I just got the exciting news that my piece "Rainy Day Friends" has been chosen for the SCBWI Bologna Book Fair 2016 Illustrator Showcase! Thank you so much to the SCBWI judges! This is an incredible honor!
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Blog: JZ ArtBlog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: SCBWI, shameless self-promotion, illustrators, Bologna Book Fair, Add a tag
Blog: Miss Marple's Musings (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Interview, international, publishing, Bologna Book Fair, Beatrice Alemagna, Giovanna Zoboli, Topipittori, Italian publisher of children's books, John Alcorn, Paolo Canton, Segio Ruzzier, Add a tag
As many of my blog followers will know, a few weeks back I was thrilled to be contacted by Lisa Topi of the Italian publishing house, TOPIPITTORI, about translating my interview with Leonard Marcus for their website. Through our email … Continue reading
Add a CommentBlog: A Fuse #8 Production (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: picture book author interviews, Kirkus, children's book awards, illustrator interviews, author interviews, NYPL, Ezra Jack Keats, Eudora Welty, Bologna Book Fair, Darth Vader, Daniel Handler, window displays, Jo Nesbo, French children's books, adult authors up to no good, Fusenews, Erin E. Stead, Philip Stead, Add a tag
Honestly, I don’t quite know why I even bother doing Fusenews posts on Saturdays. As you might suspect, my readership dips considerably when the weekends hit, but an old Fusenews post is like a week old fish. Time does it no favors. As such, I shall cut through my seething envy of everyone at BookExpo this week (honestly, why are you folks having SO much fun anyway?) and pretend that Maureen Johnson’s tweets about how bad the coffee is there will convince me that it’s not that interesting anywa . . . wait a minute . . . they’re giving away copies of that Scieszka/Biggs early reader series in the Abrams booth?!?! WAAAAAAHHHHHH!
- New Site Alert: We begin with the big, interesting, important news. Phil and Erin Stead aren’t just Caldecott Award winners. No siree bob, they also happen to be innovative interviewers. Having just started the site Number Five Bus Presents (I approve of the title since it fits in nicely with 7 Impossible Things Before Breakfast, A Fuse #8 Production, and 9 Kinds of Pie . . . we just need a blog that uses the number 6 to fill in the gap), the two are conducting a series of conversations with book makers. There will be 9-12 episodes per “season”. So far they’ve spoken with Eric Rohmann (consider this your required reading of the day) with many more interviews on the way. You can read the reasons why they’re doing this here. Basically it boils down to them wanting to connect to fellow book makers in what can often be a lonely field. If I were a professor of children’s literature, I would make everyone in my class subscribe to this site. Many thanks to Jules for the tip!
- About a month ago I was at an event where a venture capitalist with an interest in children’s literature was asking how much money a new children’s book prize should pay out. “$20,000? $30,000?” he ventured. We all sort of balked at the amounts, assuring the man that any author would be grateful for $10,000, let alone a larger amount (the authors in the room, as you might imagine, were gung ho for the original mentioned amounts). Meanwhile, had I but known, the people at Kirkus were debating the self-same thing. Only when they came up with their brand new book prize monetary amount, they decided to play for keeps. On October 23, 2014 some amazingly lucky children’s or YA author will win a $50,000 (you read that number right) prize for their book. All it needs to have done is receive a star from Kirkus to be eligible. The initial announcement in The Washington Post made the big time mistake of saying that the youth award would only go to YA. Happily, the subsequent Kirkus announcement clarified that this was not the case. Man. I really really want to be on that jury someday. The power!
- Just a reminder that the Kids Author Carnival will be up and running here in NYC today (Saturday). Got no plans at 6 tonight? Now you do.
- Aw, what the heck. Need a new poster for your library? How bout this?
You can download the PDF here if you so desire.
- Sure, the blog post Trigger Warnings for Classic Kids Books is amusing, but I would bet you dollars to donuts that at least half of these “objections” have been used in legitimate attempts to ban or remove from shelves these books somewhere, sometime.
- I did not know that Sun Ra and Prince were both influences on Daniel Handler but when said, it makes a certain amount of sense. PEN America’s biweekly interview series The Pen Ten recently interviewed the man and justified my belief that the most interesting authors are the ones that don’t give the same rote answers in every single interview they do. Of course good questions help as well.
- In L.A.? Wish you were in New York attending BookExpo? Wish you had something in your neck of the woods to crow about? Well, good news. If you haven’t heard already, the Skirball Cultural Center is featuring the show The Snowy Day and the Art of Ezra Jack Keats from now until September. Lucky ducks.
- Speaking of BookExpo (and is there anything else TO speak of this week?) I was much obliged to the folks at Shelf Awareness for their #BEA14: Pictures from an Exhibition post. From that amazing diversity panel at SLJ’s Day of Dialog to singing sensation Michael Buckley and the Amazing Juggling Authors to James Patterson’s $1 million given out to bookstores (way to go, Watchung Booksellers!) it’s a great post.
- There’s a 2014 Children’s Book Week Bookstore Display Contest? Oo. Good luck choosing amongst them, guys.
- Adult authors that write books for children are hardly new. They’re also rarely any good. Sorry, but it is the rare adult author that finds that they’re a natural in the children’s book realm as well. There are always exceptions (heck, Neil Gaiman won himself a Newbery so howzabout THEM apples, eh?) and one of them might be Jo Nesbø. Over at The Guardian, Nesbø discusses how he decides in the morning whether or not to write his gritty adult crime thrillers . . . or the fart books for kids. Frankly, I’ll always be grateful to Nesbø because of the day I was sitting at the reference desk in the Children’s Center at 42nd Street and a group of young female Norwegians came in asking for Norwegian children’s authors. Thank goodness for Nesbø and Peter Christen Abjorsen.
- Somewhat along the same lines, this has very little to do with anything (to the best of my knowledge the only children’s book she ever penned was The Shoe Bird) but if you have not already read Eudora Welty’s New Yorker application letter, you’re welcome. Suddenly I want to see the biopic of her life with the character of Eudora played by Kristen Schall. Am I crazy?
- It took them a bloody long time but at long last the Bologna Children’s Book Fair has announced when the 2015 dates will be. So . . . if anyone feels like sponsoring me to go I wouldn’t, ah, object or anything. *bats eyelashes charmingly*
- A library can lend books. It can lend tablets. It can lend laptops even. But lending the internet itself? NYPL is currently doing just that (or is about to). In this article you can see that, “The goal of this project is to expand the reach and benefits of free access to the Internet provided by The New York Public Library (NYPL) to underserved youth and communities by allowing them to borrow portable WiFi Hotspot devices from their local libraries for a sustained period of time.” We’ll just have to see how it works out, but I’m intrigued.
- Tell me this isn’t awesome:
As you can see, this is a selection of animal sounds found in the Orbis Sensualium Pictus (or The World of Things Obvious to the Senses drawn in Pictures), also known as the world’s oldest children’s picture book. And if you can read through it and not suddenly find the song “What Does the Fox Say?” caught in your head then you’re a better man than I. Thanks to AL Direct for the link.
- When I read the i09 piece 10 Great Authors Who Disowned Their Own Books I naturally started thinking of the children’s and YA equivalents. So far I can think of at least one author and one illustrator off the top of my head. The author would be Kay Thompson of Eloise. The illustrator I’ll keep to myself since he’s still alive and kicking. Any you can think of?
- “In France, I can publish a funny picturebook one month and a YA novel about revenge porn the next.” Maybe the best thing I read all day. Phil Nel directed me to this absolutely fascinating piece by Clementine Beauvais called Publishing Children’s Books in the UK vs. in France. Just substitute “UK” for “US” (which isn’t that hard) you’ll understand why this is amazing reading. Obviously there are some difference between the UK and US models, but they share more common qualities than differences. Thanks to Phil Nel for the link!
- How many illustrators sneak pictures of their previous books into other books? Travis Jonker accounts for some of the titles doing this in 2014. Along the same lines, how many authors put in in-jokes? It was my husband who pointed out that Jonathan Auxier put a sneaky reference to his blog The Scop into The Night Gardener this year. Clever man.
- Daily Image:
I have good news. You can order this as a poster, should you so desire.
Thanks to Lori for the link!
Blog: Through the Studio Door (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: BiG, Friday Studio Links, SCBWI, illustration, Bologna book Fair, Publishers Weekly, Add a tag
Last week my art "Time to Wish" that went to Italy won an honorable mention at the Bologna Children's Book Fair! The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators proudly presented a gallery of images from 34 of it's members as part of the 2014 SCBWI Bologna Showcase. At the fair one winner and 4 honorable mentions were announced for this BiG (Bologna Illustrators Gallery) award.
Time to Wish
I was in great company along with the winner Dorothea Rohner, and three other honorable mentions - Kris Sexton, Ingrid Kallick, and Tanja Wooten. Can you imagine having your artwork show up on the BiG screen at such an enormous event? It would have been amazing to be there, but since I wasn't, here's the next best thing. Check out the links and you can virtually be there too. Thank you everyone for the photos and videos!
In this link from an article in Publisher's Weekly, you can get an idea of just how big and exciting this event is!
The SCBWI Booth with Dueling Illustrators
The SCBWI Booth with the BiG Posters
And in case you haven't seen enough, here's a link to the Bologna Book Fair Photogallery with tons of very cool images.
And a fun video that shows the scope of how BiG the fair really was.
Blog: Hazel Mitchell (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: childrens illustrator, Hazel Mitchell, turbo monkey tales, ALA, childrens books, Chicago, Caldecott, Bologna Book Fair, Add a tag
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Blog: Picture Book Junkies (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: bologna book fair, alicia padron, katriona chapman, Add a tag
Blog: Shelley Scraps (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: event, bologna book fair, Add a tag
With a picture book deadline around the corner I wasn't sure I'd be able to get away to Bologna this year, but thank goodness I did go, it was an excellent Fair. As one of the organisers of the SCBWI Illustrator's Display Portfolio my involvement in the Fair began several months ago. Just before flying I was interviewed for the Cynations blog, before putting paint brushes aside and jumping on a plane to Bologna.
Day 1. With Bridget Strevens and Babette Cole during the British Isles Showcase at the SCBWI Stand |
I arrived in the middle of the first day of the Fair and went straight from the airport to the SCBWI stand, anticipating the pace would gradually build up during the afternoon. Much to my surprise though the stand was already surrounded by a large crowd of people, from fellow SCBWI volunteers to publishers and other professionals. Bologna was off to a very hectic start! Monday was actually the busiest day for me, as I had a solid afternoon of meetings in quick succession, but Tuesday was also very tightly scheduled, it wasn't until the third day of the Fair that I really had chance to relax a little and spend time exploring the halls.
SCBWI had a very brisk Bologna, with a full daily programme of events and showcases throughout the Fair. This year we were blessed by the presence of president Lin Oliver, over from Los Angeles, who on Tuesday gave an inspiring talk at the Author's Cafe hosted by SCBWI International Coordinator Kathleen Ahrens.
Day 2. Lin Oliver at the Author's Cafe |
On Wednesday I and several other illustrators performed sketching duels at the Stand. I was up against worthy opponents Bridget Strevens and Barbara McClintock, illustrating a story by Angela Cerrito, but I also provided an unscheduled acoustic guitar soundtrack to the Paul O. Zelinsky vs Bob Barner duel! It was a lot of fun for all involved.
Barbara McClintock, B&B share and opponent (with Bridget) at the Duelling Illustrators event. |
Outside SCBWI the highlights of this year for me were the wonderful display of the Portugese Illustrat
Blog: CHRISTOPHER CHENG'S BLOG: IT'S ALL ABOUT THE BOOKS (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Bologna, Bologna Book Fair, Add a tag
In the lead up to the Book Fair we also put a call out for our illustrators to submit sample art works that could be chosen to be displayed in a portfolio, wonderfully prepared by John and Bridget. This gets a thorough viewing by the publishers who attend our booth. Caterina Zandonella was one of those successful illustrators.
Cat and her successful art |
Another feature from the festival organisers is the Illustrator Wall. At the start of the fair this wall was blank but after four days you can see the result below - totally covered with contact details and sample art work. Some clever creators even created business card holders attached to their artwork. I am amazed they lasted that long because some of the work added disappeared ... just ask Lesley.
We also continued to showcase on the final morning ....
SCBWI Malaysia |
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By: CHRISTOPHER CHENG,
on 3/21/2012
Blog: CHRISTOPHER CHENG'S BLOG: IT'S ALL ABOUT THE BOOKS (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap) JacketFlap tags: Bologna, Bologna Book Fair, Add a tag
What is the highlight of the SCBWI Bologna Showcase? It most certainly has to be the Duelling Illustrators. This is a favourite of the showcase and the four duels today continued that long and loved tradition. In the Duelling Illustrators, two or three illustrators rapidly illustrate their response to an unpublished picture manuscript that is being read aloud in short, page like, snippets. So here are some visual highlights. I was thrilled to be part of this and read while Serena Geddes and Lesley Vamos duelled. Their work was stunning!
The surrounding booths have very little traffic as the red carpet is just covered with people watching the duels. Some folk I know bypassed and walked along to another aisle. So here now are the four session:
Story Kathleen Ahrens Illustrators, Bob Barner and Paul O. Zelinsky
5 Comments on Bologna Book Fair Day 3 - Duelling Illustrators, last added: 3/23/2012
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By: CHRISTOPHER CHENG,
on 3/20/2012
Blog: CHRISTOPHER CHENG'S BLOG: IT'S ALL ABOUT THE BOOKS (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap) JacketFlap tags: Bologna, Bologna Book Fair, Add a tag
It really was an explosion of activity today on the SCBWI booth - and after these few words there are just a few photos to show the happenings. First up this morning there was the SCBWI Australia and New Zealand showcase. We filled the Aussie table with books, postcards and business cards from our members. Frances loaded one table with New Zealand creations but I couldn't contain all our paraphernalia to one table, we had to take over a section of the book cases, bordered with the Australian flag of course. Thanks to Deb, Serena and Lesley who were there to get our flag flying and then hung around to sing the praises of SCBWI Australia. Other regional showcases and then personal showcases were displayed as well. Later this afternoon Kathleen interviewed Lin in the Authors' Cafe (the signs have a spelling mistake!) where Lin enlightened us on the SCBWI story which never fails to thrill me either. This was soon followed by the SCBWI booth party with heaps of people sharing the cake and champagne and toasting the wonderful celebration that is all things SCBWI. Some filming was also done. I'm, not sure what I said but I hope it was okay! It is such a thrill to have Lin and Sarah from headquarters here at the fair. Their encouragement and presence just makes us all so thrilled. The tribe is great! The Australian Publishers Association also has a strong presence at the fair and it was my turn as well to be sitting there and chit chatting about my books, Deb, Serena and Lesley were also there throughout the day. What fun! Thanks to that crew - Ann, Jess and Libby for helping me get my act together and be there too. And so that is day two. Of course dinner with Warren tonight is very close and then comes day three and that highlight .... duelling illustrators!
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Saturday is a better reading day for me.
Did you say Scieszka Biggs early reader? Can’t wait! And thanks for posting on Saturday – my chores are done, my husband is cooking, and this is my leisure reading.
ps That animal poster is hilarious. Good show!
And of course another big story from BEA/BookCon this week– the We Need Diverse Books panel, which rocked the house and was full of exciting announcements about their upcoming projects and initiatives. Lots of conversations about diversity happening outside that packed room, too.
That animal advocacy poster is awesome. I vote for more emu books. And I am super in love with the Steads’ new venture. I can only hope that someday my site will reach the caliber to fit in with your group of numbered picture book blogs!
p.s. If you are ever up for a coffee or doughnut or something (preferably edible) I would love to meet and chat picture books now that I too inhabit your fair city. We can even accessorize with our new second-borns.
I am, and will always be, forever up for a doughnut. Absolutely, let’s do the meet up thing. I’ll touch base. Thanks to maternity leave I’ve nothing but time these days.