HOW TO PLAY:

Can you guess the words that describe these groups of animals?

Email us at custserv@sasquatchbooks.com under the subject CONTEST with your guesses and be entered to WIN:
• Sarah’s new book, Have You Ever Seen a Smack of Jellyfish?
• A tee shirt featuring Sarah’s artwork
• A collection of her beautiful note cards

Example:

Now it’s your turn….

GOOD LUCK, and don’t forget to check out Sarah’s new book, Have You Ever Seen a Smack of Jellyfish available now!

Washington Doodles sparks the interest and imaginations of kids who live in our beautiful state or are just visiting it, with doodles about things they might see here (whales, Mt. Rainier, salmon jumping!), do (ski, hike, climb, swim!), or places they might go (the Olympic Sculpture Park, the Space Needle, Pike Place Market!). What I love about Washington Doodles is that kids aren’t just coloring inside the lines. They’re creating their own pictures, telling their own stories, and having fun learning along the way. As my daughter said, “you can really spread your imagination around.” As a parent, and as someone who helped this book come together, I couldn’t hope for more.

Doodles by Noa

Now it’s emails and voicemails we exchange, not stories by lamplight, but the memory remains, a vivid reel in my head. This memory was stirred when I had the privilege of working on two board books from our Spring 2010 list: What is Green? A Colors Book and Who Hoo Are You: An Animals Book.

Brimming with wide-eyed animals (”I’m a playing, spraying elephant”), and vibrant splashes of color (”What is red?” A heart, a tulip, a sweater…), these books are the creation of Seattle-based artist Kate Endle. Endle—whose art has appeared in murals, greeting cards, and magazines—has found just the right ingredient list for her books: a big batch of fun, colorful images; a dash of playful rhyming schemes; and a copious amount of almost-painful cuteness.

Mix it all together, and you have the recipe for memorable reading moments. And I’m not just saying this from the point of view of a former three-year-old. I dare you not to be smitten with Endle’s curious calico kitten or the smiling yellow sun (which, by the way, we could really use more of in this city). Simply put, there’s no grown-up too grown-up for the bliss these little books bring.

THIS WEEK! Kate Endle Collage book signing at Clover in Seattle. Join Kate, and Caspar Babypants, from 7-9PM at the Ballard Art Walk this Saturday. Music starts at 7PM. Original art from “Who Hoo Are You?” will be for sale. Hope to see you there!

No. In my family, we watched the Olympics for the ridiculous, shimmering figure skating outfits.

The 2010 Olympics were great: We had Russians in controversial aboriginal outfits; men in their customary tights, frills, and sparkle; and women with more makeup than Broadway stars.

But while the outfits were laughably fabulous, the Olympics aired another important segment this winter. As the Olympic torch relay passed through Churchill, British Columbia, cars were stopped in the streets to make way for passing polar bears. In the spotlight of the Olympics, people also stopped to think about the threats to polar bears in Canada. As the self-proclaimed polar bear capital of the world, the city of Churchill is worried that global warming is beginning to destroy their claim to fame, and without changes by humans, polar bear extinction is all too possible.

We love polar bears here at Sasquatch Books. Even more than a muscular man ice-skating in feathers, sequins, and body glitter. A few years ago our press published Winston of Churchill, a book about a debonair polar bear fighting global warming in town of Churchill, Manitoba, in Canada.

The polar bear hero, Winston, says, “The ice is melting. We are losing our home. The time has come for action. This is no time for ease and comfort. It is the time to dare and endure.” With words for action, strength, and hard work, Winston sounds like he is encouraging a gold-winning Olympic team. The Olympics may be over, but the fight to save the polar bears from global warming is just beginning.

While the residents of Churchill were excited that the Olympics visited their town, they were more proud of their furry white neighbors. In an interview in Montreal Gazette, Gary Lunn, Federal Minister of State for Sport, diplomatically said, “There’s the power of the flame and the power of the bear. And nothing would be cooler than for a polar bear to see the flame go by.”

Just imagine a polar bear—wearing sequins and feathers and ice skates—watching the Olympic flame pass by! That would be a great show. Until then, as you’re remembering those shimmering figure skaters and chuckling to yourself, grab a copy of Winston on Churchill to keep polar bears in the spotlight.

You can also enjoy and celebrate them with our fun new polar bear title, Polar Polka. (You’ll need to entertain yourself somehow now that you can’t make fun of the figure skaters’ outfits!)

It all began in 1974. Richard Nixon resigns, heiress Patty Hearst robs a bank, ABBA climbs the music charts, and Stephen Cosgrove and Robin James publish a children’s book titled Wheedle on the Needle. What began as a simple explanation of the blinking red light atop the Space Needle swept through Seattle like a characteristic rainstorm. Seattleites felt a fondness for the gentle Wheedle and adopted him as an icon of their city. Ironically, the creature who so craved his peace and quiet in the story was thrust into the spotlight.

From 1978 to 1985 the Wheedle helped stoke fans as the mascot at Seattle SuperSonics basketball games. One need only Google the words “Wheedle” and “Sonics” to see what a part of the team he was. (Seriously, do it. The resulting images are priceless.) The lumbering orange fellow could be seen frolicking on the sidelines and even posing with the star players and their tiny shorts on a line of Sonics greeting cards.

The busy Wheedle divided his time cheering on the team as well as serving as another mascot–the Space Needle’s–from the late 1970s to 1984. Today’s Skyline Level of the Needle even existed as a restaurant called “The Wheedle in the Needle” for a year.

Kevin and Chris Magill and their friends, Tim and Shelly, enjoy some quality time with the Wheedle at the Space Needle. (Thanks to Kevin for this photo!)

A few years later, the Wheedle could be seen as an ambassador for KOMO-TV. He even found time to explore his creative side, with a cookbook and a gardening book for kids (How to Cook a Bunch of Stuff and How to Plant a Bunch of Stuff).

I never thought I would meet a real live Wheedle, but the stars aligned last month at Seattle Bookfest. As publicist Tess Tabor and I were setting out the books, a gregarious gentleman working the Seattle Times booth noticed Wheedle on the Needle. “Ah, the Wheedle!” he exclaimed. “I’m sure you folks are too young to remember, but I was the Wheedle.”

Tess, Rick May (former Wheedle), me

He described how wearing the heavy fur costume required breathing through a foot-long tube, and, in their excitement, children would surprise and nearly topple him as they ran up and threw themselves on his back. Yet as he painted the picture of a challenging job, there was a gleam in his eye that was a testament to the affection Seattle must have felt–and continues to feel–toward the Wheedle.

The Wheedle has been out of the spotlight for many years (retired to his position on the top of the Space Needle no doubt), but not for long. Sasquatch Books is delighted to bring Wheedle on the Needle back to Seattle this winter. Look for the new 35th anniversary edition of this favorite children’s book wherever books are sold.

And tonight, check out KING 5 TV’s Evening Magazine at 7 p.m. for a special interview with author Stephen Cosgrove and illustrator Robin James about the Wheedle’s triumphant return to the Emerald City.

In my quest to learn more about Seattle’s fond history with the Wheedle, I’ve discovered that nearly every Seattleite seems to have a Wheedle memory. What’s yours? Post a comment here with your story or memory of the Wheedle, and we’ll pick one lucky winner to receive a keepsake copy of the 35th anniversary edition of Wheedle on the Needle–signed by the Wheedle himself!

I’m currently oohing and aahing over the Alphabet Bird Collection, and I want to personally thank Shelli Ogilvy for checking one more name off my gift list. When I first saw the stunning art for the Alphabet Bird Collection, I had that elusive reaction every diligent gift hound constantly seeks: that moment when you come across something that immediately makes you think of the person you’re trying to buy for. It’s perfect!

From Avocet to Zone-tailed Hawk, Ogilvy introduces readers to each bird with a gorgeous, rich-hued painting, playful rhymes, interesting facts, and each bird’s song phonetically mapped on a musical scale. It’s a great combination of visual and auditory stimulus that will likely have the budding ornithologist on your list drooling…or at least “sweee-sweewee-sweee”-ing along with the Junco or “kyow-kyow-kyow”-ing with the Quetzal.

Here’s a sneak peek of my favorite bird:

Diving from the air in quick pursuit,
The Kingfisher hunts for fish or maybe a newt.

Sing along to the Kingfisher’s song:
“tshrrrR tshrre tshrrR”

Now all I have to do is ensure my three-year-old nephew doesn’t check this blog post!

P.S. If you’re like me and every gift giving opportunity induces both thoughtful reflection and anxiousness, you’ll also want to check out this gem; Shanon Lyon’s insightful Gifts with Meaning: How to Choose Unique and Thoughtful Presents for Any Occasion just might be your lifesaver and mine.

This is Larry.

        He gets lost.  

                           A lot.

This past weekend, Larry, our lovable (if easily distracted) pup got lost in Seattle AGAIN! In an effort to find his owner, Pete, he wanted to get his picture taken.  Fortunately, he found someone with a Blackberry… 

Do you know where he is?  Email your guess to custserv@sasquatchbooks.com.  If you guess correctly, you will be put in a drawing for a special prize!  Please include:

Your name

Company (if applicable)

Shipping address

Email

The drawing will take place on Monday October 12th.

Need another hint?  

Email your guess to custserv@sasquatchbooks.com by Thursday October 8th.