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Fish Tales, Tugs & Sails
SATURDAY 07•24•10
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Saturday, July 24, 11am-5pm (Rain or Shine)
New London Waterfront Park
FREE ADMISSION



Enter the Fish Tales, Tugs & Sails Summer Reading Bookmark Contest! Entry form available for download underneath the pictures on the righthand side of the page.

Explore the Blue Planet - A Children's Festival for Fun & Learning.

This nautically-themed family festival celebrates children's literature and the environment.

The festival kicks off with a new Children's Pirate Parade, led by "Captain Papillion, the Positive Pirate," along the Promenade from Custom House Pier to the performance stage at City Pier. Pirate attire is encouraged for all ages. A winner will be chosen for "best pirate!"

Meet nationally-renowned children's authors and illustrators. Enjoy live performances by children's entertainers including those of local community youth programs on a new stage at the Custom House Pier.

We've got the most boats ever! Explore the Coast Guard Cutter Morro Bay, enjoy activities aboard the Mystic Whaler Tall Ship, tour the Peacemaker Tall Ship, view working tugs like John Paul and Patricia Anne, and hop aboard Project Oceanology and touch live sea critters and watch the New London Community Boaters sail.

Participate in dozens of hands-on activities and enjoy food and ice cream vendors throughout the festival. Bring a new or gently used children's book to donate to the Whale's Tales Book Bank.

Peruse other events in the area like the special Fish Tales exhibit at the Custom House Maritime Museum, featuring Captain Nathaniel Brown Palmer: A Maritime Pioneer , the Stonington captain who designed the first clipper ships and discovered Antarctica. Also at the Custom House is The Shelborne Project Exhibit: an exhibition of New London History art projects created by The Regional Multicultural Magnet School students.

Take a dinner break in any of our fabulous eateries at 5pm and stay for the Parade Plaza: Circus Act - Nimble Arts' Summer Circus , a small circus troupe from Vermont performing trapeze, juggling, comedy & acrobatics! Performances are at 6:00 pm and 7:30 pm! See more info for this event here.

For more information, call (860) 444-2489.

Entertainment Schedule

City Pier Plaza
11:15-12:00 Papillion the Pirate
12:15-1:00 Che Cartafalsa and Geoff Kaufman
1:15-2:00 Steve Elci
2:15-3:00 Papillion the Pirate
3:15-4:00 Che Cartafalsa and Geoff Kaufman
4:15-5:00 Steve Elci

NEW THIS YEAR:
The Young Artist Community Stage
Sponsored by Charter Oak Federal Credit Union
Custom House Pier
YOUNG ARTISTS COMMUNITY STAGE
Custom House Pier

12:00 pm Welcome and 2010 Bookmark Design
Awards Ceremony
12:15 pm Missoula Children’s Theatre
12:30 pm Creative Dance & Movement
with Gail Tuttle
1:30 pm IKOD (Imperial Kings of Dance)
2:00 pm Gabrieles’ Karate & Kickboxing
2:30 pm Writer’s Block
3:00 pm Gabriele’s Karate & Kickboxing
3:30 pm Street Elite Hip Hop
4:00 pm Bob’s Discount Furniture
“Author Hang Out” Raffle Drawing

Captain Papillion: http://www.kidpirates.com



Barrels of fun can be had without ever having to mention or glorify violence, thievery, debauchery or other traits that are historically, or cinematically pervasive in the reality and myth of Pirate Culture. Captain Papillion, and KidPirates.com present a wholesome, positive twist on Pirating for Kids... of course, there is always room for a little mischief... for we only can be as Positive as Pirates can be! Arrrg!

KidPirates.com also teaches children the Values of Caring for the Earth and Sea. As our society and many of the world’s people continue to “Plunder” the Earth.

Geoff Kaufman (geoffkaufman.com) has been leading audiences to find truth, humor, and beauty in folk music. Whether singing sailor songs at Mystic Seaport or environmental songs on board the Sloop Clearwater in the Hudson River; or in solo performances at coffeehouses throughout the Northeast United States and festivals in Europe, Geoff has entertained and touched audiences near and far. Songs of the sea, songs of the earth, songs of the heart and the spirit—all of these are in Geoff Kaufman's ditty bag.

Che Cartafalsa is a professional musician, instrument maker and educator whose work has brought him from concert halls and orchestras to rock bands and onto West African street weddings. Che is a member of Toubabou and the White-Eyed Lizard Band who have played throughout the Northeast for the past several years.

Steve Elci, a southeastern Connecticut-based singer/songwriter who's been playing and performing as long as he can remember. His love for catchy hooks in his musings and soaring vocal style have won him acclaim from fans and critics alike.

On his new children's CD titled "Rocket Car", Steve creates a rock and roll for kids style of music that children will love and parents will enjoy.

In 2005, the Steve Elci recorded a song called "Christmas Time" was for "The Chimneys of New London" - a Connecticut based Christmas CD featuring all local New London artists. The song "Christmas Time" was entered into the Unisong International Songwriting Contest where it became an Honorable Mention Winner internationally (2005-2006). In 2007, Steve recorded a composition for the national PTA called "Every Child One Voice" as a fund-raiser. The song was sold nationally for about three months before the end of the school year 2007.

Steve is also in the band Superbald, a Connecticut-based surf-punk rock band that produced the minor hit "Submarine Town," (2004) which played a part in the Save The Submarine Base political campaign with Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell, US Senators Andrea Stillman and Christopher Dodd, and then US Congressman Rob Simmons. In May of 2005, New York Times reporter Bill Yardley wrote about Superbald in an article called "Hey, Didn't the Beatles Sing About a Submarine? "

2010 Confirmed Authors

Jim Arnosky
North Hero, VT
www.JimArnosky.com

Jim Arnosky, a self-taught writer, artist and naturalist, has written and illustrated 86 books on nature subjects and illustrated 46 other nature books written by various authors. When at author events, he shares his love of nature with children by singing with his guitar, drawing a few pictures and talking about his books and the wildlife adventures he has had.
Acclaimed for his picture books that speak directly to young naturalists, Jim Arnosky enjoys researching different ecological areas with his wife, Deanna.
His many awards and honors include the Washington Post— Children's Book Guild Award for overall contribution to nonfiction for children and the Eva L. Gordon Award for outstanding children's science literature. He has also written and illustrated numerous ALA Notable Books and Outstanding Science Books.
At his website, he has over 100 nature drawing you can print out and color!


Jason Chin
Burlington, VT
www.JasonChin.net
Although he had illustrated several picture books by other authors, the first picture book Jason both wrote and illustrated, Redwoods, was chosen as a 2009 Top Ten Picture Book on amazon.com and received rave reviews from both the Horn Book and School Library Journal!
Talking about his book, Redwoods, Jason says “REDWOODS is a blend of non-fiction and fiction, with facts about redwoods
delivered within a pictorial narrative that is pure fantasy. My publisher had a difficult time deciding whether to market it as fiction or non-fiction. If they had asked me I might have suggested memoir! Read this book and subway ride take you from under ground New York to the soaring redwood forest where giants live.

Leslie Bulion
Durham, CT
LeslieBulion.com
LeslieBulion.com/blog.htm

Although she wrote many poems as a child, Leslie did not grow up knowing she wanted to be a writer. But she has always been a big reader. In college, she studied social work and oceanography. Then, in 2001, Leslie won the Tassy Walden New Voices in Children’s Literature Award in the young adult category.
Her 2003 book, Fatuma’s New Cloth, is based on her travels to East Africa in 1998. It was awarded the Children's Africana Book Award, African Studies Association.
Leslie now spends most of her time writing for children and reading. She writes picture books, chapter books and books for young adults.


Cheryl Kling
Branford, CT
www.CherylKling.com
www.CherylKling.wordpress.com

Life coach, creativity consultant, artist and author Cheryl King has a masters degree in visual arts from Wesleyan in Middletown, bachelor and master degrees in art education and is a Martha Beck Certified Life Coach. She read her first children’s book, Nature’s Royal Tea Party, on Connecticut Loves to Read Day 2010 at the Children's Museum of Southeastern Connecticut. The story is a delight for tea party lovers of all ages.


Mary Korr
Barrington, RI
MKorr.wordpress.com
After three decades of newspaper writing, Mary Korr wrote her first children’s book, Winston the Water Dog, about a beloved family pet. The story of Winston will continue in a second book.
Although Winston has passed on, Mary’s love of Portuguese water dogs has continued with Elvis (Winston’s younger brother), who travels with her to author appearances and Maggie. She is especially happy that the Obama family chose a water dog, Bo, for their family pet.
The proceeds from Winston the Water Dog will be donated to the Portuguese Water Dog Foundation to go towards canine medical research.


Sarah Lamstein
Newton, MA
www.SarahLamstein.com
Sarah Lamstein, puppeteer and nature-lover, is the author of several picture books for children and a former school librarian. She has both a Master’s in Library Science (MLS) and a Masters in Fine Arts in children’s writing. Her books have won several awards including the Sydney Taylor Honor Award in 2008, Bank Square College of Education Best Children’s book of 2000. Her newest book, Big Night for Salamanders, blends fiction and nonfiction to tell about the special night in the spring when “spotted salamanders by the hundreds crawl out of the woods and down to a vernal pool.”


Mary Jo Rhodes
www.MaryJoRhodes.com
Mary Jo grew up in Oyster Bay, Long Island and worked
in publishing. After earning her MLS, she worked in both academic and public libraries. Next she became a children’s book author! After a trip to the Baltimore Aquarium, she was inspired to write Seahorses and Sea Dragons. It was published by Scholastic and became the first of a ten book series titled “Undersea Encounters.”
Her website was selected for inclusion in the American Library Association’s Great Web Sites for Kids, 2008.


Candace Stanford
SouthEastern Connecticut
Ms Sanford’s first book for young adults tells the story of Captain Nathaniel Brown Palmer, the sea captain from Stonington, Connecticut, who at age of 21 discovered the continent of Antarctica.
The book is illustrated with ink drawings and maps by well-know artist Susan Scala and includes photographs from the Stonington
Historical Society, private photo collections and the Peabody Essex Museum.
A display of the artwork featured in this book will be on display at the
New London Maritime Custom House Museum during July 2010.


Jerry Pallotta
South Londonderry, VT
www.jerrypallotta.com
Jerry has led a life full of kids and reading to his own kids led to his career as a children’s book author. His first book was an alphabet book about Peggotty Beach in Scituate, Massachusetts where he spent his childhood summers lobstering, fishing, mossing, clamming and rowing in his dory. He likes to hid a little bit of extra fun in each book he writes. Go to his website and click on “Fun & Games” to find some hints of strange things to look for in his books.

AUTHOR SCHEDULE

11:30 am - noon Sarah Lamstein

Noon - 1:00 pm Jim Arnosky

1:00 pm - 1:30 pm Mary Korr & her dog Elvis

1:30 pm - 2:00pm Cheryl King

2:00 pm - 2:30pm Jerry Pallotta

2:30 pm - 3:00 pm Mary Jo Rhodes

3:00 pm- 3:30 pm Leslie Bulion

3:30 pm- 4:00 pm Jason Chin

4:30 pm - 5:00 pm Candace Sanford

DOCKING & MOORING at the event:
Anchorage is available south of the U.S. Customs Pier (aka Coast Guard Pier) between Shaws Cove railroad bridge with dingy dock also available. Moorings available (white floats) for 24 hour stay south of City Pier for $35 per day.

For more information call Barbara Neff - Waterfront Coordinator at 860-443-3786.


Dominion/ CT Humanities Council/ City of New London/ Bob's Discount Furniture/ Charter Oak Federal Credit Union/ The Dinosaur Place at Nature's Art/ National Media Connection/ Thames Towboat Co. / Grover Insurance

Media Sponsors
The Day/ MetroCast/ Q105/ WFSB ch. 3

Co-Produced By
Mitchell College/ Michael's Dairy/ Public Library of New London/ New London Youth Affairs/ New London Main Street

Author Hall of Fame
2007 - 2009

Laura Backman's real-life classroom experience taking Lemon, a handicapped duck, under wing inspired her to share this exceptional story with children everywhere.
Lemon the duck




Irene Boland co-authored Wind the World Over with Vanessa Kellogg, a wind energy developer working in Texas. Irene works in the sustainability office of the EPA. Her goal is to help us all, young and old, live greener.
Irene Boland
www.epa.gov



Loree Griffin Burns, author of Tracking Trash, has taken some amazing trips while researching her science books for children and met some very interesting people who have shared their knowledge with her. She shares the exciting things she has learned with her readers in her books.
Loree Burns

Nancy Castaldo, author of many information-packed activity books for the budding naturalist, has always enjoyed the outdoors and reading! Her first publishing credit is a poem published in Seventeen when she was 16.
Nancy Castaldo

Catherine E. Clark is a nature and marine artist, whale-watcher and author of Chickadee and the Whale. You can see this book on You-Tube.
Catherine E. Clark
Youtube



Bob Crelin, astronomer, author, musician and inventor of the award-winning GlareBuster, has brought the thrill of the night sky to children in his two books, There Once Was a Sky Full of Stars and Faces of the Moon.
Bob Crelin



Mary Newell DePalma, is an illustrator and author/illustrator of many picture books. Watch her beautiful collage of the life cylcle of a tree come to life on her website. Meet Mary on Facebook.
Mary Newell DePalma




Brian Floca, artist, illustrator and children’s book author,
Grew up in Texas but attended Brown University and RISD in Rhode Island. After studying under author and illustrator David Macaulay, he was "discovered" by author Avi.
Brian Floca



Jeanine Behr Getz is the founder of Kids Think Big. Her first book, Think Green! won the Green Coast Award, has been Green America Approved for People and the Planet, and is the Dr. Toy Best Vacation Children's Products 2008.
Jeanine Behr Getz



Karen Hilliard Good, is the illustrator of 10 picture books written by Mark Kimball Moulton, and counting!
Now a Connecticut resident, she grew up in Pennsylvania where "The forest seems enchanted . . . like an elixir"
Karen Hilliard Good


Ed Heck. Amazingly, this pop artist and picture book author started his art career drawing scientific illustrations for the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. Look what he does now!
Ed Heck

John Himmelman, amazing nature artist and author of over 60 books, brings the natural world to life for all ages. He was born in Maine, grew up on Long Island and is now a long-time resident of Connecticut.
Books and Nature
All things reconsidered again
Youtube

Judith Jango-Cohen, children’s author, naturalist, nature photographer, biologist and former science teacher, has written over 40 books for children and numerous magazine and news articles. She is on both Facebook and Twitter.
Judith Jango-Cohen

D.B. Johnson, freelance artist and children's book author and illustrator, takes Henry David Thoreau as his mentor in creating the Henry books starring Henry the bear (based on you know who!).
Henry Hikes



g. Brian Karas, author and illustrator many children's books, grew up creating adventure in his imagination while living in suburban Connecticut. Brian has not lost his ability to see the world with a child's eyes. His favorite tool is a pencil.
g. Brian Karas



Antoinette & Richard Ledzian and Susan Paulson Epstein, LCSW met in the fall of 2003 and began working together to write a children's book about loss. A field trip to nearby Ocean Beach in New London, CT, provided the cover design and main theme.
The cat who lost its meow



Barbara Shaw McKinney, author of A Drop Around the World and Please Pass the Energy is a curriculum developer for the East Hartford school system. She has a unique talent for explaining scientific principles using rhyme.
Barbara Shaw McKinney



Linda Michelin, author of Zuzu's Wishing Cake. Her husband, D.B.Johnson, to who she has been married to for most of her life, illustrated this ostensibly simple story about overcoming cultural differences. Become a fan on Facebook and see their newest book trailer.

Wendell Minor, naturalist, nature artist, and author of many critically acclaimed books for children, including several by Jean Craighead George. All of his books are a visual treat! You can find him on Facebook. Wendell is one of Connecticut's gems!
Wendell Minor

Mark Moulton, was born, raised and educated in Connecticut but it was a summer job in Glacier National Park that sparked his magical connection with nature.
He writes his wonderful storybooks at his home on Sparrow Hill in northwestern Connecticut.
Mark Moulton

Donna Marie [Pinto] Merritt has written many math and science books for young children, plus many of her stories and poems have been published in children’s magazines, some under pen names, which are revealed on her website.
You can find Donna on Facebook, LinkedIn and Jacket Flap.
Donna Marie

Dana Meachen Rau has, tucked away in her attic,a box of stories and pictures she wrote and drew when a child. She has always written, and now she is read by thousands and thousands of children. She has written hundreds of books for beginning readers, budding scientists and the curious child.
Dana Meachen Rau

Linda Gramatky Smith, granddaughter of the late Hardie Gramatky, author of the 1939 classic, Little Toot loves to share her grandfathers classic stories and paintings with today's young.
Linda Gramatky Smith
Little Toot



Melissa Stewart, author of more than 100 books, brings her award-winning science books for children to life with first-hand experience. She loves to explore the natural world and shares her excitement with all ages.
Melissa Stewart



Nancy Elizabeth Wallace started using scrap paper to create beautiful and intricate pictures for her books long before most people began thinking about recycling and reusing. She gives away a few of her artistic secrets on her website.
Nancy Elizabeth Wallace

David Wiesner, picture book author and illustrator and one of only two children's book illustrators to win the Caldecott Medal, America's most prestigious picture book award, three times. Some of his books need no words, fantastic tales are told in pictures.
David Wiesner
The fish know the secret

Karen Romano Young is a scientist, an artist and a prolific author science books for children. As much as she loves where she lives in Connecticut "near a pond full of frogs and woods with owls and foxes," she longs for the sea.
Karen Romano Young
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