Companion Books for Silicon Valley Reads 2014
The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore
Written by William Joyce, Illustrated by William Joyce and Joe Bluhm
Available in Spanish
About the Book
This book started as an Academy Award winning animated short film directed by William Joyce and Brandon Oldenburg, and produced by Moonbot Studios in Shreveport, Louisiana. It has also been converted into an interactive storybook app for the iPad and iPhone:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsP7VUajW2Y
What happens when a huge wind comes up and all your books -- not to mention buildings! – are lost? Mr. Morris Lessmore finds out when he goes to work in a library after he loses all of his books. He discovers that sharing books is the most rewarding, proving that “less” is “more.”
About William Joyce
William Joyce has achieved world-wide recognition as an author, illustrator and pioneer in the digital and animation industry. In February 2012, he won an Academy Award for
The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore, an animated short film about the curative powers of story. In the past two years, he has also written seven hard copy Simon & Schuster children’s books including
The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore, The Guardians of Childhood book series:
The Man in the Moon, The Sandman: Story of Sanderson Mansnoozie, Nicholas St. North and the Battle of the Nightmare King, E. Aster Bunnymund and the Warrior Eggs at the Earth’s Core! and
Toothania: Queen of the Tooth Fairy Armies. His newest books,
The Mischievians and
Sandman and the War of Dreams will be released this fall.
Named by Newsweek magazine as “One of the 100 people to watch in the new millennium,” William has been heavily involved in the world of digital animation from its full-scale inception at Pixar Animation. His projects have been produced by nearly every major film studio including Disney, Twentieth Century Fox and DreamWorks Animation. His feature films include
Rise of the Guardians, Robots and
Meet the Robinsons and his television series
George Shrinks and
Rolie Polie Olie for which he won three Emmy Awards.
Additionally, he is the writer, producer, and production designer on the Blue Sky Studios feature film,
Epic, inspired by his book
The Leaf Men and the Brave Good Bugs.
Epic was released in the summer of 2013.
MoonBotStudios.com
Kirkus Review:
“The story, in a nutshell, concerns the titular book-loving Mr. Morris Lessmore, whose personal library is blown away in a terrible wind but who finds meaning caring for the books he finds in a marvelous library. Filled with both literary (Shakespeare, Humpty-Dumpty) and film references (The Wizard of Oz, The Red Balloon and Buster Keaton), the picture book version of Joyce's story has a quiet contemplative charm that demonstrates the continuing allure of the printed page. Paradoxically, the animated books of the film and app are captured as though in a series of frozen frames. The motif of the bound, printed book is everywhere. Even the furnishings and architectural details of the old-fashioned library in which the books “nest” like flying birds recall the codex. The unifying metaphor of life as story is a powerful one, as is the theme of the transformative power of books. The emphasis on connecting readers and books and the care of books pays homage to librarianship. Rich in allusions (“Less is More”) and brilliant in depicting the passage of time (images conflate times of day, seasons and years), Joyce’s work will inspire contemplation of the power of the book in its many forms. As triumphant in book form as in animated and interactive ones."
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library
Written by Chris Grabenstein
About the Book
How do you get out of the library when you’ve been locked in? Our hero Kyle loves winning. He plays with his brothers all of the time. Kyle wants to meet a world famous game maker and he has his chance when Mr. Lemoncello comes to town to open the new library that he designed – with technology like no one has ever seen! Kyle has to use all his smarts to make his way and this game is the most important one of his life. A book with a good puzzle,
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library is a laugh out loud fun time.
About Chris Grabenstein
“I am thrilled and honored to be asked to participate in this year's Silicon Valley Reads. The theme "Books and Technology: Friend or Foe" is one I had fun exploring in my book for young readers ESCAPE FROM MR. LEMONCELLO'S LIBRARY, in which I created a technological marvel of a library -- all in the service of books and the sharing of knowledge. As Mr. Lemoncello says, "Knowledge not shared remains unknown." Technology and books both help us share what we know with those who'd like to know it, too. Put me in the friend column!”
Chris Grabenstein
Chris Grabenstein is the co-author (with James Patterson) of the #1
New York Times Bestseller
I Funny as well as the
New York Times Bestseller
Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library. He is an award-winning author of more than 20 other books for children and adults, a playwright, screenwriter, and former advertising executive and improvisational comedian. Winner of two Anthony and three Agatha Awards, Chris wrote for Jim Henson's Muppets and co-wrote the CBS-TV movie The Christmas Gift starring John Denver. Chris lives in New York City with his wife, three cats, and a rescue dog named Fred who starred on Broadway in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
ChrisGrabenstein.com
Booklist Review
“Here’s an instantly engaging and wildly creative mystery that is sure to have readers looking at their humble local library in a new light. Mr. Lemoncello is an eccentric game designer who has just funded a very special new library in his hometown. In honor of the grand opening, Lemoncello has selected a dozen 12-year-olds to participate in an overnight lock-in event at the library. But when the kids wake up, they discover a new and unexpected game is afoot: whoever can find a way out of Mr. Lemoncello’s library will win the grand prize. Avid readers will get a kick out of the references to classic and current children’s literature as the kids solve clues to escape and win the game. Main character Kyle Keeley works hard to beat his nemesis, the conniving bully Charles Chilington, who constantly reminds everyone that he is always successful. As Lemoncello says, knowledge not shared remains unknown, and the group learns that working together just might be the key to solving the mystery. An ode to libraries and literature that is a worthy successor to the original madman riddle master himself, Willy Wonka.”
Study Guide
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library
Study Guide
Reading Makes You Feel Good
by Todd Parr
About the Book
Reading makes you feel good because...
You can imagine you are a scary dinosaur,
You can make someone feel better when they are sick,
And you can do it anywhere!
Reading Makes You Feel Good inspires and encourages young children to delight in the experience of reading. With bright, bold pictures and silly scenes, the book explains that reading isn't something that just happens at school or at home-it can happen anywhere! Targeted to those first beginning to read, this book invites children to read the main text as well as all the funny signs, labels, and messages hidden in the pictures.
About Todd Parr
Todd Parr is the New York Times bestselling author and illustrator of more than three dozen children’s books in which he focuses on the themes of love, kindness and feeling good. He also creates short films for Sesame Street. He lives in the Bay Area with his dogs, Pete and TaterTot.
ToddParr.com
