Shlemiel’s Crooks by Anna Olswange (Book Blast plus Giveaway)

Shlemiel Crooks Anna Olswanger (Author) | Paula Koz (Illustrator)

Publication Date: May 1, 2005
NewSouth Books
Hardcover & Paperback;
36 Pages
 Genre: Children's Fiction/Historical

   

2006 Sydney Taylor Honor Book,
Young Reader’s Category,
Association of Jewish Libraries 2005-2006 Koret International,
Jewish Book Award Finalist,
BabagaNewz Childrens' Literature Category 

"In the middle of the night on a Thursday, two crooks—onions should grow in their navels—drove their horse and wagon to the saloon of Reb Elias Olschwanger, at the corner of 14th and Carr streets in St. Louis. This didn't happen yesterday. It was 1919." So begins a modern folktale based on the Yiddish community of the author's great-grandparents in the early 20th century. In original and engaging storytelling, Shlemiel Crooks introduces young readers to the history of Passover, as Pharaoh and a town of Jewish immigrants play tug-of-war with wine made from grapes left over from the Exodus from Egypt. Punctuated by colorful Yiddish expressions, the customs and language of a Jewish community of another time come alive. Shlemiel Crooks is a Sydney Taylor Honor Book in the Young Reader's Category from the Association of Jewish Libraries and a PJ Library Book.
"Shtetl humor and magic realism come to St. Louis in 1919 in this wry Pesach story. The best thing here is Olswanger's Yiddish storyteller's voice, particularly the hilarious curses she weaves into the story. Great for reading aloud." -Booklist

Hardcover | Paperback

 

About the Author

After nine years at Liza Dawson Associates in New York, Anna launched her own agency Olswanger Literary LLC in 2014. Her clients include the New York Times best-selling author Michael Hall and the Newbery Honor Book winner Vince Vawter. Her first children's book Shlemiel Crooks is based on a Yiddish newspaper article she uncovered about the attempted robbery of her great-grandfather's kosher liquor store in St. Louis in 1919. Shlemiel Crooks is a Sydney Taylor Honor Book and PJ Library Book. In 2011 the Kaufman Center in New York adapted "Chicken Bone Man" and Shlemiel Crooks into a musical for families, which premiered at Merkin Concert Hall. The musical is available for licensing from Dramasource.com Anna's latest book for young readers is Greenhorn, an illustrated children's novel inspired by the true story of a young Holocaust survivor. It is now an independent film. 

For more information please visit http://www.olswanger.com. You can follow Anna Olswanger on Twitter, Goodreads, and Pinterest.

Book Blast Schedule

Wednesday, April 20 Passages to the Past
Thursday, April 21 100 Pages a Day
Friday, April 22 Bookish
Saturday, April 23 The Book Junkie Reads The Never-Ending Book
Sunday, April 24 Book Nerd
Monday, April 25 CelticLady's Reviews
Thursday, April 28 A Leisure Moment
Saturday, April 30 A Holland Reads

Giveaway

To win a hardcover copy of Shlemiel's Crooks by Anna Olswanger, please enter the giveaway via the GLEAM form below.

 Rules
 – Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on April 30th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
 – Giveaway is open to US residents only.
– Only one entry per household.
 – All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion
 – Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.
  Shlemiel Crooks

Cleopatra in Space by Mike Maihack (Interview)

I am thrilled to be a stop on the book tour for Kids Comics Q&A Blog Tour, held in celebration of Children’s Book Week hosted by MacTeen Books (co-sponsored by Children’s Book Council and Every Child a Reader and the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund)! Today, I have an interview for your reading pleasure, but be sure to check out the full tour schedule by clicking the banner above!

Title: Cleopatra in Space: Target Practice
Author: Mike Maihack
Series: Cleopatra in Space #1
Release Date: April 29, 2014
Publisher: GRAPHIX
Genre: Children / Middle Grade, Science Fiction, Graphic Novel
Find it: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound

When a young Cleopatra (yes, THAT Cleopatra) finds a mysterious tablet that zaps her to the far, REALLY far future, she learns of an ancient prophecy that says she is destined to save the galaxy from the tyrannical rule of the evil Xaius Octavian. She enrolls in Yasiro Academy, a high-tech school with classes like algebra, biology, and alien languages (which Cleo could do without), and combat training (which is more Cleo's style). With help from her teacher Khensu, Cleo learns what it takes to be a great leader, while trying to figure out how she's going to get her homework done, make friends, and avoid detention!

Title: Cleopatra in Space: The Thief and the Sword
Author: Mike Maihack
Series: Cleopatra in Space #2
Release Date: April 28, 2015
Publisher: GRAPHIX
Genre: Children / Middle Grade, Science Fiction, Graphic Novel
Find it: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound

Cleopatra's space adventure in the REALLY far future continues!

When a mysterious thief steals the ancient sword Cleo recovered in CLEOPATRA IN SPACE, BOOK ONE: TARGET PRACTICE, Cleo is determined to get it back, but her teachers at Yasiro Academy forbid her from risking her life. Stuck at school, Cleo is having a hard time adjusting to her newfound popularity and responsibility. And when she learns more about the prophecy that names her the savior of the galaxy and the time tablets that could decide her fate, she must go on a dangerous journey to find them before they can fall into the wrong hands.

Interview

Conducted by Jorge Aguirre and Rafael Rosado

Mike, thanks for taking our questions. It's a pleasure to cyber-meet you. 

Rafael lives in Columbus. Jorge was born and raised there and you went to Columbus College of Art and Design. Lots of cartoonists seem to be from Ohio: Jeff Smith, Paul Pope, Billy Ireland, the creators of Superman and on and on). Do you think there's something about that Midwest that encourages or creates cartoonists? And what was your experience at CCAD like?

I dunno. Maybe there’s something in the water. Or maybe it’s the pizza. Yeah that makes sense. Ohio has really great pizza so that must be it. It encourages us to keep working instead of taking the time out to cook dinner. And the cold weather keeps us indoors. Now I live in Florida which contains neither cold weather or good pizza and I can feel my creativity depleting by the hour.

And CCAD was a tough school. A good one, but a tough one. Lots of drawing. Lots of coloring. Lots of studying. Lots of all-nighters. I don’t know if it’s still that way or not. I went at the turn of the century when animation studios stopped animating traditionally and the internet had barely scratched the surface of the artistic community it is now. Now you can learn stuff just by going on tumblr. Kids these days. No idea how great they have it. I gained a lot of color knowledge from CCAD though as well, at least I hope, a very professional work ethic. Also I met my wife there, so that was pretty nice.

Ancient Egypt in space!? Holy cow, what a fantastic idea and great execution on your book, "Cleopatra in Space." Where the heck did the idea come from? It's kind of, as Hollywood would say, a “high-concept idea,” and so speaking of Hollywood any plans to develop it into a cartoon or film?

Cleopatra in Space was originally just a single illustration, a concept I created for an online art group called DrawerGeeks. I enjoy putting all sorts of things in space: Cats, dragons, boots, washing machines, historical celebrities… So after six or so years of working on my previous webcomic, Cow & Buffalo, which was essentially just a couple of bovines arguing with each other, Cleopatra was a means to strengthen my skills as a cartoonist. I wanted to see what I could do with a longer form of storytelling with plenty of action. And humans. And cats. And that’s kinda where it was born. As for it ever being a cartoon or something, I guess we’ll see. I personally think it would make a better animated series than a movie. Right now though I’m just focused on trying to make the graphic novels entertaining.

We understand from your blog, you're working on book 3 of "Cleopatra in Space." Did you have the whole series plotted out when you began? How much of the story are you figuring out as you go?

Yeah the story is pretty much plotted out. There’s plenty of room in my outline to explore things along the way but I know where the characters need to go. I know what happens to them in the end. Essentially what I did when I sat down to chart out Cleopatra in Space as a series was create one giant story. Then I chopped that in thirds. Then I chopped the first third into more thirds and that’s essentially the first three books. I’m kinda obsessed with the number three I guess.

Do you have a plan for what you'll work on after Cleopatra? Another series perhaps?

There are quite a few ideas that have been percolating around in my head. I don’t know if any of them are good—or if I’ll even have interest in them when I’m done with Cleopatra in Space—but hopefully one of them will take hold. What I’d like to do is take the time to write one large, immersive novel—something over 300 pages—maybe a mystery—but I don’t think I’m capable of that yet. Cleopatra is my practice run.

What's on your nightstand?

My iPad, a glass of water, a seven inch high stack of superhero comics, Neil Gaiman’s The Ocean at the End of the Lane, and a cat.

About the Author

A Rita Award Finalist and Crystal Kite Award Finalist, Janet Gurtler's young adult books have been chosen for the JUNIOR LIBRARY GUILD SELECTION and as BEST BOOKS FOR TEENS from the Canadian Children’s Book Center. Janet lives in Okotoks Alberta, Canada with her husband, son, and a chubby black Chihuahua named Bruce.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr | Instagram | deviantART

Children's Book Review: Home Tweet Home by Courtney Dicmas

Hardcover, 32 pages

Expected publication: April 28th 2015 by Doubleday Books for Young Readers

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Indiebound

Pippi and Burt are tired of sharing their crowded nest with eight noisy little siblings, so off they fly to see the big, wide world and find a new home. But when they encounter all sorts of big, scary, hungry creatures, Pippi and Burt realize their crowded old nest is the best home of all. Here is an ideal story for anyone who appreciates the riotous joys (and challenges) of a large, rowdy family. It’s a funny and warm tribute to both the thrill of adventure and the love of home.

     Absolutely tweet-a-licious and chirp-chirp-chirpingly adorable, Home Tweet Home is a necessary addition to every little birdie's bookshelves. 

     Here we meet a family of cheerful cave swallows. There are ten brothers and sisters, and the oldest siblings - Pippi and Burt - seem to think that maybe it's time to find a new home for their family, because their little nest can hardly fit them all anymore, let alone accommodate their various eclectic interests (like Maude's judo lessons or Cecil's band practice). And it would be nice to catch a break from Rupert's stinky feet! 

      And so Pippi and Burt, seeing how BIG the world is, fly away into the night sky in search of a new place to call home. But finding new home isn't as easy as it seems. The places they find are either too hard (on top of a turtle's shell), too fast and bouncy (on top of a running cheetah), or too pointy (on too of a big, green alligator). And, in the end, no place feels as cozy and warm as their tiny little nest where they can squeeze in with their parents and all their siblings and keep each other warm and feeling safe. After all, there is no place like home! 

     This is, in my opinion, Courtney Dicmas' most fabulous book by far. It's cute and engaging, bright and filled with eye-pleasing pastel colors, and while it's fun to read, it also contains a great message about what really matters in life and that sometimes smaller and cozier is better than big and spacey. Especially when it comes to close-knit family units. It might not always be comfortable, and we can sometimes be annoyed by our family members, but in the end, love, mutual support, physical and emotional closeness are more important than anything else. 

     All the birds in this picture book are fantastic - they're funny-looking, adorably colored and you just have to appreciate the expressive faces they make as they encounter different animals on their quest to find a new home. They're clever and curious about the BIG world, but after exploring for a while they come to realize that, sure, the world is so BIG and interesting and filled with different animals, things and places, but there is no place like their own home and they are happy to be back in their parents loving embrace. I found it very touching and sweet - such a beautiful book with such a lovely message!

Sprout Street Neighbors: Five Stories by Anna Alter (Review)

Genre:	Children's Book
Publication.Date	April 14th 2015
Pages:	112
Published By:	Crown Books for Young Readers
Author	Anna Alter
	Sprout Street Neighbors on Goodreads
My review copy:	Received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Where to get:

In the tradition of classics such as The Wind in the Willows and Winnie-the-Pooh comes Anna Alter’s first chapter book.

Henry, Violet, Emma, Wilbur, and Fernando are neighbors in the same apartment building and they are also friends—though they have very different personalities and interests. Henry prefers peace and quiet, and poetry. Violet spends hours knitting and practicing her flute. Emma loves planning birthday parties. Wilbur would be happy to spend all day in his garden. And Fernando is just a little bit shy, but has a secret talent for the stage.

Sharing walls with your neighbor can sometimes bring the unexpected, but in the end, these five work together to overcome their differences.

(Goodreads)

   

     This adorable little book for children ages 6-9 consists of 5 short stories celebrating friendship and mutual support between neighbors. It's a real treat! The stories are very positive and meaningful, and each page is filled with cute black-and-white illustrations - some smaller than others, but all quirky and fun to look at. 

     Sprout Street Neighbors is about 5 neighbors, who are also close friends. Here we have Fernando (the shy rabbit in thick black-framed glasses), Violet (the artsy and crafty duck), Emma (the fun-loving squirrel), Wilbur (the garden-tending cat) and Henry (the peaceful and stoic mouse). They make a very eclectic bunch, and though they're very different from one another, they get along just fine. I love how they always support each other and offer a helping hand to one another. No problem is too difficult for them to handle, not when they brainstorm together! 

     This little book is full of entertaining situations that will bring a smile to your child's face. At the same time, these stories will teach your child about the importance of helping others, being understanding and patient, supporting creativity of your friends, or simply being polite and friendly. These are some important messages and I'm happy to have a book such as this one on my child's bookshelf. My daughter will learn from it while having fun adventures with her cute animal friends - what better way to educate your kid! 

     I hope the author will write more of Sprout Street Neighbors books, I'd love to see this being turned into a series. I will definitely be collecting of all them!

 

Children's Book Review: Yeti and the Bird by Nadia Shireen

Hardcover, 32 pages

Publication: February 24th 2015 by Atheneum Books for Young Readers

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Indiebound

Even hairy, scary monsters need friends! This heartwarming tale of unlikely playmates features bright artwork and a sweet message from the author-illustrator of Hey, Presto! and Good Little Wolf.

Deep in the forest lives the biggest, hairiest, scariest yeti anyone has ever seen. And he is also the loneliest yeti around.

Then one day…THUNK! Someone lands on Yeti’s head. And that someone isn’t scared of Yeti at all. Could that someone be a friend?

This fun story of fur, feathers, and friendship delights and inspires—a welcome reminder that friends can be found in even the most improbable places.

"Deep in the forest

there lived a yeti."

     Yeti is the biggest, hairiest, SCARIEST beast in the forest and because of that, he is lonely. Everyone avoids him. No one wants to play with him. Thankfully, one day, an unexpected guest pays him a visit. Little red bird got lost on her way to a hot tropical island and she landed on top of Yeti's head. To Yeti's surprise, she is not afraid of him at all! This friendship will change Yeti's life! 

     Yeti and the Bird is a heartwarming, meaningful and remarkably positive story. It's about the life changing power of friendship. It's also about how we often wrongfully judge others based on appearances and how we shouldn't let stereotypes and biases stop us from getting to know someone. How we should try and be more open, more friendly. This quite profound and important message is at the core of this picture book and I think even the youngest kids will be able to pick it up. It's wrapped up in gorgeous illustrations and cherry-topped with a heart-melting ending that is sure to bring a smile to your child's face. 

     I really enjoyed Yeti and the Bird. These two make a cute duo and their story is yet another proof that friendship often finds us when we least expect it. It's a sweet and charming book, I am so glad I share it with my daughter.

Children's Book Review: I Don't Want To Be A Frog by Dev Petty and Mike Boldt

Hardcover, 32 pages

Publication: February 24th 2015 by Doubleday Books for Young Readers

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Indiebound

Fans of Mo Willems’s Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! and Jon Klassen’s I Want My Hat Back will love meeting this willful young frog with a serious identity crisis. Frog wants to be anything but a slimy, wet frog. A cat, perhaps. Or a rabbit. An owl? But when a hungry wolf arrives—a wolf who HATES eating frogs—our hero decides that maybe being himself isn’t so bad after all. In this very silly story with a sly message, told in hilarious dialogue between a feisty young frog and his heard-it-all-before father, young readers will identify with little Frog’s desire to be something different, while laughing along at his stubborn yet endearing schemes to prove himself right.

     A frog with an identity crisis. Imagine that! I Don't Want To Be A Frog is about a Frog that is not particularly thrilled with who he is. Frog says: "Let me ask you something... If you could be any animal in the world, what would it be? Probably NOT a Frog, right? Exactly."

     Frog would rather be a Cat. Warm and fuzzy! Or a Rabbit. Or better yet, an Owl! Even being a Pig seems like a more appealing option, even if he'd have to eat garbage. He just doesn't want to be a Frog, Frogs are wet and slimy, and they always eat bugs. 

   But he can't be a Cat. He doesn't have ears so he can't be a Rabbit either. And he doesn't look wise enough to be an Owl. And let's face it, he couldn't really eat garbage. 

But you know what? Being a Frog isn't all that bad after all. At least wolves don't eat Frogs! Why? Because they don't like wet, slimy things filled with bugs! Ha!

    Dev Petty's newest children's book is simply fantastic. It's clever, witty, fun, and - above all - smart. It will teach your kid about identity. Your child will learn that even though he or she may sometimes wish to be someone else entirely, it's important to realize that we are who we are - unique, special, different from everyone else - and accepting this will bring happiness. 

     I absolutely love the message this adorable little book carries. Self-acceptance and low self-esteem are things many children struggle with, and I believe it's important to teach your child to love and be proud of who he/she is. This book will help parents do just that, all the while having fun and enjoying the vibrant, gorgeously rendered illustrations by Mike Boldt (a truly talented graphic designer!). It's one of my absolute favorite children's books and it will definitely have a special place on my daughter's shelf.