1. I was thrilled, THRILLED I say, to see this review of ME WITH YOU, not only because the reviewer seems to really "get" the book as a celebration of those who love children unconditionally, but also because the reviewer is Esmé Codell. You know? Esmé? Codell? Professional "Readiologist" and otherwise Amazingly Insightful Children’s Lit Reader and Extoller? Yes, THAT Esmé Codell. She read ME WITH YOU and blogged about it. She even sniffed the pages a bit. I mean, I bet she did. WOW.

2. During ALA on Saturday, July 11th, I am going to be reading and signing ME WITH YOU at Magic Tree Bookstore from 1:30 to 3:30 pm (Happy 25th Birthday, Magic Tree!) . Also signing is Jon Scieszka (Yeah. He’s only the NATIONAL AMBASSADOR FOR YOUNG PEOPLE’S LITERATURE), Gennifer Choldenko (Yeah. Her book Al Capone Does My Shirts won a Newbery Honor), Ingrid Law (Yeah, Her New York Times Bestselling book, Savvy, won a Newbery Honor this year), Jerry Pinkney (Yeah. His awards are too many to mention and include words like "Caldecott" and "Coretta Scott King Award"; not to mention I have been in love with his ilustrative style since…oh, forever), and Richard Peck (yes, that Richard Peck) only one of the most important authors in my writerly heart and with whom I can’t even imagine sharing breathing space. I’m afraid I will tear up and make a fool of myself. Yes, I have already asked someone to have the smelling salts at the ready.

Needless to say, I feel very privileged to be able to take part in such a wonderful celebration of Magic Tree’s 25th anniversary with so many of my children’s literature idols. (Oh. And did I mention it will be my very first signing for ME WITH YOU? Boy howdy. What a way to kick it off.)

I’ll also be signing Sunday morning, July 12th at ALA at 10am at the Penguin Putnam booth (#2120). Hope to see you there!

Way back in May when I mentioned that I wouldn’t be in the States to see my book born into the world in bookstores across America, and I decided to hold a contest to give those who would be willing to send me a picture of my book in a bookstore or in their hands at home, I never imagined how many tears I would shed and how many smiles it would bring to my face to see you guys tracking down my book and sending me pictures. I’m so grateful to have had the chance to see what feels like years of labor, even though I’m not there to see it. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. And thank you, too, to those who sent me news of "sightings" even if they didn’t happen to have a camera with them at the time.

To all who entered by sending me pictures, I am SO grateful you were willing to share in my joy. And some of you were entered in the contest even if you didn’t send me the link. If you posted a picture of my book here on LJ, or on Facebook, or on Blogger or anywhere that I saw it, I entered you in the contest!

We wrote down each of the names on a piece of paper…if you posted the pic to your blog or Facebook AND sent me the link, you received two entries…we put all the names into my son’s cowboy hat and then my husband (to whom the book is dedicated) did the honors….

And without furthor ado, the winner of a copy of ME WITH YOU is MARY WOODFIN BOGGS, a sweet friend from our college ministry days in Carrollton, Georgia! She found the book at Barnes and Noble in Hampton, Va.

Congratulations, Mary! I’ll be in touch!

You have till midnight to get those pics of ME WITH YOU in bookstores or in your hands at home in order to get a chance to win a copy. Last call!

Don’t forget you can win a copy of ME WITH YOU! See details here.

And if you need any incentive to run out to your nearest book emporium and snatch it up, here’s a little preview. Or need a gift for Dad or Gramps for Father’s Day? See below!