Welcome to Day #7 of the “Sticks ‘N Stones” Blog Tour

To celebrate the release of Sticks ‘N Stones ‘N Dinosaur Bones, written by Ted Enik and illustrated by G.F. Newland, blogs across the web are featuring exclusive content about this humorous tall tale and giving away chances to win a copy of Sticks ‘N Stones ‘N Dinosaur Bones.

Pete Schiffer, the publisher at Schiffer Publishing, and Tracee Groff, the head of Schiffer Kids, the children’s books division there, talked about how Sticks ‘N Stones ‘N Dinosaur Bones strengthens the company’s fall lineup.

Q: Can you talk about Sticks ‘N Stones ‘N Dinosaur Bones? How does this book fit into today’s market for children’s nonfiction and STEAM learning?

[Tracee] Sticks ‘N Stones ‘N Dinosaur Bones is a spin on the infamous feud between fossil hunters Edward D. Cope and O. Charles Marsh. Author Ted Enik’s witty rhymes and G.F. Newland’s wonderfully crafted illustrations introduce children of all ages to the Bone Wars and the contributions these two men brought to the field of paleontology and their universities. Sticks ‘N Stones ‘N Dinosaur Bones is a strong addition to our STEAM-inspired lineup this fall as Schiffer has a long history of publishing in the natural and historical sciences. Children love to discover dinosaurs, and they remain fascinated by them. Enik and Newland capture this love of discovery in the pages of Sticks ‘N Stones ‘N Dinosaur Bones, presenting a rivalry that teaches while entertaining, making this book an ideal fit for today’s market.

Q: Sticks ‘N Stones ‘N Dinosaur Bones was published in 2013 by Pixel Mouse House, a small New York City firm. Why did Schiffer decide to publish it again with Pixel Mouse House?

[Pete] Our partnership with Pixel Mouse House is based in building on the strengths of both organizations. Including Sticks ‘N Stones ‘N Dinosaur Bones as one of the first titles in our new partnership is designed to re-launch an award-winning book into the global distribution network to connect with a broader audience. Sticks ‘N Stones ‘N Dinosaur Bones is a wonderful book and the beginning of a series that we feel will be a fun way of teaching unique stories from our past.

Q: What other books are being co-published with this company? Why is Schiffer co-publishing with this New York company? Is this part of your new focus on children’s books at Schiffer? Tell us about this new focus on children’s books.

[Tracee] Schiffer Publishing is partnering with Pixel Mouse House on three ventures this season. Sticks ‘N Stones ‘N Dinosaur Bones is one and the other two are Unraveling Rose by Brian Wray with illustrations by Shiloh Penfield and Mr. Owliver’s Magic at the Museum, written and illustrated by Carolyn Bracken. Pixel Mouse House brings to Schiffer Kids top writers and illustrators in the field of children’s literature. Our partnership was conceived from a mutual desire to grow and develop our newly expanded children’s book line.

Unraveling Rose is a beautifully illustrated story written to help children and families understand obsessive thoughts and behaviors, and how to stop them from getting in the way of enjoying everyday life. Brian Wray uses soft imagery allowing families to tackle tough issues in a way that relates to young children.

Mr. Owliver’s Magic at the Museum teaches children about art and design. Bracken introduces us to Mr. Owliver, a night watchman for the Animaltown Art Museum, and his whimsical world of famous masterpieces like the “Mona Lizard” and Auguste Wrenoir’s “The Loge.” The story of how Mr. Owliver comes to find that all the characters have disappeared from their frames is an engaging glimpse into the world of art history. In addition, the book includes a glossary listing the origins and artists of the paintings in the book and an art history timeline perfect for any burgeoning art history major.

Q: Sticks ‘N Stones ‘N Dinosaur Bones is the first in the Unhinged History book series. Will Schiffer publish more books from the series? Do you plan to publish more children’s books by Ted Enik or other children’s books illustrated by G.F. Newland?

[Tracee] Ted and G.F. are working on finalizing the next book in the Unhinged History book series featuring another infamous rivalry, this time racing to the bottom of the sea. Stay tuned for more details!

[Pete] We do plan to work with both Ted Enik and G.F. Newland on future projects and are discussing several new projects. There are many creative ideas that these two can bring to life to educate and inspire the next generation.

Q: Tell us about Schiffer Publishing, its history, and its mission?    

[Tracee] Our children’s book category has a long history rich in regional favorites like Chadwick the Crab and Lobsters on the Loose as well as the perennial classics The Future Architect’s Handbook, Change the World Before Bedtime, and The Angry Little Puffin. Our mission is to continue to produce timely and curated Chesapeake Bay regional titles while ramping up an expansion of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) learning. We are delighted to present our new mascot, Amelia. Amelia, like the Boston Terriers who came before her on the book farm, is a lively, smart, and affectionate girl who is enthusiastic to learn. She is leading the way at Schiffer Kids by announcing our new STEAM initiative in the 2017 children’s book catalog.

[Pete] Schiffer Publishing was founded in 1974 on our family farm with the aim to educate collectors about the things that they love. Over the years, we have focused on creating publications that serve readers’ passions and unique interests while providing new information and inspiration. This idea has lead us to develop a diverse publishing program where we focus on subjects that people care about deeply and develop their knowledge with over 6,000 titles in print. Our children’s books complement many of the areas we know well and are an extension of this philosophy to look for and serve people’s unique passions while educating them.

More About Sticks ‘N Stones ‘N Dinosaur Bones:

This first book in Ted Enik and G.F Newland’s “Unhinged History” series is a ripping yarn – full of adventure and deceit – that brings to life the best-known public spat in all of paleontology: the bitter rivalry between Edward Drinker Cope and Othniel Charles Marsh that became known as “The Bone Wars.” Lively and witty rhymes plus beautifully demented illustrations by Newland reveal how the paleontologists’ infamous rivalry began and how their mutual obsession with outdoing and ruining one another spun out of control.

About the Author

Ted Enik has worked as an illustrator for most of the well-known New York publishing houses, applying his versatility to both original art as well as classic and current children’s book characters, including the Magic School Bus, the Eloise books, and the popular “Fancy Nancy I Can Read” series. This is the first picture book Ted has authored. It was first published in 2013 by Pixel Mouse House, New York, and honored as a Finalist in the American Book Fest’s 2014 Best Children’s Nonfiction and a Finalist in American Book Fest’s 2014 International Book Award for Best Children’s Nonfiction. Learn more about his books and his illustration at tedenik.com.

About the Illustrator

G.F. Newland is a part-time illustrator and the systems administrator at the School of Visual Arts, New York, NY. His doodles have found their way onto buttons, bags, posters, and T-shirts, and have been published by Scholastic, Hachette, and Pixel Mouse House. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife and a pet fish named Enki. Visit his website at gfnewland.com.

Schedule of Blog Tour

November 6: Can You Read Me a Story?

November 7: A Fuse #8 Production

November 8: Books My Kids Read

November 9: Rockin’ Book Reviews

November 10: Kid Lit 411

November 11: Shelf Employed

November 12: Frog on a Blog