Local Author’s Upside-Down Easter Book Wins International Awards

Author and Illustrator Beth Gully continues to surprise her readers with the recent release of her second upside-down book,The Other Side of Easter.Her new book, launched November 2018, has already gained the attention of national and international judges.

The Other Side of Easterbook was awarded the 2019 Bronze Enduring Lights Medal in the Christian Children’s Books category from the Illumination Book Awards. This international competition recognizes exemplary Christian-themed books with a Christian worldview.

Gully also won the 2018 Summit International Creative Silver Award, in the category for Individual Craft and Technique in Graphics.  The award was for her ‘Bunny/Ascension’ ambigram (an upside-down image), which is featured on the cover of her book, The Other Side of Easter.

This design features the image of a bunny face which rotates to reveal an image of Christ. The Summit Int’l Creative Award Competition honors the best design work from small and medium-sized agencies across the globe.

Beth has been creating ambigrams since 1992 when her first happened by accident. A design she was working on fell to the floor, and when she picked it up, she saw the word ‘happy’ upside down. After a few tweeks, she was able to turn ‘happy’ into ‘holiday’ when turned upside down.

Dave Richardson, book buyer for Blue Marble Books in Ft. Thomas, KY, became a supporter of Gully when he encountered her first book, The Other Side of Christmas. “What an innovative and creative concept, combining both the religious and secular celebrations of Christmas,” says Richardson.  He continues, “The Other Side of Easter is just as wonderful and intriguing as The Other Side of Christmas book.” Richardson is a national contributor to Highlights for Children, Reader’s Digest, and OELMA’s Spectrum, and is an advocate for authors across the country.

Gully is scheduled to share her Easter book and ambigram drawing performance at more than a dozen locations around the area including: Joseph Beth Books in Crestview Hills, KY on Sat., April 6 at 4pm; Booksellers on Fountain Square on Friday, April 12 at 11:30pm; Mulberry Books on Sat., April 13 at 10:30am; Celebrate Local in Liberty Center on Sat., April 13 at 2pm; and Joseph Beth Books at Rookwood Commons on Tuesday, April 16 at 7pm. All attendees will receive a free Easter ambigram bookmark and an opportunity to speak with Gully. She will also personalize books following the reading.  The complete list of locations and events can be found at https://animotionlogos.com/pages/book-locations

 

The Other Side of Easterand The Other Side of Christmasblend the secular holiday stories with the sacred stories of Jesus, using ambigrams (am-bi-grams) which are upside-down images showing two different pictures.

 “Keeping Christ in Easter and Christmas is easy for children when the Jesus story is shown in a fun, unique and memorable way,” says Gully. “I find that parents appreciate how these books blend both stories together . . . offering children the opportunity to enjoy both sides of the holiday.”

In addition, Gully has created a decorative patch to correspond with each holiday book. The patch can be earned when they read her book and complete the corresponding ambigram activity sheets. American Heritage Girls®invited Gully to create these AHG Patch Programs as an additional resource for growing girls’ faith.  The programs have been well received by Troops. The Easter Patch Program just launched last month, and the Christmas Patch Program was completed in Troops throughout 46 states, which far exceeded expectations. To learn more about American Heritage Girls, please visit http://americanheritagegirls.orgor call 513-771-2025.

Gully has also partnered with Rev. Deb Egloff to create a children’s Lenten Sunday-classroom curriculum to follow along with The Other Side of Easterbook. Egloff is a national trainer for the ‘Godly Play Foundation’, and she incorporated ‘Godly Play’ interactive elements into the program to further engage children’s learning.

This six-week curriculum includes a weekly 1-hour activity program with a take-home family devotion appropriate for all ages. The curriculum is available at http://www.btgraphics.com/flip-over-designs/church-opportunities-5/

Gully became one of 94 internationally-recognized ambigram designers when her ambigram, Mercy health, was featured in Nikita Prokhorov’s book, Ambigrams Revealed. Prokhorov’s book showcases the top ambigram designs from across the globe. He reflects on how the art of typography and design intertwine, inspiring artists and curious onlookers to turn their world upside down with art.

Gully lives in historic Lebanon, Ohio with her husband Dave. Her books are available at the Golden Lamb Gift Shop, Joseph Beth Booksellers, Belong Christian, Inner Blessings, Blue Marble and 57 other shops across the country and in Canada. For more information you can visit www.TheOtherSideofEaster.com

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