7-Imp’s 7 Kicks #397: Featuring David Biedrzycki

h1 September 14th, 2014 by jules

Hello, dear kickers. Today I have some artwork from author-illustrator David Biedrzycki, whose has a brand-new picture book out from Charlesbridge, Breaking News: Bear Alert (Charlesbridge, September 2014). It’s the story—in the style of a breaking-news, this-just-in television report—of two very curious bears who make their way into a busy town. It’s a fun story, and David has a handful of spreads from it to share today, as well as a few early sketches. The Kirkus review for this one notes that David’s Adobe Photoshop illustrations are “bold and playful, appropriately reminiscent of vintage Hanna-Barbera and a good match for the slapstick story,” while the Publishers Weekly review adds that David’s book “comically exploits our cultures of distraction and surveillance.” (They make an excellent point.)

The cover’s so entertaining that I’m opening this post with it, though I normally open with artwork (well, non-cover artwork).

While David’s here, he’s also sharing some other artwork, so let’s get right to it, shall we? To read more about the books from which these images come and more about David and his work, you can visit his site here.


 

Sketches and final art from
Breaking News: Bear Alert
(Charlesbridge, September 2014)

(Click on each piece of final art to enlarge and see in more detail)


 

















 

From the Me and My Dragon books
(Charlesbridge)

(You can click on most of these to enlarge and see in more detail)


 







 

From the Ace Lacewing books
(Charlesbridge)

(Click on each image to enlarge and see in more detail)


 






All artwork is used with permission of David Biedrzycki.

Note for any new readers: 7-Imp’s 7 Kicks is a weekly meeting ground for taking some time to reflect on Seven(ish) Exceptionally Fabulous, Beautiful, Interesting, Hilarious, or Otherwise Positive Noteworthy Things from the past week, whether book-related or not, that happened to you. New kickers are always welcome.

* * * Jules’ Kicks * * *

1) A weekend with no big plans, which is good for relaxing and reading.

2) Good food and good conversations with friends this week.

3) I love the first song on this First Listen from Shara Worden, who evidently goes by the name My Brightest Diamond. (New to me, but I love all the sounds in that first tune.)

4) You gotta admit this is funny.

5) Picture books are always a kick for me, but I enjoyed two in particular this week: Joyce Sidman’s Winter Bees & Other Poems of the the Cold, illustrated by Rick Allen (see some beautiful spreads here!), and Jen Bryant’s The Right Word: Roget and his Thesaurus, illustrated by Melissa Sweet. Melissa shared some images from that book back in July (here), but this week I saw the hardback. MY GOODNESS, it’s gorgeous.

6) A friend recommended a BBC drama called Happy Valley, and my husband and I watched the whole first season in a few days. (Granted, there are only six episodes. Also I’m a hopeless night owl.) The acting is particularly wonderful, though it’s also intense and difficult to watch in spots.

7) I’m learning a Chopin piece on piano this week.

What are YOUR kicks this week?





14 comments to “7-Imp’s 7 Kicks #397: Featuring David Biedrzycki”

  1. Loving all the pictures today, but the bear book looks particularly fun!

    Number four IS funny. And thanks for the BBC rec, I’ve never heard of it.

    1. Had a great time hanging out at a book festival here in Brisbane last weekend
    2. It was exciting seeing Karen Joy Fowler’s “We are all completely besides ourselves” (a great book) shortlisted for the Booker after enjoying Karen’s dry wit at a festival event last week
    3. Getting out and about by myself knowng that the baby was having a good time with his grandparents (and knowing they were having a great time watching him)
    4. Leisurely time at the park/outdoor coffee shop with my parent’s group on Friday
    5. Seeing how excited my baby was when his dad returned from a work trip
    6. Belated Father’s Day brunch today
    7. Watching my nieces and baby play with bubbles in the yard this afternoon


  2. As I scrolled through the artwork of David Biedrzycki I found my smile growing larger and larger. I can’t wait to see these books.
    Jules: Thanks for bringing my attention to the Joyce Sidman book. I love The Right Word. I am so happy you are learning the Chopin piece.

    My kicks:
    1. Getting lots done around the house by good service people.
    2. Laughter with friends
    3. Good Hope Vanilla Red Tea
    4. Soup
    5. Channel surfing last night (I rarely watch TV) I discovered the movie Burlesque and its great music
    6. Xena is bouncing back from being sick
    7. Walks with Xena


  3. David Biedrzyck’s work is fun. Love Bear Alert.
    Jules, kick number 4 is hilarious. And I love all of Joyce Sidman’s books so I am glad she has a new one in the world.
    Margie, so happy to see you back here. I am glad Xena is doing well.
    My kicks:
    1. Finished Countdown by Deborah Wiles. It’s as if she wrote my life at age nine (except I was in California and my father wasn’t in the service) she captured my fear that we’d be in a nuclear war.
    2. Family.
    3. Dark Chocolate.
    4. Sunshine.
    5. Kindergartners.
    6. Planning a surprise for grand girl.
    7. Fresh garden tomatoes.
    Have a great week.


  4. Ooo, how I love seeing the different stages of a drawing — so cool to see the reference photos and sketches on the way to the finished work. These are all so fun and polished.

    Jules, that Shara Worden song is so gutsy and inventive — thanks for sharing. I also love it (and am a bit jealous) that you’re learning to play new music on the piano.

    Margie, your #4 is inspiring me to make soup today!

    I was feeling particularly thankful one day this week, and thought “it’s been way too long since I did seven kicks”. So here goes.

    1) My mom’s mini-vineyard arbor is laden with impossibly sweet seedless green grapes, and we’ve been gorging ourselves like black bears.
    2) Nectarine crisp/crumble.
    3) Stand-up paddle boarding. I did not expect to get into this, but our whole family loved it this summer — such a relaxing way to enjoy the lake and get a surprising workout too.
    4) My mom living nearby in our town. She’s a good friend, and the kids are so lucky to have an amazing grandma here.
    5) Daughters getting into photography and seeing their pictures win at the local fair.
    6) Guacamelee, a guilty-pleasure video game that hooked me hard on the kids’ Wii.
    7) Our youngest turning 7, which technically happened last month, but he celebrated with three friends yesterday.


  5. Good morning, Imps!

    Hello to David and the adorable bears and dragons and bugs, oh my! Cool to see the photographs-turned-sketches.

    Jules: Good luck with the Chopin piece. Have fun with it. Very cool orchestrations and layering in that song you posted from Shara Worden / My Brightest Diamond. A group I dig, The Veronicas, released a new song this week called You Ruin Me. Check it out.

    Margie: Hugs to the bouncing-back super-pup Xena.

    Kicks from the past week:
    1) A movie I’m in was screened in Europe
    2 and 3) A play I wrote is having a reading in New York and getting fully produced in California
    4 and 5) Another play I wrote is getting a reading and full production, again two different theatres/companies/places
    6) Like minds meeting
    7) Technology and photography capturing and sharing that which we cannot be present for in person


  6. David’s books look like so much fun. I’ll have to check them out.

    Jules – I do admit that those book titles are funny. My favorite is, “The 80’s”. That Thesaurus book also looks like one I’m going to have to find.
    Margie – What kind of soup?
    Jone – Dark chocolate is the best! The darker the better.
    Jeremy – My folks live in the same town as us. It is wonderful to have them be such a big part of my kids lives.
    LW – #6 is so fantastic. It is always great to be with people who, “get it”.

    Kicks

    1. I ran my first 5K without slowing down to walk or collapse.
    2. Smoothed out some scheduling issues for my son at school without turning into crazy mama bear.
    3. This year my daughter will be on stage for our local studio’s production of the Nutcracker.
    4. & 5. So proud of and happy for two friends who have debut picture books out this week, Kelly Light and Mike Curato. http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-book-news/article/63912-draw-what-you-know.html
    6. Reading aloud to my little niece and nephew and my big daughter and son.
    7. Sorting through my bird pics. http://instagram.com/p/s2HtvxlP1P/?modal=true

    September is so lovely here. I hope things are lovely where you are too.


  7. Moira: CONGRATS! Woo hoo for the run, for the schedule-smoothing, for all of it. Tell your daughter I said break a leg! Nutcracker is my favorite ballet.

    Jeremy: Happy belated birthday to your munchkin, and high-fives to your budding photographers.

    Jone: I am craving tomatoes. And avocados.

    Emmaco: That’s such a great title.


  8. Moira, your bird pictures are lovely. I enjoy putting images to names I know from books.

    Jeremy nectarine crumble sounds delicious. I’m glad we’re heading into stone fruit season here soon.

    Glad Xena is well, Margie!

    LW so many exciting events this week! And yes it’s a great book title. Karen said they tried a different (boring) title when they went to sell it in the UK market but it didn’t get picked up until they reverted to this title!

    Jone, I can taste those tomatoes now.


  9. Hi Emmaco and thanks! Sorry I missed you earlier.


  10. Emmaco, Fowler’s book is on my TBR list! So glad you had some baby-free time and enjoyed yourself (and that the baby enjoyed the grandparents).

    Margie, didn’t know Xena was sick but glad to hear she’s bouncing back. … You’re making me want a good hot cup of tea right now! … Glad you had a good week.

    Jone, I want to read Countdown. I’ve not read it yet but my book club is about to read Revolution, the second in that trilogy (right?). …. Hope your granddaughter loves her surprise!

    JEREMY! Happy birthday to Ezra. So cool that your mom is right there. And I’ve never even heard of stand-up paddle boarding, so I’ll have to look that up.

    Little Willow, I’ll look for the song. Thanks! AND OH MY GOSH, your KICKS! Congrats on all the results of your hard, talented work. Go, you!

    Moira, congrats on the 5K! Oh, and congrats to your daughter too! May she break a leg.

    Have a good week, all!


  11. Greetings All,
    missed everyone and the Kicks over the summer.

    Love all these books – just so great. In trying times, we all need to smile more! I agree with Margie!

    I’ve just finished gushing all over the July post of the art of Melissa Sweet on the Roget biography. I’m going to control myself here and not gush, but calmly say I can’t wait to get my hands on the first 2. Plus I have a friend whose daughter is obsessed with dragons.

    I was starting to get depressed about the books out so far this year. I feel much better now. I’ve seen some of your reviews on Kirkus finally, Jules, and they helped too. My local bookstore didn’t have much from 2014 that really caught hold of my heart or imagination.

    But I am enchanted by Froodle and Happy Birthday, Madame Chapeau.

    Anyway, too late for long kicks but:
    1. Just a short time away from adopting our Tiny, who is now a delightful 18-month old.
    2. Lilttle is now in 2nd grade and thriving there. Unfortunately (NOT A KICK!) he has learned to argue and talk back in a very rude tone of voice. I’m probably the only parent who has ever dealt with this in the history of the world, so I’ll just wallow in pity and frustration for a short minute!
    3. Had a great but WAY too short trip to New England at the end of August. The lush green, the family, lots of maple walnut and blackraspberry ice creams helped water a parched heart.

    Hope everyone is thriving and looking forward to catch up in the next few weeks!


  12. Allison, though I’m sorry that you had one, I have to say I like the phrase “a parched heart” and what it evokes, so at least that lovely bit of figurative language there is a kick, yes?! … 2014 has been a sort of slow year in picture books in many ways, I think, but it’s starting to pick up. … Congrats on the almost-adoption, and I’m glad you had that refreshing trip to New England. I hope you have a good, drenched-heart kind of week.


  13. Bear Alert looks so fun!

    Jules – good food and conversation with friends is always a great kick, and sometimes those weekends with no big plans are just the best. Kick 4 is very funny, especially the Kenny Loggins book if you’ve ever read Hyperbole and a Half.

    emmaco – time away from your little one knowing they are having fun with the grandparents is a lovely kick. And bubbles!

    Margie – so glad Xena is on the mend!

    Jone – sunshine is going to be on my kicks list until it goes away this year. What are you doing with your tomatoes?

    Jeremy! Hi there! Happy birthday to Ezra! And having family close by is so nice.

    LW – congrats! What a spectacular week you’ve had!

    Moira – congrats on the 5k!

    Allison – yay for the almost adoption and thriving kids. I agree with Jules, your phrase “a parched heart” is lovely.

    I’m late, so my flyby kicks:
    1) Sunshine
    2) Happiness
    3) Drinks and catch up with good friends.
    4) Read “Hollow City” by Ransom Riggs. Surprised by the ending, in a good way.
    5) Listening to the Sara Bareilles album The Blessed Unrest – so good.
    6) Finally saw The Desolation of Smaug.
    7) College football.

    Have a lovely week all!


  14. Rachel, I’m gonna have to look into both the book AND the album. Thanks! Happy new week, and here’s to sunshine.


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