7-Imp’s 7 Kicks #357: Featuring Emily Winfield Martin
November 17th, 2013 by jules
— Sketches and final art
(Click each to enlarge)
Mmm. I want some of what they’re having for breakfast.
Hi, all. I’m doing one of those BookPage numbers today. What I mean is: I reviewed a new picture book over at BookPage, and I could just leave it at that. But you all know I get kind of twitchy when I don’t share art from the books about which I write, so I always follow up those BookPage reviews (and my weekly Kirkus columns) with art and (if I’m lucky) sketches from the books — over here at 7-Imp, that is. It’s just an extra, Art-Fan step for me—no one asks me to do it, but I just can’t help it—so humor me.
The book I reviewed is Emily Winfield Martin’s Dream Animals, published by Random House in October. So, to read all about it, head over here to BookPage’s wonderful site.
And then come back here, if you’re so inclined, to take in the sketches Emily’s sharing, as well as some final art from the book.
Enjoy!
“Will robins race to fly you / Somewhere high above the trees?”
— Sketches and final art
(Click to enlarge)
(Click each to enlarge)
(Click second one to enlarge)
DREAM ANIMALS. Copyright © 2013 by Emily Winfield Martin. All images reproduced by permission of the publisher, Random House, New York.
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.
Forgive me for not listing seven separate kicks today, but all seven are rolled up into the fact that it’s a quiet night ’round these Danielson parts. My girls are sleeping over at their grandmother’s, so I’m going to take advantage of the quiet and go read or otherwise do something else offline-like. For one, this book showed up, and I’m eager to crack it open, so maybe I’ll do that.
p.s. I highly recommend poring over the art at Emily’s website. I may or may not have just purchased something for my girls for the holidays at her shop, too. Shh. Don’t tell ’em.
What are YOUR kicks this week?
Oh, Jules…not able to sleep so I popped in early. I’ve looked at this book again and again. I think I’ll have to go back to get it now. The artwork is gorgeous.
I’m so glad you have some quiet time and a book of poetry.
Kicks:
1. Solid roof over my head
2. Garage full of wood
3. Finally got the leaves raked yesterday
4. Second week of Mock Caldecott at school; the students are noticing the most amazing things
5. Geese flying in “v” formation
6. and 7. Another day with Xena
Can’t wait to read DREAM ANIMALS. Thanks, Jules! Here’s a new poem that I’m seven times grateful to have written:
Snapping Turtle
An animal of minimal means,
He owes no frog,
He holds no debt.
For travel, he’s a mobile home.
For music, he’s a metronome.
He’s blissful in a bog
And wet.
Counting time in a snarl of greens,
He cara-paces,
Ages slow.
In summer, he’s too somber to snap.
In winter, sleeps in a muddy gap.
His blood thinks,
Enough?
His dream says,
No.
© 2013 Steven Withrow, all rights reserved
A note of scientific and poetic interest: My daughter and I recently spent time with a biologist from the Audubon Society of Rhode Island and learned a good deal about our local snapping turtles. While snappers live about 50 years at the extreme—nowhere near as long as the Galápagos tortoise—they hibernate by burying themselves in mud and leaves and by slowing their bodies so that their hearts beat once every few minutes. They don’t need much oxygen in this state, absorbing it from pond water through specialized skin cells just inside the tail opening. In essence, they “breathe” through their tails. Freshwater turtles can stay like this for two or three months! The more details like this I learn about a subject, the more I want to include in a poem. My ear is the judge, as I always strive toward musicality. If a word doesn’t sound right to me, if it doesn’t harmonize with (or counterpoint) every other word, then it’s best left out, or kept in prose.
*swooning over first spread* Yum!
Enjoy Jeannine’s book (another reason to swoon).
My one big kick this week is that my father turned 99 today. It’s been a tough year for both my parents but they’re still hanging in there, and we’re so blessed to have them in our lives. Dad will likely be on FB today, as he is every day. He continues to amaze us. 🙂
Oh Jules, Emily’s work is rich. Will need this book.
Jules, glad you had time to enjoy the quiet and some poetry.
Margie, glad you are warm and toasty with a garage full of wood and that Xena is still around. Hugs to her.
Steven, thank you for the poem.
Jama, happy birthday to you dad. What a gift.
My kicks:
1. Anticipating the SCBWI-Oregon writing retreat at Silver Falls.
2. Hanging out with my friend, Susan Blackaby as she read from her new book, February Groundhog and the Wintry Surprise. It’s so much fun. The illustrations are a delight.
3. A kinder wrote about being asked to get the library award at the monthly awards assembly. It’s on my blog.
4. Tomorrow oldest grandgirl turns 9. Hard to believe.
5. Finished a project for a friend.
6. Pumpkin pie.
7. My students.
Have a great week.
Good morning, Imps! Happy Sunday to you!
I love seeing the sketch-to-final journeys of Emily Wingfield Martin’s images. I really like the flying bicycle and the birdies.
Jules: Enjoy the quiet, and the poetry!
Margie: Hope you got some more sleep. Hello to your readers, your geese, and your pup!
Steven: Kudos for the poem. I am now thinking of Morla from The NeverEnding Story.
Jama: Happy birthday to your dad!
My week has had a lot of kicks. I am grateful and excited for things that just happened, and things that are about to happen. Please keep your fingers crossed.
1) See above: Cross your fingers.
2) The staged reading of my play was wonderful! Great director, great cast, flattering feedback.
3) Hugh Laurie on Twitter
4) Interest
5) Opportunities
6) Assistance
7) Determination
Margie, there is a great Barenaked Ladies’ song on their children’s CD about geese flying in the ‘v’ formation. Now it’s in my head (not a bad thing). You sound cozy and warm, and I bet it’s a total thrill to see the children responding to the books in your mock Caldecott. (Did you see that Betsy is collecting mock results? Neat idea.)
Steven: I love that opening line, in particular. It begs to be read aloud.
Jama, happy birthday to your dad!
Jone, have fun at SCBWI! I love this proactive kindergartner, too.
Little Willow: Crossing fingers. Check. You know I’m your cheerleader, so I’m even doing spirit fingers. Also, CONGRATS ON KICK #2!
And here they are singing it live:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWEspgYyts0
Thank you Steven for another melodious poem.
Hello, Jama. My Mom will be 94 in two months. Congratulations to your Dad.
I agree, Jone, students are the best.
Fingers crossed, Little Willow.
Yes, Jules, I did see that Betsy is collecting the Mock Caldecott results. I will be sending our final votes to her. And thank you for the beautiful song.
Oh my, you all. A very nice reader emailed to point out to me that it’s Emily WINFIELD Martin, not WINGfield. My sincerest apologies that I goofed that up. But it’s all fixed now!
LW…fingers crossed and congrats on #2.
Thank you, Jules, Margie, and Jone. 🙂 Very much.
Hi All!
Fly by on my tiny phone screen. Can’t wait to check out these lovely images on a bigger screen.
Moira
What gorgeous artwork! No wonder you had to share!! And how lucky to have the girls are their grandparents. We have just started doing this and it is so nice for everyone involved!
1. Today was the last day of the fall soccer season.
2. Which means that we get our weekends back as family time.
3. A trip in to Hoboken for the last soccer game which turned out to be an amazing place to visit.
4. Time to visit with neighbors this evening.
5. A last burst of warm sunny days.
6. The ending of the Other Typist. Yikes! If anyone has read it, I’d love to hear their thoughts.
7. Pancakes.
Hi, Moira!
Stacey: Congrats on reclaimed family time. … Haven’t read that book, but if you went to Hoboken, now you all can read The Hoboken Chicken Emergency!
I generally do not stop to consider the effort required to create illustrations…until I see the sketches that you share on your blog. These are always fun to look at!
1. Graduate school. A whole lot of work but very energizing and inspiring. Thankful for that.
2. Friends. Making time for friends.
3. A good conversation with my 8-year-old. I know he will be 13 in a blink of an eye.
That feels like enough to be thankful for today! Take care and have a wonderful week, all.
Amy, yes, that’s a kicks-abundance. How much longer do you have in grad school, by the way (though it sounds like you don’t want it to end)?
Loved this art – and the sketches and early drafts leading to the final pieces – wow.
Keeping fingers crossed for Little Willow too, and very grateful for elegant words as always from Steven.
My kicks:
1 to 7. met Elisa Kleven yesterday while she was here in LA at our local children’s bookstore. She is, or course, as gracious and kind and generous as one would imagine after reading her beautiful books. We have corresponded for a while now so it was exciting to meet. Looking at some of her original collages that are illustrations in her books was really cool. My Little showing her some of his artwork would be many months of Kicks.
Oh – and I haven’t been here in a while so did everyone notice on the non-art front that my Red Sox won the World Series?
Happy week to everyone! Jules, hope that beautiful book is as enjoyable as it looks.
Honestly, Jules, I prefer reading over here on your blog 🙂 I’ve seen DREAM ANIMALS at Barnes and read it. The illustrations are beautiful and I LOVE—ALways love (perhaps because I illustrate) seeing the process development from sketches to final art. Thank you! 😀
Oh, Allison! So (happily) jealous that you got to meet Elisa in person. So cool.
Thanks, Donna Marie. I love seeing sketches, too!