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A few more photos from our trip to the Arctic in early September. I'll post a few photos here and then a slightly larger batch in an album on Facebook. The recent end to Shell's summer oil exploration in the Chukchi Sea only puts more pressure on the desire for drilling in the coastal plain and the last unprotected area (1022) of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Keep it wild!

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OK, I just finished listening to the 4:31 Scholastic Audio recording of POLAR OPPOSITES. I was skeptical at first, it was really pretty nice :) These arrived in the mail about 10 days ago, but I really could't bring myself to listen. Its a short book, and the story is shared pretty evenly between the words and the pictures -- You HAVE to see the artwork in order to understand the story.

But you know what? They did right. There are some fine "Tinkerbell-style" charms to indicate page turns. Paced just about right for a child to read the simple sentences in concert the audio AND still have a moment or two to take in the art. The sound quality is great. Very professional with both the narrator's voice and some short snippets of background music suited to the story - and there is even some additional whimsy with an audio effect or two - IE some lip-smacking when Alex and Zina enjoy their breakfast, and a well placed grunt and groan as they both push and pull their luggage along the ice.

All-in-all a pleasant surprise :) Thanks Scholastic, for making a fine day even better!

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I hosted a couple of StorySki readings for  MVSTA's 1st Annual Backyard Ski Day last weekend.  Three or four of the Polar Opposites signs were buried by our recent 20+ inches of snow, but I happened to have an easily readable copy of the book on hand... and the most patient and helpful skate-skiing polar bear assistant in the valley!

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On Friday, December 2nd, step on out to Everyday Athlete for an evening of cookies and books. In honor of Polar Opposites, we'll be snacking on America's favorite black n' white cookies (the irresistible Oreo) and washing them down with a tall (probably short) glass of milk.

With due respect to Who Has These Feet?, our hosts for the night own the finest running shoe store east of Green Lake.

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Drawing on plane rides is great. In a seat. Small table. Time. No where else to go. My experiments with the iPad Brushes App continue! Three days of school and library visits await :)

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A quick reminder post about the Northwest Bookfest in Kirkland, WA this weekend. On Sunday, Oct. 2nd, I'll be drawing pictures, visiting with readers, and signing books in SCBWI Booth #16 from 10:30-11:30am. I'm also part of an illustrator's panel discussion at the Kirkland Library from 1-2pm. Craig Orback, Richard Jesse Watson and I will be fielding questions and discussing our work in picture books. A book signing to follow where I should have copies of both Polar Opposites and Who Has These Feet?

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In association with its 2012 Bill Martin Jr. Picture Book Award nomination, Polar Opposites now has its very own wiki space complete with age-appropriate classroom activities and topics for discussion. So cool! Much thanks to teacher Rita Shogren and the Kansas State Reading Association for putting that together.

You find a page of activities for all nominated books, including How Rocket Learned to Read, by Tad Hills, City Dog, Country Frog, by Mo Willems and  John J Muth, Big Chickens Go to Town by Leslie Helakoski and Henry Cole, just to name a few...

Happy reading!

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OK, so I'll admit to photo shopping this image just a bit, but Pottery Barn Kids DID recently place an "nice sized" order for Polar Opposites. Its not there yet, but keep an eye out for Alex and Zina in a store/catalog near you a little later this fall!

PS The kid holding the book could easily be me when I was 10.

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This past Sunday was my final guided StorySki of the winter. Not that we are wrapping up the season anytime soon, but thank you so much to everyone that has been out on the trails (with me or otherwise) enjoying Polar Opposites with family and friends.

I've received many positive comments about the idea, but it wouldn't exist at all without the inspiration and financing of MVSTA and all that they do to support winter recreation here in the valley. A big thank you as well to my daughter for her own unique assistance with the event - and to Trail's End Bookstore for stocking signed copies of the book AND hosting the cookies and cocoa book signing on Sunday afternoon!

If you liked the StorySki, I'm excited to say that we'll be producing a StoryHike in similar fashion sometime this summer. I'll keep the book a secret for now, but stay tuned for additional info when the snow finally melts. Until then, ski on!

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Bring together talented authors and devoted readers with the opportunity to dine and celebrate in the library and you have the premier Northwest event: the KCLS Foundation’s Literary Lions Gala.

The Gala is a literary feast where you’ll meet a bounty of talented writers, celebrate the joy of reading, toast new and favorite authors and help raise funds for literacy and lifelong learning programs.

Author Vince Flynn will keynote the 2011 event. Nancy Pearl will emcee the program and sign her new book: Book Lust To Go.

(Plus I'll be there with Polar Opposites & Cat Diaries. Fun stuff!)

The Bellevue Library on Saturday, March 5, 2011 is the perfect setting for you to discover and meet authors, buy their books and enjoy a unique literary-themed silent auction. Invitations will be in the mail soon.

For more information on sponsorships or to reserve your tickets, contact Claire Wilkinson, [email protected], 425.369.3448.

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Thanks to the marketing folks at Marshall Cavendish, and the Ripple eBook Reader, Polar Opposites has entered the digital age. Not only do you get a digital version of the story for your Mac or PC, but you can record your own reading of the book. While not quite as cozy as sitting down with the ink and paper book in hand, it is a comforting option for the ePicturebook set. An iPad app is on the way soon.

I'd love to hear feedback if anyone goes hi-tech and decides to purchase one of these!

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Lots of penguin news in the studio this week:

On Tuesday I attended an excellent talk on Emperor Penguin diving research by Dr. Torre Stockard. Zina, my character in Polar Opposites, is much more like an Adelie penguin than an Emperor (smaller and a bit less colorful as penguins go) but it's always inspiring to learn more about such the world at large from those that really dig in deep.

And then yesterday afternoon, someone sent me an elementary school-aged science resource in connection to the book as well. The irony, of course, is that Beyond Polar Bears and Penguins wants to get past these two charismatic and appealing creatures and expose students to the many other fascinating things about these extreme polar worlds. For that, I applaud them, and it looks like a terrific site. Still, at least I have my penguins living in the southern hemisphere, and penguins ARE a great springboard into Antarctic studies :)

PS Did you know that penguins have square pupils?

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OMG! Amidst a slough of other activity -- the first week of school, painting soup bowls for the Room One Auction, drawing comics, and putting the finishing touches on Who Has These Feet?, I totally forgot to mention my new book WHICH CAME OUT YESTERDAY!

Polar Opposites (Marshall Cavendish, 9.1.2010) is finally in the mix! Hoorah! Already some kind words from Kirkus Reviews, who call it a "refreshing change from traditional opposites books" but why take their word for it when you can have one of your very own :)

I'll celebrate the "one day late" announcement with this early sketch of Alex and Zina. They've changed a bit in the final art, but not too much. Enjoy!

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Polar Opposites ships out in just a little under 1 month. Reserve your copy today! In the mean time, enjoy this "deleted scene" from the book.

Bon voyage!

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Good news! I was honored (and very excited) to learn that Alex and Zina will be front and center on the Marshall Cavendish's Fall 2010 catalog cover. There are tons of great titles on this list, so its pretty cool to see the artwork from POLAR OPPOSITES kick it all off in the right direction!

Publication (September 2010) is still a ways off, but the marketing department is 6-10 months right on schedule.

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A quick peak at most of POLAR OPPOSITES -- both on my studio wall and on the front porch getting a final coat of "workable" fixative. Highly recomended that you wear some sort of mask for this part of the job. After several weeks of minimal sleep I pretty much resemble an alien anyway...

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In the final throws of my latest picturebook project. Frankly, I'm late on this one, but there's been a lot going on... I'll be sure to send a celebratory post when done is done!

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My daughter and I did a little sculpting recently. She made flowers, and I made a penguin. Then she flew the coop... or waddled off to a excellent new home anyway :)

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Another experimental painting for my next picturebook. This particular version is watercolor with a charcoal line... More sketches of Zina & co. to come in the next few weeks and months.

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