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I am a big Illustration Intensive fan. Creative people, in this industry, have to be life-long learners. Sophie Blackall, this past weekend, talked about herself improving as an artist and compared it to yoga. Even when you are improving, you can always stretch deeper, reach farther... I love that analogy!
I was particularly excited for this intensive because I have never done am intensive that focused on character design. I am sure you are familiar with #WeNeedDiverseBooks. This is something I feel really passionate about. I've moved around a lot, and many of my friends and their kids, that are from a variety of different ethnicities and races, are not usually represented in picture books. So this intensive started off by prompting us to draw someone from a specific race or ethnicity, from our imagination, and afterwards by reference. After using my imagination (which was occasional reliable for this sort of thing), it was incredible to see reference of a broader spectrum and larger variety of people belonging to a certain race or ethnicity.
Here's a few of my sketches:
Next we analyzed facial expressions and were prompted to illustrate that emotion on an animal or object. This was all very fast paced... you had to be on your toes in this intensive! One of the prompts that I had a hard time wrapping my brain around was an angry barn. I wish you could have seen the other illustrators designs. There was so much talent in that room. Here is my very disgruntled owl for you. :)
Art director Laurent Linn, who worked in Sesame Street for many years, brought some puppeteers to act out some seenes for us. Something interesting I found out was that a majority of the puppets in Sesame Street are not built with a smile. So when you think you are being a smile, or a warm expression, or conversely an angry expression... it is ALL body gestures.
Later on, we watched some live actors act out scenes or emotions. They emphasized that the less cliche their actions were, the more sincere and impactful the moment could be.
It really was a brilliant intensive. Before we came to the intensive, we were all asked to bring studies of 3 original animal or human characters. Here are mine:
We analyzed what was working and what was not working. Afterwards, we had some time to synthesize what we had learned and to sketch our characters. I think I want to develop a story out of this little witch.
Anyway, it really was peachy. Next time I create a character, I will put a lot more thought into it. Alrighty, back to work. Good luck to you and me on our projects!
0 Comments on 2016 SCBWI-LA, Part 2: Illustration Intensive Brilliance as of 1/1/1900
It's been a week since the LA SCBWI summer conference was over. I am delighted I went, and sad it's over. I have a mountain of notes, so I thought I'd share a few blurbs and quotes with you that knocked me off my socks, pointed me in a new direction, or gave me a warm fuzzy hug.
Pam Muñoz Ryan
"Any success in writing is the tip of an iceberg of accumulated failures." -Pam Muñoz Ryan
"If you are not struggling, you are setting your goals too low." - Pam Muñoz Ryan
Justin Chanda
"Diversity is not a trend. Diversity is not the new Vampires." - Justin Chanda
"Children's Book people are good citizens of the planet." - Justin Chanda
Melissa Manlove
When creating quirky picture books Melissa Manlove said,"You can't do things badly. But if you do them well, you can do whatever you want."
Jon Klassen
"Don't wait 'till you get better to start." - Jon Klassen
"You don't have to own success or failure." - Jon Klassen
Marie Lu
"There is no such thing as 'being behind.' Everyone goes at their own pace." - Marie Lu
Lauren Rille
When writing your picture book story, Lauren Rille says, "Pack all the pages with heart and emotional punch."
"Don't be precious with your work. Especially at the beginning." - Lauren Rille
"We expect picture books to be revisited a gazillion times... to stand up to weary parents and antsy toddlers, over and over again. - Susan Rich
Sophie Blackall
Concerning your ideas: "Do not hoard what seems good for later." - Sophie Blackall
Richard Peck
"If our readers don't like the first line, they'll never see the second." - Richard Peck
It was such a delightful conference. I'm so grateful to meet knew friends, rejoice with old friends and their successes, and to be reinvigorated and rejuvenated on my own projects. Like I said, I'm sad it's over. But I'm happy to be home, working on my projects, with my corgi sitting happily on my feet.
(Do keep posted for Part 2. I'll share some of my character sketches from the illustration intensive sometime this week. Yippee!)
0 Comments on 2016 SCBWI-LA, Part 1: Crispy nuggets of wisdom. Yum! as of 1/1/1900
Pssst. Hey you. Guess what? I just won 'Best Promo' at the SCBWI-CenCal Artworks this last Saturday.
Here's the mailer I created:
Kristine Brogno, Design Director from Chronicle Books and artist/writer Salina Yoon were the guest speakers. I'm still trying to digest everything. It was a pretty fab little conference. There were a lot of talented illustrators there too, so I was delighted to win.
(There were tons of other fabulous postcards I didn't snag... because I was eating all the strawberries. Shhh!)
(You can follow her on twitter, and if you would like a sneak peak at her design savvy, check out her blog.)
I love going to conferences, but I especially love going to illustration intensives. The purpose of an intensive is to bring you back to art school (only the knowledgeable professor is replaced with an insightful art director). The assignment is suppose to replicate what working with an art director is like.
Months before the intensive, Lauren sent us the text to a picture book. She asked us to create a thumbnail dummy (or teeny tiny drawings that map out the pacing of the book). From those thumbnails she asked that we send her 2 roughs (or more finished drawings) of the spreads that we wanted to illustrate. Once we turned those in, she would email us a critique. We were to bring the revised thumbnails and 2 final spreads to the intensive, to be critiqued as a group.
The text we got was a sweet and very young picture book called Baby Love by Angela DiTerlizziand illustrated by fellow Mentee Brooke Boynton Hughes. I'll be honest, I pulled a few hairs out trying to think how I could illustrate the text differently, especially since Brooke did such a gobsmacklingly wonderful job.
After drawing what seemed like a million and two families with babies, I finally decided to put this family in space... going on a spacewalk, with them bringing their baby home to sleep at their colony on Mars. (Everything is better in space, right?! ;)
Here's what I sent in:
Stick figures in.... SPAAAAACE!!!
This is one of the roughs I sent in. (I do my roughs... extra rough.)
Doesn't this sweet face make you weep?!
Lauren responded with a very helpful critique. She mentioned one reason she had prompted our group with this particular text was because babies are so hard to illustrate; people often get the proportions wrong. So I decided to do some more "research" on babies and ended up waxing nostalgic, thinking of my kid's infancy. Something that I noticed is the lack of neck and the adorable potbelly. Lauren also said babies barely have any eyebrows or eyelashes.
So armed with a refreshed knowledge that babies are not just miniature adults, I went back to the drawing board and sketched another million babies.
I redid my thumbnails and revised my roughs.
My sketches are starting to get tighter here.
Next, I scanned my drawings in, printed them out on Arches 140lb, and painted with watercolor.
Then I scanned the watercolor in and painted in some digital layers.
Finally, after all our blood, sweat, and tears, we went to the intensive, and had our illustrations critiqued. This is what I submitted:
(You can click on them, to see closer, if you have ancient eyes like me.)
If you are not already a believer, I strongly urge you to start doing illustration intensives. (You can check out if there are any intensives in your neck of the woods here.) I've been to many of them in different regions, and I've always learned something about myself as an artist, or about how art directors interact with illustrators, or even whether or not my style is right for that particular art director or publishing house. You have nothing to loose and everything to gain.
Alrighty friends, thanks for dropping by and happy illustrating!
0 Comments on Illustration Intensives: Intensely Beneficial as of 1/1/1900
If you were wondering why I've been staring off dreamily into space or why I've been looking at you with a placid grin on my face while we discuss the horrors of tax season...
It's because I am going to be represented by the fabulous Linda Pratt literary agent and Co-Owner of Wernick & Pratt Agency!! (I know, I know... I'm still pinching myself.)
Pssst! For the record, Linda reps some of my kidlit heroes, whose art will make your face melt because it's so lovely, and that have won all sorts of fancy awards.
I'm delighted and honored (and a wee bit jittery.) Thanks for being amazing friends, colleagues, and supporting me in my crazy kidlit obsession.
Thanks a lot universe for taking away one of my favorite actors who happened to play a large number of my favorite villains. I created this piece today in mopey memorandum. #RIPAlanRickman.
0 Comments on [Death], the love I bear thee can afford No better term than this: thou art a villain. as of 1/14/2016 5:37:00 PM
I have warm fuzzy memories of when my babies first started looking into my eyes. We are hard-wired to connect to one another, to understand one another, by reading facial expressions. If we want children to connect to the illustrations in our stories, it's imperative that we create characters that clearly convey specific emotions. So here's a list of some tips to help give your characters that emotion and expression. Keep an eye on the eyes. The first place your eyes usually go to when looking at an illustration is... well, the eyes. So we really have to get them right. Avoid creating a character with dead eyes, or where your character's eyes stare straight into space. (Unless your character is a zombie, of course. Then I'd say a dead eye is apropos.) It's also important to make sure that both your character's eyeballs are pointing in the right direction. Unintentionally crossed eyes can be confusing.
Eyes both pointing in the same direction, because Carson Ellis is a rock star. -The Mysterious Benedict Society
The eyebrows have it. The emotion your character is expresses from their eyes is continued and emphasized through the eyebrows. The closed eyes of the girl below, with her wide reaching smile shows us her happiness, but the raised eyebrows show a touch of surprise or delight. But do watch out for floating eyebrows, which can be distracting. It helps to draw a superhero-like mask on your character to see if the eyebrows appear connected to the eyes.
by Meridth Gimbel (that's me :)
Mind the mouth. The mouth can be another way to emphasize or clarify the emotions your character is communicating. Below we see Merida's eyes and eyebrows are showing shock, and her mouth is small and reserved, showing fear. Her mouth is complimenting the emotions that we see with the rest of her features.
Brave Concept Art- Daniel Muñoz
But lets look at another example. Below we see the eyebrows of the little girl. When looking at just the eyes and the eyebrows, we might think she looks concerned, maybe scared? But when we also look at her smile, we see that she is trying to look sincere, sweet, and innocent. The eyebrows and the smile need each other to make this visual story work.
Dave McKean - The Day I Swapped My Dad for 2 Goldfish
Pick the right nose. The nose can occasionally stretch in extreme emotions and can be helpful in emphasizing an expression. Look at how King Fergus' nostril is flaring up. We can tell, with his eyebrows, that he is afraid. The flat line of the eye shows seriousness and the flared nose shows grit and determination.
Brave Concept Art- Daniel Muñoz
Yes, even a bushy eyebrow can show emotion.
The face is fleshy. Its good to remember that the face can be flexible. Our faces are full of muscles, bones, and fat. Look at how high Norman's forehead is pushed from his eyebrows in his shocked expression (#2). His open mouth also lowers the jawline. In his bottom concerned/disappointed face (#3) there is a frown that moves the jaw up from the resting face (#1).
1.ParaNorman Concept Art- Pete Oswald (Resting face.)
2. (Shocked face.)
3. (Concerned/disappointed face)
Asymmetry is interesting. No face is perfectly symmetrical. I find it more interesting when a smile spreads halfway up one face, or you see one eyebrow rise higher. Asymmetry can add to a character's individuality. Just remember to keep it consistent. Typically a character will always favor the same side of the face.
Annette Marnat - Kat Incorrigible
Keep it simple. Pat Cummings once said that when we create picture book illustrations we need to create them for three different audiences; kids that are sitting in the laps of their parents, kids reading on their own, and kids that are being read to in a classroom. When I say keep the emotion simple, this is for that kid in the classroom. Kids need to be able to read an expression from at least a few feet away from the illustration. Below we have a disgruntled mom. We can see her eyebrows raised in frustration and disappointment, and her angry, pursed lips. In the full illustration below, even though the expression is small compared to the rest of the image, we can still see the facial gesture because of the simplicity.
Mark Teague - How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight
Take mental notes. Observe from life.
So when my kids have a meltdown, I try to remember what their face is doing (without staring too much, because that does not help during a meltdown). Also, I always have a mirror or camera handy to see what my face would do when feeling mad, sad, glad, etc.
This is what I look like having a meltdown ;)
Practice, practice, practice.
I'm hopeful that I'll be perfect in my next life, but for now I am content in working my little tail off so that I can continue to learn how to fully emote what my characters need to express. Emotion is key to storytelling, so this is something that I will always focus on.
Suggested tools:
-Your face! (How very convenient.) -Pinterest - This is a great place to find reference for facial expressions and all sorts of other fun scrap.
So many gems on pinterest. But beware, it's a rabbit hole.
-The Grimace Project- If you are not sure how you would like to draw a specific emotion, have fun playing around with the 'Grimace Project.' You can adjust the scales to make the face show different expressions.
It's been awhile. I've been keeping my nose buried in books and pencil shavings. I 'm currently working on my book dummy for The Messy Bed, and a stack of other projects. Busy busy and wishing that house elves would work on that pile of laundry already! Yay art. Boo housework!
0 Comments on ...like a chicken with it's head cut off as of 11/12/2015 3:02:00 PM
...which, let's be honest, was really neat. Have you seen the artists on there? They are soooooo talented. And I am now a member of the kidlit club. Yippee!!! Anyhow, I was asked to share my experience as a Mentorship Winner. If you are interested, you can click here to go to the post. But if you would like a summary, let me just say it was a brilliant experience. It was so validating to be among the talented few who were awarded the SCBWI LA Mentorship. And I feel like I am more confidently stepping towards my goals. Thanks so much to the mentors!! And thanks to you, friends, for supporting me. Life is so good. (Especially when it's sprinkled with chocolate.) And if you'll excuse me, I think I need to go and powder my octopus. ;)
0 Comments on I got interviewed by the lovely KidLit Artists blog! as of 9/29/2015 4:39:00 PM
Oh my goodness oh my goodness! I cannot believe that I am a mentee! For those of you who aren't sure exactly what this means (this includes you, Great Auntie Alma) I thought I'd share specifically how neat this is. (Pssst. It's pretty neat!)
So I went to the annual SCBWI LA conference. This is where over 1200 children's writers, illustrators, publishers, editors, agents, art directors meet. There were inspiring keynote speakers talking about the craft of writing/illustrating books, what goes on in the industry... but more on that in another post. I submitted my portfolio to the annual portfolio showcase. I remember just before entering the showcase I saw the editors, agents, and art directors looking around at the portfolios on the patio. It was pretty intimidating. Somebody turned to me and told me they were nervous about the competition. I told them that I wasn't. I wasn't going to win. Last year there were two Disney concept artists at the showcase, whose work was salivatingly beautiful, and they didn't win. There were too many talented people this year to even think I would be in the running. So I was in complete shock when they called my name. To be honest, I'm still pretty shocked.
Lots and lots of portfolios - Photo taken by Laurent Linn
I believe there were around 175 brilliant portfolios submitted and I was one of the six hand selected as an "up and coming artist whose publishable work shows great promise and potential" for the Mentorship program. Totally bonkers.
All the tiny people - Photo taken by Candace Camling
Here are my fellow Mentees and their websites. (Prepare to salivate.)
K-Fai Steel, Molly Ruttan, Nicholas Huong, Anne Berry, Me, & Kisoo Chai
The the best part of the award is that we got to be mentored by these industry giants:
Brenda Bowen - Agent at Sanford J. Greenburger Inc. She represents a lot of movers and shakers in the publishing world including Rosemary Wells and Hilary Knight.
Peter Brown - Author & Illustrator of 7 books that are loaded with awards including the Caldecott Honor he got for his illustrations for Creepy Carrots, written by Aaron Reynolds.
Priscilla Burris - Author/Illustrator of some really sweet children's books she also is the National SCBWI Illustrator Coordinator.
Pat Cummings - Author/Illustrator of over 30 books that are smattered with a variety of awards. She is a professor at Parsons and Pratt and has so much insight in the craft and process of creating children's books.
Laurent Linn - Art Director for Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. He started his career as a puppet designer/builder (pretty cool huh?!) and eventually became the Creative Director for the Sesame Street Muppets winning an Emmy Award.
Paul O. Zelinsky - Author/Illustrator creating over 30 books, winning many awards including a Caldecott for his Rapunzel book, and has also received 3 Caldecott Honors.
So we had the privilege of being critiqued and to received personal career advice individually and as a group by our 6 mentors. I basically wrote a novel of notes and have a big fat "To Do" list. I feel super blessed to have received such a wonderful opportunity. There have been several Mentees, from the past, that had careers launched from this award. So hopefully I can capitolize on the momentum of this award. I feel like my compass is now pointing to true north thanks to this lovely experience.
Kisoo Chai, Nicholas Huong, Me, Molly Ruttan, Anne Berry, Priscilla Burris, Laurent Linn, K-Fai Steele, Pat Cummings, & Paul O. Zelinsky. (Peter Brown and Brenda Bowen were signing books.)
...and there was much rejoicing!
Yes that is Peter Brown right behind me (!!!!)
0 Comments on What the what now? I won just the SCBWI Los Angeles Portfolio Mentorship? as of 1/1/1900
Hey friends. Welcome to the warmest, fuzziest, and of course chocolate filled, month of the year. In honer of this lovey dovey month, I'm going to take on KidlitArt's challenge to post a sketch of something I LOVE for all 28 days. Day #1 has got to be a pirates. Because pirates are so very lovable. Yes they arrrrrrrrrrrre. ;)
Sea Side Joe is especially lovable because he's been hit in the head too many times...
(I will more likely post the rest of the 27 days on my Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Tumblr accounts so check me out there.)
0 Comments on 28 Day LOVE FEST! Wooooo! as of 1/1/1900
Hi friends! So it's the beginning of the year and I'm ready to rock and roll with some new goals. I decided that I really needed to keep my goals attainable. I'm usually the "I'm going to swallow this whole elephant" kinda gal. This year I'm focusing on the small bites. I'm writing and painting around the same time of day. I'm cutting out most of my TV watching (boohoo ;) I'm only eating kale and wheat grass. (Just kidding.) Anyway, I thought I'd share with you a journal I created for Lilla Rogers' Bootcamp. If you want a journal of your own, to write your memoir or diabolical plans... feel free to click here. Anyway, here's to you and your attainable goals.
0 Comments on New Beginnings, Fresh Starts, and Chocolate. Can't forget the chocolate. as of 1/26/2015 1:49:00 AM
No, that was not just a voice in my head. I was privileged enough to go to SCBWI’s LAconference last weekend. That was a direct quote from the talented Judy Shachner, author and illustrator of the Skippy Jon Jones series.
It was a wonderfully manic experience. Let’s just say I came home feeling like I got hit by a semi and my “To Do” list’s size has tripled.
I thought since you all love children’s literature like I do, that there was a good possibility that you were a writer or illustrator yourself and that you might be interested in what was said. But since I typed like 20 pages of notes I think I would be better to share a few quotes and ideas that inspired me.
Meg Rosoff
"The imagination can be dangerous. It can change the world. And that is why we write." - Meg Rosoff
“Embrace your flaws.” - Meg Rosoff
Stephen Chbosky
“Do you recognize what’s beautiful and transcendent in you?” - Stephen Chbosky
“There's no such thing as an aspiring writer. If you write, you are a writer.” - Stephen Chbosky
Justin Chanda
“Your individual voice is the biggest capitol you have in this industry.” - Justin Chanda
Bruce Coville
“You can use coincidence to start a story, but the farther in the story it occurs, the less believable it becomes. Coincidences to get a character into trouble are great. If you use them the get out of trouble you are cheating.”
- Bruce Coville
Maggie Stiefvater
“I don’t write for a living. I observe for a living. I steal for a living.
I’m sad it’s over. I miss my community. Hugs and warm fuzzy appreciation to the brilliant publishers, editors, art directors, agents, writers and illustrators that inspire the next generation. And many hugs to my old and new friends that I've found from the SCBWI community. I LOVE how warm our clan is. Till next time chums
I found Erin McGuire there (who illustrates the new Nancy Drew)!
0 Comments on “Run for your lives, she’s got rabies! No, she’s just inspired.” as of 8/13/2014 2:24:00 AM
So I'm delighted that I get to go to SCBWI's Summer conference in LA this year. Yippee! Yahoo! Excited because I get to see some of my dear dear writer and illustrator friends, and because I get to drink from the firehose of inspiration, motivation, reorginazation. Hopefully I will make some new friends and connections. So I'm super busy polishing up my manuscripts and trying to illustrate as much as possible, while taking care of my dizzyingly active toddlers. (I don't need to sleep for a few weeks right?)
0 Comments on Getting Ready for LA.. as of 7/11/2014 6:51:00 PM
I always wanted to be part of band. But let's face it, I'm not sure if I'm not coordinated enough to paint and talk on the phone at the same time. So I don't think I'd be able to play an instrument and walk in step with everyone else without seriously maiming somebody. It's possible that I could do a good kazoo though. Anyway, here's to all you super coordinated band people. :)
0 Comments on Marching Band as of 5/14/2014 3:44:00 AM
So I got tagged by my good friend Mary Uhles to write about my writing process. (Check out her post here.)
So for the curious, here we go:
What am I working on now? This is always the big battle for me. I have a notebook of at least 50 picture book and middle grade ideas right now. I feel very passionate about maybe 30 of them. But I'm trying to resist the temptation to start 30 projects, so right now I'm focusing on two picture book manuscripts with their dummies. Interestingly both these picture books have a historical context. I'm a sucker for history and anthropology, and I love odd-looking clothing from different eras. I super enjoy research, but I get caught up in the details and it makes the process a little slow. Fun, but slow. I think it's also very telling that these books are about children and adults behaving very badly. What can I say? I'm the mommy of two barbaric toddlers. How does my work differ from others in it's genre? I like to embrace absurdity and I love subversive humor. (Monsters with toupees and penguins in space? Yes, please.) I think that kids are much more clever and much more strange than we give them credit. I think we should write to them as our peers, which they are. Just smaller.
Why do I write what I do? Me and books were always chums. Thick as thieves. When I was a kid I loved visiting those faraway places and reading about awkward kids like me triumphing over bullies, thugs, and know-it-alls. I love giggling and sniffling with books. I still get addicted to a good book or series and ignore all sorts of importing things like eating, sleeping, and the less necessary customs of hygiene in order to see what happens next. (No deodorant for me thanks, we're wasting valuable time here!!)
Basically I write because I want to share all the stories that are crammed in my skull. And because if I don't it will explode, which would be messy. But also because I hope that my stories and pictures can be something that children can connect to and identify with.
How does my writing process work?
Usually what happens is I hear or see something wacky, strange, or interesting and I jot it down. My kids are a great source for the absurd. (Hooray for posterity!) So in a specific notebook I like to list all my story ideas or potential titles. I can also get ideas from the sketches I do. Maybe I sketch a person or animal that I would like to more about. Let's just say I have a lot of notebooks.
So after I've chosen the manuscript I want to write, I research. Yay! I try to understand the themes of my story, the historical period, the tone that I'm trying to achieve, and I try to find any book or movie that's related to that. (Did I mention that I love research? :)
After I feel like I understand the context well enough, I go through many drafts of the story. I try to allow myself to write the garbage along with the good stuff. I'm always editing, and I have a fantastic group of friends and talented peers that critique my work and I feel like as long as I have a good thick skin for articulate critiques and a healthy sense of where I want my story to go, that my manuscript can reach it's full potential.
Wash, rinse, repeat.
Anywho here are two of my brilliant friends that I'm tagging for the next blog hop. Check out their posts next week to see their writing process:
Bryan Beus is an artist and author. His illustration credits include the cover and interiors for James Dashner's "The 13th Reality" books one and two; and cover paintings and tutorials for the Corel Painter software series. Most well-known for his artwork, he is now branching into the world of graphic novels. In 2009 Shadow Mountain Publishing (an imprint of Deseret Book) purchased the rights to his first full-length graphic novel. (The title and publication are still undisclosed.) While waiting through the publication process of his larger novel, Bryan also recently released a self-published novella,"The Short Cut in the Sky." To find out how to pronounce his charming surname please visit: www.bryanbeus.com
Debbie Emory writes middle grade fantasy, and funny women's fiction. In her spare time, she ventures into the wild (okay, parks or recreational areas) to photograph landscapes (more often, her dog). As a certified dog trainer, she trains young people how to work with dogs using positive reinforcement (treats!). She also serves on the Executive Council of Elephant Aid International (www.elephantaid.org) which is currently changing the culture of elephant care in Asia from chains to chain-free corrals. Visit her blog at www.debbieemory.com
0 Comments on Blog Hop: My Writing Process as of 5/9/2014 6:34:00 AM
So this week I wanted to share one of my favorite childhood books, THE HAT, written and illustrated by the fabulous Tomi Ungerer.
The main protagonist is the hat that you see on the cover. Didn't think it would be that straightforward did you? How can an inanimate object be the protagonist of a story let alone a children's story? Well, basically if your name is Tomi Ungerer, you can do anything.
The story starts off with a hat that "lived happily on a rich man's head. One day, speeding on an open carriage, the hat blew off." So the hat floated along until it landed on a homeless, jobless, and footless veteran, Benito Badoglio. Badoglio soon finds out this hat is magical and that it is also a good deed doer! Double surprise! With the help of the hat, Badoglio saves a man from being clobbered by a falling flowerpot and finds an exotic bird and brings her back to the zoo. (I wish my hats were so magnanimous.) So with the rewards he receives he buys some fancy gentleman's clothes and replaces his peg leg with a shiny silver wheel! (I know, I love it.) So now that he's dapper and speedy he's filled to the brim with confidence and continues saving practically everyone in this entire village. He saves a band of cutthroats and policemen from each other, he saves a baby that is inside a runaway stroller that's on fire, and finally he saves a Contessa riding a carriage with a runaway horse. He was decorated by the Archduke and named the 'Minister of National Emergencies." He fell in love with the Contessa and at the end of the story they ride off on their honeymoon with the hat flying off his head blowing the hat "hither and thither… Heaven knows only where." Such a perfect ending for a fantastically bizarre story.
This book has stayed in my sweet spot since childhood because of how endearing these characters are. I mean, who wouldn't love to read a story about a magical and benevolent hat with his trusty side-kick an earnest, one-wheeled veteran?
You can actually get a used copy on Amazon or hopefully at your local used bookstore, which is what I need to do. Either that or I will steal this copy from my mom's library. (She wouldn't notice, right?)
Anyway, I would love to know what your childhood favorites are. What types of stories did you gravitate towards? Are they the same types of books that you read now. (I definitely love any books that are sprinkled with strange and unusual elements, as you probably could have guessed.)
0 Comments on Bi-Fri Book Look: The Hat by Tomi Ungerer as of 3/28/2014 5:07:00 AM
Hello fellow friends, nerds, and children's lit fans. I thought I'd share a cover of a middle grade urban fantasy that I'm working on that will be based inside Central Park. And there you have it. Hopefully you are on a tropical island somewhere or drinking the largest marshmallow filled cup of hot chocolate.
0 Comments on Into Veilwood as of 3/19/2014 2:33:00 AM
So my hubby recently took me on a date. Being that he is wonderful and knows what makes me happy, instead of buying me chocolate covered crickets, or a dozen venus fly traps, he bought me this book: I Didn't Do My Homework Because… written by Davide Cali and illustrated by Benjamin Chaud (published this year by Chronicle Books).
I love this cheeky book. It starts off with a kid weaving tall tales to convince his teacher why he wasn't able to finish his homework. From dueling uncles to a robot on a rampage, the boy has a slew of fantastically absurd excuses that get wackier by the page, only to find out that the teacher has read the same excuses from the same book! (Curses!) Accompanied by beautifully detailed and off the wall illustrations, I could see how it could suck any reluctant reader into reading this story all the way to the end. I fully recommended for anyone who loves a wonderfully silly book or maybe even for someone looking for an entertaining distraction from their homework.
0 Comments on Bi-Fri Book Look: I Didn't Do My Homework Because… by Davide Cali and illustrated by Benjamin Chaud as of 3/15/2014 2:09:00 AM
So growing up I was your typical skinned-knee tree climber. I loved video games, playing football with my guy friends, and digging up fossils (or just really big holes in the back yard). I was not, however, a fan of mushy stuff like love or romance. And I do actually love my kids and husband. Lots. But not in a sappy, eye watering sort of way. More in the punch your friend in the shoulder kind of way. Let's just say that me and Valentine's were never friends. Unless it came wrapped in chocolate that is.
So, since Valentine's and I are not on good terms, you would think that it'd be hard for me to find a children's book that I would even be willing to read, right? Wrong. Fortunately I did. (Albeit a few years ago.) This book, Zombie in Love, written by the wonderfully versatile Kelly DiPucchio, and illustrated by one of my favorite illustrators Scott Campbell is delightful. It was released in the Fall of 2011 by Atheneum, and I hope it stays in print forever.
It's a cute quirky story starring a mopey zombie named Mortimer who is looking for true love. Mortimer tries all his best romantic moves on the ladies, gifting them with a maggoty box of chocolates, a shiny red (still beating?) heart, even a diamond ring (unfortunately, with decomposing finger still attached) all to no avail. But let's be honest here, it's pretty difficult to find the gal of your dreams when you come off as such a stiff. (Yuk yuk.) So Mortimer puts out a personal add: "If you like taking walks in the graveyard/and falling down in the rain. If you're not into cooking,/if you have half a brain./If you like waking up at midnight,/horror films, and voodoo,/then I'm the guy who you've looked for/and I'm dying to meet you!" Zombie in Love is so wonderfully wacky. Kelly's story is so strange and charming and the illustrations by Scott that are hilariously deadpan with marvelous little details (Such as Mortimer's sidekicks being little worms in hats that follow him around and his cute little zombie dog). I adore this book. And conversely, I adore anyone who would adore this book. And... it is always good when books can bring me out of my curmudgeonly shell to celebrate the beloved chocolate festival that is Valentine's Day.
Happy Heart Day everybody!
0 Comments on Bi-Fri Book Look: Zombie in Love as of 1/1/1900
So on Monday Kate DiCamillo won her second Newbery for Flora & Ulysses. She has written so many books that I absolutely ADORE. Some the books that really delight me are: The Tale of Despereaux,(her first Newbery), Bink and Gollie,and The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane.(Between you and me and the blogosphere my husband weeps like a baby whenever he reads Edward Tulane.)
Basically DiCamillo is one of my favorite children's authors. Period. But if you were to ask me if I'd like to read a Middle Grade story of a disgruntled girl with a pet squirrel that was part superhero, part poet, I would say,"Yes Please."
This is a wacky story, with the most bizarre cast of characters. At times this book was laugh out loud funny, and the scenarios were so outlandish. Flying squirrels, lonely squid portraits... It was so wonderfully strange. But Despite all the oddness, this book really had depth that was a bit unexpected, but so very refreshing.
It was a delight to read this book. I totally zipped through it. I wholeheartedly endorse this book. But you needn't listen to me. Listen to the Newbery ;)
0 Comments on Bi-Fri Book Look - Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures as of 1/1/1900
85 years ago Martin Luther King, Jr. was born on January 15th, and next month is black history month, so what better time to talk about children's books that address the Civil Rights Movement than now?
I have been reading Douglas Blackmon's "Slavery by Another Name" which is a thoroughly depressing, yet compelling account (using primary sources) of the history of slaves and their descendants, and the "lease" (or sale) of black convicts, post emancipation, to commercial interests. When I was a child I had always assumed that slavery had ended with the Civil War, which was sadly not the case at all. The more I read about the subject, the more I feel that it is really important that we do our part in educating ourselves and our children about the social injustices and the atrocities that have been committed.
I have a 4 year old and a 3 year old, and I've been wondering how I can talk on their level of understanding, about this sordid part of our American History... and still do it justice. We Shall Overcome: The Story of a Song was written by Debbie Levy and illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton (just released last December), and it is a wonderful book. When I sat down and read the book with my daughter for the first time I totally choked up and had a hard time finishing it.
The book talks about the song We Shall Overcome (that you may identify with the 60's Civil Rights Movement) all the way from it's origins in the time of slavery up to modern day, and how the Civil Rights Movement has evolved.
This song has become a symbol of the fight for equality, and it is a perfect vehicle to help children understand the slow evolution of the rights that the black communities had to fight for. And Debbie Levy writes in such lyrical way that compliments the poetry of the song and Vanessa Brantley-Newton's whimsical, collage style is absolutely beautiful and lively. The writing and illustration compliment each other wonderfully and are so inspired. I am so glad I have this book in our own personal library. This is definitely the type of book for libraries, school teachers, and it's wonderful book to help parents to sit down and talk about civil rights to their children.
Are there any books that you'd recommend for Black History Month? How do you talk to your children about civil rights and other heavy subjects?
0 Comments on Bi-Fri Book Look: "We Shall Overcome: The Story of a Song" as of 1/1/1900
So it's the New Year (ish) and I'm trying to realign, readjust, and re inspire myself to accomplish the things that I want/need to accomplish. It must be said that it's been tricky being that we've moved 3 times in thelast 3 years. Blech. At least we're unpacked.
So I decided to create my own OGSM. A whatzit you say? An Objective, Goals, Strategies, and Measures list. How in the world does any freelancing mommy get anything done without one, I would like to ask? With much chagrin I must admit that I've never really had a mission statement before now. I didn't realize that I had been lacking one. So I think I've pinpointed what I really want to do with my freelancing career, that is I want to "Write, illustrate, and publish inspiring, quirky, and heart warming stories with memorable characters that resonate with children and adults." I know, I know, tall order, but it must be said that one of the main reasons that I want to be a teeny tiny fish in the massive ocean of Children's Book Publishing is that some of my fondest memories from my childhood come from the books and movies that I've read and seen as a child and the vicarious adventures and friendships I've had because of them. If I see a beautifully crafted children's movie or read inspired children's literature I get all weepy. Hopefully I can write and illustrate stories like the ones that I clung to as a child. Lofty goal yes, but sort of exhilarating too. If you are a freelancer, what is your mission statement? If you are a lover of children's literature and cinema, what really got you excited as a child? Regardless, I hope your holidays were filled to the gills with deliciousness and that your New Years is filled to the brim with sit ups ;) <!--[if gte mso 9]>Normal0falsefalsefalseEN-USJAX-NONE<![endif]-->
0 Comments on New Years Resolution: Be Awesome to Each Other. as of 1/1/1900
Being the bohemians that we are, we are moving AGAIN. Blerg. My brushes are packed away (Boo!) and life is being temporarily being put on hold. So that means you too blog. Sorry dear friend. And being that "it's the most [busy] time of the year" with all the holiday having and delightful food splurging going on, it may be about a month or so before I return. (Sadsville.)
So I wish you well in your family gathering, calorie consuming month and a half. I meanwhile will be listening audiobooks and podcasts while loading all of our prize possessions into cardboard boxes.
'Till we meet again friends.
0 Comments on Friends, Romans, Good Ole' Boys... Lend me your patience. as of 1/1/1900
(her first Newbery), 
and 
(Between you and me and the blogosphere my husband weeps like a baby whenever he reads Edward Tulane.)
I have been reading Douglas Blackmon's "Slavery by Another Name" which is a thoroughly depressing, yet compelling account (using primary sources) of the history of slaves and their descendants, and the "lease" (or sale) of black convicts, post emancipation, to commercial interests. When I was a child I had always assumed that slavery had ended with the Civil War, which was sadly not the case at all. The more I read about the subject, the more I feel that it is really important that we do our part in educating ourselves and our children about the social injustices and the atrocities that have been committed.
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