I know I keep saying this, but this IS the coolest thing that has happened since my first book, Hush, Little Dragon, was published.

Now, don't do that- I saw you roll your eyes. I am completely cross-my-heart, hope-to-die serious this time! It can simply NEVER get cooler than this:

There is a high school senior in Herndon, Virginia who is a Girl Scout (and so was I and so is my daughter!) and her name is Mara Deckard. I don't know her, but my publicist sent me a newspaper article about her.

Mara Deckard ROCKS.

She just did her Gold Award Project (no, I never got near that far...but that is another story altogether and makes me admire Mara even more) and it was a literacy project. Right there, she is just an awesome person. There is no other, better goal as far as I am concerned.

But wait, it DOES get better...

she included MY BOOK in her project. About literacy! About vocabulary levels! About R-E-A-D-I-N-G!!

Mara Deckard rocks and I want you to click here to check out what she did.

Thank you, Mara, for including my book in your project. Thank you for caring about kids. And reading! And just Thank You in general- you are making the world a better place!

:)

p.s. I hope the PDF file link works- I've never done that before. If it doesn't, please let me know and I can try it a different way or e-mail you the PDF.

The International Reading Association puts out a newsletter called Reading Today and they reviewed Hush, Little Dragon in their July issue!

When a mother dragon tries to get her restless (and hungry) baby to sleep, she sings him a lullaby like no other. She promises to bring him princesses, knights, magicians, and much more. After all, dragons have to eat something! Ashburn's innovative twist on the classic bedtime song "Hush Little Baby" creates a bedtime story that boys will love, and parents will be able to read again and again with its tongue-in-cheek humor. Kelly Murphy's acrylic and oil illustrations provide enough teeth, fire and smoke to keep the story lively, while making the dragons cute enough so as not to upset younger readers.

How much do I love that review?! Thank you IRA!!! If anybody reading this post has a copy of this issue, I would LOVE to see it. If you'd be willing to part with your copy after you are done with it, e-mail me (boni.ashburn at gmail.com) and let me know- thanks! Now I must go investigate this wonderful organization...

:)

From the IRA website: Reading Today, the International Reading Association’s bimonthly newspaper, is the first choice of IRA members for news and information on topics such as: news about pressing issues in literacy education, features on trends influencing the field, columns on classroom strategies, technology, advocacy, and ideas for administrators and for parents—and more. Reading Today is published six times per year.

p.s. I'm sure you'll be happy to know there were NO rejections in the mail yesterday. Whew! And I'll even post a couple of pics of the Birthday Girl with her gorgeous family :)

Girl goes on vacation.

Girl walks into a bookstore.



Girl cases the joint, scanning past all the inviting displays and books for the Children's Picture Book section. Hardcover.

Girl finds it almost immediately. She's been published for four months. She knows the ropes.

Girl quickly and carefully, but entirely non-chalantly, makes a beeline for the shelves. From here it's easy.

Girl heads to the A's, crossing her fingers, but not her toes. She's tried that one before and it only ends up in graceless tripping. Not good or non-chalant.

Girl glances quickly. Nope. Not face out. That's okay. Not expected, but always a nice surprise. Take a deep breath, she reminds herself. She scans the spines.

Nope.

Girl's hopes are dashed. Her book is not on the shelves at this store. Sigh. Shrug it off, she reminds herself. It can't be in EVERY bookstore.

Girl knows this, but she is in a favorite bookstore, one that has meaning to her. It is the Boulder Bookstore, on Pearl Street in Boulder, Colorado. The Coolest Place On Earth. Where Girl went to college. Where Girl really WANTS to see her book. It doesn't REALLY matter at Random Chain Store in Anytown, USA (well, okay it does....) But it totally does matter so much more here, she admits to herself.

Sigh again.

"Hey, honey," says Girl's Husband from somewhere out of sight. "Over here."

Girl perks up. Husband knows how important this is to Girl. Girl saunters, three-quarters dispirited (yet always one-quarter hopeful- it's how we get through this business), towards Husband's voice, around the corner of shelves to the Children's Recommended display on the main aisle.

Girl gasps. Husband beams. Girl's kids shout, "Look Mom, they have your book!" Girl and Family are all smiling like idiots.



Thanks, Moon, whoever you are, for reviewing my book for Children's Recommended. Glad you liked my "...clever re-imagining... with considerably more fire-breathing and pillaging." Pillaging is such a great word. You rock! And I LOVE your name (I'm a Cancer/Moonchild!)

Thanks Kindra, for helping me sign stock. You are an asset to the Boulder Bookstore- tell your boss I said so! Tell him you need a raise, too.

And thanks, Boulder Bookstore, for a highlight of Girl's trip!!

:)

Shortly after my book came out, I was e-mailing with a writer friend about all the things people say to or ask you when the subject of your book comes up. We discovered a lot of similarities and that Question Number One was the same for both of us: "So, how's it selling?" Which at the time, we had no idea how to answer. But it was nice to know we both had the same problem :)

Much to my delight, I now have an answer for those inquiring people. My editor recently told me Hush, Little Dragon just went into it's THIRD printing. So now I can say, "Very well, thank you very much for asking!" Yay!

:)