Chicken Butt - World Traveler!

In case you did not know, our pal Chicken Butt! has taken his ample personality on the road and has charmed folks in all sorts of places.  Like where, you ask?  Well...

Minneapolis (above), where he's hanging out with two of the cutest brothers in town!!!

Nashville (To visit a First Book warehouse full of books!  He loves books!)

and, of course, one of his favorite places to roost:

New York City!!!  Doesn't he look like a Macy's parade balloon here?  Hmm, now there's an idea...

Send photos of Chicken Butt! in action and I will post them here.  From what I understand, he's on the road again.  I heard a rumor he might be flying to Chicago, Denmark and maybe even Bangladesh!  Though he's mildly concerned about how his health will fare if he agrees to that last destination.

All Ages!

Here's proof, from the teens of Culpeper County Library, that Chicken Butt! works for all ages:

Why limit yourself?

Halloween is so much fun that I say: why limit yourself to one costume?  This year, I donned two festive  costumes.  First, the office costume at First Book:

and then on the big night itself, the neighborhood costume:

This being Washington, DC, the wonkiness of this costume was highly appreciated.  We are Fannie Mae and the TARP.  And let me just tell you that while nothing induces daughter drama like mom marching around with a prosthetic posterier, we all ended up having a great time goofing it up in the hood.  And we have the sugar haul to prove it!

Alas, back to reality yesterday and today.  Vote everybody, OK?  And if you live in DC, please join me in writing in FENTY for mayor.  What can I say?  Hope springs eternal.

Chicken Butt for Trailie

So much news to share (trip to Minneapolis!  trip to New York! new books on the way!), but for now I'm going to stick to one VERY exciting thing:

A terrific video for Chicken Butt is a finalist for a School Library Journal Trailie Award!!!  I love this video because it is so cute and funny AND because it was made by a talented librarian in Oklahoma with help from a first grader and a gym teacher!  How cool is that?  How worthy of a win?  Right?  Vote daily!

Here's the video:

And you can vote for it right HERE.  If for any reason you can't view this video (like you teach in a district that blocks youtube and vimeo), SLJ has kindly set up alternative viewing arrangement HERE.

Dotty for NYC!

I love New York and so does Dotty.

And based on this terrific review by NYPL librarian and School Library Journal blogger extraordinaire, Betsy Bird, the feeling seems to be mutual.  The New York Times may think that picture books are dead, but we're here to tell them we're not dead yet.  Who's with us???

And furthermore, did any of you eagle eyes notice a certain spotted pal in that NYT photo?  Take a look, upper right hand side:

Yup, Dotty made the New York Times!

So, we're celebrating our mutual affection next Saturday, 10/16/10 at Books of Wonder, 18 West 18th Street, NY, NY and you're all invited!  Bring kids, bring family, bring yourselves, and bring friends - real and imaginary!