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To be considered for Buzzworthy , contact Cindy Schweich Handler at handler @ northjersey . com
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FOCUS POSTERS HELPS KIDSSTAYONTASK
North �ersey videographer Adam Boyer wished he could get his �-year-old son to clean up his room . So he reached out to his friend , Annie D ’ Agostino , a children ’ s content creator and entrepreneur in Montclair State University ’ s �eliciano School of Business . Their collaboration gave birth to FOCUS POSTERS , a company that creates custom posters to help kids of all ages accomplish the to-do lists of their day , with avatar-like characters accomplishing their chores — make mybed , use insulin — through easy-to-follow numbered steps . �arents use adownloadable template to design the customizable posters , which can be preordered at focusposters . com . D ’ Agostino and Boyer hope tohave the company fully operating by early ���� .
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ADREAM ASSIGNMENT
ALE�IS ROMAY , anative of Cuba , has authored two novels , two books of poetry , and translated novels and more than �� picture books into Spanish . But last year , his friend �uan Mil� , editorial director at Harper �ia , brought him apro�ect that stood out from all the rest : Would hebeinterested in translating Dr . Martin Luther �ing �r .’ s�IHave aDream� speech into Spanish ? The �ob also included translating aprologue written for this addition by Amanda �orman , the National �outh �oet Laureate who spoke at �resident �oe Biden ’ s inauguration .
�I couldn ’ tbelieve this monumental pillar ofthe Civil Rights movement hadn ’ tbeen published in book form in Spanish , �says Romay . �I said yes immediately . � Always aware that he was translating aspeech , �Ihad to convey a cadence , a musicality , and a rhythm from one of the greatest orators in the �nglish language , �hesays . �So Irecited every sentence and the entire speech in Spanish , over and over , until Igot it right . � ��a�e a�rea�� �o �engo �n ��e�o ���ani�� ��ition� was published inlate August .
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT
In late September , customers at APEM CREAMERY �� SORBETTERIA got a helping of literary awareness with their gelato . As we reported in our Back to School issue , in August , A��M invited their customers to submit �playlists� — themes and ��-�� flavors that would embody them . �our submissions were chosen to be sold during September ; of those , the winning theme featured from Sept . ��-�� was �Reading Rainbow , �with the winning flavors inspired by children ’ s books that have been banned in various states . Among the speci�c titles honored and the flavors that brought them to life was Aiden Thomas ’ �e�eter� �o�� ; star anise custard with candied oranges and chocolate worked together to create the taste of pan de muerto . Another was Art Spiegelman ’ s Ma�� ; in that case , honey gelato and walnuts , candied oranges and cinnamon were combined to suggest �olish rogaliki ( crescent-shaped pastries ). �ach winner walked away with two free pints of gelato , and , as the owners note , bragging rights .
D�AGOSTINO� COURTESY OFFOCUS �OSTERS� GELATO� COURTESY OF �� CHOTE�MST CREATIVE �R� ROMAY� COURTESY OFVALERIE BLOC�� BOO�� COURTESY OF THE �UBLISHER
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HOLIDAY 2022 MONTCLAIR MAGAZINE