Scooping the Children’s Bookshelf
I go to a book release party and how can I not publish one of the cool pics from the event? Not long ago Melanie Hope Greenberg celebrated the release of her new picture book Mermaids on Parade at the bar/restaurant Superfine. Pictured here are Superfine’s manager Tanya Rynd, editor Tim Travaglini (a man who gives Roger Sutton’s bow ties a run for their money), and Melanie herself.
The book release consisted of original art, a display of real mermaid costumes and tails high on the wall, and mermaid tattoos applied with loving care by Brooklyn Public librarian Michael Santangelo.
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Note to other authors in this city: If I attend your book release party and you would like pictures of it up on this blog, send me a picture with the names of the people in the shot. The whole reason I don’t tend to do this sort of thing is because there’s always that one person in the image who I should know and have forgotten the name of. Public humiliation not being my preferred modus operandi, I like it when people do the hard work for me.
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About Betsy Bird
Betsy Bird is currently the Collection Development Manager of the Evanston Public Library system and a former Materials Specialist for New York Public Library. She has served on Newbery, written for Kirkus, and has done other lovely little things that she'd love to tell you about but that she's sure you'd find more interesting to hear of in person. Her opinions are her own and do not reflect those of EPL, SLJ, or any of the other acronyms you might be able to name. Follow her on BlueSky at: @fuse8.bsky.social
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Mermaid costumes and tattoos–love it!
Betsy, you are a doll! Your innovative blog is a breath of fresh air, connecting different parts of our kidlit business together, librarians, teachers, artists, writers, publishers, how refreshing! My work keeps me isolated but now I feel in a community with my colleagues. Thanks so very much. Long live MERMAIDS ON PARADE. Thanks to all the lovely librarians, publishing people, artists, writers, mermaids, family, Banks Street Books, and friends who showed up. Superfine even hired a tiki band for the occasion. Why? The Superfine crew star in the book; Tanya is the Blue Mermaid. We all just recently marched in the 2008 Mermaid Parade in Coney Island, the nation’s largest art parade. To keep the mermaid magic going I’ll be giving a FREE children’s program Sat 6/28 at Superfine from 1-2pm in Dumbo, Brooklyn. It’s for kids of All Ages. The book art and mermaid tails exhibition is up until July 6.
Hi Betsy! Sort of related here… my wife went to the Mermaid Parade in Coney Island last weekend. Photos on her blog:
sarahblankstudios.com/blog
Thanks!
This exhibit is very fun for all ages. The presentation of Melanie’s illustrations along with the mermaid tails of previous parades is charming.
Thanks for making me a character in your book, Mel!
Kisses all around from Gina de la Mer (the gold mermaid kicking up her land legs at the parade). It’s been such a special year for those of us who were celebrated in Melanie’s book! You can’t imagine how exhausting it is for glamorous sea creatures to dance and pose all day in the hot sun at Coney Island. We were positively revitalized when we returned to superfine and saw Melanie’s exhibit with our beautiful tails from previous years. We performed our parade routine for the dinner patrons, sprinkled our magic through the room and signed books for mermaid fans young and old.