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Chicago Kids Media Promotional Project #1

The story...

Annie lives on a farm in Huntley with her Dad and six brothers.​

  • Promotional Picture Book 24-30 pages "MyFriends at the Zoo" - A story of five friends from the Chicagoland area who spend the day at the zoo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • The story begins at the homes of each of the four friends and their families.  Here we learn about how different each child's own world is, their home, their family structure and their neighborhoods.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • The one thing they all have in common is that they each do a "happy dance" when they are told they are going to the zoo today.

 

  • Once at the zoo, the friends meet up and check out the animals.

 

  • They come across a sad little chimpanzee who's favorite toy radio just broke.

 

  • One of the kids tries to cheer up the chimp with his own version of the happy dance. It doesn't work.

 

  • Then, each of the others try to cheer up the chimp with their own happy dances. None of them work.

 

  • It wasn't until one of the friend's little brother's asked a very interesting question...

     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • They all start singing, tapping their feet, snapping their fingers together making the perfect song to get the little chimp up and dancing again.

 

  • The friends realize, when they work together as a group, good things happen.

 

 

Annie's little brother Bobby has a great question.

Why doesn't everyone sing their happy song together?

The plan...
 

Writers:

  • Each writer involved will develop a different character, with a distinctly different background representing the various types of neighborhoods in the greater Chicagoland area (including our friends from Wisconsin).

  • The style of writing is open for discussion by the group.

  • The "happy dances" will be similarly written with the goal of becoming a catchy "tune" (rhyme, limerick, etc)

  • Each writer will also be assigned 2-3 pages

    • One page will describe the character

    • One page will be at the zoo at one of the animal exhibits

    • Third page to be determined

  • Each writer will be given credit as a contributing writer and will receive a select number of promotional books to distribute / keep.

 

Illustrators:

  • Each illustrator will be assigned to a writer to help develop the character and neighborhood

  • Each illustrator will be assigned a different animal exhibit (this is where the real fun is - no two exhibits should be alike)

  • Additional pages to be determined

  • The artwork on the cover will be a compilation of the inside pages so everyone's work will be represented.

  • Each illustrator will be given credit within the book and will receive a select number of promotional books to distribute / keep.

 

Editors:

  • Will reach out to educators within our LinkedIN group to provide feedback on our book.

 

 

The timeline...
 

Month #1-

  • Initial discussions and assignments

  • Brainstorming overall styles

  • Reach out to Brookfield Zoo / Lincoln Park Zoo for interest in teaming up

 

Month #2 -

  • Assignments completed by end of month

  • Line up editors / reviewers for initial feedback

  • Identify distribution channels

  • Weekly calls / meetings as needed

 

Month #3 -

  • Finalize and send to printer (at minimum 1,000 copies)

  • Identify/schedule book fairs, author fairs

  • Identify libraries / schools, etc to donate books to

  • Identify other promotional activities

 

Month #4 -

  • Books become available

  • Promotional activities begin!

  • Discuss next phase of Project, i.e. music video, ebook, animated short?

     

 

 

The legal stuff...
  • To be discussed.
 

©2017 Chicago Kids Media

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