Random Acts of Publicity 2010 - Candace Ryan's Animal House

Last year Darcy Pattison declared the week after Labor Day to be Random Acts of Publicity Week, and this year she’s brought it back. I think it’s a great idea! It’s a week to give support to friends and their books, which helps them and makes you feel good, and what can be better than that!

I ordered my friend Candace Ryan’s new book (and she ordered mine) while we were visiting the small but delightful Portrait of a Bookstore a few days ago, and today I want to give a shout out to her wild and imaginative first picture book, Animal House, illustrated by Nathan Hale.

Candace has confessed that she “tinkers with words” and I think that is certainly true in the best possible way. Animal House is a clever, rambunctious story and the fun wordplay coupled with the book’s bold, bright illustrations is a winning combination. Hurray for Jeremy, who has to convince his teacher, Mrs. Nuddles, that he lives in a very unique house that consists of very live animals such as condoors, floormingos and the rather dangerous vulchair!

And another hurray for Candace, whose second book Ribbit Rabbit (with illustrations by Mike Lowery) is to be released in February 2011 – and she has now sold a third!


Candace is an up-and-coming star, and one to watch!