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A collection of our favorite authors and illustrators sat down to help us tell the story of First Book:

The Story of First Book from First Book on Vimeo.

On Tuesday night, First Book had the incredible pleasure of attending the third annual Carle Honors event, held at the University Club in New York City!

The Carle Honors, sponsored by the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, is a unique set of awards designed to recognize four distinct forms of creative vision and long-term dedication to the art of the picture book and its vital role in supporting art appreciation, early literacy, and critical thinking. This year’s amazing list of honorees included Maurice Sendak (Artist), Vanita and Jim Oelschlager (Angels), Susan Hirschman (Mentor), and Jim Trelease (Bridge).

And what an amazing evening it was!  Everywhere one looked, there was an author or illustrator standing nearby – people like Chris Van Allsburg, Jon Scieszka, Rosemary Wells, Eric Carle, Kevin Henkes, Ashley Bryan, Matthew Reinhart, Robert Sabuda, Leonard Marcus, and Lois Ehlert, just to name a few in attendance. It was incredible to encounter so many talented people gathered all in one room!

In celebration of 2008’s Carle Honors recipients, First Book is happy to announce that we will be donating 5,000 new books to children in need in New York and Western Massachusetts. We’d also like to take a moment to thank our wonderful friends at the Carle, especially Museum Director Nick Clark, Assistant Director Rebecca Goggins and Board Member Leonard S. Marcus for their amazing support of First Book’s mission and for continuing to help bring the magic of books to children everywhere!

Allyn Johnston Leaving Harcourt...

I've known since last week that Editor-in-Chief Allyn Johnston was leaving Harcourt after 22 years there. The news just broke in PW Children's Bookshelf yesterday. Today is Allyn's last day at Harcourt. Over the years she's worked with authors and illustrators the likes of Jane Dyer, Lois Ehlert, Mem Fox, Cynthia Rylant, Debra Frasier and Marla Frazee.

Allyn wrote a wonderful piece for me focusing on picture books for the 2009 CWIM, finishing it up soon after she was let go. Reading her piece, feeling her love of picture books, getting a glimpse of what an insightful editor she is, made me sad to think that someone who it seems was put on this earth to edit picture books could be let go as a result of a corporate merger (Houghton with Harcourt).

Here's a excerpt of her CWIM piece:

“Authors and illustrators are our most important resource. Without them none of us would be here. Our primary job in the editorial department is to maintain—and build—strong, trusting, collaborative relationships with them so they keep bringing their projects to us. And when those projects are wonderful, great. The editorial development process is relatively smooth. But when talented folks bring us weaker ideas—or ideas that don’t quite make sense yet—we must try our best to help them figure out how to make the project work and to coax it out of them without being discouraging.
I think our biggest role, then, is to believe in our authors and illustrators, to believe great things can happen.”

What People Are Saying About the Recent SCBWI New York Conference...

In my recent newsletter (click here to subscribe), I asked to hear from writers and illustrators who attended the SCBWI Mid-Winter Conference which took place in New York February 8-10. I was not able to attend so this was my way to live vicariously through those of you would did.

These bloggers alerted me to their posts about the conference: Kristi Valiant; Mary Cronin; Donna McDine; and Darcy Pattision whose blog includes links to other attendees conference reports.

I'm keeping me fingers crossed that I'll get to attend the SCBWI Conference in LA this summer.
If I do, I'll be blogging like mad, just as I have the past two years. (See my August 2007 and August 2006 archives if you're interested. I just now relived the last conference as I read through my old post. It was lovely to think about being in sunny Los Angeles, abuzz with children's book people, instead of here in cold, snowy, icy Cincinnati.)

There is already much coverage of the SCBWI conference in various blogs that I won't be going into details with everything that happened. But I would like to share a few notes/quotes on the ones that made a big impression on me.

Illustrator Jerry Pinkney
"Every image is a portrait."

The first talk of the day at the Illustrators' intenstive. He mentioned that he saw a difference in his work when he really focused on picture books. His dedication to the craft is very apparent, especially when he said that while illustrating mongoose for a picture book, he listened to a tape of mongoose sounds. It made me realize I that I've been pretty scattered-brain lately, wanting to do different things with my art, etc., when my first love is the picture book and I still have alot to do, learn and work on. I immediately re-dedicated myself to making great picture books after his speech.

Holly McGhee, rep, Pippin Properties
"Working out of your comfort zone is essential in survival."

"Its not art if we are not in a new place."

"Never let complete ignorance get in your way."

"A simple suggestion opens the door."

A great talk about working out of your comfort zone. We all have them. Things that are out of my comfort zone: drawing different/dynamic perspective, and drawing people. I'll be working more on that.

Author/Illustrator David Wiesner
I've heard David Wiesner speak before at the Society of Illustrators. Each time I hear him speak, I get very inspired and want to go back to work right away, AND also think "Ok, why do I even bother?"

His work is incredibly amazing. I have a special fondness for the wordless picture book, so I am definitely a fan. I also saw his dedication to the craft when he showed 3-D models he had built for his book, Tuesday. He made clay models of the frogs and also a foam-core model of the clock tower that is on the cover, so he could try out different perspectives.

Author/Illustrator Tomie dePoala
What a treat to see Tomie de Poala in person! He gave some hints on making a portfolio:

-"Have I seen this before?" (your portfolio should be unique)
-"Is there too much in the portfolio?"
-Consistency in quality a must
-A portfolio is like an audition, a monologue to the art director
-Sequences are important

I was also thrilled to hear Illustrator Harry Bliss talk.....with new yorker cover after new yorker cover.....after new yorker cover. He also mentioned he won't be doing another children's book for a while. It sounds like they are pretty draining on him, he puts his blood, sweat and tears into making a great picture book. I have much respect for him.

I also enjoyed the luncheon keynote address with writer Carolyn Mackler. There were so much more but thats it for now...some food for thought!

I'm back from the SCBWI conference and had a wonderful time. Alot went on and I need some time to gather my thoughts, but two main things that came from the conference:

1. I can now see more clearly the next level I must reach and

2. Meeting some great illustrators...in person! (so many fellow bloggers/ Illustration Friday regulars!) I'm a bad blogger in that I didn't take much photos at all. This was the only one I have on the last day:
Left to right: Yours truly, Courtney Pippin-Mathur, Leeza Hernandez, Jennifer E. Morris (fellow Illustration for kids member!), "Lil" Kim Fleming(who came all the way from Australia!).

Also two other wonderful bloggers/IF-ers I met: Alicia Padron, Gina Perry and so many others. And a shout out to Ellen Crimi-Trent who couldn't make it at the last minute, I hope to meet you at the next conference!

I came away from this conference with alot of mixed emotions- inspired yet overwhelmed, recharged yet tired (2 and a half very long days!). I'll share some more details in another post. There is extensive coverage of the conference through Leeza's blog (who did live blogging, its true!), she did a wonderful job, so go check it out...(there is a picture of me making a really ugly "funny" face, I really should of just been normal!)

Happy New Year...and Stuff...

Well, after being out of the office for the better part of December (I was only actually here eight days out of the month) I'm back. While it was nice to be home to play with Murray, see my out-of-town friends who were in for the holidays, and do a little shopping, I'm happy to be at work today. I need my routine. It seems the more I have to do, the more I get done. When I'm able to sleep in and spend the day in my PJ's I tend to do both. During my time off, I watched a lot of reruns, wasted time on the Internet, occasionally napped, sporadically showered, and really didn't do much of anything. I couldn't even manage to read anything more challenging than InStyle magazine.

But that's all over with. Today I started to get and read through 09 CWIM articles. (I have a great lineup!) I've been working through a big stack of listings corrections for the book. I rescheduled my haircut because it interfered with a meeting (plan to chop off a lot, but may chicken out by Saturday). I got some material off to a freelancer. I checked in with the other editors. And I waded through a gigantic stack of snail mail (yes, we still get it). And now I blog.

Here are some random things I'd like to mention in my first post of 2008:

• Judging from their website, the SCBWI Annual Winter Conference in New York (February 8-10) does not seem to be sold out, so if you're thinking about going, hurry and make your reservations. If you attend, I'd love to hear about your experience at the event and post it on my blog. Email me at [email protected] after the conference.
• The CWIM newsletter will be emailed the second Friday of each month in 2008. If you're not a subscriber, click here to sign up. I'll continue to interview new authors for the recurring Debut Author of the Month feature which is also included on this blog.
• Be sure to visit my blog throughout January and February--as I get updates from editors and agents, I'll share important changes here (starting as soon at this week).

SCBWI Winter Conference Registration Is Open (Sigh)...

I just received the brochure for SCBWI's 9th Annual Winter Conference on Writing & Illustrating for Children held in NYC February 8-10, 2008. Why the Sigh, you say? Because I'm not going--it's not in my travel budget. (Everyone keep your fingers crossed that my budget is approved for the August LA event. I want to be there and be blogging.)

I know New York in February is generally not all that pleasant. But somehow attending the Winter Conference warms one up! This year's event includes keynotes addresses by Nikki Grimes, Carolyn Mackler, Susan Patron (of Newbery/ "scrotum" fame), Richard Peck and David Wiesner. There are also breakouts with editors the likes of David Gale (S&S), Jennifer Hunt (Little, Brown) and Mark McVeigh (Aladdin). And they offer pre-conference extensives for both illustrators and writers. Lot and lots of children's publishing industry-related fun! (That I will miss.)

SCBWI, if you're reading this and you want to let me come for free, I wouldn't turn you down. And I'd bring lots and lots of door prizes!

I hope lots of you can go and tell me all about it.

First - my writing and all around talented pal Christy Evers has invited me to share my books at her Chick Fil A Kids Night on September 21st 5 - 9. Come join us and eat more chikin!

Second - Registration is open for the SCBWI Carolinas 15th Annual Fall Conference. This is an extraordinary chapter and we are hosting an extraordinary event Sept 28 - 3oth in Durham NC.


Featured speakers include:
LIN OLIVER, a Co-Founder of SCBWI and a sensational speaker, is joining us for the weekend and will kick off the conference with an Opening Talk on Saturday morning. Lin will also lead a workshop on dialogue.
Julie Strauss-Gabel, Dutton Children’s Books, Sr. Editor (just announced Assistant Editorial Director)
Caitlyn Dlouhy, Simon and Schuster, Associate Editorial Director
Joy Neaves, Front Street Books, Sr. Editor
Molly O’Neill, HarperCollins, School and Library Marketing Associate (just announced moving to editorial side!)
Carole Boston Weatherford, author of many books, but most recently, MOSES, a Caldecott Honor Book, New York Times Best Seller List
Frances O’Roark Dowell, author of Chicken Boy, Dovey Coe, and Where I’d Like to Be, among other middle grade novels

Special Events include:
*Friday Editors’ Evening. This new and exciting addition to our fall conference will allow attendees to meet and mingle with all of the guest speakers on Friday evening while enjoying hors d’oeuvres, and then listen to Julie Strauss-Gabel, Joy Neaves, and Caitlyn Dloughy talk about what they think makes a good book, and why, plus read from their favorite book or work-in-progress.
*The Saturday Night Crystal Ball. All conference attendees are invited to get together for two-hours of a light dinner buffet and lots more, to help celebrate our 15th anniversary.

...and much, much more!
Download registration form here.