Kate's Book Blog - GIANNA Z. is going to be a Scholastic Book Clubs/Book Fairs Selection!

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GIANNA Z. is going to be a Scholastic Book Clubs/Book Fairs Selection!

Posted on 2010.03.10 at 06:52
Tags: scholastic book clubs, the brilliant fall of gianna z

I got a surprise email from my editor at Walker/Bloomsbury one day last week while I was cleaning up my desk at school, getting ready to go home.

"I'm delighted to report that Scholastic Book Clubs have licensed book fair and book club rights to GIANNA Z...."

I had to write back to make sure that meant what I thought it did. That THE BRILLIANT FALL OF GIANNA Z. would be one of the titles on the big racks at Scholastic Book Fairs at schools? That it would be paperback, in a price that's easy for kids to buy? That it would be in those book club flyers that get sent home in kids' homework folders and backpacks?

Yes, yes, and yes, my editor answered. In September!

There was a stack of Scholastic Book Fair flyers on my desk, and I couldn't help picking one up to page through it. There are a lot of fun milestones in this children's book world, but this one is especially cool for me.

I grew up in Medina, a tiny town in upstate New York. It has a lovely independent bookstore now, but it didn't when I was in school. You could get Archie comics at the drugstore, or you could try to get your parents to drive to the mall in Buffalo an hour away, where there was a Waldens, or you could order books at school through Scholastic Book Clubs. I'd bring those flyers home and circle the books I wanted with Magic Marker, over and over, until the color bled through to the other side of that thin paper. Those flyers were important to me, as I know they still are for kids who aren't lucky enough to be growing up in a town with a great bookstore. I'm thrilled that my book will be one of the Magic Marker choices this fall.

I'm going to do something fun to celebrate GIANNA Z's paperback release in bookstores (also in September) and her appearance in Scholastic Book Clubs & Fairs. Probably a contest on the blog and something special for teachers and librarians (I'm thinking about giving away some free virtual writing workshops for classes!) If you have other fun ideas for a paperback/book club launch, I'd love to hear about them in comments!

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sarah_create at 2010-03-10 11:57 (UTC) (Link)

Oh Wow!!
Congratulations!!!
That is great news. :)

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kmessner at 2010-03-10 12:01 (UTC) (Link)

Thanks, Sarah! I'm very excited!

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saputnam at 2010-03-10 12:12 (UTC) (Link)

Yay!!That's terrific news, Kate!!

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kmessner at 2010-03-10 13:18 (UTC) (Link)

Thanks, Sharon!

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proseandkahn at 2010-03-10 12:14 (UTC) (Link)

Congratulations Kate! I built my own library as a tween with Scholastic book clubs. I just loved everything about it, getting the flyer, poring over it, filling in the order form and when the books came...disappearing to read.

I'm thrilled that Gianna Z. will be out in ppb because it means class reads! I've been talking it up with some teachers at my school and am including it in a workshop I'm giving at the end of March.

brenda

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kmessner at 2010-03-10 13:19 (UTC) (Link)

Well, thank you! Please let the teachers in your workshop know that I'm happy to do free Skype chats with classes that read GIANNA Z, too!

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lunalila at 2010-03-10 12:23 (UTC) (Link)

Brilliant! These are great news!
I've been lucky enough to have some book shops and a great library in the town I live but we bought some books with something similar to the Scholastic Book Club in Spain. And I can relate with the experience of circling the whole magazine with all the books I wanted.

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kmessner at 2010-03-10 13:19 (UTC) (Link)

Sometimes, it was hard to see the uncircled books through all that marker!

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stephanieburgis at 2010-03-10 12:34 (UTC) (Link)

Congratulations!!! That is fabulous news! I also have wonderful memories of the Scholastic book club. :)

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kmessner at 2010-03-10 13:20 (UTC) (Link)

Thanks, Stephanie!

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anom3 at 2010-03-10 12:37 (UTC) (Link)

Doesn't surprise me one little bit. Congratulations!!!!!

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anom3 at 2010-03-10 12:37 (UTC) (Link)

whoops! Mona

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(no subject) -

kmessner (Expand)

editedtowithinaninchofmylife.blogspot.com at 2010-03-10 12:58 (UTC) (Link)

Kate--that's so awesome! I love it when my kids bring those home--and I did the same thing as you did as a child. And, as an adult, I have been known to order books off of there for, well, me. Congrats. That is a wonderful (and price conscious) way of getting your book into the hands of kids! Woo-hoo!

(I did tell you that my 10-year old son loved your book so much that he decided to give it as gifts to his (other male) friends for their birthdays, didn't I???)

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kmessner at 2010-03-10 13:21 (UTC) (Link)

Wow! That is the ultimate compliment from a 10-year-old boy - Thanks for letting me know!

(And yes...I still order books from the Scholastic flyer, too!)

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(Anonymous) at 2010-03-10 13:02 (UTC) (Link)

Congratulations!

Kate, That is terrific news! My students will be so excited. I am so excited that I can't wait to tell them!!!!
Kristin

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kmessner at 2010-03-10 13:22 (UTC) (Link)

Re: Congratulations!

Thanks! And please let them know I'm looking forward to chatting with them next week!

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candice_ransom at 2010-03-10 13:12 (UTC) (Link)

Yay! Scholastic book clubs are the bomb! You'll sell tons!

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kmessner at 2010-03-10 13:22 (UTC) (Link)

Thanks, Candice - I'm excited!

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faerie_writer at 2010-03-10 13:27 (UTC) (Link)

That is the coolest news! Congratulations!! :D

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kmessner at 2010-03-10 17:33 (UTC) (Link)

Thanks!

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karenbschwartz at 2010-03-10 14:23 (UTC) (Link)

Congratulations, Kate! That's awesome news!

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kmessner at 2010-03-10 17:33 (UTC) (Link)

Thanks, Karen!

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jbknowles at 2010-03-10 14:26 (UTC) (Link)

Hooray!!!!!!!!!! What happy news!!

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kmessner at 2010-03-10 17:34 (UTC) (Link)

Thanks, Jo!!

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tamarak at 2010-03-10 14:37 (UTC) (Link)

Oh, but the feel of an envelope filled with quarters, dimes, nickels, and dreams....

Congratulations on this wonderful milestone.

I picture you looking like Gianna today. But instead of leaves, you have confetti.

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kmessner at 2010-03-10 17:33 (UTC) (Link)

The envelope full of change - yes!!

I always look a little like Gianna...not in the sense of the red hair but in that scattered expression she has...

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lizziebelle at 2010-03-10 14:44 (UTC) (Link)

Congratulations! I vividly remember those book fairs, too. :)

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kmessner at 2010-03-11 00:54 (UTC) (Link)

Thanks!!

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lizamartz at 2010-03-10 14:48 (UTC) (Link)

How exciting! I still have two of my book club books, they are cherished friends!

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kmessner at 2010-03-11 00:54 (UTC) (Link)

Me too, Liza - my daughter reads them now!

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saralholmes at 2010-03-10 15:57 (UTC) (Link)

Oh, I'm so happy for you and Gianna Z! I'm seriously thinking of framing my Scholastic Book Club flyer from my book's moment there. The best thing is how many teachers will be able to afford to buy copies of Gianna Z. for reading circles and writers' clubs and lunch bunches and so many fun activities. Maybe you could offer a Skype visit during a book fair night?

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kmessner at 2010-03-11 00:55 (UTC) (Link)

Thanks, Sara! I actually thought of you when I got that news because I had just book-talked OPERATION YES and was so happy when it showed up in our book order at such a great price for the kids.

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aprilhenry at 2010-03-10 16:39 (UTC) (Link)

Wow - that is an amazing dream come true!

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kmessner at 2010-03-10 17:33 (UTC) (Link)

Thanks, April~ I'm pretty excited!

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sheela_chari at 2010-03-10 16:40 (UTC) (Link)

Congratulations, Kate! That means I'll see it at the fair this fall! So exciting.

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kmessner at 2010-03-11 00:55 (UTC) (Link)

Thanks!!

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kathyerskine at 2010-03-10 16:43 (UTC) (Link)

Woo hoo! Congratulations, Kate! Don't you feel like you've totally "made it" now that your book is in that great flyer that we all drooled over??

Hmm, I'll think about PB release ideas . . . I like Sara's Skype giveaway.

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kmessner at 2010-03-11 00:56 (UTC) (Link)

Thanks, Kathy~ I like Sara's idea, too - it would be fun to virtually visit book fairs!

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kellyrfineman at 2010-03-10 18:32 (UTC) (Link)

HOORAY!!!!!!!

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kmessner at 2010-03-11 00:56 (UTC) (Link)

Thanks, Kelly! (trying very hard not to lick the screen now...that cupcake looks delicious!)

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laurabowers at 2010-03-10 19:28 (UTC) (Link)

Woo-HOO!! Many, many congrats, Kate! :)

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kmessner at 2010-03-11 00:56 (UTC) (Link)

Thank you!!

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d_michiko_f at 2010-03-10 20:53 (UTC) (Link)

Hooray for YOU and GIANNA Z!

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kmessner at 2010-03-11 00:57 (UTC) (Link)

Thanks! I was mighty happy for Gianna when I got the news!

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jeniwrites at 2010-03-10 20:58 (UTC) (Link)

Congratulations!!! :) So happy for you!

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kmessner at 2010-03-11 00:57 (UTC) (Link)

Thank you so much!

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pamm at 2010-03-10 23:05 (UTC) (Link)

YAY! Congrats!

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kmessner at 2010-03-11 00:57 (UTC) (Link)

Thanks!!

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jessica_shea at 2010-03-10 23:28 (UTC) (Link)

That's so exciting! I grew up in a little town too--the closest bookstore was a Walden's 40 minutes away. I loved Scholastic book fairs. Congrats on Gianna Z being chosen!

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kmessner at 2010-03-11 00:58 (UTC) (Link)

Thanks, Jessica! It's funny how your view of the book clubs is different, I think, depending on how many books you had access to growing up. I couldn't wait for that flyer to be passed out every month.

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