Mr. Pig LIVE… with LITTLE BLUE BUS!

Greetings, race fans! Today on MR. PIG LIVE! we have a very special guest. Put your giant foam hands together for...

LITTE BLUE BUS!

<<Whistles>> <<Applause>>

She's the star of the all-new high octane Halloween picture book, MONSTER TRUCKS, from Anika Denise and Nate Wragg!


Before we begin, let's play the trailer. . .


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MP: Wow! I'm on the edge of my seat!  
LBB: Yup. That's how I roll.

MP: Let's get right to it. What is your full name? 
LBB: Little. Blue. Bus.

MP: What one word best describes you?
LBB: I've been told I'm quite perky.

MP: Do you have a belly button?
LBB: No, but I have a round hood ornament, does that count? It's an audi. *snort*

MP: What is the best thing about being you?
LBB: 0 to 60 in 7.1 seconds

MP: What is the worst thing about being you?
LBB: My turning radius leaves a little to be desired.

MP: If you were stranded on a desert island, what would you bring?
LBB: Four spare tires and a trunk full of gas cans.

MP: What is your idea of the perfect day?
LBB: Can I say my perfect night? (I'm a bit of a night-bus.) Alone… on the speedway… with the wind at my taillights.

MP: If you could have any superpower, what would it be?
LBB: Hmm, I was going to pick invisibility, but then no one would see me cross the finish line. So I'll go with flying. I'd be unstoppable with some wings and a jet engine!

MP: What are you reading right now?
LBB: Winning by Jack Welch.

MP: What's your favorite sound?
LBB: Crowds cheering!

MP: What's your least favorite sound?
LBB: Werewolf Truck's howl. *shiver*

MP: Share one thing that most of our readers don’t know about you.
LBB: Well, I do have this one big secret… but if I told you, it would be a spoiler.

MP: Fair enough. If you could dine with three characters from other books, who would they be?
LBB: That Little Blue Truck seems nice. I've heard the garbage truck from I Stink is a barrel of laughs. And I bet I'd have loads in common with the race car in Race Car Dreams.

MP: If you have a pocket, what's in it right now? 
LBB: No pockets, but there are some mints in my glovebox. Help yourself.

MP: Don't mind if I do. What is your most embarrassing moment?
LBB: The time I tooted in line for gasoline.

MP: Do you have a pet peeve?
LBB: Peeve? Is he here? That's Ghost Truck's third cousin. He's always hanging around.

MP: What was it like working with Anika Denise?
LBB: She's a little like a mad scientist. But I mean that in the best possible way.

MP: Well, that's a wrap, as they say. Read more about MONSTER TRUCKS and its mad scientist creators below. Then join us for a scrumptious MONSTER TRUCKS Literary Lunch, made by Nina from Mamabelly! 

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MONSTER TRUCKS
by Anika Denise
illustrated by Nate Wragg
(Harper, 2016) 

★ “Full-throttle Halloween fun.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“In the energetic rhyming text…the action never stops." —The Horn Book

“Sure to get cheering children on the edges of their seats...monster-truck fans won’t want to miss this Halloween showdown.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Bright, bold illustrations bring characters like Zombie Truck, Frankentruck, and Werewolf Truck to life....with lots of movement in the text and on the pages, this is a quick seasonal storytime selection that is sure to be popular around Halloween. Monstrous fun!” —School Library Journal

Anika Denise is the author of several critically acclaimed books for young readers including her latest, MONSTER TRUCKS, which Publisher’s Weekly pronounced, “a mash up made in heaven (or maybe hell)” in a recent starred review. When not writing tales of vroom and doom, Anika can be found zipping around her hometown of Barrington, Rhode Island in her monster minivan, or reading not-so-scary stories with her husband and three kids. Visit her online at www.anikadenise.com or on Twitter @AnikaDenise.

Nate Wragg is the illustrator of TOO MANY COOKS by Margaret McNamara, GOLDI ROCKS AND THE THREE BEARS by Corey Rosen Schwartz and Beth Coulton, and AT THE OLD HAUNTED HOUSE by Helen Ketteman, among other titles. He’s an art director, an illustrator, and now a monster truck expert. Nate lives in Southern California with his beautiful wife and their wonderful daughter. To learn more about Nate's work visit http://n8wragg.blogspot.com.

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A MONSTER TRUCKS LITERARY LUNCH

prepared by Mamabelly Lunches with Love!

Meet Little Blue Bus from MONSTER TRUCKS, written by Anika Denise and illustrated by Nate Wragg. Little Blue Bus is "perky and cute" so what is she doing in the Monster Truck Race? Find out in this delightful kids' book with a surprising twist!

Nina from Mamabelly made a frightful lunch to match:

• MONSTER TRUCKS vanilla yogurt with chocolate decoration
• frightful mac'n'cheese puff creatures of the night
• a Little Blue Bus sandwich with jelly, (s)cream cheese and chocolate

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Want more fun literary lunch ideas? Follow Mamabelly here:

* web: www.mamabelly.com

* facebook: www.facebook.com/MamabellysLunchesWithLove

* twitter: @LunchesWithLove

Cover Reveal. . . Monster Trucks!

This is a treat! Today, we get to debut the cover of MONSTER TRUCKS (Harper Childrens, 7/12/16), a new picture book by Cottager, Anika Denise, illustrated by Nate Wragg!

Ready, set, go! The monster truck race is on in this frightfully delightful picture book.  On a spooky speedway, Monster Trucks moan! Monster Trucks grumble! Monster Trucks groan!

Join Frankentruck, Zombie Truck, Ghost Truck, and more as they race to the finish line. But one of these trucks isn’t quite who you think.

That sounds fun! 

Here's what Anika and Nate said about creating this book:

"I've always wanted to write a Halloween book, since Halloween is my favorite holiday. This one started out as a little scribble of an idea in a notebook, and then, the words came. I hope kids enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it." —Anika Denise

"I felt like I was getting to draw everything my five year old self would have loved to have seen and read about in a book. The whole experience was a blast for me." —Nate Wragg

Vroom, vroom! MONSTER TRUCKS will be racing into bookstores and libraries in summer 2016!

Mr. Pig Live! . . . with Goldi Rocks

Hello! Welcome to a rocking episode of Mr. Pig Live! I'm your host, Mr. Pig, and today I'll be interviewing my favorite singer--Goldi Rocks! We listen to her songs all the time here at the Cottage. 

Welcome, Goldi Rocks! Is that your real name?

“Rocks’ is a stage name, of course.

What three words best describe you?

Inquisitive, spunky, and adventurous

What is the best thing about being you?

I’ve got the X factor.  

What is the worst thing about being you?

It is SO hard to find clothes. Everything I try on is too scratchy or too loose or too tight. 

If you were stranded on a desert island, what would you bring? 

My microphone and karaoke machine so I could sing! And chocolate-covered pretzels. Not too sweet. Not too salty. Heaven. 

What is your favorite sound?

My own voice. Just kidding. The sound of applause.

What is your least favorite sound?
Those pitchy pigs! 

Ahem. You must be referring to my brothers. Anyway, what is your special talent? 
You mean other than singing?  Uh, let’s see. I have a pretty good sense of smell. And, oh, I am a great Rainbow Loomer!

From GOLDI ROCKS AND THE THREE BEARS.  Illustration copyright 2014 by Nate Wragg.

Indeed. When do you feel the happiest?

When I’m performing! I love being on stage! 

If you could dine with three characters from other books, who would they be?

Oh, gosh, does it have to be characters from books? I would kill to dine with Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul, and Simon Cowell! 

They would definitely give you a ticket to Hollywood. What is your pet peeve?

I can’t stand when my porridge is too hot, so I go play or something while its cooling, and when I get back, it is too cold! 

Me, too. Would you rather be able to fly or be invisible?
Fly. It would come in handy when we’re on tour. 

What was it like working with Corey Rosen Schwartz and Beth Coulton?

Well, Corey was a bit too controlling and Beth was a tad too accommodating. But overall . . . they rocked!

Thank you, Goldi! Please stick around for a just-right Goldi Rocks lunch, prepared especially for you by Nina from Mamabelly.com! It's not too hot, not too cold. 

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About the Book

GOLDI ROCKS AND THE THREE BEARS
Putnam (Feb. 2014)
ISBN 978-039925-685-1

"When the three bears leave in search of a soprano for their band, Goldi wanders into their cottage and discovers that Baby Bear’s mic is the perfect height, his headphones fit just right, and his piano is 'perfectly grand.' The bears have no luck finding a singer . . . and return to find Goldi asleep. After she awakens with a scream that hits high C, the bears recruit her. . . . Wragg’s mixed-media cartoons evoke vintage Golden Books, and . . .  his humorous flourishes match the mood of the storytelling." --Publishers Weekly 


About the Authors 

Corey Rosen Schwartz is the author of THE THREE NINJA PIGS and its upcoming follow-up NINJA RED RIDING HOOD, both illustrated by Dan Santat. Her singing is extremely pitchy, but she does hold Family Idol and X Factor events in her living room. To learn more about Corey, visit her website, www.coreyrosenschwartz.com.

 









Beth Coulton is a wife, mom, sister, writer and photographer who loves laughter and chocolate. A teacher by trade, she spent the last five years as an elementary school library assistant and quickly developed a passion for picture books. With three young adult children, a husband, and a large golden retriever (her furry fourth child), there is usually more than enough happening around her house to keep her from getting writer’s block. For more info, visit Beth at www.bethcoulton.com. 








About the Illustrator

Nate Wragg is a children's book illustrator, as well as an animator and art director in the animation industry. He's worked as an illustrator and designer on various hit movies, including Ratatouille, Toy Story 3, and Puss and Boots. Nate lives in Los Angeles, California. To see more of Nate's work, visit his blog: n8wragg.blogspot.com.

Literary Lunch

What happens when the three bears look for a lead singer but no one seems to fit just right? Find out in the new picture book Goldi Rocks and the Three Bears by Corey Rosen Schwartz and Beth Coulton, illustrated by Nate Wragg. It's a rocking good time!

To make sure Goldi Rocks's audition goes well, Nina from Mamabelly.com packed a lunch that rocks:

• a Goldi Rocks made from brown rice and refried beans, with golden spaghetti salad hair, ketchup cheeks, and nori details,
• and three bears practicing in a grape tomato, cucumber, and carrot forest.

Good Luck, Goldi!

Cottager News!

A quick round-up of what we've all been up to, when not bloggin' for The Little Crooked Cottage. :)

New Book Deals. . .

Cottager Kara LaReau just got a two-book deal for a chapter book series called THE INFAMOUS RATSOS! The books, about mischievous brothers (who happen to be rats), will be published by Candlewick Press. Read the deal announcement in Publishers Weekly. Congratulations Kara!

Anika Denise's MONSTER TRUCKS, a picture book about a Halloween race with monster trucks of every kind and a little blue bus that may not be what she appears to be, was acquired by Harper Children's. The talented Nate Wragg has signed on to illustrate. Read more about the deal on the Folio Jr. website. Congtratulations Anika and Nate!

New Representation. . .

Cottager Jamie Michalak has signed on with the fabulous Victoria Wells Arms of Wells Arms Literary! After twenty years on the editorial and publisher side of the business, Victoria has recently jumped the fence and opened her New York City-based agency, and we can't be more thrilled for her. You can read all about Victoria Wells Arms Literary here! Congratulations Jamie and Victoria! 

Upcoming Publications. . .

HUNG UP by Kristen Tracy will be released in hardcover on March 4th, 2014 (Simon Pulse).

Can you fall in love with a voice? This witty romance, told entirely through phone calls, chronicles the tale of a wrong number gone right.

It all started with a wrong number. The voicemails Lucy left on James's phone were meant for someone else - someone who used to have James's digits. But then when James finally answers and the two start to talk, a unique bond forms between the two teens.

Gradually Lucy and James begin to understand each other on a deeper level than anyone else in their lives. But when James wants to meet in person, Lucy is strangely resistant. And when her secret is revealed, he'll understand why…

NO SLURPING, NO BURPING! A Tale of Table Manners by Kara LaReau; illustrated by Lorelay Bové will be released March 4th, 2014 (Disney-Hyperion).

Evie and Simon always mind their manners. But sometimes, they have to mind their father's, too! In this humorous spin on manners books, two kids teach their father everything he needs to know about mealtime etiquette. Everything is going well, until a surprise visitor arrives for dinner! Will Father be able to remember all of Evie and Simon's lessons?

Awards and Reviews. . .

Jamie's latest Joe and Sparky book, JOE AND SPARKY GO TO SCHOOL, is a 2013 Cybils finalist in the Early Reader category! 

http://www.cybils.com/2013-finalists-easy-readers.html

Congratulations to Jamie and to all of the amazing finalists! (You can find a list of them here.) Winners will be announced next month.

HUNG UP by Kristen Tracy
March 4th, 2014 (Simon Pulse)

"In a narrative rendered entirely in voice mails, text messages and transcribed phone conversations, James and Lucy gradually go from strangers to romance.

Lucy starts it off by calling what she thinks is the customer-service number of a company she's ordered a plaque from, but it's actually James' new phone number. The company is defunct, and the order Lucy placed with such care is never going to arrive. Both Lucy and James live in Vermont and go to high school; Lucy's in Montpelier, and James lives in Burlington. Once they get past the initial confusion, their conversations are full of teasing, casual and funny. As the back and forth continues, more serious subjects gradually arise, and eventually they become confidants, more candid with each other in this mediated relationship than they might be in person. However, each of them has something that they hide from the other that their friends already know. And each does something that the other might consider unforgivable. How the friendship heals while the characters remain true to themselves is conveyed in the continuing encounters.

Appealing characters stand out in a quick read that is a lighthearted look at how real friendships develop, grow and deepen."

Finally, we'd all like to congratulate Mr. Pig on his well-deserved PIXIE for hosting Mr. Pig Live!  If you haven't heard of the PIXIE AWARDS, let's just say they're like The Golden Globes of The Enchanted Woods, which, as you know, is where The Little Crooked Cottage is located.

Mr. Pig's been a little hard to live with after winning this award... he wears sunglasses all the time and keeps calling everyone "babe," but we'll let him have his Hollywood moment. Congrats Mr. Pig!