Cathy Ann Johnson has won Columbus College of Art and Design’s 2022 Creative Entrepreneur Award. The committee said “Cathy Ann is a leader and role model for you designers, women in business and people of color. Her accomplishments are nothing short of inspirational.”

In addition, Cathy Ann’s paintings for the picture book Stand Up! 10 Mighty Women Who Made a Change (Orchard Books) by Brittney Cooper are on exhibit at the Zimmerli Art Museum at Rutgers University through February 12, 2023.

Congratulations Cathy Ann!

See more about the CCAD Awards here

See more about the exhibition at the Zimmerli Art Museum here

Get the book Stand Up! 10 Mighty Women Who Made a Change here

Gene Barretta, author of Starring Steven Spielberg (Christy Ottaviano Books) will be appearing on a panel about Picture Book Biographies at a virtual event with Books of Wonder on November 26, 2023.

Learn more about the event and register to attend here

Jump In! (Bloomsbury) by Shadra Strickland has received a starred review from Kirkus, which calls the book “A moving, grooving snapshot of urban life where kids create the fun and beckon everybody in.”

Congratulations Shadra!

Read the full review here

Jump In! comes out January 31, 2023. Pre order it here

Talia Skyles and Betsy Snyder have both landed on Amazon’s Best Books of the Year list.

Ours (Little Simon) by Ruth Forman, illustrated by Talia Skyles is on the list for Best Books for ages 0-2.

Alphabedtime (Nancy Paulsen Books) by Susanna Leonard Hill, illustrated by Betsy Snyder is on the list of Best Books for ages 3-5.

Congratulations Talia and Betsy!

See the full list here

Publishers Weekly has named Murray Christmas (Abrams) by E.G. Keller one of the best Holiday Books for Kids and Teens.

In addition, E.G. Keller is the “Meet the Author” guest in the December issue of BookPage (see image)

Congratulations, E.G., it’s a Murray Christmas indeed!

Get the book here

See the full Publishers Weekly Holiday List here

Al Anatekh Kingdom (Alia Publishing House, Egypt), illustrated by Basma Hosam was awarded the Etisalat Award for Arabic Children’s Literature at the Sharjah International Book Fair in Dubai. The book, about a king who loves to eat and travel, but discovers the best dish is a humble sandwich of watermelon and feta cheese won the Picture Book Category.

Congratulations Basma!

Learn more about the award here

TeMika Grooms has designed a billboard in Fairburn, Georgia to encourage voting with Harness and Imagine Justice.  In addition, you can download the @artiviveapp to view the Augmented Reality design by Calvin Williams featuring his AR animation of  her artwork. Just use the #artivive app to view the artwork through your phone and watch the art come to life!

GO VOTE!!

Happy Book Birthday to If I Were a Tiger (WaterBrook) by Caroline Coleman, illustrated by Nadya Bonten-Slenders. The book is a whimsical and playful rhyming picture book about a young boy who imagines himself as a tiger to overcome his fears—only to realize that he can trust in God.

Congratulations Nadya!

Get the book here

In a review for Put Your Shoes On & Get Ready (Philomel Books) by Raphael Warnock,  illustrated by TeMika Grooms,  Publishers Weekly says “Foregrounding portraiture and images of figures’ footwear, Grooms’s illustrations have the sweep of murals, portraying characters of varying abilities and skin tones, and communicating Warnock’s purpose-driven efforts.

The book is an autobiographical picture book by Georgia’s first Black Senator, and senior pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church, once led by Martin Luther King Jr., and will be published on January 10, 2023.

See the full review here

Preorder the book here