Amy Krouse Rosenthal has a new book out this month and to celebrate the beginning of the school year, I'm giving two copies away!
But first, a little information: It is probably widely known that I am an Amy Krouse Rosenthal superfan; when she announced she was searching for some people to be part of her latest book promotion team I applied that same day. Her last book for grownups, Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life, is one of my all-time favorites (along with pretty much every single one of her children's books). There's something so... hygge about everything she writes. (I was reading this interview in the Chicago Tribune* about the book, where she references the Danish word "hygge" and I did some more reading about it, and that is absolutely how I would describe the experience of reading her books. Perfect!).
I read my advance copy on my flights from Denver to Montgomery in June—this was both perfect and problematic. Perfect because it is the right length of book to read on a flight. Problematic because of the format: this is a book to read when you actually have cell service or wifi, because it's interactive. I had no idea how impatient I would be to land so I could get my text sent to get started on the process of being able to submit things or request things, depending on the part of the book I was reading. I took paper notes on everything so I could start during my layover in Dallas. This format? Really, really fun, and completely different from anything I've ever read before. I think that was the point—this is the first interactive book of this kind published.
I did rip the page out as I was instructed to do so I could give it to the lady sitting next to me (after working up the nerve and waiting until the last minute before we deboarded). I may have startled her at first, but she seemed genuinely touched that I ripped a page out of my book to give to her. Heh. Related: don't tell the girls I ripped a page out of my book. They still haven't recovered from the projects I did for Ella Publishing Co.'s Book Crafting.
An important piece of magic to report: one of the things I did while waiting for my second flight from Dallas to Montgomery was the part about sharing messages of good luck for her safekeeping. It feels too private to tell you exactly what I texted, but I will tell you it had to do with Cleveland. Who went on to WIN THE NBA CHAMPIONSHIP A FEW DAYS LATER**. You be the judge.
Another favorite opportunity for interaction: submitting to the Live Rainbow Feed. I was anxious to spot a rainbow so I could do this one, and I finally spotted one a few weeks ago and immediately texted the photo.
Sure enough, my rainbow appeared not long after. I love it.
I think this style of book appeals to me not because it's particularly challenging in length or content, but because it stays with me. Just like Encylopedia of an Ordinary Life, this book is all about the author's experiences—but not just the author's experiences, because it so seamlessly draws in the reader and his or her experiences, too. It is no secret that I also love things written into a familiar format: lists, the almanac format I used for The Scrapbooker's Almanac, an encylopedia, a textbook. And the fact that this one is participatory makes an already good reading experience into a shared one. Hygge for sure.
I want to share Textbook Amy Krouse Rosenthal with you, too! There is a pre-assessment in the introduction, and you can answer one of those questions as your official entry:
In Group Discussions
a.) I truly want to hear what others have to say and enjoy listening.
b.) I theoretically want to hear what others have to say, yet I find myself doing most of the talking.
c.) I want others to hear what I have to say, but I seem to have difficulty inserting/asserting myself.
d.) I want others to hear what I have to say and have no problem whatsoever making that happen.
You can just tell me which one, or you can elaborate : )
I will draw two winners based on the age-old blog giveaway rules here: giveaway will remain open until it's closed. So don't delay!
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
*Speaking of people I am on book promotion teams for that have recently appeared in The Chicago Tribune, here's another one. 🎉
**I have SO MUCH MORE TO SAY about the Cavs, and as I address the sad backlog of blog posts from this summer, I intend to do so. Obnoxiously. Hee.
