Monster Needs a Blog Tour, Second Edition

Another blog tour you say? Why yes! We're back and celebrating the second book by Paul Czajak and Wendy Grieb, Monster Needs His Sleep.

Monster and boy are here once more, 

Travelin' along a little blog tour!

So jump right in, discover a treat, 

One little click and your day is complete!

Carrie On…
April 8
We hear there is going to be a really hilarious video…

Find Paul HERE on the Scarletta blog!
April 15
He’s celebrating publication day by taking over the Scarletta blog!

Teach with Picture Books
April 17
The first giveaway you say? Better not miss it!

Kid Lit Reviews
April 21
Monster always has a lot to say, and this delightful character interview will be no different.

There’s a Book
May 6
Missed the first giveaway? Never fear, enter here!

Kid Lit Reviews
May 12
We’re back! This time for a review and giveaway to celebrate Children’s Book Week!

Sharpread
May 14
5,4,3,2,1… Find out the deets on Monster Needs His Sleep in this fast-paced, by-the-numbers interview to wrap up the tour.


And don't forget to pick up the book from your favorite vendor - it hits shelves April 15!

Monster Needs to Stay Awake for His Book Trailer!

As technology and media continue to change, so does our ability to utilize our creative outlets in fun and interesting ways. One of the coolest trends to jump out of the publishing industry over the last few years has been the book trailer. Feature films shouldn't have all the fun, right?

At first, the concept seemed like kind of a snooze to me. A trailer? For a book? Sounds pretty boring. I mean, books don't move, they don't dance, they don't sing--well, most books anyway. What could possibly be entertaining about a short preview for a book?

Well, as it turns out, there are a quite a few benefits to promoting books in this way. First, it's a different platform to garner support and exposure for your book. Not everyone in the world wants to sift through Amazon reviews or wade through pages and pages of new releases looking for the hottest picture books. It's far more enjoyable to get a hands on look at some art, some passages, and some reviews all contained within a two minute glance. Second, videos are far more dynamic than an image. You can garner so much more information with interactive text and artwork than with a cover photo. Even with the "look inside the book" feature on popular book vendor websites, there something much more deliberate about the specific art highlighted in book trailers.

The biggest reason to use a book trailer? It's FUN! You get music and movement, excitement and entertainment. The opportunity to captivate a new audience with your product is one any author and publishing press should look forward to. After all, that's sort of the name of the game, isn't it? Getting your book in to more hands?

We'd hardly complain!

So, of course, the point of this small discussion is that we have a new book trailer! Hooray! Take a look below and tell us what you think!

We promise: it's worth staying awake for.

Monster Needs a Trophy Case

Every mom will fall in love with this monster, or so the shiny new gold stickers from Mom's Choice said when they arrived in the mail! The Monster & Me™ publishing team couldn't be more excited for this very deserving book. We're betting the many Monster & Me™ books created by dynamic picture book duo Paul Czajak and Wendy Grieb will be grabbing tons of attention, and tons of awards at that. We'll get started on that DIY trophy case after the holidays! ;)

The lovely librarians and educators that attend ALA Midwinter in January will be able to see the adorable cover of Monster Needs a Costume proudly displayed with an award seal in the Publisher's Group West booth. You're a librarian and can't wait until then? No worries! Contact us at info@scarlettapress.com, tell us you're a librarian and want to get the book with an award seal on it, and we'll give you a special librarian discount.



So how can you help us celebrate? 

• Think about purchasing a copy direct from our website. We’ll even throw in a discount of $2 off the book! Just type in coupon code mcgold13 at checkout. Offer good through January 31. 
• Order before December 31st and you can use the 20% off holiday promotion code too! Check out all our books to give as fun gifts this holiday season!
• Display and sell the book in your store! (Trust us, it's a fantastic book for children, parents, teachers, librarians, and any picture book lover.) 
• Spread the word and show some love to our author & illustrator on Twitter: @PCzajak & @Boodlewink got a #MomsChoice!
• Read the book and love it? Tell us about it by writing a customer review on either Goodreads, Amazon, or BN.com! 
• Leave a congratulatory comment on Monster & Me™'s Facebook fan page, and like it too! 
• By liking, you'll be able to stay on top of when new books in the series come out, how to take part in awesomely monstrous contests, and of course where to go for upcoming events or book sales!

Check out our other Mom's Choice Gold winners: Lost in Lexicon, The Ice Castle, and Betsy's Day at the Game.

Picture Perfect: Announcing the 2014 Spring Season!

We just couldn't wait until the new year to talk about our spring 2014 title list! Okay, maybe that's just me, but I am ridiculously excited about the great children's lineup we have for all you readers, and I'm betting everyone else in the Scarletta office feels the same way.

The year of 2013 saw some amazing children's and adult books rolled out from our imprints, and the birth of our new brand image at Scarletta. It was a fantastic start to what is sure to be an incredible publishing journey, especially with the titles we'll be buzzing about in 2014! So without further ado...

Start by digging in (pun intended, folks!) on March 20, 2014, with Garden to Table: The Kid's Guide to Planting, Growing, and Preparing Food by Katherine Hengel. Kids will fill their plates with fresh, self-sustained produce that comes straight from the garden. Step-by-step planting, care, and harvesting tips, along with step-by-step photos for over 30 delicious recipes made with basil, carrots, green beans, leaf lettuce, potatoes, and tomatoes. Incorporating unique flavors and easy-to-grow veggies, these simple recipes will have you asking for seconds!

You met Monster in fall 2013, and if you're a normal or abnormal person, immediately fell in love with him. He's giant, blue, hairy, and cavorts around with the energy of a four year old thanks to talented illustrator Wendy Grieb. Well, Paul Czajak's adorable Monster & Me™ series continues on April 8, 2014, with Monster Needs His Sleep. In Czajak and Grieb's second collaboration, it's time for bed, and Monster needs to go to sleep. But he just keeps finding more things to stay awake for! It isn't until Monster admits he is afraid of the dark that he finds a glowing solution to his nightmare problem.

A picture book series not quite your style? Looking for something older? Fan of adventure and fantasy series? Then have we got something for you! That may have been too cheesy of a build up, but seriously, middle-grade readers will love our new Tristan Hunt and the Sea Guardians series by Ellen Prager. The Shark Whisperer, book one, is an action-packed story of adventure, fantasy, and humor that reveals the wonders of the ocean. After falling into a pool of sharks, things for awkward Tristan Hunt begin to look up. Tristan is invited to an ocean-themed summer camp in the Florida Keys where he discovers that he and his fellow campers have very rare talents when it comes to the ocean. After the camp receives a distress call from ocean animals, the Sea Guardians get pulled into a daring rescue in the Bahamas. With the help of sharks, dolphins, a quick-escape artist octopus, and some seabird bombers, the campers must use their talents in an attempt to outwit an evil shark-finning, reef-blasting billionaire.

We'll keep on the animal theme and finish out the spring 2014 season with another adorable picture book, If An Armadillo Went to a Restaurant by Ellen Fischer, and illustrated by Laura Wood. Would an armadillo order spaghetti with meatballs if she went to a restaurant? No way! She would like a plate of ants and worms. Little ones will slurp, munch, and crunch their way through this delightful book about animal diets and habitats. In the end, you might find yourself asking just what you might like to order.


Think these books are awesome? Guess what...they're all available for pre-order from your favorite book vendor! Might we also suggest these books as great for your 2014 book lists? If you love them, tell us about it with a customer review (and tell your bookseller too so they can keep recommending our quality books to other readers!).

The Monster & Me Costume Contest!!!

Monster really does need a costume for Halloween! Can you help him out? Show off what your children are wearing this year by entering the online Monster & Me™ Costume Contest between Monday, October 28, and Friday, November 1.

Submit pictures of your kids’ Halloween costumes and be entered to win a Monster & Me™ book and t-shirt!

Overall Best Costume winner receives a book and a t-shirt

Special categories (Best group, Scariest, and Funniest) each win 1 t-shirt

AND all entrants receive a 30% discount to use for the book or the t-shirt on the Scarletta website

How to enter: Like the Monster & Me Facebook Fan Page & send a message to the page with your photo, name, email, twitter account (if applicable), and special category consideration (if applicable).

Entry rules:
1. Entrants must reside in the United States, including Alaska, Hawaii, and outlying territories.
2. Entries must be received between 9:00 AM Central Time, Monday, October 28, and 10:00 AM Central Time, Friday, November 1.
3.Winners will be selected at 12:00 PM Central Time Friday, November 1.

Why Scarletta is the Best, Why My Book Kicks Butt, and How I Became The Greatest Children's Book Author That Ever Lived!

Okay, so I may have used some superlative terms in titling this blog post, but that's what you get when you don't send your editor a title!

(OK, I didn't tell Paul I needed one, and I mostly wanted to make a title that was sure to grab your attention. In fact, barely any of the title is addressed in this delightful guest post from Mr. Czajak, but you're reading this and playing along so I think I've adequately done my job.)

To kick off the Monster Needs a Costume Blog Tour: A guest post by our very own beloved author of this fantastic book, Paul Czajak.  Thanks for reading! 

                                                                                                          -Josh

Monster Needs a Blog Tour

Monster Needs a Blog Tour to embrace the autumn scene:

a fun and spooky journey that lasts through Halloween!

With reviews and books and interviews, and giveaways to win,

there's so much fun and happiness we'll have to jump right in!

That's right blogger buds! We're celebrating Paul Czajak and his new hit picture book Monster Needs  A Costume with a blog tour around the interwebs!  

Not familiar with the concept of a blog tour? Have no fear: nor was I until this afternoon.

For the next few weeks, we'll be linking to other blogs around the Internet to share new thoughts on the first book in the Monster & Me series 

Check back on Thursday, October 10th for a feature post from The Family That Reads Together! 

Then, on Monday the 14th: A guest post from Paul Czajak will be available right here on the Scarletta blog!

The 17th will see an interview with Colby Sharp and his classroom over ar Sharpreads.

With more dates to come, you'll want to leave a bookmark right here!

So, til Thursday, have a monstrously marvelous beginning to your Halloween season!

ALA 2013: Chicago Bound

GOOOOOD Morning, Campers!

I've always wanted a PA system to shout that over, but I suppose a blog will have to do.

We're getting very excited around the office: ALA 2013 is just two days away!

This year, we're traveling to Chicago to exhibit our books and company at the American Library Association conference. And we hope to see you there!

Will you be in attendance?

Here are just a few of the exciting activities we've lined up for our readers:

-Book Signing on Saturday with BETSY'S DAY AT THE GAME author Greg Bancroft.  I heard that the first 20 people in line will receive a free tote?  Who doesn't love a little book swag?

-Galleys of THE BEST SATURDAY EVER and MONSTER NEEDS A COSTUME will be available to both look at and snatch up.

-We're handing out Crunchy Almond Cookies from COOL WORLD COOKING! Designer Alex has perfected the recipe and we're excited to share these tasty treats available from our delightful new cook book for junior readers! (Publishing July 9th, 2013)

-Need a bookmark? We've hand-crafted plenty to hand out to you! Our upcycling craft collection, TRASH TO TREASURE, will be available this forthcoming November.

Desiree, Mike, Nancy, and Myself will be in and out of the booth all weekend long. We're excited to chat, network, and hear your stories: do us a favor and stop by booth #2537 and hang with the Scarletta Crew.

How Characters Are Created - From Idea to Full Illustration

Most children's book editors will tell you that when they read a manuscript for the first time, they are always thinking about the potential illustrations. Which lines will go in the spread? What action will be illustrated? How can the illustrations and the text work together? What will the characters look like? What style of illustrations do we want?

All of these questions, and more, run through our minds when we are working on a new picture book, but the last two are especially important early on. Many people might not realize that characters can go through many phases before they become what ultimately ends up in the book. And that is exactly what happened with one of our new picture books, Monster Needs a Costume by Paul Czajak, which will be the first in a new series called Monster + Me and is being published this fall by Scarletta Kids. It's an adorable rhyming story about a monster who keeps changing his mind about what to dress up as for Halloween. Ultimately he learns that a little creativity and boldness makes for the best costume of the night. Obviously, that fun and creativity needed to come across in the illustrations as well, and over the last month, we have been working with our wonderful illustrator, Wendy Grieb, to come up with the perfect look for Monster and the little boy who takes care of him.

We can't talk enough about how great of an illustrator Wendy is. Right away she had a ton of ideas for Monster, and sent us countless sketches. Here are a few of them:

We always knew from the text that Monster is big. He has an innocence about him, but he's definitely huge and has a significant presence in the room. So the one highlighted above seemed closest to what we were after: burly and big, but friendly. Working off of that description, we got to these (aren't they cute?):