Brooklyn Museum Children's Book Fair TODAY!

Come to the Brooklyn Museum Children's Book Fair TODAY from 12-4pm!

Meet lots of Brooklyn authors and illustrators and get signed books! There will be stories and activities and other fun things for kids all day long. I'll be there signing BIG MEAN MIKE and other books — come by and say hello!

Rochester Children's Book Festival!

The wonderful Rochester Children's Book Festival is happening tomorrow, November 10, at Monroe Community College in Rochester, NY! I've been going to this festival for more than a decade and it is always super fun and awesome. It runs from 10am to 4pm, and there are readings and activities and fun all day long! Talk to some amazing authors and illustrators, get some signed books, pick up free goodies (mini monster trucks! bunny pens! temporary tattoos!) and lots, lots more!

The festival is free and open to the public, and features authors and illustrators of books for children, middle graders, and teens. Click the link above for more info. I hope to see you there!

Online auction to benefit Red Cross and those affected by Hurricane Sandy

Author Kate Messner has organized Kidlit Cares, an online auction to benefit the Red Cross and people affected by Hurricane Sandy. Auction items include school skype vists with authors, manuscript critiques by authors and agents, artist portfolio critiques, writing retreats, and much more. Please scroll through to see everything being offered (note that different items have different auction end dates), and please spread the word!

Click here to read more about Kidlit Cares and to access the full list of auction items.

Click here to bid on my contribution to the auction: a picture book manuscript critique. It's Auction #22, and the deadline is November 12!

Brooklyn Book Festival!

I'll be signing BIG MEAN MIKE at the Brooklyn Book Festival this Sunday, September 23, from 2-3pm. Come find me at WORD's booth (#151), get a signed book, and say hello!

Come to my party!

The official launch party for my new picture book, Big Mean Mike, is happening this Saturday, September 15! And you should come, because there will be books and snacks and cupcakes and mini monster trucks and other fun things. Here are all the deets:

Who: YOU and all your friends and your kids and your friends' kids (and your kids' friends, and their parents and cousins and aunts and uncles and grandparents)


What: BIG MEAN MIKE launch party and reading and book signing

When: Saturday, September 15, 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.

Where: WORD in Greenpoint, Brooklyn

Why: Because it will be a good time, and you will be supporting an awesome independent bookstore, (and also, you know, me), and you will hear a fun story, and you can even get some early holiday shopping done, because hey, who doesn't like a signed, personalized book? NO ONE. That's who.

I'll be reading the story around 4:30 p.m., and all the rest of the time there will food and drinks and fun things like coloring activities for the young people and the young-at-heart people and anyone else who likes to color.

Facebook RSVP encouraged, but not required. Did I mention CUPCAKES AND MINI MONSTER TRUCKS?

Also, bunny pens.

You know you want to come.

So, yay! I can't wait to see you there! :)

Sarah and Michelle discuss picture books

Look, I'm in a video!

My wonderful editor Sarah Ketchersid and I talk about our favorite parts of creating picture books in this short video, which was featured today as part of Candlewick's We Believe in Picture Books celebration! You can also see it right here:

I hope you like it, and I hope you visit ReadingStartsHere.com often, because Candlewick will be posting a new video every day through August 2013! Authors, illustrators, editors, librarians, readers, and other book-loving friends share favorite stories, reveal behind-the-scenes info, and talk about why picture books matter.

Princeton Children's Book Festival - Sept 8!

Please join me and more than 70 other children's book authors and illustrators at the 7th Annual Princeton Children's Book Festival next Saturday, September 8! This free event runs from 11am to 4pm, and includes readings, book signings, music, activities and more. Click here for a list of all the authors and illustrators who will be there, along with the presentation schedule, directions, and other information.

And if you're in the NYC area, I hope to see you the following Saturday, September 15, at the Big Mean Mike party at WORD in Greenpoint, Brooklyn! Facebook RSVP encouraged but not required: http://www.facebook.com/events/467697863249816/.

BIG MEAN MIKE!

Hooray! It's pub day for my new picture book Big Mean Mike!

I'm so excited for this story to be out in the world at last. And so grateful to illustrator Scott Magoon for his absolutely perfect amazing wonderful fabulous artwork! I would try to describe it here for you, but there is no way I could do it justice. You must see it. MUST. Because Mike is awesome. And the bunnies. OMG THE BUNNIES. That is all I will say at this time.

I'll be having a book party for Big Mean Mike next month, on September 15, at WORD in Brooklyn. I would love to see as many people there as possible! More details to come. For now, please help me celebrate the official release with good thoughts and best wishes for Mike and his friends. Purchases of multiple copies of the book from your local independent bookstore are also a great way to celebrate! ;)

BIG MEAN MIKE pre-order drive and book party!

For a limited time only, pre-order a signed, personalized copy of my new picture book, BIG MEAN MIKE!

Between now and August 7, you can pre-order my new book from WORD in Brooklyn, and I will sign it, and they will either:

• send it to you the week of the book’s release on August 14!

or

• hold it for you to pick up in person at the BIG MEAN MIKE BOOK PARTY on September 15!

Some important things:

1. You only have about a week to place your order! Only orders received by August 7 will be able to be signed and personalized in time for mailing.
2. If you want the book personalized (e.g., “For Margaret” or “Happy birthday, Uncle Len!”), just let us know in the comments field when you order.
3. If you’d like to pick up your pre-ordered copy in person at the BIG MEAN MIKE BOOK PARTY on September 15 instead of having it shipped to you the week of August 14, please mention that in the comments field, too.
4. Feel free to order some of my other books at the same time! :)

Here is a handy link for ordering:  http://www.wordbrooklyn.com/michelle-knudsen

More information on the book party to come soon, but I can tell you that it will be at WORD in Greenpoint, Brooklyn on Saturday, September 15, from 4–6pm, and also that it will be very fun and if you live in the NYC area, you should come! Children are welcome and encouraged. Some of my other books (Library Lion, Argus, The Dragon of Trelian, The Princess of Trelian) will also be available for purchase/signing at the party.

Stay tuned for more info. In the meantime, feel free to post questions below or email me through my website.

We Believe in Picture Books!

Get ready for a year-long celebration of picture books with Candlewick's wonderful collection of videos featuring authors, illustrators, publishing professionals, readers, teachers, librarians, and more! This trailer gives a taste of what's to come. 

My editor Sarah and I recorded a we-believe-in-picture-books video at BEA, which will be among those shown during the celebration at some point. :)  

Princess Spotting

Spotted on display at the East Meadow Public Library by my awesome BFF Jen:

Marc Tyler Nobleman presents awesome gallery of authors/illustrators dressed as superheroes

Ok, you must go and look at this right now:

Noblemania: Authors/illustrators dressed as superheroes

BIG MEAN MIKE p.s.

Also, THANK YOU so much to everyone who waited on line at BEA to get an early, signed copy of BIG MEAN MIKE! It meant a lot to see people getting excited about the book, and I hope you all enjoy the story.

There were many teachers and librarians among you, and I especially love the thought of signed copies of MIKE going back to your schools and libraries to be shared with others in those communities. (Of course, I am also happy to think of books going back to individual homes to be shared with children and grandchildren and given as gifts, too!)

You can see a few photos from BEA on my Facebook page.

PW review of BIG MEAN MIKE!

Hooray! Publishers Weekly reviewed BIG MEAN MIKE on June 4. My favorite line:

"Knudsen (Argus) offers an uncompromisingly macho version of the defend-your-friends theme, and its cultural references (combat boots, gym membership) and the inherent humor in seeing the bunnies charm their way into Mike’s heart will keep readers attentive—and laughing."

You can see the whole review here.

MIKE hits stores on August 14, 2012. Stay tuned for special pre-order info!

Library Lion Wordle Fun!

Know what's awesome? Wordles. Here is Library Lion, in Wordle form:

BIG MEAN MIKE!

Look! It is the awesome, awesome cover to my forthcoming picture book, BIG MEAN MIKE, illustrated by the wonderful and amazing Scott Magoon:

The good news is that Scott Magoon is, as previously stated, wonderful and amazing, and the illustrations throughout are SO GOOD I CANNOT EVEN TELL YOU. The slightly-less-good news is that you have to wait until August 14 to get this book. BUT! There will possibly be an opportunity to pre-order a signed copy (stay tuned), and some of you will get to see MIKE sooner at BEA, if you come to my signing on June 6.

In the meantime, you should be reading The Princess of Trelian.

NYC book signing May 12!

I'll be signing books with other authors at the fabulous Books of Wonder next Saturday, May 12, from noon to 2pm. Come get signed copies of The Dragon of Trelian and/or The Princess of Trelian, meet other authors and check out their books, and support a great NYC independent bookstore! 

You can see full event info here. I've also started an event page on Facebook, if you'd like to RSVP (not necessary, but it would be great to know if you're coming!).

If you can't make it, you can still order a signed book through the store, and I'll sign it on the day of the event.

Library Lion in Ireland!

A friend spotted Library Lion on the "staff picks" shelf at The Gutter Bookshop in Dublin, Ireland. Yay!

Get a signed copy of THE PRINCESS OF TRELIAN! (And, if you hurry, a free copy of The Dragon of Trelian, too!)

Pre-order THE PRINCESS OF TRELIAN from WORD bookstore on or before April 6 and you'll receive a signed, personalized copy the week of the official book release (April 10). Just let them know when you order (see link below for details) whether you want the book personalized (i.e., signed to someone in particular) or just signed and dated. Then, when the books arrive, I will zip over to the store and sign your book before they mail it out to you.

PLUS! The first 10 people to pre-order THE PRINCESS OF TRELIAN starting Tuesday, March 6, will get a free trade paperback edition of The Dragon of Trelian to go with it!

Here is the link: www.wordbrooklyn.com/michelle-knudsen

Special thanks to the ever-awesome WORD bookstore and my also-ever-awesome publisher Candlewick Press for setting up this promotion. I'm looking forward to signing books for everyone who pre-orders, and I'm extra excited that 10 of you will get FREE COPIES of the first book! If you haven't already read book 1, this is your chance to get both books at once. And if you have already read the first one, this is your chance to give it to some nice friend of yours who you think will like it, too! :)

Special PRINCESS OF TRELIAN pre-order promotion!

Starting this Tuesday, for a limited time, pre-order THE PRINCESS OF TRELIAN and get a free copy of The Dragon of Trelian!

The ever-awesome WORD bookstore will give a free trade paperback edition of the first Trelian novel, The Dragon of Trelian, to the first 10 people who pre-order book 2, THE PRINCESS OF TRELIAN, starting this Tuesday, March 6! I'll post the pre-order link here and on my website late tomorrow night.

Special thanks to my also-ever-awesome publisher, Candlewick Press, for partnering with WORD for this promotion. I'm excited that 10 of you will get free copies of the first book! If you haven't already read book 1, this is your chance to get both books at once. And if you have already read the first one, this is your chance to give it to some nice friend of yours who you think will like it, too!

Boulevard Books & Cafe, This Weekend!

Come see me at Boulevard Books & Cafe this Saturday, January 28! (This is a rescheduling of last week's event, which was postponed due to the snow.)

I'll be reading Argus and Library Lion, signing books (both picture books plus The Dragon of Trelian), and there will also be fun activities for kids!

NEW DATE: Saturday, January 28, 2012
11:00am
Boulevard Books & Cafe LLC
7518 13th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11228-2410

Facebook invite: http://www.facebook.com/events/179336918832486/
(RSVP not required, but it would be great to know if you're coming!)

It's probably not a good sign...

...when you start googling "how to figure out plot points."

Sigh.

Boulevard Books & Cafe Event Postponed

Hi guys - just a quick note to say that my event today at Boulevard Books & Cafe has been postponed due to the snowy weather. It's now next Saturday, January 28. Would love to see you there!

Reading (Argus and Library Lion), book signing (both picture books plus The Dragon of Trelian), and fun activities (coloring! clay! eggs! dragons! yay!)

NEW DATE: Saturday, January 28, 2012

11:00am
Boulevard Books & Cafe LLC

7518 13th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11228-2410

VLOG needs you

Some of you out there know that one of my favorite non-writing activities is performing in community theater productions of Gilbert & Sullivan operettas. The group I perform with in NYC is The Village Light Opera Group — a wonderful organization that has been around for more than 75 years, bringing G&S as well as other plays, musicals, and theatrical offerings to the NYC community.


Like many other theater organizations, we rely greatly on contributions from theater-loving folks to keep our group going. Recently, VLOG was fortunate enough to receive a matching grant from a very generous donor, who has pledged to match every dollar we raise by January 31, 2012 up to $10,000.


If you love theater, or Gilbert & Sullivan, or community organizations, or tax deductions, or me, I hope you will consider helping us to meet our goal! Even a small amount would be greatly appreciated, and the website is set up to accept donations starting as low as $5.00. You can donate online here, and can also send donations by mailing a check to:


Village Light Opera Group
PO Box 143
Village Station, NY 10014


Thank you! :)