The Spotlight
March 2008 - Immedium
1. News
2. Reviews
3. Events
1. NEWS
A. This Year is for you, Ralph the mouth
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We hope you're having happy days in 2008! During the past month, author Oliver Chin, artist Jeremiah Alcorn, and graphic designer Elaine Chu read the Tales from the Chinese Zodiac series at more than 40 events. Kids of all ages enjoyed chewing the cheese with Ralph, our heroic rodent.
Newspapers in English and Chinese reported on our story times, and here is what the San Francisco Examiner had to say in their 3 Minute Interview with the author:
"The San Francisco resident is a children's author who annually crafts tales incorporating animals of the Chinese zodiac. His latest offering, Year of the Rat, tells the tale of Ralph, a baby rat seeking out mischief and adventure. Year of the Rat follows Chin's previous Chinese zodiac-themed stories, Year of the Pig (2007) and Year of the Dog (2006). Since publishing his latest book in December, Chin has held readings of Year of the Rat at local community centers, bookstores and schools."
We appreciate such an enthusiastic and growing audience, and we look forward to visiting a store, library, or school near you.
B. Introducing the Woollyhoodwinks
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Get ready for a new Fab Five. The Woollyhoodwinks are a quintet of woolly friends who frolic together in the Black North Forest.
Inspired by the actual huggable, handcrafted, "made in the USA" dolls created by Jeff Root and Scott Runcorn, this book debuts in August 2008: The Woollyhoodwinks vs. The Dark Patch. In their first tale, the crafty 'Winks protect their woodland home from a strange and growing spot. For the next five months, we'll introduce every amusing member of the gang. Here goes!
Reddy:
All Woollyhoodwinks are mischief-makers of one sort or another, but Reddy is the most tirelessly mischievous of them all. The capricious Reddy is infamous as the wild one amongst the 'Hoodwinks. Reddy is the master of hide-and-seek games. Able to burrow so deeply in the laundry basket, you'd never suspect anyone was there unless you were lucky enough to catch a glimpse of those little red ears twitching amongst the towels and washcloths. This trickster will keep you on your toes!
C. Sneak a peek at some mysterious monsters...
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Coming in September 2008 is our next children's book: Welcome to Monster Isle. For fans of Lost, Gilligan's Island, Godzilla, or viewers of Monster Hunters on cable TV's The Learning Channel, this adventure is for you.
The Summers family is on vacation, but their pleasure cruise goes off course when the Skipper's boat hits the perfect storm. The next thing Finnegan and his family know, and they are stranded on a deserted island...which isn't really that deserted after all!
This fanciful tale is illustrated by Jeff Miracola, famed for his depictions of a cornucopia of monsters in Wizard's of the Coast's Magic the Gathering, Upper Deck's World of Warcraft, and Dungeons & Dragons. We'll feature each of the seven wild beasts that pop out of this fantastic voyage!
The Yowie:
This is Australia's legendary ape-man. The land Down Under's equivalent to the North American Bigfoot or Canadian Sasquatch, the yowie is bigger than a person and covered in hair from head to big toe. Described in aboriginal folktales, it appeared in Jonathan Swift's 1726 famous book "Gulliver's Travels" as a "Yahoo." Though Microsoft is in the process of a hostile takeover of other Yahoos, Yowies are born free and continue to roam the outback with their organic four-wheel drive.
2. REVIEWS
Timmy and Tammy's Train of Thought (ISBN: 978-1-59702-008-4, $15.95)
"My Favorite Picture Books of 2007: Delicious artwork and a great book for any child who likes trains. The artwork caught my attention and I'm glad I bought it."
- Three Men in a Tub
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The Octonauts and the Sea of Shade
(ISBN: 978-1-59702-010-7, $15.95)
"I Think I Love the Octonauts: Besides Meomi's obvious talents with colour, composition and character, they're great children's writers with a readable style. Friendly but terse. Simple but not dull. Plus, I love it when kids books make a big deal about being good friends and being just plain decent. Must have been all the Vonnegut I read."
- Upper Fort Stewart
3. EVENTS
MARCH
- 3/1: Oliver Chin: Asilomar Regional Reading Conference, Pacific Grove, CA.
- 3/3: OC: YOR: Francis Scott Key Elementary School: 1530 43rd Avenue, San Francisco, CA.
- 3/11: OC: YOR: Reed Elementary School: 1199 Tiburon Blvd., Tiburon, CA, 5 pm.
- 3/15: OC: Comics Workshop: Castro Valley Public Library, 20055 Redwood Rd, CA, 1 pm
APRIL
- 4/5: OC: Celebration of Children's Literature: Tolman Hall, UC Berkeley, CA, 11:30 am.
- 4/6: OC: YOR: Kepler's: 1010 El Camino Real, Menlo Park, CA, (650) 324-4321, 11:30 am.
- 4/1: OC: Comics Workshop: San Francisco Public Library - Main, 100 Larkin Street, 4:30 pm.
- 4/12: OC: South Bay Chinese Club - Scholarship Luncheon: Newark, CA, am.
- 4/27: Meomi: Octonauts: L.A. Times Festival of Books, Kinokuniya Booth, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA.
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Spring Awakening! Read fresh books that come along and change everything.
Immedium
P.O. Box 31846
San Francisco, CA 94131
orders@immedium.com
Immedium, Inc. inspires a world of imagination, and creates entertaining books that have multi-dimensional appeal. Based in San Francisco, CA, Immedium sits on the Pacific Rim, a vibrant intersection for crossover cultural trends from Asia and America. Embracing an increasingly diverse and "multimedia" world, Immedium publishes titles ranging from eye-catching children's books and contemporary non-fiction to commentaries on art and popular culture. Visit us at www.immedium.com.