Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast

Some of you may remember around this time last year when author/illustrator Jarrett J. Krosoczka stopped by to talk about how Lunch Lady, his highly-acclaimed graphic novel series for middle-grade readers, came to be. (And I mean “highly-acclaimed,” as in 2009’s Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute was nominated for a 2010 Eisner Award under the category of “Best Publication for Kids.” Woot!)

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Things are comin’ up very Dan-Santat this week at 7-Imp. You may have seen Tuesday’s post in which Dan shared some of the interior illustrations he created for Andrea Beaty’s middle-grade novel, Attack of the Fluffy Bunnies. This morning, Dan’s sharing a bit more art from that title today, as well as sharing some illustrations from another of his illustrated titles from 2010, Mac Barnett’s newest picture book, which Kirkus calls a “must-have,” Oh No!: (Or How My Science Project Destroyed the World), released by Hyperion this month.

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I’m so pleased to be having some cyber-coffee this morning with author and blogger Andrea Beaty, who is being hypnotized here by murderous galaxy-hopping bunnies, as depicted by illustrator Dan Santat. I’m a super-big fan of Andrea’s picture books, in particular, many of which I’ve covered here previously at 7-Imp, including 2006’s When Giants Come to Play, illustrated by Kevin Hawkes; 2007’s Iggy Peck: Architect, illustrated by David Roberts; 2008’s Doctor Ted, followed by last year’s Firefighter Ted, both illustrated by Pascal Lemaitre; and last year’s Hush, Baby Ghostling, also illustrated by Lemaitre.

But Andrea’s written above and beyond picture books, too. She’s written for middle-grade readers as well. Here’s my 2008 review of Andrea’s Cicada Summer, a beautiful, poignant read. And she’s back this year with a rollickin’ good read for late-elementary/middle-grade readers, released by Amulet Books last month. It’s called Attack of the Fluffy Bunnies, and it’s illustrated by the one and only aforementioned Dan Santat (who might show up again here later this week, so things will be comin’ up very Santat here at 7-Imp, which is an altogether good thing). I love this book, which Booklist aptly describes as a “lighthearted, clever send-up of zany horror conventions” and Publishers Weekly as a “screwy, nonsensical thriller,” as well as a “wholly fun read.”

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I guess it’s been a while since I’ve done one of my illustrator breakfast interviews, but here I am, welcoming illustrator A. G. Ford to the breakfast table this morning. It wasn’t that long ago that I featured some art from his most recent illustrated title, Goal! (Candlewick, April 2010), written by Mina Javaherbin. At that time, I invited A. G. to stop by for an interview, and here it is today. I have to say that it was a pleasure to format this interview and get to know a bit better all the styles in which A. G. has worked.

And this might be a 7-Imp first: He goes so far as to share his favorite breakfast recipe with us: “Because I work out often in the mornings,” he told me, “my breakfast…usually consists of a protein shake and a bagel with cream cheese. My shake is actually quite tasty. Here is the recipe, if you would like to try:

1 cup milk
Half of a banana
1 tablespoon of peanut butter
1 scoop of chocolate protein powder (or Nestle chocolate-flavored powder)
2/3 cup of ice cubes

Blend and drink! It’s faaaaaannnntastic!”

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I’m heading to Knoxville to celebrate children’s lit this weekend. Here, for your reading pleasure while I’m gone, is the schedule for the final day of the 2010 Summer Blog Blast Tour:

• Julia Hoban at Chasing Ray
• Stacy Kramer at A Chair, a Fireplace & a Tea Cozy
• Nancy Bo Flood at Finding Wonderland
• Paolo Bacigalupi at Shaken & Stirred
• Sarah Kuhn at Bildungsroman
• Jenni and Matt Holm at HipWriterMama

My Inner Nerd is expending a great deal of effort this morning to avoid welcoming renowned illustrator and paper engineer Matthew Reinhart to
7-Imp with a bunch of really cheesy puns on the word “pop,” such as “I’m eye-poppingly happy Matthew has stopped by for a visit.” Oops. I said that outloud, didn’t I?

But I am eye-poppingly happy, as I have very much enjoyed Matthew’s books over the years. Matthew started out studying industrial design/toy design, and now—whether he’s working alone or in tandem with fellow paper engineer extraordinaire Robert Sabuda—he’s always working a kind of magic in his pop-up picture books, releasing a holy-wow-how-does-he-do-that kind of spell over readers. Taking us into a new dimension with his breathtaking pop-ups, he brings us stories—ones we thought we knew—in unforgettable ways.

This page of Matthew’s site lists the titles he’s created over the years, as well as the ones with which he’s collaborated with Sabuda (and others). If you haven’t experienced them, you’re in for a treat. If you haven’t seen the royal palace of Alfheim leap from the page (in 2008’s Encyclopedia Mythologica: Fairies and Magical Creatures, created with Sabuda) or Frankenstein unfold from the center of a spread (in 2007’s Mommy?, created with Maurice Sendak and Arthur Yorinks) or seen Cinderella’s royal carriage leap up as you turn the page (in 2005’s Cinderella: A Pop-Up Fairy Tale) or had the ever-livin’ bejeesus scared out of you when Darth Vader springs forth (in 2007’s Star Wars: A Pop-Up Guide to the Galaxy)…well, I could go on and on. If you haven’t experienced Matthew’s work, many delights await you.

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Here’s the day-three blog blast tour schedule. I’ll be here tomorrow with pop-up master Matthew Reinhart on my arm.

• Michael Trinklein at Chasing Ray
• Nick Burd at A Fuse #8 Production
• Tom Siddell at Finding Wonderland
• Sarah Darer Littman at A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy
• Jessica Leader at Shaken & Stirred

• Mary Jane Beaufrand at The YA YA YAs
• Rita Williams-Garcia at A Fuse #8 Production
• Jennifer Hubbard at Writing and Ruminating
• Charise Mericle Harper at Shelf Elf
• Holly Schindler at Bildungsroman

It’s time again for the Summer Blog Blast Tour, and here’s the master schedule. If you’re thinking “blog blast tour”…hubba wha?…wubba huh?…what in the what the?, it’s basically a whole bunch of interviews with authors and illustrators at a whole bunch of blogs during the week. This week, I’m hosting pop-up virtuoso Matthew Reinhart on Thursday. For the rest of the week, I’ll merely be linking to others’ interviews, since Matthew sent me precisely seven skerjillion images for the interview. This is a good thing — but takes a bit of time to format.

Here’s today’s schedule. Enjoy:

• Kate Milford at Chasing Ray;
• Mac Barnett at A Fuse #8 Production;
• Hazardous Players at Finding Wonderland;
• Malinda Lo at Shelf Elf;
• Barbara Dee at Bildungsroman.

Author (and architect) Mina Javaherbin is here this morning to talk a bit about her debut picture book title, Goal! (Candlewick, April 2010), illustrated by A.G. Ford. Goal! tells the story of a group of friends in a poor South African township who revel in a game of football. (That’s soccer to those of us on this side of the big pond.) Ajani has earned a new federation-sized football for being the best reader in his class, and he presents it to his friends with great pride as they set up goals and begin to play. “The streets are not safe, but I have a plan,” Ajani tells his friends: They will take turns, guarding for the bullies in the neighborhood. Then, the game commences, and the game’s tension and excitement—as well as the boys’ passion for the game—leaps off the page in these sprawling oil spreads from Ford. Even when they are “trapped” after the bullies arrive, Ajani quickly devises a plan to keep their new ball from getting stolen. (But I won’t give that away here, in case you want to read for yourself.)

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