Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast

(Click each spread to enlarge)

 

Here’s a quick post to share a bit of art from R. Gregory Christie’s new book, Mousetropolis (Holiday House, September 2015), as a follow-up to our chat last week at Kirkus.

 



 

Until tomorrow. …

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Text and illustrations copyright © 2015 by R. Gregory Christie. Used by permission of Holiday House.

Sophie: “This was the last painting to be finished.
I felt a little bereft when it was all done.”
(Click to enlarge)

 
Back in the day, I used to do what I called picture-book roundtable discussions here at 7-Imp — in which the author, illustrator, editor, and art director/book designer would join me to give readers varying perspectives on one picture book title. I’ve only done three of these, though I really do enjoy them, and the last one was back in 2011. Wow. It’s been a while.

But I’m happy to be doing it again today with such an impressive book in the spotlight. That book is Lindsay Mattick’s Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World’s Most Famous Bear, illustrated by Sophie Blackall. It’ll be on shelves next month from Little, Brown.

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“It’s okay / to stare at / the parrot. …
Se puede / ver / al loro. …”
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Today over at Kirkus, I take a look at Eric Carle’s newest picture book, The Nonsense Show (Philomel, October 2015). That link is here.

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Since I wrote here last week about Julie Paschkis’ beautiful new picture book, Flutter & Hum / Aleteo y Zumbido: Animal Poems / Poemas de Animales (Henry Holt, August 2015), I’ve got a bit of art from it today.

For those interested in reading more, Julie wrote about the book here last week.

Enjoy the art!

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“Three years … of blood, sweat, and tears, which aren’t always my own. There’s too much to write in terms of what I’ve learned, but at the end of the day I know that I feel free,
and we’re doing something that helps people.”

 

This morning over at Kirkus, I talk to author-illustrator R. Gregory Christie about his new picture book, as well as GAS-ART GIFTS (“Gregarious Art Statements”), what he’s referencing in the quote above — the bookstore and art studio he opened in Decatur, Georgia, about three years back.

That link is here.

Until tomorrow …

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Photo of R. Gregory Christie used by his permission.

 
That’s right. Instead of breakfast, I’m having some cookies and milk today. The above image is the back cover illustration for the new picture book from Sergio Ruzzier, Two Mice (Clarion, September 2015).

I’ve found myself saying lately about a small handful of books, “this is one of my favorite picture books of 2015.” This surprises me, but I guess it shouldn’t, since it’s nearly Fall. Two Mice is on that list. A big story of adventure corralled into a small trim size, just right for tiny hands, it’s this perfectly-contained little universe from Ruzzier, who I think has one of the most distinctive styles of any illustrator working in children’s literature today. The very spare text itself consists of a highly-pleasing number pattern (1-2-3, 3-2-1) all throughout, making it an engaging math puzzler for preschoolers, especially those first beginning to read, and the story is thrilling and cozy all at once.

Sergio visits 7-Imp today to talk about that text and to share some of his watercolors from the book (including some preliminary images). I thank him for visiting.

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I’ve got a review over at BookPage of Silvia Borando’s Black Cat, White Cat, originally published in Italy last year. This English translation comes to us by way of Candlewick Press (August 2015).

The review is here, and below is a bit more art from the book.

Enjoy!

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This morning over at Kirkus, I take a look at Julie Paschkis’ newest picture book. That link is here.

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Last week I wrote here about Pamela Zagarenski’s The Whisper (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, October 2015). Today I’ve got some art from the book.

Enjoy.

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— From Macanudo #3

 

— From Written and Drawn by Henrietta

 
Since I chatted (here) last week with cartoonist Liniers, I’m following up today here at 7-Imp with art from the wonderful Written and Drawn by Henrietta (starring Henrietta and her cat Fellini), coming from TOON Books in late September, as well as his third collection of Macanudo comic strips from Enchanted Lion Books, called simply Macanudo #3, coming in October.

Enjoy the art!

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Author-illustrator Greg Pizzoli visits 7-Imp today to tell us a bit about his newest picture book, Templeton Gets His Wish (Disney-Hyperion, May 2015). I like this story and the way it swings from desperation to elation à la Sylvester and the Magic Pebble. Templeton’s feelings are intense, as the feelings of young children tend to be, and in the end he sees the great error of his ways. It’s a book that unabashedly embraces its morality, and I look forward to sharing it with groups of children.

I don’t need to tell you the storyline, because Greg does so below. And I don’t need to describe the art, because Greg also shares some below. I thank him for visiting.

Let’s get right to it. … (p.s. This is the second time Greg’s visited 7-Imp this year. You have read Tricky Vic, right?)

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“There were five of them. And they were waiting. …”
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I’ve got a review over at BookPage of Kevin Henkes’ newest picture book, Waiting (Greenwillow, September 2015).

This is one of the best picture books I’ve seen this year. I said this the other day about Mac Barnett’s Leo: A Ghost Story, illustrated by Christian Robinson. My, so many superlatives in one week, but they are both excellent books.

I know that on the first Sunday of each month at 7-Imp, I feature student illustrators, but I gotta take a break today to show you Henkes’ superb artwork.

The Waiting review is here, and below is a bit more art.

Enjoy.

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