Pre-Order THE VERY LAST LEAF

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I’m excited to announce my second picture book, THE VERY LAST LEAF by Stef Wade (that’s me!), illustrated by Jennifer Davison, is now available for pre-order. THE VERY LAST LEAF releases on August 1, 2020.

THE VERY LAST LEAF cover image

What’s THE VERY LAST LEAF about?

Lance Cottonwood is the best and brightest of the leaves, but even the top students on the tree have worries. Can Lance conquer his fear of falling and just let go when the time comes for his final exam, or will he let his worries take over? In this funny and encouraging picture book, best-selling author Stef Wade (A Place for Pluto) tells an engaging story and deftly addresses social and emotional struggles many kids encounter each day…feeling anxious, wanting to be perfect, facing fears, etc. These themes combined with illustrator Jennifer Davison’s delightful characters and rich autumnal colors make The Very Last Leaf a perfect book for the start of a new school year, the arrival of autumn, or any period of transition in life.

I don’t know what the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year is going to look like, but I expect there to be higher levels of anxiety than normal – both from students and from parents. This book helps children through the process of identifying fears and working through them and, I believe, will be a great addition to any school or home library!

Pre-order Details

To pre-order THE VERY LAST LEAF, visit any of the following links:

Indiebound

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Book Launch

In these changing times, I am unsure of what my book launch will look like. Whether virtual or in-person, I will be sharing that information with you in the upcoming months. I hope to see all of you there when I share Lance with the world for the first time.

Thanks to everyone for your continued support.

Happy Reading! 

A Place for Pluto Home Activities

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Hello space-lovers!

While we spend some time at home, I wanted to put together a place to add activities that supplement A PLACE FOR PLUTO! Check out these links for extra fun at home. I will continue to add to this list. If you have a Pluto activity you’ve used, please feel free to email me the link/materials at [email protected].

Stef Wade’s Facebook Live: A PLACE FOR PLUTO_activitysheet

Capstone: A PLACE FOR PLUTO Activity Kit

Stef Wade’s Pinterest Page: Links to space activities and more! 

The Primary Gal: A Place fo Pluto Story Elements

 

THE VERY LAST LEAF Cover Reveal

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I’m thrilled to share with you the cover for my next picture book, THE VERY LAST LEAF, releasing on August 1, 2020 from Capstone Publishing and illustrated by the amazing Jennifer Davison.

I’m so excited for you to meet Lance Cottonwood, who is the best and brightest student in his class, but he’s afraid of his final exam…falling from the tree.

This book not only teaches life cycle of leaf in a fun way, but gently approaches the topic of anxiety and how to deal with fear.

I can’t wait for this book to enter the world, but until then, I leave you with the cover for THE VERY LAST LEAF! Click the link from my super agent, Christa Heschke, to view the entire cover in all of it’s autumnal glory!

http://christaheschke.blogspot.com

Stef Wade’s Q AND U CALL IT QUITS to be published by HarperCollins

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I’m QUivering with excitement to finally announce to you my third picture book! Q AND U CALL IT QUITS is set to release Summer 2021, published by HarperCollins, with Jorge Martin illustrating. I’m beyond thrilled to be working with Karen Chaplin at HarperCollins and to see my words come to life through the magic of Jorge Martin.

Q AND U CALL IT QUITS is a story of two good friends, Q&U. When U gets sick of Q being needy, she sets off for some alone time. When the other letter blends catch wind of the split, they begin to drift apart, creating chaos and confusion. How can the words be spelled without the letter blends?

This story has no lack of puns and silly humor, but also helps teach children about letter blend sounds through the theme of teamwork.

I’m so excited to be working with Jorge Martin. He has illustrated a family favorite of ours, LITTLE TACO TRUCK, along with FAIRY TALE PETS, and various other children’s titles. His illustrations are whimsical and colorful and I know he is going to knock it out of the park with our friends Q and U. You can check out his work here.

Jorge Martin’s Little Taco Truck – a Wade family favorite!

I’ll have more information in the future. Thanks for coming along on this ride with me. I feel blessed to continue on this exciting path doing what I love the most!

To read the full rights report from Publisher’s Weekly, click here.

A PLACE FOR PLUTO is Black Eyed Susan Award Nominee

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A PLACE FOR PLUTO has made the nominee list for the Maryland Association of School Librarians Black Eyed Susan Award for the 2019-2020 school year! What does this mean? It means that during the upcoming school year, students vote from the nominees on their favorite of the bunch, from picture books through young adult. Awards are given in May 2020.

I’m so excited to be a part of this and blown away at the list of names. It is surreal to see my name on a list of such amazing authors. And I’d like to send a special shout-out to Melanie Demmer, illustrator of A PLACE FOR PLUTO. It would never have made this list without you!

Below is a list of the picture book nominees. To see a full list of the nominees, click here.  If you haven’t checked out any or all of the books on this list, please run to the library or book store and do so!

Black Eyed Susan Award Nominees

Stef Wade earns children’s literary award for Wisconsin writers

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I continue to be awed and humbled by the outpouring of love for this first book of mine. And…I’m excited to announce that I am the honorable mention recipient for the Council For Wisconsin Writers Tofte/Wright Children’s Literary Award for the writing of A PLACE FOR PLUTO. This award is given to Wisconsin residents for literary works for children published in 2018. I’m honored to be in great company with author Patricia Sutton for her work on CAPSIZED.

A full list of winners from other categories can be found here.

Below is some information and history on the award from the Council for Wisconsin Writers website:

Arthur Tofte/Betty Ren Wright Children’s Literature Award

The Arthur Tofte/Betty Ren Wright Children’s Literature Award is given to the Best Children’s Book published by a Wisconsin-based writer in the previous year. From 1966 to 1992 this award was known as the Juvenile Book Award, and from 1997-2003 as the Arthur Tofte Juvenile Fiction Book Award. See a list of past winners of this award.

About its namesakes:

Arthur Tofte
Arthur Tofte

Arthur Tofte (1902-1980) enjoyed two distinctly different careers: one as a businessman and the other as an author of science fiction, fantasy, and the occult. He published his first story, “The Meteor Monsters,” for Amazing magazine in 1938 when he was a member of the Milwaukee Fictioneers, a group focused on the memory and style of influential science fiction writer Stanley G. Weinbaum. Tofte then focused on his career as a business executive in Milwaukee. Upon his retirement in 1969, and with the encouragement of editor Roger Elwood, he began publishing again, eventually producing five novels, 18 short stories, and four essays. His most popular works include Crash Landing on Iduna (1975), Walls Within Walls (1975), and The Ghost Hunters. His The Day the Earth Stood Still (1976) is a full-length version of the short story made into the world-famous film.

Betty Ren Wright
Betty Ren Wright

Betty Ren Wright (1927- 2013) grew up in Milwaukee, graduated from Milwaukee-Downer College (now Lawrence University), and worked as an editor for Western Publishing Co. in Racine from 1949 to 1978 until turning to writing full time. Known for her mastery of mystery and suspense, her popular mysteries for middle-grade readers include A Ghost in the House, The Ghost of Mercy Manor, Too Many Secrets, and A Ghost Comes Calling. Her novel The Dollhouse Murders was a 1983 Edgar Award nominee in the best juvenile category and won the Texas Blue Bonnet Award. She also wrote 35 picture books, and her short stories appeared in Young Miss, Ladies’ Home Journal, Redbook, and many other magazines.

A PLACE FOR PLUTO Recognized as LITA Golden Duck Notable Picture Book

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Pluto belongs on another out-of-this-world list! The Library and Information Technology Association (LITA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), recently announced the 2019 Excellence in Children’s and Young Adult Science Fiction Notable Lists.

I’m happy to announce that A PLACE FOR PLUTO has been recognized as a 2019 Golden Duck Notable Picture Book! Below is a list of all the books, from picture book through young adult. To read the full article, please click here.2019 LITA Golden Duck

The Golden Duck Notable Picture Books List

Bitty Bot’s Big Beach Getaway by Tim McCanna. Illustrated by Tad Carpenter. Paula Wise-man/Simon & Schuster.

Breaking News: Alien Alert by David Biedrzycki. Charlesbridge.

Doll-E 1.0 by Shanda McCloskey. Little, Brown YR.

If You Had a Jetpack by Lisl H. Detlefsen. Illustrated by Linzie Hunter. Knopf.

Little Robot Alone by Patricia MacLachlan and Emily MacLachlan Charest. Illustrated by Matt Phelan. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

A Place for Pluto by Stef Wade. Illustrated by Melanie Demmer. Capstone Editions.

The Eleanor Cameron Notable Middle Grade Books List

CatStronauts: Robot Rescue by Drew Brockington. Little, Brown YR. (Graphic novel).

Jamie Drake Equation by Christopher Edge. Delacorte.

Margot and Mateo Save the World by Darcy Miller. HarperCollins.

Mega Robo Bros by Neill Cameron. Scholastic. (Graphic novel).

A Problematic Paradox by Eliot Sappingfield. G. P. Putnam’s Sons.

Quantum Mechanics by Jeff Weigel. Lion Forge. (Graphic novel).

Sanity & Tallulah by Molly Brooks. Disney/Hyperion. (Graphic novel).

Star Scouts: The League of Lasers by Mike Lawrence. First Second. (Graphic novel).

The Story Pirates Present: Stuck in the Stone Age by Geoff Rodkey. Rodale Kids.

Too Much Space! (Beep and Bob) by Jonathan Roth. Simon and Schuster BYR.

Voyage of the Dogs by Greg Van Eekhout. HarperCollins.

Waste of Space by Stuart Gibbs. Simon & Schuster BYR.

The Wild Robot Escapes by Peter Brown. Little, Brown YR.

The Hal Clement Notable Young Adult Books List

A Conspiracy of Stars by Olivia A. Cole. Katherine Tegen/HarperCollins.

Cross Fire by Fonda Lee. Scholastic.

The Future Will Be B.S.-Free by Will Mcintosh. Delacorte.

Honor Among Thieves by Rachel Caine and Ann Aguirre. Katherine Tegen/HarperCollins.

Ignite the Stars by Maura Milan. Albert Whitman.

Impostors by Scott Westerfeld. Scholastic.

Pitch Dark by Courtney Alameda. Feiwel and Friends.

Skyward by Brandon Sanderson. Delacorte.

The Spaceship Next Door by Gene Doucette. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

A Spark of White Fire by Sangu Mandanna. Sky Pony.

Stronger, Faster, and More Beautiful by Arwen Elys Dayton, Delacorte.

This Splintered Silence by Kayla Olson. HarperTeen.

Unearthed by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner. Hyperion.

Your One & Only by Adrianne Finlay. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

A PLACE FOR PLUTO LANDS ON TXLA 2×2 READING LIST

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Texas Library Association 2x2 Reading List

 

I’m excited to share some great news! A PLACE FOR PLUTO was recently announced as part of the Texas Library Association’s (TXLA) 2×2 Reading List. The 2×2 Reading List is a curated list of 20 titles for 2019 that recommends 20 picture book titles for children age 2 through grade 2. This list is designed to encourage reading and is used by parents, teachers, and caregivers in Texas and beyond!

The list of 20 books includes:

A Place for Pluto by Stef Wade, illustrated by Melanie Demmer (Capstone, 2018)

Alma and How She Got Her Name by Juana Martinez-Neal (Candlewick, 2018)

Can I Be Your Dog? by Troy Cummings (Random House, 2018)

Crunch, the Shy Dinosaur by Cirocco Dunlap, illustrated by Greg Pizzoli (Random House, 2018)

Festival of Colors by Kabir and Surishtha Sehgal, illustrated by Vashti Harrison (Simon & Schuster, 2018)

How Are You? / ¿Cómo estás? by Angela Dominguez (Henry Holt and Co., 2018)

Joan Procter, Dragon Doctor by Patricia Valdez, illustrated by Felicita Sala (Alfred A. Knopf, 2018)

Misunderstood Shark by Ame Dyckman, illustrated by Scott Magoon (Orchard Books, 2018)

People Don’t Bite People by Lisa Wheeler, illustrated by Molly Idle (Simon & Schuster, 2018)

Russell Wrestles the Relatives by Cindy Chambers Johnson, illustrated by Daniel Duncan (Aladdin, 2018)

Shake the Tree! By Chiara Vignocchi, illustrated by Silvia Borando (Candlewick, 2018)

Shapes by Jacques Duquennoy (Chronicle, 2018)

Stegothesaurus by Bridget Heos, illustrated by T.L. McBeth (Henry Holt and Co., 2018)

Teddy’s Favorite Toy by Christian Trimmer, illustrated by Madeline Valentine (Atheneum Books, 2018)

The Itchy Book by LeUyen Pham (Hyperion Books for Children, 2018)

The Little Red Fort by Brenda Maier, illustrated by Sonia Sanchez (Scholastic Press, 2018)

The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld (Dial Books, 2018)

Truck Full of Ducks by Ross Burach (Scholastic Press, 2018)

What Do They Do With All That Poo? by Jane Kurtz, illustrated by Allison Black (Beach Lane Books, 2018)

What if… by Samantha Berger, illustrated by Mike Curato (Little, Brown and Company, 2018)

To see the full article, please click here. 

I’m honored that #plutobelongs on this list with so many distinguished and talented authors. It’s an exciting time for Pluto!

Thanks for all of your support!

Stef Wade to publish next picture book in 2020

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I can officially say, my newest picture book comes out next year! I’m so excited to bring you LANCE COTTONWOOD IS AFRAID TO FALL, releasing Fall 2020, published by Capstone.

LANCE COTTONWOOD follows Lance the leaf, who’s the best student in his class, but is afraid of his final exam…falling.

Get ready for another pun-ny and fact-filled adventure!

Stay tuned for more information on illustrator and release dates.

A PLACE FOR PLUTO Book Launch Event

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I’m excited to announce a special launch party for A PLACE FOR PLUTO! Our awesome friends at Jaunt and Berry Yo in Arlington Heights, IL are teaming up to bring you an exciting day for all things Pluto! Bring family and friends and join me for a fun afternoon!

A PLACE FOR PLUTO BOOK LAUNCH PARTY

Monday, July 2

12:30 – 1:30 p.m
at JAUNT
131 W Wing St, Arlington Heights, IL 60005

Purchase your copy of A PLACE FOR PLUTO

1:30 p.m.
at BERRY YO
50 N Vail Ave, Arlington Heights, IL 60005

Reading and Q&A session with Stef Wade, followed by book signing, activities, fro yo and fun!

About Pluto

Pluto got the shock of his life when he was kicked out of the famous nine. His planet status was stripped away, leaving him lost and confused. Poor Pluto! On his quest to find a place where he belongs, he talks to comets, asteroids, and meteoroids. He doesn’t fit it anywhere! But when Pluto is about to give up, he runs into a dwarf planet and finally finds his place in the solar system. This feel-good picture book combines a popular science topic with character education themes of self-discovery, acceptance, and friendship. It has bonus material in the back matter to support curriculum.

About Stef

Stef Wade is the author of A PLACE FOR PLUTO. Growing up in Des Plaines, IL, she dreamed of seeing her book on the shelf one day. And now her dream has come true!  Stef is an alumnus of St. Paul Lutheran School in Mt. Prospect and Maine West High School in Des Plaines. A PLACE FOR PLUTO is her debut picture book and has been chosen by Barnes & Noble for their national storytime on August 11.

“Make space for this clever blend of science and self-realization.” –Kirkus Reviews

“A delightful and accessible take on the redesignation of the Kuiper Belt’s most controversial orbiter.” – Foreward Reviews