colors keep the focus on the opposite pairs, which explore such attributes as position, size, location, color, mood and activity. While none of the animals declares, “Buy this book, not that one,” this does pack a triple punch—the concept-book format pleases parents, the illustrations and guess-ability of the opposites suit a storytime setting and children will go ape over the animals. (Picture book. 3-5)

Great Review of Dinner for Eight in Kirkus!

2009-04-16T12:30:00.000-07:00

Kirkus Reviews enjoyed our new Spring title Dinner for Eight... from their 5/1 issue:

"Many hands make a luscious international feast. Octopus plans a dinner for eight: 'Please be on time and don’t arrive late!' With an international guest list, he prepares a variety of offbeat entrees. This culinary lift-the-flap book sometimes has Octopus’s multiple tentacles working at once—in the kitchen finding hay in one cupboard, a jar of flies in another and a plant in the refrigerator while checking on several colorful fish that are cooking in the oven. At the dinner party, each dish is a clever (yucky) concoction, waiting behind flaps to be revealed by young listeners. There’s eucalyptus leaf stew for Kal Kangaroo, worm sauerkraut for Berthe Birdie, housefly soufflé for François Le Frog, and so on. Dessert is the pièce de résistance all right, although its composition defies the gustatory logic that’s gone before. But there’s no denying that the lift-the-flap design always delights young would-be readers, and De Muth goes the extra mile with humorous surprises under each flap."

2009-03-06T10:59:00.000-08:00

We've just received a fabulous review of Comics to Go in L.A. Parent's "Good Reads with Ronna" blog, complete with a cute kid's drawing. Check it out:

Comics to Go!

March 6th, 2009

Do you have a child, like mine, who loves to draw, invent wild and wacky characters and create little hand made books? Then I have the ideal book for you. It’s called Comics To Go! by Mike Herrod from Blue Apple Books, a wonderful publishing house with lots of unique books out of Maplewood, New Jersey.

Here’s a sample of what my son Coleman did when he discovered the book last week. This design is the last cell for a comic strip called Rodrigo The Magnificent. The book contains 19 stories for children (or adults if you are so inclined) to complete and then color in. What is even more exciting is that at their web site more comic panels can be downloaded! Kids will love Super Squirrel, The Dog Walker, Duck Amok and so many others. When all the strips have been completed, kids will find some blank

comics at the book’s end so they can flex some more creative muscle. I suggest keeping the book in your car so that when you go out for a meal you have something with which to entertain the kids which in turn will surely entertain you! The clever, colorful book will appeal to many age groups and would make a most welcome gift for any occasion.

Liz Murphy on YouTube

2009-03-05T07:35:00.000-08:00

Someone was clever enough to videotape Liz Murphy's Broadway Barks event at the Montclair (NJ) Public Library last year, and creative enough to produce this video! Enjoy.

Hanukkah Haiku - A National Jewish Book Award Finalist!

2009-01-14T12:20:00.000-08:00

We were thrilled today to find out that Hanukkah Haiku was selected as a finalist for the 2008 National Jewish Book Award in the category of Illustrated Children's Books. There is only one other finalist for this award category, so it is very special! If you find yourself in New York City on March 15th, please join Harriet Ziefert and Karla Gudeon at the awards ceremony, which is open to the public, at the Center for Jewish History (15 West 16th Street), at 7:30pm.

Hanukkah Haiku - A Sydney Taylor Notable Book

2009-01-08T07:08:00.000-08:00

Hanukkah Haiku was chosen as a Sydney Taylor Notable Book for Young Readers. The Sydney Taylor Book Award is presented annually to outstanding Children's books that authentically portray the Jewish experience. Presented by the Association of Jewish Libraries since 1968, the Award encourages the publication and widespread use of quality Judaic literature.

Upcoming Bernadette Peters Appearances

2008-11-17T11:02:00.000-08:00

Having just had a marvelous event at FAO Schwarz in Manhattan to promote Broadway Barks, and the new plush doll based on the main character, Ms. Bernadette Peters has scheduled two more appearances for this year:

Wednesday, December 10th, 10am: Barnes & Noble, Tribeca Store (97 Warren Street, NY NY)

Saturday, December 13th, 2pm: Bookends, Ridgewood NJ (232 East Ridgewood Ave)

Come out and get the perfect Christmas present: a signed copy of Broadway Barks!

(AP Photo/Judy Katz PR, Leah Joseph)

Blue Apple Books at the Brooklyn Museum of Art

2008-11-17T10:26:00.000-08:00

Mike Herrod (Comics to Go) and Yukiko Kido (Posey and Flip-a-Word books) were invited by the Brooklyn Museum of Art to participate in their 2nd Annual Children's Book Fair, which took place last Saturday. Hundreds of children showed up with their parents and caretakers, and were able to meet face-to-face with some of their favorite Brooklyn-based artists and authors. Many discovered new favorites. Kids were enthralled when Mike Herrod demonstrated some of the tricks of the comics trade, showing how inspiration often comes from the people around him, as he drew portraits of family members for the crowd.

Bernadette Peters at FAO Schwarz on 11/8

2008-10-21T12:07:00.000-07:00

Bernadette Peters will be celebrating the release of Kramer, a stuffed animal based on the lovable adopted dog from the book Broadway Barks, on Saturday, November 8th at 1pm, in FAO Schwarz's New York City store.

The Press Release:

BERNADETTE PETERS RELEASES PLUSH DOG KRAMER FROM FAO SCHWARZ WITH A STORE APPEARANCE

Join Two-Time Tony Award winning actress Bernadette Peters and her beloved rescue dog, Kramer on Saturday, November 8th, at 1 PM as she debuts Kramer, the plush dog based on the character from her New York Times Best-Selling children's book, Broadway Barks.

Ms. Peters will read her book, answer questions from the audience, and sign copies of her book.

This unique toy is exclusively manufactured for and sold by FAO Schwarz. All of Ms. Peters' royalties will be donated to BROADWAY BARKS, the organization of the same name she co- founded with actress Mary Tyler Moore, for the care of shelter animals.

FAO Schwarz is located at 767 5th Avenue at 58th Street.

Tremendous Reviews for Hanukkah Haiku!

2008-10-21T08:21:00.000-07:00

We've just received a couple of great reviews for our new book Hanukkah Haiku, by Harriet Ziefert with (gorgeous) illustrations by Karla Gudeon!

From Kirkus Reviews:

[STARRED REVIEW] "Eight simple poems in Haiku form, one for each night of Hanukkah, tell of family traditions and the joy of lighting the candles together, playing dreidel, eating latkes and applesauce, receiving shiny coins or Hanukkah gelt, singing and dancing and, of course, hearing the story of the Maccabees. Without retelling the biblical story, Ziefert manages to capture the essence of this holiday completely and even includes instructions, in both Hebrew and English, for conducting the candle-lighting ritual. Text and format are seamlessly interwoven. Inspired by Chagall, Gudeon’s intensely bright, detailed illustrations float and soar through the pages. As each candle is lit, the shortened, fanned pages open to reveal the activities told in the poems and the menorah as it appears that night, until the eighth and final night when the menorah is fully ablaze. Borders, backgrounds and endpapers bloom with symbols that surround Hebrew and English letters wishing the reader a happy Hanukkah and a celebrating family dancing with joy. An exuberant delight."

And from School Library Journal:

"Combining festive illustrations and a playful format, this title uses haiku to celebrate the eight nights of Hanukkah. While the selections address only the most basic ideas (“Four candles tonight./Grandma fries the latkes brown./We want applesauce”), each turn of the stepped pages brings fresh excitement as another lit candle and verse are revealed. Illustrations have a lovely folkloric quality in which Chagall-like figures, surrounded by richly colored flowers and stars, float across a fibrous tan background. Of particular note are the gorgeous patterned edges on the versos that mirror the tones of the newly exposed candle. Endnotes include an explanation of the candle blessings. A lovely addition."

Comics to Go

2008-08-28T08:55:00.000-07:00

Although we want summer to last forever, we're excited to announce that our first Fall book is arriving in stores this week: COMICS TO GO! Comics to Go is the first children's book by artist Mike Herrod, who grew up with a love of comic strips like Calvin and Hobbes and (of course!) Peanuts and eventually became a comic artist himself. With Comics to Go, he inspires kids to pick up the pen (and/or colored pencils and/or crayons) and create their own "sequential art."

At the beginning of the book, Mike has started some extremely wacky stories and left the last panel unfinished, so that the reader can complete the tales in his or her own unique way. In the back of the book, more and more of the comics are left undone, until the panels ultimately are empty boxes that leave everything to the imagination and vision of the artist at hand. We've also created a companion website with downloadable content, so the fun never has to end!

Spiral bound and with sturdy cardboard covers (like a professional sketchbook), we think Comics to Go not only inspires a love of comics, but serves as an introduction to the creative process - of both storytelling and art. Check it out!

Flip-a-Face Nesting Blocks Win Award!

2008-08-07T10:23:00.000-07:00

We just learned that our Flip-a-Face Baby Animals Nesting Blocks have won the 2008 Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award! The Oppenheim Toy Portfolio was founded in 1989 as a completely independent consumer review of children's products. They don't take money from publishers for reviews or ads. You can check them out here: http://www.toyportfolio.com.

They say: "Sturdy, cardboard stacking blocks with bold animal face graphics that can be abracadabra changed! Cut outs on the face of several blocks change the look of the face below. An extra surprise to the usual size order stacking and nesting opportunities. Develops language as well as dexterity and spatial visual skills."

Way to go, Nesting Blocks!

Safari Animals Wins Parents' Choice 2008 Gold Award

2008-07-11T13:12:00.000-07:00

Although we mentioned this somewhere below, I thought it was worth posting on its own that Simms Taback's Safari Animals is a Parents' Choice Gold Award Winner. We've received the official certificate, as you can see, and are thrilled. Congrats, Simms!

PS: If you are in the NYC area this weekend, be sure to stop by Shubert Alley on Saturday (7/12) for the 10th annual Broadway Barks from 3:30-6:30. Bernadette Peters will be signing copies of Broadway

Barks (the book)!

Our Wonderful New Website!

2008-06-23T11:03:00.000-07:00

By now, I am sure you have noticed our wonderful new website, designed (and illustrated) by none other than our own Blue Apple Books artist Yukiko Kido, of Posey Prefers Pink fame. With a little help from her friends, she was able to bring to life a site that we believe shines brightly among other mostly traditional publisher offerings.

Thanks, Yuki!

Broadway Barks Hits #5 on the New York Times Children's Bestseller List!

2008-06-06T13:15:00.000-07:00

The Blue Apple team has just returned from Book Expo America in Los Angeles, where we learned that Broadway Barks has hit #5 on the New York Times Children's Bestseller List! Needless to say, we were thrilled! This news came just in time for Bernadette's two California signings, one at Book Expo and another at Book Soup in West Hollywood. Every last book was signed at both these events.

Also at Book Expo, we were delighted to have Simms Taback sign copies of Simms Taback's Safari Animals... which we have just been notified is a 2008 Parents' Choice Gold Award winner! Last year, only one book received this prestigious distinction. Simms' signing was a fantastic success, running over the allotted time to ensure no one went away disappointed.

If you're in the New York City area, be sure to drop by the Barnes & Noble at Lincoln Triangle on June 12th at 10am to hear Bernadette sing "Kramer's Song" from Broadway Barks, and to have a copy of the book signed.

Bernadette Peters in Philadelphia!

2008-05-17T18:42:00.000-07:00

Blue Apple's Broadway Barks signing at The 2nd Annual Philadelphia Book Festival was a fabulous success! Hundreds of fans were overjoyed to have their books signed by both Bernadette Peters and illustrator Liz Murphy. Before signing, Ms. Peters treated attendees to both a reading of the book and a live performance of "Kramer's Song," with accompaniment by Marvin Laird and two other musicians.

Signing at CHILD Magazine's 2007 best book awards

2007-02-01T22:24:00.000-08:00

Blue Apple illustrator SAMi was honored at the 6th Annual Best Children’s Book Awards, presented by Child Magazine, for his books Flip-a-Shape: Go! and Flip-a-Shape: Yum! SAMi signed books at the event, which was held at Books of Wonder in New York City, for an admiring crowd. Flip-a-Face: Baby Animals and Flip-a-Face: Baby Talk have both won the award in the past.

Murphy Jumps a Hurdle in Booklist

2007-01-08T09:37:00.000-08:00

Ziefert, Harriet. Murphy Jumps a Hurdle. Illus. by Emily Bolam. Nov. 2006. 40p. Blue Apple, $15.95 (1-59354-174-0). K-Gr. 3.

In this new Murphy title (Murphy Goes to Paris, Murphy Meets the Treadmill), Murphy the dog faces a new challenge: agility training. With owner Cheryl's guidance, Murphy practices several stunts. Soon he feels ready to compete, and although he is disappointed that he doesn't get first place, he is ready to go work out harder and try again. From frustration to fun and training to competition, Murphy describes his experiences and feelings, all of which are depicted in charming, colorful, cartoonlike illustrations. The story is a bit thin, but the message about perseverance is a good one, and likable Murphy's new trials will appeal to fans of his previous books as well as young dog lovers and budding trainers--though let's hope they think twice before tossing a "wooden dumbbell" at a dog during a game of fetch, as Cheryl does with Murphy. --Shelle Rosenfeld

Booklist, November 1, 2006