National Promotions Benefiting Starlight 

New Children’s Books for Your Bookshelf 

Little Pickle Press is publishing a very special three-part children’s book series benefiting Starlight. Starlight receives 10 percent of the purchase price of each book in the series, which will retail for $16.95 through www.littlepicklepress.com and other book sellers.

The first book in the series, What Does It Mean To Be Global?, teaches children what it means to be global by visiting the pyramids, eating sushi, celebrating Kwanzaa, and learning how to say “hello” in Swahili. The book is a conversation starter for parents and educators to teach children about the goodness in exploring, appreciating, and respecting other children’s traditions, religions, and values the world over. The book was recognized in the Children’s Picture Book: Hardcover Non-Fiction category of the National Best Books 2009 Awards, sponsored by USA Book News.

Just released, What Does it Mean to Be Green? is a colorful and insightful story which helps children view everyday tasks through an environmentally-friendly lens. The book empowers children to do whatever they can to protect the earth’s precious resources. From writing on both sides of the paper to turning off the water when brushing their teeth, children learn and delight in helping take care of the earth. Don’t be surprised if they start coming up with suggestions of their own for you!

What Does It Mean To Be Present? will be released in Fall 2010.

Little Pickle Press’s books are designed to help parents and educators cultivate conscious, responsible little people by inspiring its readers to help children in need, celebrate diversity and protect the environment. All books are printed using recycled paper, soy inks and green packaging.

Pick up your copies today at www.littlepicklepress.com or through specialty book stores and retailers!

Place Your Bid for Starlight! 

Place your bids, jazz fans! Through the generosity of Starlight Global Ambassador Dave Koz, this summer Starlight is auctioning packages including tickets to the saxophone legend’s performances and the once-in-a-lifetime chance to meet Dave! For more information about concert locations and how to place your bid, visit www.ebay.com/starlight.

Starlight will continue to offer other one-of-a-kind experiences for auction all year, with all proceeds directly benefiting the children and families we serve. Bookmark our eBay store at www.ebay.com/starlight and check back often to see what exciting packages are waiting for you.

If you have a suggestion for an auction or want to be notified about future auctions, please email ebay@starlight.org.

eBay users can also make a difference by showing support for Starlight. eBay has just launched a new tool, appropriately called “My Favorite Nonprofit,” that allows eBay users to choose Starlight as their favorite nonprofit. Doing so allows buyers to make a  $1 donation to Starlight upon checkout and sellers to donate a percentage of an item they are selling to Starlight.

You can select Starlight as your favorite nonprofit at http://mynonprofit.ebay.com/.

A More Meaningful Way for Kids to Celebrate 

If you’re a mom or dad who’s planning a birthday party for your child, visit Starlight partner www.echoage.com to learn about a new, fun way to teach your children about the value of giving back.

Simply choose an invitation, select Starlight from the list of ECHOage charity partners and invite your guests. As your guests RSVP, they can choose to make a contribution to Starlight. ECHOage deducts 15 percent of the total raised to cover its administrative costs, and then, when the party is over sends 50 percent of the remaining funds to Starlight, and the other 50 percent to you to purchase one dream gift for your child (rather than having guests purchase smaller gifts individually).

For more information, log onto www.echoage.com.

KOZ Wines Now Available Online 

Previously available only in Whole Foods stores in Southern California, Arizona and Nevada, KOZ Wines are now available for purchase online via The California Wine Club. Choose from a two, six or 12-bottle shipment. For every case sold, CWC will donate $25 to Starlight.

Inventories of the popular 2008 El Dorado ‘Red Alto’ and 2008 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon are extremely limited, so order now!

Place your order at http://www.cawineclub.com/Pre-Order-KOZ-Wines.

A Great Game for a Great Cause: Chime Available Now 

OneBigGame, the non-profit publisher of videogames, has unveiled its first title benefiting Starlight -- the music puzzle game Chime.

Chime is available now on Xbox LIVE® Arcade for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft for a price of 400 Microsoft Points ($5 USD). OneBigGame will donate at least 60 percent of Chime’s purchase price to Starlight Children’s Foundation and Save The Children, split 50/50 between the two charities.

Developed by Zoë Mode, Chime offers a creative twist on both music and block puzzle games. Players must cover the playing field with irregular shapes, each connected to a sound effect from the background music track, to form rectangular blocks, called quads. Chime’s innovative game mechanics enable players to create a unique remix of each song every time they play a level as the building of larger quads unlocks more elements of the underlying song. Working their way to 100 percent coverage of the grid, players will unlock the song in full. Acclaimed artists Philip Glass, Moby, Markus Schulz, Paul Hartnoll of Orbital and Fred Deakin of Lemon Jelly have donated their music tracks pro bono.

OneBigGame has more than 15 games currently in development from various established developers and designers to raise funds for Starlight, including creations from Masaya Matsuura and Charles Cecil, amongst other talented artists.

Smart Imagination’s Tattoo Stories Gives Back to Starlight 

Starlight is the beneficiary of a new coffee table book called Tattoo Stories, the debut publication of the Tattoo Stories book series by Smart Imagination, a creative house and publisher with a focal point of serving humanitarian efforts.

Tattoo Stories will retail for about $35 depending on the retailer, and Starlight will receive a minimum of $4 per book sold with a minimum unrestricted guaranteed donation of $10,000.

Corporate and medical professionals, students, artists, lawyers, and many more share their lives in Tattoo Stories, drawing readers in for an intimate look at journeys, experiences and cultures, through spoken word paired with stunning photography by Marvin Malzahn.

The book also features a foreword from Linkin Park and Dead By Sunrise frontman Chester Bennington. “The book is associated with a great charity, Starlight Children’s Foundation, and anything that I can do to give back is always something that I’m interested in,” said Bennington.

To find out more about Tattoo Stories or to purchase a copy of the book, visit www.tattoostories.org.