Publication of the book is still "aways off" (February-March 2011), but the cover art for Big Cat, Little Kitty is essentially finished. There can always be last-minute changes, but basically this is what the cover will look like. I am thrilled! The orange and green are so vibrant and the cats are so true-to-life, it just makes me smile.
I love Susan Detwiler's art and she just seems to naturally *get* what I'm trying to do with my text in my books. Once again, I have to give credit to editor Donna German for putting my text and Susan's art together. It's a marvelous match!
On Thursday I was privileged to participate in the Summer Reading Program hosted by Farmington Area Public Library in Farmington, Illinois. The week-long program was titled "Be Creative @ Your Library." Each week, children focused on a particular area such as Art, Cooking, Drama, Music, and -- here's where I came in -- Writing.
What a great program! Lobo (my wolf puppet) and I were thrilled to be invited to share what we know about writing and wolves with a group of about 50 children and a dozen adults.
Everything was beautifully organized and arranged. The program was held in a community room at the First Presbyterian Church due to space limitations at the library.
It was a pleasure to interact with such bright, personable kids and to be part of such a beneficial, fun summer reading program!
I just got a sneak peek at color comps for the illustrations for my latest picture book -- Big Cat, Little Kitty (Sylvan Dell Publishing, 2011). I can't show the images here, but I thought I'd offer a few comments on the whole "children's picture book process." (I can show you a preliminary sketch of the cover art, which is also posted on Sylvan Dell's web site.) ------------------------------>
When I do library and school visits, adults in the audience are usually surprised to learn that authors of picture books almost never choose their own illustrator, nor do we have any input into who is chosen or what the illustrations should show (other than what we provided in the manuscript itself). An editor at the publishing house that accepts the manuscript is responsible for choosing the illustrator and working with that illustrator to create a finished book.
Why is this?
Well, first of all, editors at publishing houses receive and are familiar with countless portfolios from illustrators. Although I suppose there are authors who have access to illustrator portfolios, I doubt many of them are acquainted with the styles of as many illustrators as the average editor. From this vast storehouse, an editor can choose an illustration style that fits his or her own vision for the book.
Secondly, an editor typically has more experience than the average author in the art of matching illustrations and text, working with illustrators, and keeping the bigger picture (or picture book) in mind.
An author-illustrator (one who both writes and illustrates a book) is in a different category, of course.
When I do book signings or author appearances with my picture book One Wolf Howls (Sylvan Dell Publishing, 2009) I hear a lot of comments on how perfectly the illustrations complement the text. People assume that Susan Detwiler, the illustrator, and I sat down right next to each other and put everything together.
Nope. But a great editor (like Donna German) and illustrator (like Susan Detwiler) can make it seem like that's what took place.
My "adventures in writing" include forming treasured friendships with other children's book writers and illustrators. Over the past ten years, I have been privileged to meet and get to know (a little anyway!) writer Deborah Ruddell and her twin sister, artist and author Robin Luebs.
It has been so exciting for me to watch them go from wishing maybe they could do a book together to having books published individually, and finally to accomplishing that original goal of having both of their names on the same book.
Debby is in my writer's group and I remember her reading the text for Who Said Coo? to the group. We all loved it. By that time, Debby had an agent, who also represented her sister, Robin. Both Debby and Robin had picture books published, so it was perfectly natural for the agent to pitch Who Said Coo? to publishers as a "sister act."
The pictures posted in this blog entry were taken at a signing in Peoria Heights, Illinois, at a wonderful bookstore called I Know You Like a Book. This place not only sells books, they have a wine bar that is open at night! Books. . . wine. . . it doesn't get much better than that! (During the signing, which was in the afternoon, they offered yummy cookies and lemonade.)
For more information about Debby and Robin, check out the article that recently appeared about them in Publisher's Weekly.
Congratulations, ladies!
Book signings at zoos are a "double bonus" for me because I love seeing the animals and talking to people who are interested in animals! My publisher, Sylvan Dell, arranged a signing for me at Lincoln Park Zoo on the North Side of Chicago. I had been wanting to visit the zoo for a long time, but somehow just never got around to it.
My signing was part of Chicago’s "inaugural National Get Outdoors Day extravaganza."
One of the biggest challenges of holding any event at Lincoln Park Zoo is the weather. As Saturday, June 12, drew near, we realized two things: (1) it would probably be very hot and humid and (2) rain was a distinct possibility. Neither condition makes for an ideal outdoor event, but the staff at Lincoln Park Zoo rose to the occasion with good humor and efficiency.
The highly capable and personable Mel and Char arranged Plan A and Plan B for me. For Plan A, I would be at a table just outside the area known as the Pritzker Family Children’s Zoo. That's where the zoo's red wolf enclosure is located.
Critically endangered, red wolves were nearly driven to extinction by overhunting. Lincoln Park Zoo participates in the Red Wolf Species Survival Plan®, a shared conservation effort by zoos throughout the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
My table was located next to a kiosk where my book One Wolf Howls was available for purchase. That made it easy for people who stopped by to purchase the book and have me sign it.
Unfortunately, I had only been at the table for about an hour when the sky suddenly turned black. My latest customer quickly purchased the book, I signed it, and the sky opened up.
I shoved everything from the table -- including books, handouts, a large poster of myself with one of the Wolf Park wolves -- into a huge plastic bag I had brought in anticipation of just such an event. Within a minute or two, Mel came running with more plastic bags, a raincoat, and an umbrella. We hustled to the main gift shop, where Mel and Char had already set up an alternate station for me decorated with "all things wolf."
Rain fell off and on much of the time I was there. I'm pretty sure there would have been a larger crowd at the zoo in better weather, but that's always a chance you take at an outdoor venue. Given the conditions, I was pleased with the signing.
Best of all, I was able to see several red wolves that morning, trotting around their enclosure. (Much of the time, they hide in the tall grass that covers the area.) I even caught a glimpse of one of the newest arrivals. My pictures did not turn out well, so I won't post them here. I will post a picture of the wonderful wolf sculpture called "Pathfinders" (by Veryl Goodnight) located just outside the wolf enclosure.
Thanks to everyone who stopped by and especially to Marla, Mel, and Char at Lincoln Park Zoo. You guys rock!
One of my favorite things about doing school visits is that sometimes I receive letters from the children afterwards. Following a recent visit to Jefferson Park School in El Paso, Illinois, I received a batch of letters from third graders. Their teacher had created "stationery" for them that consisted of 8-1/2 x 11 lined pages with books as a border design and a howling wolf in the lower right corner.
The presentation I did for the third graders was centered on my picture book One Wolf Howls, specifically the steps that led to it being published. Students were given the opportunity to purchase One Wolf Howls and my nonfiction book It Happened in Chicago, which is suitable for adults and older children. (It was given a thumbs-up by a friend's third grader.)
It's always interesting to me to see which parts of my presentation made an impression on the kids. Here are some of the letters I received:
"Dear Mrs. Cohn, I am enjoying your history of Chicago book. Thank you for coming to our school. You inspired me to become a author. If I were someone who desides if books go all of yours would."
"Dear Mrs. Cohn, Thank you for the amazing presentation about One Wolf Howls. I read it and I love how you put your words. if I see another one of your books at the store, I wil defentally buy it! Thanks again!"
"Dear Mrs. Cohn, We all would like to thank you for coming to our school but as soon as I got back to the class room I started to read the One Wolf Howls book. I enjoyed the book very much. I like the way every thing sounded. You definitely did a awsome job on the presentation. You were great."
"Dear Mrs. Cohon, Thank you for coming to our school. Thank you for incoreging me to be a writer. I want to write a book about famous writers and you are going to be a charekter in my book."
"Dear Mrs. Cohn, I've read one of your books. It was one of the best books I read. You did the best presentation. I felt sad when nobody took your book. You make the best books."
"Dear Mrs. Cohn, I really liked your presentation. I'm looking forward to read your book. I hope to live in your place one day. I write storys all the time. Your wolfes in your presentation were so so so cool. They were scary but cute! Thank you for coming to are school. One wolf howls is a hoot!"
"Dear Mrs. Chon, I like one wolf howls! My name is B----. I don't like reading. I don't like writing! I like chicken nuggets! Wolves are my favorite animals! I like the howls of a wolf. Here is more about me! My favorite food is pizza."
And perhaps one of my favorite letters referred to my comment that I got the idea for One Wolf Howls as I was lying in bed, about to fall asleep:
"Dear Mrs. Cohn, Thanks for coming and giving your awsome presentation. All of us 3rd gr
I just found out from my editor at The Globe Pequot Press that my book More Than Petticoats: Remarkable North Carolina Women (originally published in 2000) has been approved for a revision in the Fall 2011 list. This means that I will be writing two new chapters and updating any information in the book that needs to be updated.
In doing my research for the book, I came across many more "remarkable women" than I could include, so it will be great to bring two more of them to the attention of people who read the book.
I just found out that Sylvan Dell Publishing has scheduled my picture book Big Cat, Little Kitty for publication in Spring 2011.
Big Cat, Little Kitty is a concept book that shows similarities between the behavior of big cats (lions, tigers, etc.) and domestic cats (little kitties). The big cats are shown in their natural habitats, interacting with other animals in those habitats, and the little kitties are shown in home, garden, park, etc., interacting with other animals who live there. The back section will have educational material, activities, and facts about cats.
Spring 2011 may seem like it's way, way, far away, but in the publishing world, it isn't. Here is a timeline showing what needs to happen with a Sylvan Dell picture book once an illustrator is chosen.
- Editor works on For Creative Minds section while illustrator is sketching. (Sketches may take between 4 and 8 months and may or may not require revisions. Final cover art is due one month after sketches are due.)
- Text and sketches are sent to scientific vetters to ensure correctness of all information and images.
- Once the final manuscript (with pictures) is sent to the printer, it may take 3 or 4 months before the books arrive in the publisher's warehouse.
If you do the math, suddenly Spring 2011 doesn't seem that far away!
I'm thrilled to report that two of the three winners in the Illinois Letters About Literature competition are moving on to the national finals! The three who won the state competition were my choices for the best in each level, so I'm especially pleased that two of them reached the national level!
To read all of my entries on Letters About Literature, please click HERE.
To read all of my entries on Letters About Literature, please click HERE.
LAL – Level 3
Level 3 in the Letters About Literature competition is for students in grades 9 through 12. I received 19 letters in my batch for this level.
First I will describe the themes I saw in this batch, and then I will share the categories used by judges in evaluating all of the letters. Lastly, I want to share a list of the titles and authors of the books mentioned in these students’ letters.
Many of the young people who wrote these letters have experienced enormous hardships and struggles. They wrote about how a book resonated with them in the areas of suicide, self-inflicted injury, rape, abandonment, serious illness, and death. Some of them wrote about how a book raised spiritual awareness, helped them find their place or purpose in life, and inspired them to help and heal others who are less fortunate than themselves.
As with other age-groups, these older students often connected with a book because of incidents in their own lives that affected them deeply, such as the loss or serious illness of a loved one or a time in their lives when they couldn’t see a way out of their own emotional or mental distress. They described how reading about someone who had problems similar to theirs (or worse) helped them see that they, too, could survive. They wrote about how a book helped them discover, understand, and appreciate who they are as an individual.
In judging Letters About Literature, we were asked to consider each letter by rating it in the areas listed below. As a writer, I couldn’t help noticing that these criteria could easily be used to do a quick evaluation of everything I write, whether it be a story, article, poem, novel, or something else!
Exposition (1-5 points)- Is the letter organized and coherent?
- Is the writer’s prose grammatically correct?
Content & Theme (1-5 points)- Does the letter address the contest theme?
- Are the supportive details relevant to the reader’s response to the book?
Writer’s Voice (1-5 points)- Does the letter exhibit originality of expression?
- Is word choice vivid and appropriate, intended to communicate rather than impress?
Last but not least, these are the names of the authors and book titles mentioned by the students whose letters I read. I applaud these authors and thank them for writing books that have had and continue to have such a profound impact on young lives. (Please keep in mind that in some cases, older children wrote about a book that they read when they were younger that has had a lasting impact on them.)
GRADES 4-6
Frances Hodgson Burnett (A Little Princess); Jimmy Buffett (A Salty Piece of Land); Andrew Clements (Frindle); Sharon Creech (Love That Dog, Walk Two Moons); Miley Cyrus (Miles to Go); Pamela Espeland and Elizabeth Verdick (See You Later, Procrastinator! [Get It Done]); Sharon G. Flake (The Skin I’m In); Margaret P. Haddix (Among the Hidden); Danette Haworth (Violet Raines Almost Got Struck by Lightning); Will Hobs (Crossing the Wire); Sue Monk Kidd (The Secret Life of Bees); Gail Carson Levine (Fairest); C.S. Lewis (The Chronicles of Narnia); Barbara O&r
I recently did my first SKYPE visit with a group of children in grades K-2 at Glen Carbon Elementary School in Glen Carbon, Illinois. These were not just any K-2 students, but students who participated in the 2010 Young Authors competition.
SKYPE is a wonderful way for authors to visit with children at a school without the need to physically travel to the school.
Here are some details about the SKYPE visits I offer:
No Cost Meet the Author Visit: 10-15 minutes
In-Depth Visit Length: 30-45 minutes
In-Depth Visit Cost: $100 for up to 3 groups of children
Prerequisites: For all visits, I require that the audience be familiar with at least one of my books. For in-depth visits, I need to have a signed contract in hand before the visit takes place.
If you're interested in learning more, I have a page at SKYPE An Author.com: http://skypeanauthor.wetpaint.com/page/Scotti+Cohn.
The photo at right is a video snapshot I took using SKYPE shortly before my visit to Glen Carbon. Just over my shoulder you see B.B. (Big Bad) Wolf, my largest stuffed animal wolf. I showed him to the children, along with my wolf puppet, Lobo.
I talked briefly about the process I went through from idea to promotion of the finished book. I also held up pictures of myself with real wolves and read One Wolf Howls aloud, showing the pages after I read each one.
FROM MY PERSPECTIVE
A few challenges: Everything went okay from my perspective, although it was disconcerting because they had the lights turned off at their end so I was looking at a mostly black screen (with a tiny screen showing me in the lower left corner). At times, I couldn't tell if they were still there or if I was chattering away to myself, so I kept saying "Are you still there?" It seemed like there was a fair amount of static. Their voices broke up when they were talking to me, but I could still understand what they were saying almost all the time.
Room for improvement: I need to develop a longer presentation for SKYPE visits. The entire visit lasted less than 20 minutes, and I want to be able to offer 30-45 minutes. Now that I am more familiar with how SKYPE works, I shouldn't have any trouble putting together something longer.
Many Positives: The children were very responsive, and their questions were great, especially considering how young they were! They asked questions like "How long did it take to write the book and get it published?" as well as questions like "How many wolves can there be in a pack?" And I loved it when I would ask a general question and would hear all those little voices respond in chorus.
FROM THEIR PERSPECTIVE
Here is the text of an email I received from Magi Henderson, the l
If you have been following my guest bloggers' posts about the process of illustrating picture books (and even if you haven't), you know that an illustrator does a lot more than just draw pretty pictures.
In my case, I am truly fortunate to have a sharp illustrator and highly capable editor for my picture book Big Cat, Little Kitty -- scheduled for publication in 2011 by Sylvan Dell Publishing.
In my original manuscript, I described a tiger and a baboon together in a jungle. What's wrong with this picture? (In case you're wondering, I thought I had done adequate research before I created this scene! So yes, I was mortified when I realized my error.)
The first person to correctly explain (in the Comments section below) why this combination (tiger, baboon, jungle) is unrealistic will receive a copy of Big Cats (All Aboard Science Reader) published by Grosset & Dunlap for ages 4-8.
Please be aware that the book will be shipped to you through Amazon.com, so if you don't want Amazon to have your mailing address or you hate Amazon for some reason, you may want to refrain from participating. I can only send the book to someone living in the U.S.
Level 2 in the Letters About Literature competition is for students in grades 7 and 8. I received 35 letters in my batch for this level. I noticed many of the same themes that appeared in letters from Level 1 (grades 4-6), but new themes emerged.
The themes of loss, self-esteem, and overcoming hardship were common in the letters from grades 7 and 8 (as they were in grades 4-6). However, letters in this group from older students also mentioned anorexia and bulimia. For example, students wrote to authors whose books had convinced them that an obsession with being skinny is not healthy, and that being skinny doesn’t make you “perfect” or “strong.” One student talked about being tempted to turn to bulimia to cope with the loss of a loved one, and how the book she read kept her from doing that.
In one of these letters, the student wrote that one of the worst things about binging and purging was that it worked. The student liked the way she looked and the way other people were treating her. She made a lot of friends. Those rewards motivated her to continue with a dangerous and harmful habit until the book she read showed her the damage she was doing to herself.
The Level 2 entries also addressed bullying and teasing. Some of the students wrote about how a book helped them cope with being bullied or ridiculed, while others wrote that a book made them realize that their behavior was hurtful to others. These students began to understand the harmful effects their words and actions might have on someone else, even though that wasn’t their intent, and also how being kind or friendly toward someone else can make a huge positive difference in that person’s life.
One person wrote that a book made her aware of how important it is not to suppress your feelings in an effort to cope with taunting and teasing. The book made this student realize that over time, tension and despair can build up inside until you lose control and retaliate with violence against yourself or others. As a result of reading the book, the student made a deliberate effort to find outlets for her feelings and to find friends who shared her interests.
As a writer, I feel that these insights will help me create characters and situations that readers of various ages can identify with. I am impressed with the level of maturity shown in these letters.
The next (and last) entry will be about letters written by students in grades 9-12.
Awhile back I posted a series of blog entries that tracked my experiences as a writer along the Road to Publication -- from Idea to Promotion of a finished book.
I thought it might be interesting to have a few picture book illustrators do a "guest blog" here to talk about the process, procedures, and methods they use when illustrating a manuscript.
My first guest blogger was Susan Detwiler, who illustrated my picture book One Wolf Howls. Today's guest blogger is Christina Wald. Christina lives in Cincinnati, where my husband has family. When I saw that Christina had illustrated a book for Sylvan Dell (Henry the Impatient Heron by Donna Love), I contacted her and we arranged to do a book signing together. Christina and I also shared a table at Books by the Banks 2009 in Cincinnati. Below, Christina explains the process she goes through when she illustrates a picture book.
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My process for illustrating books
by Christina Wald
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Facebook Page
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Everyone is probably a little different and each project is a little different. I will start at the very beginning for those who may have never illustrated a book before.
Note: Usually, I work with the Art Director and/or Editor throughout the process. There is no contact with the author.
The Beginning:
First I get the manuscript; usually a word document. I print it out and put it in a binder.
This is also the beginning of the research phase. I start getting books about the subject and reading articles. I like learning about my illustration subjects.
I then draw thumbnail sketches on the manuscript to decide layout and start gathering reference. If I need models, I line then up to photograph them. I am not overly dependent on photos and take a lot of liberties. But, I want to make sure I have the proper toes, paw pad shapes, wings, etc., and I do try to get pictures of details as a
I want to share a little bit more about some of the tendencies or general areas of interest I'm picking up by reading letters to authors by children in grades 4-6.
As I mentioned in the previous post, books about loss (of a loved one, friend, or pet) were mentioned in several of the 30 letters. These books resonated with children because they had experienced a loss and either did not know how to deal with it or had eventually worked through a loss. They learned something about dealing with loss and/or identified with characters who had managed to come to terms with a loss. So they learned something they needed to know (and realized that this was helpful) or felt a kinship with a character who went through a similar experience. Both of these experiences were seen as very positive and uplifting by the readers.
Quite a few of the 30 letters were about books that featured a protagonist or protagonists who demonstrated strong self-esteem and confidence. Readers looked to these characters as examples or models of how they might see themselves and their world differently. These children are aware that they once had low self-esteem or lacked confidence, and they are feeling much stronger and satisfied with who they are after reading these books.
Books that tell a story of extreme hardship or suffering resonated with children who have been feeling that their lot in life is too hard. They compare what they are going through with what the character is suffering, and decide that if that person could survive and succeed, then they can too. The readers like the fact that the book gave them a new perspective on their own problems and they like being shown that it is possible to overcome enormous difficulties.
A fourth theme I see in these letters is one of inspiration. The readers are inspired by an author or book to want to become writers themselves. They want to give other people the experience a particular author or book has given them.
For me personally, this last reason was the primary motivation behind my desire to be a writer. Of course I enjoyed writing to begin with, but what really propelled me down the path of becoming a writer was the desire to take people on a magical journey into another world the way my favorite authors had taken me. For example, I loved all of the Mary Poppins books by P.L. Travers. (Yes, there are books, not just a movie starring Julie Andrews! ) I loved to go where Travers led, to be transported to a fantastic place with amazing people. When I re-read the books as a young adult, I loved them as much or maybe even more.
If you are a teacher, librarian, parent -- or anyone who interacts a lot with children in grades 4-6, I would enjoying hearing what your experience has been with the reading preferences and book preferences of this age-group.
I just finished reading my batch of Level I entries for the Letters About Literature (LAL) competition. The batch consists of 30 letters written by children in grades 4-6.
For this contest, young readers write to an author describing how that author’s work somehow changed the reader’s view of the world or himself/herself. Readers respond to the book they’ve read by exploring the personal relationship between themselves, the author and the book’s characters or themes.
As a judge, I have been given a slide presentation that provides information about the purpose of LAL and what I need to take into account in judging entries. I also have a National Judging Assessment Rubric that breaks the elements into Exposition, Content & Theme, and Writer's Voice.
I am finding all of the letters so far to be well written and engaging to read. However, some of them clearly stand out. The word choices are vivid and evocative, and the voice is sincere and compelling. The two most common themes I saw in this batch were (1) dealing with the loss of a loved one, friend, or pet and (2) the impact a book can have on the reader's self-image and confidence in himself or herself.
Level II and Level III letters await! I'll blog again soon about the judging process.
Awhile back I posted a series of blog entries that tracked my experiences as a writer along the Road to Publication -- from Idea to Promotion of a finished book.
I thought it might be interesting to have a few picture book illustrators do a "guest blog" here to talk about the process, procedures, and methods they use when illustrating a manuscript.
My first guest blogger is Susan Detwiler, who illustrated my picture book One Wolf Howls. If you have comments or questions for Susan, please post them in the Comments section and I'll make sure Susan sees them.
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My Process
by Susan Detwiler
Once I am contacted by an editor and agree to take a picture book assignment, I receive the following: 1) the manuscript, 2) the contract, including scheduled deadlines, 3) guidelines and specifications, and in the case of Sylvan Dell 4) a rough layout. The rough layout is very helpful because the manuscript has been divided by the editor so that I have specific scenes to illustrate, and it shows approximately how much space the type will take up on each 2-page spread (although I am allowed to change its position). With other publishers I have had assignments for which I had to decide page breaks and type size.
The first thing I do is figure out my schedule. Two questions I need to answer are how many sketches will need to be finished per week in order to make the deadline and will I be able to take other freelance assignments while I am working on the book.
Then I start to work. I study the manuscript and keep notes on my visual impressions. I gather research material including clippings I have on file, books at home and from the library, and photos from the internet. This part can be time-consuming but I try not to rush it because as I read and search I am learning about my subject in depth. I keep notes on all the photo references (i.e., sleeping, eating, seen from above) so that I can find them again easily.
The thumbnail sketches come next. I reduce the size of the rough layout to fit all the spreads on one page and print it; I sketch right on that print and compose the book in storyboard fashion. From my tiny thumbnail sketches I make more detailed sket
ches at about one third the finished size and these are scanned and sent to the editor for approval. I make revisions and
For the second year in a row I attended the Anderson's Bookshops Children's Literature Breakfast in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. (Click HERE to read about last year's event.)
As an author-guest, I sat at three different tables during the breakfast and chatted about my books with librarians and teachers from various schools and school districts.
The breakfast is fun (although I confess I'm not really awake at 7:30 a.m., when it begins!), not only because I get to introduce myself to people who might want to buy my books or invite me to do a school visit, but because Anderson's schedules truly wonderful speakers to address the crowd.
After each of the author-guests was introduced (with our names shown on the "big screen"), we were treated to a talk by Pam Allyn, author of an inspirational book for parents, teachers, and caregivers titled What to Read When: All the Books and Stories to Read with Your Child - and All the Best Times to Read Them. Among other things, Pam told of her love for the book Anne of Green Gables and of a "pilgrimage" she and her husband and daughters took to Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, where the novel is set. I particularly enjoyed Pam's comment early in her talk that in the past, a strong female character had to have some very unusual, prominent characteristic or had to have red hair.
Next we heard from Newbery Honor winner Patricia McKissack, who has collaborated on many critically acclaimed books with her husband, Fredrick L. McKissack. Pat's lilting, warm voice had us all entranced throughout her talk. I especially loved her descriptions of growing up in Nashville, Tennessee, listening to her grandfather tell wonderful stories.
Francoise Mouly -- art editor for The New Yorker and founder, publisher, and designer of the pioneering avant-garde comics anthology "RAW Junior" (books of comics for kids by star writers, children's book artists and cartoonists such as Maurice Sendak, Paul Auster, Ian Falconer, David Sedaris, Jules Feiffer, Lemony Snicket, Gahan Wilson, and Neil Gaiman) -- took us on a tour of New Yorker magazine covers and into the world of children's comics, past and present.
Jordan Sonnenblick, author of Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie (Scholastic, 2005) , talked about how he was inspired to write the book and some of his experiences as a middle-
I am delighted to announce that Sylvan Dell Publishing will be publishing my second picture book -- Big Cat, Little Kitty -- in 2011. The book depicts big cats (lion, tiger, etc.) in their various natural habitats and compares their behavior with that of domestic cats. The similarities are presented in scenes where each cat demonstrates its territorial nature and unmistakable "cattitude."
At present, the editor is looking for an illustrator. I will not have any input into that decision and will not interact with the illustrator at all until after the book is published. The selection of Susan Detwiler as illustrator for my Sylvan Dell book One Wolf Howls was perfect, so I'm really looking forward to seeing the art for Big Cat, Little Kitty.
BIG CAT...................................................................................................................................................................LITTLE KITTY
Hey, everyone! Check it out!
The Wild About Nature Writers are celebrating their One-Year Anniversary with a Book Contest!
Just go to wildaboutnaturewriters.blogspot.com to read all about it!
I am looking forward to judging entries for a nationwide competition called Letters About Literature. For this contest, young readers write to an author describing how that author’s work somehow changed the reader’s view of the world or himself/herself. Entrants can write to living or deceased authors. The letters are to be in the form of reflective writing, NOT a book report, fan letter, how-to-do process report, persuasive argument, or literary analysis.
I will be reading and assessing letters from Illinois students to help select the top essayists in the state. I expect to receive my batch of letters about the third week in February.
Stay tuned!
Two Sylvan Dell titles -- Count Down to Fall and my book, One Wolf Howls -- will be included in this year’s upcoming Kansas National Education Association (KNEA) Reading Circle catalog of recommended books. The catalog goes to all Kansas public school librarians and principals as well as public librarians and state bookstores. Six members from across Kansas served on the PreK-2nd grade level committee and reviewed hundreds of books to make the catalog selections.
I had a fantastic time today at Parlin-Ingersoll Library in Canton, Illinois. About 40 people attended, including children and adults. Today is Martin Luther King day (a school holiday), which made it possible for kids who normally would be in school to be there.
I used the Powerpoint program I developed around my book One Wolf Howls, and Lobo the wolf puppet accompanied me as well. I have heard from other authors that they don't try to use Powerpoint because too many things can go wrong. I think that's true if you are using a school or library computer rather than bringing your own laptop like I do. Aside from one minor problem with a slide that didn't "do" what I thought I had programmed it to do, everything went smoothly. I use a wireless mouse to trigger animation, sound, and slide changes.
One of the best parts of the experience in Canton was at the end of the Powerpoint presentation, when one little boy exclaimed, "That was a great slide show!" and started clapping. (I wonder if I can hire him to come to my other presentations with me...)I always bring a lot of handouts and giveaways to my presentations -- coloring sheets desig ned by the book's illustrator, Susan Detwiler; fact sheets; a word search; wolf stickers; bookmarks, etc.
Based on my experience so far, a library visit related to a children's book draws more people in a situation like this -- a weekday (perhaps a school holiday), when daycare groups can attend. Weekends seem to be so full of other family activities, that attendance at a library program is likely to be light (unless someone famous is involved).
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