Author and Illustrator Shaun Tan wins Academy Award

Congratulations to all of last night's Oscar winners, including author and illustrator Shaun Tan! Shaun Tan won an Academy Award for Best Short Film (Animated) for his film The Lost Thing, based on his picture book of the same name. The Lost Thing, never before widely available in the U.S., is one of three picture books included in a new collection of Shaun Tan’s work coming in March: Lost & Found: Three.

You can see Shaun’s Oscar acceptance speech here. Check out the full list of Oscar nominees and winners here.

Shaun Tan's previous books, The Arrival and Tales from Outer Suburbia, have been named to the lists of New York Times Best Illustrated Books, ALA Notable Children's Books, Horn Book Fanfare Books, and New York Public Library Best Books for Reading and Sharing, as well as many other Best of the Year lists. He lives in Melbourne, Australia. Visit his website for more information.

AUTHOR EVENT: Kat Falls and Dark Life

Kat Falls will be making an appearance in support of Dark Life. Called a "a definite must-read for SF fans" by VOYA, this sci-fi adventure novel was featured on The Today Show and selected by Al Roker for Al's Book Club.

Saturday, February 26th at 2pm
The Book Stall   
811 Elm Street   
Winnetka, IL 60093   
(847) 446-8880

AUTHOR EVENT: Wendy Wan-Long Shang and The Great Wall of Lucy Wu

Join author Wendy Wan-Long Shang as she appears to promote her debut novel, The Great Wall of Lucy Wu.

Saturday, February 12th at 1pm
One More Page   
2200 N Westmoreland Street #101   
Arlington, VA 22213   
703-536-9683


About the book:

In this humorous and heartfelt debut about a split cultural identity, nothing goes according to plan for sixth-grader Lucy Wu.

Lucy Wu, aspiring basketball star and interior designer, is on the verge of having the best year of her life. She's ready to rule the school as a sixth grader and take over the bedroom she has always shared with her sister. In an instant, though, her plans are shattered when she finds out that Yi Po, her beloved grandmother's sister, is coming to visit for several months — and is staying in Lucy's room. Lucy's vision of a perfect year begins to crumble, and in its place comes an unwelcome roommate, foiled birthday plans, and Chinese school with the awful Talent Chang.

Her plans are ruined — or are they? Like the Chinese saying goes: Events that appear to be good or bad luck often turn out to be quite the opposite, and Lucy finds that while she may not get the "perfect" year she had in mind, she can create something even better.

Wendy Wan-Long Shang has crafted an original and engaging story about learning who you are in the most unexpected ways.

 

AUTHOR EVENT: Derek Anderson and Story County

Award-winning illustrator Derek Anderson welcomes you to the publication party for his new book, Story County: Here We Come!. Story County is the place where friends Farmer, Dog, Pig, Chicken, and Miss Cow create a special farm through teamwork. It is the kind of place where anything can, and usually does, happen. Together these friends paint the barn a rainbow of colors, plant jelly beans and candy corn, and fashion a fabulous scarecrow, until presto! -- the farm is done. Or is it?

Derek Anderson was born and raised in the real Story County, which is located in the center of Iowa farm country. He loved visiting his grandfather's farm when he was growing up. "It was such a fun, almost magical place to explore," he says. "I wanted to create a farm in my book that had that same feeling -- a place where anything is possible."

Saturday, February 12th at 10:30am
Red Balloon Bookshop   
891 Grand Avenue   
St Paul, MN 55105-3008   
(651) 224-8320

Monday, February 21st at 10:30am   
Wild Rumpus       
2720 W 43rd St   
Minneapolis, MN    55410     
(612) 920-5005

AUTHOR EVENT: Matthew Kirby, The Clockwork Three

Join author Matthew Kirby as he reads from The Clockwork Three, the remarkable story of three children, an enchanted green violin, and an automaton come to life.

Saturday, February 12th at 2pm   
The Purple Cow Bookstore   
992 No. Main Street   
Tooele,    UT 84074   
435-882-9805

"A strong debut effort with memorable characters, hearty action, and palpable atmospherics." -- Booklist

AUTHOR APPEARANCE: Karen Beaumont, Shoe-la-la!

Join New York Times bestselling author Karen Beaumont as she reads from her newest book, Shoe-la-la!

Thursday, February 10th from 3-5pm
BookSmart       
80 East 2nd Street   
Morgan Hill, CA    95037   
(408) 778-6467

About the book:
Join Emily, Ashley, Kaitlyn, and Claire as they search for the perfect pair of party shoes. Girls of all ages will love to shoe shop with these four fabulous friends. From "fuzzy boots for when it snows" to "ballerinas on our toes," the girls try on every shoe in the store, but "eeny, meeny, my, oh, my, [they] just don't know which shoes to buy." With some feathers and glitter, a little bit of glue, and a LOT of imagination, the girls come up with the best shoes of all!