Tag Archive for Dolly Parton

My Apologies to Dolly Parton

Last week, when announcing an upcoming Summer Reading Event, I made a couple of quizzical comments about Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.

As usual with this blog, the reaction was immediate. Very quickly, nothing happened. I waited a while longer, and nothing happened all over again.

Obviously, it was time for a retraction. I’m sorry, Dolly. Sometimes my inner wiseguy gets the better of me. And yes, that sound you hear is my wife nodding in agreement.

After a comment from a friend-in-reading, I spent a few minutes researching the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. In short, it’s a wonderful charitable work, first launched in 1996, dedicated to bringing books and children together.

Read here for more information on Dolly’s great efforts on behalf of children’s literacy.

Lastly, a confession: I own a few Dolly Parton CDs. I admire when she gets serious about her bluegrass roots, and can easily recommend “Little Sparrow” and “The Grass Is Blue.” Underneath the manufactured pop image, there’s a genuine musician and, I’m sure, a good woman working to make the world a better place. Here’s Dolly singing “Mountain Angel.”

You need to a flashplayer enabled browser to view this YouTube video

All that said: See you Thursday, June 30th! Click for details.

Join Us for the Summer Reading Spectacular: Featuring 11 Children’s and Teen Authors, Completely Live, in Colonie, NY

This is a warning, folks. On June 30th at 7:00 PM a rugged band of children’s and YA authors will be gathering at the Barnes & Noble bookstore at Colonie Center in Colonie, NY.

That’s right, it’s time for the Summer Reading Kickoff Bookfair Spectacular . . . celebrating (wait for it) the Dolly Parton Imagination Library! Because when it comes to Dolly, the first two things anyone thinks of are reading and, erm, I forget the second thing.

So, hey, let’s put the focus on reading this summer. Bring your young readers to pick up their free Barnes & Noble Summer Reading Journal to earn a FREE BOOK and the chance to WIN A NOOK COLOR. Authors will be standing by — sitting, hopefully, on cushy chairs, under a tasteful arrangement of palm fronds — happy to autograph books. Any books.

Check out this list of authors I think will be there . . .

Julia DeVillers * Aimee Ferris * Rose Kent * Jackie Morse Kessler

Sarah Darer Littman * Eric Luper * James Preller * Jennifer Roy

Neva Ren Suma * Shari Maurer * Kristen Darbyshire

Honestly, this is an awesome gathering of new voices, talented people. And, um, me, dragging along hoary old Jigsaw Jones, first published 13 years ago and still in second grade. I don’t know many real YA authors — they scare me a little — what? no fuzzy ducks? at all? — and yet I’ll be joining their ranks soon, come Spring 2012, when we crush the world with Before You Go, my first book that includes the word “beer.” Anyway, please join us at Barnes & Noble. Should be a real good time together.

The event kicks off the annual national Summer Reading Program which rewards children, grades K-6, who read any eight books, record them in their free Summer Reading Journal, and bring the completed Journal to any Barnes & Noble store until September 6, 2011 for a FREE BOOK. The evening program is sponsored by the Junior League of Albany, with a portion of sales benefiting the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. Why Dolly Parton? Don’t ask; I just work here.

Details: Thursday, June 30, 7:00 PM –> who knows! Where: Colonie Centre, Albany, NY. 518-438-1728.

Click here for driving directions.

You need to a flashplayer enabled browser to view this YouTube video