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"In I Really Want to Be First!, Really Bird is usually in line behind his two best friends, Cat and Pup. He wants to be first for a change, so he thinks up a scheme to become the leader of the group. Along the way, Really Bird discovers that being the leader involves more than being first"--
About the author
HARRIET ZIEFERT is a former elementary school teacher from North Bergen, New Jersey. A graduate of Smith College, she also holds an MA in Education from NYU. She is the bestselling author of more than 250 children’s books and has developed easy-to-read series for several major publishing houses. As founder of Blue Apple Books, she has published over 500 titles, many of which have become best-selling modern classics. Harriet Ziefert continues to create and publish books from her home, where she now lives, in Great Barrington, Massachusetts.
Travis Foster, a graduate of the Ringling College of Art and Design in Sarasota, Florida, has been illustrating for more than 25 years.
Kirkus Reviews praised his work in
What’s New at the Zoo? as “ingenious illustrations [that] feature antic cartoonish animals in an explosion of colors ...." His editorial and advertising clients include Target, Disney, Forbes,
Internet Week, Aetna,
The Wall Street Journal, and
The Washington Post. Foster lives in Nashville, Tennessee, with his wife and four children.
Summary
Meet Really Bird, a small bird who lives in a large city park with his friends Cat, Pup, Mouse, and Rabbit. In each story, Really Bird finds himself really wanting something – to be bigger, to have his fair share, or to be the leader – to be really silly, funny, strong, cool, happy, or brave. And when he feels something, he really feels it.
Each story is an entertaining, character-driven caper based on relatable social/emotional themes, delivered with surprise twists, high drama, and expert comic timing. Along the way, lessons are learned about qualities such as teamwork and compassion. The emphasis is on character growth and development through creative problem-solving. Friendship and emotional engagement are at the heart of every story.
In I Really Want to Be First!, Really Bird is usually in line behind his two best friends, Cat and Pup. He wants to be first for a change, so he thinks up a scheme to become the leader of the group. Along the way, Really Bird discovers that being the leader involves more than being first.
Foreword
- Outreach to reviewers, media, bloggers, and social media influencers
- Digital review copies available on Edelweiss
- Social media pre-sales campaign (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter)
- Social media paid-advertising campaign at on sale
- Major distribution of free digital and review copies to seed the market
including PW Spring Grab-a-Galley - Netgalley promotion - February
- VIP mailing of finished books to key social media influencers, teachers, bookstores, and librarians
- Trade advertising in Publishers Weekly
- Featured title on Vooks.com (1.3M subscribers) launching at publication time
- Really Bird plush from Merrymakers Inc. available at on sale
- Featured title on TeachingBooks.net with resources
- Free downloadable activity/resource guide
- Publicity outreach through Blue Slip Media
- Promotion at key book trade and school and library conferences (PLA, TLA, US Book Show, ALA)
- Illustrator at USBBY Regional Conference
- Focus title at SLJ Picture Book Palooza July 2022
- Lexile and Guided Reading leveling provided
- KidLit TV Feature - February 2022
- Author Interview for online distribution
- E-newsletter feature
- Ongoing social media activity to build awareness
Additional text
"A goofy, silly story with lively imagery by Foster, this book touches on issues of social consciousness, such as trusting, sharing, and having productive solutions to problems when issues occur. Great for any children's collection." –
School Library Journal
