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I have two very special picture books to share today, both by master storyteller Mike Lockett. The books are bilingual, having both English and Chinese text. Reviewing bilingual picture books is a Frog on a Blog first. Both of these gorgeously illustrated books include an audio CD which tells the story in English and also in Chinese. The CD adds an important element to the reading process and will help new readers and new language learners follow along with the story. It’s also an enjoyable experience. I know, I tried it! Both books are slated to be released in Spanish in the very near future.

First up is Teddy Bear, which was released in the US in 2010. It’s based on the well-known children’s song “Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, Turn Around”, and stars an adorable stuffed bear who only has one wish, to be loved by a child. Will his wish come true? The beautiful cover art caught my eye right away. And of course, the book is filled with illustrator Lulu Yang’s wonderful, whimsical illustrations, which were created by scanning fabric and layering images in Photoshop. They are quite unique. Young kids will have a lot of fun looking at the book, listening to the story on CD, and then singing the teddy bear song.

 

Next, we have Sky Food, which was released in the US just this year (2013). It’s adapted from a Native American folktale called Why Clouds Are In The Sky. Sky Food is a story about when the world was new, and people did not have to work in order to get food. The Creator placed all the food in the clouds, which were very close to the earth, and the people only had to reach up and take what they needed. Over time, however, people began to waste their food, and this made the Creator angry. He moved the clouds far out of their reach. What will the people do now to get food? Will they learn not to waste? This book offers bright, colorful illustrations by artist Chung Yi-Ru, done in acrylic and colored pencil. I like the sweet, childlike cast of characters, from various ethnic backgrounds, that are featured throughout the book. Young children will love “creating” sky food using only their imaginations, with a little help from this fun book and CD. One warning though, looking at this book might make you hungry.   

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If the central buyers at Waterstone's or WHSmith select our green-covered book, Boris the Boastful Frog, then we'll have made a great start, but then there are all the little independent bookshops up and down the country that we need to reach too. We could do a few mass mail-shots and advertise in The Bookseller - and no doubt we will try this - but what we really need is the personal touch - a reputable sales company that will take on our list.

We've heard good reports from book shop owners about Bounce, which claims to represent '30 of the best children's publishers from the UK and beyond' so I emailed publishing manager Danielle Quinn to see if I could set up a meeting. Bounce may only offer us sales representation on a book-by-book basis, which is not ideal, but if they help us to sell a million then we won't complain.

I also called Roy Johnston at Aurum Publishing Group Children’s Books (APG-Kids), which now owns Frances Lincoln (producer of some beautiful children's books), and which sells on behalf of third-party companies.

Roy was one of the first people we met when we started up in publishing - at the time he worked at Ragged Bears (which went into administration this Feb) and we were thinking about using RB to distribute and sell our books and book rights. Back then, we decided not to go down the sales agent route.

Roy remembered us. He was very friendly and we've set up a meeting in London for May 14.

Talking of the personal touch, I decided to follow up yesterday's email with a visit to Sara at WHSmith in Guildford. (I was meeting two friends for coffee and needed an excuse to go into town). Sara was on the shop floor, carrying out an audit, but didn't seem too fazed by my unscheduled visit. I quickly showed her the book and she seemed to like it. Sara said that she'd give some thought as to how we could promote it - perhaps linking up with a couple of local schools that the branch had ties with.

For the last week, we've had the pleasure in hosting a student from a local school (Broadwater in Godalming) - as part of their work placement scheme. He provided excellent help throughout the week and hopefully he gained a good overview of publishing.  He gave me these beautiful flowers as a thank you for his time here - but the thanks should really go to him.

This blog describes the quest of a small independent publisher to sell one million copies of Boris the Boastful Frog to disprove the theory that a book with a green cover won't sell:  

- Copies sold to date - 0 (not yet published)
- Copies still to sell - 1, 000, 000

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When trying to sell books (especially if we are to sell a million of Boris the Boastful Frog), then we must target the big high street names - Waterstone's and WHSmith.

Both select books for their branches centrally and the buyers will be choosing only a handful from the thousands being submitted each year.  Statistically, the chances of being selected are pretty slim.  The book buyer (quire rightly) will be looking out for new titles from Walker books, Frances Lincoln and other more established publishers and the worry is that our titles could just disappear amongst a pile of "others I may look at if I have the time".  However I'm convinced that Boris the Boastful Frog is a strong story and I believe we're in with a good chance.

I tried a 'scatter gun' approach with WHSmith, emailing AI sheets for all the new titles and a low-res pdf of Boris to four names in the central team. Three bounced back, but the fourth reached the Head of Children's Books, who said she'd pass the info over to the Children's Picture Book Buyer, adding, 'If we think the books would work for our range, we'll be in touch'. Hmm... doesn't sound terribly promising, still fingers crossed that the Buyer likes them.

Waterstone's was a little easier. Once the Waterstone's grid had been updated (a spreadsheet detailing our titles), we posted off our latest four books, including Boris, directly to the relevant new title buyer. We now have only three advance copies of each left to last us until mid May so we'll need to use them wisely.

Books parcelled up and ready to go

Both WHSmith and Waterstone's branches can stock books by local authors/illustrators, which in the case of Boris meant contacting the shops in Bath (close to where Steve Cox the illustrator lives) and Guildford.

I emailed Sara, children's manager at the Guildford WHSmith, who in the past has been very supportive of us (as a local publisher). My contact at Guildford Waterstone's had moved on so I emailed the manager details of the book. I was assured that all staff read the 'manager@waterstones...' emails so I took the same approach in Bath.

WHSmith in Bath said that all buying decisions were made 'above' so nothing doing there. Instead, whilst I was in the area (metaphorically speaking), I called a couple of independent bookshops Topping Books and Mr B's Emporium of Reading Delights. The children's book buyers at both were friendly and Victoria at Topping was keen that the illustrator (Steve Cox) signed a few copies should she like the book (I'm sure she will!)

Sadly, there are no independent bookshops in Guildford, but there is soon to be a Waitrose which may sell a few books.  I emailed details of Boris and our other three new titles to the central children's buyer there too.

This blog describes the quest of a small independent publisher to sell one million copies of Boris the Boastful Frog to disprove the theory that a book with a green cover won't sell:  

- Copies sold to date - 0 (not yet published)
- Copies still to sell - 1, 000, 000

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A good step towards selling a million books (and disproving the theory that a book with a green cover won't sell*) would be to persuade the supermarket chains to take the book as a stock item, so...

1. I've emailed ASDA with the details of Boris (as well as our other three new titles). Asda's corporate colour is green so I'm hoping its buyers won't be put off by the cover. 
2. I've already emailed details of our latest books to Tesco and received a friendly response from Sophie Wood-Goulbourn, but she works with adults books, so I'm waiting to see if her colleague in the children's team will get back to me.
3. On the advice of Alan Street at Gardners, I've drafted a letter to Morrisons children's book buyer. Morrisons doesn't give out buyers' email addresses so instead of emailing pdfs we've had to part with one of the only five advance copies of Boris in the country. It will be worth it, though, if the buyer likes the story.
4. I've also already emailed Sainsbury's with details of the books and made a follow up phone call. I've been promised feedback, but so far I've heard nothing. I'm guessing that no news is bad news, but if I'm going to sell a million, I'll need to persevere.
5. I ran out of steam so will try Waitrose tomorrow.

This blog describes the quest of a small independent publisher to sell one million copies of Boris the Boastful Frog to disprove the theory that a book with a green cover won't sell:  

- Copies sold to date - 0 (not yet published)
- Copies still to sell - 1, 000, 000

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When I say 'green' books, I mean books with green-coloured covers, not books about recycling or saving the planet.

However this isn't my view, it's the view of Maverick's Steve Bicknell, who we met up with at the London Book Fair. Amidst our general chat about the plight of the independent book publisher, he came up with this bald statement in relation to one of our upcoming titles - Boris the Boastful Frog (understandably a green book). His colleague Kimara pointed out that both The Very Hungry Caterpillar and The Gruffalo are green and, as we all know, have sold in the millions, but Steve was adamant that this colour was a no no.

Perhaps there's some truth in Steve's book-cover theory, but I like green and I like Boris (the book not the frog) so it's a theory I'd like to disprove - and the way to disprove it? Sell a million copies of course.

So for the next few months I'll be using this blog to chart the attempts of a relatively unknown and very small children's book publisher to sell a million copies of a green book. If we succeed, we'll sit down with Steve and Kimara over a magnum of Champagne. And if we fail? The next edition of Boris will feature a pink frog on the cover (and we'll be drinking shandy).

Copies sold to date - 0 (not yet published)
Copies still to sell - 1, 000, 000

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Title: Oh! What a Surprise!

Author/Illustrator: Suzanne Bloom

Publisher/Date: Boyds Mills Press/2012

Suzanne Bloom does it again with another beautiful picture book. Perfect for this festive time of year, Oh! What a Surprise! features familiar friends in the gift-giving spirit. I absolutely love everything about this book. From the glowing illustrations to the fun characters (especially the sweet, little fox) to the picture-perfect text and satisfying ending, Suzanne Bloom proves she is a master storyteller. A copy of this one is going in my personal collection. I encourage everyone to check out this book and while you’re at it, look for more of Ms. Bloom’s wonderful children’s books.          

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I couldn’t resist taking a break from my Christmas duties to squeeze this post in. At this time of year, there’s a veritable sleigh-load of children’s Christmas books on offer; exciting new titles and plenty of old chestnuts too. Applesauce and the Christmas Miracle is one of the latter, which if not already part of your Christmas hamper, is destined to become so.

Brimming with rural Aussie flavour, this CBCA short-listed picture book is a sensitive juxtaposition of a pig, ironically named Applesauce, who feels hopelessly bereft after a bushfire sweeps away life as she knew it in her valley. Unable to come to terms with the loss, she succumbs to abject depression, certain there will be no Christmas this year for her and her beloved Joe and Marigold; the people she shares her life with.

Sage Owl consoles Applesauce, advising her that ‘Christmas comes from the heart’ not from what you have or have not got. But surrounded by such a bleak, scarred world, Applesauce is unable to feel anything but glum.

Meanwhile, others from the neighbouring bush are making their way through the empty landscape to see Joe and Marigold. We are still not sure why, although a glimpse at the book’s cover gives us a clue. The arrivals of the Shepard family and Marigold’s three slightly eccentric looking, elderly aunties all go unnoticed by Applesauce, that is until, she is finally introduced to Joe and Marigold’s new baby.

Suddenly, all that was miserable and desolate becomes cheery and meaningful. Cockatoos swirl like snowflakes. New red leaves blaze like fairy lights in the fierce sunlight, and it is amongst these simple and symbolic celebrations of new life that Applesauce lets ‘Christmas fill her heart again’.

From the first line, award-winning author, Glenda Millard, draws us almost imperceptibly into Applesauce’s pining for better days; days before drought and bushfire desecrated her world. Even without the exquisite illustrations of Stephen Michael King, Millard’s descriptions are deliciously seasoned with enough sensory detail to enable the reader to smell and feel the arid emptiness of the land; ‘night fell as dark as burnt toast’ is one image that lingers on long after being read and is thoughtfully followed by a text-less spread of night, star flecked sky.

King’s illustrations compliment the poignant text perfectly; never impinging on the tale, always filling each page with delicate, imaginative colour. I adore King’s quirky illustrative style and sense of fancy.  Both work well to retell a tale as old as Christmas itself. Adults sharing this picture book with young children will recognise the clever parallels to the nativity story. Young readers will enjoy the gorgeous imagery, magically told tale and simple yet strong Christmas message. Applesauce and the Christmas Miracle is guaranteed to fill your heart with the spirit of Christmas.

Recommended for pre-school age (3) and above.

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 With a name like The Yuckiest, Stinkiest, Best Valentine Ever, you know it has to be good.

Title: The Yuckiest, Stinkiest, Best Valentine Ever

Author: Brenda Ferber

Illustrator: Tedd Arnold

Publisher/Date: Dial Books for Young Readers/2012

Valentine’s Day is next week and I have the perfect book for the occasion. Kids will fall in love with The Yuckiest, Stinkiest, Best Valentine Ever by Brenda Ferber. When Leon makes a Valentine to tell Zoey he likes her, the little heart-shaped card decides to make a break for it. He thinks love is yucky. He likes candy much better than love. So, the chase is on, down the street, past the boys, and the girls, and the teenagers until… Well, I won’t tell you the ending, but maybe, just maybe the Valentine will change his mind about love. This lively and hilarious picture book (with illustrations to match) reminds me of the story of the runaway gingerbread man who would chant as he ran, “Run, run as fast as you can! You can’t catch me, I’m the Gingerbread Man!” Well, we all know what happened to him. Thankfully, the Valentine got “caught” by something much less dangerous. Read the book to find out what.

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 Today we continue to follow exciting new Queensland talent, Peter Allert and have a sqizz at his first published children’s picture book, Long Live Us!

Q Where has your work appeared?

My first book was ‘Long Live Us’ written by Edel Wignell and published by IP Kidz in 2011. Since then I have been focussing on my own illustrations and writing my own children’s book. I was part of a SCBWI Illustrators Exhibition at the Brisbane City Library in 2012 exhibiting my illustrations from Long Live Us and other projects.

Over the years I have volunteered my services as an illustrator to gain more experience, this was helpful in building my portfolio.

I have Illustrated Artwork for Aurealis Australian Fantasy & Sci-Fi Magazine www.aurealis.com.au. This has been exciting as you have to sum up a whole story into one illustration which can be a challenge. But these are the challenges that make being an illustrator worth it for me. Anything that allows you to be creative should be encouraged.

Q What children’s books have you illustrated?

In 2010 I finished illustrating my first children’s book for Interactive Publications, Pty, Ltd. “Long Live Us!” was written by Edel Wignell and published by IP Kidz in 2011.

Q How long did it take to complete your picture book project, “Long Live Us!”?

As I was working fulltime it mostly worked on the weekends and whenever I had spare time, from the character inception, storyboarding, final illustrations and adding colour in was approx. 15 to 18 months.

Q I can barely master a stick drawing. Do you like to dabble in the written word and if so, have you consider writing your own children’s book?

Yes, I would encourage any illustrator to attempt this. Apart from it possibly turning out to be a published book, it also gives you insight into the processes of how a book is developed. I am working on several ideas at the moment, I will be happy to share them once they are closer to completion.

Q Which Aussie children’s book illustrator do you admire most and why?

I believe Shaun Tan has opened up a lot of doors for illustrators in Australia and inspired many to pursue their craft. He combines his mastery of painting and illustrating with new perspectives in storytelling. Plus he’s just a nice guy.

Q Name one ‘I’ll never forget that’ moment in your illustrating career so far.

Professionally I’m not surprising anyone by saying that when they send you a copy of the book you have just illustrated or written and you see it the first time with your name, it is one of the best moments in your career. On a personal level though I completed an illustration I was very proud of and still am to this day. I looked back and said ‘did I do this?’ That is also a great moment for illustrators because you know all your long hours and work have paid off.

Q What is on the storyboard for Peter?

This year I will be attending and volunteering for the CYA Conference for the 8th Year in a row. I would encourage anyone considering becoming an illustrator, writer, or both to attend this conference. It gives you a great set of skills and understanding of the industry to start you off. Apart from that I would like to start another book and illustrate some of the photographs I took in Japan or Sweden last year. I am always open for new challenges and will add any of my new work to my website www.peterallert.com.au.

Have a look at this charming little trailer for Long Live Us! featuring some dubious fairy tale folk and one very hungry troll. (just click on the link)

Long Live Us!

 

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Many of my generation (sadly not all) and those of the next, fortunately have not endured the atrocities of war like those seen during the Holocaust. That we are able to feel its impact, appreciate the drama and acknowledge its implications is the unique potency of a picture book. Margret Wild and Freya Blackwood exploit this power wondrously well.

The quiet unassuming cover of the Treasure Box magnetised me from the moment I was handed the book. The subdued colours, lone tree bereft of leaf and life, fragments of words adrift; all at conflict with the title, which promises something far brighter and more uplifting. I was a little unprepared for the subtle magnitude of the tale, again preoccupied by the end papers, comprising scraps of text which interestingly are taken from Sonya Hartnett’s and Morris Gleitzmann’s foreign editions of their own wartime tales of displacement and loss.

We join young Peter’s story after his home town is destroyed leaving the library in ruin. Books once housed there are transformed to nothing more substantial than bits of ash as ‘frail as butterflies.’ That is all but one; a book that by fortuitous happenstance had been taken home by Peter’s father before the bombing.

Peter’s father is intent on safe-guarding the book for the stories it contains; stories that tell the history of Peter’s people, of a past ‘rarer than rubies, more splendid than silver, greater than gold.’ The book is secured in an old iron box which forms part of the meagre possessions they flee with from their homeland.

Peter’s father does not survive the soul crushing exodus but instills in Peter tremendous tenacity and a promise to keep their ‘treasure safe’. Unable to continue with such a load but true to his word Peter buries the box under an ancient linden tree, to which he returns many years later. His single-handed courage and loyalty perpetuates the most valuable treasure of all – the gift of hope and love.

Margaret Wild’s eloquent sense of story and place transports the reader into the very heart and soul of Peter and his father. Her thoughtfully sparse narrative paradoxically permeates every inch of the page and ounce of our attention. Neither her words nor the illustrations compete for space in this book. They work in convincing unison, caressing the story along and guiding us skilfully through horrific, almost unimaginable situations like sleeping in ditches, and holding the hand of a dying father.

Freya Blackwood’s artwork is instantly recognisable, however is taken one step higher using collage and multi-layering to create a stunning subtle 3D effect. Characters literally appear to be trudging across the page, accompanied by the metaphoric charred fragments of the leaves of a million books. The story is further enriched with delicate contrasts and symbolism on each page, all in the haunting sepia coloured tones of despair and misery.

Only the intensity of the treasure box itself, shown in vibrant red throughout, never fades. By Peter’s maturity, colour and prosperity have returned to his hometown. Even the library radiates with a glorious, golden yellow – hope restored.

I happened upon this picture book late last year, in spite of its 2013 publication date. I thought it was a most serendipitous discovery, but did not fully appreciate its immense value until I uncovered its contents. Truly one to treasure.

Penguin / Viking January 2013

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For my first interview of 2013, I am extremely pleased to showcase super-talented author and illustrator Melissa Guion. Baby Penguins Everywhere may be her first picture book, but it certainly won’t be her last. It is interesting to note that I can interview several people and get responses as diverse as the picture books they’ve written. In other words, I could interview ten authors or ten illustrators and ask them the same or similar questions and each would have totally unique answers. But all of them are fascinating. I know you will find Melissa Guion’s interview fascinating as well. Enjoy!

First of all, congratulations on the publication of your first picture book Baby Penguins Everywhere! It’s a wonderful book and I hope we see more from you in the near future. 

1. Have you always enjoyed writing and drawing? And when did you decide that you’d like to be published?

MG. Yes, making books is probably my oldest dream. I wanted to be a gymnast for a while, after watching Nadia Comaneci at the Montreal Olympics in 1976. One out of two isn’t bad.

2. What’s the first thing you did when you got the news that your manuscript was accepted for publication? How did you get the news?

MG. I was actually hired without a manuscript! My future editor saw my artwork and emailed (via my agent) to say he wanted to give me a multi-book deal. I went into our first meeting fairly dubious, but it turned out he meant it. When I got home, there was an email in my inbox from the editor about how we might go about developing a story, and we were off.

When I got that email, I think I did all the obvious things like jumping around. I called my mom. I had champagne with friends that night to celebrate. The next day I told different friends and we also had champagne. I dragged it out.

3. How long did it take from acceptance to finished, shelf-ready book?

MG. People keep asking this and I keep guessing. I’m going to actually look it up right now… Start to finish, it took 2 1/2 years. That’s slightly misleading because, again, there was no manuscript. We made a handshake deal to do a penguin book in late 2009. I had a contract by the summer of 2010, and that’s about when I had my first dummy done. I turned in the final art in January 2012 and saw a finished copy in August 2012.

That’s a really long time. My second and third books will get done much faster, at least according to my contract.

4. How excited were you when you saw your finished book for the first time?

MG. I’m excited every single time I see it. I don’t know if that ever wears off.

5. How did you come up with the idea for Baby Penguins Everywhere?

MG. When I met my editor, I was a new mom and a first-time illustrator. My life was full of chaos. My editor suggested the premise of the lone penguin who finds a magic hat overflowing with babies. It felt applicable to every area of my life.

6. You also illustrated your book. What materials did you use to create the illustrations? Are they your favorite media to work with when creating art?

MG. I used pencil and watercolor. I thought about doing something experimental, but I already had plenty of challenges to deal with. Anyway, I really like watercolor. I love that it has a mind of its own.

7. Where can your fans go to learn more about you?

MG. I have a website, www.melissaguion.com. Readers can subscribe to my blog there. I try to update it a few times a month. I’m also on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/BabyPenguinsEverywhere) and Twitter (@MelissaGuion).

8. Is there anything else you’d like to share with Frog on a Blog readers?

MG. If they’re ever in NYC, they need to go to Russ and Daughter, on Houston Street, for smoked salmon and horseradish cream cheese on a bagel. It’s the best! Penguins like it, too.

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Title: The Princess and the Peas

Author: Caryl Hart

Illustrator: Sarah Warburton

Publisher/Date: Nosy Crow/2013

I absolutely love this clever, rhyming story about a little girl named Lily-Rose May who won’t eat peas. Maybe she’s allergic to peas. Maybe she’s a princess. Everyone knows princesses don’t eat peas. This book is beautifully illustrated with lots of detail and bright colors, including an eye-catching cover. The verse is flawless and flows along nicely. The story made me smile for a couple of reasons. First, it’s just so fun. And second, it reminds me just a little bit of myself when I was a child. I hated peas (still do) and refused to eat them. In fact, I disliked them so much that I used to put them down the heating vent in the dining room after everyone else had left the table. My mother didn’t find out until years later. I was a very picky eater. The picky eater in your household will enjoy this story and so will you.

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  This year’s winner of the Caldecott Medal is This Is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen (Candlewick Press, 2012).  This story is a big fish tale, but not in the way you might think. It’s also a small fish tale about a small fish who stole the hat of a big fish. He’s pretty sure he can get away with it, but stealing is wrong, isn’t it? Do you think he’ll get away with it? Do you think he should? This story certainly made me smile. Mr. Klassen does a superb job moving the story along with short sentences and illustrations that change ever so slightly as they move to the right and off of the page.

 The ALSC chose five honor books this year! Among them is Creepy Carrots by Aaron Reynolds and illustrated by Peter Brown (Simon & Schuster, 2012). This fun picture book is cleverly illustrated with just enough color to set an eerie mood. If picture books were horror movies, this one would be rated G. It’s just so much fun; I read it three or four times. Jasper Rabbit has this terrible feeling that carrots are following him. Is it his imagination? Or have the creepy carrots devised a plan to keep Jasper out of the carrot patch?

 Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett and illustrated by Jon Klassen (Balzer+Bray, 2012) is my favorite of the picks this year. The story includes everything from a magic box of colorful yarn, to an evil archduke, to a sweet, young heroine who cares very much for her town. I like how the town gets more and more colorful as the story goes along. But the best part is the quiet, unassuming, and peaceful ending.

 This honor book simply titled Green by Laura Vaccaro Seeger (Roaring Brook Press, 2012) is beautifully illustrated in different shades of green, one of my favorite colors. It sports minimal text and peek-a-boo cut outs on several of the pages, which tie one page cleverly to the next. As you may guess, all of the illustrations depict the great outdoors and the natural beauty of the world, and showcase trees, flowers, animals, vegetables, and more.

 One Cool Friend by Toni Buzzeo and illustrated by David Small (Dial Books, 2012) stars a polite, young boy named Elliot who decides he wants a penguin. I like Elliot; he has a lot of character. I like the combination of color and black and white for the multimedia illustrations. My favorite picture shows Elliot and the penguin skating in his room. This is a fun story that will make you laugh. And the twist at the end is the best!

 Sleep Like a Tiger by Mary Logue and illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski (Houghton Mifflin Books, 2012) is a dreamy, bedtime story with muted colors that fill up the pages. The paintings are a mix of fantasy and reality and, along with the solid text, tell the story of a young girl who doesn’t want to go to sleep. I just love the pictures of the dog asleep on the couch; just gorgeous!

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I am super excited to share my newest interview with Frog on a Blog readers. Say “hello” to awesome author/illustrator Carin Bramsen. The first time I saw her  beautiful picture book Hey, Duck!, I became an instant fan. Her style is playful, colorful, and so detailed, three qualities I love in a picture book. Just look at this gorgeous cover. Of course, to really get what I’m talking about, you have to check out the book in person. I immediately noticed the amazing realistic detail of the little duck’s feathers and the cat’s fur. And of course, the story is wonderful too. Enjoy the interview!

I have fallen madly in love with your soft, little duckling and his gorgeous feline friend from your book Hey, Duck! I’m excited to have this chance to get to know more about you and your work through this interview, and to share your answers with my blog fans.

1. How did you get your start in children’s books? And which do you prefer, writing or illustrating?

CB. Thank you so much for inviting me! I’m honored and delighted to appear on this wonderful blog devoted to picture books.

My path to children’s books was roundabout. I’ve always loved both drawing and writing, and some of my best childhood memories are of illustrating my own stories. But as a misguided young adult, I thought I had to choose between writing and the visual arts. I made many false starts in either direction. At some point, my sister, Kirsten, and I spoke casually of collaborating on a book about one of her childhood experiences. We eventually revisited the idea, she wrote a terrific story called THE YELLOW TUTU, and I set about trying to illustrate it. I had much to learn, so I started poring over heaps of picture books to see what worked. I read Martin Salisbury’s Illustrating Children’s Books, which taught me how to put together a picture book dummy. The more I worked at it, the more I fell in love with the challenge of telling a story through pictures as well as words. We published THE YELLOW TUTU with Random House in 2009. By then, I was hooked on the picture book genre, and my own stories flowed naturally from learning about narrative art. One of the many things I love about this field: it turns out I don’t have to choose between writing and illustrating!

2. Your characters are so full of life. I feel as if they could jump right off the page. What medium did you use to create your illustrations for Hey, Duck?

CB. Thank you! I’m so happy to hear you find my characters full of life. I drew the illustrations for HEY, DUCK on my computer, with a digital tablet. The tablet comes with a mouse shaped like a pen, which I use to draw (paint) colors, shapes, textures and tones as I would with a traditional brush or pen. But Photoshop allows me more flexibility than paint and paper would for moving parts around, layering and reworking if need be.

3. What is your workspace like?

CB. My workspace is an unprepossessing corner of my living/dining room. (And by “corner” I mean a third of the space; this is a Brooklyn apartment, after all!) I have my computer desk next to a folding table with a drawing board on top, and lots of jars filled with brushes and pencils. Lately, I’ve dragged my old easel into the living room, where I’ve been playing around with bigger drawings. I still love all kinds of traditional media, and the visceral feel of working big.

4. What picture book authors and illustrators do you most admire? Do you have any favorite picture books?

CB. Oh, dear. I have so many favorite authors, illustrators and picture books, I can’t keep track. A few of the books that make me sit back and say, “perfect”: THE SNOWY DAY, by Ezra Jack Keats; SNOW, by Uri Shulevitz; TEN LITTLE FINGERS AND TEN LITTLE TOES, by Mem Fox, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury. I adore the Mole Sisters books by Roslyn Schwartz. I often find a special beauty in books that skew very young, and I love anything that makes me laugh. But my tastes range anywhere from James Marshall to Dr. Seuss to Kadir Nelson to Gennady Spirin. There’s an endless variety of riches in picture books, all indispensable.

5. What other books have you written or illustrated, and are you working on any new projects?

CB. I’m pleased to say there are new books with Duck and Cat on the horizon.

6. Where can people go to learn more about you and your books?

CB. I have a website: http://carinbramsen.com/home.html

I also have a blog: http://carindraw.blogspot.com/

And I’m on Twitter: @carinbramsen

7. Is there anything else you’d like to share with Frog on a Blog fans?

CB. Often, a good picture book experience owes much to a talented art director. I’m indebted to Tracy Tyler, the Random House art director who has brought so much knowledge, dedication and inspired insight to both of my book projects to date. Picture books are always a team effort.

     

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Hi guys. Just a quick one to let you all know that our book Three Silly Chickens , written and illustrated by Tanya Fenton, has been reviewed in the most recent issue of the School Librarian journal. The review, written by Jane Doonan, is very positive, and describes the story as an 'amusing take on a folk tale convention ... dramatised on the page by a fine sense of page design.' 

A link to the Amazon page for the book can be found below:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Three-Silly-Chickens-Tanya-Fenton/dp/1907432116

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  Raise your hand if you’re looking for a brightly illustrated picture book that is fun to read aloud, stars a charming piggy character, and teaches you your colors, all to the tune of I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly. Okay, so maybe you weren’t looking for a book like that, but I found one for you anyway. It’s I Know a Wee Piggy (2012, Dial Books) by Kim Norman. It’s gorgeous multi-hued art was done by Henry Cole in acrylics and colored-pencils. Kim Norman does a wonderful job engaging the reader with deceptively simple lines like: “I know a wee piggy who wallowed in red. Hoof to head, he wallowed in red.” Follow the precocious little pig as he makes his way through the county fair and see what color he wins in the end. Kids will enjoy this book from eye-catching cover to satisfying ending.  

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  Here’s a perfect pick for dog lovers. Dog Gone! (2012, G.P. Putnam’s Sons) by Leeza Hernandez has just 25 short lines, but manages to convey all sorts of emotions, including happiness, sadness, anger, fear, worry, and love. Dog Gone! is about a small dog who runs away from home after being scolded by his beloved boy. While out roaming the streets, he realizes he belongs at home, and he and his boy are joyfully reunited at the end. The illustrations are lively and fun, combining a variety of media. The rhyming text is simple, playful, and a good complement to the illustrations. And once again, the dog in the story reminds me of my own dog. Overall, it’s a great book for kids and animal lovers.

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  Blue Apple Books has a lot of terrific titles, but I especially like Scribbles and Ink (2012) by Ethan Long. Ink is a mouse and Scribbles is a cat and the only thing they have in common is that they are both artists. They have very different opinions on what makes good art and so a battle of pencils and brushes takes place until finally, they decide to work together to create something extra special. This book is a clever introduction to art for young readers. I like the use of primary colors for the majority of the illustrations. And the showcase of different art styles and artists at the end adds a superb finishing touch to the story. Look for more books by this talented author/illustrator. Also, look for more titles published by Blue Apple. Another one that I really like is called My Dog Thinks I’m a Genius by Harriet Ziefert. Look for it and Scribbles and Ink today!

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“When Sylvan Dell asked me if I’d be interested in creating the Animal Helpers’ series, I jumped at the opportunity,” said author Jennifer Curtis,who received the 2012 State of Maryland International Reading Association Council Literacy Award. “These books not only help young readers and their parents learn more about the incredible ways that experts help wild animals, they provide a means of fundraising for each participating clinic. Rescuing and rehabilitating individual animals is incredibly expensive and each participant will use the books to help raise funds for their centers.”

The first book, Animal Helpers: Wildlife Rehabilitators, features the work of four wildlife rehabilitators, including Kathy Woods of the Phoenix Wildlife Center in Maryland. This well-known rehabilitator was the impetus of Curtis’ Baby Owl’s Rescue. Victoria Campbell of Wild Things Sanctuary in New York; Kim Johnson of the Drift Inn Wildlife Sanctuary in Texas; and Miriam Moyer and Mary Birney of White Flicker Wild Bird Rehabilitation in Pennsylvania are also featured . U.S. Fish & Wildlife’s Randy Loftus also contributed extraordinary photographs of rescues.

When wild animals get sick they can’t go to the doctor, often wildlife rehabilitators are called to rescue injured, sick or orphaned animals. The rehabilitators nurse the animals back to health in hopes that they will be released into the wild once they have recovered. Kim Johnson, who specializes in mammals and raptors said, “I am very excited for the opportunity to share the rewards of assisting and protecting our wildlife.  I hope the book inspires some to follow our examples and continue the hard but rewarding work of a rehabilitator.”

Jennifer Keats Curtis is passionate about nature; often referred to the green author, you will find Jennifer among students and teachers sharing her love for animals. In addition to the Animal Helpers series, Baby Owl’s Rescue, and Turtles In My Sandbox for Sylvan Dell, some of her other recent titles include Seahorses, Osprey Adventure and Saving Squeak: The Otter Tale. Learn more and request a school visit by checking out her website at www.jenniferkeatscurtis.com and following her on Facebook at Green Author Jennifer Keats Curtis.

Be the first to read Animal Helpers: Wildlife Rehabilitators, enter to win a FREE eBook here from Sylvan Dell! Comment with your name and email address we will pick 5 lucky winners!

* Winners in the past 6 months are not eligible for contests.

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Title: Bedtime for Boo

Author: Mickie Matheis

Illustrator: Bonnie Leick

Publisher/Year: Golden Books/2012

Here’s a fun Halloween (or anytime) story about an endearing, wee ghost named Boo who experiences his first haunting trip with his family. But when his fun-filled night is over, how will he ever fall asleep. Can the sounds of the night lull him to dreamland? This book combines prose and rhyme in a clever, fun-to-read way, that changes as the story changes. The wonderful illustrations depict Boo, his family, and their home in the muted colors of night. Bedtime for Boo is a good bedtime story choice for your little ghost or goblin.

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HAPPY PICTURE BOOK MONTH!

 

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What's the most beautiful thing you've ever seen?

Today we heard from British novelist Patrick Gale, author of 16 novels, including Rough Music – reputedly the most widely held book in libraries. We also spoke to Sue, bookseller at Hunting Raven Bookshop in Frome and to Kate and Nic from Mr B’s Emporium of Reading Delights in Bath.
Patrick took time to think about the most beautiful thing he has seen whilst sitting on a train crawling through rural Ireland, and like one of the suitors in The King Who Wanted More, he has chosen a rose (although not a red one): ‘…the most beautiful thing I've ever seen is something I'm lucky enough to see for much of the year whenever I step outside my study in the garden. It's a fantastically lovely rose, Souvenir du Docteur Jamain, in that hard-to-photograph shade of deep purple that plant breeders often arrived at in their obsessive quest for black. It thrives on a largely sunless wall, has elegant, bug free foliage, smells like heaven and is a salutary reminder that nothing I write can begin to rival the beauties of nature!’

Patrick is also a talented musician. He attended the choir school for Winchester Cathedral and later sang for the London Philharmonic Choir. He also takes nice photographs - if the picture he gave us of his rose is anything to go by.

Sue, bookseller at Hunting Raven Bookshop in Frome, Somerset, said the most beautiful thing she had seen was a tiger. She is a regular visitor to Longleat Safari Park, which is ‘just down the road’, but on one occasion she experienced a very special moment:

‘It was late in the afternoon, just before the park closed, and there were no other cars about. Ours was the last car in.

‘The park had got two new tigers and as we travelled around we saw them playing. Suddenly they ran across the road in front of us and as they did one of them stopped and turned around to look at us. It was a very powerful.’

Whilst Sue didn't capture the moment with a photograph, here is William Blake's original of The Tyger, printed c. 1795, image courtesy of Wikipedia.



While assistant manager Kate from Mr B’s Emporium of Reading Delights in Bath gave the matter some thought (she was leaning towards an item of clothing), owner Nic didn't need to think twice about his most beautiful sight:
‘An Alaskan sunset – viewed from Anchorage. ‘Anchorage is a small city, but if you are high up, say in a hotel, you can see for hundreds of miles. In the foreground is the bay, and beyond that the mountains and beyond that the complete wilderness that is Alaska stretching out forever.’
To help promote our new title The King Who Wanted More, I’m finding out what is the most beautiful thing people have ever seen. It could be a landscape, a painting, a building, or maybe something altogether different...it’s completely up to you. Please email rob.berry@hogsbackbooks.com if you'd like to take part.

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What's the most beautiful thing you've ever seen?

Jane Gardam, OBE author of children's and adult fiction and twice winner of the Whitbread Award, discussed her most beautiful sight with my mother-in-law over afternoon tea.
Jane grew up in Cumberland and the North Riding of Yorkshire, and she recalled one winter, when on a visit to Swale Falls in Richmond, she witnessed the waterfall turn to ice. It was a rare thing, caused by a sudden temperature change, which freezes the water mid flow. Although it was only a fleeting occurrence, the memory of it stayed with Jane and was later captured in her short story ‘Icicle Ride’, featured in her children’s collection The Hollow Land. The book, which now sadly appears to be out of print, arrived in today’s post and the passage below describes Jane’s experience: ‘And there round the corner to the left where the beck fell sheer, stood high as the sky a chandelier of icicles. Hundreds upon hundreds of them down the shale steps of a waterfall. There were long ones and short ones and middling ones and fat ones like an arm and thin ones like a thread. They hung down from up as high as you could see and down to your very wellingtons. And not only water had turned to spears of glass but every living thing about – the grasses, the rushes, the spider webs, the tall great fearless thistles. You could pull the tubes of ice off the long wands of the loose-strife. You could lift them off like hollow needles. You could look right down them like crystal test tubes. You could watch them twist like fairy ear-rings. And as the sun reached them they all turned at once to every colour ever known – rose and orange and blue and green and lilac – and Harry and Bell watched them until the sun slipped down a little and left them icicles again.’

Jane has twice won the Whitbread Award for The Hollow Land (1981) and, for her adult novel, The Queen of the Tambourines (1991). In addition, God on the Rocks was runner up for the Booker Prize and her story for young readers, Bridget and William, was ‘Commended’ for the Carnegie Medal.

To help promote our new title The King Who Wanted More, We're finding out what is the most beautiful thing people have ever seen. It could be a landscape, a painting, a building, or maybe something altogether different...it’s completely up to you. Please email enquiries@hogsbackbooks.com if you'd like to take part.

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What's the most beautiful thing you've ever seen?

Aileen Davis of Appleby’s Bookshop in Morpeth couldn't choose between two sights which she felt were the most beautiful she'd seen: the orchids in Singapore (the walkways across the roads, she says, are ‘festooned’ with them)  and the aerial view of New Zealand as you approach Auckland Airport.

‘I was on holiday in NZ three years ago and as the plane came into land, I looked out of the window and on this clear day glimpsed the entire coastline, including the volcano at the other end of the island. I haven’t seen anything more beautiful.’

Singaporean Orchids

But before you decide to jump on a plane to the Far East, Stephanie Ellison would argue that you should to take a trip to the North East and visit Seven Stories Bookshop in Newcastle:

‘In the attic on level 7 of our shop is an art installation by illustrator/author Oliver Jeffers. It’s very beautiful. I’m sure that everyone in the shop would agree that it’s the most beautiful thing they’ve seen. There are books hanging from the ceiling, and books at all different levels - it’s a sight to behold.’

To help promote our new title The King Who Wanted More, We're finding out what is the most beautiful thing people have ever seen. It could be a landscape, a painting, a building, or maybe something altogether different...it’s completely up to you. Please email enquiries@hogsbackbooks.com if you'd like to take part.

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Title: It’s a Tiger

Author: David LaRochelle

Illustrator: Jeremy Tankard

Publisher/Year: Chronicle/2012

There’s no doubt that kids will love It’s a Tiger by David LaRochelle. It’s a fast-paced adventure story. It reminds me of something out of an Indiana Jones movie where you have to keep moving or you’re going to get caught. And there’s danger around every corner. You and the kids will get to the end of this book quickly, but you will have had so much fun, that you will want to read it again and again. The full-page ink and digital illustrations are lively and bright. And the cover is a perfect attention grabber. It’s a Tiger is a great pick.

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