First Children’s Book Published by ROM Press
The Royal Ontario Museum announces the launch of Burton & Isabelle Pipistrelle: Out of the Bat Cave – the first children’s book published by ROM Press. Written by Denise Dias, senior writer with the ROM Governors, and illustrated by ROM senior designer Tara Winterhalt, this imaginative book is about the nocturnal adventure of a small pipistrelle bat named Burton and his sister, Isabelle.
Burton ventures out of the ROM Bat Cave and into the Museum to discover dinosaur fossils in the James and Louise Temerty Galleries of the Age of Dinosaurs, meteorites in the Teck Suite of Galleries: Earth’s Treasures, and silk gowns in the Patricia Harris Gallery of Textiles & Costume. Before he knows it, Burton has lost his way and needs to rely on his special superpower—echolocation—to find his way home.
“We're very excited to launch the ROM’s first children’s book, inspired by the re-opening of the Museum’s Bat Cave, a perennial family favorite for over two decades, and guided by the ROM’s own Dr. Burton Lim, assistant curator of Mammalogy,” says Julian Siggers, ROM Vice President, Program and Content Communications. "Burton & Isabelle Pipistrelle gives young readers and their families the opportunity to take the ROM experience home and re-live these educational and fun adventures with every read.”
The 32-page hardcover book can be purchased for $19.99 starting September 30, 2011 in the ROM Museum Store.
To celebrate the publication of Burton & Isabelle Pipistrelle, mark your calendars for some exciting events and programs this fall, including:
Official Book Launch for Burton & Isabelle Pipistrelle
Friday, September 23, 2011; 7:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Royal Ontario Museum
Enjoy a public reading and book signing with the author and illustrator. Purchase first copies of the book and take it with you as you explore the Museum in Burton’s footsteps. Curious children welcome! Admission to the ROM is half-price on Friday evenings after 4:30 p.m.
Word on the Street
Sunday, September 25, 2011; 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Queen’s Park
Look for the ROM Press booth near the Museum on Queen’s Park.
For more information visit: www.thewordonthestreet.ca
Readings & Signings at the ROM Store
Saturday, October 15, 2011; 1:00 PM and 3:00 PM
Saturday, October 29, 2011; 1:00 PM
Sunday, October 30, 2011; 3:00 PM
Visit the ROM Museum Store for a special reading event and pick up a T-shirt just like Burton’s!
Spirit Tales
Saturday, October 29, 2011; 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Royal Ontario Museum
RPC/YPC/Currelly Society members and guests are invited to enjoy Halloween treats, crafts, and a special reading with the author and illustrator.
Halloween at the ROM
Sunday, October 30, 2011; 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Royal Ontario Museum
Get in the spooky spirit with a full day of Halloween arts and crafts, ghoulish activities, live bats, and creepy crawlers—plus, learn amazing bat facts from Burton Lim, assistant curator of Mammalogy at the ROM, and meet the author and illustrator of Burton & Isabelle Pipistrelle!
About ROM Press
In operation since 1912, ROM Press publishes and co-publishes a wide variety of books relating to the Museum, its collections and research. The recipient of national and international awards in book publishing, subject areas include Canadian heritage, world art and archaeology, natural history, palaeobiology, and earth science. ROM Press also publishes ROM, the magazine of the Royal Ontario Museum. ROM books are distributed by University of Toronto Press, and are available in bookstores, online and in the ROM Museum Store.
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The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) is an agency of the Government of Ontario. Opened in 1914, Canada’s largest museum of natural history and world cultures has six million objects in its collections and galleries showcasing art, archaeology and natural science.
For 24-hour information in English and French, please call 416.586.8000 or visit the ROM’s web site at www.rom.on.ca