Author-Illustrator Visits - Teacher Guide and Video

School Season has started again!

"CLASSIC" MERMAIDS ON PARADE selected by New York City's Official Marketing and Tourism partnership organization, New York And Company.


As MERMAIDS ON PARADE gets more popular in New York City and beyond, I presented at a fun event for a children’s museum in upstate NY. That’s where I met writer and mom, Kimberly Kunkel. What a wonderful surprise when she wrote a blog post review with a teacher guide for MERMAIDS ON PARADE. Thank you Kimberly!!

Last but not least, here is a link to a video taken after my author-illustrator visit with second graders at Brooklyn Central Library's Dweck Center.

Please contact me to learn about my in school/library or Skype author-illustrator visits at melanie@melaniehopegreenberg.com.

Life Imitates My Book - Part 2

There's more magical mermaid mayhem to mention.

I was thrilled to be invited to sign books at Mini Jake in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. We set a date, time and they ordered books. The usual arrangements but with an unusual twist dreamed up by Mini Jake's owner, Inga Rogers, and her PR expert, Gabrielle Napolitano, producer of many popular kid events (Hip Tot Music Fest). Their vision of a mini-mermaid parade day based on my book MERMAIDS ON PARADE came to life on a beautiful Saturday in July.

Early in the day parents and children flocked to the shop for story time. I read and signed my books to an adorable audience of neon colored mermaids, pirates, and a shark. The second part of the day featured an award winning Mermaid Parade costume designer, Janna Kennedy, who came with a group of friends wearing the unique costumes she designs.

My favorite part was marching along the streets of Williamsburg with costumed sea creatures holding up my book. Gosh! People cheered and applauded the mini-mermaid parade. The event was so popular that an annual Mini Jake tradition was born. What an honor! Autographed copies of MERMAIDS ON PARADE and GOOD MORNING, DIGGER are available at Mini Jake. Thank you Mini Jake! xo

Enjoy the photos of the day.

Gabrielle "Still Hip" Napolitano with Dante and Chloe.

I pose with Inga Rogers and Janna Kennedy.

Photo Credits: Gabrielle Napolitano and Melanie Hope Greenberg Copyright 2012

Life Imitates My Book - Part 1

Life's been magical. My book, MERMAIDS ON PARADE has been coming to life. The magic started during the 2012 Mermaid Parade at Coney Island. I met up with a little mermaid lover named Madeleine and her mom, Kate Kruckemeyer, at the parade.

Inspired by my book, MERMAIDS ON PARADE, Maddy and mom made this costume in 2010. In 2011 I met Maddy during my literary craft workshop at the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, MA. We sat side by side creating art.  A copy of my book next to her for the entire workshop.

In 2012 Maddy and Kate traveled all the way from MA to be in the parade. They miraculously found the Superfine Dinettes troupe (2012 Donna Summermaids) in the marchers crowded waiting area. Our little mermaid did her own hair and make-up. The force of nature Maddy twirled and glided along Surf Avenue and the boardwalk. This was no shy little mermaid coming out of her shell. Maddy was completely out of her shell and loving it! So did the Dinettes.
                                 
Joy! Joy! Joy! Mermaid Madeleine won the silver medal as 2012 Best Little Mermaid.
Just like my book. Bonus...she brought the Superfine Dinettes along for the prize! Life is good.

I pose with the Superfine Dinettes a.k.a. 2012 Donna Summermaids at Coney Island.

I LOVE Maddy! xo
Photo credits: Kate Kruckemeyer  and Charlotte R.A. Moore

Event: February 4 2012 Panel NYPL at 42 Street (the Lions)

It's been a while since I've blogged. Blogging is not a paying job, it's creative fun when I have something relevant to say about books, literacy or about my career. My prior blog postings live on and on in cyberspace to reference and link. Besides, I broke my right wrist and solidly rested over the winter holiday. Luckily, as a lefty, my dominant art hand was spared the fracturing fall. But it took a broken wrist to finally take a "break" in a fast paced business, to step back and see the big picture.

The not paying aspect was part of an idea for a panel. I do not agree that authors and artists are "supposed" to be poor. That type of thinking devalues our art and careers. We need to be saavy in today's publishing climate.


What joy! The panel idea titled, "Connect The Dots" was accepted by Betsy Bird, NYPL's whiz-kid librarian and hostess of School Library Journal's Fuse#8 Blog. If you don't know Betsy's blog, you should. It's the most popular children's literature blog in the United States, written up in Forbes Magazine. What an honor to have this idea presented in such a great public forum as Betsy's Children's Literary Salon held on the first Saturday of each month at the 42 Street Library.


The panelists included Marilyn Ackerman (Brooklyn Public Library), Barbara Auerbach (school librarian at PS 217 Brooklyn), Erica Kylander-Clark (parental blogger), Rebecca Fitting (Greenlight Bookstore), and myself (author/illustrator). We discussed how booksellers, librarians (school and public), and bloggers discover, promote, and discuss great books for kids. How communication between our different occupations can help an author get their name out and show the value of their books to a wider public audience of readers and buyers.


I presented a short Power Point on social network etiquette and how authors and illustrators can grassroots market to work *with* the various occupations to help widen our readership and buying audience.


I announced for the first time that I will train picture book authors and illustrators how to grassroots market to build their platform with my MARKETING WORKOUT. More to Come


After the well attended panel was over, parent blogger Erica Kylander-Clark posted her fabulous ideas for Panel City: Shouting Out About Books! on her blog. Parents reaching out to other parents. How parents can also Connect The Dots by reaching out to the booksellers, librarians, authors and illustrators to learn about the wider selection of children's literature which goes beyond Disney, Dr. Seuss and Good Night Moon.


Panelists Erica Kylander-Clark and Rebecca Fitting, owner of Greenlight Books.

All photos and art Copyright Melanie Hope Greenberg.
Thanks to Michael Santangelo for taking the photos.

Second Visit to the Eric Carle Museum

My second visit to the gorgeous Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art was much busier than my first visit. Not only did I present a Story Time in the museum's library and sign bunches of books, I also presented a literary craft workshop with young students in the Art Room.


They jumped right into getting their hands busy.


Here are the beautiful 3D collages they created. Some were literal.


Others not so much. This boy told me the psychedelic strip of paper he glued to the top was the second Sun in the composition. I love that!


This young artist followed her own spirit. Love that, too!


This boy mixed the media using markers. So creative.


After my programs I had some time to hang out with Rebel Bookseller, Andy Laties, the manager of the museum's bookshop. I was very fortunate that Andy provided my car lifts to and from the Springfield Amtrak station. Talking shop with Andy is always enlightening and appreciated.

With the museum's librarian and bookshop manager.

The shop is stocked with Eric Carle everything. But it's also creatively stocked with everything else. For book lovers, there's a vast array of children's books, graphic novels, and kid-lit related cross over to adult books. Greeting cards, toys, and plush dolls are colorfully displayed.


Thank You Eric Carle Museum for selling my books in your shop and on your website!


For art lovers there are signed prints and limited edition lithographs and fun minimalist sculptures.


Who?

You!
Visit the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art!

All Photos Copyright Melanie Hope Greenberg 2011

Spring into Summer

Wow it's Summer already! The past month was incredibly busy.

At the end of May, Book Expo America (BEA) came to New York City. I was lucky and helped set up original illustrations and attend the Association of Booksellers for Children's (ABC) auction, dinner, party and award ceremonies. Bookstore owner, Tami Furlong, helped me out. How delightful to see ABC's Executive Director, Kristen McLean again. Kristen visited "Ordinary into Extraordinary", my picture book illustration exhibition in the Youth Wing of the Brooklyn Central Library in spring 2009.

Met Jean Dayton in person for the first time. She is my school and conference booking agent at Dayton Bookings.



At the beginning of June, author Susanna Reich and I presented a professional workshop called "Marketing to the Max" for the SCBWI NY Metro chapter, my local chapter. I've been serving on this regional chapter's steering committee for almost two decades. My part of the talk was a visual Power Point show.

To prepare for the annual Mermaid Parade I gave three presentations. First, Mermaid Tail Making at The Moxie Spot. Then a book reading at Bluestockings Books and a school visit in Brooklyn.


I celebrated the Summer Solstice and the opening of the ocean at the Mermaid Parade in Coney Island. There were many creative interpretations of mermaids and water creatures on a bright sunny day with a delicious cool sea breeze. I got to relax on the beach.






Happy Summer Everyone!

Photo Credits: 2010 Melanie Hope Greenberg and Patricia Keeler

Book Weekend

On Saturday May 8, 2010 I read and signed my picture books at a kid-friendly book party.

Author and journalist for women's issues, Sharon Lerner, invited me. Her new book is titled, "The War on Moms".

The night before Sharon's book party I went to another party for the 8th Annual BKLYN DESIGNS show that "marries Brooklyn's talent, commitment, creativity and commerce".

With fabulous Karen Auster from Auster Events who produces the annual show at the St. Ann's Warehouse in DUMBO, Brooklyn.

On Sunday, May 9, I read and signed my books at the BKLYN DESIGNS KID'S LOUNGE. I sat on a handmade bench, surrounded by adorable children and their parents in the Argington space.

The kids sat on an Argington organic blanket and fun oversized pillows from Iglooplay. Some other kids had a blast running around, climbing, and peeking at my reading from the Casa Kids' bunkbeds.


Thanks to all for a book loving weekend!
Photo Credits: Copyright 2010 Melanie Hope Greenberg
Argington: Alison Hamerstadt