Here Comes Paloozival!!

I’m finally getting a chance to write up a full post on Paloozival (Puh-loo-zi-vuh-l), our children’s lit event and library fundraiser on June 18. We’re pretty excited to have this be part of the library’s 10th Anniversary celebrations, because the library has never done anything on this scale before! 

Last February, after he had toured the elementary schools in East Penn, I had Eric Wight, author and illustrator of the Frankie Pickle books, come to the library for a program. Despite the sleet that began just an hour before the program, we had over 100 kids and about 50-60 parents show up for Eric’s program here. That number could have easily doubled if Mother Nature had cooperated!

This past fall, Eric and I began dreaming up something crazy and exciting that could turn into an annual children’s lit event here in the Lehigh Valley, and the rest, they say, is history. Paloozival was born. We made some changes along the way, but I’m excited at what we have to offer the kids of Lower Macungie Township and the Valley!

On June 18th from 1-4pm at The Swain School in Allentown, Brian Biggs, Amy Ignatow, David Lubar, Matt Phelan and Eric Wight will be joining forces for what will surely be an entertaining… er… performance?

I’m honestly not quite sure what all they have up their sleeves, but based on the emails I’ve seen going between them with the use of words like “mash-up” (think Whose Line is it Anyway? style ad-libbing of a story), and “ukulele duel”… I know it’ll be hilarious! One thing I love about children’s book people is they have such great personalities! So that’s the presentation.

There will also be a book store at the event run by Harleysville Books. We have information about the event and pre-ordering books on our website, here… you can go to Harleysville Books online to order OR you can print out a paper form (also available in-library). Pre-orders will only be accepted online or through mail by June 4. (That means mail out by June 3 if you're sending directly to the bookstore!) We will also accept the forms here at the library until June 4 (checks made out to Harleysville Books only!) Why do I mention the pre-ordering? A few reasons:

1. There’s no guarantee on which titles/quantity will be available the day of the event, so if you have a particular title, best to guarantee you get what you want,
2. It means you’ll get a signed book, which is a great addition to any kids library—your own kids, grandkids, nieces or nephews, friends’ kids. Even if you can’t make it to the event, you can pre-order books and they’ll be signed and available for pick-up at the library after the event, and 
3. Why purchase through Harleysville and not another bookseller or online? Because Harleysville has generously agreed to donate 20% of book sales to the library’s youth services department!!

I’ve attached all the fliers, but please let me know if you have any questions, or feel free to post comments if your children have read any of these authors or illustrators and enjoy them! I know that meeting a “real live author” is quite a memorable experience for a child, as well as owning a signed book! We'd love for this to be a success so that we can have a bigger and more ridiculously fun event next year! So please consider checking out Paloozival!!

About the Authors and Illustrators:

Brian Biggs, illustrator: Brownie & Pearl picture books (Cynthia Rylant); I’m a T-Rex, Roscoe Riley Rules chapter series (Katherine Applegate)

Amy Ignatow, author/illustrator: The Popularity Papers

David Lubar, author: Red Hot Pepper Weenies, Flip, Hidden Talents, True Talents ; Nathan Abercrombie, Accidental Zombie series

Matt Phelan, illustrator: Storm in the Barn; I’ll Be There (Ann Stott); Flora’s Very Windy Day (Jeanne Birdsall)

Eric Wight, author/illustrator: The Frankie Pickle books (You're able to pre-order the soon-to-be released 3rd Frankie Pickle adventure for the first time!!)