Angel Gate donates books to literacy and youth services programs!
Angel Gate Press, home of Black Tide, Zevon 7, Platypus Rex, The Gifted and Hero Fantasy Club comics, novels War Eagles, Shadow Boys, Fairies of Bladderwhack and others, recently donated much needed books, graphic novels and comic books to literacy and youth services programs.
BRING ME A BOOK FOUNDATION and LONG BEACH PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION
Literacy is a community problem. The Library and Foundation are attempting new ways to break the systemic cycle of poverty and illiteracy and work closely with city organizations providing programs for children of all ages and highly at-risk low-income families, looking for new ways to engage families, children and individuals who most need their services.
The goal is to make reading fun and part of the family culture in order to help nourish an eagerness for learning and build solid reading skills that will inspire and enable these youths. For many of them, they have never had a "new" book to call their own. Long Beach is a city with wonderful attributes but we have areas of dense poverty. 40% of our local children are on the federally funded lunch programs.
"The library has children's programming for all ages including an award winning teen poetry group. Having give away books for our teens is always a challenge. Angel Gate's generous donation has helped us put high quality books in their hands." Barbara Egyud, Bring Me A Book Foundation and Long Beach Public Library Foundation, said. "The Long Beach Library has 12 Family Learning Centers providing bilingual afterschool homework and literacy services. We reach over 30,000 students annually. The program was recognized as "a model for the nation" by UCLA researchers and the American Library Association The Library Foundation also provides an early learning school readiness program as a community outreach, Raising A Reader Long Beach. It is a 12-week in-home program that enables parents to become the child's first teacher around a shared book experience. Each week parents meet to exchange program bags filled with children's literature and bilingual parenting information. The parents are encouraged to "lap read" holding the child while reading to them. DVDs and parenting workshops demonstrate how to develop language and early learning school readiness skills. Over 6,700 children and parents have graduated from the program and maintained their connection with the public library using it on a regular basis . . . they have checked out an astounding number of books, over 190,000 as of last April."
Graphic novels are great tools to engage readers. "I opened a box of "Black Tide" at a school and the boys swarmed me requesting a copy! Such enthusiasm! And the Santa Fe Children's Club was thrilled with the donation for their "latchkey" kids." Colleen Triesch of the Long Beach Library Foundation added.
SUPPORT FOR THE KIDS
Supports the underprivileged and foster care children of Ventura County, also provides items to help students compete on an equal level with other more fortunate classmates and helps them build self-esteem. This incredible group also reaches out to local women's centers to mother's to break the cycle and despair in their lives.
The idea of Support for the Kids was born. Lynda Miller, a volunteer working with foster children, had a dream. Her dream was to provide tutoring and educational enrichment to more than 1,000 kids in the foster care system in Ventura County. They provide trained tutors, who have been background checked, to meet with the foster kids in their homes for an hour, twice a week. Using creative methods and tools, following California Academic Standards, with the goals of improving the academic performance as well as the self-esteem of these kids, they are seeing great strides made by the students not only in grades, but also attendance, attitude and behavior.
"With close to 1,000 kids in foster care in Ventura County, we have our work cut out for us! We will continue to work hard to raise the necessary funds we need to reach as many kids as we can. All funds raised by the Executive Board go directly to helping the kids. We have NO paid employees and NO overhead. We are all volunteers working 24/7 for these kids. We are proud of our work and all that we have accomplished to ensure a better future for the foster kids in Ventura County - one kid at a time!" Lynda Miller said.
Debbie Bishop, Angel Gate's publisher said, "These are amazing groups whose volunteers work tirelessly to help empower young people to reach their full potential as productive, enthusiastic citizens using fun and engaging methods. We are thrilled to be able to help in our small way and excited to share our books and comics with these incredible kids and teens. There are literacy and empowerment programs in cities all across the US. Anyone who'd like to get involved with programs in their own community can find information about groups in their area on the internet."
For more information, please visit them at:
http://lbplfoundation.org
http://www.supportforthekids.org
http://angelgatepress.com
SHIPPING THIS MONTH
WAR EAGLES The long-awaited action-fantasy from the creator of KING KONG. Ray Harryhausen presents, Merian C. Cooper's WAR EAGLES, written by Carl Macek. Cover art by William Stout. 1932431748
"In 1933, the great producer-director Merian C. Cooper brought KING KONG to the screen. In the late 1930s, Cooper hoped to give filmgoers an even more ambitious fantasy-adventure in a film he called War Eagles. Unfortunately, that project was never completed. Now, at long last, Cooper's dream has been brought back to life, thanks to visual effects legend Ray Harryhausen and his friends. This book is wonderful!' - Ray Bradbury
LISTEN TO A CLIP http://angelgatepress.com/WEclip.html
READ A CHAPTER www.angelgatepress.com
The War Eagles feature film is in development as a co-production by Ray Harryhausen Presents, Left Field Film Corp and Hand Picked Films.
SHADOW BOYS Escape From The Mantlerealm Following the success of her Award-winning children's book, The Fairies of Bladderwhack Pond, Debbie Bishop launches new fantasy-action series, Shadow Boys with its first adventure — Escape from the Mantlerealm. The Shadow Boys series extends the magical, present-day realms created in Bishop's Fairies of Bladderwhack, to a new action-adventure fantasy with an older skew, with the tale of a group of boys, self-named for their ability to hide inside their own shadows, who are forced into a high stakes game for the fate of their world. 1932431799
READ A CHAPTER http://angelgatepress.com/SB1.html
The Shadow Boys 3D stereoscopic CG animated action-adventure fantasy film is in development. Producers include the dynamic team behind such Hollywood blockbusters as “I Robot”, starring Will Smith; “Catch Me If You Can”, starring Tom Hanks and Leonardo Di Caprio; “North Fork”, starring James Woods and Nick Nolte; and “Stealing Time” starring Jennifer Garner. The producing team also includes executives experienced in the merchandising, marketing, and publishing worlds, as well as an award-winning animation group.
NEW COMIC BOOKS - COMING SOON!
PLATYPUS REX - Vampire hunter with an attitude. Created and written by Quenton Shaw. Illustrations by Mark Brill
ZEVON 7 - Quantum leaps parallel worlds to save the universe from rogue robots. Created and written by Quenton Shaw. Illustrations by Camilla D'Errico.
THE GIFTED - Magical team is the last chance against an evil sorceress and her army of the undead. Created, written and illustrated by Chad Dulac. Inks by Eric Richter. Colors by Gabriel Armenta and lettering by Eric Bell.
EL RIVAL - Intriguing new series featuring the daring encounters of a secretive rogue warrior during the renaissance. From the imagination of creator and illustrator, Jorge Balguer, Spain.
HFC - Hero Fantasy Club. In Production. Creator/Writer Quenton Shaw. Illustrations by Tanya Roberts. Colors by Garth Graham.
In Stores Now:
Black Tide: Awakening of the Key Graphic novel - contains the first eight episodes of the popular comic book series originally published by Image comics. The heroic leader of a black ops security group working daily to save the world who discovers that he is actually from ancient Atlantis where he was the Atlanteans most powerful enemy, leading an army of Draconian Warriors against them in a battle that caused the destruction of their continent. Now a chance meeting reveals a fantastic life and great love, wiped from his memories – and Atlantis recreated, secretly, and thriving, hidden from mankind. Unfortunately, for him, that is just the beginning. Created and written by Debbie Bishop. Illustrations by Mike S. Miller. 1932431004
"This is a perfect fit for teens who are new to comics. The adventure is smooth, and Bishop's use of quick dossier-style character overviews will remind teens of the way video games present their backstories. The crisply colored art is competent, and even sometimes inspired, and there are a few intriguing extras that feature information about some of the theoretical technology used in the book." Tina Coleman, Booklist.
"The art by Mike S. Miller is first-rate and very smooth." Tim Janson, Amazon.com, Top 50 Reviewer. "...this is unquestionably a book you'll want to read. It's rare that you get a comic series this complex today."
The Black Tide comic book series will resurface in 2009 with art by John Delaney.
Fairies of Bladderwhack Chloe Pillywiggin, a misfit orphan from the wrong side of the pond and her two best friends are forced to attend snooty Penstamen Academy when their town is mysteriously flooded. Soon after, strange occurrences propel her on a daring journey into a forbidden land as she tries to save a legendary fairy, captured by a wicked witch intent on taking over the realm. ISBN: 1-932431-01-2
A CHARMING MODERN-DAY FAIRYTALE. Tim Janson, Amazon.com Top 50 Reviewer. "The book is beautifully illustrated by Andy Park and features a number of full-page illustrations that perfectly complement the story written By Debbie Bishop. The pair have created a story with lively characters that come to life before your eyes. Highly recommended!"
Martha's Got Nothin' On Me - The Pre-Fab Cookbook Meals you can make in less time than it takes to do your hair, easy entertaining tips, how to get rid of unwanted guests, directions to where the stove is and delicious quick recipes. 1553661575
AWARD WINNING SERIES! This One N That One by Jane Seymour & James Keach. Illustrations by Geoffrey Planer. Delightful books for children ages 1 to 6. Block Book Set, winner TOY OF THE YEAR!
For information contact: info@angelgatepress.com
or visit: http://www.angelgatepress.com
Angel Gate books and comics are available in stores and online. Distributed by National Book Network and Diamond Comics.
