The most common tasks that most children experience as part of their daily routines are attending a school each morning and being tucked into bed with a story each night.  As part of many consistent activities, it is hard to believe that there are hundreds of boys and girls throughout Massachusetts that are not able to retain these basic necessities.  Fortunately, Boston encompasses nonprofit charities that work tirelessly to fulfill these needs, two of which being School on Wheels of Brockton, Ma and Pajama Program of Boston.  Understanding the tremendous importance of education and nighttime comforts, The Beantown Tales is now involved with supporting these two organizations.  Here's why and how...

School On Wheels of Massachusetts   This relief organization provides homeless children with education by motorizing the transportation of lessons and books!  Having the mission "to educate children impacted by homelessness by providing academic support and one-on-one mentoring so children can reach their full potential", School on Wheels assists young students with tutoring, supply drives, family read aloud, and support services after leaving shelters.   

Pajama Program, Boston Pajama Program of Boston has maintained the mission to supplement homeless, sheltered and orphaned children with the basic amenities of evening snugness.  Asking for donations of books and pajamas, this team of advocates reaches out to provide "warm bedtime clothing and education through a creative program".   Launching pj/book drives, slumber party and donation events, this charity is determined to reach their goal of giving 440,000 pajamas and books to the needy children of Massachusetts by the completion of 2011.

To both contribute to these efforts and encourage healthy reading habits, Suzie Canale will be offering storytime readings and supplying copies of "The Land of Chocolate Cosmos" to several metro School on Wheels students and Pajama Program children.  The author will also be donating book- themed nightshirts, wishing that all of their "Sweetest Dreams in Life Come True".

One of my greatest loves in life has always been the magic of the stage. Transforming words into live art, the theater possesses the enchanting gift to envelop audiences, allowing them to feel "with" the characters while being escorted to worlds beyond their imaginations.  Whether scripts reveal stories of suspense, drama, humor or even children's tales, the experience to guest or participate within the thespian world is both priceless and ambitiously effecting to the soul.
Having enjoyed a personal contribution to several productions in the past within the areas of acting, music and play writing, The Beantown Tales is now releasing the first adapted script of "The Land of Chocolate Cosmos" for schools, boy/girl scout troops, youth groups, ect.  Copies are sold conveniently through this website for $15.00 where patrons can simply fill out a contact form as well as request suggested music for desired choir performances. Additionally, there will also be a donated portion of the proceeds to Green Schools of Massachusetts, a non-profit organization whose mission is to create greener & healthier learning environments. 
Maintaining the desire to educate and empower children to make key transitions within our community's challenges through books about child friendly flowers, it is impertinent to find diversified channels to continue unfolding this positive widespread message.  As William Shakespeare wrote sweetly, "Out of this nettle, danger, we pluck this flower, safety."

Most company strategies will all concur that it is impertinent to create a distinctive logo which both reflects who the company is and where it attempts to go.  Keeping both aspects in mind, The Beantown Tales has assumed a new logo which encompasses a child friendly presentation while reflecting a distinctive path for the future.  Graphed by 11-11 Graphics of Georgia,  the icon features a periwinkle blue outline of Boston's skyline(signifying the author's love of Boston and the ocean), as well as two beanstalks with storybooks resting atop.  The beanstalks are climbing the city, chosen for their symbolic meaning; the assertation of a higher purpose through a climbing journey.   The first two stalks have been drawn to represent "The Land of Chocolate Cosmos" (December 2010) and "The Popcorn Hydrangea of Poppingtom" (available in early July 2011). 

Sound ordinary? 

Having the intention to appeal magical and fantastical, this will be an interactive logo where readers will be able to follow the picture's GROWTH!  With every Beantown Tale the author releases, a new beanstalk will grow with a book signifying another tale is approaching.  Once the series has concluded, a tenth and final vine will unearth to complete the picture.  

Keep your eyes peeled for a third beanstalk to see what's coming next!

The second installment to the Green Series,"Popcorn Hydrangea of Poppingtom", is in it's final stages of layout design and soon will be sent to press!  Mascot Books has once again done a fantastic job managing the illustration work (again drawn by Kevin Coffey), page design and  cover selections.  Looks like this popcorn extravaganza will be released in hard cover by the end of July!  Curious to see what the second book has to offer?  Here's a sneek preview! 

At once the crowd turned to each other in grief,
and asked Nicholas, “What shall we do?”
“If we don’t stop polluting our skies up above,
“The hydrangeas won’t pop anew.”

Being a boy as bright as he was,
Decided to write a letter,
Telling the mayor what needed to be done,
to make the environment feel better.

He seemed to remember learning a tip,
In a history book he once saw,
How to prevent a community’s potential problems,
and how to write a bill into law.

The Beantown Tales website is officially up and running!!  Although certain parts are still "under construction" as well as still searching for the perfect logo, visitors will be able to read up on previews of books, about the author, signings, events, children's workshop activities and of course, current blog reports!