Tuesday, October 26
The free party is from 6:30 to 8 pm Tuesday October 26, 2010 at the library, 108 E. Railroad St., St. Johns.
If the launch of one new book is exciting, the launch of two is electrifying Just ask award-winning children’s author and former area resident, Janet (Kloeckner) Halfmann. Her picture books “Fur and Feathers” and “Good Night, Little Sea Otter,” both released this fall.
“I feel like the luckiest person in the world,” said Halfmann. “I am living my dream!”
To celebrate, Halfmann is inviting children and adults to a Double Book Launch Party at the Briggs Public Library in St. Johns. The celebration will include activities, interactive story times, food and prizes, book selling and signing, and lots of fun.
“Good Night, Little Sea Otter” (Star Bright Books) is an endearing bedtime story featuring a baby sea otter who says “good night” to each and every one of his ocean friends. It seems like he’ll never close his eyes! Finally, he settles down to sleep, cuddled in his mama’s loving arms in a cozy cradle of kelp.
The idea for “Good Night, Little Sea Otter” came when Halfmann researched sea otters while writing a magazine article set in the kelp forest off California’s coast. She was intrigued by how the mother sea otter wraps both herself and her baby in stands of kelp so they won’t drift away during the night.
“With four children and four grandchildren, I’ve had lots of experience with bedtime stallers,” Halfmann said.
“Fur and Feathers” (Sylvan Dell Publishing) is a fun story of creativity, friendship, and animal coverings. When whipping winds whisk the clothes off Sophia’s animal friends in a dream, she shares her clothes with them. Her kid outfits don’t work well at all for the animals, so Sophia comes up with a creative plan, thanks to her grandma’s huge sewing box.
“I got the inspiration for “Fur and Feathers” from the big sewing box I always kept handy for creating or fixing whatever when my four children were growing up,” said Halfmann. “I also have memories of spending hours with my mom patching jeans and whatnot on our big farm porch.”
Halfmann grew up on a farm in the Fowler/St. Johns area and now lives with her husband Tom in Wisconsin.
She is also the award-winning author of more than thirty children’s books, including “Little Skink’s Tail,” “Seven Miles to Freedom: The Robert Smalls Story,” and “Little Black Ant on Park Street.” Before becoming a children’s author, Halfmann was a daily newspaper reporter, children’s magazine editor, and a creator of coloring and activity books for Golden Books.
For more info, call the library at 989-224-4702 or go to janethalfmann.com
