Cover Reveal: And it’s for my own book!!!
Ladies and gentlemen . . . the moment I’ve been waiting for.
Wait! Wait! Background information first!
So for years I worked as a children’s librarian and I’d get girl after girl after girl coming up to my desk asking for funny books. I credit some of this to Diary of a Wimpy Kid. The boys and the girls loved that series and wanted more of the same. Sometimes they wanted it in a notebook novel format, like Kinney’s book. Sometimes they just wanted something hilarious, and they seriously didn’t care who wrote it. So I’d grab books for them and then it slowly began to dawn on me. Huh. For all that I could find some pretty fantastic and hilarious books out there for kids, where were the funny story collections written by women? Turns out, there weren’t any.
Until now.
I would like you to join me in applauding the following authors and author/illustrators . . . .
- Cece Bell
- Sophie Blackall
- Libba Bray
- Lisa Brown
- Adrianne Chalepah
- Alison DeCamp
- Carmen Agra Deedy
- Kelly DiPucchio
- Lisa Graff
- Shannon Hale
- Charise Mericle Harper
- Jenni Holm
- Akilah Hughes
- Amy Ignatow
- Christine Mari Inzer
- Lenore Look
- Meghan McCarthy
- Mitali Perkins
- Leila Sales
- Raina Telgemeier
- Deborah Underwood
- Ursula Vernon
- Rita Williams-Garcia
- Delaney Yeager
- and Mackenzie Yeager
Each one of these women has contributed to my new book Funny Girl: Funniest. Stories. EVER.
Behold! The cover by the aforementioned Charise Mericle Harper:
And here’s the full jacket in its entirety:
A portion of the proceeds of this book go to Write Girl, a Los Angeles-based creative writing and mentoring organization that matches girls with women writers who mentor them in creative writing.
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When’s it out? May 9th, 2017! Feel free to pre-order it.
Oh! And while I’m thinking of it, there’s this other really fun thing that just started that I have to let you know about. As I may have mentioned before, my husband’s first book The Secrets of Story just came out recently and I could be prouder. He’s already put up a couple great videos alongside it (the latest is here and is about those little moments of humanity that make you like a character). But fun upon fun upon fun, he’s created a podcast with YA author and 90-Second Newbery Film Festival creator James Kennedy and it may well be my favorite thing of all time. I love it when James and Matt get together because they agree on NOTHING! And now they’ve a podcast together where they can extol the beauty of that nothing together. It’s huge fun for me, and it ends with a little feature where they mention a story idea they had that they decided wouldn’t work and give it away (as it were) to the masses for use. So if you like the process of writing or you just like banter, I’ve your new favorite podcast. The Secrets of Storytelling podcast is available through iTunes. Subscribe today!
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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 Horn Book, 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 Twitter: @fuseeight.
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I can’t wait for this one. Super cute cover too!
My kids (and I) will love this. We want it … now!
Hurray for you! Can’t wait to read it.
Congrats!
Looks great! Congrats.
This looks terrific. Congrats, Betsy!
So excited!
Now please go make 10 more.
kthxbai 😉
Pre-ordered. Way to go!
What a great idea. Thanks for editing such a terrific selection.
Wow! This looks terrific! Congratulations!
YES! I want one, too! Heading over to pre-order… whoosh.
I will be adding this to my collection. We really need some funny, as we Canadians peer over the border, nervously watching our American neighbo(u)rs go to the polls.
This book looks and sounds amazing. I cannot wait to read it and share it with my students.
Love the idea! Love the cover! Love the line-up of authors! HATE the pub. date! ;-(
Yep, I’ll pre-order it now.
Congratulations to all!
I’m laughing already! Congratulations, Betsy! -Feelin’ free and will order 🙂
AWESOME cover, and heartiest mazel tovs!!!!! cannot WAIT to read. (i just typed “cannot wait to rad.” i am sure it is that.)
Considering all the latest “developments,” can you please, please move up the publication date? (I can solicit Pigeon’s help on pleading, if it’ll help.)
I like the way you think.
Awesome sauce! Can’t wait to read this.
Congratulations, Betsy! Looks delightful!