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The Spotlight
April 2010 - Immedium



1. News
2. Reviews
3. Events

1. NEWS

A. The Year of the Tiger roars along
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As 2010 springs ahead, we have enjoyed sharing the tale of Teddy the Tiger with kids countrywide. We've visited many schools, museums, and community associations. This month we continue to read the fifth story in our series Tales from the Chinese Zodiac at places like the noted independent bookstore Book Passage in Corte Madera, CA on April 21st.

Meanwhile this weekend, we'll present (April 11th at noon) at the Chinese Education Conference in San Francisco, CA. The conference is sponsored by the CAIS Institute, founded in 1989 to advocate Chinese language and culture education nationwide, as exemplified by the Chinese American International School (CAIS), the nation's first Mandarin-English immersion school.

Our session is titled Immedium: Bringing Chinese Culture Alive through Children's Picture Books and we'll share how our contemporary children's stories bring Chinese culture into the classroom and energize teachers and parents from all walks of life. Themes of annual celebrations, martial arts, and current events engage students and provide rich opportunities for discussion, group activities and self-exploration.


B. The Octonauts chart new horizons
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In America, this is National Week of the Ocean! If you don't live near a beach, do the next best thing - join The Octonauts on one of their adventures!

"The Octonauts are a team of eight underwater explorers who resemble Hello Kitty and friends, but have the gumption of Jacques Cousteau. Capt. Barnacles Bear and his crew, which includes a bunny, octopus, and otter, find their vacation to the Great Reef City interrupted when they discover that the reef is silent and white, like a ghost town. Investigating reveals that the buildings were blocking the sun and preventing healthy algae growth. Kids should be drawn in by the zippy graphics and comprehend the message about conservation."
- Publishers Weekly

Then on the web, you can join their growing Facebook fan page: www.facebook.com/octonauts

Plus we are proud to announce that the Octonauts will debut as an animated TV series this fall in the United Kingdom, France, Australia, Scandinavia, and more countries! We've partnered with Chorion UK, who has produced shows such as Mr. Men and Olivia the Pig. Stay tuned for more news to come!

Meet the creators Meomi who will sign books at the Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo on April 24 & 25th.


C. Immedium stories available on iPad
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It seems everyone is buzzing about Apple's new tablet and it's potential impact on publishing. So we're glad we put our books online earlier with www.astorybeforebed.com, because now their applet is available on the iPad, as reported by Media Bistro's Galley Cat.

You can record yourself reading our stories on your Mac or PC (with a webcam and microphone), and watch your story times (play them back) on the iPad.

"I'm totally gaga, though, over their new site, A Story Before Bed. This might be one of those things that parents and grandparents will flip out with happiness about while everyone else scratches their heads, but as a new parent, finding it made me feel like a special delivery had arrived expressly for my daughter…. My daughter's happy reaction at seeing relatives -- or me, when I'm traveling -- on iChat makes the webcam in my laptop worth the whole cost of the machine. We read her three books every night before bed, and the idea of one of those being by a 'guest reader' from afar is wonderful. This is one of those ways of connecting people that I can't help but be excited to see."
- Marc Hedlund, O'Reilly Radar


2. REVIEWS
Julie Black Belt
(1-59702-009-5, $15.95 each)

"My six year old happens to be named Julie. She just earned her purple belt in Taekwondo. We were astonished and overjoyed to stumble over this book. It is wonderful for any young aspiring martial artist - especially for girls. Beautiful book !!!"
- J. Mansky, December 21, 2009

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The Octonauts
(four books in the series, $15.95)

"5 Favorite Picture Books at the CCB:
The Octonauts and the Great Ghost Reef by Meomi is the first I've read in the Octonauts series, but I am absolutely hooked. Not only are the team of creatures beyond adorable, but they have a mystery to solve! The team is on the case to find out why a large and bustling reef city has become a ghost town. Not only is the book engaging as a mystery and kids will learn the names of all kinds of creatures, but kids will learn something when the mystery is solved! Scooby fans will love The Octonauts..."
- Librarians are Weird but in a good way



3. EVENTS

APRIL

- 4/11: Immedium: CAIS Chinese Education Conference, Westin, 50 3rd St, San Francisco, CA, noon.
- 4/12: Oliver Chin: YOT: Francis Scott Key Elementary School, San Francisco, CA, 8 am
- 4/16: Oliver Chin: Comics Workshop: Burton High School, 400 Mansell St, San Francisco, CA, 3:30 pm.
- 4/17: Oliver Chin: Comics Workshop: San Francisco Public Library, Bayview branch, 5075 3rd St, 2 pm.
- 4/21: Oliver Chin: YOT: Book Passage, 51 Tamal Vista Blvd., Corte Madera, CA, 10 am.
- 4/24-25: Meomi: Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo, Alberta, Canada.
- 4/29: Oliver Chin: YOT: Chinese Immersion School - DeAvila, San Francisco, CA, am.

MAY

- 5/20: Oliver Chin: Storytime: Portola Valley Library, 765 Portola Road, CA (650) 851-0560, 4:30 pm.

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No fooling, the Octonauts are coming to TV!


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.
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