Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast

“Honestly, I was resistant to doing a childhood memoir. I feel like there are a lot of them these days — and good ones. The world didn’t need one from me. My publisher asked me to at least think about it, and I did, crankily. Crank crank crank. But as soon as the camp angle occurred to me, all my crankiness went out the window. I knew I could make a funny book that would be a blast to draw and be different from what’s out there. I’m always telling people about the outhouse. The outhouse needed to be immortalized!”

Over at Kirkus today, I talk with author-illustrator and graphic novelist Vera Brosgol, whose middle-grade graphic novel, Be Prepared, arrived on shelves in April.

The Q&A is here. Next week, I’ll follow up here at 7-Imp with a bit more art from the book.

Until tomorrow . . .

 
Here’s a quick post about Polly Dunbar’s latest book, A Lion Is a Lion (Candlewick), released in April. It’s the story of a fierce lion, who makes his way into the home of two children by making himself quite dapper — donning a hat and coat and carrying an umbrella. Is he still a lion, Dunbar asks readers, if he makes himself more human-like and even if he puts on certain manners, such as skipping down the street and singing “Hoobie-doobie-doo”? What about if he appears thoughtful? What if he doesn’t forget his please and thank-yous?

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It’s the first Sunday of the month, which means I’ve got the work of a student or debut illustrator here at 7-Imp. Today, it’s the latter, an illustrator and animator named Cat Min, who recently signed with an agent and is working on her debut picture book.

Cat is here to tell us a bit about herself, as well as share some artwork. I thank her for visiting. Let’s get right to it. (And if you want to see even more of her artwork, you can find her on Instagram at: thecatpark.)

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That is here.

Last week, I wrote here at Kirkus about Howard Bryant’s Sisters & Champions: The True Story of Venus and Serena Williams (Philomel, May 2018), illustrated by Floyd Cooper, as well as Marc Tyler Nobleman’s Fairy Spell: How Two Girls Convinced the World That Fairies Are Real (Clarion, April 2018), illustrated by Eliza Wheeler.

I’m following up with art from both books today.

Enjoy!

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Last week at Kirkus, I talked board books with author-illustrator Hilary Leung. (That is here.)

Today, I’m following up with some art from his new board book series.

Until tomorrow . . .

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Pictured above is a preliminary image from Julie Fogliano’s A House That Once Was (Roaring Brook, May 2018), illustrated by Lane Smith. This, Lane says, was his attempt to use “very absorbent newspaper, but the line here was a little too blobby and uncontrollable.”

Lane sent a few other roughs from the book, as well as some final art, which you can see below. Both Lane and Julie also share a bit below about the book’s creation.

I’ve reviewed the book here over at BookPage, if you’d like to read more about it.

Enjoy!

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Today at 7-Imp, I’ve got some of MacKay’s paper dioramas from the book.

Enjoy!

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That is here.

Last week, I wrote here about Seven Pablos (Enchanted Lion, May 2018), written by Jorge Luján, illustrated by Chiara Carrer, and translated from the Spanish by Mara Lethem. I’m following up with some art today.

Enjoy. . . .

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“I love puzzles. Crafting these stories has been a challenging puzzle at times, but ultimately more enjoyable and satisfying.”

Over at Kirkus today, I talk with Hilary Leung, who has just written and illustrated his first board books, two titles in a new series.

The Q&A is here. Next week, I’ll follow up here at 7-Imp with a bit more art from each book.

Until tomorrow . . .

 
Over at Tennessee’s wonderful Chapter 16, I have a piece up about Thirteen, the 1975 picture book collaboration between Remy Charlip and Jerry Joyner, which the New York Review Children’s Collection has released this month in a new edition. Jerry currently lives here in middle Tennessee and has so for many decades now.

I’m sharing the wonderful photo above with Jerry’s permission. It’s an old photo of Jerry (far right) with Remy (third from the left) and their friends Jacques and Sylvia on a trip to Greece. The photo was taken by an unknown street photographer.

I’ve also got a few spreads from Thirteen below (if you want to take a peek at the art), as well as a current photo of Jerry.

The Chapter 16 piece is here. (You will read over there that Jerry will speak at Parnassus Books this week, so heads-up, if you happen to live in middle Tennessee.)

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