STREGA NONA'S GIFT Is a NEW YORK TIMES Bestseller!

Oh Snow!!!

2012 Tomie dePaola Illustrator Award

The guidelines for the 2012 Tomie dePaola Illustrator Award from the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators are now posted online.

www.scbwi.org/Pages.aspx/Tomie-dePaola-Award

Blue Horse Auction

Tomie donated a new painting of a blue horse to the "Blue Horse Auction" to benefit the NEA Foundation. Tomie and the other artists were inspired by Eric Carle's new book, THE ARTIST WHO PAINTED A BLUE HORSE. You can bid on Tomie's painting for four more days. Additional artwork will be available after this first group of paintings has sold.

www.ebay.com
Search "blue horse auction."

STREGA NONA'S GIFT and the Krosoczka Family

STREGA NONA'S GIFT is dedicated to Gina and Jarrett Krosoczka, their daughter, Zoe, and their dog, Ralph. Jarrett wrote a note on his blog about the dedication.
http://thejjkblog.blogspot.com/2011/10/story-of-tomie-and-us.html

Jarrett also suggested to Tomie that he should watch the following YouTube clip.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JxfgId3XTs&feature=player_embedded

Happy Publication Day!

Calendar

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2011
Publication of
STREGA NONA'S GIFT
Written and Illustrated by Tomie dePaola
Eleventh book featuring Italian grandma Strega Nona who was first introduced in the Caldecott Honor Award-winning STREGA NONA: AN ORIGINAL TALE.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2011
Brief Presentation and Book Signing
FLYING PIG BOOKSTORE
4:00 - 5:30 p.m.
Event Location:
Shelburne Town Hall
5420 Shelburne Road
Shelburne, VT 05482
www.flyingpigbooks.com
Store Phone: 802-985-3999

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2011
Brief Presentation and Book Signing
GIBSON'S BOOKSTORE
6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
Event Location:
Red River Theater
11 South Main Street
Concord, NH 03301
www.gibsonsbookstore.com
Store Phone: 603-224-0562

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2011
Brief Presentation and Book Signing
TOADSTOOL BOOKSHOP
4:00 - 5:30 p.m.
12 Depot Square
Peterborough, NH 03458
www.toadbooks.com
Store Phone: 603-924-3543

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2011
Brief Presentation and Book Signing
KENNEBOOKS
4:30 - 6:00 p.m.
Event Location:
Nonantum Resort
95 Ocean Avenue
Kennebunkport, ME 04046
www.kennebooks.com
Store Phone: 207-967-6136

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2011
Brief Presentation and Book Signing
ANDOVER BOOKSTORE
1:00 - 2:30 p.m.
89R Main Street
Andover, MA 01810
www.hugobookstores.com
Store Phone: 978-475-0143

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2011
Brief Presentation and Book Signing
THE BOOK RACK
4:00 - 5:30 p.m.
52 State Street
Newburyport, MA 01950
www.hugobookstores.com
Store Phone: 978-462-8615

MONDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2011
Brief Presentation and Book Signing
ANDERSON'S BOOKSHOP
7:00 - 8:30 p.m.
Event Location:
Naperville Central High School
440 West Aurora Avenue
Naperville, IL 60540
www.andersonsbookshop.com
Store Phone: 630-355-2665

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2011
Brief Presentation and Book Signing
NEXT CHAPTER BOOKS
5:00 - 6:30 p.m.
10976 North Port Washington Road
Mequon, WI 53092
www.nextchapterbookshop.com
Store Phone: 262-241-6220

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2011
Brief Presentation and Book Signing
RED BALLOON BOOKSHOP
6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
891 Grand Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55105
www.redballoonbookshop.com
Store Phone: 651-224-8320

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2011
Brief Presentation and Book Signing
NORTHSHIRE BOOKSTORE
**SEE NOVEMBER 12**
4869 Main Street
Manchester Center, VT 05255
www.northshire.com
Store Phone: 802-362-2200

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2011
Book Signing
KENNEBOOKS
**SEE NOVEMBER 27**
149 Port Road
Lower Village Kennebunk, ME 04043
www.kennebooks.com
Store Phone: 207-967-6136

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2011
Brief Presentation and Book Signing
BANK STREET COLLEGE BOOKSTORE
4:30 - 6:00 p.m.
2879 Broadway
New York, NY 10025
www.bankstreetbooks.com
Store Phone: 212-678-1654

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2011
Brief Presentation and Book Signing
BARNES & NOBLE
6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
Princeton Marketfair
3535 US Route 1
Princeton, NJ 08540
www.bn.com
Store Phone: 609-897-9250

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2011
Brief Presentation and Book Signing
MENDHAM BOOKS
4:00 - 5:30 p.m.
Mendham Village Shopping Center
84 East Main Street, Route 24
Mendham, NJ 07945
www.mendhambooks.com
Store Phone: 973-543-4949

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2011
Brief Presentation and Book Signing
BOOKS & GREETINGS
1:00 - 2:30 p.m.
Northvale Square Shopping Center
271 Livingston Street
Northvale, NJ 07647
www.booksandgreetings.com
Store Phone: 201-784-2665

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2011
Brief Presentation and Book Signing
BOOKS, BYTES & BEYOND
4:00 - 5:30 p.m.
197 Rock Road
Glen Rock, NJ 07452
http://www.booksbytesbeyond.com/
Store Phone: 201-670-6766

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2011
Brief Presentation and Book Signing
NORTHSHIRE BOOKSTORE
10:30 a.m. - Noon
4869 Main Street
Manchester Center, VT 05255
www.northshire.com
Store Phone: 802-362-2200

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2011
Presentation and Book Signing
CONNECTICUT CHILDREN'S BOOK FAIR
10:15 - 10:45 a.m. Presentation
10:45 - 11:45 a.m. Book Signing
1:00 - 2:00 p.m. Book Signing
Rome Commons Building
Rome Hall, South Campus Complex
University of Connecticut
Storrs, CT 06269
http://bookfair.uconn.edu/2011.htm

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2011
Brief Presentation and Book Signing
MORGAN HILL BOOKSTORE
11:00 a.m. - Noon
253 Main Street
New London, NH 03257
www.morganhillbookstore.com
Store Phone: 603-526-5850

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2011
Brief Presentation and Book Signing
NORWICH BOOKSTORE
10:30 a.m. - Noon
291 Main Street
Norwich, VT 05055
www.norwichbookstore.com
Store Phone: 802-649-1114

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2011
Book Signing
KENNEBOOKS
1:00 - 2:30 p.m.
149 Port Road
Lower Village Kennebunk, ME 04043
www.kennebooks.com
Store Phone: 207-967-6136

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2011
Brief Presentation and Book Signing
THE MARKETPLACE AT MARKLIN CANDLE
1:00 - 2:00 p.m.
28 Riverside Drive
Contoocook, NH 03229
http://www.marklincandle.com/
Store Phone: 603-746-5442

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2011
Presentation and Book Signing
CONCORD MUSEUM
11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
200 Lexington Road
Concord, MA 01742
www.concordmuseum.org/visit/special_events_FamilyTrees.html
Free by reservation only.
Museum Phone: 978-369-9763

More National Book Festival Photos

Here are some photos from the National Book Festival that PUBLISHERS WEEKLY posted online.

www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-book-news/article/48876-children--s-books-at-the-2011-national-book-festival-a-photo-essay.html

National Book Festival #8

We had dinner with Sarah Dessen Friday night, September 23, at our hotel, after the National Book Festival Gala in the Thomas Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress. Sarah had over 500 people meet her when she autographed the next day at the Festival.

www.sarahdessen.com

National Book Festival #7

Tom Lederer and Tomie.

Tom's father, Wolfgang Lederer, was Tomie's Master's Degree mentor at the California College of Arts and Crafts (now called California College of the Arts) in Oakland, California, in the late '60s. Tom was in Washington, DC, for a Peace Corps reunion. He was wandering down the National Mall, and by coincidence saw that Tomie was speaking at the National Book Festival on the Mall.

National Book Festival #6

Tomie had an overflow crowd for his presentation at the National Book Festival. As he climbed the steps to the stage, the crowd cheered and yelled, and it energized Tomie. Here he is teaching the audience how to do an "Italian kiss." Click on the photo to see the audience reactions.

When we left the tent, on a golf cart, to go to the autographing area, some fans ran alongside the cart to get photographs of Tomie. Very funny.

The presentation will be posted on the Library of Congress website. We'll let you know when it's available to watch.

National Book Festival #5

Jarrett Krosoczka (left) and Matthew Reinhart (right) with Tomie.

www.studiojjk.com
www.matthewreinhart.com

Q & A with Mrs. Moyer's Class

Mrs. Moyer's second grade class at Stone Ranch Elementary in San Diego, California, wrote.

Almost everyone asked: Is Mrs. Bowers still alive?
Tomie: I don't know. My dancing school teacher, Miss Leah, is still alive. I saw her in July. She looks great!

Matthew: Do you know any baseball players?
Tomie: No

Jared: I think on a great book scale 1 - 10 your books are a 10!
Tomie: Thank you. I think on a great comment scale, 1 - 10, your comment is a 10!

Blue Eyes

This drawing was in a BIG Happy Birthday letter from Mrs. Coats's second grade class at Clay Lamberton Elementary in Berlin, Wisconsin.

The class asked a couple of questions:
Q: Are you going to be in Wisconsin?
A: I'm going to be autograping at Next Chapter Books in Mequon, Wisconsin, on October 25.

Q: Are you working on another pop-up book?
A: No, but I'm glad that you liked BRAVA, STREGA NONA.

National Book Festival #4

Tomie and William Joyce.

www.williamjoyce.com

National Book Festival #3

Marilyn Parr was Tomie's volunteer escort at the National Book Festival on Saturday, September 24. Marilyn was a huge help. Thanks, Marilyn!