BOOKS
ME + TREE reimagines what happens to the Giving Tree many years on, when a girl new to the city befriends an old tree at the playground. In sharing their stories and revealing their joys and sorrows, they see into each other’s lives, discovering, as all true friends do, that being seen and understood is one of the purest expressions of love. And friendship, in all its forms, is a balm for healing, a force for wholeness. A picture book for children ages 4 to 8, Creative Eds, spring 2021
FINALIST for a 2021 GOLDEN KITE Award.
CYBILS Award finalist Nature picture books
"This is one of those rare picture books... Lovely."
"Alexandria Giardino's story celebrates the importance of friendship and of recognizing the overlooked."
Inspired by Chilean poet Pablo Neruda's "Ode to the Onion," this story is less biography and more a simple ode to a vegetable that is at once humble and noble, dark and light, full of grief and full of joy—just like life. A picture book for ages 4 to 104, published by Cameron Kids/Abrams fall 2018
WINNER of the 2018 NCBR Young Children's Literature Award
A Junior Library Guild Selection
Shortlisted for the 2018 NCIBA Golden Poppy Award
Featured in the New York Times Children's Books Special, Nov 9, 2018
"This one is a treat for the eyes and ears."
-Maria Russo, New York Times
"Beautiful on all counts."
-Betsy Bird, A Fuse #8 Production, School Library Journal
"A reminder of the importance of a sustained connection to gratitude."
-Julie Danielson, 7 Impossible Things Before Breakfast
Inspired by the medley of the classic songs “Over the Rainbow” and “What a Wonderful World” sung by Hawaiian singer Israel "IZ" Kamakawiwo‘ole, the good song is aloha—love.
A picture book for children ages 4 to 8, published by Cameron Kids/Abrams fall 2020
Listen to IZ sing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow / What a Wonderful World"
FINALIST for the 2020 NCBR Young Children's Literature Award
Support Native Hawaiian storytellers! Please check out these excellent podcasts:
nativestories.org; hawaiipeoplesfund.org; nativeseedpod.org
I donate a portion of proceeds to a Hawaiian medical clinic that IZ long supported. For information, please visit the Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center website.
El partido es LARGO. Es ABURRIDO. Pero hoy, los dos tienen boletos para el GRAN PARTIDO. El equipo de “los Buenos” juega contra el equipo de “los Otros Chicos”. Desde el primer lanzamiento en la altura de la primera entrada hasta el final, emocionante y angustioso jonrón en la parte baja de la novena entrada Mikey aprende porque el béisbol es EL JUEGO MÁS GRANDE DEL MUNDO.
Un libro para niños de 4 a 8 años, publicado por Cameron Kids, otoño 2017
STORYTIME FRIENDS
I am incredibly excited to share the launch of a new storytime video series, Storytime Friends!
In 2021, four picture book author friends came together to support each other's work and found a common desire to share our books in meaningful ways. This led to a partnership with Peter Limata of Storytime with Mr. Limata and more than thirty Bay Area authors.
STORYTIME FRIENDS brings the joy and power of storytelling to children in hospitals through weekly video-recorded read-alouds, in-person author/illustrator visits, and picture book give-aways. We believe in having fun and creating a sense of friendship and community through books. We support upholding the emotional safety of patients by helping to reduce stress and lift spirits.
We have partnered with UCSF for our inaugural year and are excited to hear from hospitals interested in collaborating with STORYTIME FRIENDS in 2023-24.
For more information about this project, visit our website.
Storytime Friends co-creator Angela Dalton and I were interviewed about our collaboration.
The podcast, called Sharing Joy in Less-Traveled Places, is part of Cardinal Rule Press' series.
You can listen to it here, starting Nov 15.
EVENTS & MEDIA
I regularly visit bookstores and schools. Upcoming events include a day-long visit to Healdsburg public schools in February 2023. I'll also be at Fairyland in Oakland in April 2023. Reach out about scheduling.
Ode to an Onion was featured at Day of the Dead celebrations. In downtown Healdsburg, CA, kids wrote odes and added them to an altar.
ABOUT
Alexandria Giardino lives in Northern California. When she is not writing and teaching, Alex is most likely riding her mountain bike or hiking on Mt Tam with her family and their beloved Boston terrier. She also has a black belt in karate and loves to share martial arts with kids. Alex previously lived in New York, Los Angeles, Mexico City, and Santiago, Chile, where she wrote, translated, and sold art. Her translation of Pablo Neruda's wife's memoir, My Life with Pablo Neruda is available here. Her essays have appeared in English and Spanish in numerous publications and on air at KQED.
Alex is represented by Nicole Geiger at Full Circle Literary.
Alex is a frequent panelist and presenter on topics related to writing for children. She also loves connecting with kids and their communities.
To schedule a virtual or in-person event with Alex, please contact her HERE.
