Ashley Spires was recently interviewed for the podcast Art Side of Life, where she discussed topics such as finding an agent and things she wishes she had known starting off as an author/illustrator. Listen to Ashley’s inspirational chat with Iva, the show’s host, where you’ll hear everything from great advice about children’s publishing to Ashley’s own art tool preferences and process.

You can find the full episode  here.

Let the Children March, written by Monica Clark-Robinson and illustrated by Frank Morrison, is included in a recent New York Times piece titled “Children’s Books About Black History, Heavy on Biographies.” The piece features a list of children’s books that are biographical in nature and focus on prominent African-American figures, with a brief review of each book. The author of the piece states that in Let the Children March “Frank Morrison’s illustrations are loose and modern in spirit, enlivening the history lesson.”

You can view the full piece here and purchase a copy of the book here.

Congratulations to Josée Masse, who illustrated the picture book Thunder Underground, which has been nominated for two awards in 2018! The book appears on the Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Awards master list, which you can find here, and is also a 2018 Children’s and Teen Choice Book Awards finalist, which was announced here. You can vote and show your support for Thunder Underground to win the PYRCA and the C+TCBA online.

Midnight Teacher: Lilly Ann Granderson and Her Secret School written by Janet Halfmann and illustrated by London Ladd is available for purchase today! The nonfiction picture book, which received a Kirkus Starred Review ahead of its release, relates the history of the courageous enslaved woman who held secret classes to educate fellow enslaved people. Teaching hundreds of enslaved individuals to read and write, Granderson’s story is inspirational, and beautifully portrayed through Halfmann’s prose, coupled with Ladd’s realistic illustrations.

Purchase your copy here today!

Last week, the New York Public Library hosted a Facebook Live video for World Read Aloud Day, and The Cranky Ballerina by Elise Gravel was one of the 6 books included! Click here to watch a recording of this special event, where Gravel’s book is read at about 26 minutes in.

How Sweet the Sound: The Story of Amazing Grace written by Carole Boston Weatherford and illustrated by Frank Morrison has received a starred review from Booklist! The book chronicles the history of the famed song of hope and inspiration, from its authorship by John Newton to its present day invocations. Morrison’s work is praised as “majestic paintings” and “dramatic spreads that breathe life into both Newton’s story and the history that followed.”

You can read the full review here and pre-order your copy of How Sweet the Sound here.

Terrific Tongues! written by Maria Gianferrari and illustrated by Jia Liu has received a promising review from Kirkus ahead of its publishing date in early April. The review highlights the interactive nature of the book, and insists that it is not only “perfect for a group storytime,” but that it’s also “a useful addition to the wonders-of-animals shelf.”

You can find the full review here. And pre-order your copy of Terrific Tongues! here.

London Ladd has 3 upcoming events you won’t want to miss.

Starting today, January 30th, until June 30th, the Miami University Art Museum in Ohio will be exhibiting art found within the pages of African-American children’s picture books. This exhibit, titled Telling a People’s Story, is the first major museum exhibition of its kind, devoted to emphasizing “the strength of the illustrations as visual narrative representations of the African-American experience.” It’s no surprise that Ladd’s work will be showcased along with many other talented African-American illustrators. Check out more information about the exhibit here.

On Saturday, February 10th, Ladd will be visiting the Reginald F. Lewis Museum in Baltimore, Maryland to join their celebration of the 200th birthday of famed abolitionist Frederick Douglass. There will be many activities to take part in from noon to 4pm, with Ladd hosting a drawing workshop from noon to 2pm. Find out more about the event here.

And last but not least, on Sunday, February 25th, London Ladd will join another Painted Words illustrator, Elizabeth Zunon, at the New Rochelle Public Library in New York for a talk and exhibit reception. Entitled The Magic of Children’s Books, this event is free and open to all ages. Find out more here.