KeeKee’s Big Adventures in Paris Launch Event in Eugene, OR!

Sarver Winery and Wine Julia invited us for a launch event in Eugene, Oregon on Sarver’s beautiful hilltop spot overlooking the Willamette Valley. Sarver Winery is a great family owned winery and family destination just outside town.

Sarver Winery outside Eugene, Oregon

Sarver Winery outside Eugene, Oregon

After school on Monday, April 22, parents and children gathered on the gorgeous sunny afternoon for story time, face painting (thank you Fantasy Face Painting), coloring station, KeeKee tattoos and yummy spring cookies and cupcakes (including a banana and nutella version) from Heidi Tunnell Catering. The adults also got to enjoy the fabulous wines from Sarver Winery.

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And we discovered our FIRST President of the KeeKee Club, Logan! More to come on the Club. Join our mailing list to be the first to know!

and our new KeeKee Club President, Logan!

and our new KeeKee Club President, Logan!

HUGE thank you to Erin Sarver and Julia Crowley for ALL the support and promotion, and to everyone who joined us in Eugene!

Here are more great photos from the event…

 

KeeKee’s Big Adventures in Paris Launch Event in Seattle!

What better place than the extremely cool Seattle Central Library for our launch event in Seattle?!

A big crowd joined us Sunday, April 21 for an afternoon of story times, face painting (thank you Happy Go Lucky Face Painting), coloring station, KeeKee tattoos, book signings by Author Shannon Jones and tasty treats from Sugar Rush Baking Company.

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One of our favorite parts…the little KeeKees. Melissa did a fabulous job creating KeeKee’s out of several of our guests.

Little KeeKees

Little KeeKees

Thank you to everyone who came out to join us! We look forward to our next Seattle visit!

KeeKee’s Big Adventures in Paris Launch Event!

We had a fantastic East Coast Launch Event on Saturday in our hometown, Alexandria, Virginia!

BIG thank you’s to everyone that came out for the fun…storytimes, face painting, crêpes, cat toy making, KeeKee tattoos, book signings with Author Shannon Jones and Illustrator Casey Uhelski…and to pick up a copy of our new book!

And HUGE thank you to PetSage for hosting the event and WERUVA for being there with samples of KeeKee’s favorite food, Cats in the Kitchen!

Enjoy these photos from the festivities!

 

First Book Testimonials Arrived Today!

And it’s 15 for 15… “I loved the book!”

We received a special package of ‘thank you’ notes from our first classroom reading today. All 15 first graders had the most positive things to say…

  • It was awesome.
  • I can’t wait for the book.
  • I liked the entire book.
  • The book was exciting.
  • The book wiz cool!
  • It was my favorite book.
  • I loved the part where KeeKee landed on the ifeltawer. (i.e. Eiffel Tower) :)
  • I liked the whole book becus KeeKee is a cat and cars are my favorite animal.

We’re excited to share it with YOU!

Details coming this week on pre-ordering and getting yours by Easter!!

Today Is World Read Aloud Day

LitWorld - An International Non-Profit Advocating for and Working Towards Global Literacy - Words Changing Worlds - World Read Aloud Day Activities & Recommendations

World Read Aloud Day is about taking action to show the world that the right to read and write belongs to all people.

Celebrate by reading aloud, giving away a book, or taking action in any way you can to Read It Forward on behalf of the 793 million people who cannot read.

It’s brought to us by LitWorld, a non-profit literacy organization fostering resilience, hope, and joy through the power of story.

Their World Read Aloud Day Activities section of their site has suggestions and even a picture book you can use today.

It’s Dr. Seuss’ Birthday!

Theodor Seuss Geisel would have been 109 today!

KeeKee in the Cat in the Hat

And can you believe, The Cat in the Hat was published 56 years ago?

Dr. Suess’ Birthday coincides each year the National Education Association’s Read Across America Day, a day to celebrate reading! The first one was 15 years ago.

We were excited to participate in this year’s festivities with our first classroom readings of KeeKee’s Big Adventures in Paris, France. And we took the pledge to participate.

Read Across America 2013

Make your pledge here. And have fun reading to a child!

Our First Official Class Readings, Part of Read Across America Week

Yesterday as part of Read Across America week, we had our FIRST official readings of KeeKee’s Big Adventures in Paris, France. Author Shannon Jones read to two classes at Sleepy Hollow Elementary School, first grade and third grade.

KKBA Reading

As we don’t yet have the printed book (coming end of March), we created a ‘page turning’ power point presentation that worked really well. Every child could see each page in big color. And they L-O-V-E-D it! From the hot air balloon KeeKee travels in, to the beautiful images of Paris, to the friends she makes along the way, to the adventures she has across the city, each child engaged with the book in their own way.

We also had a slide show on “The Making of KeeKee’s Big Adventures”which the 3rd graders really loved. Book designer Paul Williams showed all the steps to bringing the book to life.

You can get involved in Read Across America too. Visit their site for activities to do on the official day, tomorrow, Dr. Seuss’s Birthday!

Read Across America