Dec
01
When The Schools Shut Down illustrated by Keisha Morris gets a star from Publishers’ Weekly
When The Schools Shut Down: A Young Girl’s Story of Virginia’s “Lost Generation” and the Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka Decision (HarperCollins) by Yolanda Gladden, as told to Tamara Pizzoli, illustrated by Keisha Morris as earned a star from Publishers’ Weekly.
The review says “Collaged tissue paper and digital media art by Morris offers a lushly layered backdrop to the events, emphasizing the expressions and closeness of the Black community portrayed in this informative, warmly personable autobiography. ”
The book will be published in January 2022.
Pre order the book here
See the full review here
Nov
30
Dinosaurs on Kitty Island by Michael Slack coming December 14!
Dinosaurs on Kitty Island (Dial Books) by Michael Slack will be published on December 14, 2021.
School Library Journal says “Young children will enjoy the mishaps and high jinks and perhaps take into consideration the feelings of others when playing. Children will enjoy interpreting the illustrations and bring their own takes to what is unfolding . . . Charming illustrations partner well with a simple story of playtime.”
Pre order your copy here!
Nov
17
Not Enough Lollipops, illustrated by Micah Player, gets a star from Kirkus!
Not E
nough Lollipops (Knopf) by Megan Maynor, illustrated by Micah Player has earned a starred review from Kirkus. The review says “Player’s retro-styled illustrations tie the hues of the lollipops to the children’s colorful attire but never go overboard; there’s plenty of drama around the crushing candy saga without overplaying the visuals.
Not Enough Lollipops will be published in January 2022.
Read the full review here
Pre order the book here
Nov
17
In a starred review, Kirkus calls Stitch by Stitch by Connie Schofield-Morrison, illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon Dazzling!
A starred review from Kirkus calls Stitch by Stitch (Holiday House) by Connie Schofield-Morrison, illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon “a poignant tribute to the remarkable life and craft of Elizabeth “Lizzy” Hobbs Keckly, a formerly enslaved woman who broke the color line in haute couture.”
The review goes on to say “Zunon’s breathtaking and masterful mixed-media illustrations—incorporating oil, paint, fabric, ribbon, paper, embroidery, and appliqué—beautifully capture the artistry of Keckly’s dresses.”
Get Stitch by Stitch here
Read the full Kirkus review here
Nov
16
Kirkus reviews We Play Soccer illustrated by Nomar Perez
Kirkus calls We Play Soccer (Holiday House) by Rene Colato Lainez, illustrated by Nomar Perez “A bright, sweet story about friendship, teamwork, and the joy of soccer.”
The review also says “The illustrations are vibrant, and characters are depicted having various shades of light brown skin. Backmatter helpfully provides direct translations of words that appear in the story.”
We Play Soccer will be published in January 2022. Pre order a copy here
Read the full Kirkus review here
Nov
11
Stephen Costanza’s King of Ragtime featured on HornBook’s Calling Caldecott blog
In a post on HornBook’s Calling Caldecott blog, Scot Smith makes a strong case for King of Ragtime (Simon & Schuster) by Stephen Costanza. Smith commends the illustrations in the book for capturing the essence of music, and says “Costanza’s illustrations depict composer Joplin’s use of syncopation through complex collage work, thoughtful use of vibrant colors, and a mixture of artistic styles. We can almost hear “Maple Leaf Rag” as we turn the pages of this wonderful biography.”
Our fingers are crossed, Steve!
Read the full blog post here
Get King of Ragtime here
Nov
09
Work by Sarah Dillard included in exhibit of Vermont Picture Book Illustrators at TW Woods Gallery, Montpelier Vermont
Illustrations by Sarah Dillard from several of her picture books will be on view in “The Art of Stories: A Vermont Picture Book Exhibit” at the TW Wood Gallery in Montpelier, Vermont from November 7 through December 22, 2021.
Learn more about the exhibit here
Nov
09
Number 7 Evergreen Streetby Julia Patton wins Students’ and Teachers’ Choice from the Royal Institute of British Architects
Students and Teachers of RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architecture) Learning have chosen Number 7 Evergreen Street (Templar Books) by Julia Patton as their favorite book as part of the Reading Architecture Project.
Reviews loved the idea of neighborhoods and communal spaces that the book introduced, as well as the beautiful illustrations and relatable characters.
Congratulations Julia!
Get the book here