Meet the Authors: Jean Marzollo and Susan Jeffers

Check out the fun interview with toyportfolio favorite authors/illustrators Jean Marzollo and Susan Jeffers!  The article is on our site at www.toyportfolio.com.

Great new books to share…

Read Joanne’s article on the best new books of the season.  All Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Book Award winners!

My Favorite Book: The Prince’s Bedtime

If you’re looking for the perfect picturebook to bring home for the holidays, consider my favorite book, The Prince’s Bedtime. In the interest of full disclosure, my mother wrote this book…for me!

I never wanted to go to sleep…I milked it for all it was worth–one more bedtime story, a drink, one last special hug and kiss good night. In any case, my mother tried out many of her picturebook scripts on me. In fact, I could often get more time if I would listen to something she was working on. This new edition from Barefoot is wonderfully illustrated by Miriam Latimer and tells the story about a little Prince who just couldn’t go to sleep–no matter what his royal parents tried! If going to bed is an issue in your house, everyone will see the humor of the prince and the elaborate lengths his parents use.

Some people talk about their mother’s cooking, their chocolate chip cookies…for me it’s my mother’s ability to rhyme without effort that always floors me. In fact I can always make her laugh (hysterically really) if I try to rhyme…a gift that most unfortunately completely skipped me!

Hello Truckers/Best Books of the Year

Just did a radio interview on Sirius satellite’s show for truckers. A first! We discussed the Ten Myths in Toyland. I unfortunately didn’t get any calls from listeners. I feel better about that–do you really want someone driving an 18 wheeler on the phone? I was kind of surprised to have been booked on this show which I thought would be more sports, cars and other topics.

After much internal debate, we settled on our yearly Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Book Awards. Visit our website to see the complete list. In the shadow of all the lead stories, our beloved book list certainly got sort changed this year.