New Releases by Aaron Shepard

A talented musician from Novgorod plays so well that the Sea King wants him to marry one of his daughters.

In this tale from the "Mahabharata," India''s national epic, Princess Savitri outwits the god of death to save her husband.

Writing books for children is both art and business. If you dream of becoming a children''s author -- or even if you''re well on your way -- this handbook can help you in writing sellable stories, getting them published, and promoting your books. Topics include common myths about children''s writing, children''s book categories, elements of successful stories, manuscript format, submission strategies, contract negotiation, the publishing process, career building, and children''s writer resources. Also included are specialized subjects such as querying for multiple manuscripts, promoting a first book, and self publishing. Read "The Business of Writing for Children" to learn the secrets you might spend years discovering for yourself. ///////////////////////////////////////////////// Aaron Shepard is the author of "The Legend of Lightning Larry," "The Baker''s Dozen," and sixteen more picture books and early readers, along with several chapter books for middle grades, extensive resources for storytelling and reader''s theater, and a graphic novel. His publishers have included Atheneum, Scribners, Clarion, Lothrop, Dial, and HarperCollins, as well as Cricket and Australia''s School Magazine. Aaron''s work has been honored by the American Library Association, the National Council for the Social Studies, the American Folklore Society, The New York Public Library, and the Bank Street College of Education. He has been a judge for the Golden Kite Awards of the Society of Children''s Book Writers and Illustrators. ///////////////////////////////////////////////// "BRAVO! I thought it had pretty much all been said, but I was wrong. All the nuts and bolts are here as well as rules that bear repeating, PLUS insights not usually found in how-to books. Clearly and concisely written, this is an invaluable resource for both beginning and more accomplished writers." -- Susan Pearson, Editor-in-Chief, Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Books "Aaron Shepard has written one of the most comprehensive guides available to anyone wishing to enter the competitive field of children''s books. It''s all here, from initial idea to successful sale, and then beyond to the essentials of contracts, promotion, and the ABCs of building a successful career. If you''re starting out, start out here." -- Stephen Mooser, children''s author "Here''s clearly-written, no-nonsense help for children''s writers by a craftsman. Every fledgling author should own this book." -- Stephen Fraser, Executive Editor, Aladdin Paperbacks "Aaron Shepard''s The Business of Writing for Children is a wonderful resource. His experience-based insights into the art and business of children''s writing will save beginning writers years of wasted effort -- and help published writers achieve long-term success." -- Kathleen Duey, children''s author "The Business of Writing for Children is a one-stop shopping center, a complete how-to-do-it guide for the writer who wants a jump-start on looking professional even though he/she may be turning out a first book. Editors will love you if you do it Shepard''s way." -- Audrey Baird, Editor, Once Upon A Time "A clear, concise, straight-ahead starting place for a new writer or a newly-published writer. Shepard knows his stuff!" -- Jane Yolen, children''s author and editor

Gentlemen might be in short supply today, but this little book of wisdom could be a cure. If you''re a young man who cares about the quality of his mark on the world -- or if you know such a young man -- the aphorisms of "The Gentleman''s Handbook" may prove a helpful guide. ///////////////////////////////////////////////// Aaron Shepard is an author, photographer, publisher, and aspiring gentleman. He lives with his wife and fellow author, Anne L. Watson, in Bellingham, Washington. ///////////////////////////////////////////////// CONTENTS A Gentleman in Love A Gentleman in Speech A Gentleman in Society A Gentleman in Life ///////////////////////////////////////////////// SAMPLES A gentleman always finds a compliment for a lady he loves. A gentleman never compares one lady to another. A gentleman understands that every lady is a flower, and that love will make her bloom. ---------------------------- A gentleman listens carefully to others and takes pains to remember what he hears. A gentleman never smirks. A gentleman knows that words should be weighed, not counted. ---------------------------- A gentleman understands that the value of any person goes far beyond their usefulness to him. A gentleman does not leave messes for others to clean up. A gentleman knows he cannot help others if he does not stand on firm ground himself. ---------------------------- A gentleman knows that what he does is less important than how he does it. A gentleman does not avoid what should be resolved. A gentleman knows that his worth is measured not by what he collects but by what he contributes.

Quite by chance, San Francisco has become one of the carousel capitols of the world. It today hosts carousels from all three of the most important historic American carousel makers -- the only city anywhere with that distinction! What''s more, each carousel has been restored close to its original condition. "Circles of Delight" celebrates the beauty and diversity of these traditional, hand-carved wood carousels of the Golden Gate City. With its vibrant photos and informative profiles, it is bound to delight carousel lovers of all ages. ///////////////////////////////////////////////// Aaron Shepard is an independent writer and photographer. He has been entranced by carousels since childhood -- but his love and interest were rekindled when his wife, Anne L. Watson, wrote a novel about a young carousel restorer. When a business trip brought them to San Francisco in April 2004, Aaron spent three days photographing the city''s carousels, giving him the photos for this book. He currently lives in Bellingham, Washington. ///////////////////////////////////////////////// "Filled with beautiful photography. . . . You will treasure this book." -- Bette Largent, President, National Carousel Association ///////////////////////////////////////////////// CONTENTS San Francisco Zoo Carousel Yerba Buena Gardens Carousel Golden Gate Park Carousel

"Stories on Stage" is a collection of reader''s theater scripts for young readers, adapted from stories by fifteen different authors, including Louis Sachar, Nancy Farmer, Russell Hoban, Wanda Gag, and Roald Dahl. Coming from such genres as humor, fantasy, and multicultural folktales, stories were selected for their dramatic quality, literary value, and appeal to young people. While focusing on ages 8 to 15, the collection features a wide range of reading levels. The scripts in this collection are -- "Three Sideways Stories From Wayside School," by Louis Sachar -- "Mr. Twit''s Revenge," by Roald Dahl -- "Millions of Cats," by Wanda Gag -- "Tapiwa''s Uncle," by Nancy Farmer -- "How Tom Beat Captain Najork," by Russell Hoban -- "Harriet," by Florence Parry Heide -- "Mr. Bim''s Bamboo," by Carol Farley -- "Talk," by Harold Courlander -- "The Jade Stone," by Caryn Yacowitz -- "The Bean Boy," by Monica Shannon -- "The Kid from the Commercial," by Stephen Manes -- "The Fools of Chelm," by Steve Sanfield -- "Mouse Woman and the Snails," by Christie Harris -- "Westwoods," by Eleanor Farjeon -- "The Legend of Lightning Larry," by Aaron Shepard. ///////////////////////////////////////////////// Aaron Shepard is the author of many books, stories, and scripts for young people, as well as professional books and resources for writers and educators. He has also worked professionally in both storytelling and reader''s theater, as a performer, director, and teacher trainer. Aaron''s lively and meticulous retellings of folktales and other traditional literature have found homes with more than a dozen children''s book publishers, large and small, and with the world''s top children''s literary magazines, winning him honors from the American Library Association, the New York Public Library, the Bank Street College of Education, the National Council for the Social Studies, and the American Folklore Society. His extensive Web site, visited by thousands of teachers and librarians each week, is known internationally as a prime resource for folktales, storytelling, and reader''s theater, while his stories and scripts have been featured in textbooks from publishers worldwide, including Scholastic, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, SRA, The College Board, Pearson Education, National Geographic, Oxford University Press, Barron''s, Hodder Education, and McGraw-Hill. ///////////////////////////////////////////////// "What? Don''t have time to write up your own scripts for reader''s theater? Not to worry. Aaron Shepard will get you started with his stellar scripts -- perfect for duplicating, handing out to your students, and bringing to life. This is one must-have book." -- Judy Freeman, Author, More Books Kids Will Sit Still For "One of the challenges of teaching is instilling in our students a love for reading. By transforming imaginative stories by some of our favorite authors into clever scripts, Aaron Shepard once again provides the means for teachers to nurture a passion for the written word. This second edition of Stories On Stage is a most worthwhile addition to your cache of reading strategies that work." -- Susan Finney, Author, Keep the Rest of the Class Reading and Writing While You Teach Small Groups "Reader''s theater gets a boost from this collection. . . . The scripts are simple and direct, multicultural, and easily reproducible for classroom use." -- Ilene Cooper, Booklist (American Library Association), Jan. 1, 1994 "An intriguing, well-rounded collection. . . . The tone and content of source material is effectively preserved." -- The Horn Book Guide, July-Dec. 1993