Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast

— From Steve Light’s Lucky Lazlo

 

“A greyhound, a groundhog,
a found little
roundhog.”
— From Emily Jenkins’s A Greyhound, a Groundhog
(Click to enlarge)

 
This morning over at Kirkus, I write about Patricia McKissack’s superb new book. That is here.

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Last week, I wrote here about Emily Jenkins’s A Greyhound, a Groundhog (Schwartz & Wade, January 2017), illustrated by Chris Appelhans, as well as Steve Light’s Lucky Lazlo (Candlewick, December 2016).

I’m following up with some art from each book today, and Steve also shares some thoughts on Lazlo, as well as some early sketches and such. I thank him for sharing.

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“I’m really happy with how it came out, but it feels a little unreal. I have a finished copy of the book in my studio and I still feel a strong sense of disbelief when I see my name on the same cover as Margaret Wise Brown. It’s a huge honor.”

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Wanna take to the air with me today with both Margaret Wise Brown and author-illustrator Greg Pizzoli?

Today over at Kirkus, I talk with Greg. We discuss his latest project, his illustrations for a never-before-seen manuscript from Margaret Wise Brown (Harper, January 2017).

That Q&A is here.

I’ll have even more process images and art from the book here at 7-Imp next week.

Until tomorrow …

 

Early Gazelle sketch and a final spread: “Dear Gazelle,
For some time now I have wanted to write a letter to say how much I admire you. …”
(Click second image to enlarge)

 
I’ve got a review over at BookPage of one of the funniest picture books I’ve read in a while, as in this right here, everyone, is how you do up a funny picture book. It’s Adam Rex’s XO, OX: A Love Story (Roaring Brook/Neal Porter Books, January 2017), illustrated by Scott Campbell. I’ve been sharing this one with any and everyone who will humor me with my dramatic recitation of it.

The review is here. And today here at 7-Imp, Scott is sharing some early sketches and such. I’ve spent entirely too long lingering over his character roughs. So good, these drawings. So fantastic, these characters.

And I’ve got a few final spreads from the book, too.

Enjoy!

XO,
Jules

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Work-in-process image and final illustration from
Good Night! Good Night!

 
It’s a miracle this post is even up. I’ve lost track of the days, as one is wont to do during the holidays. I’ve had fun not working (mostly), not making plans, and (mostly) not firing up my computer.

Happy New Year, dear Imps! It’s the first Sunday of the month, which means I normally feature a student or debut illustrator, but I’m breaking the rules today. I’m happy to feature artwork from Carin Berger, which has become another 7-Imp tradition of sorts for me. It just occurred to me that there have been a few years (here and here, as but two examples) where Carin has visited the site to share art early in the year. So, I think 2017 should be no exception.

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You can click on the image above to head over to Kirkus to read about those two picture books, one released this week and the other coming out next week.

Next week here at 7-Imp, I hope to have some art for you from the books I wrote about at Kirkus last week. It’s a bit challenging to gather art this week, since folks are holiday’ing. But I’ll have it soon!

Until Sunday …

(Click to enlarge)

 
Merry Christmas, dear Imps! Isn’t it kinda cool that it’s on a Sunday this year? I do think I’ll skip seven separate kicks today, though you all are welcome to leave yours, and just wish you a happy holiday instead. But it’s good to be able to do so on the big day itself.

My Christmas gift to you is this fantastic image from author-illustrator Rowboat Watkins. (When you’re done opening presents, read this 2015 visit with him, if you haven’t already.) I love it more than rum-laden egg nog and snow angels combined. Do click on the image to embiggen it; I love the timestamp detail. I think one of the best things about 2017 is that Rowboat will have a new picture book on shelves. Pete with No Pants will be out in May. (I just had to look up the month, and I’m pleased it’s my birthday month. It’s as if the publishing field knows how eager I am to read it. I mean, not really, but I can pretend.) You did click on the title to see that wonderful cover, yes? Read the rest of this entry �

“Other mornings they would drive out into the countryside.”
(Click to enlarge spread)

 
Today at Kirkus, I’ve got my Children’s Book Ghost File, an idea I’m lifting from NPR. That is here.

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Since last week I wrote (here) about John Burningham’s new picture book, Motor Miles (Candlewick, September 2016), I’ve got a couple spreads from it today.

Enjoy!

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“I absolutely love and appreciate all of the attention this book is receiving. Not just for me, but because people are looking at Basquiat in a different way. They are seeing more than just the ‘wild child.’ They are also seeing the radiant child; they are seeing his humanity.”

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Yesterday over at Kirkus, I talked with Javaka Steptoe (who visited 7-Imp back in 2008), where we discuss his biography of Jean-Michel Basquiat, Radiant Child (Little, Brown, October 2016). I’d written about it at Kirkus earlier this year, but it’s one of my favorite picture books this year, and I wanted to ask him all about it. (You can see some spreads from it here in this May post.)

That Q&A is here.

(And don’t miss The Yarn’s coverage of this wonderful book.)

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Photo of Javaka used by permission of Little, Brown and taken by Gregg Richards.

 
Dear Imps, did you read this year Matt Phelan’s exceptionally good graphic novel, Snow White? I wrote about it here at Kirkus in September. It’s one of my top-five favorite books from this year. (I don’t ever really do lists or Caldecott predictions, but this one is very special, and yes, I’d definitely put it in the top five.) And here is where Matt stopped by 7-Imp to share early sketches and such from this beautiful book.

Today, Matt is sharing a holiday image he made (and I think he made it just for this post, for which I am grateful). If you read his beautiful book, you know the chilling importance of the ticker tape.

But here the ticker tape is singing a holiday tune for us. I love it. Big thanks to Matt.

I’ll post the cover here again at 7-Imp, because really, if you haven’t read it yet, what is stopping you?

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“Celia Amster Bader thought girls should also have the chance to
make their mark on the world. So she took Ruth to the library.”
(Click spread to enlarge)

 
Over at Kirkus today, I’ve got John Burningham on the mind. That is here.

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Last week, I wrote here about Debbie Levy’s I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark, illustrated by Elizabeth Baddeley (Simon & Schuster, September 2016). Today here at 7-Imp, I’ve a bit of art.

Enjoy. Read the rest of this entry �