K.G. Campbell’s Lester’s Dreadful Sweaters Adapted Into a Musical

April 14, 2016

In exciting news, K.G. Campbell‘s charming 2012 picture book, Lester’s Dreadful Sweaters, has been adapted into a children’s musical! Lester’s Dreadful Sweaters tells the story of Lester, whose cousin won’t stop knitting him embarrassing sweaters. Lester was adapted for the stage by Aly Renee Amidei, who loves to knit herself and was inspired by K.G.’s illustrations. She also designed the costumes, based on the signature dreadful sweaters, and helped write the lyrics. The play is running until April 24th in the Lifeline Theatre in Chicago. You can learn more about the play at the Lifeline Theatre’s website here and find Publisher’s Weekly review here.

Before checking the play out, don’t forget to check out the original!

K.G. Campbell Wins His Second Ezra Jack Keats New Illustrator Honor

February 21, 2014

Congratulations to K.G. Campbell for his Ezra Jack Keats recognition for Tea Party Rules!

K.G. became the first illustrator to receive two consecutive Ezra Jack Keats New Illustrator Honors. He was awarded his first  New Illustrators Honor last year for his author-illustrated picture book, Lester’s Dreadful Sweaters.  Ame Dyckman, the author of Tea Party Rules, won the Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Award!

Don’t Call Me Grandma, Illus. By Elizabeth Zunon, Wins New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards in Family Issues Category

November 27, 2017

Don’t Call Me Grandma, written by New Mexico native Vaunda Micheaux Nelson and illustrated by Liz Zunon, has won a New Mexico-Arizona Book Award! The New Mexico-Arizona Book Award is run by the New Mexico Book Co-op, an organization that seeks to promote local writing from New Mexico, Arizona, and the American South West.

Don’t Call Me Grandma is the story of a young girl’s complex relationship with her prickly and glamorous grandmother. It won the New Mexico-Arizona Book Award in the category of Parenting/Family Issues Book, sponsored by the New Mexico Book Co-op. Congratulations, Liz and Vaunda!

The full list of winners of the 2017 New Mexico-Arizona Book Award can be found here. Don’t Call Me Grandma is available for purchase here.

Seven of Painted Words’s Authors/Illustrators’ Books Included in Bank Street’s Best Children Books of the Year 2017

May 2, 2017

Every year, the Children’s Book Committee at Bank Street College of Education compile a list of the best children’s books of the previous year. Based on criteria such as literary excellence, quality of illustration, diversity, and emotional impact, these books are recommended for parents, librarians, and children. This year, Bank Street has chosen seven of Painted Words’s books as some of the best books of 2016!

Under Five:

• Spare Dog Parts, written by Alison Hughes and illustrated by Ashley Spires
• Who Wants a Tortoise?, written by David Keane and illustrated by K.G. Campbell

Five to Nine:

• The Quickest Kid in Clarksville, written by Pat Zietlow Miller and illustrated by Frank Morrison
• Mouse Scouts: Make a Difference, by Sarah Dillard
• Don’t Call Me Grandma, written by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson and illustrated by Liz Zunon

Nine to Twelve:

• Fluffy Strikes Back, by Ashley Spires
• Echo Echo: Reverso Poems about Greek Myths, written by Marilyn Singer and illustrated by Josée Masse

Bank Street’s full list of recommended books can be found here. Congratulations to our Painted Words artists and authors!

Liz Zunon, Frank Morrison, and Il Sung Na Included on CCBC Choices 2017 List

March 28, 2017

The CCBC Choices list is an annual selection compiled by the Cooperative Children’s Book Center on the best children’s books of the year. This year, three of Painted Words authors illustrators have been included on the list under various categories!

Picture Books for School Age Children:

• The Quickest Kid in Clarksville, written by Pat Zietlow Miller and illustrated by Frank Morrison
• Don’t Call Me Grandma, written by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson and illustrated by Liz Zunon

Concept Books:

• The Opposite Zoo by Il Sung Na

The full list of selected books is available here.

NPR’s Best Books of 2016 Includes Il Sung Na’s The Opposite Zoo and Don’t Call Me Grandma, Illus. by Liz Zunon

December 7, 2016

The National Public Radio (NPR) put out a list of books chosen by their staff as being the best of 2016. Included in the children’s section is Don’t Call Me Grandma, written by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson and illustrated by Liz Zunon, and The Opposite Zoo by Il Sung Na.

Don’t Call Me Grandma is the story of a young girl’s relationship with her prickly but fascinating grandma. NPR praised the fact that this story presents an unconventional and more fully realized version of a grandmother than most childrens’ literature. They describe Liz’s illustrations as “genius.”

The Opposite Zoo teaches children about opposites through the medium of a whimsical, brightly colored zoo after it closes for the night. They describe the picture book as “spacious” and inviting.

Congratulations, Il Sung and Liz! The full list of recommended books can be found on NPR’s site here. You can purchase Don’t Call Me Grandma here and The Opposite Zoo here.

Don’t Call Me Grandma, illus. by Elizabeth Zunon, Reviewed By The School Library Journal

April 7, 2016

Don’t Call Me Grandma, written by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson and illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon, received high praise in a review from The School Library Journal. The SLJ praised the picture’s book sparse storytelling and portrayal of a complicated great-grandmother and writes that, “Elizabeth Zunon has been a force to reckon with.” They call the book as a whole, “Sharp and smart.”

You can read the full article here and purchase a copy of Don’t Call Me Grandma here.

Kate Merrit’s Beach Baby One of Amazon’s Best Books of the Month

June 8, 2016i

Kate Merrit‘s recent board book, Beach Baby, has been named one of Amazon’s best books of June for the category of Baby to Age 2. Beach Baby is part of the Indestructibles series, a series of board books designed to handle the rough attention of babies and toddlers. It tells the sweet story of a baby’s day at the beach. Congratulations, Kate!

To check out the full list of winners, follow this link. You can order Beach Baby online here.

Kate Merritt’s Beach Baby Is Out Today

April 5, 2015

Beach Baby by Kate Merritt is now available for purchase. Beach Baby is part of the Indestructibles series which makes books designed so babies can chew on them, droll on them, or spill on them without the book being ruined. This latest addition tells the story of baby’s day at the beach, and is built to withstand the beach too! You can order this adorable book online here.

Gordon: Bark to the Future! by Ashley Spires Is Out Today, With Excellent Reviews

May 1, 2018

Happy book birthday to Gordon: Bark to the Future! by Ashley Spires! The junior graphic novel is the latest installment of Spires’ popular P.U.R.S.T. (Pets of the Universe Ready for Space Travel) series, and stars Gordon, a genius dog who must use his super intelligence to combat aliens and save his friends (and his humans). But when his plan to travel back in time goes wrong, will Gordon be able to help after all?

Gordon: Bark to the Future! has already received a handful of great reviews, preceding its release. Kirkus Review calls it “wry, dry, and adorable,” insisting that newcomers to the series “will want to start at the Binky-beginning when done” and championing Spires’ “hilariously deadpan narration.” Booklist describes it as “ridiculous in the best way and sure to be a crowd-pleaser.” School Library Journal remarks that “Spires once more offers strong writing, and her adorable and quirky cartoon illustrations are well composed.”

Don’t miss out on this laugh-out-loud funny book- grab your copy of Gordon: Bark to the Future! here today.

Ashley Spires Nominated for Two Chocolate Lily Book Awards

June 21, 2017

The Chocolate Lily Book Awards is a reader’s choice awards that selects some of the best children’s fiction from authors and illustrators from British Columbia in Canada. Every year, they nominate books in categories such as picture books and novels. This year, Canadian author/illustrator Ashley Spires was nominated for two different books (see below)! Congratulations, Ashley!

Picture Books – Spare Dog Parts, written by Alison Hughes and illustrated by Ashley Spires

Chapter Books/Early Novels – Fluffy Strikes Back, written and illustrated by Ashley Spires

The Chocolate Lily Book Award’s full list of nominated books is available here.

Seven of Painted Words’s Authors/Illustrators Books Included in Bank Street’s Best Children Books of the Year 2017

May 2, 2017

Every year, the Children’s Book Committee at Bank Street College of Education compile a list of the best children’s books of the previous year. Based on criteria such as literary excellence, quality of illustration, diversity, and emotional impact, these books are recommended for parents, librarians, and children. This year, Bank Street has chosen seven of Painted Words’s books as some of the best books of 2016!

Under Five:

• Spare Dog Parts, written by Alison Hughes and illustrated by Ashley Spires
• Who Wants a Tortoise?, written by David Keane and illustrated by K.G. Campbell

Five to Nine:

• The Quickest Kid in Clarksville, written by Pat Zietlow Miller and illustrated by Frank Morrison
• Mouse Scouts: Make a Difference, by Sarah Dillard
• Don’t Call Me Grandma, written by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson and illustrated by Liz Zunon

Nine to Twelve:

• Fluffy Strikes Back, by Ashley Spires
• Echo Echo: Reverso Poems about Greek Myths, written by Marilyn Singer and illustrated by Josée Masse

Bank Street’s full list of recommended books can be found here. Congratulations to our Painted Words artists and authors!

Watch the Book Trailer for Fluffy Strikes Back

April 13, 2016

The book trailer for Ashley Spires’ Fluffy Strikes Back is now online! Watch below:

Ashley Spires’s New Graphic Novel, Fluffy Strikes Back, Now Available For Purchase

April 5, 2016

Fluffy Strikes Back, the first volume in Ashley Spires‘s new series, P.U.R.S.T. Adventures, is now out! This hilarious graphic novel tells the adventure of Sergeant Fluffy of P.U.R.S.T., a coalition of cats and pets working together to protect the planet from aliens, aka bugs. When Fluffy discovers that P.U.R.S.T. headquarters has been taken over by bugs, he leaps into action to protect his comrades and his planets. Fluffy Strikes Back is a spin-off of Ashley’s popular Binky Adventure Series and Kirkus Reviews calls it, “a must for Binky’s legions of faithful feline fans.” You can order a copy online here.