New
Orleans musician and Grammy award-winning producer Delfeayo Marsalis has
written a book on putting down technology and enjoying life without it in the
children’s picture book
“No Cell Phone Day.” The
book is illustrated by award-winning Harlem artist Reginald W. Butler and playfully
addresses the idea of imposing cell phone technology and how it affects our
relationships with loved ones. In the book, Delfeayo and his daughter decide to
ignore cell phones for a day to explore their hometown of New Orleans, enjoying
both the city’s sites and each other. To
view a video made in connection with the book, visit
www.youtube.com/watch?v=CV4Vw4S8ndw&feature=youtu.be
New children’s
releases
Connie
Collins Morgan of Lafayette (now of West Virginia) has penned a Louisiana take
on the classic “Gingerbread Man” titled
“The Runaway Beignet,” published by
Pelican Publishing of New Orleans. Illustrated by Herb Leonhard, who has done
several Pelican children’s books, Morgan’s tale follows a trouble-making
beignet who pops off the pastry table and takes to the New Orleans streets. The
book offers an exploration of New Orleans, as well as a handy glossary in the
back defining typical New Orleans words and sayings.
Also
following in the revising of nursery tales is prolific Dianne de Las Casas of
New Orleans, who uses an elephant character in the role of Cinderella in
“Cinderellaphant.” All the other characters are animals as well, including the
fairy godmouse. “Cinderellaphant” is illustrated by Stefan Jolet of New Iberia.
I
used to have a T-shirt that exclaimed, “A Woman’s Place is in the House –and
the Senate.” I was pleased to discover a book for young readers showcasing
women in Congress in “A Woman in the House (and Senate): How Women Came to the
United States Congress, Broke Down Barriers, and Changed the Country” by Ilene
Cooper, with illustrations by Elizabeth Baddeley. Mary Landrieu, Lindy Boggs,
Rose Long and Elaine Edwards are among those represented in this informative
book on women in Congress, starting with the right to vote in 1920 and
continuing until today.
New
York Times bestselling author Claudia Gray is a pseudonym for Amy
Vincent, a young adult paranormal romance author who lives in New Orleans. She
is best known for her Evernight series, which takes place in the Gothic
Evernight Academy, and the Spellcaster series, the latest of which,
“Steadfast,” came out last month.
“Steadfast” is set in Captive’s Sound in Rhode Island and revolves around
Nadia, descended from witches. Booklist said of “Steadfast,” “Just as smoothly
written and appealing as the first entry. The ending will provide terrific
fodder for book discussions, so make sure you have enough copies to go around.”
I
somehow missed the latest book from Kimberly Griffiths Little, author of “The
Healing Spell” and other books set in South Louisiana. Last year she set
another young chapter novel in the bayou region.
“When the Butterflies Came”
involves Tara Doucet who finds butterflies following her around after the death
of her grandmother. Doucet discovers a mystery concerning her Grammy Claire,
one that could change her life. And this July she will release “The Time of the
Fireflies,” centered around young Larissa Renaud who starts receiving eerie
phone calls on a disconnected old phone in her family's antique shop and soon
realizes she’s in for a strange summer. Both books are appropriate for ages
8-12.
Cokie
Roberts details the lives of the women behind the American Revolution in
“FoundingMothers: Remembering the Ladies,” discussing the accomplishments of heroic,
patriotic women such as Abigail Adams, Martha Washington, Phillis Wheatley,
Mercy Otis Warren, Sarah Livingston Jay, and others. Details are gleaned from
their letters, private journals, lists, and ledgers. The book supports the
Common Core State Standards with a timeline, biographies and web resources.
A
dog with a nose for trouble, a cat under attack, two wild burros, a determined
bear and a talking bird are a few of the animals that live on the pages of “What’s
Watching Me? And Other Animal Stories” by Nancy Rust and Carol Stubbs of
Lafayette. The middle grade reader combines fictional stories with bits of
trivia and facts, the
first in the Twixt and
Tween series published by Copper Iris Books of Lafayette. Each story begins
with a quote from literature that sets the tone for the story. There are fun facts
about the featured character in the story (in the first book of the series it’s
all about animals), a “Discover and Discuss” section in the back of the book and
a curriculum guide available for teachers that includes reading, writing
and art activities. For information, visit
www.copperirisbooks.com.
Whitney
Stewart of New Orleans, the author of many books for children including “Marshall:
A Nantucket Sea Rescue,” “Who Was Walt Disney?,” “Becoming Buddha: The Story of
Siddhartha” and “Jammin’ on the Avenue,” has published a new book closer to
home,
“A Catfish Tale: A Bayou Story of the Fisherman and His Wife.” A Cajun
fisherman named Jack catches a magic fish that offers to grant wishes in
exchange for being set free. Jack doesn’t have a lot of wishes, but his wife
Jolie sure does. When Jolie wants to be crowned Mardi Gras queen, have things
gone too far?
Mo
Willems of New Orleans continues his popular pigeon series with
“The PigeonNeeds a Bath,” a picture book for ages 3-6. Per the usual routine, the bus
driver (clad in shower cap and bathrobe) opens the story by asking readers to
help convince the pigeon to take a bath. Though he’s covered in grime, the stubborn
bird predictably resists.
Book events
Two
films by independent local filmmakers Pat Mire and Connie Castille will be
shown for the final session of the film series, “Images of South Louisiana on
Film,” at 3 p.m. today in Room 112 of Oliver Hall on the UL-Lafayette campus.
The series is sponsored by the Friends of the Humanities and the College
of Liberal Arts. Mire’s 1990 film “Anything I Catch: The Handfishing Story”
explores the tradition of handfishing and Castille explores a disappearing
practice in “I Always Do My Collars First,” her 2007 documentary about ironing.
Both artists will be present along with discussion leader Dr. Barry Ancelet.
The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call 278-7166.
Bestselling
author and star of “Chelsea Lately,”
Chelsea Handler, will sign copies of her book, “Uganda Be Kidding Me,” at 2
p.m. Friday at Garden District Book in New Orleans. Tickets are $29.43 and
will include admittance for two adults as well as one book. For
information, visit http://www.gardendistrictbookshop.com/.
Cheré Coen is the author
of “Haunted Lafayette, Louisiana” and “Exploring Cajun Country: A Historic
Guide to Acadiana,” both from The History Press, and co-author of “Magic’s in
the Bag: Creating Spellbinding Gris Gris Bags and Sachets.” She teaches writing
at UL-Lafayette’s Continuing Education. Write her at cherecoen@gmail.com.
Marvin
Allen, manager of the Carousel Bar at the Monteleone Hotel of New Orleans,
will talk about his new book, “Magic in a Shaker: A Year of Spirited
Libations” and the history of prohibition at 7 p.m. Tuesday at East Bank
Regional Library, 4747 West Napoleon Ave. in Metairie.
Bonnie
Warren signs “New Orleans Homes at Christmas” from 5-7 p.m. Wednesday at Tubby and Coo’s,
613 N. Carrollton Ave. in New Orleans. She will also be signing copies at noon
Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday at Trinity Episcopal Church in New Orleans.
Keith
Weldon Medley, author of “Black Life in Old New Orleans,” will be signing books
from 6-8 p.m. Friday at the New Orleans Museum of Art. He will also be signing from
1-3 p.m. Saturday at the Ashe Cultural Arts Center of New Orleans. 
Denise
Walter McConduit signs “The Boy Who Wouldn’t Read” and Frank Blazek signs “Phil
and His Fabulous Feathers” from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., then Ann Benoit signs “New
Orleans’ Best Ethnic Restaurants” and Suzanne Pfefferie signs “Vietnamese
Cuisine in New Orleans” from 1-3 p.m. Saturday at Pop City, 3118 Magazine St.
in New Orleans.
