Ivy + Bean return to spread the word on measles immunization. The Measles & Rubella Partnership and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) launch a follow up campaign to the immensely successful 2014 program, providing materials to pediatric and healthcare facilities to help parents understand the importance of measles vaccination and preventing vaccine-preventable diseases.

The campaign launches today at the AAP National Conference and Exhibition in San Francisco with Ivy + Bean returning to urge parents in Pancake Court to bring their babies in for measles vaccination because it’s “Easy Peasy!”

Because parents and caregivers most often turn to their pediatricians to discuss immunization, efforts by the AAP to engage their members in this important discussion on measles and childhood immunization is vital.

“The United States has had more than 1100 measles cases in the past five years. This trend needs to be reversed and reaching parents through pediatricians, nurses and health clinics is an important step to stopping the spread of measles in under vaccinated communities,” said Steve Cochi, Senior Advisor, Global Immunization Division of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Educational materials featuring the precocious duo include posters and a comic-coloring book available in English and Spanish, plus temporary tattoos and stickers.  They’ll be available in November to pediatricians, nurses, teachers and daycare providers and posted on the AAP website for parents, HealthyChildren.org.

Ivy + Bean, written by Annie Barrows and illustrated by Sophie Blackall, is an award winning, New York Times best selling series of books for children ages 6 to 9 published by Chronicle Books. More than fifteen million copies of the bestselling series have been sold worldwide. Published in 2006, Ivy + Bean was named the best children’s book of the year by Kirkus Reviews. Since then, the series and the girls’ adventures have spanned 10 books with doomed ballet classes, dinosaur bones, babysitters, mysteries and numerous awards for both author and illustrator.

One of the most admired and respected publishing companies in the U.S., Chronicle Books was founded in 1967 and over the years has developed a reputation for award-winning, innovative books. Recognized as one of the 50 best small companies to work for in the U.S. (and the only independent publisher to receive this award), the company continues to challenge conventional publishing wisdom, setting trends in both subject and format, maintaining a list that includes much admired illustrated books and gift products in design, art, architecture, photography, food, lifestyle, pop culture, and acclaimed children’s titles.

Sophie Blackall is an Australian artist based in Brooklyn. She is the winner of the 2016 Caldecott Medal, America’s most prestigious prize for children’s illustration for Finding Winnie, The True Story of the World’s Most Famous Bear. She has illustrated more than twenty-five books for children and her editorial illustrations have appeared in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and TIME. She has been working with the M&RP since 2012. Her first project with the M&RP was to the Democratic Republic of the Congo where she met families whose lives had been devastated by measles, healthcare workers who travel to remote areas to vaccinate children, and the many partners who support them. Since then, Sophie has produced whimsical drawings of children around world stopping measles which have become iconic symbols of the M&RP’s mission.

For more information:

Karen Mah

Communications Specialist, UNICEF

Measles & Rubella Partnership

[email protected]

(917) 412-6166

Lisa Black

American Academy of Pediatrics, Media

[email protected]

(847) 434-7084