Flying High

Laura Resau's young adult story, "Pitayas in the Hills" was published in the July/August 2004 issue of Cicada Magazine. It's about a young man trying to fit back into his life in rural southern Mexico and reconnect with his family after years of working in the United States.

The first three books in Marjorie Blain Parker's early reader series (Scholastic/Cartwheel Books) are now available. The playful, rhyming text of Hello, School Bus! celebrates riding the school bus, and the action-packed, rhyming text in Hello, Fire Truck! celebrates our firefighter heroes. Bright, simple illustrations by Bob Kolar guarantee lasting kid appeal. Hello, Freight Train! was released at the end of 2004.

Recent sales for Debbie Dadey include The Worst Name in Third Grade (Originally named Bridgett Butt), two more Swamp Monster in Third Grade books, three more Bailey School Kids books, and one more Ghostville Elementary book. Whistler's Hollow was selected as a 2004 Young Adults' Choice by the International Reading Association.

Jodi Gallegos' first poem was published by Wee Ones in the Sept. 2004 issue. It was a back-to-school poem entitled "School Begins."

Donita K. Paul signed the contract for the sequel to her fantasy novel Dragonspell. The new book, DragonQuest, is on the slate to be published June 2005 by WaterBrook, a division of Random House.

Eugene M. Gagliano received the International Reading Association's 2004 Wyoming State Literacy Award in October, and his middle-grade fiction book titled Falling Stars was released by Publish America.

Mary Peace Finley's third novel in her Santa Fe Trail Trilogy, Meadow Lark (Filter Press, 2003), was honored with the Colorado Book Award in the YA category. It also was a WILLA Award finalist.

Kathryn Totten's third book in the Storytime Crafts series went to press. Storytime Crafts Crazy Days (Highsmith Press) was scheduled to be in print December 2004.

Claudia Cangilla McAdam sold a piece to Cricket entitled "The Town Underground." It's a nonfiction article about the opal mining town of Coober Pedy, Australia, in which much of the population lives in cave homes. Publication date? In the words of the editors: "It's not unusual for an author to wait for two to three years for a manuscript to be scheduled for a specific issue."

Norma J. Livo's book, Bringing Out Their Best: Values Education and Character Development Through Traditional Tales, (Libraries Unlimited, a Division of Greenwood Publishing Group, 2003) was awarded the Storytelling World Award of National Storytelling Network, as well as the Specialty Writing Award by the Colorado Authors' League.

In June 2004 George C. Richardson published his second Juvenile Historical Fiction novel, titled American Privateer. This novel is set during the American Revolution when the Continental Congress commissioned privateers. Patrick Harrell, a young orphan, is recruited by Captain Robert Morton of the privateer Freeport as an apprentice seaman. During the next five months at sea Patrick must grow into an able seaman or end up back in Gloucester with no job or home. It is during the chase and attempted capture of several British merchant ships that Patrick discovers whether he has grown into an important member of the Freeport's crew.

Penny A. Zeller's nonfiction article, titled "Worse Than a Bad Hair Day," was published in the October 2004 issue of Brio Magazine. When the protagonist, Kaylee Williams, finds a swollen lump in her throat at the age of 13, it turns out to be cancer. Luckily for Kaylee, she doesn't have to go it alone, but has the devotion and loyalty of her friend, Kelly Siddle, to help her through her ordeal.

Pattie Schnetzler's picture book, Widdermaker, is a finalist for the Colorado Children's Choice Book Awards for 2005.

Jennifer Jas sold a short story to Primary Treasure magazine. This story about friendship and learning to ride a bike will be published in a future issue.

Denise Vega's middle grade novel, Click Here (To Find Out How I Survived Seventh Grade) , was picked up by both the Scholastic Book Club and the Scholastic Book Fair and will also be translated into Swedish. And to top it off, a picture book manuscript near and dear to her heart was recently acquired by her publisher, Little, Brown, so she is really celebrating!

In February Marilyn Bolchunos' retold folktale, "The Treasure in the Field, A Vietnamese Folktale", was published in Highlights For Children. In March "Taliesen, or The Three Magic Drops" was published in Cricket. In October "The Ax of Gilgamesh" was republished in Cricket, (having been published by them previously in 1998). "Taliesen" is a Welch tale, "Gilgamesh" is Babylonian. All are Bulchuno's retellings.

Vivian Dubrovin was chosen to present a story demonstration of one of the stories, "The Missing Peace Puzzle Piece," from her award-winning book, Storytelling Adventures: Stories Kids Can Tell. The presentation, "Helping Young Tellers Promote Peace," will be part of the Healing Through Story Conference in Minneapolis, MN, which took place in February.

Victoria Hanley's second YA fantasy novel, The Healer's Keep, was selected for the International Reading Association's 2004 Young Adults' Choices booklist. Healer's Keep is going to Russia as well as the UK, Germany, and Japan.