Why You Should Preorder Your Favorite Books

Why do people preorder books? Are they just too lazy to go to a bookstore the day the book arrives? Actually, people preorder books because they love their authors! Each book you preorder tells Amazon/Barnes & Noble/whoever that one more person needs this book so badly that they're willing to pay for it long before they'll actually receive it. Maybe you're thinking, well what does that change? It changes the number of books those same companies (Amazon/Barnes & Noble/etc) will purchase for their shelves (or in the case of Amazon, their warehouses).
The more buzz and preorders an author can get, the more likely booksellers will promote that book. Because there's already proof that it's something people are interested in.
And you're not just helping out your favorites authors by preordering their books, you're also helping out your checking account. How's that, you ask? Most preordered books are discounted.

A Rave Review for Yankee Invasion

History professor, Linda Wagner recently reviewed Yankee Invasion and had some great things to say:

"Ignacio Solares has written a riveting tale about the events surrounding the Mexico City invasion during the 1800s. Written as if part memoir, part discussions, this historical fiction novel captures the essence of the time period, along with the documented facts of the era."

"Although a fictional tale, Yankee Invasion captures the trueness of the war, the experience by Mexican soldiers and the effect it had on the lives of those living in Mexico."

To read this review in its entirety, check out the press release here.

Lost in Lexicon goes to Discovery Museums in Acton, MA

Why reading aloud to kids is so adorable

Author Anne Sawyer-Aitch's picture book Nalah and the Pink Tiger is read to her niece for the first time. Such an adorable reaction. We dare you to find a cuter kid! No seriously, just try to.

Book Release & Puppet Show Premiere

It's here! The book release and puppet show premiere of Nalah and the Pink Tiger, Scarletta Kids' first foray into picture books! The party starts at 10 am this Saturday, March 17, 2012 at the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre. The show will be performed again at 12 pm.
Nalah and the Pink Tiger is about a rambunctious little girl, Nalah, who lives so intensely in her imagination that grown-ups view her as a troublemaker. To illustrate the book, author Anne Sawyer-Aitch developed a style that she calls illuminated illustration, featuring multiple layers and backlighting that create vibrant, textured pages.
To accompany the book, Anne has created a traveling, one-person, shadow puppet show following the book’s story line. This was made possible with various partnerships with local artists.

Trends in Children's Literature

You've probably heard...we love kid's books. Which is why we created Scarletta Junior Readers and Scarletta Kids, so we can spend a lot more time with children's literature! Because this is still a new adventure for us, we decided to do some basic digging in children's lit trends.
First, how much are kids reading? Turns out they're reading less than ever. The reasons? Homework and standardized testing are taking up a lot of their free time. And this has some seriously negative effects. Studies have shown that:

• Kids who are readers do better at school and in life
• Children and teens who read for pleasure on a daily or weekly basis score better on reading tests than infrequent readers
• Frequent readers also score better on writing tests
• Advanced readers accrue personal, professional, and social advantages
• Literary readers are more likely than non-readers to engage in positive civic activities, such as volunteering

Read Across America Day 2012

What a wonderful day! In case you haven't heard: Today is Read Across America Day AND it's Dr. Seuss' 108th birthday! It's only fitting that the two share a day since Dr. Seuss created more than 60 books before his death in 1991.

Read Across America day is hosted by the National Education Association (NEA). Of course, they promote reading 365 days a year (plus 1 for this year!), but today is a special day to promote reading and to motivate every child to become an avid reader. And this year, there's even a Dr. Seuss movie coming out just for the kids. The Lorax hits theaters today, and it's themes have generated this year's color scheme: GREEN. The Lorax calls for people everywhere to clean up their environments and to be wary of over-consumption.

Books to Movies

It's safe to say that many of 2011's biggest movies were based on books—the Oscars proved that. The Help, Hugo, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore, and The Descendants all took home at least one Academy Award.
As exciting as it is to see these movies do so well, we're already looking forward to the great books being adapted into movies in 2012:
The Lorax by Dr. Seuss with Danny DeVito, Zac Efron, Taylor Swift, and Ed Helms. Just admit you're giddy with excitement at the thought of reliving this childhood classic.
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins with Jennifer Lawrence, Woody Harrelson, Stanley Tucci, and Donald Sutherland. There's no doubt about it, these movies are going to be huge.