Sunday, May 2, 2010

New Books

Our Latest Books!


"The Adventures of Charlie & Moon" is a fantasy for children about a boy named Charlie who opens his birthday present the night before his ninth birthday and the consequences that follow. Moon is a young eagle who needs Charlie’s help to stop an evil toymaker from turning all the eagles and endangered species into stuffed toys. The Adventures of Charlie & Moon takes children on a wild ride through the imaginary Shire of Tumblegum to stop the evil toymaker, Skunk Weavel from achieving his wicked ways.

What People Are Saying

Kat Goddard from The New England Booksellers Association calls The Adventures of Charlie & Moon "charming... especially welcome to younger fans of the Harry Potter books... has the classic feel and lovely language of Tolkien but with plenty of contemporary bits..."

Jana Laiz, award-winning author of Weeping Under This Same Moon, calls The Adventures of Charlie & Moon ...maniacally funny, disgustingly hilarious... like Roald Dahl in all his wicked glory..."

Martin Meader was the Co-Executive Producer/Co-Story Writer of the 1997 film, Paradise Road, which starred Cate Blanchett, Glenn Close, Frances McDormand and Pauline Collins. The Adventures of Charlie & Moon is in development to be a feature film.

"A Free Woman On God's Earth" - by Jana Laiz and Ann-Elizabeth Barnes, Illustrated by Jacqueline Rogers

"A Free Woman On God's Earth" is a juvenile biography for ages 8 and up containing over 40 illustrations. It is the story of Elizabeth "Mumbet" Freeman, the enslaved African woman who had the courage and conviction to speak what was in her heart, suing for her freedom in a Massachusetts court of law. In gaining her own freedom, she set the stage for the abolition of slavery in Massachusetts in 1783. An engaging history that fulfils the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks for third, fourth and fifth grades in the categories of Local Biography, Local History, Revolutionary War Heroes.


What People Are Saying

John Sedgwick, New York Times bestselling author of In My Blood says, "With her soulful pride and majestic grace, Mumbet is a woman of lovely paradox. Jana Laiz and Ann-Elizabeth Barnes have captured that and more in this lively and moving account of Mumbet's impressive life, a book that is sure to bring yet another generation of readers and citizens into the thrall of this great American heroine."

E.B. Lewis, Coretta Scot King Award winning children's book illustrator, says, "I believe in the cause! We have to get these stories out to the children. We cannot let this legacy die! Wonderfully told!"

Wray Gunn, Board of Directors African American Heritage Trail calls "A Free Woman on God's Earth," "...a fascinating presentation on the facts of Mumbet's life. ...easy to read with the story line presented in a straight forward way. ...exciting passages that I reread a second time ..."

"A Free Woman On God's Earth" by Jana Laiz and Ann-Elizabeth Barnes is a beautifully told history of one of the bravest woman to grace the American landscape. Told with sensitivity and love, this story will have children wanting to learn more about the unsung heroes and heroines who shaped the course of history. "A Free Woman On God's Earth" is about the power of one voice and the triumph of the human spirit. I highly recommend this book for children and teachers." Martin Meader, Author of The Adventures of Charlie & Moon, and The Co-Executive Producer/Co-Story Writer Paradise Road.

Weeping Under This Same Moon - by Jana Laiz

Weeping Under This Same Moon, by Jana Laiz is based on the true story of two teenage girls from different cultures, whose paths intertwine, dramatically altering the course of their lives. Mei is an artist whose life has been disrupted by the Vietnam War. Her anguished parents send her away on a perilous escape during the exodus of thousands of Vietnamese refugees known as "Boat People." In Mei's words we learn of the dangers she faces caring for her two younger siblings on a sea journey fraught with hunger, thirst and deprivation, leaving behind everything she loves, to find refuge for her family.

Hannah is an angry seventeen-year-old American high school student. Friendless, neurotic, a social misfit - her passion for writing and the environment only intensify her outcast state. Through Hannah's voice, we get inside her head, there to discover a gentle soul beneath all the anger and turmoil. When Hannah learns of the plight of the "Boat People," she is moved to action.

Destiny brings Mei and Hannah together in a celebration of cultures and language, food and friendship, and the ultimate rescue of both young women from their own despair. Weeping Under This Same Moon is a testament to the power of love and the spirit of volunteerism; affirming that doing for others does so much for one's self...

What People Are Saying
"Through the story of these Vietnamese children and the American girl who befriends them, Jana Laiz shows us how faith and courage can overcome the worst hardship. One comes out of this beautifully written book feeling uplifted, reminding us that hope always springs eternal for all the children of the world."
- Emmanuel Dongala, award-winning Author of "Little Boys Come From the Stars," and "Johnny Mad Dog."

"Weeping Under This Same Moon", by Jana Laiz, is a stunning achievement written with uncanny sympathy and intuition from the complementary perspectives of two teenage girls - one a Vietnamese refugee, the other a passionate yet unhappy American high school student - the book vividly portrays very different yet intersecting worlds. It is a moving, heartwarming, even inspiring book. I recommend it enthusiastically to readers of all ages and in particular to young adults."
-George Rupp, President, The International Rescue Committee

"Weeping Under This Same Moon" by Jana Laiz is an exquisitely told story of the power of love and friendship during a turbulent time in history. Told with warmth, humor and sensitivity, Jana Laiz brings to life two young women from disparate cultures with unique voices and personalities that readers will come to care deeply about. Weeping... stays with you long after you have read the last word. It is an inspiring book not only for young people, but for anyone wishing to see what can happen by the simple act of reaching out. It will make a GREAT movie!" -Martin Meader, Co-Executive Producer/Co Story Writer of Paradise Road. Author of "The Adventures of Charlie & Moon."

""Weeping Under The Same Moon” is a touching young-adult novel by Berkshire author Jana Laiz. Based on true events, it outlines the eventual meeting of two teenage girls, Hannah and Mei, as they navigate the social fallout of the end of the Vietnam War. We follow several months of their lives as fate slowly draws them together and along the way discover the value within their unassuming presences in a highly turbulent period."
Berksire Eagle, Reviewed by Jody Kordana.

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