11.15.2017: Free Books for Schools in Need

UPDATE (11.19.2017): Thanks to all of you who helped spread the word about these donations! The response has been overwhelming--I've already promised to send far more books than I originally budgeted to buy. I am going to fill all requests that have already come in (approximately 900 books), but unfortunately now I need to start turning new requests down. If you'd like to be among the first to know about future giveaways and other book news, please sign up for my newsletter (see sidebar).

This fall, I'm hoping to donate copies of the Anna, Banana chapter books and my picture book The Teacher's Pet to high-poverty public elementary schools* (meaning either Title I or schools where more than 70% of the students qualify for free or reduced-price meals). If that's your school, please be in touch! And if you know of a school in need, please encourage a teacher, librarian, or administrator there to reach out to me. My email is anicamroserissi at gmail dot com.

In the final weeks of 2016, I sent more than four hundred books to schools in twenty-three states. I hope to donate even more books this year.

If you're inclined to share this post to help spread the word, please do. You'll also find the below graphic in shareable form on my Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, and Twitter accounts. Thank you!

*U.S. schools only, due to shipping costs. Giveaway ends December 15, 2017.

The Anna, Banana chapter books are best for students in grades 1-4. For more information about the series, please click here. The Teacher's Pet, illustrated by Zachariah OHora, is best for students in Pre-K through graduate school. For more information about the book, including reviews and a peek inside, please click here.

3.31.2017: Book news! More Bananas

March comes in like a lion, goes out like Bananas....

I'm pleased as punch to get to write two more books in the Anna, Banana series (books seven and eight!). Thank you to all the readers, teachers, librarians, booksellers, and parents whose support is making this possible. And thanks to illustrator Meg Park, editrix Alexa Pastor, agent Meredith Kaffel Simonoff, designer Laurent Linn, and the whole fabulous team at Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. I'm having a lot of fun creating these stories and can't wait to see where the adventures lead next!

Here's the official announcement from Publishers Marketplace:

The first four books in the series will soon be available in Danish as well. Here are the covers for the first two translations, coming from Carlsen publishers in May 2017. Google tells me the titles translate to "Enemies" and "One, Two, Many." Please tell all your friends in Denmark!

There's still time to preorder book five, Anna, Banana, and the Little Lost Kitten, which comes out in hardcover, paperback, and ebook on May 2nd. You can find it online at Amazon, B&N, Indiebound, Target, BAM, and iTunes, or ask for it at your local bookstore or library. Thanks for your support! Here's Rooga reviewing the first typeset pages:

11.13.2016: Free Books for High-Poverty Schools

This fall, I'm hoping to donate Anna, Banana chapter books to high-poverty public elementary schools* (meaning either Title I or schools where more than 70% of the students qualify for free or reduced-price meals). If that's your school, please be in touch! My email is anicamroserissi at gmail dot com.

Last year, I sent 159 books to 53 schools in 21 states and the District of Columbia. I'd love to send out even more this year.

If you're inclined to share this post to help spread the word, please do. You'll also find it in shareable form on my Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts. Thank you!

*U.S. schools only, due to shipping costs.

The Anna, Banana chapter books are best for students in grades 1-4. For more information about the series, please click here.

5.5.2016: Happy Birthday, Little Book!

This calls for cake.

One year ago today, my first book was born. I've been celebrating all week by making up new stories with the creative kids in the Princeton Young Achievers program—and by eating chocolate cake with pink vanilla frosting (Anna and Sadie's favorite). Thank you to all the readers, booksellers, librarians, educators, parents, and friends who made this such a fun year for Anna, Banana, and me.

If you've been waiting for Anna, Banana, and the Friendship Split to be cheaper and more bendable, wait no longer! It is now out in paperback. Here are some of the places you can find it: Indiebound, Amazon, B&N, BAM.  

I just sent the manuscript for Anna, Banana, and the Little Lost Kitten (book five) to my editor. I'm excited for you all to read it. But first: revisions (and more cake). 

3.17.2016: Five Schools in Five Days

Snapshots from a Whirlwind Tour

Talking with kids about books and writing is one of my favorite parts of being an author, and I was lucky to spend last week visiting five elementary schools in the D.C. area, where I met hundreds of fantastic kid readers. Thank you to all the students, librarians, and educators who welcomed Anna, Banana, and me into their schools and asked terrific questions. And thanks to An Open Book Foundation, which sponsored my visit to the Washington School for Girls, and to local independent bookstore One More Page Books, which provided books at the other schools. 

If you’re interested in having me visit your school, I'd be delighted to try to make it work. Please see the newly updated school visits page for more information. 

Here are a few snapshots from the tour!

2.3.2016: More Bananas! and the Price of Promotion

Announcing...Anna, Banana, and the Little Lost Kitten!

I'm thrilled to share the news that there soon will be two more books in the Anna, Banana series. Up next: Anna, Banana, and the Little Lost Kitten. I can't wait to see the cover art! (But first I have to write the book.)

Here's the official announcement from Publishers Marketplace. I'm lucky to continue working with the fabulous team behind the first four books: editrix Kristin Ostby, agent Meredith Kaffel Simonoff, illustrator Meg Park, and art director Laurent Linn.

Click on the image above to open a PDF of the article.

Click on the image above to open a PDF of the article.

I have a new piece in the March issue of The Writer magazine, called the Price of Promotion. In it, I share what I did to help promote my debut novel (Anna, Banana, and the Friendship Split), and what it cost, in time and money. I hope other writers will find it useful. (Click on the image to open a PDF.)

Anna, Banana, and the Friendship Split recently went into its third printing. THANK YOU to all the booksellers, librarians, teachers, and readers who helped make this happen!

12.8.2015: One True Rule (and Other Numbers)

1 True Rule of Writing, 10 New Pages of Fun, 150 Book Donations, and a 5-Book Giveaway

I reveal the One True Rule of writing—and the inspiration behind Anna, Banana, and the Friendship Split—in the January issue of The Writer magazine, on newsstands now. It's their annual children's and YA issue, so there's lots of great kid-lit content inside. My essay is also published on the magazine's website, under a slightly different title. Here's the link.

If you're in the mood for some games, challenges, puzzles, and coloring sheets, please check out the brand new Anna, Banana activity kit. It's free, fun, and printable! 

Only six weeks to go before Anna, Banana, and the Puppy Parade marches into a bookstore near you. It's available for pre-order in all the usual places, and there's a five-copy giveaway happening on Goodreads now through January 19th. 

Speaking of giveaways, thank you to all who helped spread the word about my Anna, Banana donations endeavor. I got a fantastic response from teachers and school librarians across the country, and there are now 150 Anna, Banana books en route to 50 high-poverty schools in 21 states. The thought of Anna and Banana meeting so many new friends makes me grin ear to ear. I hope these books will make the kids smile, too.

10.22.2015: Bananas in the Classroom

Scholastic! Squeeeee!

I'm not sure who's more excited—third-grade me or grown-up me—to see Anna, Banana, and the Friendship Split in this month's Scholastic Reading Club flyers, but it's definitely a dream come true. Thank you, Scholastic! And thanks to the wonderful sub-rights team at S&S that made this happen. 

4th Grade Scholastic Reading Club flyer, October 2015 

4th Grade Scholastic Reading Club flyer, October 2015 

Lucky Scholastic Reading Club flyer, October 2015

Lucky Scholastic Reading Club flyer, October 2015

AnnaBananaScholasticReadingClubs.jpg

Teachers and parents, you'll find Anna, Banana in the Lucky and 4th Grade flyers. 

Doesn't it look nice as a paperback?

9.22.2015: Festival Fun

I 💙 Book Lovers

One of my favorite parts of being an author is getting to meet and talk with kid readers, fellow authors, and other book lovers. I've been lucky to do several fun festivals and events in the past few months. Here's a photo tour of where I've been. 

If you would like me to visit your elementary school or library this fall or winter, either in-person or via Skype, please be in touch! I love talking with kids about books and the writing process, from ideas to drafts to revisions, and beyond. 

Reading and workshop at the Newburyport Literary Festival in Newburyport, MA (April)

Book release party at Hooray for Books! in Alexandria, VA (May)

Reading at the Stonington Public Library in Stonington, ME (August)

Children's Parade at the Decatur Book Festival in Decatur, GA (September)

Moderating the What a Character! panel with authors Lenore Look (Alvin Ho), Abby Hanlon (Dory Fantasmagory), and Jon Scieszka (Frank Einstein) at the Brooklyn Book Festival in Brooklyn, NY (September)

Joint book release party with author Terra Elan McVoy (Drive Me Crazy) at Little Shop of Stories in Decatur, GA (May)

Book release party at BookCourt in Brooklyn, NY (May)

Welcome signs at the Decatur Book Festival in Decatur, GA (September)

Best Friends Forever! panel with authors Terra Elan McVoy (Drive Me Crazy) and Abby Hanlon (Dory Fantasmagory), moderated by Tui Sutherland (Wings of Fire), at the Decatur Book Festival in Decatur, GA (September)

Autographed copies of the Anna, Banana books on display in bookstores throughout New York City and in Princeton, NJ, Decatur, GA, and Waterbury, CT (May-September)

Thanks to all the terrific bookstores, libraries, festivals, and schools that have welcomed Anna, Banana, and me so far—and a huge thank you to the friends and fans who've come out to see us. I look forward to meeting more of you soon!