Learning Magazine’s announcement reads: “Teacher teams from across the United States judged the entries and enjoyed evaluating these exceptional books. You received excellent reviews from our panel of teachers.”
The Kane Press is proud of the series’ author/illustrator team, Barbara deRubertis and R.W. Alley, who, with the excellent assistance of project editor Juliana Hanford and book designer Ed Miller, have made it possible for us to win our second Teachers’ Choice Award.
Praise for
“Simple, pleasant stories. Full of action and humor, Alley’s expressive artwork adds considerably to the appeal. . . . a good read-aloud option for parents and a natural for classrooms that celebrate [letter] weeks.”
—Booklist
“Kids will enjoy hearing each story as the [letter] sounds are introduced. Alley’s pen-and-ink drawings with soft watercolors capture the animals and their human characteristics in full-page illustrations, making the stories a delightful experience.” —School Library Journal
“Bravo for Kane Press. Animal Antics A to Z is a superior alphabet series. A delightful and thoroughly original way to supercharge beginning readers.”
—Roger Farr, Chancellor’s Professor, Emeritus, Indiana University; Past President, IRA
“Very original! Children will have fun discovering the alliterative words as they listen to the stories. The memorable characters and lively pictures have great kid appeal.” —Madeline Gilbert, Librarian/Teacher, Mamaroneck Avenue School, Mamaroneck, New York
“This splendid series lets little learners listen for letter sounds in lively literature! Animal Antics will engage children and encourage them to play with the sounds that make up words.” —Nancy L. Roser, Professor, Language and Literacy Studies, University of Texas, Austin
Kane Press, an award-winning publisher of children’s books, announces the January 2010 launch of a brand new 26-book series, Animal Antics A to Z®. Author Barbara deRubertis and artist R.W. Alley have teamed up to create an original and lively series for youngsters ages 3–8. Animal Antics A to Z debuts with Alexander Anteater’s Amazing Act, Bobby Baboon’s Banana Be-Bop, Corky Cub’s Crazy Caps, and Dilly Dog’s Dizzy Dancing. In these stories, Alpha Betty’s amazing students act in talent shows, get past bullies, make new chums, and avoid dancing disasters—all while having a lot of laughs and a rip-roaring good time.
Each book tells a humorous story children will relate to, focuses on a single letter sound (phoneme), and offers numerous opportunities for children to practice finding the phoneme at the beginning, middle, and end of many words. Fun activities are included to stimulate children’s curiosity.
Publisher Joanne Kane cites the continuing demand by parents for books with strong story lines, books that can be shared, books that support and extend the learning to read process as her reasons for publishing Animal Antics A to Z. “Because alphabetics (recognizing letter sounds and phonics) provide such important groundwork for reading, it is helpful for children to have interesting, engaging materials with which to practice and learn. We feel that Barbara deRubertis has effectively integrated an authentic educational intent with all the elements essential to a good story—plot, conflict, and resolution. R.W. Alley’s zany illustrations contribute to the lighthearted, whimsical, and humorous aspects of the books.”
Barbara deRubertis’s understanding of how children learn and what engages their imagination has been acquired over her 33 years of experience as a classroom teacher
and as an elementary school librarian. Barbara lives with her husband, Kim, on a farm
in Cashmere, WA, where they raise cherries and pears. Their five grandchildren provide lots of first-hand experience with the antics that inspire Barbara’s stories.
Award-winning artist R.W. Alley has illustrated more than 100 books for children. He is best known for the Paddington Bear series by Michael Bond, Because Your Daddy Loves You by Andrew Clements, Tiger Can’t Sleep by S.J. Fore, and There’s a Wolf at the Door by Zoe Alley (Booklist and Kirkus starred reviews, NCTE Notable Children’s Book, and a Washington Post Best Book of 2008).
Lerner Publishing Group is the exclusive distributor of Kane Press titles.
Details regarding all Kane Press titles can be found on www.lernerbooks.com or on the publisher’s website: www.kanepress.com. A downloadable catalog is available.
Contact:
Joanne E. Kane
Kane Press, Inc.
350 5th Avenue, Suite 7206
New York, NY 10118
Phone: 212-268-1435
Email: jkane @kanepress.com
Website: www.kanepress.com
