Danny the Dragon is quite the worldly traveller–he’s made the news in Iran!  www.ibna.ir, the Iran Book News Agency, has reported that I took first place for Best Illustrations in the Five Star Publication Purple Dragonfly Awards for my illustrations  by Aija Jasuna.

Here’s an excerpt:“Turbin’s illustrations were enthusiastically praised by the judges who praised them as ‘outstanding.’ They went on to say, ‘Not only are the illustrations charming and expertly rendered, the paintings practically leap off the page! Rather than static or two-dimensional, they are full-bodied, full of movement and motion. They speak well to the story and would engage the imagination of old and young alike. An excellent job!’

“Turbin searched far and wide with uncompromising standards for an illustrator who could bring her vision of Danny the Dragon to life, connecting with Aija in Latvia, Europe. ‘It’s so gratifying to see the book and illustrations have resonated so deeply with another judging panel as they have with our public. It really goes to show that the author and illustrator are quite a team in picture books.’”

You can read the full article here: http://www.ibna.ir/vdcba8b8wrhb8zp.4eur.txt

What an unexpected pleasure it was to discover this!

Tina Turbin

www.DannytheDragon.com

Danny the Dragon Meets Jimmy has received yet another prestigious award.

Los Angeles,CA-

The multi-award winning illustrated kids book Danny the Dragon Meets Jimmy by Tina Turbin has received yet another prestigious award, Five Star Publication’s First Prize for Best Illustrations for its illustrations by Aija Jasuna.

The first book in Tina Turbin’s illustrated kids book series, Danny the Dragon Meets Jimmy has already received numerous accolades from a number of esteemed awards programs including the iParenting Media Awards, Mom’s Choice Awards, International Book Awards and the Indie Excellence Book Awards. The picture book tells the story of how Jimmy and his family chance upon Danny the Dragon and his traveling companion, Skipper, and their charming ensuing friendship. It is celebrated for its pro-family themes and messages about kindness.

News of Turbin’s recent honor has appeared in the SanTan Sun News , a wide-circulation newspaper based in the greater Phoenix metro area. The Annual Five Star Publication Purple Dragonfly Awards, which honors excellence in children’s literature, is an extremely highly competitive contest. “Winning any place in the Purple Dragonfly Contest is a huge honor,” explains Linda Radke, president of Five Star Publications, the sponsor of the Dragonfly Book Awards. “Competition is steep, too, because there is no publication date limit as long as the book is still in print.”

Turbin’s illustrations were enthusiastically praised by the judges who praised them as “outstanding.” They went on to say, “Not only are the illustrations charming and expertly rendered, the paintings practically leap off the page! Rather than static or two-dimensional, they are full-bodied, full of movement and motion. They speak well to the story and would engage the imagination of old and young alike. An excellent job!”

Turbin has just wrapped up her West Coast book tour and handling the enormous media interested she attracted with the launch of a revolutionary iPad app for deaf children with iStoryTime, the app developer for How to Train Your Dragon. Turbin’s app features sign language interpretation for the first book in her series, Danny the Dragon Meets Jimmy as well as available for the iPhone.

“It’s such an honor to have been recognized by the Purple Dragonfly Book Awards,” Turbin said. Turbin searched far and wide with uncompromising standards for an illustrator who could bring her vision of Danny the Dragon to life, connecting with Aija in Latvia, Europe. “It’s so gratifying to see the book and illustrations have resonated so deeply with another judging panel as they have with our public. It really goes to show that the author and illustrator are quite a team in picture books.”

TO BOOK TINA TURBIN FOR AN INTERVIEW OR SPEAKING ENGAGEMENT: Contact ImaginationPublishingGroup(at)gmail(dot)com

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT DANNY THE DRAGON: Visit http://www.DannytheDragon.com.

TO PURCHASE DANNY THE DRAGON PRODUCTS: Contact Imagination Publishing Group at ImaginationPublishingGroup(at)gmail(dot)com or call 888-701-6481. Also available through: Amazon.com, Victory Multimedia, Barnes and Noble, Blockbuster Video, Baker and Taylor, and other major distributors.

Danny the Dragon Meets Jimmy DVD: 837654741191, $24.95
Danny the Dragon Meets Jimmy paperback: 978-0-9800-721-0-5, $8.95
Danny the Dragon Dreams CD/Audiobook: 978-0-9800-721-3-6, $8.95

DVD profits are generously donated by the author to support causes to improve literacy and education.

Danny the Dragon Meets Jimmy has been honored by Creative Child Magazine with the 2011 Media of the Year Award

Los Angeles, CA -

The multi-award winning illustrated kids book Danny the Dragon Meets Jimmy by Tina Turbin has been honored by Creative Child Magazine with the 2011 Media of the Year Award in the category of Reading Interactive Picture Books. This prestigious prize is one of many that have been awarded to the critically-acclaimed author for the first book in her Danny the Dragon children’s book series.

Danny the Dragon Meets Jimmy has already been honored by a number of esteemed awards programs including the iParenting Media Awards, the International Book Awards and the Mom’s Choice Awards. Most recently the title received First Prize for Best Illustrations in the prestigious Five Star Publications, Purple Dragonfly Book Awards for its illustrations by Aija Jasuna, which the judges praised as “outstanding” and “expertly rendered.”

Danny the Dragon Meets Jimmy tells the story of how Jimmy and his family come across Danny the Dragon and his traveling companion, Skipper, at the beach and the blossoming of their friendship. It is celebrated by critics and readers for its pro-family themes and messages promoting mutual kindness. Turbin’s award-winning book has been released in a number of multimedia formats including a Danny the Dragon Meets Jimmy DVD, which features a reading of the book with sign language interpretation as well as a Danny the Dragon DREAMS CD, which contains a set of ten original compositions by up-and-coming composers followed by a reading of Danny the Dragon Meets Jimmy.

Creative Child Magazine, a national publication published bi-monthly with the leading information on how parents can nurture creativity in their child, is now celebrating its eleventh year while its circulation continues to grow throughout the country. Their Awards Program stands apart from others for the fact that submitted products are reviewed by parents, educators, and professionals—the people who purchase them. Creative Child Magazine announced Turbin as the 2011 Multimedia Set Winner on July 20 for her Danny the Dragon Meets Jimmy book and CD set.

Turbin has had a busy year with her West Coast book tour and dealing with the intense media interest generated by the author’s release of a groundbreaking iPad app for deaf children, which was developed by iStoryTime, the app developer for How to Train Your Dragon. The first of its kind, Turbin’s app contains a reading of Danny the Dragon Meets Jimmy with sign language interpretation. Profits are being donated to support literacy and other worthy causes while Turbin’s tour moves to European countries.

“It’s such an honor to have received this award from Creative Child Magazine,” Tina said. “It was important to me to make Danny the Dragon Meets Jimmy available through a variety of media. I’m thrilled that the Danny the Dragon multimedia set has been so well-received.”

To book Tina Turbin for an interview or speaking engagement: Contact ImaginationPublishingGroup(at)gmail(dot)com

To learn more about Danny the dragon: Visit http://www.DannytheDragon.com.

To purchase Danny the dragon products: Contact Imagination Publishing Group at ImaginationPublishingGroup(at)gmail(dot)com or call 888-701-6481. Also available through: Amazon.com, Victory Multimedia, Barnes and Noble, Blockbuster Video, Baker and Taylor, and other major distributors.

Danny the Dragon Meets Jimmy DVD: 837654741191, $24.95
Danny the Dragon Meets Jimmy paperback: 978-0-9800-721-0-5, $8.95
Danny the Dragon Dreams CD/Audiobook: 978-0-9800-721-3-6, $8.95

DVD profits are generously donated by the author to support causes to improve literacy and education.

For more information or to schedule an interview, please call Alan Wayne 888-701-6481 or ImaginationPublishingGroup(at)gmail(dot)com.

###

Danny the Dragon Meets Jimmy, the first book in my illustrated kids book series, has placed first in the Purple Dragonfly Book Awards for Best Illustrations. What an honor! You can find out the story behind illustrating the book by checking out this link to fReado.com, the “World’s Biggest Free Book-Winning Site,” which has featured Danny the Dragon Meets Jimmy. fReado allows you to sample the book and shares a little bit about my creative process as I was putting the book together. You’ll also read the remarkable story of how I found and worked with my outstanding illustrator, Aija Jasuna.

http://www.freado.com/read/4360/danny-the-dragon-meets-jimmy

Tina Turbin

www.DannytheDragon.com

Great news to share with everyone- read this! Tina

Ever since Tina Turbin, the multi-award-winning children’s author, released Danny the Dragon Meets Jimmy, the first book of her illustrated kids book series, she has been recipient of critical praise, numerous awards and honors, and media attention. The release of her book was followed by that of a Danny the Dragon Meets Jimmy iPad and iPhone app, the first one for the hearing impaired, featuring a reading of the author’s acclaimed book with sign language interpretation. Now the author is generating even more media attention with her app than with the debut of her book, as coverage of the groundbreaking product is appearing in some of the leading news blogs in the publishing world, specifically Alice Pope’s SCBWI Children’s Market Blog and MediaBistro.com, the global web resource for media professionals.

“I knew when I decided to launch Danny the Dragon Meets Jimmy as the first [app] to offer sign language interpretation that I should expect some media interest,” the author said on her blog at DannytheDragon.com.

“However, nothing could prepare me for the attention that the Danny the Dragon app has generated.”  Turbin said she was “honored” to find her app mentioned by Alice Pope in her SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and

Illustrators) Children’s Market Blog and by MediaBistro.com.

Alice Pope is a former editor of the Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market and authors a blog covering the children’s book market for SCBWI. In her Friday feature, “In the News This Week,” where she shares the latest children’s publishing news, she included the release of Turbin’s Danny the Dragon Meets Jimmy app with a link to the story in the Ebook Newser Blog at MediaBistro.com.

Danny the Dragon Meets Jimmy tells the story of Jimmy’s chance meeting with Danny the Dragon at the beach. An unlikely friendship develops and Jimmy’s family invites their son’s new friend home with them where they show them hospitality and family togetherness. The book has been praised for its pro-family themes and has received several awards, including the Purple Dragon Book Awards, Mom’s Choice Awards®, Indie Excellence® Awards, and the International Book Awards. Turbin’s iPad app was produced by iStoryTime, the app developer for DreamWorks Animation’s How to Train Your Dragon.

Turbin is not only an acclaimed author of kids books but is an active humanitarian in various arenas, particularly on behalf of the gluten-free community. The author was diagnosed many years ago with celiac disease, an autoimmune reaction caused by gluten, a protein in wheat, barley, and rye, which damages the intestinal tract and interferes with absorption of nutrients, resulting in a variety of serious health issues. In an effort to help celiac patients and other gluten-free individuals with the challenges of the gluten-free diet, Turbin founded GlutenFreeHelp.info, which was voted in the number-two .info website in the world. Her Gluten Free Help blog offers news, gluten-free product reviews, book reviews, gluten-free recipes, and more. Turbin advocates for children’s literacy and education; her storybook app with sign language is a testament to her support for deaf literacy. The profits for her Danny the Dragon Meets Jimmy app are being donated to support the author’s favorite causes.

Despite her already hectic schedule, the author with the help of her publicity team is busy managing the media interest and booming sales her iPad app release has generated. Meanwhile Turbin is wrapping up her West Coast book tour and getting back to what she enjoys most-writing.

Kris Newby—-New World Post

Tina Turbin

www.DannytheDragon.com

Children’s Bookwatch: April 2011

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief

Diane C. Donovan, Editor

Midwest Book Review

278 Orchard Drive, Oregon, WI 53575

The DVD Shelf

Danny the Dragon “Meets Jimmy”
Imagination Publishing Group
PO Box 1304, Dunedin, FL 34697
$24.95 1-888-701-6481

Danny the Dragon “Meets Jimmy” is the DVD adaptation of the award-winning first children’s picturebook in a widely beloved series. The full color images from the story about a child’s first encounter with a curious and friendly dragon are enhanced with a sign language interpretation by Carol Downing of Blossom Montessori School for the Deaf, making Danny the Dragon “Meets Jimmy” thoroughly accessible for hearing-impaired children as well. Danny the Dragon “Meets Jimmy” is a delightful, gentle, family-friendly DVD story especially recommended for public library children’s collections. 12 min.

www.DannytheDragon.com

As if Tina Turbin, the multi-award-winning children’s author, wasn’t already overwhelmed with praise for the first book in her Danny the Dragon children’s series, Danny the Dragon Meets Jimmy, she decided to release it as the first-ever children’s book app for the iPad and iPhone to have sign language interpretation. The author and her publicity team are now working hard to manage the soaring sales and intense interest the iPad app release has stirred up. Despite her busy schedule, Turbin was able to set aside some time to meet with the Hartford Books Examiner for a Q&A interview to talk about the latest Danny the Dragon news.

Danny the Dragon Meets Jimmy, the story of how Danny forms a special friendship with Jimmy and his family, is the recipient of a number of awards including the Purple Dragon Book Awards, Mom’s Choice Awards®, Indie Excellence® Awards, International Book Awards, and the list goes on. The book is celebrated for its pro-family values and lessons of mutual kindness.

Turbin had already stood out for her humanitarian work in various fields, including children’s literacy and education, women’s issues, health, and the gluten-free diet. Then she decided to do something that would set her entirely apart from other children’s authors—she created a Danny the Dragon Meets Jimmy app for the iPhone and iPad. This wasn’t an ordinary children’s book app; it contained sign language interpretation for deaf children.

In her interview with the Hartford Books Examiner, Tina said she “wanted to reach out to children and families on an even broader scale, and having Danny the Dragon as the first-ever available iPad download with sign interpretation for the deaf and hearing impaired was a milestone.” Indeed, it was the first-ever app of its kind for the hearing-impaired community and was showcased by Apple on its featured apps page. Not surprisingly, the author has received much positive feedback for her innovative product.

In the interview, Turbin offered advice to other authors who are interested in making their own children’s title into an app. First she says, “Make sure that the company you connect up with is going to do your book justice. A lot of work goes into a book by any author and to have it put up as an app by some company who doesn’t know what they’re doing can only be a disservice.”

Turbin’s iPad app was produced by iStoryTime, the app developer for DreamWorks Animation’s How to Train Your Dragon. The author has nothing but praise to share in regard to her experiences working with iStorytime.

At the close of her interview, the author shares some advice for parents from her heart: “…allow for your child’s quality of imagination to remain as long as possible, because that’s where their dreams are made and they can form their future through their dreams.”

When asked if she has plans for future children’s books, and whether they’ll be made available as apps, the author exclaimed, “Absolutely!” In fact, the author is actively working on future books in her West Coast studio, balancing her writing schedule with research and book tours to bookstores, libraries, and other venues. Until Danny’s next adventure comes out, readers can purchase the iPad app through iTunes or through DannytheDragon.com, where Danny fans can keep up with their favorite dragon and sign up for the Danny newsletter.

Tina Turbin

www.Dannythedragon.com

Resources:

Hartford Books Examiner: Children’s Author Tina Turbin Brings ‘Danny the Dragon’ to iPhone and iPad (Q&A) http://tinyurl.com/6682tqf

Hartford Books Examiner: Danny the Dragon Meets Jimmy by Tina Turbin (a book/DVD review) http://www.examiner.com/books-in-hartford/danny-the-dragon-meets-jimmy-by-tina-turbin-a-book-dvd-review

The multi-award-winning children’s author Tina Turbin has been recognized again for the first book of her children’s book series, Danny the Dragon Meets Jimmy. The illustrated children’s book, which is already the recipient of a number of awards, has been awarded in the Purple Dragon Book Awards.

The adventures of Danny the Dragon begin with Danny the Dragon Meets Jimmy, the story of how Jimmy comes across Danny and his little travelling buddy, Skipper, on a family outing. The book has been acclaimed for its portrayal of family values and togetherness.  The Mom’s Choice Awards®, according to its website, “recognizes authors, inventors, companies, parents and others for their efforts in creating quality family-friendly media, products and services.” Not surprisingly, this program has selected Danny the Dragon Meets Jimmy as an awards recipient.

The Annual Purple Dragonfly Book Awards announced its winners in Chandler, Arizona. It is one contest in a family of Five Star Dragonfly Book contests, such as the Green Dragonfly Book Awards, which honors books that raise awareness about the environment. The Purple Dragonfly Book Awards, which recognizes high-quality children’s literature, is highly competitive.

“Winning any place in the Purple Dragonfly Contest is a huge honor because in order to maintain the integrity of the Dragonfly Book Awards, a minimum score of 55 out of 80 must be earned for a place to be awarded to the entrant – even if it is the sole entry in a category,” explains Linda Radke, president of Five Star Publications, who sponsors the Dragonfly Book Awards. “Competition is steep, too, because there is no publication date limit as long as the book is still in print.”

“It’s such an honor to have been recognized by the Purple Dragonfly Book Awards,” Turbin said about the honor. “It’s so gratifying to see that Danny the Dragon has resonated so deeply among both children and adult readers.”

The announcement comes after Turbin launched an innovative application for deaf children with iStoryTime, the iPhone App Developer for DreamWorks Animation’s How to Train Your Dragon. The app features sign language interpretation for the first book in Turbin’s series, Danny the Dragon Meets Jimmy. The author, a renown humanitarian, is donating profits on behalf of literacy and other worthy causes.

Aside from her work as a children’s author, Turbin runs a non-profit gluten-free resource website, GlutenFreeHelp.info, which was selected as a finalist out of 6.7 million registered .info websites around the globe in the Best .Info Website Awards Program of 2010. Turbin suffered for years without an answer to her painful physical symptoms before finally, as the result of her own research, she was diagnosed with celiac disease, an autoimmune reaction caused by gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. Turbin created her website in an effort to raise awareness for the autoimmune disease and to help the gluten-free community deal with the challenges of gluten-free living. The Gluten Free Help Blog shares news, tips, recipes, and Turbin’s reviews of gluten-free books and products. The author’s other advocacy efforts include supporting children’s literacy and health, family issues, and the food allergy community.

As far as what’s next for the author, she says she’s excited to get back to work in her studio on her Danny the Dragon series. With her busy West Coast book tour wrapped up, however pleased she is with all her recognition for Danny the Dragon Meets Jimmy and her gluten-free advocacy, Turbin says she wants nothing more than to do what she does best—write.

Kris Nickerson

I’m happy to report that Danny the Dragon Meets Jimmy, the first book in my Danny the Dragon children’s book series, has been recognized by the Purple Dragonfly Book Awards. The Annual Purple Dragonfly Awards is a contest that seeks to award authors of books that appeal to children in all age groups. On their website, they say that they search for books that “inspire, inform, teach or entertain.” I’m honored that they have found those qualities in the story of Danny the Dragon and Jimmy.

This award comes after a series of awards, for which I am truly honored, in contests including the Mom’s Choice Awards, iParenting Book Awards, and the International Book Awards.  Danny the Dragon has been recognized for imparting messages about family togetherness and kindness, values which I strive to instill in others.  Clearly, people are listening to these messages and appreciating their value.

I actually began writing as a teenager and at a young age developed a lifelong passion for helping others. Having raised three bright and thriving children of my own, I hope to inspire parents and families to ensure their children are healthy, educated, and happy. As busy I am with my writing and book tours, it is important to me to work on behalf of my favorite causes, which include celiac disease, gluten-free living, and children’s literacy. For the gluten-free community, I founded GlutenFreeHelp.info, a non-profit website dedicated to offering information and tips and serving as a place for experts on the topic to share their research and views.

In addition to this, I have also developed a passion for improving children’s literacy with the release of a signed reading of Danny the Dragon Meets Jimmy on DVD and as an app for deaf children by iStoryTime, the iPhone App Developer for DreamWorks Animation’s How to Train Your Dragon. I am donating the profits from these products to support children’s literacy and other causes that I cherish.

I’m gratified that Danny the Dragon has resonated so deeply among the young and the young at heart. I am also grateful to have the opportunity to write books for young children as I continue the Danny the Dragon series. With this recognition from the prestigious Purple Dragonfly Book Awards, I can take pride in my work and I’m inspired to continue it.

Tina Turbin

www.DannyTheDragon.com

Mara Rouse has a history of exceptional credits to her resume to add another jam packed filled week of applying make-up for the celebrity pre-parties to the Grammys as well as the Grammys this year, 2010. Mara Rouse is now the make-up artist for any parties or shoots we do while in Los Angeles.

Mara specializes in Special Effects but loves it all. If it involves applying make-up she has interest. Mara moved here from Washington state to pursue her career working and apprenticing with Top people in the business. Hard work and perseverence got her to where she is now and we are very proud to have her as part of our LA team.

While in LA there are many times we need a little make-up done on the kids or me ( not Danny of course), to look just a bit better on a video or film shoot with the lighting. She has helped in the past and she has officially signed on as our “team”, unless something more important comes up- like the Grammys.

Mara Rouse is available fo hire: http://www.myspace.com/maramakeup

Thank you Mara. Tina Turbin