SATA
ENTRY TYPE:
WORK TITLE: Something Spectacular
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://carmelacoyle.com
CITY:
STATE:
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY: American
LAST VOLUME: SATA 257
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born in Tulsa, OK; married; husband’s name Mike; children: Nick, Annie.
EDUCATION:Bachelor’s degree (elementary education).
ADDRESS
CAREER
Author.
AVOCATIONS:Cooking, collecting.
MEMBER:Authors Guild, Society of Children’s Books Writers and Illustrators (Rocky Mountain chapter).
AWARDS:Colorado Book Award, 2014, for The Tumbleweed Came Back.
WRITINGS
Author’s works have been translated into French.
SIDELIGHTS
Carmela LaVigna Coyle is the author of a number of children’s picture books. including the “Do Princesses” series, and stand-alone titles such as The Tumbleweed Came Back.
Born in Colorado, where she still lives, Coyle got the idea for her “Do Princesses” series when her little daughter began questioning her one day about what princesses get up to. Figuring that her daughter’s questions were probably those of other children as well, Coyle wrote the first in the series, Do Princesses Wear Hiking Boots. This debut of the series set the tone with rhyming text and a little girl asking her mother about such matters. Many of the books in the series are illustrated by Mike Gordon. Writing in School Library Journal, Susannah Price called this work “sweet as a little candy heart.”
In Do Princesses Have Best Friends Forever?, two little girls play together all day long and become best friends and then make remembrance friendship bracelets for each other. A Children’s Bookwatch reviewer felt that the “joy of discovering a friend and exploring the world together is encapsulated” in this book.
In Do Super Heroes Have Teddy Bears?, a little boy and girl ask playful questions of each other, first about what a superhero does and then if such superheroes actually have teddy bears. A Publishers Weekly reviewer felt that though the “narrative rhythm starts to sag” in the last part of the book, “Gordon’s gently goofy cartoons are always fun.”
Do Princesses Boogie?: A Read-And-Dance Book is a “lovely, funny cartoon illustrated read-and-dance board book,” according to a Children’s Bookwatch reviewer, while Do Princesses and Super Heroes Hit the Trails is “deftly written,” according to a further Children’s Bookwatch contributor who added: “Delightful, fun and informative throughout.”
In her award-winning The Tubleweed Came Back, Coyle works with illustrator Kevin Rechin for a rhythmic tale about a tumbleweed that suddenly is blown in at lunchtime, and then is followed by an army of other tumbleweeds blowing in and creating havoc. A Kirkus Reviews critic felt that the “the mood is upbeat” in this picture book, with illustrations that are “chuckle-inducing.”
In a Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators website profile, Coyle noted: “I have long been an advocate for getting kids out in Nature. … My princess books are often times noted for celebrating the not-your-ordinary-princess princess. That makes me smile.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Children’s Bookwatch, May, 2005, review of Do Princesses Really Kiss Frogs?; July, 2006, review of Thank You Aunt Tallulah!; September, 2006, review of Do Princesses Scrape Their Knees?; February, 2011, review of Do Princesses Have Best Friends Forever?; August, 2016, review of Do Princesses Boogie?: A Read-And-Dance Book; December 2016, review of Do Princesses and Super Heroes Hit the Trails?.
Kirkus Reviews, October 1, 2013, review of The Tubleweed Came Back.
Publishers Weekly, April 16, 2012, review of Do Super Heroes Have Teddy Bears?, p. 64.
School Library Journal, August, 2003, Susanna Price, review of Do Princesses Wear Hiking Boots?, p. 125; November, 2005, Beverly Combs, review of Do Princesses Really Kiss Frogs?, p. 89; January, 2011, Suzanne Myers Harold, review of Do Princesses Have Best Friends Forever?, p. 70; August, 2012, Jasmine L. Precopio, review of Do Super Heroes Have Teddy Bears?, p. 70;
ONLINE
Carmela LaVigna Coyle Home Page, http://carmelacoyle.com (June 1, 2013).
Carmela LaVigna Coyle Web log, http://http://www.carmelacoyle.blogspot.com (May 23, 2023).
Carmela LaVigna Coyle website, https://carmelacoyle.com (May 23, 2023).
Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators website, https://www.scbwi.org/ (May 23, 2023), author profile.
VoyageDenver, http://voyagedenver.com/ (September 30, 2019), author interview.
WRITERS’ RUMPUS, https://writersrumpus.com/ (January 15, 2016), Carol Gordon Ekster, author interview.
ABOUT CARMELA
I'm married, the mother of two, a full-time writer and observer, innovative cook, collector, a bit introverted, expert putterer, party designer, art dabbler, planet helper, puppy dog affectionado, and fruit goddess, to name a few. I'm only the fruit goddess part because, "Carmela," means goddess of fruit. And I do love fruit.
Carmela Coyle: balloon
I look forward to going to work everyday, driving my slippers down the stairs, steering into the kitchen for toast and fruit (told you so) before parking in my studio chair. Oh, and no matter what, I always wear pretty earrings. Every day, my adorable black doggie, Lulu, sits by my feet on a poofy pillow, or more commonly, on my lap.
Chronologies...
Born in Tulsa Oklahoma, on the same day as Dr. Seuss (but not the same year,) I moved back to New York with my artist parents at the mature age of two-months. We stayed in NY until I was seven, when my parents moved the family out West... "where the world opens wide."
Discovering Cake
Carmela discovers cake!
Carmela Coyle: balloon
I grew up in Colorado, with the Rockies at my window sill. Our little family spent all our weekends exploring the peaks, dales, and cool mountain streams, with a picnic basket and Shasta sodas. My brother, sister and I were convinced that our father invented "off-road" driving, because as we saw it, our old blue station wagon was not on any semblance of a road.
My first "book," Forget-Me-Not, was written and illustrated by me when I was ten-years-old. It was about a scalawag bunny named for the title.
As a child, I certainly was not at the center of things, but rather off to the diagonal, observing. I loved to play house, library and store, invent stuff, watch the clouds, ice skate, skateboard, write stories, and have enormous laughs with (still) close friends.
Fourth Grade
4th grade class picture
ENT doctor, movie star, professional ballerina, secretary, farmer, pastry chef, writer and teacher were all on my list of what-I-want-to-be-when-I-grow-up.
I attended both Littleton and Heritage HS in Littleton, CO. And was one of 37 founding members of Heritage's "The Liberty Belles," now known as "The Belles."
I have a degree in Elementary Education with an emphasis in Fine Arts from a small Liberal Arts College, CWC. Encouraged by my writing professor, Dr Mary Anne Johnston, to mix the mediums, I wrote prose and poetry while listening to classical music and viewing fine art. I would wake at 5 a.m. so as to not miss the sunrise, and the chance to write about it.
Carmela Coyle: balloon
My husband and I have two children, Nick and Annie. They are the lights of our lives, filling every corner with effulgence. That said, they are hilarious, insightful, stubborn, creative, talented, sometimes sassy, kind, mostly fun, smart and growing-up.
We live in Denver Colorado in a stucco house with loads of character. Nick and Annie are now in college during the school year. But don't worry, they come home often for yummy food (and to do laundry).
As the story goes...
Annie
Annie
"Angels are sometimes disguised as daughters." —unknown
It was a quiet Sunday morning in 1997. We were gathering our things for a hike in the Rockies, when my rambunctious four-year-old daughter, Annie, plopped down next to me, wearing a tutu over her denim overalls, mismatched socks, a sparkly crown askew on her head and almond butter smooshed on her cheek.
With brown eyes furrowed, she looked up at me and asked... "Mommy, do princesses have to wear hiking shoes?" Before I could answer, she asked another question, "Do princesses brush their teeth?" Then, "Do princesses have to go potty?"
I scrambled for the correct replies—my answers had to be poignant and powerful. It didn't occur to me in that moment that my daughter had just handed me the title of what would later become my first published book. Were other little girls like Annie having the same wonderings about themselves? Soon after, I wrote Annie's story, DO PRINCESSES WEAR HIKING BOOTS? to celebrate the princess in us all.
It went under contract a few years later.
Here's to Annie... and little girls everywhere! May your important questions always, always have answers. Especially the ones you answer yourself.
About me
Gender Female
Industry Publishing
Occupation author and mom
Location Colorado, United States
Introduction I write children's books! What other job pays you to think like a kid except you get to keep chocolates stashed in your desk drawer. I'm a world-class professional putterer, with a fitting motto of: "Dumdeedumm." My name means "Fruit Goddess..." kinda cool. Here, in this weblog I hope to dabble, surf, obsess on and perhaps even wallow in... well, I'm not sure yet. So check back now and then. I STILL have a thing for finding fortune in misfortune- (which happens to be my favorite plot point in Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen.) My motto, most days, "Everything is going to work out!" (Because it does.) "There's a creative solution to everything..." Which kind of works hand in hand with the first one. I have long thought of myself as an expert in the art of observing. I'll have to elaborate on that sometime. Liking, no, LOVING my homemade cocoa as a treat once a week. And salt caramels! What I want to know is, who invented those sumptuous sticky salty morsels. Not a dentist, for sure. Oh yeah, I'm married to a swell guy, and we have two college age kids, Nick and Annie-- Ciao!! Now have something yummy.
Interests Sumputous family time, children's laughter, making crowns, Italian pottery, unique gift wrapping, gardening, sea shelling, snorkeling, traveling to delectable places, Caribbean waters, Crested Butte CO, Annie's volleyball singing dancing acting phew!, remodeling, dark chocolate, vintage stuff, pastels, bonbons, balconies, hiking!, sunrises-sunsets and everything inbetween, fields of sunflowers, photography, conversations with Nick, how maple trees produce syrup, western history-- "wonder what this looked like 150 years ago?"
Favorite Movies Anything my son directs-past/present/future (he's still a kid.) Otherwise? Hmmmm...Chocolat, Pride and Prejudice, Becoming Jane, Emma, Jane Austen Book Club, Fellowship of the Ring, French Kiss, Six Days/Seven Nights, Sweet Home Alabama, Rat Race, Mouse Hunt, The Three Amigos, Scrooge. And as far as TV goes- dont watch much but my fav's- LOST, The Office, Scrubs, Chuck, Pushing Daisies-- talk about innovative!
Favorite Music Classical music. English folk songs by Vaughan Williams-- Lalo, Dvorak, Rimsky Korsakov, my French cd, everything on my mix-- my opera album, Frank Sinatra, Rosemary Clooney, Bing...
Favorite Books Pride and Prejudice (what can I say), Emerson's essays, Goose Girl, The Magic Hill, Only One You, Winnie the Pooh (original), Christmas Carole-"I will not be the man I was!", Under the Tuscan Sun, Stillness Speaks, and for teen in me-Beastly.
MEET THE TALENTED #KIDLIT AUTHOR, CARMELA LAVIGNA COYLE
January 15, 2016 Carol Gordon Ekster Book Reviews - Picture Books, Interviews, Interviews - Authors & Illustrators, Publishing - Querying & Submitting, Writing - Picture Books 6 comments
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CAROL GORDON EKSTER: I was fortunate to experience Jane Yolen’s magical picture book boot camp with so many wonderful moments, and so many awesome authors there sharing the experience with me. Below you will find out about one of the special sweet talented authors that I met there, Carmela LaVigna Coyle.
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Group photo – Jane Yolen’s Picture Book Boot Camp, September 2015
CARMELA LAVIGNA COYLE: First, I have to say Carol and I bonded over cowboy boots (appropriately so) during Jane Yolen’s picture book boot camp. She is a stylish gal with a glint in her eyes and is loaded with talent. Plus, Carol has a gifted way of making others feel validated.
CGE: Aww! Thanks, Carmela. Yes…we definitely bonded over your gorgeous boots and I am still craving them. But on to writing..Can you tell us about your journey to becoming an author?
CLC: Hah, I still feel like I’m “becoming.” Perhaps that feeling never goes away, and that’s probably a good thing. I’m continually reinventing myself, so it’s interesting to me that I have landed smack dab in the middle of an ongoing book series.best-friends-200kiss-frogs-200
I often times preface my writing journey with my reading challenges which were discovered at the age of eight. After a fair amount of toil, I learned to read when I was nine, around the same time I wrote my first story about a sweet lil’ bunny named Forget-me-not.
Shortly after graduating from college with a degree in Elementary Education and Art, I quickly realized I had the heart and soul of a writer. So, I masterminded a way to make that work financially. (Thanks, Mom and Dad. And substitute teaching jobs.) For me, becoming a momma to two children really sealed the deal. Writing picture books suited/suits my mental constructs. Wink.
Ah, but then one fateful day, while getting ready for a hike, my 4-year-old daughter, Annie, asked me, “Do princesses have to wear hiking shoes?” She quickly fired off another question, “Do princesses brush their teeth?” And another and another. Yes, I was handed a marvelously sparkly gift. I assure you, I wasn’t thinking about your not-so-average princesses that day, but Annie was. If I had been preoccupied with the dishes or something else, I would not have heard her. And it would have slipped past my fingertips straight on to someone else to discover. My first title, Do Princesses Wear Hiking Boots? was sold to Rising Moon in 2002. This coming year, the series grows to ten original titles (Taylor Trade publishers) with several other title derivatives currently on the market.
hiking-boots-200CGE: It was your daughter Annie’s questions that inspired your first book and then the series. Who and what else has inspired your books and writing work?
CLC: Nature! Music! Beauty! Children! Puppies! Bubbles… Chocolate! Or, I could just say everything and anything inspires me. There are treasures all around. Almost anything could be the subject of a new story IF/WHEN I find the right entry point. For me, it’s all about the entry point.
CGE: What is your writing schedule like?
CLC: Oh, I wish I could say I have this incredible writing work ethic, where I plant myself in my chair from 6 a.m. until 11 a.m. and then walk the dog, eat a heathy lunch, write some more until it’s time to mediate and make dinner. But my inspiration isn’t always predictable. Although I do my best to tame her and her unpunctual demeanor, usually I aim for 10 a.m. B.I.C. It’s often times earlier, yet so much of what I do each day concerns book business matters, preparing for events, website updates, social media, emails, critiques, and so on.
4 p.m. has recently become a portal for writing new stuff. So as of late, I’ve been going with the flow, late afternoon.
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CGE: What have been some of the highlights of your career as an author?
CLC: Ok, Annie’s question was definitely a highlight. Each new book launch feels tremendously satisfying too; winning 2014 Colorado Book Award for The Tumbleweed Came Back; seeing a Cheerios commercial with a young girl toting around my book, Do Super Heroes Have Teddy Bears?; signing a book for a real Lakota princess; looking into the big eyes of thousands of little girls who are asking the same questions Annie asked; rolling with a new story. (The high of being in a new story is very tough to beat.)super-heroes-200tumbleweed-came-back-200
CGE: What does the future hold for Carmela LaVigna Coyle?
CLC: I have three books coming out next year, Do Princesses Boogie?, Do Princesses and Super Heroes Think Outside? (A Trek Through the National Parks) and a board book version of Do Princesses Wear Hiking Boots? I’m hoping to establish an ongoing Books For Breakfast program through Feeding America. There are two lively book related projects on the horizon, but I’m unable to say anything about those yet. I’m also seeking a new agent this coming year and that will take some thoughtful preparation, research, and query letter writing. All in all, I’m holding out for a future full of new writing adventures, sunny days and . . . world peace, of course.
SEPTEMBER 30, 2019Life and Work with Carmela LaVigna Coyle
Avatar photoLOCAL STORIES
SHARETWEETPIN
Today we’d like to introduce you to Carmela LaVigna Coyle.
Carmela, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Preschoolers say the darnedest things. Imagine being “handed” a book title by your four-year-old—a title that would later become a ten-book title franchise. It was magical. We were getting ready for a day hike in the Rockies, when my daughter, Annie, plopped down next to me, holding her pint-sized hiking boots. With a furrowed brow, she asked, “Do princesses HAVE to wear hiking shoes? Do princesses have to brush their teeth?” Then another, “Do princesses go potty?” (We’ve all been wondering that one.)
I was not thinking about princesses that day, but Annie was. Clearly, she was in-tune with what many other children were thinking at the time. Annie’s princess-centric questions featured a unique princess, far removed from the Disney Princess persona. It didn’t take too many of her “Do princesses…” questions to learn she was on a mission to discover if princesses were anything like her—bold, kind, inventive, outdoorsy, precocious, messy, brilliant, athletic . . .
To date, the Do Princesses franchise series and derivatives have sold a million copies.
Theresa Howell, an editor at Rising Moon Publishers at the time, discovered my Hiking Boots manuscript (submitted by my agent) in a pile on her desk. I’m still pinching myself after getting that phone call. Once the contract was signed, RM brought in the talents of illustrator Mike Gordon, to add his colorful content and a pitch-perfect sense of humor.
After the success of the first book, my publisher asked if I would write another Do Princesses title for them. I said “YES,” of course, and a series was born. Rising Moon sold to Muddy Boots Books several years later and they took the helm to my series. It has been loads of fun coming up with the titles and themes, Do Princesses Scrape Their Knees?… Have Best Friends Forever?… Really Kiss Frogs?… Make Happy Campers?… Become Astronauts?… and so on.
It thrills me to the bones to think of how many kiddos connect with an ordinary daisy-crowned princess. Boys too! I love reading these girl-centric books to all children. In the third book, I introduced her brother, who would later become an everyday superhero in Do Super Heroes Have Teddy Bears?, inspired by my son, Nick.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It’s rarely a bump-free zone for most writers. There’s a lot of rejection in publishing. I have a stack of editor rejection letters over two-inches tall! And I suspect that stack of letters will grow. Some aspects of rejection spins us forward. It’s all part of creativity. If any woman entering the field can understand the rejection piece (maybe there’s a fortune in misfortune?) and try not to take rejection to heart, then bouncing back from each letter will get easier. And, yes, there may very well be that moment when an industry professional says, “I want this story!” Ahhh, triumph.
Growing up in Littleton, Colorado, I credit being a reading challenged child for widening my sensory scope. I became a stellar observer of the natural world around me, mainly because I had to. Metaphorically, I wrote before I could write.
I went on to get a degree in Elementary Education and Art from Colorado Women’s College, but I was nudged and encouraged to write by my college professor, Mary Anne Johnston. My first publishing venture was in partnership with my artist mother, Albertena and sister, Thea. We produced an art card company called Emily’s Art Garden with national distribution. I was the resident poet and president. At the time it was difficult for a fledgling indie card company to compete with the biggies. Think Hallmark. Eventually, we folded.
From there, we published Celebration and Fulfillment—a quarterly newsletter with a subscription base. It was a true collaboration between Mom, Thea, and I—each bringing our own artistic talents to the mix. But after just breaking-even for a couple of years, we decided to wrap it up with a final Winter edition. Yes, there were tears. I segued into writing for children and my talented mom and sis continued painting.
Going solo, I realized I needed an agent. My first children’s literary agent was Sandy Ferguson Fuller of Alp Arts, based out of Vail, Colorado. She helped me with all aspects of publishing. Having a literary agent served as a buffer to the ins and outs of the industry. In today’s market, it is mostly a prerequisite to have an agent.
Somewhere in between all that, I married a massively supportive fella. And yes, he listens intently to all of my newest manuscripts. I have to say though, joining a writing critique group has been worth its weight in dark chocolate.
What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of as a company? What sets you apart from others?
Writing children’s picture books perfectly matches how I look at the world. There is meaningfulness in the smallest things. I recommend finding something that grounds you before taking on a lifetime of writing. It helps to navigate the road ahead. For me, I meditate daily, do yoga, and walk-in nature—I call it my trifecta.
After my morning walk, I head straight to my writing room where I write every day. Even if it’s just a list! If I’m not feeling enormously creative that day, there is always something businessy to do.
I’m most proud of it all! Hee. One of my breakaway titles, The Tumbleweed Came Back, illustrated by Kevin Rechin, won a 2014 Colorado Book Award. And another, Wild Zoo Train, illustrated by Steve Gray, was a 2017 CBA Finalist. I adore my princess and superhero books, but I also thoroughly enjoy exploring a bucket full of new story ideas, themes, takeaways, and formats. In many ways, I’m just revving up.
Each of my books in the series has a takeaway at the end: a mirror, a “princesses rule” ribbon, a friendship bracelet, etc. These objects tie in with the story, but the more powerful takeaway has always been the overarching theme, which promotes humor, wonderment, a love for being in nature, and healthy self-esteem. I hope my adoration for nature comes across in my books, but more importantly, I hope it encourages young ones to become nature stewards themselves.
There’s a wealth of academic research that suggests that a lack of mentors and networking opportunities for women has materially affected the number of women in leadership roles. Smart organizations and industry leaders are working to change this, but in the meantime, do you have any advice for finding a mentor and building a network?
I recommend investigating a local writer’s guild that offers workshops, conferences, mentorships, critique groups, camaraderie, etc. I’m a member of Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators with a local chapter serving the Rocky Mountain area www.rmc.scbwi. Colorado Author’s League https://coloradoauthors.org is another outlet for Colorado writers of all genres.
For me, learning the craft of writing for children was and is paramount to moving forward — expect to write, write, rewrite and then rewrite some more. Every word counts in a picture book. There are numerous online resources for pre-published and published authors: forums, classes, workshops. Check out Julie Hedlund’s 12X12, Picture Book Summit, Rate Your Story, among others. The children’s book industry is a big business.
I would also encourage writers to plan ongoing visits to their local libraries and book stores. Be prepared for your jaw to hit the floor. Many picture books go deep in the simplest ways. Some are hilarious. Some stretch the imagination. Most teach. They are oftentimes a child’s first glimpse of art/prose/poetry and exposure to cultural and ethnic diversities. Writing for kids is an important job.
More than anything: BE yourself! There is no other “you” package out there. It is, and always will be, your own personal superpower.
QUOTE:“I have long been an advocate for getting kids out in Nature. … My princess books are often times noted for celebrating the not-your-ordinary-princess princess. That makes me smile.”
Carmela La Vigna Coyle
Writer
English
Rocky Mountain (Colorado/Wyoming)
PAL Member
Member Since: 2000
ABOUT CARMELA LA VIGNA COYLE
Carmela LaVigna Coyle is the award-winning author of over a dozen picture books. Her first children’s title was inspired by her 4-year-old daughter’s intriguing question, “Do princesses wear hiking boots?” It was closely followed by a sequel, Do Princesses Really Kiss Frogs?, Do Princesses Scrape Their Knees? plus more, including her Do Super Heroes Have Teddy Bears? series, illustrated by Mike Gordon. Her book, The Tumbleweed Came Back (illustrated by Kevin Rechin) won the 2014 Colorado Book Award! Do Princesses Wear Hiking Boots? is ranked third on National Center For Self Esteem list of 10 Best Books for Children. Her very latest, Can Princesses Become Astronauts? blasted off in 2019. A challenged reader as a child, she especially loves bringing her unique perspective (including signing the alphabet) to school children. Carmela lives with her family, and writes from her cozy writer’s room in Colorado with her fluffy dog by her side, or more commonly, on her lap.
ARTIST STATEMENT
I have long been an advocate for getting kids out in Nature. So it is my humble hope that my books somehow empower young girls (and boys) to become strong, independent, inquisitive, and adventuresome. My princess books are often times noted for celebrating the not-your-ordinary-princess princess. That makes me smile.
Most of my days are spent jotting down the happenings in my yard or on the trail. One of my favorite writing experiences is staring at a blank screen or notepad and then suddenly realizing it’s now filled with sentences! Writing is mysterious and magical.
QUOTE:“sweet as a little candy heart.”
illus. by Mike Gordon. unpaged. CIP. Do Princesses Wear Hiking Boots? 2003. Tr $15.95. ISBN 0-87358-828-2. LC 2002031626.
PreS-Gr 1--This book may just fit the bill for some young royal wanna-bes; however, if they prefer their princess to be fighting off witches or saved from fierce dragons, they may be disappointed by the lack of plot elements. In a rhyming text, a little girl asks her mother various questions about princesses. She wants to know if they play in the sand and dirt, wear jeans and a messy old shirt, do chores, follow rules, eat vegetables, snort as they laugh, etc. Each spread has a one-line question facing the mother's one-line response. Gordon's whimsical paintings in pleasant pastel shades are a good match for the funny text. At the end, the child asks, "... do princesses seem at all like me?" She is told to "Look inside yourself and see...." The final page features a mirror with the message, "A princess is a place in your heart." This is as sweet as a little candy heart, but not a must-purchase.--Susannah Price, Boise Public Library, ID
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2003 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
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Price, Susannah. "Coyle, Carmela LaVigna. Do Princesses Wear Hiking Boots?" School Library Journal, vol. 49, no. 8, Aug. 2003, p. 125. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A106649365/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=c7486ef1. Accessed 17 May 2023.
COYLE, Carmela Lavigna. Do Super Heroes Have Teddy Bears? illus. by Mike Gordon. 32p. Taylor Trade. 2012. Tr $15.95. ISBN 978-1-58979-693-5.
K-Gr 2--Two children role-play throughout the day. On each spread, the boy, obviously a much more experienced pint-size hero, answers his younger sister's questions about what exactly a super hero does. "'Are heroes always brave and daring?'" "'We're brave and bold and kind and caring.'" The illustration shows the girl sitting on a limb, teddy bear dangling, with a shark below her; on the right, the boy, his masked teddy bear firmly in hand, calmly reassures her. From making blanket capes to cardboard spaceships, this book is a nostalgic romp through a child's imagination. Funny and charming, with a great message about being an everyday hero, it will surely win the hearts of youngsters and their adult counterparts. Bright, interesting, and comical illustrations with whimsical touches highlight the text well.--Jasmine L. Precopio, Fox Chapel Area School District, Pittsburgh, PA
Precopio, Jasmine L.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2012 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
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Precopio, Jasmine L. "Coyle, Carmela Lavigna. Do Super Heroes Have Teddy Bears?" School Library Journal, vol. 58, no. 8, Aug. 2012, p. 70. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A298293170/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=62036ed9. Accessed 17 May 2023.
QUOTE: “joy of discovering a friend and exploring the world together is encapsulated”
Do Princesses Have Best Friends Forever?
Carmela LaVigna Coyle, author
Mike Gordon and Carl Gordon, illustrators
Taylor Trade Publishing
Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group
4501 Forbes Blvd., Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
9781589795426, $15.95, www.rlpgtrade.com
"Do Princesses Have Best Friends Forever?" is a delightful illustrated book about two girls who spend a day in creative, fun play activities together. Whimsical pastel illustrations make the verse play date descriptions hilariously real. A harried mother makes it easy for messy making girls to help clean up after themselves (though not too much). The joy of discovering a friend and exploring the world together is encapsulated in "Do Princesses Have Best Friends Forever?" At the end of their play date, the girls decide to commemorate their wonderful friendship by making and decorating two pink bracelets with double pink hearts. Two detachable pink bracelets with double hearts are affixed to the last page of "Do Princesses Have Best Friends Forever?" for young readers to decorate, wear and enjoy. This book if the fist in a series by the same authors, beginning with "Do Princesses Wear Hiking Boots?" Because of its detachable parts (the friendship bracelets), this book is not recommended for children younger than 3 years of age. "Do Princesses have Best Friends forever?" is designed to appeal to especially girls ages 4-8.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2011 Midwest Book Review
http://www.midwestbookreview.com/cbw/index.htm
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"Do Princesses Have Best Friends Forever?" Children's Bookwatch, Feb. 2011. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A249137395/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=02324a61. Accessed 17 May 2023.
QUOTE: “narrative rhythm starts to sag” “Gordon’s gently goofy cartoons are always fun.”
Do Super Heroes Have Teddy Bears?
Carmela LaVigna Coyle, illus, by Mike Gordon. TaylorTrade (NBN, dist.), $15.95 (32p) ISBN 978-1-58979-693-5
Having covered one self-esteem waterfront in their Do Princesses series, Coyle and Gordon branch out to a more gender-neutral fantasy icon. With blankie capes tied around their shoulders, a younger sister quizzes her slightly older brother on whether there are any limits to what a superhero can or should do. The answer is that just about anything is up for grabs--unless it goes against being a good citizen in the family. Thus, "super heroes get to decide" whether or not it's cool to bring one's teddy bear along for a thrilling bike ride. But opting out of chores? Don't waste your imaginative energy ("Does a super hero have to help with the dishes?/ Unless there's a genie who'll grant us some wishes"). The narrative rhythm starts to sag in the last quarter of the book, but Gordon's gently goofy cartoons are always fun, portraying an idyllic existence that includes lots of outdoor adventures, an impressive array of pretend play props, an improbably expressive teddy bear, and a pet dog with superhero aspirations of his own. Ages 4-8. (May)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2012 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
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"Do Super Heroes Have Teddy Bears?" Publishers Weekly, vol. 259, no. 16, 16 Apr. 2012, p. 64. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A286826583/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=3baf65f9. Accessed 17 May 2023.
QUOTE: “the mood is upbeat” “chuckle-inducing.”
Coyle, Carmela LaVigna THE TUMBLEWEED CAME BACK Rio Chico (Children's Picture Books) $15.95 10, 1 ISBN: 978-1-933855-83-7
A spin on "The Cat Came Back," with a Southwestern accent. The book is illustrated David Catrow-style, with chaotic, loosely brushed scenes featuring popeyed livestock (mostly chickens) and exuberantly posed rural folk with flyaway hair. The rhyme itself follows the original's cadences in tracking one tumbleweed that, disposed of, returns with more and more. Looking like hairy bowling balls in the pictures, the tumbleweeds flourish despite being dumped into the Rio Grande, tied to balloons, crammed into a train, even deported to the future in a time machine: "Even more came back! / They just wouldn't stay away." Blasting them into outer space brings peace at last--until, that is, the sun goes down and they plummet back to Earth, along with a few stray chickens that had accidentally gone along for the ride. Though the scansion is a bit forced at times, the mood is upbeat; a victorious conga line of humans and farm animals is a particularly chuckle-inducing treat. Equally suited to being sung or recited, a down-home alternative to a favorite ditty. (Picture book. 5-8)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2013 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
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"Coyle, Carmela LaVigna: THE TUMBLEWEED CAME BACK." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Oct. 2013. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A344130534/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=16c13601. Accessed 17 May 2023.
QUOTE: “lovely, funny cartoon illustrated read-and-dance board book,”
Do Princesses Boogie? A Read-And-Dance Book
Carmela LaVigna Coyle, author
Mike Gordon, illustrator
Taylor Trade Publishing
c/o Rowman & Littlefield
4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, Maryland 20706
9781630761592, $7.95, www.rowman.com
Written in snappy, action rhyme, "Do Princesses Boogie?" is a lovely, funny cartoon illustrated read-and-dance board book that is sure to set the toes of young readers to twinkling and twirling. A series of dancing pictures show a blonde girl and her friend, a boy dancing and playing through their sunny day. In between dance steps ("Tap-tap-tap. Twist-twist twist. Clap-clap-clap. Boogie-boogies-boogie.") are interwoven other fun activities like ride a bike, take a hike, kick a ball stand up tall, even pet a dog and kiss a frog! The answer to the question in the title is of course a resounding YES! Future fun titles by the same author and illustrator from the "Do Princesses ...?" series will include "Do Princesses Make Happy Campers? ($15.95)," and "Do Princesses and Super Heroes Hit the Trails? ($15.95)."
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 Midwest Book Review
http://www.midwestbookreview.com/cbw/index.htm
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"Do Princesses Boogie? A Read-And-Dance Book." Children's Bookwatch, Aug. 2016. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A461946534/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=5dc5c661. Accessed 17 May 2023.
QUOTE: “Delightful, fun and informative throughout.”
Do Princesses and Super Heroes Hit the Trails?
Carmela LaVigna Coyle, author
Mike Gordon, illustrator
Muddy Boots
c/o The Globe Pequot Press
246 Goose Lane, Suite 200, Guilford, CT 06437
www.globepequot.com
9781630762445, $15.95, HC, 32pp, www.amazon.com
Deftly written by Carmela Coyle and colorfully illustrated by Mike Gordon, "Do Princesses and Super Heroes Hit the Trails?" is another entertaining inspiring picture book for children ages 3 to 7 in the Muddy Books 'Do Princesses...?' series! Children will once again join their favorite princess and her super hero companion as this time they explore the national parks and discover that the Great Outdoors hold a bounty of excitement and adventure! Delightful, fun and informative throughout, "Do Princesses and Super Heroes Hit the Trails?" is especially recommended for family, preschool, elementary school, and community library picture book collections.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 Midwest Book Review
http://www.midwestbookreview.com/cbw/index.htm
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"Do Princesses and Super Heroes Hit the Trails?" Children's Bookwatch, Dec. 2016. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A475325079/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=785fad2e. Accessed 17 May 2023.