SEUSS Awards: SEUSS Choice Award

Hooray! The Day the Crayons Quit is the winner of the First Annual SEUSS Awards Choice Picture Book! Drew Daywalt and Oliver Jeffers are quite the team!

Want to share your appreciation for their work? Reach out to Drew and Oliver on Twitter @drewdaywalt & @oliverjeffers

Thanks for your participation and votes! We can't wait for the 2014 Picture Books to be every bit as wonderful as the past year's!

SEUSS AWARDS: Best Story Content

Congratulations to The Snatchabook! Helen and Thomas Docherty are the winners of the First Annual SEUSS Award for Best Story Content.

Interested in keeping up with the authors or congratulating them for their work? Reach out to them on Twitter @docherty_helen. 

Stop back tomorrow when we reveal the winner of the overall victor: the SEUSS Choice Award! 

SEUSS Awards: Best Illustration

Congratulations! Journey is the winner of Best Illustration in the First Annual SEUSS Awards!

Want to congratulate Aaron Becker? You can do so by following him on Twitter and letting him know you love his work! @storybreathing

Check back tomorrow morning to see who takes the cake for Best Story Content!

SEUSS Awards: Best Read Aloud

Congratulations and a big round of applause! Tea Rex is the winner of Best Read Aloud in the First Annual SEUSS Awards! 

Want to congratulate the author? Tell her how wonderful it is on twitter @MollyIdle

Stop back in tomorrow to see who gets the Best Illustrated award!

Thanks again for all your votes!

            

                    

                                                      

Springing Forward Into Celebration

Spring is nature's way of saying, 'Let's party!' 

- Robin Williams

Spring is the best season, and I will have none of your rabble rousing about "opinions" vs. "fact". It's simply the truth. Spring is full of flowers, warming weather, the freedom from boots, and my birthday. Spring is truly the best season.

But you're not here to hear me talk about those boring things, you want to know about books. Well fear not, because spring is also a great season for books. Full of great awards like our very own SEUSS Awards, birthdays celebrated by the likes of Ezra Jack Keats, Lois Lowry, and Shakespeare. Most importantly, spring is full of celebrations of the written word and the infrastructure in place to share it. Let me briefly acquaint you with some of the best, or my favorite, springtime celebrations of books and those who love them.

SEUSS Awards: Best Character

Congratulations! Unicorn Thinks He's Pretty Great is the winner of Best Character in the First Annual SEUSS Awards! 

Want to congratulate the author? Tell him how great his book is on Twitter @bobshea

Check back tomorrow morning to see who takes the cake for Best Read Aloud! 

Thanks for all your votes!

Calling all Small Business Supporters - You're ALWAYS Needed

Yesterday, I was inspired by the PW Shelftalker blog "It's More Than Shopping Local." It was full of passion for independent stores, not just bookstores, but all locally owned stores. I read every day about how bricks and mortar stores are being pushed out of their space or forced to close because some big business has either bought out their space or bought out their customers. I feel pain when I see that happen, but then I also read stories about new stores that are able to open or stores that are able to increase in size, and I love how exciting that is (especially for bookstores)!

Just yesterday I read The Bookstore in the Grove's story in Coconut Grove, FL, of being pushed out of their great retail space and into a much lower traffic purchasing location. What a nerve wracking move, but with amazing and loyal support they have continued to be a part of their community. I also have been keeping up on the potential closing of Chapter 2 Books in Hudson, WI, and their final great announcement of finding a new space and being able to stay open. So many people have offered to help them move - what a great community!

I love these stories, and the majority of people do, so why don't we do more to support local? "It's easier to shop online." "I know the larger store has exactly what I need." How many excuses can we give?  There are just as many reasons to support our small businesses, and much better ones at that. To name a few:

• Your community will remain unique
• You'll help create jobs
• You'll receive amazing customer service
• Your taxes will be put to good use

Small businesses are always in need of their supporters, so we at Scarletta encourage you to make the pledge: #PledgetoShopLocal. It doesn't matter what business it is... grab fruits & veggies at your local farmer's markets, sip the beverages at your local coffee shops, purchase gifts at local boutiques, and definitely buy your next read at your local indie bookstore. You'll be creating community, and supporting your neighbors!

Small business owners do amazing things every day to give back to their community (I should know, my dad is one). So now it's time for us to give back to them. Let the world know when you are supporting local, and encourage others to do the same.

I'll leave you with the words of Josie Leavitt's inspiring PW blog: "Be preemptive and shop where the passion lives on the shelves every day."