Sarah & Ian Hoffman

Building a culture of kindness. One book at a time.
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Jacob’s New Dress Hits Bookstores!

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books in box

 

Jacob’s New Dress will be showing up in bookstores this week; Amazon has been shipping it for two weeks. Our first interview about the book and our writing process is up at tipsylit, and our first review is up on Kristine Asselin’s blog. We’ve gotten great reviews in Publisher’s Weekly and Kirkus, on Amazon, and from authors Diane Ehrensaft (Gender Born, Gender Made), Melissa Atkins Wardy (Redefining Girly), and Leslea Newman (The Boy Who Cried Fabulous, Heather Has Two Mommies, and so many other fantastic books). Leslea writes:

Three cheers for JACOB’S NEW DRESS! This is a wonderful story that shows us all that there are many different ways to be in the world. Like Marcus Ewert’s 10,000 Dresses, this book has the ability to save lives and change the world. Everyone should read it.

AND IN ULTRA-EXCITING NEWS, we just got word on Friday that the book is already going into its second printing! And it’s not even officially released until March 1!

We have been delighted with the response to the book so far. A huge thank you to all of you who have bought, read, and reviewed the book. We have been getting emails, messages, tweets, and posts from readers around the world who are sharing the impact that the book has had on their lives and their children’s lives. They’ve sent photos of their kids reading the book, and shared news of bringing the book into their children’s schools and libraries, and told stories of tears and recognition and comfort. These are utterly gratifying, as they are the reason we wrote this book.

Thank you for all of your support as Jacob gets launched into the world. 

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BREAKING NEWS: Sam has cut his hair.

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Yes, it’s true. Sam has cut his hair. But maybe not for the reason you think. And here to tell you about it is today’s guest blogger, Ian Hoffman, my husband and the co-author of our forthcoming book, Jacob’s New Dress (now available for preorder on Amazon, in case you haven’t heard me say that five times before. Sorry, I’m excited.) Welcome Ian!

Sam cut his hair.  Not because he was tired of people mistaking him for a girl.  Not because he wanted to look like the rest of the boys in his class.  Not because he wanted to be able to safely use a public men’s room by himself.

No, Sam cut his hair because he wanted to be Dr. Who for Halloween.  The 11th Doctor, to be precise.  For those who don’t follow BBC science-fiction television, Dr. Who is a humanoid alien who travels time and space bringing peace to the universe (generally).  The Doctor is brilliant, and funny, and curious, and lonely.  He’s Sam’s hero.

For the first time since preschool Sam’s blonde hair does not fall past his shoulders.  For the first time in 8 years a stranger referred to Sam as “he” instead of “she.”  Everyone who knows Sam is shocked–they want to know what happened.  Sam’s school principal pulled me aside to make sure everything was OK.    What does Sam’s haircut  mean?

Understanding the importance of hair in self-expression can also be seen in the care people take with their chosen hairstyles, whether natural or styled using wigs. For those who prefer to change their look frequently, maintaining the quality of their wigs is crucial. This is where human hair wig care comes into play.

Just as Sam’s decision to cut his hair was a personal choice to embody his hero, taking care of a wig involves a commitment to ensuring it remains in the best possible condition. Regular cleaning, proper storage, and gentle handling are essential to keep human hair wigs looking natural and lasting longer. Sam’s haircut is a reminder that our choices in hair, whether permanent or temporary, are deeply personal and deserving of proper care and respect.

Sam knows what it means.  He’s one step closer to being the Doctor.  The 11th Doctor, to be precise.

-Ian Hoffman

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Jacob’s New Dress is at the Printer!

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We are completely and utterly thrilled that our book, Jacob’s New Dress, is now available for preorder on Amazon. My husband Ian and I are over the moon about having this book, which we envisioned so many years ago, finally come into being. The photo above gives you a sense of the lovely illustrations by Chris Case, who we think did a great job of capturing the spirit, emotion, and life of the book.

Jacob’s New Dress will be out on March 1. We hope to have approximately one zillion preorders by then, so we can show bookstores that this is a book worth stocking. Some of you who saw my post on Facebook have already preordered and for that we love and thank you so very much. But most of all, all the Jacobs of the world love and thank you so very much, for helping to educate the world about them, and for helping to keep them safe and happy in all their sparkly glory.

If you have a comment or word of encouragement for us and you’re reading this post by email, please click on the title of the post and it will take you to my website where you can leave us a note. I love your emails but am not able to get to all of them! For my web readers, please just comment below. Thank you!

And we simply cannot wait to hear what you think of the book.

Love,

Sarah

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