Growing up in the small town of Gobbleville, Anamazie studied acting, singing and dancing while basking in the local spotlight as a star baton twirler. Opportunity comes knocking when the competition Gobbleville’s Got Talent gives Anamazie her shot at being discovered. That is where her path to stardom truly begins as she is discovered by a talent scout, is cast in her first movie and declares “Gollywood, Here I Come!”
Halloween is over, now it's time to for some Turkey--gobble, gobble!
Come join Anamazie Marie LaBelle as she fulfills her dreams of becoming a super star in Gollywood. If your family is a fan of the current TV trends like "American Idol" and "America's Got Talent," then you are going to love this book!
Anamazie never gives up and is truly an inspiration to all as she teaches that “You can do anything if you work hard and never give up.”
We received this book to review and I thought it was so clever. I love the the way the author, Terry John Barto, sneaks in cute connections of reality with fiction--it's addicting!
The Illustrations are amazing as well, for we loved the bright and bold colors and the cute characters.
Terry John Barto's Gollywood, Here I Come! is light-hearted encouragement for young creative artists who want a shot at the big time. Likeable characters and quick story pace appeal to young readers - it's very easy to like Animazie and her mom Henrietta Pearl. The upbeat storytelling and vibrant illustrations help convey to budding talents that hard work and perseverance can help make you a star!
Anamazie Marie LaBelle is a young turkey with big dreams. In her small town of Gobbleville, she is the youngest majorette in the Wattle View School Marching Band. She hones her singing, acting and dancing skills, then pits them against Gobbleville's best at the Korn-a-Plenty Community Theater for the show Gobbleville's Got Talent. She does this because Anamazie dreams of being a big star and walking the Red Carpet. After doing her best performing a patriotic medley for Gobbleville's Got Talent, Anamazie expectantly waits for the winner to be announced. Little does she know that despite any hardships ahead, waiting in the wings for Animazie is Mr. Albright, and he may be the key to a young turkey's dreams of going to glamorous Gollywood!
This children's book has good spirit. It is a positive counterpoint to a lot of negative press about child actors "gone bad" that media likes to eat up. Through lively illustrations and cheerful storytelling, it focuses on a positive motivational story about getting a shot at stardom. It conveys to children the importance of honing their talents in the performing arts, and emphasizes the nobility of pursuing big dreams. Yet even for so young an audience, the author is able to convey that hard work is needed, a lot of practice is needed, and that there will be difficult days ahead. The illustrations help keep the mood upbeat - each panel is full of vibrant color, and my favorite one is the double-page spread of Gobbleville, which reminds me of colorful tourist maps made for children. It adds to the happy, can-do attitude of the book.
Gollywood, Here I Come! is a great story for all star-struck little readers with big dreams. Aside from just being a fun story, it could help aspiring young artists shoot for the stars. May they be as hardworking, determined, and still as down-to-earth as Animazie Marie LaBelle was!
Welcome To Gollywood is about an ordinary turkey named Anamazie. Anamazie lives in the town of Gobbleville. This is where she goes to school at Wattle View School and twirls her baton in the marching band. However Anamazie has bigger dreams. She dreams that she will someday will be a big star in Gollywood. After a bump or two little Anamazie fulfills those dreams.
Everyone loves a happily ever after and this book delivers just that. I love the positive message that flows through the book . It leaves the readers with the message you can accomplish anything if you work hard and never give up.
Aside from the fantastic story the illustrations in this book are beautiful brightly colored, full of detail, and no two turkeys look-alike. It's obvious to me how much love that the author and illustrator put into this book .
I definitely recommend purchasing Gollywood Here I Come for your own little turkey. I know that I love cuddling up and reading it with mine.
Competition should be my youngest daughters middle name. From becoming a veterinarian to a police officer, among many other things, this child is talented beyond belief. She wants to do everything and she wants to do it right and be a star! One of her favorite shows is America's Got Talent and she is fascinated by all things that use her creative instinct.
Gollywood Here I come is a book that she really connects with. She sees the character using her talents and striving to be her best. This book encourages my daughter to not give up and to follow your passions, it shows her that she doesn't have to choose one path for her future, but she can achieve all the amazing goals she has set for herself.
Gollywood Here I Come! is a true inspiration that is great for every child!
"Gollywood, Here I Come" is a fun, inspiring book for young people wishing to have a future in show business. I appreciate how it shows that even with great talent (as Anamazie has), there are sometimes disappointments. The fact that she auditioned for the talent show and did a splendid job, but did not win, is a wonderful example of the business and what to expect. And, then, the fact that she got picked by a talent scout even though she did not win, shows that sometimes you "fail" because you maybe weren't what the director was looking for, and not that you did not do well. That talent scout was looking for someone like Anamazie!
I also enjoyed the humor in the book. The author's description of the mother, Henrietta, "roosting in a tree" was hysterical! And also, that she "fell out of the tree" when her daughter was cast in the movie was great. "Stage mothers" are truly a reality and I like how—in a fun way—she is portrayed here. Let me just say, I've worked with many mothers like Henrietta!
The fact that Anamazie did not do well immediately at her first rehearsal was nice to see, too. I think perhaps there could be a little bit more of that struggle in the book. It skips right to her great success without mention of any other difficulties. It would be good (in my opinion) for kids to know that there continue to be challenges along the way, even though one can be a big success.
The illustrations were so colorful and alive; they filled out the story beautifully. I would highly recommend "Gollywood, Here I Come" by Terry John Barto particularly for children between 5-8. Parents and teachers and anyone who works with young people in this business will enjoy the book as well.
Admittedly, many of us fantasize of being famous and in all likelihood we have heard the expression, “Hollywood here I come.” Now along comes Gollywood Here I come, a visually dazzling children's picture book crafted by the acclaimed theater director/choreographer, Terry John Barto and a very talented Italian born illustrator, Mattia Cerato.
The narrative is about a young turkey named Anamazie Marie LaBelle that is discovered by a Hollywood talent scout after competing in the finals of the TV show, Gobbleville's Got Talent that was held at the Korn-a-Plenty Community Theater in the small town of Gobbleville near where she lived. Although Anamazie was disappointed in not winning the contest, she nonetheless attracted the attention of a Hollywood talent scout employed by Gollywood Pictures. The scout was impressed with her performance and informed her that the renowned director, J.B. Tuttlebaum was on the lookout for a young girl to star in a film he was directing. He believed that Anamazie might be that girl, however, first she must submit to a screen test.
Anamazie couldn't believe her ears and immediately envisioned being in the movies and strutting on the famous red carpet along with other well-known celebrities. The big challenge was would she be able to pass the screen test?
Overwhelmed and blown away by the studio and meeting the one-and-only J. B. Tuttlebaum, Anamazie comes through with flying colors and is awarded the part. Both Anamazie and her mother were ecstatic when J.B's decision was relayed to them and they assured him that he would not be disappointed with his choice.
Make no mistake about it, young readers will easily relate to Anamazie's stage fright as she prepares for her screen test and especially her shaky start with her co-star, Jake Quigglemap.
Barto and Cerato are to be commended for producing an enriching and inspiring story illustrating the power of simple storytelling that young children can easily understand. Employing prose that is unclouded, the narrative presents life lessons and a message of great significance-you can do anything if you work hard, persevere and follow your dreams.
Quite impressive is that each sentence comprises carefully chosen meaningful words that are interwoven with the images, thus providing a rich and informative reading experience. As for the lead character, Anamazie, readers will cheer for her and praise her fortitude and moxie, for after all she is an exceptional memorable character and certainly not mundane, who was born to perform. Even her family name suits her, which translates from the French, “the beautiful.”
And what really stands out and makes the narrative leap to life are Cerato's creative mesmerizing images. Here is an illustrator who is quite gutsy in using his imagination to the fullest employing a broad use of color in producing one glorious scene after another which effectively compliments the text and adds personality to the book.
Once cracked open, Gollywood Here I come makes a perfect book to share with your children and will undoubtedly become a favorite in the hands of young beginning readers.
We love holiday books in our house and there just doesn't seem to be a whole lot for Thanksgiving! Christmas books abound and we have already received several but this is the first of our Thanksgiving books so we were extra excited to read Gollywood Here I Come!
Anamazie actually reminded me a lot of my five year old daughter Paige. They are both dreamers and a bit of a free spirit. Anamazie is from the town of Gobbleville and dreams of becoming a big star in Gollywood.
I was actually expecting this book to go in a completely different direction than it did so I was surprised at where it went. I assumed she would try and fail and the lesson would be if at first you don't succeed, try try again OR it's the effort that counts or something to that effect. This little turkey, however, really does have her dreams come true!
I like that it teaches kids to dream big as it shows the success story of a turkey with the biggest dream of all that really comes true. With colorful characters and bright illustrations, my kids all really enjoyed the story. The larger than life illustrations cover entire pages allowing my kids to get completely lost in the story as I read it to them.
I was expecting more of a Thanksgiving theme and outside of the fact that Anamazie and company are turkeys with turkey named towns, there really isn't a Thanksgiving theme here.
There is a small, realistic part of me that does not like this story because it's so unrealistic. But at this age, life is all about dreaming. It's no different than reading my daughter the story of Cinderella. Childhood is about dreaming, no matter how far outside of reality and who knows, they really could come true! Gollywood Here I Come will show your little dreamer what happens when you believe and never give up on your dreams.
Just in Time for Turkey Day, Gollywood Here I Come! Waddles Into Stores and Online.
New Children’s Book Tells the Tale of a Young Turkey’s Rise to Cinematic Stardom
Who doesn’t fantasize about becoming a big movie star, living up all the glitz, glam and glory that comes with it? A talented little turkey named Anamazie Marie LaBelle sure does, only her dream becomes reality in the delightful new children’s book Gollywood Here I Come!, written by director/choreographer-turned author Terry John Barto, which waddles into stores and online November 4, 2014, just in time for Thanksgiving.Growing up in the small town of Gobbleville, Anamazie studied acting, singing and dancing while basking in the local spotlight as a star baton twirler. Opportunity comes knocking when the competition Gobbleville’s Got Talent gives Anamazie her shot at being discovered. With her mom Henrietta at her back, she makes it all the way to the finals, but falls short of the top prize. That is where her path to stardom truly begins as she is discovered by a talent scout, is cast in her first movie and declares “Gollywood, Here I Come!”With colorful whimsical illustrations by Mattia Cerato, Gollywood Here I Come! taps into current pop culture trends of TV shows like “America’s Got Talent” and “American Idol; and the public’s fascination with celebrities and movie stars. At its heart, the story leaves young readers with the positive message “You can do anything if you work hard and never give up.”
About the Author: Terry John Barto has crafted dances and musical staging for more than 200 productions throughout the United States and abroad. His versatility ranges from Annie and Crazy For You to The Who's Tommy and West Side Story. Terry staged long-running shows for Princess Cruises and a variety of his choreography has been seen on CBS’ The Bold and the Beautiful. As the Creative Director for Wings of Dreams Productions, he turned diverse ideas into screenplays for animation and toys. He has also written another children’s book Nickerbacher, The Funniest Dragon to be released in 2015. For more information about Terry John Barto, please visit TjbKids.com.
About the Illustrator: Mattia Cerato was born in Cuneo, a small town surrounded by the beautiful Italian alps. At a young age his artist father encourage Mattia to draw and when he grew up he studied illustration at the European Institute of Design (IED). After graduation, he landed his first illustration job, a book titled My First Picture Dictionary for Rass Language House. He subsequently went on to illustrate many more children’s books. For more information about Mattia Cerato please visit www.mbartists.com.
Gollywood, Here I Come! is a recipient of the prestigious Mom’s Choice Award. The Mom’s Choice Awards® (MCA) evaluates products and services created for parents and educators and is globally recognized for establishing the benchmark of excellence in family-friendly media, products and services. Using a rigorous evaluation process, entries are scored on a number of elements including production quality, design, educational value, entertainment value, originality, appeal and cost. Around the world, parents, educators, retailers and members of the media trust the MCA Honoring Excellence seal when selecting quality products and services for families and children.
About Tjb KidsAt Tjb Kids, we love dreaming! With one condition: be ready to laugh. A young turkey likes to sing, dance and act in Gollywood, Here I Come! And coming soon, a dragon wants to tell jokes in Nickerbacher, The Funniest Dragon. All told through captivating, fun stories.The company's website at
Hard work and a positive attitude pay off when a small-town turkey spreads her wings and pursues her dream of becoming a movie star. While video games, movies and sports are vying for children's attention, reading... and reading to them... is becoming a lost art. The new children's picture book, Gollywood, Here I Come!, is a true contender that makes reading an exciting option. It features the adventures of an ambitious turkey named Anamazie Marie LaBelle, in a vivid tale children ages five to eight are likely to gobble up.This imaginative, debut picture book from theater director/choreographer Terry John Barto is not only an inspirational success story, it's an introductory primer to the world of movie-making. With unexpected twists and whimsical illustrations, Gollywood, Here I Come! shows how dreams can come true even in the face of a few hard knocks.Of all the children's books in the marketplace, few fowl have taken center stage since the classic tale of Chicken Little. In Gollywood, Here I Come!, parents and kids will certainly relish the adventures of Anamazie Marie LaBelle.
THE STORY:
Anamazie Marie LaBelle, who balances her baton-twirling with singing and dance lessons, is one busy turkey. A spirited bird with a lot of pluck, Anamazie lives in Gobbleville, a small, vibrant town of turkeys who behave like humans. They attend barbeques, festivals and parades in a homespun environment.Nearby, is the film industry town of Gollywood. It may be the most glamorous place in the world, but Gobbleville's down-to-earth citizens are skeptical of this big, outlandish city.One day, after leading the Wattle View Marching Band down Gobbleville's Main Street, Anamazie discovers the path to stardom: the TV show, Gobbleville's Got Talent, where a talent scout in the audience invites her to Gollywood Pictures Studio for a screen test.She lands a role in the studio's next movie, but discovers she must first overcome obstacles as the new turkey in town and learn how to work with others. Anamazie becomes a big star, returns to Gobbleville after her glamorous movie premiere and inspires her friends to work hard and never give up on their dreams.
THE AUTHOR:
Before writing his debut children's book, Terry John Barto directed and choreographed more than 200 regional theater productions and was the creative mind behind numerous television and cruise ship live shows around the world. As the creative director for Wings of Dreams Productions, Barto collaborated with other artists on a variety of diverse ideas and turned them into screenplays for animated films. He also helped develop popular action figures and dolls for several large retailers.
THE ILLUSTRATOR:
Mattia Cerato was born in the small town of Cuneo, surrounded by the beautiful Italian Alps. At the age of 3, when his main interest seemed to be eating lots of pasta, his father encouraged him to draw. As a result, he spent most of his time creating funny images on practically every surface he could find.As a young adult, Mattia honed his natural talent for illustration at the European Institute of Design in Turin. Within eight months of graduation, he landed his first job as an illustrator for My First Picture Dictionary (Rass Language House, Hong Kong).Since then, Mattia has created illustrations for many books and toys before bringing Anamazie and her fellow turkey friends to life on the pages of Gollywood, Here I Come!
Gollywood, Here I Come! is available at Amazon.com and BarnsandNoble.com.For more information, go to tjbkids.com and gollywoodhereicome.com
