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TEACHERS' AND WRITERS'
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Teachers - Welcome to Magic Tree Bookstore.

We accept special orders and educator orders with P.O.'s. Our expertise is always available to help educators find the perfect books to enhance their curriculum which can greatly save precious time. Call, fax or e-mail your requests and we'll get right to work while you take care of business in the classroom.

If you're purchasing books to be used in your classroom, you can get a discount. If you pay when you pick up books totaling $25 or more, you receive a 20% discount and 10% discount for purchases under $25. If you need to be billed after the books are received, a 10% discount is offered. Magic Tree has a Chicago vendor number.

Teachers, are there topics for which you can't find any children's books? Let us know which grade levels you teach and we'll post up your book ideas. Maybe they will spur on aspiring writers or publishers.

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Raise Funds for Your School with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows!

Want to help your school raise some money for literacy projects or other school needs? If your school sends home Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows order forms, collects the money, and then gives us a check and/or cash along with the order forms and the total, the 20% of $34.99 will go to your school. Young people can pick up their books as early as midnight (technically July 21st) or any time thereafter. We'd love to work with your school!

Click here for secure page to pre-order Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

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Bruce Hale, creator of Chet Gecko

Bruce Hale, author of the immensely popular Chet Gecko series, is a master of words and why can't young people also be super skilled in the use of words? So, Bruce has created a really fun way to sharpen up those metaphors, similies and other "swords" of the (writing) trade! Visit his site at http://www.chetgecko.com

Advice to an Aspiring Children’s Book Author

After owning and operating The Magic Tree Bookstore for more than twenty years, we would like to offer some advice to you, an aspiring author. Before sending your story off to publishers, agents or heading to the self-publishing world, here are some things we think would be helpful.

--- Read lots of children's books
The children's librarian at your local library can point out his/her favorites, award winners, etc.

Children's bookstores or the general bookstore's children's section will have more current books to peruse. Also, you can observe trends. If you have a particular idea in mind, you can see what else is out there with a similar theme. The publisher of books that are close to your theme might be useful to you when you are ready to send out your story.

--- Try for wide appeal
Think about your audience. A story about a surgeon might have very limited appeal, for instance.

--- Attend your local Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators
The website is www.scbwi.org. There are conferences, links, and all kinds of good information at the website. Attend meetings with other writers. Read your work to your peers. Listen to what already published writers have to say and be ready for constructive advice.

--- If you are planning on self-publishing, hire a good editor
You will need another set of eyes and preferably someone experienced in your genre.

--- Give your work to a children's librarian or two
The Coretta Scott King, Newbery Award winner, Christopher Paul Curtis started out this way! Ask for their professional advice and think seriously about making the changes that they suggest.

--- Don't illustrate your work and don’t seek out an illustrator
Most publishers prefer to find their own illustrators. If they like your story, they will decide how they want it pictured. A story with illustrations will need to pass two tests instead of just one. Why risk it?

--- Kids and their caring grown-ups would like books on:

• Sleeping over grandma's house
• Moving from an apartment to a house
• HIV children who survive
• feelings, relationship with others, etc.
• Plumbing
• Sewer system
• Lawnmowers and appliances
• Broken arm