Working Titlez

We’re huge fans of illustrator and author Jorge Bettancourt Polanco — his bright abnd whimsical illustrations grace not only Stephens Press titles like Dreamygirl (which he also wrote) and Granny McFanny, but also local art gallery walls. The Read to Me program recently selected Jorge to read Dreamygirl to kids in Spanish. Go to www.readtomelv.com to watch — and while there, you and your kids can watch other celebrities read some great stories. Read to Me also offers teacher/parent lesson plans to download for each book. These plans offer fun and educational activies related to each book. Dreamygirl’s lesson plan can also be downloaded here

As reported recently, Dreamygirl’s Field of Wishes/Esonacion y el Jardin de Suenos by Jorge Betancourt Polanco was named a finalist in the Spanish language category of the 2008 Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards. Final judging completed — Dreamygirl won the gold! The Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards are designed to honor the best children’s books, authors and illustrators, and to support childhood literacy and life-long reading. The awards will be presented in January at the American Library Association’s annual conference in Denver, with a gala reception at the venerable Tattered Cover, one of America’s largest independent book retailers. ¡Felicidades Jorge!

The Independent Publishers Association has just named a Stephens Press title as a finalist in the prestigious Moonbeam Awards for 2009. The Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards are designed to honor the best children’s books, authors and illustrators, and to support childhood literacy and life-long reading. Jorge Betancourt Polanco’s first book, Dreamygirl’s Field of Wishes/Esonacion y el Jardin de Suenos is one of five finalists for the Spanish Language category. The gold, silver, and bronze winners will be announced in January at the American Library Association’s annual conference in Denver, with a gala reception at the venerable Tattered Cover, one of America’s largest independent book retailers. Dreamygirl is a lyrical tale of hopes and dreams featuring Jorge’s unqiue and fanciful illustrations. Art director for Stephens Media’s El Tiempo newspaper, Jorge’s paintings are on exhibition in local Las Vegas art galleries. He also illustrated Granny McFanny, another popular children’s book from Stephens Press.