Tag Archives | children

A DOLLY FOR CHRISTMAS: The True Story Of A Family’s Christmas Miracle By Little Big Town’s Kimberly Schlapman And illustrated By Morgan Huff

“A story of hope and faith.” 
 —PEOPLE Magazine
On October 6, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers is proud to publish A DOLLY FOR CHRISTMAS: The True Story of a Family’s Christmas Miracle by “Little Big Town’s” Kimberly Schlapman and illustrated by Morgan Huff (Ages 4-8; $19.99). Perfect for holiday gift guides, A DOLLY FOR CHRISTMAS celebrates the season’s themes of hope, love, and family as it explores a family’s adoption process. Inspired by Schlapman’s struggle to conceive her second child and how she and her family decided to adopt, the book delves into how Schlapman’s first daughter wrote letters to Santa Claus about her desire for a sibling until the family was actually surprised by their new baby girl, Dolly, days before Christmas.
In the story, all Daisy wants for Christmas is a little brother or sister. Her parents have tried everything to make her dream come true, but nothing is working. So Daisy takes matters into her own hands, praying every day and writing a letter to Santa Claus about her one and only wish. Daisy’s parents are touched by her strong belief and grateful for her help, but as they explain, sometimes you have to wait. God will give you the perfect gift when the time is right. In this heartwarming holiday tale, Schlapman shares the true story of the Christmas when her family became whole.
Schlapman hopes the story will inspire other families to maintain their faith, especially when facing infertility issues. The book is also a tribute to her daughters’ love for each other. She said in an interview with PEOPLE magazine, “I just want people to be hopeful and to know that if they’re in the middle of a struggle, they are not alone. We walked those same roads, and they are very, very difficult. But, in the end, there is restoration and there are children who are waiting for them.”
Kimberly Schlapman is a founding member of the Grammy Award-winning band Little Big Town. She is also the author of Oh Gussie!: Cooking and Visiting in Kimberly’s Southern Kitchen, and hosted the cooking show Kimberly Simply Southern. A Dolly for Christmas is her debut children’s book.
  
Morgan Huff has been creating art ever since she could hold a pencil. She received a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a focus in illustration, and she finds inspiration in nature, animals, and the joy of simple yet beautiful moments. She invites you to find her online at morgansketch.com.
 
A DOLLY FOR CHRISTMAS: The True Story of a Family’s Christmas Miracle
by Kimberly Schlapman and illustrated by Morgan Huff
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers | On sale October 6, 2020 | Ages 4-8 | 224 pages
HC ISBN: 9780316542968; $18.99 | Ebook ISBN: 9780316542999; $9.99
Audiobook Downloadable ISBN: 9781549190612; $2.98
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers is a division of Hachette Book Group, a leading trade publisher based in New York and a division of Hachette Livre (a Lagardère company), the third-largest trade and educational publisher in the world. HBG is made up of eight publishing groups: Little, Brown and Company; Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; Grand Central Publishing; Perseus Books; Orbit; Hachette Books; Hachette Nashville; and Hachette Audio. For more information, visit hbgusa.com.
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Nashville Ballet To Hold Community-Wide Youth Cast Auditions

Nashville Ballet invites community youth ages 8+ to open auditions for the 2018-2019 season production of Nashville’s Nutcracker. Auditions will be held on Sundays, Aug. 19, Aug. 26 and Sept. 9, 2018 at Nashville Ballet’s Sylvan Park facility, 3630 Redmon St., Nashville.

An annual Christmastime production, Nashville’s Nutcracker features approximately 300 youth cast members from the School of Nashville Ballet and the surrounding community. Roles range from darling Clara to the adorable bear cavalry and everything in between. Dance experience is not required. Children must be eight years old by Dec. 31, 2018 to audition; children ages 12+ must be School of Nashville Ballet students.

At the audition, children will learn simple sequences of steps from various age appropriate youth cast roles. Nashville Ballet’s artistic staff will evaluate auditionees on their ability to learn and execute these steps. The overall environment for auditions is light and fun for all.

“Our Nashville’s Nutcracker youth cast is an incredible way to get the whole family in the spirit of the holidays. We really focus on making this an easy and enjoyable process for cast members, their parents and other relatives. For many families it has become one of their most beloved holiday traditions,” Director of Artistic Operations Sharyn Mahoney said. “Whether your child is already passionate about performing or is entirely new to the stage, this is an excellent opportunity for developing confidence and encouraging a love for the arts.”

Pre-registration for auditions will open Friday, Aug. 3; interested individuals can register online atwww.nashvilleballet.com/youthcast at that time. Walk-ups are also welcome the day of an audition. Children who audition will be notified of whether or not they receive a role on Wednesday, Sept. 19. Mandatory rehearsals begin on Oct. 20. A $10 non-refundable audition fee and 4”x 6” full-body photograph are required. Girls should audition in a solid color leotard and pink tights; boys should wear a t-shirt and shorts. Ballet slippers are preferred, but not required; children who do not own ballet slippers should wear socks or another style of dance shoe. It is only necessary to audition once; children in each audition will receive equal consideration.

Nashville’s Nutcracker weaves the awe-inspiring wonder of the classic tale with Music City’s glittering past as young Clara and her magical friends journey through a spectacular dreamland. This is the 11th consecutive season Artistic Director Paul Vasterling’s enchanting production will take over TPAC in December. For more information on youth cast details for this enchanting production, visit www.nashvilleballet.com.

About Nashville Ballet
Nashville Ballet is the largest professional ballet company in Tennessee. Nashville Ballet presents a varied repertoire of classical ballet and contemporary works by noted choreographers, including original works by Artistic Director Paul Vasterling. Nashville Ballet and the second company, NB2 (a pre-professional training company), provide more than 70,000 arts experiences to adults and children annually through season performances and its Community Engagement programming. Curriculum-based Community Engagement programs bring dance education to community centers, colleges, public libraries and public elementary, middle and high schools across the state. School of Nashville Ballet brings world-class dance instruction to students age 2 to 70.

Nashville Ballet receives public funding from Metro Arts, Tennessee Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts. Contributions from local, regional and national institutional funders and community partners, as well as hundreds of generous individuals, provide ongoing support of Nashville Ballet’s mission-critical programs.

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