Presenting a new picture book from two New York Times best-selling creators, KATE DICAMILLO and JAIME KIM ‘Two-time Newbery Medalist Kate DiCamillo and #1 New York Times best- selling illustrator Jaime Kim have collaborated on a stirring picture book entitled La La La: A Story of Hope, to be published in October 2017. “Lalala... la’ A little girl stands alone and sings, but hears no response. Gathering her courage and her curiosity, she skips farther out into the world, singing away to the trees and the pond and the reeds — but no song comes back to her. Day passes into night, and the girl dares to venture into the darkness toward the light of the moon, becoming more insistent in her singing, climbing as high as she can, but still there is silence in return. Dejected, she falls asleep, only to be awakened by an amazing sound. .. She has been heard. At last. A nearly wordless story, La La La follows a lonely young git| as she journeys from one fantastical world to another, sharing her unique song in a poignant quest for friendship and connection. Its powerful and timeless message of hope will inspire and move readers of all ages. ‘Working from Kate DiCamillo’s story concept, Jaime Kim has created rich and graphic illustrations that bring this universally appealing tale beautifully to life.The Power of Commection “When we read together — when a grandfather reads to a granddaughter, when a teacher reads to a classroom, when aparent reads to a child, when a sister reads to a brother, when everyone in a town reads the same book silently, together —we are taken out of our aloneness The story opens doors for us; and we, in turn, open the doors of our hearts to one another. When we read together, we welcome one another in? Kate DiCamillo has always respected the power of story. “There is something in our hearts and bodies that responds naturally to stories? she says. “We have a powerful biological connection to the tale: the need to tell one, the need to be told one, seem to be hardwired into us” ‘That is why, as National Ambassador for Young People’ Literature from 2014-2015, Kate established the platform she called Stories Connect, Us. Through her own experiences and interactions with readers across the world, she has seen the incredible ability of sharing books to bring people of all backgrounds, ages, and ethnicities together. LaLaLa:A Story of Hopeechoes that message. Its tender and evocative picture book, providing a timely reminder to all of us that one of the best ways to bring about harmony in our world is simply to reach out to one another and reveal our voices and our stories. The intent was to create a book that could be experienced, shared, appreciated, and understood in any country and any language. Kates nearly wordless tale, paired with illustrations by Jaime Kim, is a testament to the power of storytelling and the tremendous impact that art can have to bring hope and light, even in the darkest times. More information on connecting people though stories can be found at wwwkatedicamillostoriesconnectus.com.About the Creators KATE DICAMILLO is the beloved author of many books for children, including Hlora & Ulysses and ‘The Tale of Despereaux, both of which received Newbery Medals. Her most recent middle-grade novel, Raymie Nightingale, was an instant #1 New York Times bestseller and a National Book Award Finalist. She is also the author of Because of Winn-Dixie, a Newbery Honor Book; The Tiger Rising, a National Book Award Finalist; he Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, a #1 New York Times bestseller; and the ‘Mercy Watson series, illustrated by Chris Van Dusen. She is the co-author with Allison McGhee of the Bink and Gollie series, illustrated by Tony Fucile. A former National Ambassador for Young People’ Literature with more than 22 million books in print worldwide, Kate DiCamillo lives in Minneapolis, where she faithfully writes two pages a day, five days a week. JAIME KIM was born and raised in South Korea before ‘moving to the United States at the age of eighteen. Her picture book illustration debut was the #1 New York Times bestseller Take Heart, My Child: A Mother's Dream, by Ainsley Earhardt, which was featured in the 2016 Society of Illustrators Original Art Show. In addition to La La La, her illustrations will appear in several upcoming titles, including And ‘Ihen Comes Summer by ‘Tom Brenner. Working with gouache and acrylics, Jaime Kim creates nostalgic and dreamlike illustrations inspired by childhood memories of her family as well as movies, art, and the outside world. Her favorite things are the sun, the moon, the sky, and stars, motifs that often creep into her artwork. Jaime Kim lives and works as a full-time illustrator in Charlotte, North Carolina,