May 2008 Archives

Over the weekend, Elizabeth Bird of Fuse #8 gave a talk at the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art. Located in Amherst, MA, this museum is one I would love to visit. Unfortunately, I'm on the other side of the country, so I will have to settle for pictures and descriptions--for now at least. The virtual tour on the museum's website makes it look so fun and cheery. It's nice to see children's book art getting the appreciation it deserves.

BookExpo America is this coming weekend! Illumination Arts will be in Booth 754 in the Independent Publisher Association pavilion. If you happen to be in the Los Angeles area this weekend, be sure to stop by the Convention Center.

In addition, two of our newest authors will be signing books in the autographing area. Janan Cain, author of Roonie B. Moonie: Lost and Alone, will be signing on Satuday, May 31, from 10:30-11:30 at Table 7 in the autographing area. Maureen Moss, author of God's Promise, will be signing on Sunday, June 1, from 9:30-10:30 at Table 24. I know they would love to see you there!

This week's book is Something Special, a charming riddle book written by Terri Cohlene and illustrated by Doug Keith. The text of the book is very simple, suitable for a child as young as 3, but the solution to the riddle will resonate with any age group (including a young adult such as myself!). Kids will have a great time trying to guess the riddle's answer as the pages turn.

The art and design are what really make this book terrific. The text on each page is stylized, and, in many cases, drawn into the page by the illustrator. This makes every page a visual delight, and is a large part of the reason why the book won the Benjamin Franklin Award for Best Interior Design.

Something Special is one of my favorite books in the Illumination Arts collection, and I would highly recommend it to any parent, child, or teacher.

Roger Sutton of The Horn Book and Read Roger has started a game:

I also have a new game inspired by my allergic reaction to the title of Jerry Spinelli's latest book, Smiles to Go. It got me wondering why children's book titles seem to tolerate more sugar than do books for adults, and that got me thinking about what adult books with children's-book titles would be like. For example, Tuck Everlasting is surely a Jan Karon novel, last in a series, about the picturesque town of Tuck, itself tucked away in the timeless foothills of the Piedmont. And The Chocolate War is by John Le Carre and involves Colombian narco-terrorism. Charlotte's Web? Linda Fairstein thriller about an internet-adept serial killer in stilettos.

My favorite from the comments: "The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe: a vicious tell-all about the marriage of Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor." Hilarious!

If you will be in the Los Angeles area on June 4, check out the third annual Believe in Kids Luncheon at the Skirball Center, put on by BookEnds. BookEnds is a non-profit organization devoted to "kids helping kids," through student-run book drives for organizations and schools in need of children's books. The event is free, so just RSVP to the email address on the other side of the link.

BookEnds is a great organization, and Illumination Arts is proud to have donated many of our books to them, through Inspire Every Child.

Janan Cain is the bestselling author/illustrator of The Way I Feel, a picture book which helps children find words for their emotions. Her latest book, Roonie B. Moonie: Lost and Alone, continues the theme of helping children understand their feelings. Following in The Way I Feel's award-winning footsteps, Roonie B. Moonie is currently a finalist for ForeWord Magazine's Children's Book of the Year award and the Independent Publishers' Children's Book Award, both of which will be awarded at this years BookExpo America at the end of this month. I had the chance to talk to Janan about her artistic inspirations in the following interview.

• As someone who's done both, which do you like best: writing or illustrating? Why?
  Illustration is my favorite form of expression, without a doubt. I worked as a graphic designer and illustrator for over 20 years in the corporate world before trading in my paint brushes for diapers. While I was home raising my two daughters, I attempted freelance illustration during their nap times which proved very difficult as I couldn't always count on a consistent work schedule. Somehow I always manage to create artwork, which I realize now is necessary for my sanity. As much as I love to read, I find writing very challenging and have the utmost respect and admiration for authors who seem to write effortlessly. That is a gift I don't possess.
• Roonie B. Moonie is such a fun character. How did you come up with him? Did he spring fully formed from your head, name and all, or was it a more gradual process?
  In a sense, Roonie sprung from my garden! I have a studio overlooking my lush yard which has inspired me to paint nature stylistically. With such a variety of interesting shapes and intense colors, flowers and foliage practically draw themselves. In a garden setting, my main character obviously needed to be a bug. I thumbed through my files for inspiration and discovered a sketch I intended to paint years ago. It was a woman's head sporting a beehive hairdo complete with bees buzzing about. I loved the idea of putting this silly twist at the end of the story. In short, Roonie is a combination of my passion for gardening and a long-forgotten sketch.

  Roonie B. Moonie's name was another story: I had already settled on his first name because I was drawn to it although I can't explain why. While visiting with my extended family at a birthday party, we gathered around the patio table and brainstormed a last name for Roonie. I wish I could credit one of my siblings, parents, nieces, nephews or children, but I can't remember who suggested "Moonie." Sorry, family.

• Both Lost & Alone and The Way I Feel deal with feelings and emotions. What is it that draws you to this topic?
  The concept for The Way I Feel was born shortly after my second daughter while I was searching for a basic children's book on emotions. I found that nearly all word books focused on language for the physical world around us-- car, boat, red, blue. No books presented emotions in a simple and straightforward way, so I created a picture book designed to give children language to better equip them to express their feelings. The success of The Way I Feel confirmed that other parents are searching for picture books to help teach their children, not merely to serve as entertainment.

  I've always felt strongly that children need to learn a few simple tactics for dealing with dangerous or scary situations. They also need to be taught the importance of trusting their instincts during times of insecurity and doubt. It's common for parents to sometimes lose sight of their children--who would benefit from a few basic safety strategies. As with The Way I Feel, I set out to create a book to serve as a catalyst for conversations between parents and their children. Roonie B. Moonie: Lost & Alone offers parents the opportunity to discuss staying safe in dangerous situations.

For more on Ms. Cain's inspirations and some advice to aspiring authors, read onward.

"Censorship ends in logical completeness when nobody is allowed to read any books except the books that nobody reads." - George Bernard Shaw

And Tango Makes Three has topped the "challenged" children's books list for the second year in a row. The book is based on the true story of two male penguins who foster a young chick together. The challenges spur from the fact that the book is seen to promote and accept the homosexual lifestyle--which, depending on your viewpoint, may be positive or negative.

From my own perspective, it seems that the books most challenged and censored are the ones that everyone ought to be reading: To Kill a Mockingbird, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Catcher in the Rye. These books provide readers with valuable insight into another time or culture, and the world would be much poorer without them. The same is likely true of the more recent entries to the challenged books list, like And Tango Makes Three.

Families in New York City tomorrow may want to check out the kick-off for Children's Book Week in the Bryant Park Reading Room. There will be book signings by authors and illustrators, as well as some well-known characters making appearances. Later in the week, the winners of the Children's Choice Book Awards will be announced.

The winners of the 2008 Jane Addams Children's Book Award have been announced. With their mission to honor books that "effectively promote the cause of peace, social justice, world community, and the equality of the sexes and all races as well as meeting conventional standards for excellence," this award is one that aligns closely with Illumination Arts' purpose.

This year's winner in the "Books for Younger Children" category is The Escape of Oney Judge: Martha Washington's Slave Finds Freedom, written and illustrated by Emily Arnold McCully. According to the press release,

Mrs. Washington's declares that young Oney is just like one of the Washington's own children, but Oney is not fooled. On the night Mrs. Washington tells Oney she will not grant her freedom upon her death, Oney thinks quickly, acts courageously and flees. Expressive watercolors within this well-researched biography portray the bravery of Ona Maria Judge, an African-American woman who claimed, and fought for, the right to have "no mistress but herself."

This sounds like a terrific, complex picture book. Congratulations to Ms. McCully!

[via Fuse #8]