Entries Tagged 'Florence Parry Heide Day' ↓

By Robin Rhodes

Photography courtesy of Studio 17 - Marnie Bigelow

The children woke in great excitement. It was Florence Parry Heide Day in downtown Kenosha. I had been psyching them up all week about it. The number one draw – Free ice cream. I assured them there was more to do than just eat ice cream.

My youngest, 4 year old Spencer, said, “Ice cream!”

I shook my head and ushered them through breakfast and got them dressed. Unfortunately they had woken late and getting them ready put us behind schedule and left Grandma waiting in the car. We did not arrive until 10:15 am as the mayor Keith Bosman made his mayoral proclamation making September 26, 2009 “Florence Parry Heide Day”. Florence was all smiles which continued throughout the day.

I convinced the children that 10:30 was a bit too early for ice cream as we walked past the already crowded ice cream cart outside of Scoops, a local ice cream shop that had graciously donated the yummy treat. Of course, Grandma, in her infinite wisdom overrode my statement and got them in line.

As they ate their “snack” little Spencer spotted two young ladies sitting at a bench, each with a book in hand. He smiled recognizing the opportunity for double attention and walked up to them, chocolate ice cream dripping down his arm. The ladies smiled and lifted him to sit between them and opened one of Florence’s “That’s What Friends Are For” to read to him.

My oldest, Katrina, stood beside me while Lucais, my 7 year old pulled Grandma away to look at other things. I took this opportunity to look around me. Every 20 feet or so sat a bench with wonderful volunteers reading stories like the two girls with my son. The street and sidewalks were crowded with nearly as many adults as children. I overheard several conversations of adults recounting memories of reading and owning the books, some debating over which book is the best. I also admired the amazing paintings of the book covers that were done on the windows of the shops by local volunteers. Continue reading →

Message from Jeni Heim:

Princess Hyacinth (The Surprising Tale of a Girl Who Floated) will be released on Tuesday, September 22nd!

Saturday will be overwhelming for Florence so we did not include any time for her to sign books. We want her to enjoy that day with her family.

But….if you want to play hookie from household duties and/or work for an hour on Tuesday, stop by the toy store on from 9:30am until about 11ish.

50 copies of the new book will be on sale that morning (they are $18 each) and Florence will be on hand to personally autograph them from 10am until 11ish.

(Yes, the kids are in school then; but I know how adults get just as giddy over Florence! And, think of it…what a way to surprise the kids with the new book….autographed!)

An additional 100 copies of the new book will be on sale Saturday morning, beginning at 9:30am. Some will be autographed.

Jen

Mark your calendars for Florence Parry Heide Day
BY MATTHEW OLSON
molson@kenoshanews.com

Florence Parry Heide, a Kenosha resident and prolific children’s book author, has experienced many thrills in her life.

She has seen a publisher accept her work after numerous rejections. She has co-authored books with her own children. And she is still an active author at 90 years old.

And Heide is finding plenty to be excited about regarding her latest honor: Florence Parry Heide Day, taking place Sept. 26 in downtown Kenosha.

Click HERE to read the Article.

Click HERE to go to the Florence Parry Heide day website

This article originally appeared in PW’s Children’s Bookshelf.

By Shannon Maughan — Publishers Weekly, 8/27/2009 12:30:00 PM

Lane Smith and Florence Parry Heide, celebrating Heide’s birthday at ALA earlier this summer.

Florence Parry Heide published her first picture book in 1967. At the time, she was looking for a creative outlet as the youngest of her five children headed off to school. She teamed up with her friend Sylvia Van Clief for a number of projects including children’s songbooks, picture books and some short novels. To date, Heide has more than 80 titles for children to her credit. One of her best-known works, The Shrinking of Treehorn, illustrated by Edward Gorey (Holiday House, 1971), struck a chord with both readers and critics. But Treehorn also found a huge fan in one young illustrator, Lane Smith.

In the early 1990s following the start of his own very successful children’s book career (The True Story of the Three Little Pigs; Halloween ABC), Smith contacted Heide by sending her a fan letter, and the two soon formed a mutual admiration society. Though Heide says she and Smith “always knew in the backs of their minds they’d do a book together one day,” the opportunity arose for them just recently. The result is Princess Hyacinth: (The Surprising Tale of a Girl Who Floated) (Schwartz & Wade, Sept.). It’s about an isolated young princess who floats through the air unless she’s anchored down. In the tale, she finds adventure—and a friend—when she drifts over the local park.

Random House is releasing the title with the type of fanfare befitting its royal subject matter. On September 26, Heide’s hometown of Kenosha, Wis., is honoring her with Florence Parry Heide Day, featuring storytime read-alouds from her books, various window displays and live musical performances. (The day will be designated annually, too.) And pinkies will be raised, princess-style, on October 4 at a tea party event given by the Union League Club of Chicago, feting Heide, Smith and Molly Leach (the book’s designer and Smith’s wife).

Click HERE to read the article

PAINT THE WINDOWS OF DOWNTOWN!

WHAT: Downtown windows will be fashioned after the numerous books written by our most famous resident! Help us spread the word about the tremendous positive impact this wonderful author has made during the past 50 years of her absolutely amazing life!!

WHEN: Windows need to be painted by September 19, 2009. The Celebration will be Saturday September, 26th.

WHERE: Downtown Kenosha, on Sixth Avenue.

CONTACT: For more information about Painting the Windows for Florence Parry Heide Day, please contact Jeni Heim (262) 657-9866or send an email to Jeni Heim

For more information about Florence Parry Heide visit www.fphday.com

Kenosha celebrates its most beloved resident…

The Picture Book Princess; Florence Parry Heide

Downtown windows will be fashioned after the numerous books written by our most famous resident! Come stroll the streets to take in the tremendous positive impact this wonderful author has made during the past 50 years of her absolutely amazing life!!

Come join us on Sixth Avenue, between 58th and 59th Street

• Festivities will begin promptly at 10am with Mayor Keith Bosman’s proclamation that September 26th is officially Florence Parry Heide Day
• Keep Kenosha Beautiful will dedicate The Florence Parry Heide Children’s Garden. The garden will be christened by receiving it’s first water sprinkling by the original Sunny Squad.
• Sign a gigantic card for Miss Florence! Our way of saying “thank you” for the enormous contribution she has made to children’s literature and to our community!
• Clap & sing along to family friendly live music from 10:30am until 2pm
• Sit and listen to Miss Florence’s books being read aloud in small reading circles from 10:30am until 2pm
• FREE ice cream cones for kids, courtesy of Scoops Ice Cream, from 12 noon until 2pm

Click HERE to go to the Florence Parry Heide Day site