BookLust

Kids Are Authors!

A couple months ago I was invited by the folks at Scholastic Educational to be a part of an amazing school program. I must confess that I had never heard of Kids Are Authors™. Basically, it's a picture book competition open to all elementary schools across Canada. Every year groups of three or more students (with some direction from their teacher) participate in writing and illustrating an original picture book. A number of finalists are chosen from the entries, and then Scholastic Canada invites local authors, illustrators and librarians to choose a grand prize winner and up to three honour award winners from the final entries. So I was one of the lucky people asked to be a judge! The other judges involved this year were the authors Marsha Skrypuch and Joanne Richter, and librarian Rosemary Renton.

The final judging took place two weeks ago. It was an amazing experience, I must say. That was the first time I'd ever actually been to the offices of Scholastic Educational in Markham (which, by the way is in another country as far as I'm concerned, since I had to take TTC to get there. Two and a half hours on trains and buses! Oy). That place is huge. Everyone involved in this project was very helpful and friendly (we even got a delicious lunch! Yum). And now I have an idea how editors must feel when they are looking over submissions of picture book manuscripts. It's really tough to make judgments, because all of the stories had strengths, and all of the illustrations were really quite impressive. But us gals worked really well as a team, and in the end we were all in agreement as to who the winner should be. Can't mention the winner yet, but as soon as it's official, I'll write a post about it for sure.

The winning school will receive a cash prize of $1,000, by the way, as well as a commemorative plaque. The three Honour Award winners will receive a $100 cash prize and a plaque, too. But the best part is that the winning entry will be published and distributed by Scholastic Book Fairs and sold as a bona fide picture book! The money made from the sales of the winning book goes back into supporting the Kids Are Authors™ program, and any extra cash made is donated to various literary organizations.

Dang, I sure wish this program was around when I was a kid!!

Winky War!

A while back I read a very interesting post on the Chronicle Books blog, about a children's book series by Rotraut Suzanne Berner about the four seasons. Apparently the books are bestsellers in 13 countries, but had trouble finding a home in the largest children's book market (yes, that would be the U.S.) because there is (shudder) nudity in one of the books. The salacious scene takes place in a gallery and you can see a small painting of a naked lady, and if you look really, really, really hard, you can find a teeny tiny sculpture of a naked man, and yes, his teeny tiny naked winky.

Can you see it? No? Well it's there, trust me. 'Cuz those trained naked-winky-detectors sure found it! The U.S. publisher Boyds Mills Press had initially requested that the winky be air-brushed out, but the artist refused, so apparently Boyds Mills initially dumped the four-book series. But this week the publisher has relented, due to the outcry it caused in Germany. Anyway, thankfully Chronicle will be publishing an omnibus edition of the four books for Fall 2008, so if you're interested, I'd recommend getting the Chronicle edition myself.

Ah...but the story doesn't end there! You see, this week Quill & Quire picked up the news, and posted it on their wonderful blog. The most fascinating part of this post isn't the news itself – it's all the heated comments from a wide variety of people, all passionate about children, war and, well – winkies. Seriously, can someone please explain to me how the discussion of a tiny penis always seems to end with the discussion of war? Could there perhaps be a connection there somewhere, hmmmmm??

Quite frankly, I just don't understand what all the fuss is about. I thought our pal Maurice dealt with this issue years ago.

The Magic of Books

Hey! Did you know that this week is Canadian Children's Book Week? You didn't know? Well, ya know now, don't ya? So what is this week (November 17-24) all about, you ask? Well, to quote the web site:

Canadian Children's Book Week is the single most important bilingual, national event celebrating Canadian children's books and the importance of reading. Every November, thousands of children and adults participate in activities held in every province and territory across the country. Hundreds of schools, public libraries, bookstores and community centres host events as part of this major literary festival.

Sounds pretty cool, don't it? This week my pal Liam O'Donnell is in Nunavut! And Robin Muller is in Alberta talking about 13 Ghosts of Halloween (though it does seem a bit odd to be talking about a Halloween book once Halloween is over, but what the hey – it's promoting the book, which is always good, and I figure kids love Halloween not matter what the time of year). I hope they both have lots of fun, and I certainly hope they both brought mittens.

Even if you don't know much about Canadian Children's Book Week, you can still get involved, in a small way. Take a boo at this blog post from Tough City Writer. She's created a wonderful wish list in celebration of this week. Here's a couple of her wishes:

Wish #1: Go to your bookshelf (or your kids') and dust off a Canadian classic you've been wanting to re-read. You know, Jacob Two-Two, Jelly Belly, even Anne of Green Gables would make me happy. (I know, I know, "classic" is subjective. Make your own criteria and go for it.)

Wish #2: Send book from Wish #1 to a child you love. Or even one you don't love, or even one you don't know. Tell them, "Hey, a Canadian wrote this book, ya know? And I think you might just like it."

The rest of her wishes are just as clever and charming as these two. She's also inviting everyone out there to contribute their own wishes, in celebration of reading and children's literature. I gave my wish, so why don't you? And if you do, please let me know on this post, ok? Pay the book-lovin' forward, I say!

Oh, and by the way, the artist who illustrated this year's poster is the very talented illustrator and author and musician, Martin Springett.

Happy Haloween!

I hope everyone has a splendidly spooky night tonight! Me, I've been battling a cold, so haven't been in the best of spirits. That is, until I got a delightful email from artist pal Paula Becker! Paula was in Point-Claire Village in Quebec, and just happened to notice that the French edition of 13 Ghosts of Halloween was in the display window in the bookstore Babar Books, so she very kindly took some pictures! Ain't that sweet? Check 'em out! Here's the store:

And here's the display!

Thanks, Paula! This is the best Halloween treat a gal could get!

Party Girl

I don't want to blather on for too long (I've got lots of things to do), but I did want to say a few quick words about the fabulous party I attended last night.

I was very fortunate to attend Scholastic Canada's celebration of their 2007 authors and illustrators. The event was held at Jamie Kennedy at the Gardiner Museum here in Toronto. Ooo-la-la, what a place. As I stepped into the restaurant, I was given not only a name tag, but I also got 'pinned' with a beautiful rose. All the authors and illustrators received this honour. Cocktails and chatter were at 6:00, then a fabulous dinner at 7:00. Each table was decorated with the various books that had come out this year. Authors and illustrators were asked to stand up in front of everyone as their name and the title of their book was read aloud by the Director of Publishing. Witty and wonderful speeches were given by some very revered authors – Christopher Paul Curtis, Jean Little and Gordon Korman. I got to meet and chat with the charming and delightful Mélanie Watt, creator of the fabulous Scaredy Squirrel! Michael Martchenko said some nice things about 13 Ghosts of Halloween.

I floated on air all the way home. (Well, not exactly – I got a ride home, but I was floating in the car, ok?)

Ghosty Talk

The publicist at Scholastic Canada recently sent me these lovely clippings. A nice little mention in October's Today's Parent:

And another one in October's ChickaDEE magazine!

And speaking of ChickaDEE magazine, here's part of a Halloween spread I did for their October issue. Gotta love that Halloween!

Who Let the Ghosts Out?

Yesterday while attending Bev's book launch, well, actually just as Guy and I were about to leave, it occurred to me that I should check the children's section of Indigo and see if 13 Ghosts of Halloween was anywhere to be found. I wasn't expecting much, and ended up being pleasantly surprised.

Although not on the very-much-coveted display tables of kid's books, it was on a big display shelf, hanging out with lots of other marvelous picture books (mine's down at the very bottom right corner):

I am shameless. Forgive me.

Kid Lit Bits

It's about time I started talking more about books, hmmm? I've been very distracted with work and the weather and blasted allergies (Why me, Lord? I love gardening. Do you really want to see me outside weeding with toilet paper stuffed up my nose for the rest of the summer? Do you really want all the neighbours to keep looking at me so strangely? On second thought – don't answer that). Another reason I should be talking about books: almost a month ago, the delightful Chicken Spaghetti asked me to post what books I'd been reading lately. And I'm only now getting around to responding! Oy.

I've been reading a variety of books, and will eventually mention most of them, but for now, since Chicken Spaghetti does focus on kid's books, I thought I'd mention some wonderful picture books that I have enjoyed of late.

Grumpy Bird
by Jeremy Tankard
This is Jeremy Tankard's first picture book, and boy, has he ever gotten off to a great start! Bird wakes up grumpy – too grumpy to eat, or play or fly. "Looks like I'm walking today," said Bird. And so starts Bird's grumpy adventure, meeting Sheep, Rabbit, Raccoon, Beaver and Fox, who all decide to walk with Bird, too. And wouldn't you know it, as Bird spends more time walking with his pals, his mood begins to change. It's a charming, funny story (I love Bird's sarcasm!) that is simple but very appealing. And Tankard's illustration style is so unique and engaging – thick-lined cartoons mixed with bright Photoshop colours and photo collage create an energetic, magical world of fun. Can't wait to see his next book! In the mean time, you can check out more of his work at his web site.

Flight of the Dodo
by Peter Brown
This gem was recommended to me by one of the brilliant staff members at Book City in the Bloor West Village. It's a visual feast for the eyes, and it's got poop humour, too, which is always an added bonus for me! Penguin is what's known as a 'Waddler' – a bird that can't fly. Determined to get the bird's-eye-view he's never had (and fed up with being pooped on by those darn 'Flappers'), he gets his other 'Waddler' pals – Ostrich, Kiwi and Cassowary – to help him build a flying machine, so that they can have their own amazing adventures in the sky. And if they get to do a little target pooping along the way, where's the harm in that? What's good for the goose, as they say. A hilarious and entertaining story about friendship, perseverance and seeing life from a different perspective. Peter Brown's paintings are just breathtaking. Click here to see some sample spreads from the book, and here's Peter Brown's web site, too.

Lost and Found
by Oliver Jeffers
I've mentioned the work of Oliver Jeffers before. Yup. I love this guy's stuff. Grrrr...and I hate him, too! So damn talented! An enchanting story about a boy and a rather sad penguin, found at the boy's doorstep one day. Assuming the penguin to be lost, the boy helps the penguin find his way home. Ok, ok, so the penguin's home just happens to be in the South Pole, but that makes the story more interesting, doesn't it? Wanna know what happens? Gotta read the book, kiddo! Besides, don't you want to take a gander at Jeffer's heavenly watercolours? I'm quite convinced that nobody draws penguins better than Jeffers. Not even me, dammit!

The Little Red Fish
by Taeeun Yoo
Not even sure how to describe this one. Very different from the usual children's book – dark and mysterious, magical and mesmerizing. Very reminiscent of the old-fashioned European fairy tales I read as a kid. Here's a little bit about the story from the back of the book:

Can a fish disappear into a book? Can a boy jump into a book to save a fish? The answer? When a boy and a fish enter a magical library in the middle of the forest, anything can happen.

Ok. Stop. You had me at magical library. A beautiful, beautiful book, by a very talented artist. Delicate sepia-toned illustrations with little hints of magical red. A gorgeous red cloth cover you want to touch over and over again. Check out this luscious page from the book:

And if you want to see more of Taeeun Yoo's work, do take a peak at her web site.

So...many apologies, Chicken Spaghetti, for being so late in my resonse! I do hope this makes up for it, a little. I'd love to know if you (or anyone else out there!) has read any of these wonderful books.

Oh, and I couldn't help but notice that I seem to be drawn to books about birds – especially penguins. What do you think that means? Also, I have been noticing of late that I am more interested in books where the illustrator is also the author of said book. Or what the brilliant Jeremy Tankard calls himself – 'Authorstrator'.

A 13 Ghosty Sneaky Peaky

Guess what I got delivered to me yesterday? Advance copies of my first illustrated trade picture book, 13 Ghosts of Halloween! Whoo-hoo!! Ahhh...what to say? You know...I've illustrated small educational books, and will hopefully continue to do so, but I gotta say – it's a very different, almost indescribable feeling, holding one's first illustrated picturebook in one's hands!! I'm so pleased with the results. And you know the best part? The author, Robin Muller, an award-winning writer and illustrator himself, told my art director that he loves it!! Yippee!!

Ok, enough blather – here's a peak at the cover:

Now you might notice that this cover is a bit different from the original cover I showed not too long ago. That's because it is different! The original plan was for me to do the entire book in watercolour (as you can see from my scan from the Scholastic Summer catalogue), but the art director decided that dark spooky watercolours would not print too well. So thank goodness, we went digital! So even though it is a Halloween book with a spooky dark theme, the colours are great! (In my humble opinion). Here's the introductory page:

A couple of personal secrets about this book. You may recognize that red-haired girl with the glassess, hmmm? I just adore her. I created her a few years ago, and even put her in a comic strip that I thought I might try and get syndicated, but alas, my energies were directed elsewhere, and the poor little red-haired girl was sadly neglected. So I had to put her in the book! You will also notice that one of the pets is a pug. Here's something about me that you might not have known. I love pugs. Love 'em!! They're so ugly, they're adorable.  I'd love to own one, but alas, the cats would not be pleased, and the hubby does not exactly groove on pugs, either. So, I stole an idea from the cartoonist Lynn Johnston. Years ago, she had her character Ellie get pregnant a third time, because Lynn really wanted a baby, but for her own reasons, didn't choose to have another. So she created April as her third baby! And so every chance I get, I will put cute, cuddly-wuddly pugs in my artwork, 'cuz that's the only way I'll ever get to own one!

One spread to whet your appetite. But no more! You gotta buy the book to see the rest of the story! (And it really is a fun story, believe me!)

If you're interested, you can pre-order it at Amazon.ca. According to the info online, the book won't be available until August. Can you hold out until then? I know I can't!

Kid Lit Spice?

Sweet Jesus, when will it end? Geri Halliwell is set to release a series of children's books. And apparently the protagonist is based on that nasty Posh Spice. 'Cuz that's what kids should be learnin' about, folks!

The series follows a schoolgirl called Ugenia Lavender, who shares Geri's red hair and striking blue eyes, and has a talent for solving mysteries.

She describes Ugenia as "flawed, demanding and obnoxious" but adds that she "cares about the world she lives in".

Posh Vatoria, created with Victoria's blessing, intimidates the flame-haired heroine in one story by arriving at a party in a limousine.

So...just off the top of my head...here's a list of celebrities who have penned kids books:

Maddona
Katie Couric
Jamie Lee Curtis
Ed Koch
Julie Andrews
John Lithgow
Jerry Seinfeld
Tiki and Ronde Barber
James Carville
Jay Leno
Maria Shriver
Sarah Ferguson
Spike Lee
Jane Seymour
John Travolta
Billy Crystal
Whoopie Goldberg
Jimmy Carter

Someone. Please. Make. It. Stop.