TOON Books - Easy to Read Comics

TOON Raffle Giveaway Draws to an End

noreply@blogger.com (TOON Books) — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 18:02:00 +0000

Tomorrow we will be announcing our 2010 TOON Books Raffle Giveaway winners! But first, we would like to thank everyone for your enthusiasm and participation!

Before we draw names, let’s look at some of the flattering feedback we’ve received:

Head of Youth Services at Wood County District Public Library, Maria Simon, says: “Spotting your email had me so excited! I love the TOON books. We do need more at my public library. These books really take our children far with lots of fun. Thank you TOON.”

“What a wonderful experience it was to hear Ms. Mouly speak along with Harry Bliss in Naperville last year,” says Nicki Clegg, the library media specialist at Churchill Elementary School in Illinois. “The books are an excellent, wholesome choice for young readers.”

Gretchen Schroeder, Woodlynde School librarian of Strafford, PA, says our books have helped her work with reluctant readers: “We have been trying to introduce our lower school students with reading differences to graphic novels to encourage them to read more!”

Thanks again for all of the positive remarks! And be sure to stay TOON-ed for our raffle winner announcement!

PRINT IS THRIVING! (at least where we stand...)

noreply@blogger.com (TOON Books) — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 16:54:00 +0000

TWO YEARS AGO, LIBRARIAN MICHELE GORMAN'S ARTICLE in School Library Journal about comics for young children was summarized thus in ERIC, the government database used by "education researchers, teachers, librarians, administrators, education policymakers, instructors and students in teacher-preparation programs, parents, the media and business communities, and the general public."

"After years of fighting for shelf space in libraries and classrooms, graphic novels have finally become an acceptable alternative to their prose-packed counterparts--and kids can't seem to get enough of them. For that matter, neither can grown-ups. In 2006, U.S. consumers dropped an estimated $330 million on graphic novels and comics, with librarians accounting for about 10 percent, or $33 million, of those purchases. Publishers have taken advantage of the format's rock-star status by launching special imprints--such as TOON Books, the new imprint from Raw Comics, published by "New Yorker" magazine art editor Francoise Mouly and Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Art Spiegelman--that feature developmentally appropriate comics for the pre-K-6 crowd. That means graphic novels are now addressing important personal and social issues like the power of imagination, being true to one's self, the benefits of teamwork, and how to cope with divorce and bullying. Teachers and librarians are also beginning to realize that these books are perfect for young readers who are making the transition from picture books to text-only titles. And with graphic novels' hypnotic power to pull kids into a story, they're also perfect for promoting recreational or free voluntary reading--one of the most effective ways to increase literacy and create lifelong readers."

And now, ERIC cross-references the above abstract with a recent article by educator Peter Gutierrez, also from School Library Journal, entitled: "Good & Plenty: It Used to Be Hard to Find Good Graphic Novels for the K-4 Crowd. My, How Times Have Changed," which prominently features (you guessed it!) the TOON Books!

From our point of view, as more and more parents discover how much young children love comics and books in general, the future of print looks rosy.

Expanding what will work for beginning readers!

noreply@blogger.com (TOON Books) — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 13:57:00 +0000

Susan M. Veltfort, the chair of the Geisel committee, came over to meet us at the RAW Junior office (once her formidable research skills allowed her to find us.) We hosted a lunch to celebrate our sweep of the awards given "to the author and illustrator of the most distinguished American book for beginning readers published in English in the United States during the preceding year." In attendance were, left to right: (seated) Françoise Mouly & Susan M. Veltfort; (standing) Geoffrey Hayes, Michael Rockliff, Leonard Marcus, Leigh Stein, Jon Scieszka and Trade Loeffler; (photo) Iru B.

While Susan could not talk about the committee's deliberations, she could tell us her opinions of the TOON Books. She's also hugely knowledgeable and the selection librarian for a large and well-funded library system in Washington State, so we were all ears.

Susan talked about how well the Geisel Award winner, Geoffrey Hayes' The Big No-No!, holds up when you dissect it with careful scrutiny. She appreciated the way the story and the words are perfectly suited for beginning readers or for older 'reluctant' readers. She loved the fact that the story starts out on the cover and draws the reader in. She pointed out how the title page echoes a 'hole in the fence' motif that recurs through the book. She noted that a TOON Book carefully blends easy and difficult words, that the harder words are made clear visually, and that it involves a lot of repetition, a thrill for the young reader. She appreciated the way the soft palette (done in colored pencils) underscores the mice's gentle personalities. Susan also mentioned that, while the twist ending in Geisel Honor Book Little Mouse Gets Ready by Jeff Smith (of Bone fame) defies reality, she kept in mind that mice don't 'really' talk. She talked about how the TOON Books expand what's possible for beginning readers. Her committee's awards greatly expand what's possible for the TOON Books, so we could only chime in with a love fest of mutual appreciation.

Librarians Across the Country Chime In

noreply@blogger.com (TOON Books) — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 22:25:00 +0000

Our raffle entrants really know how to make a publishing house blush. Esther Frazee of Tenacre Country Day school says, “You have provided so many of the first/second graders I teach with fun books. You are making them love reading. I teach pK-6 and many parents come in to say ‘thank you’ when I send home a TOON book with their child."

Lucie Dubuc of St. John’s School adds, “I read Stinky and I’m in love with him! I want to offer all the series to the students in my library.”

We are still reeling over the news from the ALA Midwinter Meeting and wish to express our deepest gratitude to the gatekeepers of children’s literacy by extending our TOON Books Raffle. Best of luck and thank you for your continued love and support!

What comics appeal to kids? Ask the librarians.

noreply@blogger.com (TOON Books) — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 16:33:00 +0000

We've seen that librarians have been at the vanguard of the “comics for kids” revolution, while the medium’s self-styled experts lag far behind, not quite understanding which comics actually appeal to today’s kids.

Our allies in the fight for good comics for kids recently asked, Are all comics for kids? Esther Keller notes, "...the problem, in my opinion, is that the perception is that if it's a comic, it's for kids. And that's just not true. Those of us who are avid readers of comics know that there are comics for kids and comics for teens and comics for adults. The casual reader or the person who just knows they exist and doesn't care to read them probably doesn't realize the distinction."

Her co-blogger Kate concludes, "I'd love to see more publishers follow the example set by Toon Books; the editors worked with educational specialists to ensure that their scripts were suitable for beginning reader."

Thanks, Kate!

And to show our support for our librarian allies and celebrate the ALA Midwinter meeting in Boston, TOON Books is pleased to announce a raffle!

IT'S FREE FOR LIBRARIANS TO ENTER now at TOON-BOOKS.COM/RAFFLE.PHP

Lucky winners will receive a set of books of their choice for their library, as well as an advance copy of Zig and Wikki in “Something Ate My Homework,” the FIRST science-based easy-to-read comic!

Comics as Readers Theater

noreply@blogger.com (TOON Books) — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 17:56:00 +0000

The Graphic Classroom, one of our faves and a great resource for teachers and librarians interested in comics, makes the wise suggestion of using graphic fiction as a perfect tool for read alouds! Here's what Chris Wilson has to say about our superhero easy reader, Mo and Jo:

I have used several Toon Books with Kindergartener, first and second graders, including MO AND JO. The students loved how the two siblings fight, fight, fight, but then come together in the end. Such experiences resonate with children who have brothers or sisters. They understand and can relate and it is that relevance and attachment to literature that helps build strong ties to literature.

Do not be afraid to put kids in groups of two or three and have them do a shared reading. The students can each pick a character (which can include a narrator, human characters, creatures, animals, or inanimate objects) and read the book aloud, each reading his or her part at the appropriate time. It builds a sense of community – a shared literature experience – that is unique to comic literature.

Of course, as many of you know, Mo and Jo isn't the only book that makes for great readers theater! Be sure to check out our lesson plan and activity sheet for Luke on the Loose by Harry Bliss, and maybe even watch our accompanying video of wild pigeon children.

Sarah, a fan and educator, says:

I just love the TOON Books series, and have used them with 1st and 2nd graders in a variety of ways this semester. They are a very motivating genre, especially for struggling readers. Further, it seems as if they are easier to comprehend as the text is mostly conversational speech and the illustrations hold a lot of information.

And now readers theater is something she can't wait to try!

Give the gift of reading this holiday season!

noreply@blogger.com (TOON Books) — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 21:49:00 +0000

Struggling to finish your holiday shopping? Be sure to check out our brand-new Beginning Reader Basket and “I Don’t Like to Read” Basket before raising the white flag. Our carefully curated baskets are sure to please even the most persnickety readers (not to mention persnickety parents too).

For reluctant readers, we offer the "I Don't Like To Read" Basket, because within every child who doesn’t like to read is a child who hasn’t found what she or he enjoys reading. For our youngest readers, we start them off running with the Beginning Reader Basket.

At only $35, there may be a little left over for you know who.

Zig and Wikki: First Peeks

noreply@blogger.com (TOON Books) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 16:13:00 +0000

- Dr. Katie Monnin calls Zig and Wikki "A+ material for any early reader teacher of science!!!"

- Esther Keller at Good Comics for Kids talks to author Nadja Spiegelman about how she got the idea to write a comic with science facts woven in:

When my brother Dash was little, all he brought home from the library were photo books about guinea pigs and sea turtles and I often found myself jealous of how many cool things he knew. I wanted to write a story that would have both hugs and bugs— a friendship and gross facts about flies.

To request a review copy, write to RAW.JUNIOR (at) GMAIL (dot) com

Are comics fans the worst advocates for kids comics?

noreply@blogger.com (TOON Books) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 16:42:00 +0000

Heidi MacDonald, PW's queen of comics blogging, recently wrote about an interesting phenomenon: comics fans pushing old favorites (like Superman) on kids in lieu of more age and reading level-appropriate comics (like TOON Books). She laments:

"From where I sit, it’s pretty obvious that book publishers haven’t really figured out how to do kids graphic novels."

This got us thinking about a misunderstanding we keep running into.

Kids comics = kids graphic novels
You wouldn't give a five-year-old a copy of Wuthering Heights, just as you wouldn't give him or her a copy of Watchmen. I had a librarian come up to the TOON Book table at the NYC School Librarian Conference, and tell me that she had a 1st grader who wanted to check out a "graphic novel" adaptation of Macbeth. He thought it would be "easy" because of the illustrations. She handed him a TOON Book instead.

"The TOON Books are marketed as kid books, NOT as graphic novels," our editor Françoise Mouly says. "It's a crucial distinction. They will be discovered, bought, recommended by parents, teachers, librarians, NOT by comics fans. They are 100% targeted to parents of kids who are learning to read, and completely uninteresting to 99.99% of comics fans. Parents, teachers and librarians are the ones for which we publish."

Timothy Callahan, reviewing Art Spiegelman's Jack and the Box for ComicBookResources.com, wrote, "...without my seven year-old son's input, I'm not sure I would have given this book three and a half stars. From my jaded perspective, the book looks too simple, even for a child."

At the end of the day, we're not publishing for Timothy Callahan. We're publishing for his son.

Bridging Ideas using Big Fat Little Lit

noreply@blogger.com (TOON Books) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:04:00 +0000

We received an awesome email from Professor James Carter in El Paso this week, about his inventive use of the Little Lit series in his English 3349 class. He writes:

"For the second year in a row, I've asked students in my Dramatic Modes of English Language Arts teacher-education class to consider how they might use comics stories as thematic bridges into more traditional texts. Big Fat Little Lit is one of the key texts they use for their comics stories. This year's crop of ideas is pretty impressive!"

We agree! See what they're up to.

And for more on Little Lit, including online stories and games, click here.

Comics for Kids at KingCon

noreply@blogger.com (TOON Books) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:14:00 +0000

Yesterday I was lucky enough to sit on a panel moderated by Brian Heater, with Matt Loux, Raina Telgemeier, Dave Roman, Sara Varon, about "the past, present, and future" of comics for kids! Three real live kids attended, and I'm not sure how into our discourse they were, but I gave them a couple TOON Books, and we saw "kids love comics" in action.

Raina Telgemeier, artist behind the graphic novel Babysitters Club series, talked about target age ranges, and how adding a graphic component makes it possible for a younger reader to access the same book that's targeted for someone older.

Dave Roman made a lot of interesting remarks about gender and content: girls have no problems reading books with a boy protagonist, but boys are less likely to read something with a heroine.

We talked about librarians, what important gatekeepers they are to getting comics into libraries and classrooms.

Last Tuesday, while sitting at the TOON table at the NYC School Librarian Conference, one enthusiastic librarian picked up one of our books, looked at me with surprise, and said, "It's like a real book!"

Amen to that.

Reading a Comic Strip

noreply@blogger.com (TOON Books) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:16:00 +0000

Have you checked out TOON in the Classroom lately? Not only can teachers find lesson plans and activity sheets, but you can also watch kids act out Luke on the Loose, and listen to your favorite TOON Books read aloud by the authors in the TOON Reader! Hear Otto's Orange Day read by artist Frank Cammuso, and Little Mouse Gets Ready, read by Jeff Smith!

We loved finding the blog of Mrs. Clarken's class. To teach a lesson on reading a comic strip, she assigned Otto's Orange Day, and asked the students to comment on what makes a comic different from a picture book. One child wrote in:

"Mrs. Clarken, I think that when he got the lamp he got so, so, so, so, so, pleased but I think he will soon discover that he should not have done that."

We couldn't have said it better ourselves.

Have you seen Little Mouse?

noreply@blogger.com (TOON Books) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 13:41:00 +0000

To celebrate our newest bestseller, Jeff Smith's Little Mouse, we are offering a limited number of the ultimate collectible, a handmade plush animal by renowned dollmaker Sabrina Cho. The perfect gift for a very precious young child or a loved one, the doll is available exclusively at TOON-Books.com, and comes with a certificate of authenticity, as well as a copy of the book autographed by Jeff Smith.

Busy week for TOON!

noreply@blogger.com (TOON Books) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 14:13:00 +0000

On Thursday night, a fantastic crowd of fans, friends, and aficionados turned out at the Strand to see Art and Françoise launch their newest endeavor, The TOON Treasury of Classic Children's Comics, just out from Abrams! Check out the Book Bench for images from this "unprecedented collection of the greatest comics for children," and then get your own copy!

Our TOONmania continued into the weekend, when Geoffrey and Leigh read at the Brooklyn Book Fest on Sunday afternoon. See pictures below from our post-reading puppet-making!

Stay tuned for information about TOON authors near you!

Eleanor Storms Chicago

noreply@blogger.com (TOON Books) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 15:17:00 +0000

Last weekend, Eleanor Davis flew to Chicago for the 2009 American Library Association conference. While there, she signed some books at The Magic Tree, drew a slew of monsters, and accepted a Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor for Stinky! We're tickled by the turnout, and pleased to share these photos from her windy city tour!

Extra special thanks to Debra Mitchell at The Magic Tree, and John Shableski from Diamond Books.

If you'll be in San Diego for ComicCon, please stop by Cartoon Books booth #2109 at 12:30 on Friday, July 24th, for an opportunity to get a signed copy of Jeff Smith's Fall 2009 TOON title, Little Mouse.

Pirates & Princesses in the Park

noreply@blogger.com (TOON Books) — Mon, 11 May 2009 15:48:00 +0000

This Saturday, TOON Books was thrilled to participate in the kick-off to Children's Book Week in Bryant Park. Hosted by majestic Ambassador for Young People's Literature, Jon Scieszka, the event included a stirring telling of "The Stinky Cheese Man," a pop quiz on the life cycle of butterflies, and official (and delicious) Children's Book Week cookies.

When it was TOON Books' turn, Geoffrey drew a pirate ship ("No, it's a box!" "It's a ship!") to set the scene, and Leigh got to wear her princess hat and read in a squeaky mouse voice, two of her favorite things. Everyone loved the story of the monster next door, and Geoffrey did drawings by special request following the reading. See images from the event below!

This Weekend: Harry Bliss in NYC

noreply@blogger.com (TOON Books) — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 19:54:00 +0000

If you happen to be in New York this weekend and love a good pigeon chase (who doesn't?), please come out to see Harry Bliss, who will be reading from his charming new TOON Book Luke on the Loose.

THE STRAND: Saturday May 2 - Family Hour - 3:30pm (828 Broadway @ 12th Street)

BOOKS OF WONDER: Sunday May 3 - with Shaun Tan - 1:00pm (18 West 18th Street)

(Sorry. Penny the puppy will not be in attendance.)

This Saturday!

noreply@blogger.com (TOON Books) — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 14:24:00 +0000

Join Geoffrey and Leigh this Saturday at Kids ComicCon!

2 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.: Pirates and princesses, sweet mice and monsters next door... See some of the TOON Books come alive with a staged reading by author Geoffrey Hayes and actress Leigh Stein!

2:30 – 3:45: Following the TOON Books reading, young performers will have the opportunity to play monsters, slimy slugs, toads, and more, in a Readers Theater workshop of Eleanor Davis' Geisel Honor Book Stinky. With an introduction by comics and literacy specialist Peter Gutierrez, the workshop will culminate in a staged performance with the all-kid cast at 3:15pm—best for children ages 6-12.

For more info on the ComicCon (and directions to the Bronx), click here.

Thrilling Follow-Up to Last Year’s TOON Bestseller

noreply@blogger.com (TOON Books) — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 18:27:00 +0000

BENNY AND PENNY

in
THE BIG NO-NO!
by Geoffrey Hayes
(RAW Junior/TOON Books, May 5, 2009, ISBN 978-0-9799238-9-0, $12.95)

Geoffrey Hayes’ beloved brother and sister pair returns in this lively whodunit about two curious little mice, a rule that begs to be broken, and a mystery next door...

Benny and his sister Penny know it’s wrong to sneak into someone else’s backyard, but their mysterious new neighbor—or is it a monster?—may be a thief. They go snooping and discover a lot about themselves and...a new friend.

Bestselling author Geoffrey Hayes has written and illustrated over forty children’s books, including the extremely popular series of early readers Otto and Uncle Tooth, the classic Bear by Himself, the Patrick Bear books, and When the Wind Blew by Caldecott Medal-winning author Margaret Wise Brown. His previous TOON Book, Benny and Penny in Just Pretend, was hailed in a Booklist starred review as “a charmer that will invite repeated readings.” Now these adorable mice are back, in an addition to the immensely successful collection of TOON Books, hardcover comics for early readers published by New Yorker Art Editor Françoise Mouly with Series Advisor Art Spiegelman. The imprint launched in Spring 2008. We are pleased to announce the following events in celebration of the release of Benny and Penny in The Big No-No!:

Saturday, April 25, 2009—NEW YORK CITY
2:00-2:30pm-- Staged Reading at Kids ComicCon
Bronx Community College, 2155 University Boulevard

Saturday, May 9, 2009—NEW YORK CITY
2:20 PM-- Children’s Book Week Kick-Off Events
Bryant Park, Fifth Avenue & 42nd Street

Tuesday, May 12, 2009—NEW YORK CITY
4:00 PM-- Storytime
Barnes and Noble Tribeca, 97 Warren Street

Congratulations to Eleanor Davis

noreply@blogger.com (TOON Books) — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 14:57:00 +0000

Congratulations to Eleanor Davis, a 2009 Eisner Award Nominee for her TOON Book Stinky in the "Best Publication for Kids" category.

Beloved Illustrator Harry Bliss Takes off with His First Solo Book!

noreply@blogger.com (TOON Books) — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 14:47:00 +0000

Harry Bliss, the New Yorker cartoonist who is half the team (with Doreen Cronin) behind the #1 New York Times bestseller Diary of a Worm, and who recently teamed with Newbery Medal-winner Kate DiCamillo for Louise, the Adventures of a Chicken, is taking off on a solo book of his own!

In this breakthrough book, Luke looks on at the pigeons in Central Park, while Dad is lost in “boring Daddy talk,” and before you know it—LUKE IS ON THE LOOSE! The story of this little boy on a solo flight through New York City is sure to delight any young reader who has ever felt cooped up. A cartoonist at heart, Harry Bliss instinctively uses the format of the comic book to great effect, drawing his readers on a breathless and unconventional tour of New York, filled with the kind of uproarious details young readers delight in.

Harry Bliss is the illustrator of numerous bestselling children’s books, including Newbery Medal-winner Sharon Creech’s It’s a Fine, Fine School, the above-mentioned Diary of a Worm, and Which Would You Rather Be? by Caldecott Medal-winner William Steig. This is his first comic book. He currently resides in Northern Vermont with his son and their puppy Penny, who has yet to catch her first squirrel. LUKE ON THE LOOSE is an hilarious addition to the immensely successful collection of TOON Books, hardcover comics for early readers published by New Yorker Art Editor Françoise Mouly with Series Advisor Art Spiegelman. The imprint launched in Spring 2008. TOON Books is pleased to announce a series of appearances by Bliss to promote Luke. Following are some of Bliss’ upcoming events:

Thursday, April 16, 2009—NAPERVILLE, IL
7:00 PM-- Reading and Book Signing
Anderson’s Bookshop, 123 West Jefferson

Saturday, May 2, 2009—NEW YORK CITY
3:30 PM-- Strand Family Hour Reading and Book Signing
The Strand, 828 Broadway (at 12th Street)

Sunday, May 3, 2009—NEW YORK CITY
1:00 PM-- Reading and Book Signing with Shaun Tan
Books of Wonder, 18 West 18th Street

Monday, May 4, 2009—JAMAICA PLAIN, MA
6:30 PM-- Family Night Presentation
Connolly Branch Library, 433 Centre Street

Tuesday, May 5, 2009—BURLINGTON, MA
6:30 PM-- Reading and Book Signing
Barnes & Noble, 98 Middlesex Pkwy

Saturday, May 23, 2009—ESSEX JUNCTION, VT
11:00 AM-- Reading and Book Signing
Phoenix Books, 21 Essex Way

TOON Artist Geoffrey Hayes Interviewed

noreply@blogger.com (TOON Books) — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 20:26:00 +0000

Jules at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast has posted an excellent (if we may say so ourselves) interview with Geoffrey Hayes.

Geoffrey's second Benny and Penny book for TOON, Benny and Penny in The Big No-No! hits stores May 5, 2009. Stay tuned for a list of upcoming appearances.

TOON Books at New York ComicCon

noreply@blogger.com (TOON Books) — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 15:35:00 +0000

On Sunday, February 8th, Françoise Mouly, Geoffrey Hayes, and Leigh Stein took the stage at New York ComicCon to read the TOON Books to a rapt audience of children and parents reclining in bean bag chairs. Here are some photos of post-reading drawing time with Geoffrey.

Stinky Snags Dr. Seuss Early Reader Honor

noreply@blogger.com (TOON Books) — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 16:39:00 +0000

On Monday, January 26th, the American Library Association announced its choice of Stinky as one of the honorees for the 2009 Theodor Seuss Geisel Award, which recognizes the most distinguished books for beginning readers. This is an unprecedented honor for talented newcomer Eleanor Davis, who was hailed by Publishers Weekly in 2008 as one of four emerging comic artists to watch, and made her book-publishing debut in the fall of that year with TOON Book Stinky.

* * *

I was very excited about Stinky winning the Geisel Honor award on Monday. My daughter loves the TOON Books! She's an early reader and sometimes reluctant to jump in to a book but I quickly came to appreciate how the graphic novel style really appealed to early readers. And even to my 3 year-old who will sit and look at Mo and Jo all by himself for extended periods of time. I'd seen how much my older nephews were drawn to graphic novels (3rd and 5th graders) and I've gained a whole new appreciation for the style watching my daughter's early reading skills grow with these books. I'm pleased to see high quality graphic novels for early readers - it makes such a huge difference.

Kim Wier
Parent/Aunt of new & sometimes reluctant readers

More information about the award
Interview with Eleanor Davis at What Adrienne Thinks about That
Interview with Eleanor Davis at Bees Knees Reads

Woodstock for Lovers of Literature

noreply@blogger.com (TOON Books) — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 15:35:00 +0000

Tomorrow, Saturday November 22nd, TOON authors Dean Haspiel and Art Spiegelman will be signing at a Books of Wonder event the Times calls "Woodstock for lovers of literature." Also scheduled to appear are Laura Cornell, Brett Helquist, David Gordon, Laurie Keller, Jon Scieszka, and Bob Shea. From noon to 2 p.m., Books of Wonder, 18 West 18th Street, Manhattan, (212) 989-3270