The ALA has prestigious influence among libraries and schools who rely on the notables list to help them narrow the selection when ordering new material. This year 40 notables were picked from a list of about 400 submissions. The ALA will showcase its notables in a program during their annual conference in San Francisco this June. Gerald McDermott will be one of the presenters. McDermott is the author and illustrator of Arrow to the Sun, the book which first inspired Mike to narrate story albums, and which will be included in the trilogy's third album, An Earth With One Spirit , due out later this year.
Borders recap .
In January and December, Mike was the featured guest at fourteen Borders Books and Music stores from Washington state south through California. Mike 's promotional tour included five-minute appearances on each of up to a dozen TV morning shows. Mike 's readings drew between 100 and 200 fans at each Borders stop. Jazz album in the works . Borders asked Mike to do a promotional tour in the midwest, but he respectfully declined in favor of returning to the recording studio.