Why I’d Like to See ALL THE WORLD in a Cheerios Box

Posted

Ya’ll know by now that ALL THE WORLD is one of 13 books being considered for inclusion
 in next year’s Cheerios.

Lots of you have been voting faithfully, every day, at the Spoonful of Stories site.

Lots of you are getting a little sick of voting faithfully, every day, at the Spoonful of Stories site,
and I don’t blame you!

You’ve got other things to do, like brushing your teeth, making your bed and feeding your children.
I promise, you can get back to all that on Friday when this contest ends.

See, here’s the thing.
I’m not too keen on competition.
I failed miserably at team sports in school — partly because I have no hand-eye coordination and partly ’cause my heart was never in it. My current athletic efforts are running (which I do far too slowly to ever feel competitive about) and yoga. Enough said.

But sometimes life throws you in the middle of the pit to see what you’re made of.
Fortunately, for this particular contest, I need not know how to pitch, swing, shoot, throw or kick.
I just need to do a little shout-out now and again about my new book.

This is relatively easy except for the fact that I have anxiety dreams about driving ya’ll crazy. (In the olden days, I would’ve written you each a letter, in longhand, included a recipe and a cross-stitch, and been done with it.)

Big ol’ sigh in the age of Twitter.

So why do I bother?

Two reasons:

1. I’m fond of this book and I would really like kids to read it as they eat their cereal in the morning. It’s about connections — between and among us — and I think that’s not a bad little message to lodge in a kid’s heart at the beginning of a busy day. Plus, Marla Frazee’s artwork is lush and expansive and profound and comforting. Even kids who can’t read yet can fall into the pictures and be happy there. Truly, and I can say that because I didn’t have the first thing to do with it.

2. It’s all for a really, really good cause. Seriously. It is. General Mills has, in eight years, given 40 million books to children through their Spoonful of Stories initiative. 40 million! And how do I know that? Because an anonymous researcher-do-gooder-all-around-big-heart uncovered all sorts of important Spoonful of Stories stats and shared them via Laurie Halse Anderson’s blog.

(Laurie also has a horse in this horse race and if ya’ll are twins, could one of you vote for ALL THE WORLD and the other vote for Laurie’s ZOE?)

Anyway, Laurie’s guest blogger is over there giving the scoop on the Spoonful today. (You can read about Zoe first and then, under the heading "NOW, FOR THE GREAT NEWS", you’ll learn about this totally worthy endeavour.) I’d really like for you to read it. It is about literacy and about getting books into the hands of kids who don’t have any. Which is really the whole point.

So, please, go read and then cast a few more votes (one vote a day ’til Friday) for ALL THE WORLD, or ZOE, or any of the books you’d like a kid to wake up to.

And while you’re at it, check out First Book and consider them as a recipient of your generous annual giving.

Thanks friends, and namaste.

 

32 Responses to “Why I’d Like to See ALL THE WORLD in a Cheerios Box”

  2. Anonymous

    Spoonful of Stories and Competition

    I love going to the Spoonful site and voting every day. Partly because I really want your book to be in a Cheerios box next year but also because I LOVE competition and winning in ANY form. So, I think I can loan you some competitive spirit — I have plenty to go around. GO ALL THE WORLD!!
    -JB

  3. Anonymous

    Tanita Says 🙂

    Someday I’m going to see that competitive yoga…

    This is probably one of those things that’s good for you, to learn how to do a shout-out about yourself and your work. I believe it will pay off!

  4. jeannineatkins

    No worries. It’s a great cause and a lot more fun and faster than, say, flossing. Click and it’s done. Nothing could be more simple. Good luck to All the World and its lucky readers!

  5. Anonymous

    FYI

    The current first place book was written by Michael Ian Black, who is on television and has recently started a tweet campaign for votes. He currently has 1,349,864 people that follow his tweets. Unfortunately he doesn’t seem to embrace the spirit of Spoonfuls of Stories, he is tweeting such things as:

    “Purple Kangaroo” currently being beaten by a book about heartfelt goodness. http://tinyurl.com/yj82wxa Let’s put goodness in its place!
    about 19 hours ago from web
    -and-
    Make America creepier! Put my smug face in every box of Cheerios! Ruin American youth! Vote “Purple Kangaroo.” http://tinyurl.com/yj82wxa
    4:54 AM Oct 27th from web
    -but the topper is:
    Second thing. I have a new slogan for Cheerios. Cheerios: the breakfast food Smurfs can f***.
    9:38 AM Oct 26th from web
    Sooooo not appropriate!
    I was able to send messages to First Book and Simon & Schuster to give them a heads up, because the way things spread on the internet, it would be a shame if this jerk taints this great program. I tried to contact General Mills/Cheerios, but their contact page doesn’t seem to be working. Do you think they want someone that writes that to be representing them? I sure hope not! Let’s try to keep this contest wholesome, the the whole grain goodness of Cheerios… and All the World!

  6. angdee

    Congratulations!

    Hi Liz!

    A huge congratulations to both you and Marla on getting into all those Cheerios boxes. We at the DiTerlizzi home are HUGE fans of ALL the World! It’s an amazing book!

    I, too, work with Allyn and Andrea and couldn’t be happier for a fellow Beach Laner. 🙂

    Can’t wait to share our morning with you book in a box.

    XO
    Ang

    • liz_scanlon

      Re: Congratulations!

      Oh my goodness, Angela! I’m totally having sort of a fangirl moment over here!! Thank you so much for stopping by and saying what you’re saying! Sheesh, I’m honored. Can I come deliver the Cheerios myself so I can meet you guys up close and personal?????

  7. angdee

    OK, I am totally feeling the mutual love over here! Of course, since you work with the amazing duo of Allyn and Andrea, I should have assumed you were awesome.
    You’re in Austin… Awesome hint #2. I love that city. Home of BookPeople- one my my most favorite indy bookstores. Do you know Topher over there? He’s the best!!

    I have to tell you…not to jinx anything, but Tony and I have our fingers crossed for a shiny sticker for your book this year. Just sayin…

    PS- I also manage Scott Fischer, the author/illustrator of JUMP! who is also one of the Spoonfuls of Stories finalists. You are all in good company. Bravo!

    Hope all is fab!
    XO
    Ang

  8. angdee

    PS- Come visit anytime!!! Or we need to meet up out in Cali at the Beach Lane sstudio. I feel a retreat coming on.