BOOK BY BOOK: the making of a monkey man

Jarrett just delivered his SCBWI opening keynote. "It went very well." He showed this video.

The Unknowns: A Mystery

So here’s the thing, and you can ask anyone about it: People were praying for something twisted to happen last summer. They didn’t care what it was, either. A hurricane, an earthquake, a hostage situation—seriously, anything. We wanted a problem, and a hairy one, just for something to do.
You would’ve too, if you lived where we did. Folsom Adjacent, it’s called. Adjacent—uh-JAY-sent, is how you say it—means nearby or next to, so it doesn’t even have its own name. Doesn’t deserve it, really, because it’s not much of a town, or a place. Or even a neighborhood.
Adjacent is a trailer park named after a nuclear plant, is what it is. Think of hundreds of beat-up mobile homes scattered around a gas station, a musty grocery store, a bar, and a desperate little elementary school, which was just two old trailers pushed together with a sign that said adjacent elementry. Someone forgot the “a” and it never got fixed.
Adjacent is on a small island, a coastal island, close to shore. On a clear day you can see miniature people having normal lives over in the city across the way, Crotona. Crotona is too full of very important people for its own good but at least it’s a real place, with actual stuff to do and see.
Adjacent’s got nothing, no mall or multiplex or skate park. Even Folsom Energy, the giant plant where half the parents work, doesn’t seem real. It was built entirely underground. All you see is a flat, dusty nothing surrounded by barbed wire and signs that say authorized personnel only all over the place. As if people wanted to sneak into that place. As if we weren’t already trapped behind barbed wire, a million miles from anything, in a place where nothing ever happened.
Until one week in July, that is. That’s when suddenly it looked like the praying might have worked: People in Adjacent began to disappear.




Joshua Middleton, Cover artist.
" From the NYX hardcover collection: 'Few other artists have had a more impressive debut in the industry than Joshua Middleton. His creator owned series Sky Between Branches for Com.X drew rave reviews for Middleton's delicately detailed line work. Following stints on Meridian for Crossgen and NYX for Marvel, Middleton went on to illustrate First Thunder for DC, chronicling the first meeting between Superman and Captain Marvel. In addition to his sequential artwork, Middleton was honored in 2004 with an Eisner Award nomination for Best Cover Artist.'"

Benedict Carey, a former Los Angeles Times writer and current New York Times science section writer, was a math
and physics major in college, so he knows his geometry. Hoping to ignite a passion for math in his own kids,
Benedict decided to craft a smart and action-packed story for middle-grade readers that uses math lessons to solve the mysterious disappearance of their math tutor. He and his wife and children live in Pelham, New York.


SPECIFICATIONS:
272 pages, 5 1⁄2 x 8 1⁄4"
Hardcover with jacket
ISBN: 978-0-8109-7991-8
US $16.95 CAN $18.95
april

AL ROKER's Book Club Pick

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

LAUNCH OF DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: THE LAST STRAW January 13, 7:00 p.m. Barnes and Noble, 91 Old Country Road, Carle Place, Long Island, New York

DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: THE LAST STRAW is available!

Today marks the release of DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: THE LAST STRAW the third book in a proposed 5-7 book series. It has been in the works for over a year and finally it is here for the world to see. Jeff really begins to hit his stride with this latest installment. Over the past year we have work together to build and maintain the Wimpy Kid brand from Stickers, Tattoos, Multiple book displays, Advertisements, Standees, Variant covers, Gift cards and much more. So today we celebrate and look forward to the next book and beyond!

The image show Jeff's own journal and his process of coming up with new ideas.

Today and Tomorrows release events include

January 13, 7:00 p.m.

Barnes and Noble, 91 Old Country Road, Carle Place, Long Island, New York

January 14, 4:00 p.m.

R J Julia Booksellers, held at the Scranton Memorial Library

801 Boston Post Road Madison, Connecticut

WIMPY KID IN THE NEWS

USA TODAY

NEW YORK TIMES

Part 1

Part 2

Chicago Tribune

Newsday

Time Out Kids

School Library Journal

MORE STORIES
Newest 'Wimpy Kid' Out Today

Abrams is releasing Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw today and has announced a 1 million-copy first printing. Our reviewer says the third volume in the series will be a sure-fire hit.

STARRED REVIEW—PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw
Jeff Kinney. Abrams/Amulet, $12.95 (224p) ISBN 978-0-8109-7068-7 The third book in this genre-busting series is certain to enlarge Kinney’s presence on the bestseller lists, where the previous titles have taken up residence for the past two years. Kinney’s spot-on humor and winning formula of deadpan text set against cartoons are back in full force. This time, Greg starts off on New Year’s Day (he resolves to “help other people improve,” telling his mother, “I think you should work on chewing your potato chips more quietly”) and ends with summer vacation. As he fends off his father’s attempts to make him more of a man (the threat of military school looms), Greg’s hapless adventures include handing out anonymous valentines expressing his true feelings (“Dear James, You smell”), attempting to impress his classmate Holly and single-handedly wrecking his soccer team’s perfect season. Kinney allows himself some insider humor as well, with Greg noting the “racket” children’s book authors have going. “All you have to do is make up a character with a snappy name, and then make sure the character learns a lesson at the end of the book.” Greg, self-centered as ever, may be the exception proving that rule. Ages 8–12. (Jan.) .

The highly anticipated third book in the critically acclaimed and bestselling series takes the art of being wimpy to a whole new level.

Let’s face it: Greg Heffley will never change his wimpy ways. Somebody just needs to explain that to Greg’s father. You see, Frank Heffley actually thinks he can get his son to toughen up, and he enlists Greg in organized sports and other “manly” endeavors. Of course, Greg is able to easily sidestep his father’s efforts to change him. But when Greg’s dad threatens to send him to military academy, Greg realizes he has to shape up . . . or get shipped out.

Greg and his family and friends, who make the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books a must-read for middle school readers, are back and at their best in this hilarious new installment of the series, which is sure to please current fans while attracting new ones.

Check out the new website for Diary of a Wimpy Kid:
www.wimpykid.com

A Music Break with Black Cab Sessions

Mini-performances in the back seat of a British cab. Self-described:

THE SESSIONS ARE ALL ABOUT GREAT MUSIC AND THE VENUE STRIPS THIS TO ITS ESSENCE. WE AREN’T PICKY ABOUT GENRE AND WILL HAPPILY OPEN THE CAB DOOR TO ANYONE WHO BLOWS US AWAY.

I am addicted to this site. But I must pace myself for fear I might watch all of the sessions leaving myself hungry for more.

http://www.blackcabsessions.com/

Also on my addictive list is MATT DANIELS Music Video Blog

Amazingly Beautiful work

http://vimeo.com/thinklab