Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast

Meet Goldy Luck. She’s the protagonist of Natasha Yim’s Goldy Luck and the Three Pandas, illustrated by Grace Zong and released by Charlesbridge this month. This is a retelling of the classic tale “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” — with a Chinese twist.

Goldy’s having a tough time, even though she was born in the Year of the Golden Dragon, a lucky year. In fact, it feels like her luck is always running out. For one, her best friend has moved away (as you can see in the illustration to the right here), and in general Goldy feels as if she just keeps making a mess of things. When her mother sends her next door to the Chans to deliver a plate of turnip cakes to wish them a Happy New Year, things go downhill — and her Goldilocks-esque adventure begins. These are panda bears, her neighbors — and it just may turn out in the end that big-hearted Goldy makes a new friend.

Many elements of Chinese culture are woven into the story, and the author closes with a note about the Chinese New Year and its rituals. Zong’s acrylic illustrations are bright and warm.

Here are some of them. Enjoy. Read the rest of this entry �

Good morning, all. Here are some illustrations I intended to post last Friday, but I didn’t quite get them in time. These are from Lin Oliver’s Little Poems for Tiny Ears,
illustrated by Tomie dePaola (Nancy Paulsen Books, February 2014), which I wrote about at Kirkus last week. This is such a superb collection of poems for very young children, and dePaola’s art is so inviting. As I said, I wrote about it here, so you can read a bit more about it at that link, if you’re so inclined.

I’m happy to have some of the poems and art to share today.

Enjoy! Read the rest of this entry �

 
Good morning.

Today over at Kirkus, I wrote about Kadir Nelson’s newest book, Baby Bear.

I COMPLEEEEETELY FORGOT that I’d recently read a wonderful Q&A over there about this book — Jennifer M. Brown chatting with Kadir, that is. Repeat after me: Welcome to the Department of Redundancy Department.

But at least Kirkus was nice about it and posted my column anyway.

So, what I suggest is that you read Jennifer’s Q&A. If you want to read my thoughts on the book, knock yourself out. Next week, I’ll follow-up with some art from Kadir.

Last week (here), I talked about new some new poetry picture book titles, and today I have some art from them. I didn’t manage to secure spreads in time from Lin Oliver’s wonderful Little Poems for Tiny Ears, illustrated by Tomie dePaola (which is a really superb book). But if I get them later, I’ll amend this post.

Enjoy. Read the rest of this entry �

In the category of I Wrote About This Book at Kirkus Last Week But It Won’t Be the Same If I Don’t Also Share Some Spreads from the Book, I give you today some of Bryan Collier’s illustrations from Daniel Beaty’s KNOCK KNOCK: My Dad’s Dream for Me (Little, Brown, December 2013).

And that is all for now. (And P.S. I love the spread above so, so much.)

Enjoy the art. Read the rest of this entry �

There’s a new “Eric Carle and Friends” book on shelves, and it’s called What’s Your Favorite Animal? (Henry Holt, January 2014). “Eric Carle and Friends” means that all the royalties from this book will go to the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art (also known in Jules’ world as My Dream Job).

This book is simply fun—Eric Carle asked thirteen illustrators to weigh in on their favorite animal with an illustration and some thoughts—and it’d be a wonderful writing prompt in an elementary classroom or library. No overriding narrative here — merely spread after spread of entertaining illustrations and thoughts on favorite animals from the likes of Erin Stead, Lane Smith, Mo Willems, Nick Bruel, Carle himself, and more. My favorite spread, which is from Chris Raschka, is pictured above.

And I’ve got several more below. I’m working hard on my own writing deadline this month, but I had to take a break to share some of these — especially while we picture book enthusiasts (I speak here for myself and my Imp readers) wait on the Caldecott announcement (coming on January 27!) and while we wait on other 2014 picture book titles to start pouring in.

Enjoy the art. Oh, and there’s more about the book here at the Carle site. Read the rest of this entry �

I know, I know. Bob Shea visited 7-Imp back in June and shared some art from the very wonderful Unicorn Thinks He’s Pretty Great, and he even gave me and my Imp readers a sneak peek at the book I’m talking about today, which is called Buddy and the Bunnies In: Don’t Play With Your Food! But since I like Buddy and the Bunnies a lot, since it’s finally out, and since I like Bob’s smart books, I’m posting some more. Oh, and I wrote a review of it for BookPage and have to follow that up with some art or it just won’t be the same.

So, here’s the BookPage review, for those who are inclined to read it.

And below are some sketches and final art from Bob. I thank him for sharing. I love seeing these sketches (in particular): It’s the evolution of a monster!

Enjoy. Read the rest of this entry �

Poetry. Poetry. Poetry. That’s my focus (along with picture books, as always) over at Kirkus this morning. That link is here.

Last week, I wrote about Rukhsana Khan’s King for a Day (Lee & Low, 2013), illustrated by Christiane Krömer. That link is here, and today I follow up with some of the beautiful collages from the book (one above and a couple more below).

Enjoy. (Did I mention they’re beautiful? You gotta click-to-embiggen these spreads and take in the details. I’m countin’ on you.)

Read the rest of this entry �

“I feel books in general—and children’s books, in particular—should not only reflect a child’s experience, but also open other children to new worlds and perspectives. I believe we will ultimately create a more loving and humane world when we continue to expose our children at an early age to the experiences of others that may be different from them, while at the same time affirming those children who are experiencing difficult childhoods.”

Hear, hear.

Over at Kirkus this morning, I chat with actor, singer and writer Daniel Beaty about KNOCK KNOCK: My Dad’s Dream for Me (Little, Brown), illustrated by Bryan Collier and released at the tail end of last year.

That is here.

Next week here at 7-Imp, I’ll have some of Bryan’s art from the book.

Until tomorrow …

Photo of Mr. Beaty used with permission of Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.

 
Hi, dear Imps. Is everyone staying warm? I hope so.

Want to see some art that might warm you up? Over at BookPage, I’ve got a review of Amy Gibson’s Catching Kisses, illustrated by Maria van Lieshout and released by Feiwel and Friends on the very last day of last year.

That review is here, but I also asked Maria if she’d like to share some art from it, so I have that here today at 7-Imp.

And … since Maria has written and illustrated a second Hopper and Wilson book—Hopper and Wilson Fetch a Star, coming in April from Philomel—I asked if she could possibly share some spreads from that, too. (There are Hopper and Wilson, up left there, getting their plane ready for takeoff.) Do you remember 2011’s Hopper and Wilson, which I posted about here? (Now it’s evidently available in board book format, too.) Well, they’re back, and I’ve got an F&G of the book. This time the two best friends head way (and I mean, way) out to grab a star for a night-light (or a “lantern for nighttime adventures”). I won’t give the whole story away and ruin your reading adventures, but once they get near to a star they’d like to snag for their own, Wilson manages to get lost and in the end, when he’s found his friend, they decide to leave the star right where it is. Best let Mother Nature be, after all. (Plus, who needs a ginormous, burning ball of gas when you have Hopper? That’s what I say anyway.)

Maria created the art for Hopper and Wilson Fetch a Star with watercolors, ink, collage, colored pencil, crayons, a bit of acrylics, and “some technology to pull it all together.” The art for Catching Kisses is evidently all Adobe Illustrator, and again, you can read my thoughts on that book at the BookPage review.

Maria even sent along (without me asking) my favorite spread from Hopper and Wilson Fetch a Star — the nearly pitch-black one below, which constitutes Wilson’s darkest moment. I remember sometimes feeling like that as a child, especially if I thought of the vastness of outer space.

Enjoy the art. Read the rest of this entry �

Happy 2014, one and all!

It’s the first Sunday of the month, which means I invite a student or newly-graduated illustrator to visit 7-Imp and share artwork. Today, I welcome Tracy Subisak, who is (as noted at her site) a “goofy Midwestern girl living in the great Northwest.”

She’s here to share art, as well as tell us a bit about her work, so let’s get right to it …

Read the rest of this entry �