William & the Missing Masterpiece made me laugh. It was smart and silly and… cheesy. The cover alone is hilarious as the author/illustrator, Helen Hancocks has cleverly shown only bits of what we know are famous paintings. The first page opens with William, “international cat of mystery” receiving an …
Extra! Extra! Read all about it! I’m calling today Talk It Up Tuesday. Here’s a quick shout out to ten picture book blasts from the not-so-recent past. Book 1: Zombie in Love by Kelly DiPucchio, illustrated by Scott Campbell This book features a zombie’s quest to find the perfect ghoul. It’s stinking great. …
It seems like we just welcomed in the New Year. But now, it’s almost February. And that means it’s nearly time to celebrate another new beginning. And that’s the launch of Miranda Paul’s newest picture book WHOSE HANDS ARE THESE? This book, which is illustrated by Luciana Navarro Powell and published by …
Happy new year, picture book lovers! I wanted to start the year on a cheerful note. So here you go. A book that made me laugh out loud I don’t know how many times. I was first attracted to Ragweed’s Farm Dog Handbook, written and illustrated by Anne Vittur Kennedy, because …
This is a completely self-indulgent post. I apologize. I thought initially I’d post about my participation in PiBoIdMo, but Tammi already did a couple weeks ago with a nice tribute to Tara Lazar, the brains behind it. Then I thought I’d post about some favorite winter holiday books. And I …
When you’re working with 32 pages—the length of a typical picture book—you don’t have much space to convey the slow passage of time. Instead, the emphasis is on action and propelling your story forward. But some stories need to unfold slowly, so readers can feel the rhythm of the days …
Two things have been on my mind in recent days: Winter. I’m about to head to Wisconsin to be with family for the holidays and get all snowed in and cozy for a spell. Elephants. I just got the F&G’s in for a picture book that I illustrated earlier this …
If you’re a member of SCBWI (Society of Book Writers and Illustrators) you’ve probably heard about the big Book Launch Party which launched December 1 and features new 2015 children’s book releases. If you haven’t heard about the party, it’s about time you did!
Want to know what I love? PiBoIdMo, that’s what! Picture Book Idea Month is the brainchild of friend and author Tara Lazar. Each November, Tara encourages picture book writers and illustrators to jot down one idea for each day in the month of November. That’s it. We don’t have to …
Stars, by Mary Lyn Ray and Marla Frazee. What a beautiful, beautiful book. No names are on the front cover. None. Which made me really want to explore this book and look for the answer to ‘why’ that decision was made? The jacket features just the word, “Stars” brighter at the …