Fenway and Hattie and the Evil Bunny Gang - Official Book Trailer
How evil can bunnies be? Find out in the official trailer for Fenway and Hattie and the Evil Bunny Gang!
Welcome, 2017!
Happy New Year!
January 2017 promises to be a VERY BIG MONTH around here!
Puffin paperback
First, the FENWAY AND HATTIE Puffin paperback hits bookstores and libraries on January 3, with special bonus content in the back!
And look what's in the Scholastic Book Club!!! I'm ecstatic that schools and individual readers will be able to order this special reprint edition of FENWAY AND HATTIE!
A behind-the-scenes peek at the making of the trailer
Keep your eye on Mr. Schu's blog in early January for the trailer premiere for FENWAY AND HATTIE AND THE EVIL BUNNY GANG! I have a feeling those Evil Bunnies will be up to no good!
Of course the biggest excitement of all will be the publication of FENWAY AND HATTIE AND THE EVIL BUNNY GANG on January 24th! I can hardly wait for readers to get their paws on this book!
If you're in the Boston area, please join me and my editor Susan Kochan for the Official Book Launch at Blue Bunny Books in Dedham, MA on Saturday, January 28th at 2PM. Both books will be available for purchase and signing. Come snag a book, munch on snacks, & maybe win a prize. It’s going to be a BLAST, even if the Evil Bunny Gang tries to ruin it! Hope to see you there!
The Fenway and Hattie Puffin Paperback is Coming!
Get ready, everybody! The Puffin paperback edition of Fenway and Hattie hits stores and online retailers on January 3, 2017 - ONE MONTH FROM TODAY!
And guess what else? This edition has a SPECIAL SURPRISE at the end! You won't want to miss it!
So mark your calendar for January 3rd, OR pre-order now from your favorite bookseller!
Fenway's Mail Bag!
Wowee! The evil truck's been delivering lots of fat envelopes to my mail box this fall! A giant thank you to all the awesome classrooms who've written notes, created art, and sent pictures. Connecting with readers is my favorite part of being an author.
I've been doing my best to share quotes and photos on my twitter, instagram, and pinterest accounts. I also thought it would be fun to post a random sampling of these treasures here. Hope you enjoy!
I love Fenway and Hattie because it teaches the moral to never give up for bringing someone back. – Shalini, 3rd grader in Iowa
Personally I got excited just by looking at the cover and it was the best book ever! – Pratyush, 3rd grader in Minnesota
Every single artist has the brown paw game on!
My favorite part about your books is all the nicknames Fenway has for the people he meets, like Food Lady, Tool Man, and the Big Brown Truck. – Kate, 4th grader in Kansas
I was absorbed in the story. I felt like I was Fenway because he likes treats and I like treats. – Cynthia, 5th grader in California
Serious props to all these artists! (And it looks like someone's ready for The Evil Bunny Gang...)
I love Fenway and Hattie! I give it four stars! – Rianna, 4th grader in Kansas
Fenway is the best dog in the world and the most funnest dog in the world. – Lincoln, 3rd grader in Illinois
WHOA! What an incredible list to be part of! Very honored!
Get ready, everybody! The Evil Bunny Gang is coming!
Fenway and Hattie readers know that Fenway's a dog who never gives up! But what will happen on January 24, 2017 when The Evil Bunny Gang comes along?
We'll have to wait and see! But Mrs. Wake's third graders from Grayslake, IL offered these predictions:
I think that Fenway most hated rivals team up and trick Fenway! I wonder how Fenway can stop them.that is what I think. - Marcos
Fenway just got his Hattie back.I think the next book will be about the bunnies making Fenway loose Hattie again.I think the bunnies are going to make a mess and Hattie is going to think that Fenway did all the mess.I can't wait to read the next book. - Brayan
Fenway has problems in the books, I think his family is going to get a bunny.And it makes Fenway's nightmare! I wonder what is next. - Gabriel
Fenway loves Hattie.I think that they are going on a walk and see a bunny and Hattie loves it and they take it home ,but,the bunny is evil.Fenway gets jealous and tries to get rid of the bunny,but,Hattie gets mad.l can't wait to read the book! - Alina
This is what I think the second book of Fenway and hattey is like.fenway is going to get in trouble.becuaes he is going to mess up the yard.so foodlaty and fetchman are going to yell at Fenway.and that is what I think the second book is going to be like. - Lila
Fenway gets into a lot of truble.I think bunnies are going to move into the yard.And Fenway is going to be Hatie's loyal dog and try to save Hatie from the bunnies.But instead Fenway is going to make a big mess.I wonder what kind of mess thou. - Grace
Fenway is always getting into trouble with squirrels. I think that in the next book Fenway will get into trouble with BUNNIES. I think that the bunnies will set up a evil gang to stop Fenway from feeling happy. I think that they will try to stop Fenway from being happy by trying to take Hattie away from him. I can't wait to read the new book! - Mateus
Fenway like's chasing critters like squrls I think in the new book The bunny gang he's going to see a bunny in his yard and chas it and then he's going to see a nother bunny.Then he is going to chase them and run into the tree.Thats what I think thants going to happen in the book. - Evelyn
Fenway is a very crazy dog.I think in the next book Fenway will get into a lot of problems Like the evil bunnies. And chase a lot of things. I can not wait to read the next Fenway and Hattie book!!! - Travis
Fenway likes having fun this time he might be annoyed I think the next book is going to about the bunnies annoying Fenway. He want to make it stop. I can't wait for the next book - Sofia
Fenway gets in a lot of trouble in his house.I think the bunnys are going to get Fenway in a lot of trouble.They might scare him and he might go charging toward him and knock down some jars and get in trouble.And in his dream he might see Haddie holding a bunny and might bark at her.I can't wait to read the next book! - Jane
I loved the first Fenway and Hattie book.I think the next book will be about Fenway's problems with bunnies.I think that Fenway will try to chase the bunnies in the yard. And the bunnies might keep going down and up and all over the yard. So I think Fenway will chase the bunnies down and up and all over the yard and make a big mess all over the yard. And Hattie will probably be very mad at Fenway for making a big mess all over the yard.I am so excited to read the next book!! - Abigail
Fenway is going to chase them and get lost in the world and Hattie will not find him. - Zane
Fenway gets in a lot of trouble .I think in the next book Fenway is going to be having a battle. One of the things the bunnies might do is put rotten carrots all over Fenways house . I can't wait till I read the next book. - Monika
Fenway is obsessed with chasing small animals so I think Hattie will get a pet rabbit . I think Fenway will try to eat the rabbit but keep failing .Also I think in the prosses he will forget about Hattie and sit,stay,down,and come.I can't wait for the next book! - Katie
Fenway and Hattie and the Evil Bunny Gang is available for preorder now at your favorite bookseller. Stay tuned on January 24, 2017 to find out what really happens!
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ILA & nErD CAMP 2016!
Nerd Camp: Where it's cool to be a nerd!
What a week of unbelievable experiences! On Saturday, July 9th, I attended the International Literacy Association conference in Boston, where I was extremely honored to sign FENWAY AND HATTIE for over 100 reading teachers and literacy specialists at the Penguin Young Readers booth. It was a thrill to meet and chat with these dedicated literacy professionals at my very first official signing at a major conference!
Afterward, I had the privilege of participating in a Penguin reception. Among the countless highlights was meeting Pernille Ripp, teacher, author of two great books for educators, and founder of the Global Read Aloud. My heart pounded when she asked me to sign FENWAY AND HATTIE for her, and it pounded even harder the next day when she posted online that she was already finishing it!
After a late night at ILA, I met a group of fellow Boston area & New England Nerdy Book Club friends for a trip out to nErD CAMP in Michigan from July 10-13! This annual gathering is a huge opportunity for teachers and librarians who share a love of books and reading to support each other, share resources, and get ideas to use in their classrooms and schools to foster the love of reading in kids.
The wicked nerdy New Englander group included: rockstar teachers/librarians Lesley Burnap, Melisssa Guerrette, Melanie Roy, Erika M. Victor, and Jason Lewis, and hilarious picture book author Josh Funk. We were joined in Detroit by adorable picture book author/illustrator Debbie Ridpath Ohi, and master librarian and wonderful friend Margie Myers-Culver. Later, I was overjoyed to meet one of my heroes, Rachel Harder, a 4th grade teacher from Kansas who works magic with her students.
It's hard to describe the Nerd Camp experience. While I had participated in the regional Nerd Camp Long Island last fall, this was my first time at the national Nerd Camp where more than 1,000 educators and 50 authors and illustrators attended. Basically, it's two days of celebrating books, meeting amazing people, hanging out with friends, being blown away by outstanding speakers, sharing ideas in break-out sessions, and just being nerdy together.
John Schumacher (aka Mr. Schu) and Margie Myers-Culver - two outstanding librarians - are quite possibly the fairy godparents of children's books.
I led a break-out session called "Writing Strategies for Teaching POV" (an evolved version of the session I facilitated at Nerd Camp LI) to an absolutely packed classroom! It was so much fun to demonstrate activities to help the teachers view the world from a dog's perspective. Their engagement and creativity levels were off the charts!
How awesome is this - one of the participants quoted me!!!
Following the two days of Nerd Camp, I was privileged to take part in Nerd Camp Jr. Over the course of just a few hours, 700 students from the local area attended small group sessions with authors and illustrators with the goal of encouraging a love of writing.
I worked with three groups of awesome 5th graders and got them thinking and writing from a dog's point of view. During the third session, a thunderstorm rolled in and the students started barking at it. Clearly, I did something right!
At one point I was lounging around the lobby when I heard some very familiar words. Turns out one of these awesome students was reading FENWAY AND HATTIE out loud! It was an incredible moment that I will never forget.
Nerd Camp was full of amazing moments like that - hearing inspiring stories from top reading advocates and fantastic authors like Raina Telgemeier and Kate DiCamillo, embedding myself with outstanding teachers and librarians like Margie Myers-Culver (whom I roomed with!), soaking up all the excitement and energy, listening to stories from rockstar teachers that literally gave me chills, and making countless new nerdy friends.
But my number one favorite moment by far was looking out over the gym and thinking about all the kids whose lives will be changed by these energetic, enthusiastic educators. Those kids who need extra nurturing or encouragement. Those kids who will see their teacher's passion and be inspired. Those kids who will be turned on to the joy of reading and it will make all the difference. That realization was just so... WOW.
I'm so glad I got to participate in Nerd Camp this year. Thank you to Colby Sharp and all the organizers of Nerd Camp for including me in this outstanding event. It was an absolutely incredible experience.
Colby Sharp's son sinks his teeth into the FENWAY & HATTIE postcard
Independent Bookstore Day 2016
On Saturday, April 30th, I was thrilled and honored to participate in Independent Bookstore Day - a special day to spotlight and celebrate independent bookstores and the important role they play in our communities.
Sign outside Buttonwood Books & Toys
First up, I stopped by Buttonwood Books and Toys in Cohasset, Mass. I read the opening chapters of Fenway and Hattie to young readers while they made "groovin" doggy bobblehead dolls. I also signed stacks of books! Many thanks to rockstar booksellers Kathy Detwiler and Bill Grace, who made this event not only successful, but a ton of fun. I had a total blast and I think the kids did, too.
Later, I visited my hometown bookstore, Westwinds Bookshop in Duxbury. I had a ball signing books and hanging out with Sally, the shop's resident black lab. What an awesome dog! Huge thanks to Brooke, Pat, and Grace for the warm welcome and for their outstanding support!
Top: Sally cozying up with Fenway
Above: The way cool display at Westwinds!
I'm so grateful to these and all the wonderful independent bookshops in our area. Not only do the stores and their helpful staff offer us fantastic titles to browse through and purchase, but they also host authors and other events, and support our communities in countless ways.
So if you don't already have a copy of Fenway and Hattie, or if you'd like to grab additional copies to give as gifts, please consider shopping at an independent bookseller. Visit Indiebound to see where Fenway and Hattie is available at a store near you or to order online. And if you'd like an autographed copy, my neighborhood bookstore, Henry Bear's Park, can help you out!