Maurice Sendak: A vital childhood ingredient

Click to buy a copy of Where the Wild Things Are on Amazon.com

My son dressed as Max from Where the Wild Things Are.

When I heard that children’s author Maurice Sendak, 83, died last month, I instantly scooped up a copy of Where the Wild Things Are to read to my son. But first I closely reread the book myself — this time from the perspective of a mother, as opposed to a child.

Growing up I could never quite wrap my brain around one particular line in Wild Things: “We’ll eat you up – we love you so!” Wait, what? If they love him, why the heck would they want to eat him?

But now that I have a son of my own who I resist the urge to “eat up” daily, I totally get it!

Rest in peace Mr. Sendak. Your book was a vital ingredient in my childhood and will continue to flavor many children’s lives!

Press Release: Tempt Your Sweet Tooth At Out-Of-This-World Book Signing

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TEMPT YOUR SWEET TOOTH AT OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD BOOK SIGNING WITH LAS VEGAS CHILDREN’S BOOK AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR

Las Vegas residents sign children’s book ” Candy Store at the Edge of the Galaxy” at Rocket Fizz Soda Shop and Candy Store Las Vegas from noon to 2 p.m., Oct. 22

LAS VEGAS – October 18, 2011 — Las Vegas author Aleza Freeman and illustrator Howard Freeman have teamed up with Las Vegas soda and candy shop, Rocket Fizz, for an out-of-this-world book signing. Join the couple as they sign their children’s book, Candy Store at the Edge of the Galaxy at Rocket Fizz, 5130 S. Fort Apache Rd. #260, from noon to 2pm, Oct. 22.

Written by Las Vegas native Aleza Freeman and illustrated by Howard Freeman, Candy Store at the Edge of the Galaxy is an edgy 36-page, full-color paperback for young readers, featuring 12 quirky poems and drawings encouraging imagination, friendship, tolerance and general silliness. There’s a fish with a feline-sized appetite … A strip poker swindling bear … A land where all the letters of the alphabet spell well together… A man with an uncanny photographic ability … And (of course) a candy store in outer space.

“As soon as we walked into Rocket Fizz we knew it was a perfect fit for our book,” Aleza Freeman said. “Our goal is to entertain kids and the kid-at-heart. And that’s exactly how I felt when I walked into Rocket Fizz and saw so much candy from my own childhood.”

Aleza and Howard will also be signing copies of Candy Store at the Edge of the Galaxy at a booth during the Vegas Valley Children’s Book Festival from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 5 at the Historic Fifth Street School in downtown Las Vegas.

Candy Store at the Edge of the Galaxy was released through Big Doodle Head™, LLC. The book is available for purchase at Rocket Fizz in Las Vegas and Kettlemuck’s Toy Shoppe, 10895 Eastern Ave. #120, Henderson. It is also available for purchase through Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, and other online retailers.

About Big Doodle Head™
The brainchild of husband and wife team Howard Freeman and Aleza Freeman, Las Vegas-based Big Doodle Head™, LLC, is a creative publishing company founded in 2011 for kids and the kid-at-heart. Howard Freeman is a longtime mural artist and illustrator, with works adorning walls throughout Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Detroit. A member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, Aleza Freeman is a copywriter and award-winning former journalist, who was born and raised in Las Vegas. The company released its first title Candy Store at the Edge of the Galaxy in July 2011. Howard and Aleza live in Las Vegas with their son, three cats, and the occasional spider.

About Rocket Fizz Las Vegas
Rocket Fizz has zoomed onto the Las Vegas scene to give you a real lesson in carbonated delight. The Rocket Fizz family has collected hundreds of flavors of soda from all over the country. Along with hundreds of candies from all over the country and as far back in time as you can remember, Rocket Fizz stocks real salt water taffy in over sixty fanciful flavors. The walls are papered with vintage concert posters, black and white photographs of old-time celebrities, and tin signs full of humor. Rocket Fizz Las Vegas is more than a candy store. It’s about creating an experience because at Rocket Fizz everyone is a kid.

For more information about Candy Store at the Edge of the Galaxy or Big Doodle Head™, please visit www.bigdoodlehead.com.

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