The Bookworm of Edwards would like to thank James Patterson for his generous grant which allows for us to continue providing quality programming for the children of the Vail Valley and beyond! We are getting ready to launch our 3rd Annual Writing Contest which allows for children in grades 3-12 to submit stories to be published in the annual publication of Ungoverned Children. This year we are excited to announce that we have both authors and teachers judging the contest and helping us grow this contest. We also put the funds towards growing our Bookworm Book Fairs program so that we can bring more authors to the schools in partnership with book fair days. And last but definitely not least, on February 16th we will be launching Wiggle Worms, an e-story time presented by the Bookworm. Every Monday we will release a new story on our YouTube, www.youtube.com/bookwormofedwards, which will allow children all over the United States and beyond to join our children's bookseller Franny for a weekly story time.  

The new Changing Hands resides in what was once the original, cavernous dining room of Beef Eaters. The roughly 5,500-square-foot room had had no windows and the floor was covered in red carpeting; the biggest change made to the space, said Changing Hands co-owner Cindy Dach, was the addition of the room's windows and skylights. "The room was just too dark," said Dach. "Beyond that, though, we really didn't change very much."

They pulled out the original red carpeting and polished the concrete floor underneath, and the building's old light system was also completely replaced with a new LED light system. The store's bookshelves came from a Barnes & Noble in nearby Pasadena, Ariz., that closed in 2013. Before installing the shelves, Changing Hands painted the bookshelves black and cut them down so that shoppers and booksellers alike could look across the entire store.

May 2, 2015: 400 bookstores. Exclusive books and art pieces. One day only. Join the party!

View the online catalog:

Visit the main Independent Bookstore Day page and click on the top link, "Download the 2015 Independent Bookstore Day Catalog."

http://cabookstoreday.com/for-bookstores/  

Place your order/register by February 1, 2015:

http://cabookstoreday.com/order-form  

"Making the Most of IBD":

Visit the main Independent Bookstore Day page and click on the left-hand link entitled "Publicity Materials and Helpful Documents."

http://cabookstoreday.com/for-bookstores/  

Preregistration for the fourth annual Find Waldo Local campaign opened on Thursday, January 22.

The 2015 campaign, which runs the entire month of July, unites small business communities nationwide in hosting scavenger hunts for the elusive, red-and-white stripe-wearing picture book character. Hunts lead searchers through participating stores in their local shopping districts.

ABA member stores have until March 15 to go online and sign up at IndieBound for the campaign, which is co-sponsored by the American Booksellers Association and Candlewick Press. Participation is capped at 250 stores.

"Waldo has served as an intrepid ambassador for Shop Local initiatives for three summers running now, with over 400 indie bookstores and over 10,000 local merchants having participated," said Elise Supovitz, executive director of independent retail and Canadian sales for Candlewick Press. "Candlewick is thrilled to bring Find Waldo Local back for yet a fourth summer in July 2015 and we welcome all ABA members to join in."

The inspiration for Find Waldo Local came from a successful Waldo scavenger hunt hosted by Eight Cousins Books in Falmouth, Massachusetts, in August 2011. The endeavor takes its cue from the perennially popular Where's Waldo? series, created by English illustrator Martin Handford in 1987.

This year, as always, Waldo hunters will be eligible for new prizes throughout the month and the celebration will culminate in a closing ceremony at participating bookstores.

Candlewick will once again be providing bookstores with a kit containing everything they need to launch their own Find Waldo Local events in their communities, including mini Waldo standees, window clings, prize buttons and books; reproducible passports, coupons, posters, bag stuffers, and activity sheets; as well as sample pitch letters, press releases, and social media materials.

Access the registration form here:

www.indiebound.org/findwaldolocal

View the BTW article and download the campaign brochure here:

www.bookweb.org/news/find-waldo-local-2015-preregistration-begins