Picture Book People Politicing!

This week, the mud will fly. For a much less nasty version of politics 2008, here are two very excellent sites:

Picture Book People for Obama

Authors & Illustrators for Children

That pretty much tips my hand, but if there is any year for making a personal opinion public... this is it! Get out and vote!

A pat on the blog...

Thanks Jeff! I think...? I've never been singled out like this before (along with six other folks no less) but I'll take the bait.

To wit, here's my nod o' love love to some blogs as well - in no particular order:

No 1. Phil's Good Photo a Day
N0 2. Fox in Socks
N0 3. Planet Ham
No 4. Solidarity*
No 5. Dantat
No 6. Philip Dunn - Olympic Racewalker
No 7. Blue Rose Girls

*Not always kid friendly... not awful though.

PS While"love" is a strong word, I do find each of these blogs to be pretty cool, entertaining, or otherwise informative and/or at times inspiring :)

According to the official rules, as passed on and quoted from the faceless but seemingly affable Mr. Newman, those listed above should:

1) Add the logo of the award to your blog
2) Add a link to the person who awarded it to you
3) Nominate at least seven other blogs
4) Add links to those blogs on your blog
5) Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs

If you want to. No pressure. But Really. Thanks!

Autumnal Art

At this point in September, school is well underway and summer a lukewarm memory...

Hooray! The season of school visits :) To celebrate, here are several fine thank you notes that I received during the Humbolt County Author's Festival last October. THANK YOU!

Lots of great detail and some very careful coloring in all of those letters.

Percy never looked so good. Kind of a Stoic, James Dean thing goin' on...

Awesome colors!

My school visit calendar is quickly filling for 2009. If you'd like me to visit, please get in touch ASAP. I am also booking days for 2010 and beyond!

Kids, send your own fan art to:

PO Box 731
Winthrop, WA 98862

Can't wait to see it...

Black & White

Phew, it's been nearly a month since my last post. Lots of end-of-summer-new-school-year excitement, but things are finally getting back to an even keel. I am currently illustrating two new books (one that I wrote as well, hooray!) and trying desperately to get a second new manuscript out the door...


I've also been experimenting with some geometric inspired black and white artwork. I LOVED geometry when we finally got it in school - 9th or 10th grade? - so two thumbs up for the confluence of art and arithmetic!

Blue Hues

A Hint of Autumn

Monsterish...

Too Cool!

I LOVE going to the post office! Because you just never know...


And today, I was rewarded with this super cool Korean language edition of Dog Diaries: Secret Writing of the WOOF Society by Betsy Byars, Laurie Myers, and Betsy Duffey. I illustrated this about 2 years ago, but seeing it with a few design tweaks is giving me goosebumps all over again.

This is the first book that I've worked on to get any kind of foreign language edition (more news in that regard soon) and - please forgive me for saying it again - it is SO COOL!


It's a high quality paper back with lots of great design. Love the paw prints in the title font, the sepia tone rendering of my black & white art, and the little touches like the puppy's head down where our page numbers usually live. A big thanks to Arom Junior Publishing Co. and the Korean Copyright Center in Seoul for making this happen. Thanks again to Betsy & family and the good folks at Holt as well. I'm really looking forward to digging in to that Cat Diaries manuscript! Opps, I've said too much!

On location: Leavenworth, WA

After an excellent early summer break, I returned to work and to Book Camp. Amy and all of the good folks at A Book For All Seasons invited me down for a Sunday book signing and a Monday morning of fun with their 7-8 year old campers.


A great day, with fantastic kids, in a sweet spot on the back porch! Since Edgar Allen Poe and Mystery were the theme of the writing camp, we spent a little time with my own mystery book, Octavius Bloom and the House of Doom -- complete with some Octavius disguises of our own.


Since Leavenworth, WA is also a great polka town, I also finally got around to creating this coloring book page for Polar Polka. Enjoy!

Click the image to enlarge. Print as many as you'd like!

School's Out!

School is out (or almost anyway) and I have just a few updates to share before you hit the pool, the park, or the local library.

For starters, my school visit year for 2007-2008 closed out in style. I took a 3-day mini-tour from June 3rd to June 5th visiting John Newbery Elementary in Wenatchee, Wa, Eagle Rock Elementary in Duvall, Wa, and Silver Ridge Elementary in Silverdale, Wa. Awesome kids, teachers, and librarians in every location! But alas, I was a lame visitor when it came to taking pictures... sigh :(

For those involved, send me some photos and I will post them here.

As usual, we talked about my work as an author/illustrator, but I also imparted some illustrator "wisdom" with a custom art lesson or two in both the Duvall and Silverdale locations. Kids, you'll have to let me know if that was actually worth your time, but thanks very much for the opportunity and I can't wait to see some of your own summer artwork!

Last but not least, a few book sightings. Its alwasy good to see your stuff when you least expect it (and even when you do!)

I haven't technically seen this one yet, but a friend just e-mailed to say that POLAR POLKA is reviewed, or at least mentioned in the current Alaska Airlines in flight magazine. Check it out when you take to the sky this summer, and I will scan in a copy when I have one to share.

And this is the Barnes & Noble book display from my recent trip to Silverdale, WA. It's not everyday that you get a few precious feet of display space in the children's section like this, so I've got it captured for posterity. Thank you as well for helping with the Silver Ridge book orders!

Also from the Silverdale Barnes & Noble: Mama's Little Duckling by an illustrator friend, Mike Wohnoutka. Mike does really great work, and it was cool to see his book front and center several thousand miles from Minneapolis. He was NOT doing a Silverdale school visit, which makes this even cooler :)

A few reviews!

Did Fleming RESUCE Churchill? has been getting some nice coverage of late. Everyone love's Mr. Giblin's timely treatment of the research issues in the internet age. Personally, I couldn't agree more :)

Contending With Culture - Rob Shearer, Francis Schaeffer Study Center, Mt. Juliet, TN
Bookslut

On the drawing board...

...a little girl & her thrill seeking dinosaur!

Doodles

For an upcoming SCBWI event, we were asked to ponder on an ideal super power... thus, the "Power of the Persuasive Pinky". I know, I should get out more...

And then there's this recent gem:
Thanks so much for visiting :)

FREE PERCY NOW!

Fan Art... and REVOLUTION!

I may have gotten a raw deal in the publisher department of my first book, but at least Percy and his fabulous pajamas still have a lot of fans! I love the bear drawings. Keep em' coming!

...and maybe someday I'll be able to make my case for taking this book to another publisher!

HOLD ON... That's a GREAT idea! Send any additional artwork and your very own Practically Perfect Liberation Ideas to:

THE FREE PERCY PROJECT!
PO Box 731
Winthrop, WA 98862

We'll do this grassroots-style for the internet age!

Pan!

...to you!

Kids III

Nothing narrative about this, but another kids sketch from recent days...

SCBWI Western WA is...Superlative!

To honor a terrific and inspiring weekend of children's book, authors, illustrators, agents, publishers, and librarians... I did this intense little drawing of an angry looking kid??

I'm also going to up the volume on my "spare time" drawing efforts :) I love the work that I'm doing, but I'm currently addicted to a heavier brushstroke-darker-printmakier sort of drawing. Here's to a lifetime of experimentation -- a constant search for superlative -- to throw out one of Mo Willems' words of the weekend. I also liked his "philosophy" for treating the finished book like the work of art -- the sculpture -- and all of the various drawings along the way -- even the finals images -- like just so many shavings of wood. Less in-love with individual drawings. The sum is greater than its parts...

Really, a great conference. From picturebooker Mr. Willems to YA rabble rouser Chris Crutcher, there were many humorous and insightful speakers. I especially enjoyed seeing/hearing Arthur Levine and Librarian Bloggeratti Elizabeth Bird (AKA Fuse # 8) in action -- and Marcia Wernick of the Sheldon Fogelman Agency has me seriously considering the value of such a partnership.

The icing on the cake was a successful effort to emerge from my typical conference bubble -- and to actually talk to people! Usually, when I'm not presenting, I retreat and observe. This time around I did a better job of saying 'hello' and meeting some folks. Not going bonkers mind you, I think I spoke to 3 people at the wine and cheese "social", but way better than usual. Chats with Laini Taylor, Jim Di Bartolo, David Hohn, and Paul Schmid make the shortlist of highlights. A special nod to Simn & Schuster art director Laurent Linn (who I've now met in person - yay!) for the extended conversations beyond our dummy consultation, and to Dial editor Jessica Garrison for the improptu portfolio chat. Thanks to all!

On a Sunday afternoon...

I spent about 2 hours drawing and collaging (sp?) with my daughter this past weekend. This is our masterpiece!

Totem Tale: A Sighting in D.C.

Near door neighbor Paul Smith and his family spent their recent spring break touring museums in Washington D.C.. This morning, Paul was kind enough to pass along this photo of TOTEM TALE (dead center) as spotted in gift shop of the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian. Thanks Paul!


For added educational interest... This book's cover was originally planned and painted to look like this:

As you can tell in comparison, at some point the publisher decided not to use it. Personally, I like the colors and the more dramatic lighting in this first one, but it wasn't very well concieved for type -- a little too busy for any kind of title in the trees. Live and learn!

Kids II

Jonny Quest......and the uninvited mohawk!

Did Fleming Rescue Churchill? By James Cross Giblin

This question, and at least several others are explored and answered with satisfactory gumption in this new book by Sibert Award winning author James Cross Giblin. Mr. Giblin has made a career of writing well researched, engaging non-fiction on everything from John Wilkes Booth to Milk.

In Did Fleming Rescue Churchill?, he turns his own profession on end and tells the story of a fictional fifth grader putting real research challenges to their ultimate test - a three-page biography of Sir Alexander Fleming!

It was my great pleasure to create a few simple black & white illustrations to accompany this text, and the fine folks at Booklist recommend that "librarians and teachers will want several copies on hand."

No argument here!

Jason puts the final touches on his paper about Fleming

From DID FLEMING RESCUE CHURCHILL?: A RESEARCH PUZZLE
By James Cross Giblin
Illustrations by Erik Brooks
Henry Holt and Company, April 2008

News!

Dog Diaries: Secret Writings of the WOOF Society (Henry Holt, 2007) by Betsy Byars, Betsy Duffey, and Laurie Myers was recently named to the Bank Street Best Books lists for 2008. Congrats Byars family :) and thanks again for giving me so many great dog stories to illustrate.

***

I've also just had my fourth picture book accepted for publication! Aroooo!!!! More on that in future weeks...

Olympic Peninsula Young Writers Conference

From the Bremerton/Seattle ferry enroute to home. Love those islands...

Hello all. About this time of night two weeks ago I was just pulling in to my Port Angeles, WA hotel room. I spent two of the following three days speaking with almost 1000 students at the Olympic Peninsula Young Writers Conference in Port Angeles and Bremerton, WA. Elementary school kids from all over this far western part of the state gather every spring to share their work, listen to us author types and, to spend a day or two away from school in an energized and creative setting.

A room full of writers!

My fellow author/illustrator participant this year was Richard Jesse Watson. An SCBWI Golden Kite Award winner for picturebook illustration, he does some fantastic artwork, and you should definitely check him out.

Thank you very much to Sarah F. and all of the other OP ESD staff members and volunteers who make this happen. It was a huge thrill for me to participate!

****

Let me also plug two FANTASTIC illustrated young adult books that I recently finished reading. Both contain some heavy hitting (sometimes read "controversial") subject matter, but the humor in the first and the beauty of language in the second should make these sought after additions to ANY high school list of required reading.

First, Sherman Alexi's Absoulutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (Little Brown, 2007) is amazing. Completely captivating and well deserving of its praise. It made me laugh out loud -- a rare feat for books that I have read of late. Perfectly paired with cartoon illustrations by Seattle illustrator Ellen Forney. I want to read more of Mr. Alexi's work!

In a different but no less excellent vein, Margarita Engle's The Poet Slave of Cuba: A Biography of Juan Francisco Manzano (Henry Holt, 2006) is a book that wants to be read out loud. Written in verse, to honor the poet whose life it imagines, this book is an wonderful example of "voice" in literature. I could not read it in silence. Sean Qualls, one of many Brooklyn -based illustrators whos work I admire, created the black & white interior art. As lovely and evocative as his images are, I only wish that we could have seen them in color -- or at least on some paper that would give them the stage that they truly deserved. In any case, don't miss this one either.

New kid...

Illustration Friday: Garden

A springtime stroll...

Spring Fever

The sun is out. It's 47 degrees and we still have snow to play in. T-shirt hockey weather! Say what? There's too much work to do? Aw, man...

Strike up the band!

POLAR POLKA, written by Chérie Stihler debuts today!

Go ahead...

... make my day!

Ball Pointed

Yet another great drawing sent in by a student from Mrs. Wilson's class at Abraham Lincoln Elementary. Thank you Juan! In this case, the artist has taken Percy, my original polar pal and given him a little POLAR POLKA style!

Of added interest, I too have been playing around with some ball point pen illustrations of late. Mysterious vibes afoot...

Art Exchange '07 No. 13 & 14

This one is part II of AE 'o7 No.8

Lincoln Elementary Q & A

Visiting schools you never get to answer ALL of the great questions and inquiries. Here are a few of those "unaddressed" from a recent visit:

(William's Class)

Q: Are you always busy writing and illustrating?
A: I try to be - I could be ALWAYS busy writing and illustrating, but sometimes I visit schools and bookstores too. I also like to take a break now and again by skiing (not so much in summer), going for a run (not so much in winter), or playing with my wife, daughter and dog (all year long).

Skiing with my brother Colby (right) just after Christmas '07

Q: When you were a young boy and doodling as a kid, did people notice your work was good?
A: A little bit I think. My friends and I drew together a lot. WE thought we were good – making up robots, spaceships, dinosaurs, and superheroes of our own. Mrs. Terriquez, my high school art teacher, probably sealed my fate to pursue some kind of job as an artist. She was great - super encouraging and enthusiastic about all of the different things that you might do as an artist.

Q: Do you have other books written? If so, what are they about?
A: Yes, but those stories are all hush-hush top-secret at this point. Thanks for asking :)

Q: Was it hard to make every two lines rhyme in OCTAVIUS BLOOM AND THE HOUSE OF DOOM?
A: Yes and no. Many of the rhymes came easy, but making changes AND making them rhyme was tough. It was fun to tell a story that way though. Try it sometime!

(Houston's Class)

Q: Did you go sledding in Alaska?
A: Yes, YES, YES! And lots of snow fort building too.

Q: What is your favorite activity in the snow?
A: Cross-country skiing, followed closely by sledding, and snowshoeing. Snow forts have to be much bigger than they used to.

Unspoiled courderoy trails if you get out early! From a recent ski patrol...

Ok, so I still make snow forts now and again too!

Q: Can you write and illustrate a book about cars and hamsters?
A: Hmmm… I just might do that. In the mean time, check out 10 MINUTES ‘TIL BEDTIME by Peggy Rathman. She makes great books.

Q: How long have you been drawing?
A: For as long as I can remember… 30+ years!!!!

(Brown’s Class)

Q: How many books have you written that are NOT published?
A: About four, with LOTS of ideas waiting in the wings.

Q: How did you make the large Percy Bear?

Erik, Percy, and a young fan at Erik's very first book reading c. April 2000.

A: I drew it on a BIG piece of cardboard with pastel.

Q: How many years have you been writing and illustrating?
A: Nine or ten… I started thinking about my first book idea in 1998.

Q: What inspired you to write THE PRACTICALLY PERFECT PAJAMAS?
A: A picture that I drew of a polar bear in pajamas AND my lovely pajamas loving-wife, Sarah.

Q: What type of paints do you use for illustrating?
A: Watercolor paint, and most of the time, a bit of colored pencil too.

Thanks for the great questions Lincoln Elementary!

Doggie Dash 2008

On February 17th, the 5th Annual Doggie Dash takes place here in Winthrop, WA. I love xc skiing. I love dogs. I'm helping out with the event :)

Bring your skis, a leash, and your favorite pooch. Good times!