You are cordially invited... to The Trashy Hootenanny! Your children will get a really big HOOT out of this chapter book, which puts focus on dialect and dialogue! Just read this snippet, from character Krystal the Ant: "Duh! I can't stand anything that concerns news or history or current events or documentaries or..." "So basically, anything that you can learn something from?!?!" hollered Edward, interrupting Julian. "What on earf' be all 'dis racket 'round here? Y'all be shoutin' n' yellin' and wakin' up da' 'hood," called a loud, booming voice from inside a nearby mound of dirt. All of the bugs looked at each other, trying to decipher the dialect coming from the mouth of Krystal the Ant. Krystal was emerging from the nearby collection of anthills. "Whatchu' mean? You sayin' my Mama so ugly she be lookin' like she been done hit wit' da' ugly stick? Well, yo' mama such a troll 'dat she build her house on lava rock!" shouted Krystal, turning back to peek inside of her hill. And Krystal is just the beginning! There are 15 unique characters that will prepare children for a lifetime of reading complex stories. Here is a passage featuring Leah the Flea, from Tennessee and Maddie the Stink Bug: "Yeah, not many of us like Edward all that much... but he's been our leader throughout and hasn't steered us in the wrong direction. That's why we tolerate his behavior," piped in Genevieve. "Well, that millipede is so ugly, we'd have to tie a pork chop around his neck to get the dogs to play with him. And Julian... he is cute enough, but he wasn't blessed with a brain, God love 'em. But that ant... Krystal was her name? I declare, that girl is just sweeter'n Tupelo honey," smiled Leah. "Krystal? Sweet? I love sweets!" exclaimed Maddie, drawing laughter from the rest of the group. "I love chocolate and cake and whipped cream and icing and candy and pie and biscuits and pudding and Jell-O and bubblegum and cookies and pastries and cupcakes and..." Your children are sure to enjoy this first chapter book from authors Joe Kelley and Nick RokickiAbout the Author: Nick Rokicki is quickly becoming a beloved name in the world of books for children. His first book, Pete the Popcorn, was released to rave reviews on February 29th, 2012. Why Leap Day? According to Nick, "this country needs to take a huge leap forward when it comes to bullying in our schools. Pete the Popcorn carries a message of children offering encouragement to each other on a daily basis. We believe that the answer to bullying is encouragement--- and this will start with the youngest of children." Nick has visited with over 100,000 children in 25 states, holding motivational assemblies centered around his book titles. Nick Rokicki is a proud product of public schools, having attended Washington Local Schools in Toledo, Ohio. After graduating from high school, he attended Specs Howard School of Media Arts in Southfield, Michigan, where he focused on communications. After completing this education, Rokicki worked at various television and radio stations throughout the midwest before spending nine years traveling the World and gaining inspiration for his collection of stories. Other titles in his collection include Clipper the Comet, which celebrates the American autoworker and family traditions. Casey and Callie Cupcake is a Frosted Fable About Being Fantastic Just the Way You Are. The story teaches kids to accept themselves and their friends for who they are on the inside--- and the story takes place inside of a real bakery, Cake in a Cup, a winner of Food Network's Cupcake Wars. Upcoming projects include middle-grade reader I'm Right Rita, Crusty Cupcake's Christmas Catastrophe and chapter book The Sunny Hootenanny. Learn more about Nick Rokicki at www.PeteThePopcorn.com