Moo-La-La-Ti-Da! Is on the Long List for the Anna Dewdney Read Together Award!

Click on the image above, which will take you to a Google form to vote for your choices for the Anna Dewdney Read Together Award.

Sometimes the best news arrives when you least expect it.

While I was busy celebrating St. Patrick's Day with Blarney (the lovable little bunny from How to Find a Four-Leaf Clover), another piece of exciting news came in — and I have to share it with you.

Moo-La-La-Ti-Da! has been named to the long list for the Anna Dewdney Read Together Award!

If that name sounds familiar, it should. Anna Dewdney is the beloved author of Llama Llama Red Pajama — a book that has found its way into bedtime routines and story time circles in homes and classrooms everywhere. The award created in her honor celebrates books that are especially wonderful for kids and grown-ups to read together. Books that spark connection. Books that turn reading into something shared.

To see Moo-La-La-Ti-Da! recognized alongside that mission is an honor I don't take lightly.

Here's Where It Gets Fun

This award isn't decided by a panel behind closed doors. It's decided by public vote. That means you — yes, you — get a say in which books earn this recognition.

And if that's not exciting enough, here's something that makes this year's list extra special: three independently published books made the long list.

That's a big deal.

Why Indie Books on This List Matter

For those who aren't familiar with the world of independent publishing, let me paint a quick picture. Indie authors do everything a big publishing house does — editing, design, illustration coordination, marketing, distribution, publicity — but without the team, the healthy budget, or the built-in platform that traditional publishers provide.

It's not the easy road. Not even close.

But it's the road you take when you believe in a story enough to do whatever it takes to get it into the hands of kids and families. And when an indie book lands on a list like this one, it's proof that the work matters — that readers are finding these stories and connecting with them.

This year, three indie authors earned that recognition, and I'm proud to be one of them.

Support Indie Authors With Your Vote

If you'd like to support the indie books on this year's long list, here are the three you can vote for:

Section 1:

• The Crystal Heart: A Vietnamese Legend by Aaron Shepard, illustrated by Joseph Daniel Fiedler

• Finding Courage by Darcy Pattison, illustrated by Agnieszka Wajda

Section 2:

• Moo-La-La-Ti-Da! by Donna Boock, illustrated by Nivya Kuriakose

All three are wonderful books written by authors with big hearts and a deep passion for children's literature. They deserve to be seen, read, and celebrated.

Cast Your Vote

It's a quick vote — just a few clicks — and a meaningful way to support the kinds of stories we want kids to grow up with. The kinds of stories that bring families closer together, one page at a time.

VOTE HERE — https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfG5Z80crDhmUTLPC6dpTHP79kMpbXdFHVb_rspw4Sl3broiw/viewform

Thank you for being part of children's literacy. Whether you vote, share this post, or simply keep reading books with the kids in your life — you're making a difference.

Keep Reading & Keep Reaching!