The wonderful Peggy Ehrenkranz has put up my interview on her blog. If you have the time and are so inclined, check it out and the rest of her blog!
http://networkedblogs.com/NK6cy
Saturday, August 3, 2013
This week's coloring page...
Thanks to Stephanie Lisa Tara and Nadine Hays I've got tropical on the brain. In the upcoming weeks, I'll be doing more freehand, interpretive imagery, for now because of Annie and the art I'm doing it will be more representative. Feel free to give me ideas of what you'd like to be able to color!
The view from here on reviewing
I figured this is a good point to talk about my reviewing process and thoughts. Another way to get feedback. First I review for myself. I do often try to choose friends' books, but that's not the biggest consideration. But I learn so much from reviewing. And it forces me to stop, take the time to READ as well as process what I'm reading. I do come MOSTLY from an adult perspective (anyone who's talked with me knows this is true). But I also think about how a child may perceive it. I do choose things that I like, and will only review books I feel positively about.
Which isn't to say I don't have criticisms. In the case of this blog I understand most people don't really have tons of time to read or review. I have a slight learning disability so though I read voraciously, between my poor eyesight and very slight dyslexia (usually it doesn't impair unless I'm preoccupied or tired or some other upset) this too colors the way I choose and look (or not) at things.
My father was a paper engineer, so oddly enough it's one of the few things as a child that wasn't too dear to me. We had a closet I could go to and just pull it out. Do I wish I had that now. The joyous thing about that is I really did play and it's probably why I am a proficient draughtsman. When I had to pay for it, it of course became very dear, and now with the way our consumer society is, it's horribly dear.
And from the writing/illustrating perspective I've only had the one dreaded rejection calling my work "slight" and that was more than enough. Yet there's such a fine line between Slight which is offensive to me not only to offer, but also to take valuable resources to send out. I've in other fields where people who came from wealth or achieved it, who wanted to fulfill a desire cast that $20,000 piece of giggly sculpture (truly I couldn't walk by it without laughing and if I think on it too much, I still will laugh. I described it to a friend recently and we both ended up guffawing--- how can you take a tableaux water fall that looks like a tongue hit with Novocaine, a "pioneer" sitting on a horse that looks like a dog and a raccoon cap that looks more like a bit of an asshat, seriously?) And yet very talented people couldn't afford to cast their sculptures even small ones. To this day I don't know if I should be offended or just keep on laughing, but it's a consideration.
When you get to a certain point in your submitting process, if you're good enough it really becomes a matter of finding the right editor, what the market will bear, and even sometimes who you know. It's one of the reasons I'm now self-publishing and am open to self published materials. And make no mistake the vast majority of what we all do is repetitive and an exercise in expression, but it's not a shift in consciousness or means by any measure of the word, so it comes down often to degree.
But the two things I was noticing in some of the books I was reading is how slight I believed some of the books to be. And some of the messaging was very subtle, but with my critical eye, I noticed right away because I'd sensitized to it thirty years ago.
One book was one recognizable line from an animal and the punchline was different one. Granted the author probably described the action very well for the illustrator. But to me, it was slight. What was being communicated was equivalent to my closet full of paper. Had no value because there was no context, and I guess it was a way to get humor across, but New Englander that I was raised to be, I want my books to multitask, even while not hitting me over the head.
And there is a LOT of messaging. One book had an interesting idea for a mashup, but looking through the book, there was a slightly subliminal message. The male characters were well developed and did and was LOTS of things. The female characters were beyond secondary, and most of them negatively drawn. Literally, because they didn't have dialogue, but the judgments were drawn about busybody females. This was written by a woman, illustrated by a man.
I chose the books I did deliberately, because they dealt with larger issues, issues of today and with people but the lesson wasn't that sledgehammer of pronouncement. More often than not there was wiggle room for humor, forgiveness and thoughtfulness within the books I chose. Lion wasn't evil. And The King of Little Things was a page turner to me, because though I "knew" where Lepp was going with the book, I really loved the joy, humor, and the unexpected he inserted in the story. And that's what good story is. Even when it's expected, it really isn't. You have to honor and surprise your reader.
I see a lot of books that have little nutrition in them. Talking to a few people about my book Annie, I realize it may not do well not because I haven't paid attention to detail (and anyone who follows me knows that's not the truth and is obsession really an unattractive quality like everyone says?) But because most people no longer read for pleasure. And there it is. We've dumbed books and hurried our lives and in order to love my book, people will have to love the words and hopefully the images. Savoring the thought, the color, the image, the word, the sound, the meaning THAT is one of the powers and beauties of B O O K. It is why I do what I do, share what a share, and encourage what I do. I hope when people read my reviews, they know this is also a part of my process, not only for choosing the books (because I read books, and because of space and all kinds of considerations, I don't necessarily share).
If you write or illustrate the books, what really is your message to the world? Yeah, it's about money, and that is important. I looked recently at my other work Nana's Gift in hardcopy (THANK YOU CHERYL JOHNSON!) It's the wrong size. I will be redoing it before Christmas because I do love the book and it's worth the effort. But the personal as well as the professional message was there. (Now I have to make the technical message better, because I do believe in that Maya Angelou adage of when you KNOW better you DO better). Anyhow, I figured this might clarify a few things, and get off my bosom the gripe I've had coming for awhile. Slight is evidently a subjective thing (I KNOW, I KNOW, I DID REALLY KNOW THAT, lol). But I think it's time again in this dwindling avenue of a world to be critical of the CORRECT things, other wise we are being sold a bill of goods.
Which isn't to say I don't have criticisms. In the case of this blog I understand most people don't really have tons of time to read or review. I have a slight learning disability so though I read voraciously, between my poor eyesight and very slight dyslexia (usually it doesn't impair unless I'm preoccupied or tired or some other upset) this too colors the way I choose and look (or not) at things.
My father was a paper engineer, so oddly enough it's one of the few things as a child that wasn't too dear to me. We had a closet I could go to and just pull it out. Do I wish I had that now. The joyous thing about that is I really did play and it's probably why I am a proficient draughtsman. When I had to pay for it, it of course became very dear, and now with the way our consumer society is, it's horribly dear.
And from the writing/illustrating perspective I've only had the one dreaded rejection calling my work "slight" and that was more than enough. Yet there's such a fine line between Slight which is offensive to me not only to offer, but also to take valuable resources to send out. I've in other fields where people who came from wealth or achieved it, who wanted to fulfill a desire cast that $20,000 piece of giggly sculpture (truly I couldn't walk by it without laughing and if I think on it too much, I still will laugh. I described it to a friend recently and we both ended up guffawing--- how can you take a tableaux water fall that looks like a tongue hit with Novocaine, a "pioneer" sitting on a horse that looks like a dog and a raccoon cap that looks more like a bit of an asshat, seriously?) And yet very talented people couldn't afford to cast their sculptures even small ones. To this day I don't know if I should be offended or just keep on laughing, but it's a consideration.
When you get to a certain point in your submitting process, if you're good enough it really becomes a matter of finding the right editor, what the market will bear, and even sometimes who you know. It's one of the reasons I'm now self-publishing and am open to self published materials. And make no mistake the vast majority of what we all do is repetitive and an exercise in expression, but it's not a shift in consciousness or means by any measure of the word, so it comes down often to degree.
But the two things I was noticing in some of the books I was reading is how slight I believed some of the books to be. And some of the messaging was very subtle, but with my critical eye, I noticed right away because I'd sensitized to it thirty years ago.
One book was one recognizable line from an animal and the punchline was different one. Granted the author probably described the action very well for the illustrator. But to me, it was slight. What was being communicated was equivalent to my closet full of paper. Had no value because there was no context, and I guess it was a way to get humor across, but New Englander that I was raised to be, I want my books to multitask, even while not hitting me over the head.
And there is a LOT of messaging. One book had an interesting idea for a mashup, but looking through the book, there was a slightly subliminal message. The male characters were well developed and did and was LOTS of things. The female characters were beyond secondary, and most of them negatively drawn. Literally, because they didn't have dialogue, but the judgments were drawn about busybody females. This was written by a woman, illustrated by a man.
I chose the books I did deliberately, because they dealt with larger issues, issues of today and with people but the lesson wasn't that sledgehammer of pronouncement. More often than not there was wiggle room for humor, forgiveness and thoughtfulness within the books I chose. Lion wasn't evil. And The King of Little Things was a page turner to me, because though I "knew" where Lepp was going with the book, I really loved the joy, humor, and the unexpected he inserted in the story. And that's what good story is. Even when it's expected, it really isn't. You have to honor and surprise your reader.
I see a lot of books that have little nutrition in them. Talking to a few people about my book Annie, I realize it may not do well not because I haven't paid attention to detail (and anyone who follows me knows that's not the truth and is obsession really an unattractive quality like everyone says?) But because most people no longer read for pleasure. And there it is. We've dumbed books and hurried our lives and in order to love my book, people will have to love the words and hopefully the images. Savoring the thought, the color, the image, the word, the sound, the meaning THAT is one of the powers and beauties of B O O K. It is why I do what I do, share what a share, and encourage what I do. I hope when people read my reviews, they know this is also a part of my process, not only for choosing the books (because I read books, and because of space and all kinds of considerations, I don't necessarily share).
If you write or illustrate the books, what really is your message to the world? Yeah, it's about money, and that is important. I looked recently at my other work Nana's Gift in hardcopy (THANK YOU CHERYL JOHNSON!) It's the wrong size. I will be redoing it before Christmas because I do love the book and it's worth the effort. But the personal as well as the professional message was there. (Now I have to make the technical message better, because I do believe in that Maya Angelou adage of when you KNOW better you DO better). Anyhow, I figured this might clarify a few things, and get off my bosom the gripe I've had coming for awhile. Slight is evidently a subjective thing (I KNOW, I KNOW, I DID REALLY KNOW THAT, lol). But I think it's time again in this dwindling avenue of a world to be critical of the CORRECT things, other wise we are being sold a bill of goods.
Room with a review... or two-or few
Lion vs Rabbit
Alex Latimer
Peachtree, 2013
A fun and funny tale on...bullying. Lion is used to being the big foot on the steppe, the tangle in the jungle, the sortee on the savannah... sorry, this one made me giggle. Without being overly pedantic, Alex brings the big cat to heel, and I could see little one squealing. Alright, I showed this to my fourteen year old and the delightful snorts and squeals of delight, and my own reaction, perhaps it's a book appreciated best by the young at heart. I really loved the quirky illustration style and the humor of this book.
Other books by Alex Latimer: Penguin's Hidden Talent; The Boy Who Cried Ninja
Xander's Panda Party
Linda Sue Park
illustrated by Matt Phelan
Clarion Books, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013
Xander plans a panda party that changes with every new challenge. Starting with his initial idea for a panda party-- but he's the only panda and one panda does not a party make. A sweet, fun tale, Linda Sue tells in a swingy rhyme, and Matt Phelan's watercolors are expressive, joyous and perfectly fit the style of the words. The social story doesn't hit you over the head, and the author's note at the end talking about the characters and showing the logic behind the changes in the story is interesting, fun and thank you so much for feeding my inner geek!
Other books by Linda Sue Park: See-saw Girl (illustrated by Mou-Sien Tseng and Jean Tseng);The Single Shard; When My Name was Keoko; The Kite Fighters; A Long Walk to Water; Bee-Bim Bop! (illustrated by Ho Baek Lee); Project Mulberry; The FireKeepers' Son; Archer's Quest; Keeping Score
Other books by Matt Phelan: The Storm in the Barn (Scott O'Dell award, YALSA great Graphic novel for teens, ALA Notable); Around the World; I'll Be There (written by Ann Stott); The New Girl and Me (written by Jacqui Robbins); Rosa Farm (written by Liz Wu); The Higher Power of Lucky (written by Susan Patron, Newbery Award); Big George (written by Anne Rockwell); Spilling Ink (written by Ann Mazer and Ellen Potter); Flora's Very Windy Day (written by Jeanne Birdsall); Where I Live (written by Eileen Spinelli)
Whimsy's Heavy Things
Julie Kraulis
Tundra Books, September 2013
Julie's book feels nostalgic, but in a good way to me. A metaphorical, sweet story, the illustrations embody the title in a sensitive way. It's a thoughtful story that could be used to talk with children about depression and dealing with harsh life events, or as a simple story to uplift. This is one I will keep for my personal library as a lovely reminder of how process the more difficult in life.
Julie's BLOG
The King of Little Things
Bil Lepp
illustrated by David T. Wenzel
Peachtree, 2013
One of the advantages of reviewing books on my blog, I don't have to pretend any impartiality at all. I really loved the batch of books I reviewed, and in light of the ones I did not choose (the companion post to these reviews), I'm in deep thought about what is sent into the world and why. That's all well in good, I JUST. LOVE. THIS. BOOK. I love it on so many levels, I promise not to wax poetic about it, but will mention it in the other post and why it's so important. Suffice it to say, I hope this book does extremely well, I know children who sometimes FEEL as little as they are will most definitely delight and relate to this book. It's an important yet gentle reminder without the head bonking of a hammer to the noggin. Oh yes, and it's quite a delightful fun read, and the art sparkled for me. All of these books are keepers for me, they BELONG on my shelf.
Other work by Bil Lepp: Buck Meets the Monster Stick (co-written by Paul Lepp); The Monster Stick and Other Appalachian Trail Tall Tales (co-written with Paul Lepp); Half Dollar; Inept Impaired Overwhelmed: Tall Tales from West Virginia and Beyond; Team Up! Tell in Tandem: A "How To" Guide From Experienced Tandem Storytellers (co written with, Jonatha Hammer Wright, Charlotte Blake Alston, Judith Black and Jenny and Rick Carson); Mayhem Dressed Like an Eight Point Buck
I did something slightly different and will be doing it from now on (I may get ambitious on a rainy day and do this retroactively, but I do this now as good practice, honing my critical skills and as a service to get it out- or I don't get paid, so it'll have to wait, lol). If there's a blog, I will create another link in the other works or one specifically. I primarily do this for me (if you want to write something you should not only read it but know what's being offered is the way I feel about it). And when I started out, I wanted to know about process and all of it. Hence the links to the other things. So for my own sake if I ever want to come back and locate some of this info quickly (okay, just PRETEND the search engines need a tune-up!) or if someone is reading these reviews wants to know more about the books, the creators. Anyhow. Just so you know. The links to the tags under the titles go to the sites, the links in the lower are to the blogs, in case you want to get to know more about process....
Sunday, July 28, 2013
Saturday, July 27, 2013
The Magic Moccasins
I did a little side job this week for a friend's short story. I thought I'd post the in-progress for the cover, because I was quite pleased with the way it came out (that happens but rarely). I will also post a small detail from the other illustration. I hope it sells well for him. He's trying to get back home, and I'm being selfish. I want his herbal books to become available.
and the snippet:
Friday, July 26, 2013
The view from here, REVIEW FRIDAY
Robot Rumpus
Sean Taylor
Illustrated by Ross Collins
Andersen Press, USA, distributed by Lerner Publishing Group, Inc. 2013
I have loved Ross Collins style since seeing it in a friend's book The Three Grumpies (was actually just talking about this and robots with a friend. Wonder if Ross will only take titles that has something that will rhyme with BUMP in it, sorry, silly thought for the day). His style is humorous, surprising and reminds me of Bill Hoest, whom I love as well. So I was already predisposed to the book. But reading the rhyming stanzas, though alone I laughed a couple of times out loud. I know a lot of children who enjoy having their funny bones tickled and this is the book with wiggly fingers, robotic or otherwise.
Other books by Sean Taylor: The World Champion of Staying Awake (illustrated by Jimmy Liao); When a Monster is Born (illustrated by Nick Sharratt); Robomop (illustrated by Edel Rodriguez); Huck Runs Amuck (illustrated by Peter Reynolds); Boing (illustrated by Bruce Ingman); The Grizzly Bear with Frizzly Hair (illustrated by Hannah Shaw)
Other books by Ross Collins: The Music of Zombies: The Fifth Tale from the Five Kingdoms (Tales from the Five Kingdoms) (author Vivian French); Dear Vampa; When I Woke Up I Was a Hippopotamus (author Tom Macrae); Medusa Jones; Beetle Blast (S.W.I.T.C.H.) (author Ali Sparkes)
Jack and the Hungry Giant: Eat Right with My Plate
Loreen Leedy
Holiday House, 2013
The book starts off as the traditional tale of Jack's beanstalk adventures, but veers off into good manners and healthful eating. The cast of characters are engaging and a little quazy, it's a romp through the food groups and good choices. The illustrations are active and kid friendly and this is a book easily read by a child on his or her own, as well as with an adult. It's a great introduction nutrition and climbing beanstalks-- should the opportunity arise. So to speak.
Other books by Loreen Leedy: Crazy Like a Fox: A Simile Story; Follow the Money!; The Great Graph Contest; Seeing Symmetry; Subtraction Action: Look at MY Book: How Kids Can Write & Illustrate Terrific Books.
The Very Inappropriate Word
Jim Tobin
illustrated by Dave Coverly
Christy Ottaviano Books, Henry Holt and Company, LTD, 2013
Michael is a child after my own heart, a collector of words. Some of his observations on words are quite wonderful and easily capture one of the things I love about them. But when he finds an inappropriate word some quite different consequences follow. The illustrations fit the book like *$()%@)$# glove! A humorous and quiet exploration of words and their power, most definitely from the child's perspective. I truly loved this book, and can't wait to read it to my grandson, a collector of sounds as well as words.
Other books by Jim Tobin: Sue MacDonald Had a Book (illustrated by Dave Coverly)
Other books by Dave Coverly: SpeedBump (three books); How to get a Monkey Into Harvard (author Charles Monagan);
You Go First
Mercer Mayer
Tommy Nelson, registered trademark of Thomas Nelson 2013
Little Critters meets Inspired Kids, Mercer takes a biblical quotation and makes it come to life. In this book the quote is "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you" Matthew 7:12 from The International Chidren's Bible. A larger lesson than "just" for Christians, the story isn't priggish or pedantic or hit you over the head. The story closely mimics a child's real desire to be first and explores the idea in a gentle way. I have always loved Mercer Mayer's two styles of drawing, and Little Critters are so fun and appealing.
Other works by Mercer Mayer:The New Baby; Just Me and My Dad; a slew of Little Critter books; Me and My Little Brain (Great Brain, Book 3) (author John D. Fitzgerald); Frog Where are You? Boy, Dog, Frog); The Bravest Knight; East of the Sun and West of the Moon (I love this book)
Crafty Chloe: Dress-up, Mess-up
Kelly DiPucchio
illustrated by Heather Ross
Atheneum Books for Young Readers, Simon and Schuster, 2013
Chloe may be crafty but she has a dilemma. She promised two different things to her best friends at the same time. going through the process of resolving the dilemma, in creative way is a reassuring way for kids to see resolution is not always a clear path. I love that a part of Chloe's wrestle isn't just pleasing her friends, Leo and Emma, or even Grandma, but herself. And she does a great job of it. There was a delicacy to Heather's drawings that kept Chloe grounded.
Other books by Kelly DiPucchio: The Sandwich Swap (Coauthor Queen Rania of Jordan Al Abdullah, illustrated by Tricia Tusa); Grace for President (illustrated by LeUyen Pham); Gilbert Goldfish Wants a Pet (illustrated by Bob Shea); Zombie in Love (illustrated by Scott Campbell); Sipping Spiders through a Straw: Campfire Songs for Monsters (illustrated by Gris Grimly)
Other books by Heather Ross: the Ivy Honeysuckle books (author Candice Ransom); Heather Ross Prints: 50+ Designs and 20 Prints to Get You Started (co author John Gruen); What Happened on Fox Street (Mo Wren) (author Tricia Springstubb)
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