Happy Chinese New Year - 2014 is The Year of the Horse!

We ring in the lunar new year with the 9th adventure in our Tales from the Chinese Zodiac series -  The Year of the Horse!

9 years already? Boy, time flies when you're having fun.

That we've certainly had in abundance during the past decade. Yet when we started, we knew we'd have a lot of ground to cover too. Think about it...when was the last time you've willingly embarked on a 12 year project where you had to make a product every year?

You parents out there know what we're talking about, when I say that having a child becomes much more than a 12 year project. But then would you want to have another baby the next year, and so on, and so on?

Well, without getting too philosophical about it (or straying into the familially fraught territory of TLC's reality TV show 19 Kids and Counting), let's just say we embarked willingly and with brio.

One of our goals was to publish fresh, meaningful stories about Asian American themes and characters. So this hitting upon concept was just too good of an opportunity to pass up. I mean no one had ever published a series of stories on each of the Chinese zodiac animals before in English (only later did we learn that a Chinese publisher had done so in Asia, but the tales were much different).

But let's get back to FUN.

2014's heroine is Hannah the Horse. She exemplifies the positive can-do attitude of kids who want to make their mark in the world and enjoy their journey at the same time.

Artist Jennifer Wood notches her 3rd straight hit (following Dragon and Snake) and displays her personal predilection for horses with vibrant scenes of Hannah and her pal Tom energetically romping through colorful vistas. These friends are simply joyful, just like any kids at play.

January 31, 2014 was the first day but the celebrations will kick into higher gears in the coming weeks. Jennifer presented at Kidspace Children's Museum in Pasadena today, and will read at Vroman's Bookstore on 2/8.

Meanwhile author Oliver Chin visits Southern California this week as well. He participates in the Bowers Museum's festival in Santa Ana tomorrow on 2/2 (quite a Super Sunday). Then he'll travel to many schools and libraries across Los Angeles - check out our event calendar.

In a way, the creators are emulating Hannah's trek to share the fruits of artistic creativity, one of which is the common experience of fun.www.immedium.com/products/yearofhorse.htmlwww.immedium.com/products/yearofhorse.htmlwww.immedium.com/products/yearofhorse.html

Reading all day 3/16 at College Park Elementary, San Mateo, CA

We're honored to be invited to College Park Elementary School (715 Indian Ave, San Mateo, CA 94401) to celebrate Literacy Week. We visit tomorrow, March 16th, and stay for the entire day!

Immedium has visited a few San Mateo public schools during the past few years, so we're pleased to see College Park's Gate (California's program of Gifted & Talented Education) and Mandarin Magnet Programs in person. Mandarin Immersion education is a hot topic nowadays, as schools nationwide are incorporating Chinese language curriculum. College Park is unique because it also houses a preschool program on site, which then feeds into the elementary school (kindergarten-5th grade).

Given the latest news of the severe budget cuts to California public schools next year and the resulting statewide protests by teachers, parents, and students, it is more important than ever to support our schools. Having traveled recently to dozens of schools, both public and private, we take great pride in sharing our stories and reinforcing an enthusiasm in kids for writing, drawing, and creating. Certainly parents and teachers have challenging jobs, so it is rewarding when they tell us that our books' themes reinforce their instruction and spur their students to love reading.

Never let it be said that we don't "put out" - we've been training for months for this day! Three presentations to six grades, another visit to the pre-K tykes, a book signing in the library, staff luncheon, plus a special drawing workshop to "lottery" winning 4th & 5th graders. Whew! By the time this day is over, our Powerpoint and PDF files will be melted, Teddy the Tiger will be officially put out to pasture, and we'll feel how it is to be a teacher...for one day.

We appreciate their kind staff and generous PTA for hosting us, and continued good luck to them.