April 17, 2013On Our Radar

Greenlight Bookstore Celebrates Children’s Book Week May 13-19

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Greenlight Bookstore is proud to participate in the nearly 100-year-old tradition of Children’s Book Week, May 13-19, with a week-long celebration of the children’s authors and illustrators of Brooklyn. Five local elementary schools have partnered with Greenlight to host authors presenting books to their students – one on each day of the week – and the week will culminate with a multi-author book party at Greenlight on May 18.

Established in 1919, Children’s Book Week is the longest-running national literacy initiative in the country. Every year, commemorative events are held nationwide at schools, libraries, bookstores, homes — wherever young readers and books connect. Children’s Book Week is administered by the literacy organization Every Child A Reader, and sponsored by The Children’s Book Council, the national nonprofit trade association for children’s book publishers. Greenlight is participating in Children’s Book Week for the first time this year.

“When we saw the incredible list of authors and illustrators who have expressed willingness to participate in Children’s Book Week events in our area, we just thought ‘We have to do something big!’” says Greenlight Bookstore co-owner and events coordinator Jessica Stockton Bagnulo. “There’s a tremendous amount of talent in Brooklyn, and we got excited about bringing children’s book creators and readers together. And this gives us a unique chance to partner with our local schools, who bring books into students’ lives every day.”

The schools participating in Greenlight’s program of events include both local Fort Greene schools and those in other Brooklyn neighborhoods; some host author events regularly, while others rarely have authors visit their students. Greenlight worked with school administrators to pair authors with the age groups and interests of their students, and hopes the Children’s Book Week events will serve as a model for bringing more authors to area schools in future.

For the Children’s Book Week Party on Saturday May 18, Greenlight will offer 15% off on all children’s books all day long. To highlight the talents of multiple great children’s book illustrators, the store will host two rounds of Artist Battles, at 11 AM and 3 PM. Artists will take turns creating drawings of subjects determined by the audience of kids, showing off their different styles – the audience can pick their favorites! Afterward all illustrators will be available to sign books and chat with young readers. Greenlight will also offer bookmarks, stickers, and other book-related giveaways to partygoers.

Participating authors include winners of the Ezra Jack Keats Award, the New York Times Best Illustrated Award, ALA-ALSC Notables, the Parents’ Choice Award, Newbery Honor Awards, Coretta Scott King Award and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, as well as many New York Times bestsellers.

Authors scheduled for school visits include Ambre Anderson (Qualities), Michael Buckley (The Sisters Grimm, NERDS), Gilbert Ford (12 Days of New York), Tad Hills (Duck & Goose, How Rocket Learned to Read), Fiona Robinson (What Animals Really Like), Jacqueline Woodson (Each

Kindness), and Dan Yaccarino (Doug Unplugged). Featured illustrators for the bookstore party on May 18 include Selina Alko (B is for Brooklyn), Sophie Blackall (Ivy & Bean, The Mighty Lalouche), Melissa Guion (Baby Penguins Everywhere), Melissa Iwai (Hush, Little Monster), Betsy Lewin (Click, Clack, Moo), George O’Connor (The Olympians series), Sergio Ruzzier (Bear & Bee), and Paul O. Zelinsky (Z is for Moose).

Greenlight Bookstore’s Children’s Book Week Schedule:

Monday May 13: Fiona Robinson and Jacqueline Woodson visit Arts and Letters (Fort Greene)
Tuesday, May 14: Dan Yaccarino visits Greene Hill School (Fort Greene / Clinton Hill)
Wednesday, May 15: Michael Buckley and Ambre Anderson visit PS 11 / Purvis J. Behan Elementary (Fort Greene)
Thursday, May 16: Tad Hills visits The Co-Op School’s Brevoort Place Elementary School (Clinton Hill / Bedford Stuyvesant)
Friday, May 17: Gilbert Ford visits Leadership Prep Ocean Hill (East New York)
Saturday, May 18: Children’s Book Week party at Greenlight Bookstore!

11 AM Illustrator Art Battles: