I was pleased to make Kathy Temean's blog a few weeks ago.

Clement's sophomore picture book should delight truck lovers every bit as much as its predecessor, Drive (2008). Over the course of a day on the job, a burly construction foreman, referred to only as "Boss," makes good on his name and bosses around a bulldozer, excavator, dump truck, and other vehicles. "Boss says, ‘Scoop that rock,' " and a loader moves in, "slides its bucket and takes a big scoop." Featuring the same brand of bold digital artwork seen in Drive, this book also makes excellent use of perspective to play up the machines' immensity and power; when Boss commands a crane to "Lift that stone!" readers get a worm's-eye view of the action from behind his boot, his shadow in the dirt showing him with his arms raised like a minor god. While no children appear until the end (when it's revealed that all this hard work has gone into making a community park), it's in no way a problem: Boss is the ultimate reader surrogate, wielding unquestioned power over the mightiest of machines. What more could a kid want? Ages 2–6. (Mar.) Source.

In his debut, Drive (2008), Clement profiled a single 18-wheeler and its driver; here he explores the ever-popular realm of construction trucks. Unlike many similarly themed books, which focus on humans, this one details the part each truck plays in a single job, with the final spread showing a completed park. Throughout, the pointed finger and other hand signs of the African-American “Boss” direct the trucks to their respective duties. “Boss says, ‘Pour a slab.’ / And the mixer swings its trough and pours cement.” About half the time children are given the opportunity to guess which truck will be needed for the job before a page turn reveals the answer. The highlighted trucks include a bulldozer, excavator, loader, dump truck, compactor, mixer and crane. While the text does not rhyme, it has a welcome simplicity that suits younger readers just as well, even as it uses real vocabulary for the trucks and their parts. The computer-rendered illustrations, while sometimes seeming flat in perspective, nonetheless have crisp, clean lines with bold, rich colors and textures appropriate to earth, gravel and cement. The large format of the book itself, as well as alternating views of long shots and close-ups of trucks makes this a good choice for group sharing. Pair this with Sally Sutton’s Roadwork (2008) for a similar treatment of a different job site. (Picture book. 2-6)

It's been something like 9 months since my last post! For all two of you out there watching and reading: sorry! But, I was creating a book as fast as my mousing finger could click and trying to get it done before the birth of our second son in April. Basically, it got done with a cover still due after Emory's arrival in our lives. It was all approved about a month ago and I've begun concepts on a next title.

Thanks to the teachers in the Dubois Area Reading Council for inviting me to their fall meeting. After a tasty dinner in the Huntingburg Elementary Library and short business meeting, we talked about how to both write and create artwork for a picture book. I spoke about my personal history leading up to getting published and some philosophy behind my book(s):

Every little thing helps. I got a mention on the blog All Children's Books.

A Publishers Weekly story this week http://tinyurl.com/ocydmf caught my attention when I noticed my former publisher's name, Stephen Roxburgh, founder of Front Street and former publisher at Boyds Mills Press.

I met Joyce at a Highlights Founders' Workshop in March of this year. As soon as I returned, I read her book Blue and thoroughly enjoyed it (see post). Be sure to read it's Sequel Comfort. I plan too :-)

I'm working now on the next book under contract with Boyds Mills Press, Job Site. Hopefully, it can be released for their Fall 2010 catalog, but there are no promises on a schedule until they have it in hand (May 1, 2010 is my deadline).

I've finished the drawing for this illustration. I've tried to solve as many problems as possible at this stage rather than leaving it for the painting stage: light, perspective, objects in the background.

I finished this illustration, slated for my portfolio, yesterday. I had to wait for areas in the fiddles and crickets/grasshopper to dry some in order to add some detail.

My wife was speaking to long-time friend, Deneen in Berwin, IL (just outside of Chicago), who reports that Drive was picked for the Oak Park (also just outside Chi.) public library's kindergarten reading list.

New #illustration. Peek at each stage in the process. Here you see #thumbnails of the #illustration idea.

While developing my portfolio for children's illustration, I have drawn Rikki Tikki Tavi.

In order for blog readers to more successfully find me, I've sign up for

Boyds Mills Editor Larry Rosler calls to check on story book process.

Old King Cole was not only a merry old soul, but he was also a toad…

Old King Cole is lined-out and ready for charcoal fill to develop the shadows and highlights. Then, I plan on a method I haven't used in about 6 years and hope I can pull it off: oil tints. First, the charcoal drawing will be sealed and then thin tints of oil paint will be applied; I'll lift out the areas of light with a kneaded eraser, building up, up, up. Hopefully, OKC will emerge very dimensional from a deep, warm, dark backdrop.

Here's a peek at the line art for the illustration Rikki Tikki Tavi. I left the original art at Kinko's—of all things. I have to use their large format scanner to bring it down in size for these postings. I think the father's arm looks too wooden. But, that whole area will be almost totally in shadow—will try to fix, though. The final will be in charcoal.

I haven't said anything about it on my blog, but since I spent the weekend in Bowling Green at this nice book fest, I'll say something now. 9—4 on Sat. Sat between two very nice gentlemen: Marvin Jarboe, illustrator of several books including My Sailor Dad; and, another gentleman whose name's escaping me now. He was a sub-in so he's not in the program. But, he introduced me to everyone he knew.

What does an illustrator know about Java Programming? Only that "Duke" this teardrop shaped dude is their mascot. And, I've done 5—I think—illustrations for Java book covers. Here are 5 sketches I did for this cover and the final. Here's the book cover. The art right now is from a previous title.

When last we left OKC, he was just line work. I think after today, I'll say the black and white work is done.