Tag: kidlit
#ALA: Meet Nancy Manet at the American Library Association 2023 Annual Conference
The Small-Tooth-Dog Publishing Group is delighted to announce the appearance of singer-songwriter and author Nancy Manet at the upcoming American Library Conference at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois. Nancy Manet will sign copies of her latest book, “My Expansion,” and meet fans at the Independent Book Publishers Association exhibitor booth (#3711) at 3:00 PM on Saturday and 11:30 AM on Sunday.
Fresh from a recording at Abbey Road Studios in London, Nancy will sign her children’s book focusing on her struggle to break free from rigid thinking.
Released as an adaptation of Nancy’s soon-to-be-released song, “My Expansion” captures her journey of reconciling a strict, dogmatic religious upbringing with her profound desire to love and support her free-spirited daughter. Through vivid poetry, Nancy poignantly portrays her struggle and ultimately finds her way toward understanding and acceptance.
Illustrated by Michelle Buvala, “My Expansion” showcases the enchanting tale of Big Bear and their cub through captivating artwork, making it an engaging and accessible read for young audiences. The book is available for order from local independent bookstores and online retailers.
Nancy is happy to offer a limited number of “My Expansion” copies exclusively for attendees of the American Library Conference. These limited edition copies will be available for signing at Booth 3711 on Saturday and Sunday. Due to the high demand and limited supply, conference attendees must visit the booth early to secure their copy during each of Nancy’s 30-minute signing times.

Writing from east Texas, Nancy Manet shares her experience, stating, “My upbringing led me to expect my children to conform like perfectly-potted tulips in a neat row. However, I discovered my first child to be more like a field of wildflowers. In my quest for perfection, I erred by being rigid and rule-driven instead of parenting with love and grace.”
Nancy’s early life story of hardship, betrayal, and abandonment paved the way for her present-day success as an entrepreneur. Confronted with a choice between embracing her LGBTQ daughter or rejecting her, Nancy defied dogmatic, religious ideologies and embraced genuine love and empathy for her child. She firmly believes that rigid thinking and expanding love and empathy cannot coexist.
Don’t miss the opportunity to meet Nancy Manet and have your limited edition copy of “My Expansion” personally signed at the American Library Conference. Join us at Booth 3711 on Saturday and Sunday to engage with this author who fearlessly explores parental love, acceptance, and personal growth.
Children’s Book Week May 2023
It’s Children’s Book Week! 📚 Coloring Page Alert! Freebies below for home and classroom activities.↓
Reading books with your kids can be a great way to spend quality time together and to help your kids develop important skills:
• Improved language and communication
• Improved problem-solving
• Enhanced focus and concentration
• Increased memory and creativity
Plus, it’s just plain fun! 😃
Oh, the free coloring page? Here it is!
Free bookmarks to print & color? Go right here!
We love the hashtag #ReadBooksSparkChange. What better way to kick that off than when of our bears from “My Expansion” by @nanmanet? This book is about sparking change in the relationship between Big Bear and the cub. From learning and growing as a bear family in the book to finding more expansion by reading great books, we think this art by illustrator @themesquitetreestudio is perfect.
Need even more free pages for classroom activities? Go here for the full list.
New Indie Reader Approved Book: My Expansion
Here’s today’s news! For our “My Expansion” book, we are honored and humbled to receive a 4-star review, and a “Indie Reader Approved” status today from IndieReader. Congrats to Nancy Manet and Michelle Buvala for this fine, detailed review recognizing the hundreds of hours that go into producing a book like this.
Here’s an excerpt:
“Nancy Manet’s book MY EXPANSION, beautifully illustrated by Michelle Buvala, is an original, creative, and compassionate story to encourage and offer guidance to a child who may be different from other children . . . While MY EXPANSION is clearly a children’s book, the messages it conveys are as much directed at parents as they are at children. “ ~IndieReader
Thank you to everyone on our team that strive for excellence in all our books.
Is it time for you to publish your book for kids?
Come start your journey with our learning resources.
✍️ Writing children’s books is an incredible way to improve the world.
🌎 Here are five benefits of being an author of children’s books:
• Share your creativity: Writing children’s books is a great way to be creative and share your ideas with the world. 💡
• Make a difference: You will have the opportunity to impact the lives of many young readers positively. 🤗
• Be an inspiration: Writing for young readers can provide inspiration and motivation to help them achieve great things. 🚀
• Express yourself: Writing children’s books allows you to express yourself through stories and characters. 📝
• Create memories: Writing children’s books can create memories that will last a lifetime. 💭
Get started. Can you do it? 🤩 You never know where it may lead you.
Reach out if you want help, author. #authorlife #childrensbooks 📚
Silver Award for 10 Ballet Dancers
What an absolute honor this month, during the online ceremonies of the “Benjamin Franklin Book Awards” from the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), that we learned our book “10 Ballet Dancers” has been awarded a SILVER medal in the category of “Interior Design: Children’s and Young-Adult Books.”
So many people make a book “happen,” and we are grateful for every person from our family, staff (much of which is family), authors, illustrators, and those in our resource “tool kit” who we call upon to make the magic happen.
Receiving the BFA has been a dream since we created the “official” company in 2015. We’d say to all of you who are working towards making something great in the arts: please stay with it. Work and focus on getting to your own levels of excellence. While art and books in themselves are reward enough, to have a book honored like this is both humbling and inspiring.
#IBPABens #smalltoothdog #10balletdancers
Seeking Some Specific Book Queries
First, please note: We do not accept unsolicited manuscripts. So, please read this before you submit anything at all:
We are currently seeking submissions for two specific projects here at Small-Tooth-Dog Publishing. We’re developing (picture books for kids) and also (preteen reading for, um, preteens) that have either the subject/theme of “oceanography” or “kindness and caring.” You may interpret those themes broadly. We are a diverse company with a variety of options for producing content and we have some specific marketing projects and goals in mind.
Again, please do not send an unsolicited manuscript to us. It will be deleted or trashed if you have not first sent a query letter and had your manuscript requested.
First- subscribe to our mailing list (on this page) to stay up-to-date on our projects.
Then, send your simple query letter (less is more, friends) via email to: doghouse@smalltoothdog.com and use the subject line, “book query.” Thanks.
First-time authors are welcome. Please note our Mission Statement below so you’ll understand how we operate and to be sure our values align with yours:
Mission Statement:
We are a small, niche-based publishing company in Arizona.
We publish books on the arts and creativity for adults and kids.
We want to build personally-rewarding and profitable relationships with our authors, illustrators, and staff.
We are a diverse, friendly, and welcoming company supporting and incorporating members (and allies) of marginalized communities.
We want to encourage you to pursue your purpose in life.
10 Ballet Dancers: Book Launch Video
Thanks to everyone who participated in the book launch for 10 Ballet Dancers!
10 Ballet Dancers! New Book Trailer!
“A challenging, inventive tale that works best for young dancers.”
-Kirkus Reviews
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Waltz (Tschaikovsky Op. 40) by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4605-waltz-tschikovsky-op-40-
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Join Us for Some #FlatBalletDancers Fun!
Author Amanda Malek-Ahmadi is eager to help you learn about her book being released with us soon! “10 Ballet Dancers” is coming October 2020. The book is illustrated by Kathrine Gutkovskiy.
Would you like to play along? So, Amanda has a little project much like the “Flat Stanley” fun of classroom memories. Take a look at her video and see if these #flatballetdancers should make a stop in your mailbox!
Learn more about this lovely and fun book for kids, visit the page in our online store at 10balletdancers.com!
Interview with Author Marc Severson
Our publisher, Sean Buvala, sat down with author Marc Severson to talk shop about his new book “Don’t Throw Me in the Cholla Patch!” recently published by us. A transcript is included below. It’s a transcript, not a polished, printed document. Enjoy the “flavor” of it all.
Sean Buvala: Hey. This is Sean Buvala with Small Tooth Dog Publishing Group. I’m talking today to one of our new authors. You’ve been around the block for a while.
Marc Severson: Thirty years or so.
Sean Buvala: This is Mark Severson. He has just released with us, Don’t Throw Me in the Choya Patch. The wood rat and coyote story. The first of the woodrat stories.
Marc Severson: Absolutely.
Sean Buvala: Mark, how are ya?
Marc Severson: I’m doing great. I like to say that over the last 30 years, I’ve become an overnight sensation.
Sean Buvala: Yes, that’s right. That’s all it takes is 30 years. Hey, so we are really pleased to see this book come out with you.
Marc Severson: Not as pleased as I was.
Sean Buvala: That’s good. Look, even your name is on it.
Marc Severson: I know.
Sean Buvala: Where does the story come from? What is the history?
Marc Severson: That’s a great question. When I was an archeologist, I used to be out in the Sonoran desert and I’d find these piles of brush and such. They were surrounded by cholla. I always wondered about them. The fellow that I was doing the survey with said they were woodrat nests. I just thought, “Wow, what a fascinating creature.” They can bring cholla to its nest to protect it from all the other animals.
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