Carmela Full of Wishes

The other day I was on Instagram and I saw that Christian Robinson (who I enjoy following over there) was going on a book tour. Then I saw he was coming to my town! How fantastic!

Matt de la Peña and Christian Robinson are the duo who produced Last Stop on Market Street. It's kind of a big deal, because it was the first picture book to win the Newbery Award in ages (one of only two picture books that have ever won, according to this source) and it was also the first time a Latino author has been awarded the Newbery, and it also got a Caldecott Honor and Coretta Scott King Award.

So, I figured a new book by them ought to be alright.

Well, Carmela Full of Wishes is great for us!

Carmela wakes up on her birthday and is so happy that she is finally old enough to go with her big brother on the errands. Her brother, on the other hand, is less than thrilled. Along the way, Carmela finds a dandelion, and manages to both annoy her brother and think up all kinds of great wishes to put into this dandelion fluff before she blows it. Always realistic and eventually heartwarming, Carmela Full of Wishes is our new favorite picture book. Even Jubilee's older brothers, who declined my invitation to come to the event, were caught reading and quoting Carmela.  I plan to read it to Jubilee's class at school tomorrow.

We went to the launch with my friend, Bethany, who has written a few posts for me here on Everead. (Check them out, here.) Having Bethany along made the event at least 10x more fun for me. My best tip about book events is to bring a friend along—it makes the signing line go faster.

Jubilee has been to other book events, but has forgotten them, so this one was effectively her first.

• She got to spin a wheel, and won some twizzlers. 
• She got to ask Matt de la Peña and Christian Robinson a question: "Have you ever made a wish on a dandelion?" (Thanks for feeding her the stellar question, Bethany!) Christian answered that he had, in fact, wished on a dandelion that this book would make it out into the world. Hurrah! 
• She got to make a wish on a paper dandelion: "I wish that a fairy would come to life!"
• She got a free book, just for being an elementary school student at the event! Thanks New London Education Foundation! That was definitely unexpected and fulfilled my wish.
• She got to have a book signed to her and a little kitty cat drawn into it, too. 
• And she got to stay up way past her bedtime. 

How about you? Read any good books lately? Made any good wishes?