By: Kara Schaff Dean, the Yankeerat,
on 6/4/2009
So the first week of participation in the Well-Read Child's reading meme breaks down as such:You Read to Me: * Alice the Fairy by David Shannon * Sam Starts School by Barbara Taylor Cork, illus. by Nicola SmeeI Read to You: * Alfie and the Big Boys by Shirley Hughes * Beckoning Cat by Koko Nishizuka, illus by Rosanne Litzinger * Chicken Cheeks by Micahel Ian Black; illus by Kevin
By: jules,
on 6/4/2009
In yesterday’s post, or my attempt to spread some laughs this week via cartoon art, I intended to include a few more titles, but I talked long enough for two of them. So, here’s my Part Two to that post, celebrating the cartoon-style of illustrating in picture books currently on shelves.
The art opening this post is from Jean Van Leeuwen’s Chicken Soup, illustrated by David Gavril (Abrams, May 2009), which Publishers Weekly described as a “marvel of suspense and silliness” and a “kid-pleasing read-aloud.” All the chickens are on the run, because the farm-yard rumor mill is that Mrs. Farmer has pulled her big cooking pot off the shelves and is about to make some chicken soup. All the chickens, that is, except for Little Chickie, who has the sniffles, and you know how that goes: One doesn’t much feel like skedaddling out of a henhouse and all across the farm when one has a cold in her beak. “Run anyway!” advises Red Hen. And so Little Chickie runs. Lots of sneezing is involved, since—every time the animals think they’ve got themselves well-hidden—Little Chickie lets loose with a raucous “AAH-CHOO!”
By: Jen Robinson,
on 6/3/2009
The E.B. White Read Aloud Award winners were announced at BEA last week. Elise Broach's Masterpiece won for older readers. I have to confess that I haven't read that one yet ( know, I know), but I do intend to. I've heard great things about it. Still, I was extra-delighted to hear that Bonny Becker's A Visitor for Bear won the 2009 award for picture books. I'm glad about this partly because I'm happy for Bonny, of course, but also because this makes me look like I have some idea of what I'm talking about. Here's what I said about the book when I reviewed it last year:
All of the above are excellent attributes of this book. But what really made me LOVE the book is the tremendous read-aloud potential. By the second page I was reading aloud to myself in an empty house. The use of repetition, the presence of informal asides, and the varying font sizes to indicate emphasis all contribute to what is nothing less than a compulsion to read this book out loud. I frequently read picture books by myself, but this one ... I really wanted to have a child handy to read it to. I already have a voice going, surprised and laughing at the same time, for the repeated refrain "there was the mouse!". I can't read the book without saying that phrase out loud. This is one that I'll be hanging on to, so that I can read it with any young visitors. And it's going on my list of staples for baby/birthday gifts.
It's nice to be in agreement with the Association of Booksellers for Children on this one. Here is the full press release, from Michele Kophs:
Award Winning Author, Bonny Becker,
Receives the 2009 E.B. White Read-Aloud Award
for Her Picture Book A Visitor for Bear
The Association of Booksellers for Children announced the award May 29, 2009.
Seattle, WA—June 3, 2009—“A Visitor for Bear” by Bonny Becker and illustrated by Kady McDonald Denton, has won the 2009 E.B. White Read-Aloud Award. The award, given by the Association of Booksellers for Children (ABC), honors the year’s best picture book for reading aloud.
“A Visitor for Bear” was selected from a list of nominations gathered from ABC booksellers. ABC booksellers voted online to determine the winners. Books are nominated for their universal appeal as “terrific” books to read aloud. The winners were announced live, May 29, at this year’s BookExpo America in New York.
“A Visitor for Bear” also won a ForeWord Award at BookExpo America. ForeWord Magazine's Book of the Year Awards were established to bring increased attention to the achievements of independent publishers and their authors. Readers, librarians, and booksellers together select their top categories as well as choose the winning titles. Their decisions are based on editorial excellence, professional production, originality of the narrative, author credentials relative to the book, and the value the book adds to its genre.
This has been an outstanding year for “A Visitor for Bear.” The New York Times bestseller, has also received the Golden Kite Award from the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, is a selection for Oprah’s recommended books for children and was named Amazon’s 2008 Picture Book of the Year.
“A Visitor for Bear” tells the funny story of a rather grumpy Bear who just wants to be left alone and an exuberant Mouse who keeps popping up in unexpected places until an unlikely friendship develops.
At least four more Mouse and Bear books, published by Candlewick Press, are in the works, including “A Birthday for Bear” which comes out Sept. 8, 2009.
ABOUT – Bonny Becker
Bonny Becker is the author of 12 children’s books including picture books and novels. Her latest book, A Visitor for Bear is a New York Times Bestseller, Amazon’s 2008 Picture Book of the Year and a recommended book for Oprah’s Children’s Book Club. Watch for Bonny’s new book The Magical Ms. Plum which comes out Sept. 8, 2009. She’s an instructor for the Whidbey Writers MFA in Writing program and a freelance editor.
By: Pam Coughlan,
on 6/3/2009
In an email, Mr. Warburton mentioned working with Mo Willems on “Codename: Kids Next Door” and asked if I’d be interested in looking at his new book, 1000 Times No. Hey, he had me at with Mo.
Actually, while the Mr. Willems reference might have caught my attention, it was the book trailer that made me certain that this was a book I’d need to see. In fact, now that I’ve read the book, I appreciate the video even more for giving the pronunciation of all the different nos featured. (And props to the kid who nailed them all. Or so I guess, not speaking Rapanui myself.)
The illustrations are engaging, starting simple and growing in complexity with each page turn. The cartoon style is enhanced by the watercolor treatment of the bold black outlines and the exaggerated shapes of the characters. There are plenty of fun things to catch along the way, like the cartoon on the diaper that matches the expression of the toddler. And what’s up with that rooster-blanket? 
My only complaint about this book is that I can’t keep it, because I promised it as a prize for the 48 Hour Book Challenge. It’s a good prize, especially since Mr. Warburton kindly drew a Noah sketch on the title page. 
By: your neighborhood librarian,
on 6/3/2009
Bring me some apples and I'll make you a pie: A story about Edna Lewis, by Robbin Gourley
As soon as warm weather comes to Edna's family's farm, good things are ready to be harvested, one after the other. First, it's wild strawberries, which Edna and her sister gather (and eat - "One for the basket and one to taste"), excitedly anticipating the strawberry shortcake they'll prepare. Next, they gather the first wild greens of spring with Auntie, as Edna recites:But I have never tasted meat,
nor cabbage, corn or beans,
nor milk or tea that's half as sweet
as that first mess of greens.
As Spring turns to Summer, Edna helps gather food that the family has grown (beans, melons, corn) and food that has grown wild (sassafras, honey), all the way to the apples and nuts of autumn. Each time, she and her family sample the goods as they're picking, but also talk about all the pickles, jelly, pies, and bread they'll make, and often quote some few lines of a song or rhyme.
This book is so seamless and languid and pleasant, even though everyone's doing a whole lot of work. The folk rhymes, the foods, and the seasons are woven together in a sunny, smooth, shining braid. And what a pleasure it is to read about the real Edna Lewis, who grew up to be a famous chef, in the Author's Note. We even get a recipe for that shortcake.
By: jules,
on 6/2/2009
I don’t know about you, but the news this week — both from my little sphere of friends and the world-at-large — is bringing me down. Reminding me that life is, simply and fundamentally, un-flippin’-fair. (How about that infixing there?) I thought, for that reason, I’d shine a spotlight today on some light-hearted cartoon-esque picture book titles. Wait. There is no “esque” about it. These are illustrators working very much in a cartoon style. Perhaps they will contribute a laugh to your day. They certainly try, and they certainly did so for me.
By: tara,
on 6/2/2009
If you love children’s books, please participate in a new weekly blog meme:
Write a Review Wednesday!
Parents, teachers and librarians are relying on online reviews more than ever to help them decide upon book purchases. Your opinion counts! Praise a picture book. Marvel over a middle grade novel. Tell everyone that young adult isn’t just for young adults!
On Wednesdays, write an online book review for a book that you love. The review could be posted on your blog, Amazon, B&N, GoodReads, or you could tweet your book bravos on Twitter. It doesn’t matter WHERE you do it. The goal is to get more people who are passionate about kidlit talking about their recent, fabulous reads.
Don’t forget to link to information on where the book can be purchased–the publisher’s site, the author/illustrator’s site, Indiebound.org or a retailer.
If you’re participating via Twitter, link to your online review and use the hashtag #warw, which I’ve defined on Tagalus.
And if you don’t have the time to write a review, simply link to a review that you appreciated. There are many prolific book bloggers (like Maw Books and Write for a Reader), so let’s give them our thanks.
Ideas for “Write a Review Wednesday”? Please leave a comment!
Now let the reviewing begin!
By: your neighborhood librarian,
on 6/2/2009
Guttersnipe by Jane Cutler, pictures by Emily Arnold McCully
Interesting.
Ben is a young Jewish boy in Canada in the early part of the twentieth century. Determined to help make ends meet for his fatherless family, he takes a job as a delivery boy for a hatmaker. On his first run, he stops by the workplace of each of his family members: sister Rose selling tickets at the movie theater, brother Max setting pins at the bowling alley, and his mother, singing in Yiddish as she sews as fast as she can.
And then something terrible happens. Hitching a ride on a streetcar, he loses control of the bike and is thrown to the ground, the silk hat linings he was to deliver scattered among the trash of the street and ruined. What I find interesting is this: Ben's failure is not a picture-book failure: a ripped-drawing mishap, an ill-tempered word, a dropped pie. This is a truly spectacular failure, a failure in real-world terms - Ben is going to lose his new job, he may be actually injured, and he will be in trouble if the bicycle is broken. One speculates Mr. Green is going to try to get him to pay for those hat linings, too. This is the kind of screw-up that freezes the blood of even an adult with many years of screw-ups behind her.
But lying there in the street, Ben realizes: "His body would heal. There would be other bicycles, other jobs, and other chances. He was only a boy, just starting out, and he had many things left to learn and to experience."
Perspective. Is it something you can communicate to a kid? Can you read this story now, and then next week, when that kid steps on his brother's meticulously-constructed LEGO masterpiece, can you invoke Ben's perspective on failure? I guess we'll see.
"This was not the end. This was only the beginning."
By: your neighborhood librarian,
on 6/1/2009
Always lots of heinies at the zoo, written by Ayun Halliday, illustrations by Dan Santat
The author of the zine East Village Inky has written a picture book. That's it, my world just exploded.
I read Ayun Halliday's account of new motherhood, The Big Rumpus
Good times at the zoo, too, I'm happy to report. "No one tries to hide his heinie at the zoo." Like Chicken Cheeks
The vaguely Adam Rex-y, J.Otto Seibold-y illustrations are fine, not super-noteworthy (although, gotta say, GOOD MONKEYS), but composed very well. I love the portraits of Ayun and her husband Greg on the dedication page.
By the way, Ayun, if you're reading this: my colleague Dances with Chickens thinks this book would make a terrific little song. Maybe Greg
I learn something new about my favorite books from childhood every time I do this post. I had no idea that Evaline Ness the author/illustrator of Sam, Bangs and Moonshine was married to US Treasury Agent Eliot Ness - famous for being the leader of the Untouchables and adversary of Al Capone.
The book Sam, Bangs and Moonshine, Ness wrote in 1966 and she won the Caldecott Medal for it in 1967. It is the story of Sam (Samantha) who lives with her father a fisherman and cat called Bangs. Sam’s mother is dead and she has developed a penchant for making up stories, or Moonshine as her father calls them and he warns her that she needs to ‘talk REAL not MOONSHINE. MOONSHINE spells trouble.’
‘Not even the sailors home from the sea could tell stranger stories than Sam. Not even the ships in the harbor, with curious cargoes from giraffes to gerbils, claimed more wonders than Sam did. She said her mother was a mermaid, when everyone knew she was dead. Sam said she had a fierce lion at home, and a baby kangaroo.’
It is her little friend Thomas to whom she tells the most Moonshine sending him on missions all over their village looking for her made up kangaroo, he believes every word she says. On one particularly perilous day by the sea, Sam sends Thomas directly into danger with another story about her fictitious kangaroo.
At this point the story becomes really powerful and while re reading it recently I instantly recalled the feelings that it conjured up for me as a child. I know exactly how little Sam feels as she worries intensely for her friend who she has put in danger because of her Moonshine, it’s the same feeling I can still get as an adult when you have unintentionally done something that may hurt someone else. Sam really suffers, hoping and waiting to see if her friend can be rescued and also craving her fathers forgiveness.
This is not a story that revolves around the moral, it’s not purely about the pitfalls of telling untruths it’s a story about love, understanding, imagination and forgiveness.
Along with the powerful text Ness is also an amazing illustrator. Using only a colour palette of blacks and greys with splashes of bronze in her paintings she creates an amazing atmosphere for this story. There is no glamour in this book, the illustrations accurately portray a fishing village, slightly dreary and cold.
Ness is also amazing in her portraiture and capturing her characters emotions. In one illustration in particular where Sam in crying there is such a mix of pain, sadness and relief in her expression and body language that it is just heart breaking to look at.
Although I know there has often been debate about this books worthiness of a Caldecott, I would go as far as to say I believe it is one of the most beautiful and important picture books ever written. It has certainly left it’s mark on me.
By: Eisha and Jules,
on 5/31/2009
Jules: See my new doll? This is my kick #1 this week and a gift from illustrator Katherine Tillotson. I received the doll—we’ll call her Mrs. Petal Pauline McWheely—just yesterday as a thank-you for today’s feature: Katherine’s here today to share some art from her newly-illustrated picture book by author Megan McDonald, It’s Picture Day Today! (to be released in June by Atheneum Books).
Mrs. Petal Pauline McWheely has a lot in common with the students in McDonald’s picture book — students with names like Buttons and Feathers. Yup, it’s a school full of art materials: Clothespins, Easter grasses, glittering stars, twisty yarns, and lots of wheely things. They all gather for the class pic, only to discover that Glue is missing. (Glue is a popular guy, as you can probably imagine.) It’s pretty much mayhem (and kudos to Katherine for keeping it interesting; I’m no artist, but it seems to me it’d be challenging to animate things like fuzzy pom-poms and string), until the picture gets snapped right before the book’s close, which opens up into a four-page spread — and which I won’t give away. But it has a lot to do with how Mrs. McWheely is structured here: Making order out of scraps, out of chaos, out of what you thought was little to nothing.
By: your neighborhood librarian,
on 5/30/2009
By: Tarie,
on 5/30/2009
Each page in Shanghai Messenger (Lee & Low Books, 2005) has red Chinese screens framing poetry by Andrea Cheng and art by Ed Young. This beautiful picture book for children in the third to sixth grades tells the story of Chinese American Xiao Mei's first trip to China to visit her relatives.
I see my face
in the rice water,
two braids
hanging down,
fuzzy curls
all around,
half Chinese
half not.
In China
will people stare
at my eyes
with green flecks
like Dad's?
Will they ask
why didn't Grandmother
teach me Chinese?
Cheng's stirring free verse poems evoke Xiao Mei's fear about traveling to China all by herself, and her doubts from being surrounded by a language, people, and lifestyle that are strange to her. We also see Xiao Mei's love for her life in Shanghai really grow. When she returns to Ohio, Xiao Mei misses all of her relatives and longs for her family in America and her family in China to be together.
Young's spot illustrations in pastel, ink, dye, charcoal, and Conte crayon are impressionistic. They are sublime, effectively evoking all of Xiao Mei's conflicting feelings. How does he do that?
I believe that in Shanghai Messenger, Cheng and Young truly capture the beautiful yet complicated bond a young Asian American has with her Asian motherland.
By: your neighborhood librarian,
on 5/29/2009
My mom is trying to ruin my life by Kate Feiffer, illustrated by Diane Goode
She looks pretty sweet on the outside, with her rosy shirtwaist dress and practical ponytail, green flats and matching purse, but watch out! she'll never let you do anything fun, eat anything yummy, and she talks too loud. Yikes. That last one hits pretty close to home.
So the little girl in this book fantasizes about running away (with mom's assistance), getting the cops on her side when mom reports her missing ("And they'll look at her and ask, 'Is it because you were ruining her life?'"), and ending up with the perfect life. Perfect, that is, except for the no dinner, no story, no bedtime kiss, nobody to fix her bad dream aspects of independent life.
The story is cute, and executed in a kind of contemporary first-person, slightly attitudinal voice. The illustrations are clean and lively. The limited watercolor palette is bright and friendly. I think the book maybe over-dwells on the little girl's fear and discomfort when she is parentless, but by the end, mom and dad and little girl are all together and happy.
By: Becky,
on 5/28/2009
Root, Phyllis. 2001. Rattletrap Car. Illustrated by Jill Barton. Candlewick.
What's a family to do when they need a vacation--a relaxing day at the lake--but their car doesn't go fast or far? Read and see in Rattletrap Car.
Junie was hot. Jakie was hot. Even the baby was hot, hot, hot.
"Let's go to the lake," said Junie and Jakie.
"Go," said the baby.
By: your neighborhood librarian,
on 5/28/2009
Orangutan Tongs by Jon Agee
You know, I claim to not like poetry. In fact, I claim to have a vicious poetry allergy - this gets me out of poetry night at school and my friends' readings, including the dreaded Open Mic part of the evening. It is this allergy, paradoxically, that I think makes me extra qualified to review poetry books for children.
You see, I have observed that most kids require their poetry to work. If it's supposed to rhyme, it has to rhyme. The meter should march. You shouldn't have to rearrange where in a line you think the natural stress should fall in order to make the line come out even at the end. You should not (John Lennon) throw extra syllables in there just because you like them. "Klutzy" does not make it, in poetry for small(ish) children.
And this is why I can read four lines like "Undies" without my throat closing up and my eyes crossing.Undies
There are lots of holes in Andy Bundy's undies.
His mom should get some thread and try to stitch 'em.
When Andy's at the beach, he's always cranky and upset,
'Cause Andy Bundy's sandy undies itch him.
(Of course, if you can work underpants into a poem, even better.)
I heard my 2nd grader reading this book aloud to his kindergarten brother, and they were beside themselves giggling. Later, in the car, they tried making up their own tongue twisters. I'd call Orangutan Tongs a must-have for the school library on that basis alone.
Fuse #8 and her loyal following came up with this fabulous list of the Top 100 Picture Books of All Time.I have highlighted the books that would (without a doubt) make our Top 100 List.#1: Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak (1963)#2: Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown (1947)#3: The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle (1979)#4: The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats (1962)#5: Don't Let the
By: Kara Schaff Dean, the Yankeerat,
on 5/28/2009
If you are going to make your 8 year old turn off the TV against her will, you better have something fantastic to replace it. When I pulled the sublime Jon Agee's latest book out of my bag last night I learned two things: 1. that my daughter "loves" poetry; and 2. that tongue twisters are surely the most under appreciated literary format available to modern readers. Peter Piper's pickled peppers
By: tara,
on 5/27/2009
Jonathan Woodward’s an artist, a nomad and a soon-to-be father. The man behind Zero2Illo.com, a blog for aspiring children’s book illustrators, Jon shares his passion for creativity and his good business sense.
Woodward grew up in Nottingham, the home of Robin Hood. (Hmm, no wonder he was drawn to children’s literature.) He was known as the “arty one” in school, the kid who would always be asked to draw the posters for school plays.
After studying Graphic Design in college, Woodward worked as an in-house designer before going freelance in 2006.
To Woodward, freelance means freedom to explore. He and his wife rented out their UK home in 2007 and have been on the road since, living in Panama, Buenos Aires, Grenada, Toronto, South Africa, Thailand, Hong Kong and Dubai. The internet makes running their marketing and design business from anywhere possible.
Jon, how do your travels influence your illustration style?
I wouldn’t say that they have directly influenced it from color or style perspective based on the different cultures that we have seen (although that is an aspect I really love about the travel), but having seen so much beautiful wildlife and nature around the world, it has definitely influenced the subject matter that I illustrate.
Tell us about some of your most recent illustrations.
One for Sorrow, Two for Joy is the piece that led to my current collage style of working. I’d been flicking through magazines and noticed how much the hair on a particular advert looked like tree bark–it was one of those light bulb moments!
The idea for the final illustration came from a song I was listening to at the time that coincidentally tied in with my idea for the tree (and my love of crows!).
The Phoenix is from a recent set of four illustrations based on mythical beasts. Here I was trying to pare down the collage to a bare minimum–to create a bolder, simpler illustration style that might be more suitable for a children’s book.
I enjoy finding textures of a particular surface that are perfect for conveying a totally different texture in the illustration. This happened with the feet of the Phoenix. I found a picture of a model wearing a sparkly bejeweled top and instantly knew that I had to use it for the feet.
This piece was done mostly in traditional collage, with just a bit of detailing, adding the white eye and pumping up the colours a little in Photoshop.
A Wolf In Sheep’s Clothing is where I first started using acrylic paint alongside the collage medium. It’s a technique born out of necessity, as I was struggling to find a magazine clipping to represent the wolf fur, so I started working into the collage with paint. I got a bit carried away in the end and ended up painting the sheep’s head and zipper on top of the collage, too.
This was an interesting piece personally, as I had previously been creating collages digitally using scanned magazine clippings, but I realized that my choice of texture ended up being a lot more interesting if I did the collage traditionally using whatever I could find within the magazines and materials I had. I don’t think I would have chosen the printed text to represent the sheep wool had I been doing the piece digitally.
Who are some of your favorite illustrators?
My illustration inspirations and interests are quite diverse, ranging from artists like Jon Foster, Dave McKean and James Jean all the way to Shaun Tan and J. Otto Seibold.
What is your ultimate goal as a children’s book illustrator?
I initially thought I wanted to go into comics or sci-fi and fantasy illustration for book covers, but the theme and content of my illustrations always seemed to gravitate back to one of my other passions: wildlife and nature. If I was only ever allowed to illustrate creatures great and small for the rest of my illustration career, I’d be a very happy man.
Thanks for sharing your wonderful artwork, Jon!
If you’re interested in learning more about the ilustration and design work of Jonathan Woodward, visit his blog Zero2Illo.com and follow him on Twitter at @jonwoodward.
By: Tarie,
on 5/27/2009
Today, I am SO PROUD to present my interview with Filipino American author illustrator Edna Cabcabin Moran. *bursts with pride*
Welcome, Edna!! 
Author/Illustrator, Edna Cabcabin Moran. Photo by Mark Moran.
Can you tell us a bit about your Asian American heritage?
My parents are from Eastern Samar, Philippines, an historic island in the Visayan island chain. My father was a U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer who brought my mom and older siblings to this country. I am the first American-born child in the family. Growing up, I always felt like I straddled two cultures. I'm very American in the way I dress, speak and carry myself. I don't know Tagalog and I lost touch with my parent's dialect, Waray Waray. However, I have strong cultural roots and have retained much of my Filipino-ness which includes a deep, abiding respect for the elders and their stories.
Perhaps the family meal is a good indicator of how one is raised? My parents always served rice with meals which usually comprised of seafood and stir-fried meats with vegetables. We even had rice for breakfast-champorado or chocolate rice porridge-one of my favorite childhood dishes. I rarely ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or fast food for meals until I was in my teens.
What kind of young reader were you?
I had zero interest in books and reading until the middle of first grade, when my teacher, Miss Henderson, worked her magic. She encouraged me to paint and draw as much as I wanted. Miraculously, I went from the lowest to the highest reading group in a short time. When I turned eight and got my library card, I went on a reading rampage, devouring stacks of books each week. I loved Greek myths, folk tales, stories about famous people as children and anything my older sister was reading. I was also a fan of chapter books, the Encyclopedia Britannica and comic books.
What were you like as a young artist?
I daydreamed all the time, frequently lost in my own world. However, ours was a creative home. My mother crocheted and sewed. She made us paper dolls with renditions of nipa huts from her beloved homeland. I watched my older siblings draw and started mimicking them. Soon, I developed my own style of drawing. When I first tried painting, I fell madly in love with it, loved color and used it boldly. In upper elementary school, I developed a reputation for drawing people (and my friend, Belinda, was the "go-to" gal for hand-drawn horses). I received tons of encouragement from my teachers and even won a drawing contest and scholarship at age eleven. Drawing and painting became as essential as breathing.
What inspires and motivates you to be an author illustrator for children?
As a writer and artist, I'd never completely left the world of the child. I loved my childhood! It was a time of wonder and discovery and of seeing life through a wide lens of hope and possibility.
I love being around kids. I've taught, entertained, coached and played with kids in work, volunteer and personal settings. Kids are an exceptional audience. Curious, eager and unjaded, they'll follow you deep into the jungles of story. But they aren't easily fooled or impressed. If they like or dislike something or sense that you are "insincere," they won't hesitate to tell you. They keep me "honest" in my work and I relish that challenge.
What was your path to publication as an author illustrator for children?
I've always loved storytelling through writing and pictures. I smile when I think of some of my earliest stories--the mouse who painted abstracts and a fable featuring a giraffe named Geoffrey (pre-ToysRUs). I wrote almost as much as I painted but I was known for my visual work because I kept most of my writing to myself.
Maurice Sendak's iconic book, WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE made a huge impact on me when I was a teenager. I had a visceral reaction while reading that book to my nephew. I knew that picture books had a special place in my heart but it was years later, after I had my first child, that I listened to my Muse and took initiative. I started taking classes on picture book illustration, participating in critique groups and building my portfolio. I was primarily interested in being an illustrator but once my Muse had a feel for creating manuscripts and book dummies, I was hooked. I knew I wanted to write and illustrate my own concepts.
THE SLEEPING GIANT: A Tale From Kauai. Edna's first picture book earned the 2007 Ka Palapala Po'okela Honorable Mention.
"Fish scales fell to the ground and gave way to flesh... Bulging fish eyes changed into human eyes, framed by heavy black brows."
"Pualani's heart raced. Her na'au, gut feeling, pressed her to keep walking until she stood at the giant's feet."
What are your chosen mediums? What is your creative process like?
I favor mixed media for my painterly style—acrylic underpainting with chalk pastel or gouache with colored pencil. For my line-art, I use Tombow brush pens or Faber-Castell PITT pen then digitally apply touches of color.
My creative process begins with my Muse who is usually engaged in a dance of ideas and visual references. She can be coaxed into appearing at brainstorm sessions or she'll drop in unexpectedly, sometimes when I'm driving. It's my job to capture the ideas and impressions on paper.
My artwork develops in stages: I go from thumbnails and rough sketches to highly-rendered drawings. In the final stage, I paint using my mediums of choice. I like to work on two or three paintings at a time to maintain energy and consistency between the pieces. By the end, I hope to have all the individual paintings "sing" as a complete work of art.
Some of Edna's artwork:
Promotional bookmark.
Spot line-art image used in "The Bulletin," the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators magazine.
Cover for Kira Willey's award-winning musical yoga album.
Can you tell us a little bit about your book tours, school visits, or workshops?
I enjoy doing author/illustrator visits and am thrilled to present to students of all ages, at a wide range of venues. My presentation style is conversational, fun and interactive. I like to highlight cultural and visual information, as well as, include personal and professional back-stories. Invariably, I end up complementing classroom curriculum with my assemblies due to the wide scope of material I cover. However, my workshop program is flexible and I'll gladly work with staff to tailor something for their students.
A visit with the students of Kamilo'iki School, Honolulu, HI.
An illustration demo, Children's Book Week, Barnes & Noble, Hawaii Kai.
What are the challenges and rewards of being an Asian American author illustrator for children?
Bridging the Asian Pacific cultural perspective with Western sensibilities within a given story poses a significant challenge. There's the logistic of keeping within the parameters of the work, such as limiting word count for the picture book format, and the art of crafting a seamless explanation for the cultural aspects.
The rewards for bridging the "cultural divide" are severalfold: One's voice develops an authenticity which can propel the story to a higher level. Readers gain insight and appreciation for the culture.
Who are your favorite Asian or Asian American children's and young adult book authors and illustrators? What are your favorite Asian or Asian American children's and young adult books? Why are they your favorites?
I admire a number of Asian American authors and illustrators--Ed Young, Grace Lin, Lisa Yee, Allen Say, William Low to name a few. Each has a strong voice that comes through in his/her work.
I'm pleased to see more Asian American and Pacific Island books entering the market. I have many favorites; however, off the top of my head, I love LON PO PO and SEVEN BLIND MICE by Ed Young and Lisa Yee's MILLICENT MIN, GIRL GENIUS. I also have a favorite adult title that deserves mention: WHEN THE ELEPHANTS DANCE by Tess Uriza Holthe. It is a "storyteller's book" and it spoke to my heart. I'd read it during my travels to the Philippines this spring. Again, these are just a few titles I'd recommend. There are more—so many more...:-)!
Do you celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month? How are you celebrating it this year?
Over the years, I've danced hula with my halau, Na Lei Hulu, at Asian Pacific celebrations and concerts. This month, I've had some school assemblies and a family night event. It was a pleasure sharing my background and passion for hula and Hawaiiana. Hopefully, the audience walked away with a better understanding and appreciation for Pacific Island culture.
Edna dances hula with Na Lei Hulu I Ka Wekiu. Photo by Lin Cariffe.
At Earhart School's family night, Edna teaches a sitting hula.
What are you working on now?
I illustrated a new book that's coming out in the fall. It's titled, CAN YOU CATCH A COQUI FROG?, written by Vera Arita. Also, my poetry appears in a middle grade anthology that will be out next year. I have several works in progress—a few picture books and a novel.
Cover art for CAN YOU CATCH A COQUI FROG?
Happy Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, Edna! Thank you so much for visiting Into the Wardrobe and celebrating with us. :D
And now for some link luuurv. Click here to read Jama Kim Rattigan's interview with Edna over at alphabet soup - it includes a recipe for lumpia!
By: Becky,
on 5/27/2009
Palatini, Margie. 2009. Gone With The Wand. Illustrated by Brian Ajhar. Scholastic.
The Fairy Godmother--Bernice Sparklestein--has lost her touch. Her magic is 'gone with the wand.' She doesn't "even have enough bippidy left in her to salacadoo one more pumpkin." What's left for an old fairy godmother past her prime? Read and see in Gone With The Wand, a picture book about friendship and finding your place in the world. This book stars a second-class tooth fairy, Edith B. Cuspid, and a past-her-prime-very-famous fairy godmother, Bernice. Edith wants to help her friend find a new job. Something that will make her friend happy again. Something that will put the sparkle back in Sparklestein. Can these two puzzle it out together?
"Once upon a time. Long, long ago...(to be exact and completely factual, this little fairy's tale began three months ago last Thursday.)"What to expect from this one? Puns upon puns. It's a playful--though wordy--text. Example: Edith describes her closet and trunks as having, "old uniforms and folderol." The illustrations are detail-oriented. They definitely add several layers to the book. In fact, every time I read the book, I noticed something new in the illustrations. Things that I'd missed the first and second time around.
Did I like it? Yes and no. It was a fun story. The details from the illustrations really add depth to the story. I loved finding all the story-book references. And the text grew on me as well. I appreciated it more the second or third time around than I did the first. But part of me feels it is a bit too wordy, too text-heavy. Can it hold short attention spans? Which age child is this 'right' for? I think younger kids--under five--might lose interest because there is just so much going on and too many words per page. I think for older kids--school age kids--five and up--it could have potential. Of course, every child is different. Some kids have short attention spans at any age. And some kids--book-lovers from the start--will be still and patient and cooperative. I think a love of fairy tales could help a lot in maintaining interest.
By: jules,
on 5/27/2009
I love that author/illustrator David McPhail describes himself as a misanthrope. Not only because statements like that from people who create books for children help eradicate this notion that all of them—or anyone else working near or around children, for that matter—live in little pink bubbles, surrounded by severely cute and insanely fluffy bunnies. (Seriously, the average 7-Imp reader knows they don’t, but I think that notion still prevails with the general public.) But also because of the element of surprise that resides in that statement: McPhail’s work is often infused with a sweet affection, sensitivity, and warmth and often revolves around the themes of friendship, cooperation, and familial relationships — often, but not always, animal characters, for which he is probably best-known. Not that misanthropes can’t appreciate cooperation, mind you. I guess I’m just saying: I flippin’ love it when someone surprises you.
By: web,
on 5/26/2009
Hello World written and illustrated by Manya Stojic. Scholastic, 2002 (0-439-36202-4) OOP (scheduled to be reprinted in paperback in 2009; many used copies available online)
This picture book could hardly be simpler, yet grabbed me instantly with its potential to inspire interesting discussions about language. Aside from a short introduction, each page is just a large illustration of child's smiling face, the word "hello" in an identified non-English language, and a phonetic spelling. But the way the words are grouped makes it very easy to see intriguing similarities in spelling and/or pronunciation between different languages. Several African, Indian and Asian languages are grouped to show the complete opposite -- that their words for hello are totally disparate from each other. The historica, political and geographic reasons for all this may be too complex to share with young children, but just the idea that even people from the same country may not speak the same language is a useful one. There's an index of languages but unfortunately no information on where each one is spoken.
Fingerpaint style illustrations focus entirely on the children, each of whom is visually distinctive in some small way. I particularly like the vast variety in skin tones; no child looks exactly like another. There's no other detail, and for the most part Stojic avoided outfitting the characters in any ethnically typical (or stereotypical) ways, keeping the focus on what they have in common: their welcoming smiles. (2-4)
By: Becky,
on 5/26/2009
Cousins, Lucy. 2009. (Releases June 2009) Maisy Goes To Preschool (A Maisy First Experiences Book). Candlewick Press.
Do you like Maisy and her friends? Or perhaps the question should be, does your little reader like Maisy and her friends? Or is your little one getting ready to go off to preschool for the first time? In Maisy Goes To Preschool, the reader is introduced to the concept of preschool through Maisy.
"Today is a very good day for Maisy. She's going to preschool! There's always so much to do there and so many friends to see."Maisy learns about art time, play time, nap time, potty time, and more in this "first experiences" book. If you're familiar with the Maisy series, then you'll know what to expect. If you're not, then I'll just say Maisy is a cute little mouse. The illustrations are very bright and bold. Very colorful. The text of the Maisy books are generally simple and straightforward. There's something reassuring and safe about picking up a Maisy book. You won't necessarily find laughs or thrills. But you'll find a friend you know.
By: Tarie,
on 5/26/2009
Welcome Roseanne Thong, author of children's picture books with a distinctly Asian flavor! :D
Roseanne, you have worked as a journalist and as an English teacher. What was your path to publication as a children's book writer?
My path to publication as a children's writer was purely accidental! After my daughter, Maya, was born, I was inspired to write stories on basic themes that appeal to toddlers: shapes, colors, and numbers. Unfortunately, I just locked these ideas in a drawer, thinking that no one would be interested, other than my own child. One day, a good friend saw the manuscripts and insisted that I send them out to children's publishers. I learned how to send a query letter by joining SCBWI (Society of Children's Writers and Illustrators) and sent my manuscripts out to SCBWI's list of recommended publishers. A year later, I had sold my first book!
What motivates you to write children's books?
My world around me: what I see as I'm walking down the street, and working with students, what I care about regarding human interaction, and the things that bring a smile to my own daughter's face. I also am motivated to write about Asian culture, in a way that makes it interesting and exciting for all children. I write on universal themes, but often, with a unique Asian flavor.
Do you have a particular writing process or any writing rituals?
Finding quality time to write is the most difficult obstacle that I face, and more important than the process of writing, is the process of finding time to write! You can't write in between phone calls, paying bills and cooking. You need a chunk of quality, quiet time. What I can do on these days, is to list out ideas...in a prioritized way...so that when I am presented with time...I already know what I'm going to focus on.
On my writing days, I don't answer the phone between 6:30 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. I put a sign on my door that says "Mom at work," and don't let anyone enter. I schedule all appointments for my non-writing days. Then...as soon as I have time...it's a mad race to get ideas down. I write as much as I can, with as little editing as possible. Then, later on, I will go back and edit those ideas--keeping the good and throwing out the bad.
Your picture book Round is a Mooncake (illustrated by Grace Lin and published by Chronicle Books in 2000) is a really fun and engaging book of shapes found in Asia (round rice bowls, square name chops, rectangle inking stones, etc.). I love it! What inspired you to write Round is a Mooncake?
It was the eve of the Moon Festival in Hong Kong, where I lived and taught English for 14 years. I was shopping in my local neighborhood, when I noticed the full, round, harvest moon, round lanterns, round mooncakes, round baskets of round fruit. I was suddenly inspired by round shapes. I grabbed my pen and an old electric bill I had in my purse, jotted down a rhyme that poured seamlessly from my thoughts...
Round is a mooncake
Round is the moon
Round are the lanterns outside my room...
The Wishing Tree (illustrated by Connie McLennan and published by Shen's Books in 2004) is based on a real wishing tree in Hong Kong. It's a touching and inspiring story about a boy named Ming and his grandmother who every year make wishes using the tree. What inspired you to write The Wishing Tree? Do you often make wishes on Chinese wishing trees?
When I lived in Hong Kong, my family and I would make a wish every year at the local Wishing Tree.
But this book was inspired by several questions that I'd been thinking about for years, not necessarily related to the wishing tree...."What purpose do wishes play in children's lives, and why do some children wish for things that can't come true?" My own daughter always wished for a dog, but we could never have one...I'm terribly allergic to animals, and we lived in a small apartment without a yard. As I explored questions about wishing, I developed a male character in my mind named Ming, who also wished for something that could not come true. I guess my daughter was the inspiration.
I also love Gai See: What You Can See in Chinatown (illustrated by Yangsook Choi and published by Abrams Books for Young Readers in 2007)! It's an absolutely delightful picture book about the things one can see at a Chinese street market, from songbirds to velvet shoes with pearls and beads, to dragon fruit and sticky jellies. What inspired you to write Gai See? What are your favorite things in Chinese street markets?
As with Round is a Mooncake, Gai See was inspired by a walk through my local Chinese street market or "Gai See" in Cantonese. I noticed the unique sounds, textures, smells, tastes, and visual stimulation, and then presented myself with a question that turned into a book...
What in the world could you possibly see
at an old Gai See beside the sea
on a hot and steamy, melt ice creamy
summery Saturday morning?
What are the challenges and rewards of writing Asian-influenced children's books?
The biggest challenge of writing an Asian-themed book is being culturally accurate, both in text and with illustration. Sometimes, the illustrations are not appropriate: they might show a Japanese item, rather than a Chinese one, or colors or numbers that are culturally offensive or even foreign to Chinese. I also worry that I might not have understood customs or traditions fully. Therefore, I run my text past 3 or 4 'experts'...librarians, teachers, and others, who can make sure the text sound authentic.
What are your favorite Asian or Asian American children's books? What Asian or Asian American children's books are you reading now?
Wow...there are so many good ones. Just a few that come to mind are "Baseball Saved Us" by Ken Mochizuki, "Monsoon" by Uma Krishnaswami, and various books by Allen Say, Paul Say and Minfong Ho. I'm currently re-reading "Farewell to Manzanar" for the 5th or 6th time.
What are some of your favorite experiences from living in Asia for more than 15 years?
Asia is an incredible place. While there is always something new and unexpected around every corner, my favorite experiences are the mundane...the chirp of cicada (like crickets at a soccer match) on a warm summer day, the beckoning taste of dragon fruit, star fruit and mangosteen, the call of street hawkers, and warm, humid air from the South China sea.
(Roseanne with her daughter Maya at Victoria Peak, Hong Kong)
You are American and your husband is Malaysian-born Chinese, so your daughter enjoys a very rich mixed heritage. Does your family celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month? How are you celebrating it this year?
We celebrate everything that comes along...it makes life more exciting! A few times a year, I take my daughter to the bookstore (her idea of the proverbial 'candy shop') and let her pick out two books on a particular theme. We'll celebrate by delving into the newest Asian-American authors and books.
(Roseanne and Maya at dragon boat races in Hong Kong)
What are your upcoming books for children?
My latest is a book entitled "Wish" (Chronicle Books, 2008), it is a book of international wish-making traditions. It recently was named "Best of the Best Book" from Chicago Public Library, and was a "Notable Book" recommended by Smithsonian Magazine.
Another book called "Fly Free" will be published later this year. It is a book about Karma, written in a way that young children can grasp. It takes place in Vietnam, though the concept is universal...that good karma or good deeds generate goodness.
Thank you so much Roseanne for taking the time to answer my questions today. And I thank you for writing books for children that are great introductions to Asian culture!
Oh, I love Alfie! This must be a new one? Or at least new to me. Will look for it now!
Hi--thanks for the comment. "Alfie and the Big Boys" is new to this country but was previously released in the UK. And I saw in this month's BT Books For Growing Minds that Shirley Hughes has a new counting book coming out in July. That went straight into my shopping cart!
I don't recognize any of the titles but they all look entertaining. My list is <a href="http://www.pussreboots.pair.com/blog/2009/comments_06/what_my_kids_are_reading_02.html" rel="nofollow">here</a>.
Hi Puss--I've checked out your list and left you a comment too :) Our list is a combination of new titles and old favorites. You'll probably see some of the same titles turning up each week....