Makin' Movies!

Thanks COVID for messing up in-person book events!

** SIGH **

The only thing I do worse than yoga (really - I love it but am not flexible at all!) is technical stuff. But just like Rex in DINOS DON'T DO YOGA I've had to learn new things - such as how to use Zoom, a ring light, webcam, speakers, microphones, a flux capicator...

I will admit I have thrown a tantrum (or six) but 

I'm slowly getting the hang of this brave new e-world. 

And actually I am starting to like it. 

A little teensy bit. 

 

BOOK BAR EVENT

 

Need a break from the holiday hustle? Please join me (or have your kids join me!) for a virtual storytime Monday December 14th at 12:30PM EST with the Book Bar. See you there (well, you know, digitally speaking...)

As described on the Book Bar website:

Join us for a special virtual yoga storytime with author Catherine Bailey on Monday, December 14 at 10:30am MT/12:30pm EST! Please email marilyn@bookbardenver.com to register and receive the Zoom link.

About the Author & Illustrator: Catherine Bailey is the author of multiple picture books, including Harbor Bound from Disney Hyperion and Mind Your Monsters from Sterling Publishing. For more, please visit catherinebaileybooks.com.

Alex Willmore has his degree in illustration from the North Wales School of Art and Design, and has illustrated more than two dozen books for children. For more, visit alexwillmore.co.uk.

About the Book: A fun-filled dinosaur story with timely themes about kindness, friendship, and being able to see past our differences.

Meet Rex, the talon-tearing tough leader of a Cretaceous crew that loves to feed, feud, and fight! All is well in their rough-and-tumble world until someone new comes to town: a yoga-loving dino named Sam. Rex disapproves of his yoga pants, the “silly” chants, and frankly anyone who prefers tree pose to tussling.

But how will Rex react when his surly, burly buddies want to try something new? And what is the real reason Rex rejects this new dinosaur?

Kids will delight in this chomping, stomping showdown between the muscle-bound and the mellow, as Rex learns what true toughness looks like. With humor and heart, Dinos Don’t Do Yoga reveals the strength of kindness and friendship over bullying and fear.

All I wanna do is a ...

 

ZOOM ZOOM ZOOM! 

A behind the scenes sneak peek of a digital book event. Not pictured: my small children running around in jammies demanding snacks. 

BRIAR PATCH BOOK EVENT

 

Please login and join me for a virtual reading and yoga session this November 21st at 10:00 am EST. The event is being hosted by the wonderful crew at Brair Patch Bookstore. I promise you will not eaten by a dinosaur if you join us. Maybe. 

As described on the Briar Patch website: 

Saturday, November 21 at 10 am EST
Bunny Tales Storytime: DINOS DON'T DO YOGA with 

Catherine Bailey

 + kid yoga with yoga teacher 

Holly Twining

 of 

Maine Yoga Adventures

Register at https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_MNXXAJD8RomHozVfK-Lh5A.

It’s Bunny Tales time! Join 

The Briar Patch

 for a Bunny Tales virtual storytime with author Catherine Bailey as she reads her picture book, DINOS DON'T DO YOGA, followed by a short children’s yoga session with local yoga teacher, Holly Twining.

Copies of DINOS DON'T DO YOGA are available to order at bit.ly/dinosdontdoyoga.

This is a fun-filled dinosaur story with timely themes about kindness, friendship, and being able to see past our differences. Kids will delight in this chomping, stomping showdown between macho and mellow, as Rex, the talon-tearing tough leader of a Cretaceous crew learns what true toughness looks like when he meets Yogasaurus, the new dino in town. With humor and heart, DINOS DON'T DO YOGA reveals the strength of kindness and friendship over bullying and fear.

This event is free to attend. Register for the virtual event here:
https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_MNXXAJD8RomHozVfK-Lh5A

Crafty Dinos

 

Just over here, turning a clothespin into a T Rex… 

If you would like the *FREE* template for this craft (so easy! so fun! so chompy!), please email me at info@catherinebaileybooks.com. Just watch your fingers - they bite!

#DinosDontDoYga #DinosaurPictureBooks #TRexCraft #Clothespincraft #DinoCraft #DinosaurBooksForKids #DinosDocrafts #picturebooks #clothespintrex @soundstrue 

Thank you Alex for the “jaw”some artwork!

Well hello there...

 

Just a little reminder that DINOS DON’T DO YOGA debuts soon, and is currently available for pre-order on Amazon! #newworkoutbuddy #trexyoga #yoga #trex #dinosdontdoyoga #trexdoesnotdoyoga #yogapartner #hesmoreflexiblethanme #dinopicturebook #picturebook #trexbook #trexpicturebook #idontknowwhatimdoing #yogaishard @soundstrue

Gearing Up!

DINOS DON'T DO YOGA debuts in the next couple of months and thus I'm snout-deep in marvelous marketing mode. Cretaceous crafts? Check! Reaching out to resource specialists? Double check!

I also just invested in a new webcam and am excited to have a camera that I can actually aim at my face. (As opposed to my current laptop one, which is fixed and thus focuses primarily on my nostrils and under-chin.)

So, for any stores, librarians or teachers who would like to see me (again, specifically my face), for a digital event – I’ll be ready. To book a presentation or learn more about upcoming  events please email me at info@catherinebaileybooks.com

Pipe (Cleaner T Rex) Dreams

For one of the cutest T Rex crafts I came across in my research, please check out this short video of a pipe cleaner T Rex!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFmFtf6Rl6U

Dinos DO get great reviews!

Kirkus liked my book! Kirkus liked my book! DINOS DON'T DO YOGA just received an roar-some review and I'm super excited to share the link below. Thank you Haven Iverson, Kathleen Rushall and Alex Willmore. We make a DINO-mite team.

https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/catherine-bailey/dinos-dont-do-yoga/ 

Divine Diversity

Every cloud has it's silver lining - and in these crazy times I have definitely been looking upward, inward, and all around for some shining light and happy thoughts. And for me  - that light and happiness can usually be found on a book shelf. With that in mind, here's a great list of of kidlit books about diversity and difference:

https://childhood101.com/picture-books-celebrating-being-who-you-are-individuality/

Fiction vs. Fact

What I thought my quarantine would look like...

What my quarantine actually looks like.

#whatever

#ilikebooksandjammies

Housebound Books

artist Rekuenko Valentin

I'm stuck at home. You too? With kids. Same here. You know what passes the time - besides constant snack making and homeschooling and more snack making? Reading. Bet you saw that one coming! And in the spirit of all this stay-at-home craziness, here is a great list of picture books about HOME :)

Happy Reading!

https://bookroo.com/books/topics/home

How to Dress for a Quarantine

THEM: The perfect Quarantine shirt doesn’t ex...

ME:

#indoorsy #amazonfind #Quarantineootd #notpicturedmahdaywineandcornpops

Here's a direct link to the shirt for all of ya'll stuck inside, (and us introverts):

https://amzn.to/2zsdoIA

Spring (Break) Is in the Air

My daughters' Spring Break is just around the corner - and more free time means more book time. YAY! Here is a wonderful list of suggested picture books perfect for this time of year:

https://everyday-reading.com/8-picture-books-for-spring-break/

https://www.weareteachers.com/best-spring-books-for-kids/

https://www.themeasuredmom.com/books-about-spring/

https://www.amightygirl.com/mighty-girl-picks/top-books-for-celebrating-spring

Get Ye to a Webinar!

I have heard awesome things about Pat's webinars from multiple crit partners, so I signed up for one in February. They added an afternoon session to handle the extra demand so git' on it people! Sign up! SCWBI members get a discount :) 

This is R.A.D.!

"LitWorld founded World Read Aloud Day in 2010 as an opportunity for people all around the globe to celebrate the joy of reading aloud, and advocate for literacy as a fundamental human right that belongs to everyone."

For more, please visit: 

https://www.litworld.org/worldreadaloudday

Sharin' Karen

As shared by a fabulous crit friend and agent sister, Karen Jameson....

"In case anyone is interested, here are links to two upcoming NF webinars, one by Kate Heit of Scholastic and the other by Carol Hinz of Millbrook/Lerner. Both are happening in February."

https://nevada.scbwi.org/events/nonfiction-picture-books-series/

https://mddewv.scbwi.org/events/webinar-elements-of-excellent-nonfiction-with-editor-carol-hinz/

For those of you who don't know her, Karen is crazy talented and several new books coming out. Please check out her website and bask in her awesomeness. 

https://karenljameson.com/

Write What You Know

Howdy (writing) partners! Just wanted to pop in with some blast-from-the-past pictures and a quick tidbit about picture book subject matter. 

This is me - circa 1980 - and one of the Brahman bulls on our family's farm. It was a little farm - but a busy one, filled with sounds (and smells!) that stuck with me. And it's exactly these kinds of childhood experiences that I have been mining for book ideas. So what inspired the walk down memory lane? 

Well for one thing I own half that farm now, and still make memories there. 

Secondly, I just attended a SCBWI conference and this message - write what you know - was a key theme. In other words, your stories should look in, not out. Be authentic, and mine your memories for (especially childhood) experiences that were both unique but also universal. 

Also, watch out for cow pies. 

*NEW KIDLIT IMPRINT*

Well looky here! A new kidlit imprint will be launching in 2020! As explained in the article: "HarperCollins Children’s Books is expanding with a new imprint for young readers, Quill Tree Books....Quill Tree will focus on publishing authors with a strong point of view, as well as those who are often underrepresented"

https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-industry-news/article/82185-harpercollins-launches-quill-tree-imprint.html

Start Your Engines...

Your literary brain engines, that is! It's January which means it is also Story Storm time! As explained on the website "The Storystorm challenge is to create 30 story ideas in 30 days. You don’t have to write a manuscript (but you can if the mood strikes). You don’t need potential best-seller ideas."

This amazing event was created by Tara Lazar - yes, THAT Tara Lazar. So you know it is good! And it's free and it's online. YAY!

https://taralazar.com/storystorm/