Jana Bibi book three–Emeralds Included–is officially out today.

It feels like my birthday!

You know that feeling? You wake up–and you look the same but somehow things are different. (Yeah, I know, I’m an over-grown seven-year-old.)

Joanna Levine, formerly at my publisher Henry Holt & Co,. steered me through the editorial and production stages of the books, and always sent me one of her cartoons with copy-edited drafts or page proofs. The drawings featured Mr. Ganguly, the super-intelligent pet parrot in the Jana books.

Other friends got into the act early on, and sent parrot power gifts. Here’s a sample.

An embroidered silk shawl, made in India, from my friend Suzanne Turner Hanifl:

A clutch purse with parrots, from my dear editor Marjorie Braman:

A Victorian birdcage from my sister Lee Woodman:

A picture frame with a macaw in the corner, from my friend Lorraine Kelly:

My friend Joy Rice Gray Grover sent a woodblock  stamp with a parrot on it, a  key chain with a parrot, and a string of decorative birds, which I have still to photograph. Great stuff!

Thank you, dear people, all for your support over the years! You’ve boosted me at every step of the way!