So, the laundry's finally done.

The inboxes are almost cleaned out.

The Spring Break (the one with the really-bad timing!) is in full swing- sidewalks are being chalked, children's museums are being attended, new bikes are being broken-in and chocolate-chip cookies are being baked and consumed (I'm doing way too much of both...)

And then in a random moment online, I find this:



An adorable-looking sequel to possibly the most perfect picture book of all time?!?! Can you hear me squealing all the way over there?!

Come on, September....

:)

(Seriously! They did NO laundry while I was gone!)

I haven't even looked yet to see if I have any decent pictures to post from all the *awesome* schools I visited last week. Soon!

But in the meantime, check out the LOVELY review of Over At The Castle that Jen Robinson did over at Jen's Book Page.

Thank you Jennifer!!

:)

I'm headed to Wisconsin, the land of cheese, the Packers and BOOKS!

I'll be visiting schools in the Oshkosh area Wed, Thurs and Fri, but I'll also be at Apple Blossom Books in Oshkosh on Wednesday night at 6pm (I get to sit in the CHAIR again! Love the chair...).

And on Saturday, I'll be doing a storytime at The Reader's Loft in Green Bay at 1:00pm.

Come say hi if you're in the area!

:)

Oh, I have a BUNCH of cool stuff I want to blog, but will have to make it short cause I'm getting ready to head back out on the road again (eek!)

I had the BEST time over in Marquette- The Mining Journal even interviewed me and put me on the *ahem* front page. The photo is, um, an action shot, yeah, that's it, an action shot (i.e. not good!) but the article is really good- she asked great questions!

The schools were all wonderful- five different ones! And every stop is different from the last- I love that about them. There is nothing better than being greeted by kids art when you get to a school! Superior Hills did some great stuff for me:


This is the regal library, the Peter White Public Library (which just may have the nicest children's area I've ever seen at a library):


It's so library-looking, isn't it? Wonderful!



I got to stay in the Dandelion Cottage Room at the Landmark Inn which was Charming with a capital C. It even has a hand-painted bathroom- tres fancy! And I even received my own copy of the book (a "minor classic" written in 1904 by a local author, whose home, the Dandelion Cottage of the book, is still in Marquette today) and it now sits atop my TBR pile:


(Thanks, Lynette!!)

So it was a lovely trip, all books and schools and libraries... what else do you even need?!

:)

Hey, check this out- I'm a "celebrity judge"!!! I'm still recovering from my first big round of promotion for Over At The Castle (and will post a bit about it soon), but it sure was fun to see this:

Debbie Diesen, she of The Pout-Pout Fish-ery, is holding a cool contest over at her blog for her new book, which looks like this:



The book looks adorable, and the contest should be a lot of fun- it's being judged by some VIP's... AND could get really interesting if there's eventually a tie :)

So, tout de suite, post-haste, hie thee hence and participate!

:)

In lieu of a well-written, thoughtful post about any one topic, I give you small bites of several:

1. Share a Story, Shape A Future!



The wonderful blogging literacy event happens THIS WEEK and has tons of information and ideas about reading to kids. Is there anything more important you can do for a child? I think not. Please go check it out.

2. Please get your hands on this book and read it:


I want to spend more time telling you why, in fact I'd like to dedicate a huge old post to the *genius* of Jonah Winter (although I probably already have in the past... but he would deserve another one for this book alone)(and no, although my maiden name is Winter, we are not related and I don't know him), but I am ridiculously busy this month and I'm already falling behind and I don't want to forget to shout it out. You want to be at the forefront of good books, right? Think of it this way: I read probably 600-1000 picture books a year and this one will likely be at or near the top of my Best list at the end of 2010. People came from other rooms of my house to join us last night as we read this book because it sounded just so darn interesting! And it is that, in addition to being a rollicking fun read. I've said this before, I know: Jonah Winter has V-O-I-C-E. Wow.

3. The Marquette Alger Reading Council is hosting me for school visits and a par-tay at the Peter White Public Library over in Marquette, Michigan this Thurs-Sat. And in two weeks I'm headed to Oshkosh, Wisconsin for a week of fast-paced fun with the lovely Apple Blossom Books. I'm really excited about all of it! But, I am also busily preparing and trying NOT to get distracted by all things Internet. So, if you notice my absence hereabouts or thereabouts or allabouts, that's why.

Read on!

:)

And the winner is.....

COREY SCHWARTZ!!

Corey wins a signed copy of Over At The Castle

AND, since she tweeted, a signed copy of Hush, Little Dragon too! Corey, e-mail me (boni.ashburn AT gmail.com) your address and they'll be on their way :)

Thanks to everyone for taking part in my little giveaway!
I loved all your favorite numbers- and even learned a little bit about math- ha!

:)

(p.s. I'm posting this on the 6th of March... and 6 is MY favorite number!)

Today is the official release day of my second book, Over At The Castle!



And, you might ask, what's a birthday without PRESENTS?? Exactly...



Let's give away a present... or two! Just enter before I draw the winning name at midnight on Friday, March 5th, 2010.

WHAT'S THE PRESENT? A signed copy of Over At The Castle. And maybe a signed copy of Hush, Little Dragon, too, since it's Hush's Two-Year Birthday today! But that part's up to you...

Over At The Castle is a counting book, so I'm going to have a little fun with numbers (but I'm terrible at math, so I'll make it e-a-s-y- ha!) Just leave a comment on this post telling me what your favorite number is- how easy is THAT??! I'll put all the entries in a hat, draw the winner and post his/her name on Saturday so the winner can contact me with their mailing address.

So, how can you win a copy of Hush, Little Dragon too?? Simply post about this giveaway on your blog, tweet it on Twitter, post it on your Facebook page, the blueboards... you pick, but give it one little cyber-shout-out SOMEWHERE (and tell me where when you comment), and if your name is the one I draw to win Over At The Castle, then you'll get a signed copy of Hush, Little Dragon too!

And if you ask me, these two books do look *sweet* next to each other on a shelf :)

Thanks for celebrating my Book Birthday with me and GOOD LUCK!

:)