How to use this Page

If you’re making plans to visit another culture with children, here’s a multi-genre multitude of resources, from guides for family travel to a pre-teen’s memoir of moving to Africa. Books, sites, lists… something to inspire and ease your travel with children and enrich their multicultural upbringing in the best possible way: experiencing new territory for themselves. Happy travels!

David Elliot Cohen’s One Year Off: Leaving It All Behind for a Round-the-World Journey With Our Children, in the Traveler’s Tales series, provides an ambitious starting point. Annotated travel-related children’s book lists, organized by country, await you at Travel for Kids. Along with books for young travelers, the Goodlittletraveler website suggests helpful advice about traveling with children. The Pennywhistle Traveling with Kids Book offers vehicular orientation for parents and kids traveling by car, plane, train or boat.

In Alison Lester’s Are We There Yet? 8-year-old Gracie narrates a family vacation all around Australia. Headed to the Caribbean? Here’s a book list. Along with many Fodors guides for kids traveling in Europe and U.S., Madallie: A Children’s Travel Store stocks an around-the-world adventure guide. Exploring Chinatown: A Children’s Guide to Chinese Culture is a great guide to any Chinatown, wherever in the world you’re headed. Four Corners Publishing puts out YA novels for and about young travelers, including guides to Sydney, Mexico, and Israel. In Learning to Swim in Swaziland by Nila K. Leigh, an American 11-year-old describes her life in Africa, where she moved when she was 8.

Introducing young children to international art classics in preparation for travel? Art Up Close makes helpful suggestions. And Bob Raczka’s Where in the World? takes Alighiero e Boetti’s tapestry map of the world as starting point for a world tour of great art–good fun for armchair and hit-the-road young travelers alike.

Week three for Robert's Snow


This is your last chance to catch your own snowflake. All the proceeds will go to the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. Bidding starts today and ends Friday, 7th December at 5pm. Robert's Snow

Auction 3 will begin accepting bids on Monday, November 26th, 2007 at 9:00 a.m. with a starting bid of $50 for each snowflake. All bids must be placed before the close of Auction 2 on Friday, Nov. 30 at 5:00 pm.Remember that 100% of the proceeds from this online auction will benefit sarcoma research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and that all but $25 of the winning bid is tax deductible.

• Consie Powell at Becky’s Book Reviews
• Anna Alter at The Longstockings
• Adam Rex at Booktopia
• Julia Denos at Interactive Reader
• Giles Laroche at Book, Book, Book
• Matt Phelan at A Year of Reading
• Brooke Dyer at Bookshelves of Doom
• Barbara Lehman at The Excelsior File
• Scott Magoon at Just One More Book!!
• Alissa Imre Geis at Wild Rose Reader
• Judy Schachner at Kate’s Book Blog
• Laura Huliska Beith at Just One More Book!!
• Genevieve Cote at a wrung sponge
• Ruth Sanderson at Book Moot
• Susan Kathleen Hartung at Wild Rose Reader
• Linda Graves at Your Neighborhood Librarian
• Diane DeGroat at Jama Rattigan’s Alphabet Soup
• Susan Mitchell at Check It Out
• R.W. Alley at at Jama Rattigan’s Alphabet Soup
• Wendell Minor at Wild Rose Reader
• Melanie Watt at Whimsy Books
• Elisa Kleven at Rozzieland
• Sally Vitsky at Shelf Elf: read, write, rave
• Jimmy Pickering at Shaken & Stirred
• Jeremy Tankard at the excelsior file
• Mark Teague at The Miss Rumphius Effect
• Annie Patterson at Check It Out
• Ashley Bryan
• Diana Magnuson at A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy
• Bill Carman at A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy
• Elizabeth Sayles at AmoXcalli and Cuentecitos
• Grace Lin at In the Pages
• Dan Santat at Writing and Ruminating
• Jarrett J. Krosoczka at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast
• Jeff Ebbeler at Sam Riddleburger’s blog
• Margaret Chodos-Irvine at readergirlz
• Nancy Wallace at In the Pages . . .
• Robin Brickman at Greetings from Nowhere
• Joy Allen at Check It Out
• Christopher Demarest at Writing and Ruminating
• Mary Newell Depalma at Wild Rose Reader
• Derek Anderson
• Peter Brown
• Rebecca Guay at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast
• Jui Ishida at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast
• Kathy Jakobsen at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast
• Linda Bronson
• James T. Williamson at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast
• Kristina Swarner at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast
• Vladimir Shpitalnik at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast
• Linda S. Wingerter at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast
• Meghan McCarthy at A Fuse #8 Production
• Carin Berger at Chasing Ray
• Salley Mavor at ChatRabbit
• Amy Young at Kate’s Book Blog
• Rebecca Doughty at A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy
• Brian Lies at Greetings from Nowhere
• D.B. Johnson at Lessons from the Tortoise
• Jeff Mack at AmoXcalli
• Selina Alko at Brooklyn Arden
• Sean Qualls at Brooklyn Arden
• Randy Cecil at ChatRabbit
• Jeff Newman at A Year of Reading
• Mo Willems at MotherReader
• Karen Lee at sruble’s world
• Shawna Tenney at Kate’s Book Blog
• Julie Paschkis at the excelsior file
• Victoria Jamieson at AmoXcalli and Cuentecitos
• Juli Kangas at Sam Riddleburger
• Connie McLennan at The Shady Glade
• Kelly Murphy at ChatRabbit

Happy Bidding!!

A big Thanks! to Tricia Stohr-Hunt for making this list of links available, and to Jules and Eisha for organizing the Bloggers’ Brigade to promote the Robert’s Snow Online Auction for Cancer’s Cure.

Auction 2 will begin accepting bids on Monday, November 26th, 2007 at 9:00 a.m. with a starting bid of $50 for each snowflake. All bids must be placed before the close of Auction 2 on Friday, Nov. 30 at 5:00 pm.Remember that 100% of the proceeds from this online auction will benefit sarcoma research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and that all but $25 of the winning bid is tax deductible.

Read about all the illustrators who contributed to this auction at the sites linked below. (The order presented is the same as on the auction page.)

• Ashley Wolff at A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy
• Karen Katz at Whimsy Books
• Maxwell Eaton III at Books and Other Thoughts
• Matthew Cordell at Just Like the Nut
• Rick Chrustowski at laurasalas
• Lisa Kopelke at Lisa’s Little Corner of the Internet
• Melissa Iwai at Brooklyn Arden
• Susan Miller at Your Neighborhood Librarian
• Joanne Friar at The Longstockings
• Annette Heiberg at Lisa’s Little Corner of the Internet
• Susie Jin at sruble’s world
• Roz Fulcher at Goading the Pen
• Scott Bakal at Wild Rose Reader
• Tim Coffey at The Silver Lining
• Linas Alsenas at A Wrung Sponge
• Ellen Beier at What Adrienne Thinks About That
• Alexandra Boiger at Paradise Found
• Joe Kulka at ChatRabbit
• Kevin Hawkes at Cynthia Lord’s Journal
• Diane Greenseid at Just One More Book!!
• Mary Haverfield at Your Neighborhood Librarian
• Denise Fleming at MotherReader
• Aaron Zenz at Jo’s Journal
• Carol Schwartz at Jama Rattigan’s Alphabet Soup
• Theresa Brandon at The Shady Glade
• Janet Stevens at The Miss Rumphius Effect
• Don Tate at The Silver Lining
• Laura Jacques at cynthialord’s Journal
• Sarah Dillard at The Silver Lining
• Teri Sloat at The Miss Rumphius Effect
• Margot Apple at Jo’s Journal
• Rose Mary Berlin at Charlotte’s Library
• Carol Heyer at The Shady Glade
• Cecily Lang at Kate’s Book Blog
• Cynthia Decker at The Silver Lining
• Mike Wohnoutka at laurasalas
• Lee White at Please Come Flying
• Denise Ortakales at cynthialord’s Journal
• Akemi Gutierrez at AmoXcalli and Cuentecitos
• Amiko Hirao at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast
• Amy Schimler at Please Come Flying
• David Macaulay at Here in the Bonny Glen
• Lauren Stringer at laurasalas
• Greg Newbold at The Longstockings
• Holli Conger at Please Come Flying
• Judith Moffaft at Jo’s Journal
• Lizzy Rockwell at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast
• Matt Tavares at Please Come Flying
• Sheila Bailey at lizjonesbooks
• Sophie Blackall at not your mother’s bookclub
• Steven James Petruccio at Blog From the Windowsill
• Sylvia Long at Whimsy Books
• Timothy Bush at Here in the Bonny Glen
• Jane Dippold at Just Like the Nut
• Jane Dyer at Whimsy Books
• Wendy Edelson at What Adrienne Thinks About That
• Paul Brewer at A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy
• Brian Biggs at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast
• Calef Brown
• Timothy Bush
• Barbara Lanza
• Lauren Stringer
• Graeme Base at Just One More Book!
• Cece Bell at Jo’s Journal
• Stephanie Roth at Writing with a broken tusk
• Sherry Rogers at A Life in Books
• John Hassett at cynthialord’s Journal

Happy Bidding!!

A big Thanks! to Tricia Stohr-Hunt for making this list of links available, and to Jules and Eisha for organizing the Bloggers’ Brigade to promote the Robert’s Snow Online Auction for Cancer’s Cure.

Starting Monday, we’ll all have a chance to purchase the artwork of a favourite children’s book illustrator while helping to fight cancer — by participating in a unique fundraiser for cancer research: Robert’s Snow: for Cancer’s Cure. Since 2004, this online auction has raised over $200,000 for The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and, with your help, the holiday tradition will thrive in 2007.

Auction 1 will begin accepting bids on Monday, Novenber 19, 2007 at 9:00 a.m. with a starting bid of $50 for each snowflake. All bids must be placed before the close of Auction 1 on Friday, Nov. 23 at 5:00 pm. Don’t forget that 100 percent of the proceeds from this online auction will benefit sarcoma research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and that all but $25 of the winning bid is tax deductible.

In eight hours, I need to be on a train to New York for the NYS English Council Conference.  Am I packed?  Not quite.  But I really, really wanted to share what my students finished today.  When I signed up to participate in Blogging for a Cure to promote the Robert's Snow: For Cancer's Cure fund-raiser for the  Dana Farber Cancer Institute, I enlisted my 7th graders' help interviewing illustrators and writing features about them.  We interviewed:

• Judy Schachner
• Shawna Tenney
• Sara Kahn
• Amy Young
• Cecily Lang

One of my students brought in origami paper and made tiny butterflies and cranes to decorate her snowflake.





I love the creative ideas they came up with.  Just like real snowflakes, no two were alike...



I'm convinced that the artist of the snowflake below is going to publish a graphic novel some day...



Another work in progress...











The kids worked hard today and were SO excited to join the ranks of artists working for a cure for cancer.  We'll post an update when we have a final amount for our donation!

Starting November 19th, we’ll all have a chance to purchase the artwork of a favourite children’s book illustrator while helping to fight cancer — by participating in a unique fundraiser for cancer research: Robert’s Snow: for Cancer’s Cure. Since 2004, this online auction has raised over $200,000 for The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and, with your help, the holiday tradition will thrive in 2007.In order to raise awareness of and participation in this fabulous fundraiser, we in the kidlitosphere community will be highlighting ~160 of the 200 or so individual illustrators who have created snowflakes for the upcoming ’07 auctions — and giving you a peek at the unique snowflakes they have made.

Here is this final week’s line up of illustrator showcases and snowflake sneak peeks:

Monday, November 12

• John Nez at ChatRabbit
• Liza Woodruff at Check It Out
• Jane Dippold at Just Like the Nut
• Mike Wohnoutka at laurasalas

Tuesday, November 13

• Cynthia Decker at The Silver Lining
• Cecily Lang at Kate’s Book Blog
• Jane Dyer at Whimsy Books
• Gutierrez at AmoXcalli and Cuentecitos
• Lee White at Please Come Flying

Wednesday, November 14

• Philomena O’Neill at Jo’s Journal
• Maggie Swanson at Chicken Spaghetti
• Timothy Bush at Here in the Bonny Glen
• Peter Emmerich at Loree Griffin Burns: A Life in Books

Thursday, November 15

• Yangsook Choi at What Adrienne Thinks About That
• Laura Jacques at cynthialord’s Journal
• Mary Newell Depalma at Wild Rose Reader
• Leanne Franson at Just Like the Nut

Friday, November 16

• Mary Haverfield at Your Neighborhood Librarian
• Lisa Kopelke at Lisa’s Little Corner of the Internet
• Salley Mavor at ChatRabbit
• Greg Newbold at The Longstockings
• Elizabeth Sayles at AmoXcalli and Cuentecitos

Saturday, November 17

• Paul Brewer at A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy
• Aaron Zenz at Jo’s Journal
• Wendy Edelson at What Adrienne Thinks About That
• Joan Waites at Chicken Spaghetti

Sunday, November 18

• Giles Laroche at Book, Book, Book
• Annie Patterson at Check It Out
• Teri Sloat at The Miss Rumphius Effect
• Annette Heiberg at Lisa’s Little Corner of the Internet
• Wade Zahares at Wild Rose Reader

Please take time out to visit these blogs, and read about these fabulous illustrators. And, if you’re so inclined, think about bidding for a snowflake in the Robert’s Snow auction. Each snowflake makes a unique gift (for yourself or for someone else), and supports an important cause.

A big Thanks! to Tricia Stohr-Hunt and Jen Robinson for making this linked schedule available, and to Jules and Eisha for organizing the Bloggers’ Brigade to promote the Robert’s Snow Online Auction for Cancer’s Cure.

Today, as part of Blogging for a Cure,  we're featuring illustrator Amy Young and the snowflake she created for Robert's Snow -- a fantastic fund-raiser for cancer research at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute.

Blogger's Note:  I'm a children's author and a middle school English teacher, so my students are collaborating on our series of illustrator profiles! Today's feature is courtesy of the Global Citizens in 3rd period English class!

Amy L. Young grew up in Watertown, MA. She started drawing at the age of three, and as she grew up, she dreamed of being an artist.  By going to the Cleveland Institute of Art for two years and then Yale, she accomplished this goal. Later on, her first book, Belinda the Ballerina, was published in 2003.  Like Belinda, Amy Young took dance lessons at the age of seven. She also wrote and illustrated two other books -- Belinda in Paris and Belinda and the Glass Slipper.  Her three books do not just attract young, enthusiastic dancers. They also attract adults and other children because of her wit and comedy.  Amy L. Young is a very talented writer and illustrator.

We had a chance to interview Amy about her snowflake and her work.

Globals:  First of all, we were enchanted by your snowflake. What was the inspiration for that design?  What made you think of Emmalina the Mud Fairy and the sunflower that you chose?

Amy: I'm glad you like my snowflake! Emmalina is a character from THE MUD FAIRY, a book I have written which will be published by BloomsburyUSA at some point (no publication date yet).  Emmalina is sort of a tom-boy fairy, who would rather stomp in mud puddles and play with frogs than be all delicate and dainty. But she does still take an occasional nap on a flower, as you see on the snowflake. The idea of  the sunflower just came to me as I was thinking about it. That's often how I get my best ideas; it's kind of like magic.



Globals: Why are you participating in Robert's Snow?   Do you have family/friends who have been affected by cancer?

Amy:  It is a great opportunity to do what I do best, and have it benefit a good cause. I really like that the entire illustration community has risen to the occasion to contribute. It feels good to be a part of a such a  large, generous community. And yes, I have lost loved ones to cancer: two aunts, and, most recently, a very dear friend. It is a cruel disease, and I like to think I might have some small part in fighting it.

Globals: Why do you like illustrating so much, and what inspired you to become an illustrator and writer?

Amy: I remember being in nursery school when I was three years old, gluing one piece of paper to another, and saying, "I am going to be an artist when I grow up." I have no idea why I have always felt such a strong connection to making images, but it seems to satisfy a need. I have always liked writing, and making picture books seemed the 
perfect way to combine those two things.

Globals: When you were young, what else did you want to be when you grew up?

Amy: Actually, nothing!

Globals: We're looking forward to reading about Belinda. What made you want to write about a ballerina?

Amy: The first Belinda story came to me in a flash -- it was as though I didn't make it up myself. It was just there. Looking back, I think I liked the idea of a ballerina with big feet. It was a funny image. But I also liked that she was incredibly graceful in spite of, or perhaps because of, her feet. It was a change to gently poke fun at 
people's prejudices and assumptions.

Globals: Are the ballerina books autobiographical at all? Did you write about Belinda having big feet because you do?

Amy: In most ways I am not like Belinda: I have small, wide feet, like a duck; I am not as shy as Belinda is, and I probably have a bit more of a temper;  I had never taken a ballet class before doing the first book. In spite of those differences, there is one major trait that Belinda and I have in common: I love doing art as much as she loves dancing. Interestingly, Belinda's love of dancing has rubbed off on me -- I now take ballet.

Globals: What's your favorite book that you wrote or illustrated?

Amy: I don't have a favorite, but right now I am very excited about the next Belinda book, which will come out on Valentine's Day. It is called Belinda Begins Ballet, and tells the story of how Belinda started dancing when she was a girl.

Globals: We read on your website that you've had a wide variety of jobs and even went to law school before your became an illustrator. Why did you decide to study law, and what made you leave it?

Amy: Well, I panicked. I didn't think that I would be able to make a living doing art, so I looked for something else. My father is a lawyer, and he loves his job, so I thought "I'll try that!" I was a lawyer for seven years. There was a lot that I liked about being a lawyer, but I really missed doing art -- just the way Belinda missed dancing. (Ah, there's the autobiographical part!)

Globals: We also noted that you didn't care for waitressing. How come?

Amy: I waitressed in a pizza place in a big city. When things got busy we were frantic trying to get everyone served, and some of the customers treated us as if we were barely human. Just not my cup of tea.

Globals: Now the rapid-fire questions...things that kids (and grownups who are just big kids) need to know!  What's your favorite book ever?

Amy: I really don't have one favorite book. I like so many books, and different books suit different moods.

Globals: What was your greatest accomplishment in life?

Amy: Wow. That's a toughie. I think it is sort of amazing that I managed to get through Harvard Law School (I worked very hard!), but in a way I would say getting my first book published was a bigger accomplishment, because it was closer to my heart.

Globals: Do you like sushi?

Amy: Yes!

Globals: What's your most embarrassing moment (that you're willing to share)?

Amy: That would be eleventh grade math class. I was the only one who got the answer to one of the homework problems, and I was asked to go up in front of the whole class and explain how I did it. So I did, but it turns out my method was all wrong and really pretty stupid. There was this terrible awkward silence, and a few people tittered, and I really did wish I could sink into the floor and just disappear. The funny thing is that now it would take a whole lot more than that to embarrass me. I like to laugh at myself, and it makes life a lot more fun.

Globals: Have you ever ridden a horse?

Amy: Yes, but I would rather pat one and feed it and brush it and tell it how lovely it is, instead of riding it. 

Globals: What's your biggest fear?

Amy: That I will be in the middle of a big presentation and my slides or PowerPoint will fail me. It's not that I'd be embarrassed so much as I wouldn't know what to do, because showing people images of what I do is so much a part of how I present material. I guess I would manage, but it would not be good.

Globals: Your favorite dessert?

Amy: Anything with chocolate!

Globals: Thanks, Amy, for taking the time to visit with us, and thanks for giving of your time and talents for the Robert's Snow project!

Amy: Thank YOU! One of the things I love about what I do is making contact with people like you!

Here is your chance to win a signed copy of one of Amy's books from the Belinda series.  All you have to do is leave a comment on one of the snowflakes from Auction #3, and we'll enter you in a drawing for that signed book. You can also visit Amy Young's website to learn more about her work.

We will soon have a chance to purchase the artwork of a favourite children’s book illustrator while helping to fight cancer — by participating in a unique fundraiser for cancer research: Robert’s Snow: for Cancer’s Cure. Since 2004, this online auction has raised over $200,000 for The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and, with your help, the holiday tradition will thrive in 2007.

In order to raise awareness of and participation in this fabulous fundraiser, we in the kidlitosphere community will be highlighting ~160 of the 200 or so individual illustrators who have created snowflakes for the upcoming ’07 auctions — and giving you a peek at the unique snowflakes they have made.

Here is this week’s line up of illustrator showcases and snowflake sneak peeks:

Monday, November 5

• Anna Alter at The Longstockings
• Laura Huliska Beith at Just One More Book!!
• Cece Bell at Jo’s Journal
• Denise Ortakales at Cynthia Lord’s Journal

Tuesday, November 6

• Carol Heyer at The Shady Glade
• Joe Kulka at ChatRabbit
• Steven James Petruccio at Blog From the Windowsill
• Carol Schwartz at Jama Rattigan’s Alphabet Soup

Wednesday, November 7

• Jeff Ebbeler at Sam Riddleburger’s blog
• Scott Magoon at Just One More Book!!
• Connie McLennan at The Shady Glade
• Julie Paschkis at The Excelsior File

Thursday, November 8

• Genevieve Cote at A Wrung Sponge
• Linda Graves at Your Neighborhood Librarian
• James Gurney at Charlotte’s Library
• Matt Tavares at Please Come Flying

Friday, November 9

• Susan Kathleen Hartung at Wild Rose Reader
• Mary Peterson at Brooklyn Arden
• Annette Simon at Check It Out and Deo Writer
• Melanie Watt at Whimsy Books

Saturday, November 10

• R.W. Alley at at Jama Rattigan’s Alphabet Soup
• Jeannie Brett at Cynthia Lord’s Journal
• Daniel Mahoney at Paradise Found and Great Solutions to Team Challenges
• Amy Young at Kate’s Book Blog

Sunday, November 11

• Tim Coffey at The Silver Lining
• Elizabeth Dulemba at Sruble’s World
• Chris Gall at Through the Studio Door
• Amy Schimler at Please Come Flying

Please take time out to visit these blogs, and read about these fabulous illustrators. And, if you’re so inclined, think about bidding for a snowflake in the Robert’s Snow auction. Each snowflake makes a unique gift (for yourself or for someone else), and supports an important cause.

A big Thanks! to Tricia Stohr-Hunt and Jen Robinson for making this linked schedule available, and to Jules and Eisha for organizing the Bloggers’ Brigade to promote the Robert’s Snow Online Auction for Cancer’s Cure.

Today's illustrator feature for the Robert's Snow: For Cancer's Cure Fundraiser is Shawna Tenney, an artist with a gift for whimsy and, as you'll see in her snowflake, a child's playfulness.

Blogger's Note:  I'm a children's author and a middle school English teacher, so my students are collaborating on our series of illustrator profiles. Today's feature is courtesy of the Global Citizens in 3rd period English class.



Shawna Tenney has illustrated many books, such as Allie's Bike, Treasure Island, Oliver Twist, A Very Strange Place, and In the Sun.

   

She first wanted to be a ballerina, but finding out it wasn't made for her, she discovered writing and illustrating.  She now lives in Utah with her husband, Warren, and two daughters, Cassidy and Madeline, and don't forget Bongo the Cat!

  


We interviewed Shawna Tenney.  Here are our questions and her answers:

First of all, please tell us about your snowflake. Where did the idea for the frog fairy come from?

Well, sometimes I don't really know where my ideas come from.  I was looking at my snowflake, and all I could see was a big beehive hairdo and wings.  A fat frog lady hopped in there randomly.

Why did you join the Robert's Snow fundraiser?

I found out about it on a friend's blog, and really wanted to participate, mostly because my mom is a breast cancer survivor.  I was very excited to participate in a fund raiser for cancer research in which I could use my talents.   I dedicated my snowflake to my mom and my good friend Amber, an 11 year old who has leukemia.

Why do you like being an illustrator?

Wow, what is there not to like.  I can stay at home with my kids while I work and make my own schedule (although at times this can be a challenge).  I get paid for doing something I love to do.

How much practice does it take to be an illustrator? 

Well, I have a bachelor's degree, so I have had as much schooling as most other professionals.  I have always loved drawing and have been doing it since I was very little.  It takes many hours to complete a painting.  First I have to get the sketch just right with a composition I am happy with.  Then I have to transfer that sketch onto a board.  Sometimes I do a color study on the computer to decide what colors I am going to use.  Then the painting itself takes many many hours.

How many paintings have you done?  Do you have a favorite?

Oh goodness, I have done countless paintings.  I have big bins full of old paintings.  I kind of stick to one style now, but I've gone through many different styles and mediums.  I think one of my favorite paintings right now is "The Queen of Sheep-baa." 



I really like making animal characters and want to do many more, maybe even someday a book with some fun animal characters.

Where do you get your inspirations for paintings? Do you ever get ideas from your family?

I am inspired by many great artists and illustrators.  As for my ideas, I get those from many things including things I used to imagine as a child, and things that are going on with my family.  Sometimes my imagination comes up with things out of nowhere.  A lot of the time I am doing jobs for a client and they tell me what to draw (which is certainly not as fun).  I really like fairy tales.  I like to modernize them and make them silly.  In fact, I'm working on a whole new website based on silly fairy tales.  Come back and visit my website in a couple months to see what I mean.  My little three year old, Cassidy, is really into fairy tales, so some of the things she enjoys inspire me.  Some of the things she says and does give me ideas for stories that I would like to write and illustrate.  My husband also helps me think of ideas.  He is a graphic designer, so he helps critique my work and helps me improve things.
 
Do you feel like you have a particular style of illustrating, and if so, how would you describe it?

I feel like I have my own children's storybook style.  I guess if I were to describe it, I would say, clean, detailed,colorful and whimsical with interesting angles and compositions (at least that's what I'm shooting for. . .).

Which do you prefer to draw - fantasy pictures or realistic ones?

Definitely fantasy.  I love making up my own worlds where anything can happen.
 
What medium do you usually paint in?

Acrylic Paints.  I do some black and white work with charcoal pencils and micron pens.

Have you ever thought about writing your own book? What would it be about?

Yes, I've actually written a few of my own, but have never gotten a story good enough to send out.  I think I would enjoy writing a picture book about a crazy fairy tale or about animal characters.

Now the rapid-fire questions...things that kids (and adults who think like them) need to know!

What is your favorite painter or painting of all time, and why?

How can I pick one?  Well, one of my favorites would be John William Waterhouse.  His skin tones are beautiful and I love his style and the way he applied his paint.  His subject matter was usually fairy-talesque.   There are countless other painters and illustrators I greatly admire.  A current artist I love is James Christensen.  If you saw his work, you would probably know why.

Favorite book ever?

Oh goodness, I can't just choose one.  I of course love the Harry Potter series.  One book I read recently that I thoroughly enjoyed is The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale.  As for illustrated children's books, there are too many to count, but my favorite author/illustrators are Dr. Seuss and Chris Van Allsburg.

Your favorite kind of pie?

Banana Cream Pie.   Mmmmmmmmm!

Favorite sport?

Well, sorry folks, I'm not much of a sports fan.  I do enjoy watching some sports.  Actually, I'm more into dance, if you can count that as a sport.  I was actually thinking of being a ballet teacher in my earlier years before I decided to become an illustrator.

Your website gives your name as Shawna J.C. Tenney. What does the JC stand for?

Shawna Jean Calder Tenney
 
Favorite animal?

Sea Lions

Favorite color?

I don't think it is legal for an illustrator to choose just one favorite color.

We read about your cat on your website. How come you chose Bongo as his name?

We found Bongo in my parent in law's window well.  He was a sweet little orange kitten.  My husband chose Bongo as his name and  it stuck.

Has your cat Bongo ever helped with a painting?  Or ruined a painting?

Bongo posed for the cat talking on the phone on my website, although he was very embarrassed to have to dress up like a girl.  Sometimes Bongo tries to bite my feet while I'm painting.  Sometimes he tries to jump up on my lap or drink my painting water.  One time he stepped in my pallet and walked over my painting.  That wasn't the worst I've had though.  Cassidy who is now three has painted on several of my paintings that I had to get to clients.  Fortunately acrylics are forgiving and I was able to fix them.  Madeline, my one year old, hasn't ruined any paintings. . .yet.


 Thanks, Shawna, for taking the time to visit with us, and thanks for giving your time and talents for the Robert's Snow project!

Thank you!  It was really fun.  What a fun project for your classes to do!  Hope you're all having a great year


Please be sure to check out Shawna's snowflake and all of the amazing work at the Robert's Snow Auction Site.

And...to be entered in a drawing to win a copy of Allie's Bike and a print signed by Shawna Tenney, please post a comment below, mentioning one of your favorite snowflakes in the Robert's Snow fundraiser.  You don't have to have a blog to win, but be sure we have a way to get in touch with you.  A winner will be drawn in early December, after the auction.

You will soon have a chance to purchase the artwork of a favourite children’s book illustrator while helping to fight cancer — by participating in a unique fundraiser for cancer research: Robert’s Snow: for Cancer’s Cure. Since 2004, this online auction has raised over $200,000 for The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and, with your help, the holiday tradition will thrive in 2007.

In order to raise awareness of and participation in this fabulous fundraiser, we in the kidlitosphere community will be highlighting ~160 of the 200 or so individual illustrators who have created snowflakes for the upcoming ’07 auctions — and giving you a peek at the unique snowflakes they have made.

Here is this week’s line up of illustrator showcases and snowflake sneak peeks:

Monday, October 29

• Dan Santat at Writing and Ruminating
• Joanne Friar at The Longstockings
• Alissa Imra Geis at Wild Rose Reader
• Diane Greenseid at Just One More Book!!
• Sean Qualls at Brooklyn Arden

Tuesday, October 30

• Ann Koffsky at Book Buds
• Bill Carman at A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy
• Gretel Parker at Finding Wonderland
• Matt Phelan at A Year of Reading
• Stephanie Roth at Writing with a broken tusk

Wednesday, October 31

• Shawna Tenney at Kate’s Book Blog
• Adam Rex at Booktopia and Welcome to my Tweendom
• Mo Willems at MotherReader
• Rolandas Kiaulevicius at a wrung sponge

Thursday, November 1

• Karen Lee at sruble’s world
• Diana Magnuson at A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy
• Melissa Iwai at Brooklyn Arden
• Victoria Jamieson at AmoXcalli and Cuentecitos
• Molly Idle at The Shady Glade
• Meghan McCarthy at A Fuse #8 Production

Friday, November 2

• Tracy McGuinness-Kelly at Sam Riddleburger’s blog
• Sarah Kahn at Kate’s Book Blog
• Sylvia Long at Whimsy Books
• Jeremy Tankard at the excelsior file
• Holli Conger at Please Come Flying

Saturday, November 3

• Susan Miller at Your Neighborhood Librarian
• Ellen Beier at What Adrienne Thinks About That
• Hideko Takahashi at The Silver Lining
• Judith Moffat at Jo’s Journal
• Wendell Minor at Wild Rose Reader

Sunday, November 4

• Joy Allen at Check It Out
• Robin Brickman at Greetings from Nowhere
• Lauren Stringer at laurasalas
• Nancy Wallace at In the Pages . . .

Please take time out to visit these blogs, and read about these fabulous illustrators. And, if you’re so inclined, think about bidding for a snowflake in the Robert’s Snow auction. Each snowflake makes a unique gift (for yourself or for someone else), and supports an important cause.

A big Thanks! to Tricia Stohr-Hunt and Jen Robinson for making this linked schedule available, and to Jules and Eisha for organizing the Bloggers’ Brigade to promote the Robert’s Snow Online Auction for Cancer’s Cure.

You will soon have a chance to purchase the artwork of a favourite children’s book illustrator while helping to fight cancer — by participating in a unique fundraiser for cancer research: Robert’s Snow: for Cancer’s Cure. Since 2004, this online auction has raised over $200,000 for The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and, with your help, the holiday tradition will thrive in 2007.

In order to raise awareness of and participation in this fabulous fundraiser, we in the kidlitosphere community will be highlighting ~160 of the 200 or so individual illustrators who have created snowflakes for the upcoming ’07 auctions — and giving you a peek at the unique snowflakes they have made.

Here is this week of illustrator showcases and sneak peeks at their snowflakes:

Monday, October 22

• Mark Teague at The Miss Rumphius Effect
• Sharon Vargo at Finding Wonderland
• Christopher Demarest at Writing and Ruminating
• Rose Mary Berlin at Charlotte’s Library
• David Macaulay at Here in the Bonny Glen

Tuesday, October 23

• Carin Berger at Chasing Ray
• Marion Eldridge at Chicken Spaghetti
• Sophie Blackall at not your mother’s bookclub
• Erik Brooks at Bildungsroman
• Brian Lies at Greetings from Nowhere

Wednesday, October 24

• Elisa Kleven at Rozzie Land
• Consie Powell at Becky’s Book Reviews
• Jimmy Pickering at Shaken & Stirred
• Frank Dormer at What Adrienne Thinks About That
• Sheila Bailey at Lizjonesbooks

Thursday, October 25

• Julia Denos at Interactive Reader
• Rebecca Doughty at A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy
• Brian Floca at A Fuse #8 Production
• Margaret Chodos-Irvine at readergirlz

Friday, October 26

• David Ezra Stein at HipWriterMama
• Juli Kangas at Sam Riddleburger’s blog
• Ginger Nielson at Miss O’s School Library
• Margot Apple at Jo’s Journal

Saturday, October 27

• Julie Fromme Fortenberry at Your Neighborhood Librarian
• Sarah Dillard at The Silver Lining
• John Hassett at cynthialord’s Journal
• Abigail Marble at Please Come Flying

Sunday, October 28

• Ashley Wolff at A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy
• Barbara Garrison at Brooklyn Arden
• Kelly Murphy at ChatRabbit

Please take time out to visit these blogs, and read about these fabulous illustrators. And, if you’re so inclined, think about bidding for a snowflake in the Robert’s Snow auction. Each snowflake makes a unique gift (for yourself or for someone else), and supports an important cause.

A big Thanks! to Tricia Stohr-Hunt and Jen Robinson for making this linked schedule available, and to Jules and Eisha for organizing the Bloggers’ Brigade to promote the Robert’s Snow Online Auction for Cancer’s Cure.

Author: Grace Lin
Illustrator: Grace Lin
Published: 2007 Albert Whitman & Co. (on JOMB)
ISBN: 0807569224 Chapters.ca Amazon.com

Dramatic, stylized folk art, carefully worded text and a cleverly crafted story-within-a-story format combine to create an engaging story time snapshot that vividly illustrates the unwavering strength of parental devotion — and the quiet power of children’s books.

You can read more about Robert’s Snow: Art Auction for Cancer’s Cure here.

It’s not too late to start saving up for your very own Robert’s Snow Snowflake.

Perhaps you’ll choose A Bundle of Love by Graeme Base.  Bidding on Graeme Base’s snowflake, “A Bundle of Love”, takes place November 26-30, 2007.

Robert’s Snow: for Cancer’s Cure is a unique fundraiser for cancer research. Between November 19th and December 7th, 2007, you have the chance to bid on 200 wooden snowflakes, hand painted by prominent children’s illustrators, through a series of three online auctions.

For more snow flake peeks and glimpses at the talented and generous people behind them, check out today’s featured flakes:

• Denise Fleming at MotherReader
• Jeff Mack at AmoXcalli
• Jeff Newman at A Year of Reading
• Ruth Sanderson at Book Moot

Please consider purchasing one of these beautiful pieces of art — and supporting this important cause.

Stay tuned to Just One More Book!, for upcoming interviews with Robert’s Snow Snowflake contributors and awesome illustrators:

• Diane Greenseid
• Scott Magoon
• Laura Huliska Beith

You will soon have a chance to purchase the artwork of a favourite children’s book illustrator while helping to fight cancer — by participating in a unique fundraiser for cancer research: Robert’s Snow: for Cancer’s Cure. Since 2004, this online auction has raised over $200,000 for The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and, with your help, the holiday tradition will thrive in 2007.

In order to raise awareness of and participation in this fabulous fundraiser, we in the kidlitosphere community will be highlighting ~160 of the 200 or so individual illustrators who have created snowflakes for the upcoming ’07 auctions — and giving you a peek at the unique snowflakes they have made.

Here is the first week of illustrator showcases and sneak peeks at their snowflakes:

Monday, October 15

• Randy Cecil at ChatRabbit
• Michelle Chang at The Longstockings
• Kevin Hawkes at Cynthia Lord’s Journal
• Barbara Lehman at The Excelsior File
• Grace Lin at In the Pages

Tuesday, October 16

• Selina Alko at Brooklyn Arden
• Scott Bakal at Wild Rose Reader
• Alexandra Boiger at Paradise Found
• Paige Keiser at Your Neighborhood Librarian
• Janet Stevens at The Miss Rumphius Effect

Wednesday, October 17

• Rick Chrustowski at laurasalas
• Diane DeGroat at Jama Rattigan’s Alphabet Soup
• Ilene Richard at Something Different Every Day
• Brie Spangler at Lectitans
• Don Tate at The Silver Lining

Thursday, October 18

• Brooke Dyer at Bookshelves of Doom
• D.B. Johnson at Lessons from the Tortoise
• Erin Eitter Kono at Sam Riddleburger
• Sherry Rogers at A Life in Books
• Jennifer Thermes at Through the Studio Door

Friday, October 19

• Graeme Base at Just One More Book!
• Denise Fleming at MotherReader
• Jeff Mack at AmoXcalli
• Jeff Newman at A Year of Reading
• Ruth Sanderson at Book Moot

Saturday, October 20

• Linas Alsenas at A Wrung Sponge
• Theresa Brandon at The Shady Glade
• Karen Katz at Whimsy Books
• Judy Schachner at Kate’s Book Blog
• Sally Vitsky at Shelf Elf: read, write, rave

Sunday, October 21

• Matthew Cordell at Just Like the Nut
• Maxwell Eaton III at Books and Other Thoughts
• Roz Fulcher at Goading the Pen
• Susie Jin at sruble’s world
• Susan Mitchell at Check It Out

Please take time out to visit these blogs, and read about these fabulous illustrators. And, if you’re so inclined, think about bidding for a snowflake in the Robert’s Snow auction. Each snowflake makes a unique gift (for yourself or for someone else), and supports an important cause.

A big Thanks! to Jen Robinson for making this linked schedule available, and to Jules and Eisha for organizing the Bloggers’ Brigade to promote the Robert’s Snow Online Auction for Cancer’s Cure.

No- wait...not that kind of snow (even though I am a skier and start to get excited when the temperature drops below 50). 

I'm excited about ROBERT'S SNOW: FOR CANCER'S CURE -- a huge, bright, and beautiful fund raiser for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.  You're probably familiar with children's book author-illustrator Grace Lin, who began this incredible campaign with her husband Robert Mercer after he was diagnosed with cancer several years ago.  Robert died at the end of August, so this year's fund raiser is a bittersweet tribute to his life and his work.  Children's book illustrators -- more than 160 so far this year --  have created breath-taking, original snowflake ornaments to be auctioned off to raise money for cancer research.  This year, kid-lit bloggers are helping to spread the word about the auction by featuring interviews and profiles of these illustrators on their blogs, as well as their snowflakes and a link to the auction.  I'll be featuring Judy Schachner, Amy Young, Sara Kahn, Cecily Lang, and Shawna Tenney on Kate's Book Blog some time in October or November. I hope you'll stop by to meet these generous artists, enjoy their creations, and bid if you can.

I love projects that bring people together like this.  I love it when kindness counteracts all the cynicism out there in the world.  And I love it when kids have a chance to be a part of it.  My 7th grade students are going to be exploring the work of my five illustrators, helping out with the interviews and profiles, and creating their own snowflake ornaments to sell in our community so that we can make an extra donation to the Dana-Farber Institute.  I cannot WAIT to tell them about this project. 

I know there are others on my LJ friends list --  like kellyrfineman, jo_no_anne, lizjonesbooks, jamarattigan, lisa_schroeder, lgburns, and cynthialord -- who will be featuring illustrators, too, so be sure to visit them over the next few months to meet some incredible artists.  If you want to learn more about Robert's Snow, you can drop in on Jules at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast, whose organization on this project amazes me, and whose belief that written words can help change the world is an inspiration.

You will soon have a chance to purchase the artwork of a favourite children’s book illustrator while helping to fight cancer — by participating in a unique fundraiser for cancer research: Robert’s Snow: for Cancer’s Cure. Since 2004, this online auction has raised over $200,000 for The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and, with your help, the holiday tradition will thrive in 2007.

In order to raise awareness of and participation in this fabulous fundraiser, we in the kidlitosphere community will be highlighting the individual illustrators who have created snowflakes for the upcoming ’07 auctions — and giving you a peek at the unique snowflakes they have made.

Here at Just One More Book, we will be showcasing the art of:

• Diane Greenseid
• Scott Magoon
• Laura Huliska Beith
• Graeme Base

Thanks to Jules and Eisha at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast for highlighting this fabulous fundraiser and for organizing the book-bloggers brigade.

More details about the Robert’s Snow Online Illustration Auction can be found here.

Stay tuned…