Short & Sweet: The Newest Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast Is Almost Here!

Dear friends,

​I love independent bookstores. So for the release of Short & Sweet, I’m teaming up with them to give YOU exclusive swag – four collectors’ cards AND an autographed bookplate. All you have to do is preorder your copy from any of the stores listed here.

​What’s Short & Sweet about? It’s the 4th adventure of Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast, in which Pancake and Toast fear they’re going stale, visit Professor Biscotti whose faulty gadget transforms them into toddlers, which sends them on an adventure in the refrigerator.

I’ve partnered with over 75 indie bookstores across the U.S. – so reach out to your nearest one and preorder today – and pick up your swag along with the book when it releases in September!

So find your favorite bookstore from the list below and preorder Short & Sweet – bon appétit!

​Your pal,
Josh

​P.S. Feel free to order more books from your indie bookshop while you’re at it.

10th Book Celebration!

Hi, friends! I feel like it’s pretty crazy that I can say this, but on March 1st – next Friday – my TENTH book will be released. It’s Not Hansel and Gretel is the second book in the It’s Not a Fairy Tale series, illustrated by Edwardian Taylor.

Available at:

Indiebound B&N Amazon

There’s even a Giveaway going on at Goodreads if you’d like to enter.

If you’re in the Boston area on Saturday, March 9th, I’d love for you to help celebrate the release of this new book – along with all nine of my previous ones.

Starting at 11am Belmont Books (in Belmont, Massachusetts), I’ll be reading and signing all of my books – and *there will be free food* – from gingerbread to pancakes to picnics to taco salads, I’ll be sharing the foods from all of my books (or maybe I’ll just bring a last minute box of cookies)!

Feel free to pass this invite along to all of your family, friends, students, teachers, and all of the booklovers in your life.

I’m incredibly honored to have been able to publish ten books and have you be a part of my journey. I’d love to celebrate this milestone with you.

The Breakfast Club Is Back – with Mission Defrostable

Hey, friends! Last week Mission Defrostable was released!

That’s right, Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast are back and bready for their next adventure! Can they save the fridge before all the food is iced?

Available wherever books are sold!

                         

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Hey, librarians & booksellers! If you want one of these Always Stay Hungry for Books Posters for your library or bookshop, just fill out THIS google form and I’ll send one your way!

   

While supplies last.

US only.

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To celebrate the release, in the past few weeks Mission Defrostable was named to the Indie Kids’ Next List, I traveled to Texas and met my cardboard-self, encountered a giant lighted sign with my head on it at a conference in Florida, signed all the books in the Concord Bookshop, and also visited the NYPL to celebrate the launch of my other fall release, Lost in the Library.

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Where I’ll Be Next

• Saturday, October 6th from 1-3pm: Annie’s Book Stop, 65 James Street, Worcester, MA, USA
• Monday, October 8th at 10:30am: An Unlikely Story, 111 South Street, Plainville, MA, USA
• Saturday, October 13th at 10:00am:  Storytime at BookEnds, 559 Main Street, Winchester, MA, USA

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Two for You

1. The Yin-Yang Sisters and the Dragon Frightful written by Nancy Tupper Ling & illustrated by & Andrea Offerman

2. The Spy Who Played Baseball written by Carrie Jones & illustrated by Gary Cherrington

Mission Defrostable Preorder #Giveaway Winners

A few months back, I offered a Massive Preorder Giveaway Contest for Mission Defrostable, the third adventure in the Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast series.

The book came out this past Tuesday, so today I’m announcing the winners!

The Grand Prize Winner who will receive signed copies of all NINE of my books is …

Michelle W

The 10 Lucky First Prize Winners who get swag packs Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast memorabilia are …

1. Julie V
2. Kimberly M
3. April S
4. Kristine M
5. Andrea U
6. Susan K
7. Stephanie H
8. Shelly H
9. Janet N
10. Jess R

Congrats! And everyone else who entered will get a little something in the mail from me in the coming weeks! (note: if you did not tell me your address, I will not be able to mail you anything)

But there’s more! If you didn’t enter, you can *still* be a winner! Pick up a copy of Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast #3: Mission Defrostable at your local bookstore and enjoy all the excitement the story has to offer!

Bon appétit

Where I’ll Be Next

• Friday, September 28th from 6-8pm: nErDcampNNE Nerdy Author Night, Morse Street School, 21 Morse St, Freeport, ME, USA
• Saturday, September 29th at 11am: Mission Defrostable Book Launch at The Concord Bookshop, 65 Main Street, Concord, MA, USA
• Saturday, October 6th from 1-3pm: Annie’s Book Stop, 65 James Street, Worcester, MA, USA
• Monday, October 8th at 10:30am: An Unlikely Story, 111 South Street, Plainville, MA, USA

Two for You

1. Pipsqueaks, Slowpokes, and Stinkers: Celebrating Animal Underdogs written by Melissa Stewart & illustrated by Stephanie Laberis

2. Rock What Ya Got written by Samantha Berger & illustrated by Kerascoët

Launch in the Library

Hey, friends! This past Tuesday my newest book Lost in the Library was released!

It’s about Patience & Fortitude, the New York Public Library lion statues that faithfully guard the Fifth Avenue entrance … until one night when Patience goes missing – and Fortitude has to venture INTO the library (for the first time ever!) to find him.

And this weekend I’ll be celebrating the launch of the book AT THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY! How cool is that?! For the first time ever, I get to read one of my books *with* the illustrator! Yes, Stevie Lewis will be reading with me! And you’re invited!

There will be food, crafts, a band, and possibly REAL LIVE LIONS*! I hope to see you there – Sunday, 9/9 at 10am!

But if you can’t make it, that’s okay. You can still pick up the Lost in the Library at any retailer or library. And the folks at Macmillan have even made a *free* downloadable printable activity kit – so you can celebrate along from the comfort of your home!

*there will not be real live lions.

Where I’ll Be Next

• Saturday, September 8th: Bronx KidsLIVE at The Bronx Library Center, 310 East Kingsbridge Road, Bronx, NY, USA
• Sunday, September 9th: Lost in the Library Book Launch at The Mid-Manhattan Library at 42nd Street, 476 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY, USA
• Sunday, September 16th: Double Boston Book Launch with Melissa Stewart’s Pipsqueaks, Slowpokes, and Stinkers at Porter Square Books, 25 White Street, Cambridge, MA, USA

Two for You

1. The Remember Balloons written by Jessie Oliveros & illustrated by Dana Wulfekotte

2. Cute as an Axolotl written by Jess Keating & illustrated by David DeGrand

#pb10for10 Food Books!

It’s #pb10for10 day! It’s #pb10for10 day! For years now, Mandy Robek & Cathy Mere (two all-star educators … but all educators are all-stars, really) have been running #pb10for10. What’s #pb10for10? Pick 10 picture books you simply can’t live without and share today, August 10th, with the hashtag #pb10for10 (see the official rules here). Share your own list and check out all the others in the #pb10for10 Google Community.

I participated each of the last three years and loved it each time. My themes were Rhyming Picture Books in 2015, Pirates, Dinosaurs, & Dragons in 2016, and Fairy Tales in 2017 (you don’t need a theme, but swith so many incredible picture books out there, it helps narrow things down).

In precisely 53 days, on September 25th, 2018, the third book in the Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast series, Mission Defrostable, will be released. And to celebrate, my chosen theme this year is (anthropomorphic) Food Books!

 

So, without further ado, and in no particular order, here is my #pb10for10 for 2018:

1. The Great Pasta Escape written by Miranda Paul & illustrated by Javier Joaquin

2. Fruit Bowl written & illustrated by Mark Hoffmann

3. Sweet Success written & illustrated by Liz and Jimmy Reed

4. Everyone Loves Bacon written by Kelly DiPucchio & illustrated by Eric Wight

5. The Gingerbread Man Loose in the School written by Laura Murray & illustrated by Mike Lowery

6. Arnie the Doughnut written & illustrated by Laurie Keller

7. Nothing Rhymes with Orange written & illustrated by Adam Rex

8. You Are My Cupcake written & illustrated by Joyce Wan

9. The Great Lollipop Caper written & illustrated by Dan Krall

10. Rot, The Cutest in the World! written & illustrated by Ben Clanton

Don’t forget to check out everyone else’s favorite picture books, comment, and share in the #pb10for10 Google Community! Happy #pb10for10 Day!

Where I’ll Be Next

• Tomorrow! Saturday, August 11 from 10:00am-12:00pm: G. Willikers! Books & Toys, 13 Market St, Portsmouth, NH, USA
• This Sunday! August 12th at 11:00am: Print: A Bookstore, 273 Congress Street, Portland, ME, USA
• Saturday, August 25th at 3:00pm: Back-to-School Ice Cream Storytime with MOMS Club of Sharon, Crescent Ridge Dairy Bar, 407 Bay Rd. Sharon, USA

My 2017-18 School Year in Review

During the 2017-18 school year (which, I’m defining as ending on June 30th – therfore, beginning today, on July 1st), a lot of fun stuff happened.

Three books I wrote were released:

I had readings, signings, & events at:

• 11 Public Libraries
• 11 Conferences & Festivals
• 16 Book Stores

I visited 108 schools

• 8 in-person visits
• 99 virtual visits
  • one of the visits was a double-visit – two school in the same districut skyped in at the same time

Dear Dragon was named a 2018/19 Missouri Association of Librarians (MASL) Show Me Award Nominee AND a 2018/19 Indiana Library Federation (ILF) Young Hoosier Book Award Nominee.

It’s Not Jack and the Beanstalk was named to the 2018 Wisconsin State Reading Association (WSRA) Picture This Recommendation List.

How to Code a Sandcastle was selected to the 2018 Summer Indie Next List by the American Booksellers Association.

And for 2018-19 … who knows what’ll happen? Have a fabulous summer everyone!

(don’t forget about the *big* MISSION DEFROSTABLE preorder giveaway – details available here:  https://mailchi.mp/2d7e5b10c2c6/the-great-mission-defrostable-pre-order-giveaway)

 

Where I’ll Be Next

• Monday, July 9th – Tuesday, July 10th: nErDcamp Michigan, Western High School, 1400 S. Dearing Rd., Parma, MI, USA
• Sunday, July 22nd: Sandcastle Storytime on the Cape at Eight Cousins Bookshop, 189 Main St., Falmouth, MA, USA
• Monday, July 30th: nErDcamp North Carolina, Lenoir-Rhyne University, Hickory, NC, USA

Two for You

1. Iver & Ellsworth written by Casey Robinson & illustrated by Melissa Larson

2. 100 Bugs! A Counting Book written by Kate Narita & illustrated by Suzanne Kaufman