John Herzog

CLARINET AND TRUMPET Book Birthday and Giveaway!

Clarinet and Trumpet cover.jpg

John Herzog and I are blowing our own horns as we celebrate the birthday of our new picture book, CLARINET AND TRUMPET! Join in the fun by entering the giveaway for an author-signed copy of the book.

CLARINET AND TRUMPET is a friendship story. Friendships aren’t always easy, and sometimes we need a little reminder — like Clarinet gets in this book — about the importance of our friends.

Melanie Ellsworth with her clarinet

Melanie Ellsworth with her clarinet

CLARINET AND TRUMPET is also a story about community. In a band, each instrument’s voice is unique and important. When you put all those voices together, you have big, beautiful, bold MUSIC! I hope this book makes readers laugh at the musical puns and the instruments’ antics. But I also hope it reminds us all that it takes a multiplicity of voices to make something bigger, better, and more beautiful, whether it’s a school or a business or a town or a country (or a book!).

To learn more about CLARINET AND TRUMPET, tune in to my book talk here:

Thanks to my editor, Chris Krones at HMH, for all her fine-tuning work on CLARINET AND TRUMPET, to my agent, Christa Heschke, and her assistant, Daniele Hunter, for helping me stay upbeat during submissions, and for my critique group for their sharp eyes as they read my stories. And thanks to my family, who lets me know which of my ideas are a bit flat. 

For any readers out there who love clarinets, trumpets, and the Cantina tune from Star Wars, check out this duet.

And here’s a joke shared by one of my critique partners in honor of CLARINET AND TRUMPET’S birthday: 

Where do clarinets go when they get sick?

Walter Reed.

Stay tuned for the May 5 webinar event at Print: A Bookstore with me and John Herzog to discuss the making of CLARINET AND TRUMPET.

Giveaway Details

For a chance to win a copy of CLARINET AND TRUMPET, enter the Rafflecopter below by 11:59 p.m. PT on April 5. I’ll announce the winner on Twitter!

Book Details

CLARINET AND TRUMPET

by Melanie Ellsworth,

Illustrated by John Herzog

Pub Date: March 30, 2021
ISBN: 978-0358107477
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers


Photo by Amy Wilton

Photo by Amy Wilton

Melanie Ellsworth writes picture books, including HIP, HIP…BERET! (HMH, 2021) and CLARINET AND TRUMPET (HMH, 2021). Over the years, Melanie has played a variety of instruments, including the piano, saxophone, and clarinet. She has yet to try out the trumpet. (Pssst … don’t tell anyone, but clarinet is her favorite!) Visit Melanie at her website, on Twitter, Instagram, or on Facebook.

The Soaring '20s Gift Guide

By the Soaring ‘20s

When I was about twelve, I dove under the Christmas tree and hauled out three gift boxes heavy enough to contain coal. After peeling off the five or six layers of wrapping paper my Papi had delighted in double-sealing with Scotch-tape, I saw the Macy’s boxes and crossed my fingers. To my delight, Polaroid camera film filled one box and in the other two, about three month’s worth of nightmares. Stacks of Stephen King and John Saul novels, not coal, were the gifts that would feed my imagination for months.

The next holiday season, my parents thought it was time for me to choose my gifts, gave me cash, and released me into the mall expecting I’d come home with clothes and jewelry. To their horror, I came home with bags and bags of books from Barnes & Noble and was never trusted again to shop without supervision.

Don’t expect anything less of me now. I will never stop believing that books aren’t always the perfect gift for any occasion. So today, I am your Book Titi sharing with you all of the magical delights the creators of the Soaring ’20s have in store for you. And bonus! They have paired their books with all sorts of theme-related goodies for your children to enjoy, with shopping links for your convenience.

We Soarers are so grateful for your support of our work and for the absolute gift of being able to create for children. We wish you and your family safety, peace, love, and joy—now and always.

— NoNieqa Ramos, author of YOUR MAMA, forthcoming April 6, 2021


SOAKED! by Abi Cushman

SOAKED!, signed copy, Bank Square Books Bookstore

Kids’ Puddle Stompers, L.L. Bean

Custom Child Hula-Hoop, Hoops & Company


INVENT-A-PET by Vicky Fang, illustrated by Tidawan Thaipinnarong

INVENT-A-PET signed copy (leave comment at checkout), Lindentree Books Bookstore

Felt Friends Stickers, Melissa & Doug

Plushie fish, Stuffed Safari

Free Activity Sheet


CLYDE THE HIPPO series by Keith Marantz, illustrated by Larissa Marantz

CLYDE THE HIPPO signed series set, Tiddlywinks Toys

Mellow Mallow Hippo Stuffed Animal, Tiddlywinks Toys

Butterfly Garden, Tiddlywinks Toys


NO FUZZBALL! by Isabella Kung

NO FUZZBALL!, Bookshop link

No Fuzzball! Vinyl Sticker sheet, Etsy

No Fuzzball! Totebag, Etsy

Cat ear and tail costume set, Etsy



LOUIS by Tom Lichtenheld, illustrated by Julie Rowan-Zoch

LOUISgiftguide.jpg

LOUIS, Bookshop link

Crescent Moon Lamp, Crate and Kids

Free crochet pattern for baby piggie booties, Croby Patterns

Sheet set with cloud motif, Temple and Webster


LILLYBELLE, A DAMSEL NOT IN DISTRESS by Joana Pastro, illustrated by Jhon Ortiz

LillyBelle_Gift Guide.png

LILLYBELLE, A DAMSEL NOT IN DISTRESS, Bookshop link

Music Box, Etsy

Kid’s Apron and Chef Hat, Etsy

Laptop Cover and Pencil Case, Etsy

Sponge Cakes Craft, The Craft Train


SATURDAYS ARE FOR STELLA by Candy Wellins, illustrated by Charlie Eve Ryan

SATURDAYS ARE FOR STELLA, Bookshop link

Toy record player, Fat Brain Toys

Fleece dinosaur hat, Etsy

Felt cinnamon rolls, Etsy 


THE ELEPHANTS’ GUIDE TO HIDE-AND-SEEK by Kjersten Hayes, illustrated by Gladys Jose

THE ELEPHANTS’ GUIDE TO HIDE-AND-SEEK, Bookshop link

Elephant stuffed animal, the San Diego Zoo

Pipe Cleaners to make glasses for your elephant, Launching Success Toy Store

Tickets to a local zoo, Association of Zoos and Aquariums


DOZENS OF DOUGHNUTS by Carrie Finison, illustrated by Brianne Farley

DOZENS OF DOUGHNUTS, Bookshop link

Play Felt Doughnuts, Etsy

Cat Donut Memory Match Game, Mud Puppy

Doughnut Baking Pan and Mix, Stonewall Kitchen


SEVEN GOLDEN RINGS: A TALE OF MUSIC AND MATH By Rajani LaRocca, illustrated by Archana Sreenivasan

SEVEN GOLDEN RINGS, Bookshop link

Gold Hula Hoops, Etsy

Binary Math Toy, Target

Mandala Coloring Book, Thriftbooks


MUSLIM GIRLS RISE: INSPIRATIONAL CHAMPIONS OF OUR TIME by Saira Mir, illustrated by Aaliya Jaleel

MUSLIM GIRLS RISE, Bookshop link

Ibtihaj Barbie, Mattel

Illuminated Globe for Kids, Child’s Play

Ultimate Fudge Brownie Recipe, Amanda Saab


NO VOICE TOO SMALL: FOURTEEN YOUNG AMERICANS MAKING HISTORY edited by Lindsay H. Metcalf, Keila V. Dawson, and Jeanette Bradley, illustrated by Bradley

NO VOICE TOO SMALL, Bookshop link

Megaphone Speaker Lightweight Bullhorn, Pyle

Speaker of the House T-shirt, Etsy

MARCH: A Journal for Activism, Bookshop link

Mari Copeny Kid Activist Doll, Lottie

Magnetic Poetry Little Box of Strength, Magnetic Poetry


DIGGING FOR WORDS: JOSÉ ALBERTO GUTIÉRREZ AND THE LIBRARY HE BUILT by Angela Burke Kunkel, illustrated by Paola Escobar

DIGGING FOR WORDS, Bookshop link

Toy recycling truck, Green Toys

Waves and sun bookends, Etsy

Kids’ Little Prince T-shirt, Out Of Print


FARMERS UNITE! PLANTING A PROTEST FOR FAIR PRICES by Lindsay H. Metcalf

FARMERS UNITE!, Bookshop link

Little Pal Steel 8-1/4 in. W x 27 in. L Mini Round Point Shovel Wood Handle, Ace

Pizza Garden, Backyard Safari Co


THE VOICE THAT WON THE VOTE: HOW ONE WOMAN’S WORDS MADE HISTORY by Elisa Boxer, illustrated by Vivien Mildenberger

THE VOICE THAT WON THE VOTE, Signed, personalized copies from Print: A Bookstore

Cotton canvas tote bag, Print: A Bookstore

VOTE LIKE A MOTHER merchandise, Vote Like A Mother


BEATRIX POTTER, SCIENTIST By Lindsay H. Metcalf, illustrated by Junyi Wu

BEATRIX POTTER, SCIENTIST, Bookshop Link

Take-it-anywhere microscope, Lakeshore Learning

Oyster mushroom kit, A Mighty Girl

Nancy B’s mighty microbes lab and gem journal, Rainbow Resource Center


WOOD, WIRE, WINGS: EMMA LILIAN TODD INVENTS AN AIRPLANE By Kirsten W. Larson, illustrated by Tracy Subisak

WOOD, WIRE, WINGS, Bookshop Link

Guillo’s airplane design studio, Fat Brain Toys

200 paper airplanes to fold and fly, My Pilot Store

Lego Heartlake City airplane set, Lego


CLARINET & TRUMPET By Melanie Ellsworth, illustrated by John Herzog

(pre-order for delivery in March 2021)

Clarinet_Trumpet_giftguide.jpg

CLARINET AND TRUMPET, Bookshop link

CD: Can you hear it? The Met store

Trumpet ornament, Etsy

Clarinet ornament, Etsy

Donate your old instrument to a child or local music group, Hungry for Music


HOW TO WEAR A SARI By Darshana Khiani, illustrated by Joanne Lew-Vriethoff

(pre-order for delivery in June 2021)

Sari Gift Guide.png

HOW TO WEAR A SARI, signed copies from Hicklebee’s

Indian doll clothes, Etsy

Kid-size bangles, Etsy

DIY handmade paper doll sari craft, Skill Flair