Go Bears!
Yes--THIS IS A COOKIE! Lyndall Otto, bookseller extraordinaire ordered them as a surprise.
My Uncle Davie and my mom are among my biggest fans.
Emma and Izzy perform in the play at the book launch!
Me and the three wonderful actors --Emma, Izzy and Avery
blog tour! events directly below
below these are actual, live bricks-and-mortar appearances
blog tour of those who won the Sydney Taylor Book Awards:
- April Halprin Wayland, author of New Year at the Pier: A Rosh Hashanah Story - Sydney Taylor Book Award winner in the Younger Readers Category appears at Practically Paradise
- Stéphane Jorisch, illustrator of New Year at the Pier: A Rosh Hashanah Story - Sydney Taylor Book Award winner in the Younger Readers Category appears at Frume Sarah’s World
- Margarita Engle, author of Tropical Secrets: Holocaust Refugees in Cuba - Sydney Taylor Book Award winner in the Teen Readers Category appears at bookstogether
- Robin Friedman, author of The Importance of Wings - Sydney Taylor Book Award winner in the Older Readers Category appears at Little Willow’s Bildungsroman
- Jacqueline Davies, author of Lost - Sydney Taylor Honor Award winner in the Teen Readers Category appears at Biblio File
- Jonah Winter, author of You Never Heard of Sandy Koufax? - Sydney Taylor Honor Award winner in the Younger Readers Category appears at Get in the Game: Read!
- Elka Weber, author of The Yankee at the Seder - Sydney Taylor Honor Award winner in the Younger Readers Category appears at BewilderBlog
- Adam Gustavson, illustrator of The Yankee at the Seder - Sydney Taylor Honor Award winner in the Younger Readers Category appears at Great Kids Books
- Judy Vida, daughter of the late Selma Kritzer Silverberg, author of Naomi’s Song - Sydney Taylor Honor Award winner in the Teen Readers Category appears at The Book Nosher
- Jacqueline Jules, author of Benjamin and the Silver Goblet - Sydney Taylor Honor Award winner in the Younger Readers Category appears at ASHarmony
- Natascia Ugliano, illustrator of Benjamin and the Silver Goblet - Sydney Taylor Honor Award winner in the Younger Readers Category appears at The Book of Life
- Deborah Bodin Cohen, author of Nachshon, Who Was Afraid to Swim - Sydney Taylor Honor Award winner in the Younger Readers Category appears at Ima On and Off the Bima
- Jago, illustrator of Nachshon, Who Was Afraid to Swim - Sydney Taylor Honor Award winner in the Younger Readers Category appears at Jewish Books for Children
- Annika Thor, author of A Faraway Island - Sydney Taylor Honor Award winner in the Older Readers Category appears at The Little Book Room
- Ellen Frankel, author of The JPS Illustrated Bible for Children - Sydney Taylor Notable Book for All Ages appears at Deo Writer
blog tour!
Cynthia Smith’s Cynsations blog interview
blog tour!
Jewish Books for Children with Author Baraba Bietz interview
blog tour!
Tina Nichols Coury interviews my editor!
blog tour!
Each of my five fellow bloggers at TeachingAuthors.com asked me one question, and here are my answers:
One ~ How did you come to write New Year at the Pier? How do you celebrate your Jewish heritage year-round?
Two ~ What did you learn and what do you teach in this book?
Three ~ How long did it take you to write New Year at the Pier?
Four ~ Tell us about the amazing illustrator and the illustrations!
Five ~ 8 ways to use NEW YEAR AT THE PIER–from in the classroom to repairing a friendship…and a poem about apologizing.
blog tour!
Heidi Estrin’s Book of Life podcast interview (9 minutes)
blog tour!
Just One More Book’s wonderful 7-minute podcast book review of New Year at the Pier…
Reviewers Andrea Ross & Mark Blevis hang out and talk about my book in a coffee shop.
blog tour!
A Year of Reading (tagline: “Two Teachers Who Read. A lot.”) reviews the book. Frankie and Mary Lee are two amazing teachers with books of their own on the topic of reading.
blog tour!
West of Mars–Win-A-Book gives a shout-out to our New Year at the Pier book give-away–thanks, Susan!
blog tour!
The one and only fantasic Uncle Ruthie reads NEW YEAR AT THE PIER on her marvelous radio program, HALFWAY DOWN THE STAIRS, one of the oldest children’s radio programs in the country. Once you click on the link, search for Sept. 12, 2009. In this Rosh Hashanah-themed program, Uncle Ruthie reads many books with musical interludes. It runs a half-hour.
blog tour!
Blogger Julia Halprin Jackson interviewed me for Eduify about tips for writers.
Below are the highlights on my calendar (not all events are listed here)….email me regarding available dates.
January 26-February 23, 2009…Tuesdays
11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Writing Picture Books for Children
The class I’ve taught for over eleven years through UCLA Extension Writers Program. (This class is for rank beginners.)
December 14, 2009…Monday
10 a.m. - noon
Da Vinci Science Magnet
Hawthorne, CA
December 2, 2009…Wednesday
Los Angeles County Children’s Services–
Workshops for the Los Angeles County children’s and young adult librarians with poet Hope Anita Smith
November 21-22, 2009…Saturday & Sunday
California School Library Association
Ontario, CA
Sunday, November 22 from 11:00 am - 1:00 pm: CSLA Author/Illustrator Brunch
Saturday, November 21 from 3:15 pm:
Serendipity-Do-Da! Happy Accidents in Writing
Presenter: Alexis O’Neill Co-presenters:
April Halprin Wayland, Michelle Markel, George Pilling
Accidents and laughter are second nature to creators of children’s books. Join award-winning authors who will share their brainstorming techniques, weird coincidences behind some of their books, and ideas for integrating popular children’s books in writing lessons. In addition to handouts, you will walk away with a new song!
November 15, 2009…Sunday
10 a.m.
Jewish Federation’s Annual Jewish Book Festival
Temple Beth Israel, 10 a.m.
Pomona, CA
November 8, 2009…Sunday
San Diego’s 15th Annual Jewish Book Fair
1 p.m.
San Diego, CA
November 7, 2009…Saturday
on a panel for WriteGirl ’s Volunteer Retreat
at the Grammy Foundation
Santa Monica, CA
October 24, 2009…Saturday
Southern California Independent Booksellers Association
Authors Feast and Trade Show
October 13-November 17, 2009…Tuesdays
11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Writing Picture Books for Children
The class I teach through UCLA Extension Writers Program
October 10…Saturday
8:30 a.m. - 1:45 p.m.
Future Teacher and New Teacher Conferences
for new or future K-6 grade teachers
at the beautiful LMU campus in Southern California
Includes breakfast and lunch and a goodie bag!
A bargain at only $30! ($40 late registration)
(I’ll be at a retreat for UCLA Extension Writers Program Teachers…but this will be a terrific conference)
September 26, 2009…Sunday
Programs at Congregation Tikvat Jacob
Manhattan Beach, CA
September 26, 2009…Saturday
10:30 a.m.
Children’s Book World
10:30 a.m. book reading and signing
10580 3/4 W Pico Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90064-0005
Can’t attend? Call to reserve your autographed copy:
(310) 559-2665
September 20, 2009…Sunday
THIS IS IT–TASHLICH! I’m not doing anything regarding the book…just tossin’ bread into the sea ~
Join Congregation Tikvat Jacob in celebrating the New Year on the Manhattan Beach pier at 5 pm
Manhattan Beach, CA
September 19, 2009…Saturday
10 a.m.-ish…Rosh Hashanah Family Service with Congregation Tikvat Jacob
Manhattan Beach, CA
September 18, 2009…Friday
7 pm-ish…Erev Rosh Hashanah with Congregation Tikvat Jacob at American Martyrs Church
Manhattan Beach, CA
September 15, 2009…Tuesday
7 pm ~ a simply amazing program
at the Redondo Beach Library !
303 North Pacific Coast Highway, Redondo Beach, CA
for more info contact the children’s librarian:
kimberly.bishop@redondo.org 310-318-0675
September 14, 2009…Monday
Programs at Valley Beth Shalom in the morning
and at Sinai Temple in the afternoon
Encino and West Los Angeles, CA
September 12, 2009…Saturday
Book Launch! 3-5 pm, Manhattan Beach
at Hillside Pharmacy
(our local independent bookstore cleverly disguised as a pharmacy)
signing starts at 3 p.m…dramatic reading at 3:30 p.m.
heavenly refreshments will be served!
1145 Artesia Blvd.
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
Can’t attend? Call to reserve your autographed copy:
(310) 376-9456
September 12, 2009…Saturday
New Year at the Pier on the radio! 8 a.m. on one of my all-time favorite radio programs,
Uncle Ruthie’s Halfway Down the Stairs on KPFK
August 21, 2009…Friday
No, it’s not tashlich yet–that’s on Sept. 20th…but we will be celebrating at the beach with Congregation Tikvat Jacob. There will be a book sale, book reading, family picnic before Shabbat in Manhattan Beach, CA….at the bottom of 26th Street in MB. Pay for parking up to 8pm; the MB police do NOT close the lot when we have services.
The evening’s schedule:
Books available for sale starting at 5:30 pm
6:00–bring your own dairy picnic
6:10–story reading
7:00–Kabbalat Shabbat
August 7-10, 2009
On the faculty of the 38th annual Society of Children’s Book Authors and Illustrators Conference
in Century City
Los Angeles, CA
July 8-13, 2009
American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference
Chicago, IL
July 4-8, 2009
Jewish Library Association Annual Convention
Chicago, IL
June 11, 2009
NEW YEAR AT THE PIER–A Rosh Hashanah Story arrives in bookstores—yippee!
June 1, 2009 –I flew into NY (from CA) for only one day–so this is how the President feels!
Book Expo America
Jewish Book Council’s Meet the Author Luncheon
New York, NY
April 28, 2009
30 Poets/30 Days
June 25, 2006
American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference
New Orleans, LA
panel: “Learning About Poetry from the Poets Themselves”
As the popularity of poetry for young people gains momentum, we can benefit from examining what poets themselves reveal about their own lives and writing processes. A panel of four poets, Pat Mora, Sonya Sones, April Halprin Wayland, and Janet Wong, will discuss how a writer’s life experiences bubble up in the poetry she/he creates. They offer a range of work for children and teens, as well as a variety of cultural perspectives.
June
Cerritos Elementary School–
Assemblies and poetry workshop for grades 4, 5, & 6
Cerritos, CA
May
Topanga Elementary School—assembly & four poetry workshops
(they found a grant to bring me to the school!)
Topanga, CA
May
Broadoaks School on the Whittier College campus
and at Hoover Elementary School
poetry workshops
Whittier, CA
April
Two days of workshops at Bethel Park High
Storytelling at Bethel Park Library
and lecture at Chatham College
Pittsburgh and Bethel Park, PA
March
Meet the Authors and Bookfair at Whittier College
opening keynote of conference
Whittier, CA
March
Texas Library Association presentation
San Antonio, TX
March
Chadwick School
Session with 25 selected middle & high school students
& two assemblies with kindergarteners & first graders
Palos Verdes, CA
November
National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) Convention
Poetry Partners in Middle School Learning
This session highlights the power of verse novels
to connect teachers, librarians, students, and poets.
San Francisco, CA
November
California Reading Association Conference
Three talented teens from Hoover High School
read from April Halprin Wayland’s award-winning
novel in poems, GIRL COMING IN FOR A LANDING
at the California Young Reader Medal Luncheon
San Diego, CA
October
George W. Hawkes Central Library,
Exciting Writing: Poetry Workshop for Teens
Arlington, TX