Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast

Last week, I read Matt Phelan’s newest graphic novel, Bluffton (Candlewick, July 2013), and then turned right around and re-read it multiple times. ‘Cause it’s really good and worthy of the second (and third … and fourth …) looks.

I can promise you that you haven’t seen a book like this in a long while, nor will you see one like it any time soon. And I’m talking about the story. The format is nothing new: It’s Matt working in graphic novel format, once again, which he’s done before in very award-winning ways (2009’s The Storm in the Barn and 2011’s Around the World).

This is the story of a young boy named Henry Harrison. It’s the turn of the 20th century in the quiet, little town of Muskegon, Michigan, and it’s the launch of a summer that will change his life forever. Arriving by train in their sleepy town, where Henry helps his father at his family-owned hardware store, is a troupe of vaudeville actors, including young slapstick star Buster Keaton (legend-in-progress) and his family. Read the rest of this entry �

“You see, Queen Apricotta (named after her mother’s favorite fruit) and King King (whose parents liked to keep things simple) were shunned by the very people whom they supposedly ruled. And Duncan’s teenage sisters—twins Marvis and Marvella—were no better off. Those two girls turned weirdness into an art form (dancing to imaginary music, walking pet crickets on leashes, constantly sniffing each other’s hair). Of course, Duncan was just as unpopular as the rest of his family, but he didn’t realize that, which is why, for the past several months, he’d turned down every one of their invitations to come visit the castle. But he couldn’t avoid his family forever.”

 
I’m doing something a bit different today in that I’m not featuring a picture book. Instead, I’ve got the interior art from two children’s novels that my daughters and I have been enjoying of late. And that’s putting it mildly. They’re pretty crazy about them, and I had the pleasure of reading the books outloud to them and enjoyed them a great deal, too.

I first read about The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom by Christopher Healy (who also writes here about “children’s pop culture from a grown-up perspective”), a book released in 2012 by Walden Pond Press, here at the Horn Book’s site. I thought it might be the kind of book my girls would like, and I wanted a good read-aloud. So, I found it at the library, and … well, we were done with it in days. It’s some mighty fine entertainment, this book.

The sequel, The Hero’s Guide to Storming the Castle (from which the art above comes), was released this past April, so we pre-ordered a copy from our favorite bookstore, and IF I HAD A DIME for every time the girls asked if the book was there yet … I tried to pace our reading of this second book, once it finally arrived, but a lot of good that did. It was equally entertaining, and we were done in no time flat.

The books contain cover and interior drawings from Todd Harris, who evidently works mostly in video game art and D&D. (I see he was interviewed here fairly recently and that we share a favorite character, whose name is Duncan.) Read the rest of this entry �

Last week at Kirkus, I wrote (here) about Cecil Castellucci’s and Sara Varon’s Odd Duck (First Second, May 2013) and wanted to be sure to invite them here to 7-Imp to talk a bit about this graphic novel for children, as well as showcase some art from it.

So, we three misfits sit here at the 7-Imp cyber-breakfast table. (Odd ducks RULE.)

I’m going to turn it over to them, while I pour the coffee and listen, and I thank them for visiting.

Read the rest of this entry �

— From Luke Pearson’s upcoming Hilda and the Bird Parade

— Above and immediately below:
Illustrations from Marguerite Abouet’s and Mathieu Sapin’s Akissi: Cat Invasion

 
I run the risk of looking like a bonafide Lazy Pants today—call me what you will; I can take it—but I’m going to lean on blogger/online colleagues and friends for today’s post.

I have a syllabus to finish building, and you know that Candlewick book I wrote with Betsy Bird and the late, great Peter D. Sieruta, coming your way Spring 2014? I have some to-do items on that, too. I have that work (and lots of other work) to do, and work always trumps blogging, out of necessity. (Boo. Sorry, blogging.)

I have lots of art to share, mind you. I’m just going to leave the words to others so that I can get back to work.

Here’s the low-down: Anyone else remember this conversation I had over at Kirkus last year with Sam Arthur, the director of the UK-based Nobrow Press? Well, soon after that—at the tail end of last year, I believe—Nobrow launched a dedicated children’s book imprint, called Flying Eye Books. In this first year, they’ve already released a handful of outstanding picture books and comics. (Pictured left is an illustration from Viviane Schwarz’s Welcome to Your Awesome Robot.)

I mean to tell you: It makes me inordinately happy that they produce books for children. For one, check out this manifesto of sorts. Here’s the beginning of it:

Apps and ebooks are great. They offer all the bells and whistles of a video game or TV show, they’re portable, cheap, they’re even dribble-proof! So why go to the trouble of printing books?

This may very well be the question on everyone’s minds at the moment and many think there’s a strong case for being rid of books altogether. But is that really what we all want? What would the world be like without beautiful, magical, tactile books? What would our homes look like? What would our children’s bedrooms be like? Where would that wondrous reveal of turning the pulpy, inky pages of a treasured picture book go?

Oh, just HEAR! HEAR!

Today, I’ve got art from three of Flying Eye’s new books to showcase, but remember that note about how I’ve got a lot of work to do? I’ll post the art (which always speaks way louder than I could anyway) and then step aside and link you to the reviews of others who have also seen and enjoyed these books this year — those whose reviews I respect and trust.

Sound good? Ready for lots of art? Let’s do it. Read the rest of this entry �

“…The other cats gathered in their circle, only this time, instead of calling up cat dreams, they had a dying girl in the middle of them. Lillian wasn’t aware of any of this. She was falling up into a bright tunnel of light, which was an odd experience,
because she’d never fallen up before. She hadn’t even known it was possible.”

I admit I’m not thoroughly familiar with his work (I’m primarily familiar with his picture book collaborations with Neil Gaiman), but every time I see a book illustrated by Charles Vess, I remember how I’d like to showcase some of his art here at 7-Imp. Well, better late than never. I finally am today.

Vess has illustrated the latest from Charles de Lint, The Cats of Tanglewood Forest, a novel for children released by Little, Brown this past week. A beautifully designed book, it tells the story of Lillian Kindred, a young girl who lives with her aunt near Tanglewood Forest, filled with wild cats, and who wakes from a forest nap one day to discover she’s been turned into a kitten. The magical cats of the forest have performed this feat, all in lieu of Lillian dying of a snakebite. Lillian is returned to human form, thanks to the magical Old Mother Possum, and then discovers that, as a result, her aunt has perished. Thus begins Lillian’s journey to right things, a complicated journey that involves meeting a whole cast of mysterious characters from the forest and tons of twists and turns (a rather “twisty story,” Kirkus calls it). All of this is wrapped up in classic folktale motifs, giving the story a very traditional feel, and includes Native American characters and motifs as well.

Vess’ illustrations are lithe, lavish, and detailed, some positively glowing from the page. (His use of light is striking.) His landscapes are nearly breathtaking, and he captures tension between characters well, with elegant lines and deep earth tones all throughout.

Here are some more illustrations from the novel. I’ll let the art speak for itself. Enjoy. Read the rest of this entry �

“‘Hold tight with both hands!’ screamed Mellie, and it lifted them as they ran,
so that they hardly felt their feet touch the sand. They felt nothing but the huge tug of the strings in their hands, and they saw nothing but sky. For a long time, an unmeasurable amount of time, it was like running in an airy dream.”

 
This morning over at Kirkus, I discuss the latest picture book from Don Brown, who continually brings young readers top-notch nonfiction picture books. His latest is Henry and the Cannons: An Extraordinary True Story of the American Revolution. That link is here.

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Last week, I wrote about Hilary McKay’s Lulu chapter book series, which is simply all kinds of delightful. That link is here, and today I follow up with art from Priscilla Lamont — illustrations from both Lulu and the Dog from the Sea (Albert Whitman & Company, March 2013) and Lulu and the Duck in the Park (September 2012).

Enjoy. Read the rest of this entry �

“At exactly the same moment, they looked at each other. Dani got up the courage to go and ask, ‘Shall we play on the swings?’ Ella nodded. That was her name.”

 
Yesterday over at Kirkus, I chatted briefly with author/illustrator Sergio Ruzzier about his two new picture books and what’s next for him. That is here, and next week here at 7-Imp, I’ll have art and early sketches from each book.

Today, I’ve got some thoughts on a new historical fiction picture book, Deborah Hopkinson’s Knit Your Bit: A World War I Story, illustrated by Steven Guarnaccia. That link is here.

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Pictured here today are illustrations from Swedish illustrator Eva Eriksson from Rose Lagercrantz’s My Happy Life (Lagercrantz is also Swedish), a chapter book release from Gecko Press, a New Zealand-based publisher of English versions of award-winning international children’s books. Originally published in Sweden in 2010, this book was released here in the U.S. last month. I wrote about it here last week at Kirkus and am following up this week with a bit of art from Eriksson.

Enjoy. Read the rest of this entry �

It’s time to look back, dear Imps, on what happened at 7-Imp during 2012 and look at who graced the site with their presence—all with my buddy here, Alfred—simply because I am a hopeless nerd, who enjoys recaps. As I’ve said during the past couple of years, including during 2011’s recap, this is fun to me. Also, it satisfies the tremendous picture book junkie in me.

Since 7-Imp is devoted to contemporary illustration—with a particular focus on picture books—these end-of-year recaps can be an awful lot like looking back at the state of picture books during a given year, even though I certainly didn’t have the time to cover every book I wanted to discuss. I’m not promising any kind of analysis or commentary here on picture book-dom in 2012, by any means. I just like to kick back and see who has visited and what insightful things they had to say, as well as look at some wonderful illustrations. Besides, I don’t consider 7-Imp a review blog. There are lots of other blogs who are very good at that. As I write at this page of the site, I like to think of it as a sort of literary salon where authors and illustrators stop by, after getting a cup of cyber-coffee, to share their craft — and where illustrators wake us up with art.

All of that is also one way of saying, as I did last year: This long post is good for browsing, especially if you like to see picture book art.

And, because I occasionally like to give the 7-Imp platform over to student illustrators or up-and-coming illustrators, you’ll see more experienced authors and illustrators, even the award-winning ones, sharing space here with the illustrators of the future … future … future. [Say that with an echo.] I think it’s a) important to give newbies the spotlight and b) it’s fun, too.

If I take a look at what was new to 7-Imp in 2012—before we look at who visited, that is, and all kinds of artwork—I run the risk of actually sounding organized, which I’m not. Or as if I’m someone who blogs 40 hours a week, which I’m also not. Since blogging comes after my children, the work-that-pays, and other things that allow me to have a life, I’m kind of scattered, have no real 7-Imp Action Plans, and you should just see my system of organization (chicken-scratch-scrawled Post-it notes stuck all over my very messy desk).

(This is precisely what I said last year, but it bears repeating. Oh, and in case you’re wondering, that is Frank Viva’s rodent up above from September’s A Trip to the Bottom of the World with Mouse. I rather covet his winter hat there.)

But … let me give this a shot anyway, an attempt to ponder what was new in 2012: Read the rest of this entry �

“‘Pinocchio, come up here where I am!’ shouted Harlequin. ‘Come throw yourself into the arms of your wooden brothers!’ At this affectionate invitation, Pinocchio leapt from the back of the pit into the expensive seats, then jumped again
from the expensive seats onto the orchestra conductor’s head,
and then sprang from there onto the stage.”

Today, over at the Kirkus Book Blog Network, I have some thoughts on my favorite new holiday picture book. That link is here.

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Last week, I wrote about Philip Pullman’s Fairy Tales from the Brothers Grimm: A New English Version (Viking Adult, November), as well as Carlo Collodi’s Pinocchio, released in October by the New York Review Children’s Collection, translated from the Italian by Geoffrey Brock, and illustrated by Fulvio Testa, one of Italy’s most distinguished artists and illustrators. You can read all about both books at that link, and today I follow up with some of Testa’s art from Pinocchio.

Enjoy. Read the rest of this entry �

Here’s a quick post, given that work is giving me the skunk eye, and it’s filled with art from Quentin Blake. (This post, that is. Not my work, unfortunately.)

If you’re a fan of Blake’s work, there were at least (heaven knows there may be more I’ve missed this year) three book releases in 2012 that will make you happy, and I’m here today to share art from them.

Pictured above is Blake’s Ebenezer Scrooge, post-epiphany and just before telling Bob Cratchit that he’s going to raise his salary. More on that below.

First up: In August, Candlewick released Michael Rosen’s Bananas in My Ears: A Collection of Nonsense Stories, Poems, Riddles & Rhymes. These poems were first published in the U.K. in different years under different titles—Smelly Jelly Fish and Under the Bed in 1986 and Hard-boiled Legs and Spollyollydiddlytiddlyitis in ’87—but are now compiled here for this U.S. release. These are poems divided into four categories, the names following the original book titles, with the exception of the section called “Smelly Jelly Smelly Fish.” The first section is sub-titled “The Breakfast Book,” and it’s followed by “The Seaside Book,” “The Doctor Book,” and “The Bedtime Book.” Read the rest of this entry �