An illustration by Constance Lombardo was included in Funny Ha Ha, a kids’ joke book created for Independent Bookstore Day. Her work was among good company. The book featured illustrations from some of the publishing world’s most beloved illustrators, such as William Joyce and Rosemary Wells. Independent Bookstore Day was May 2nd, but visit an indie bookstore near you to find a copy!
Over on a Mountain: Somewhere in the World, written by Marianne Berkes and illustrated by Jill Dubin, is the winner of a Mom’s Choice Gold Award and an Indie Book Award. Congrats Jill and Marianne!
Pick a copy of the book here.
The Mazza Museum in Ohio has added two giclee prints from Sarah Dillard’s Extraordinary Warren to its collection of picture book art. According to the Mazza Museum’s website, it is “the largest museum of original artwork by children’s book illustrators in the world. The museum’s goal is to promote literacy and enrich the lives of all people through the art of children’s literature.” Congrats to Sarah on this fantastic
More praise for Little Melba and Her Big Trombone, which made a huge splash this fall when Frank Morrison won a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor and an NAACP Image Award nomination. Now, the book is included on The Horn Book Magazine’s list of recommended books about jazz. “Frank Morrison’s elongated, angular oil paintings perfectly convey the jazz scene,” Katie Bircher writes for The Horn Book. See the article, “Please Pass the Beignets,” for more jazzy recommendations.
Poems in the Attic, written by Nikki Grimes and illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon, received advance praise from Kirkus with a starred review. From the review: “Succinct poetry shines in this impassioned celebration of history; the stories of this African-American family traveling the globe are rich with heart and color.” The book will be released from Lee & Low this May. Read the full review online here.
“Lives of the Poets,” a New York Times article on poetry in children’s book new releases, included a glowing review of Poems in the Attic (Lee & Low Books). Written by Nikki Grimes and illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon, Poems in the Attic is about a young girl who discovers letters her mother wrote when she was a child, traveling the world as an “Air Force brat.” The reviewer applauds Elizabeth’s artwork, writing, “[her] warm, bright illustrations provide a cheerful balance.”
Poems in the Attic will be available in stores everywhere on May 15, or you can pre-order a copy here.
Eric Barclay’s StoryBox books published by SmartInk won’t be available for purchase until May 26th, but Kirkus has issued advance praise for the unique die-cut board books. Eric’s two StoryBox titles include Counting Dogs and Rainbow Cats. In the review of Counting Dogs, Kirkus writes, “A sense of fun, clear, uncluttered design, and construction that should hold up to heavy use make this board book’s relatively high price well worth the extra expense.
Pre-order Counting Dogs here.
We were delighted to find that books illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon, Vanessa Brantley Newton, and Ashley Spires were included in Booklist’s article, “Classroom Connections: Maker Minds.” The books featured help inspire “hands-on creativity” for kids. It’s no surprise that The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, Magic Trash, and The Most Magnificent Thing made the list. Get inspired by these wonderful stories and start a DIY project of your own!
Barroux’s Where’s the Elephant was released by Egmont UK last week, just in time for Earth Day. The Guardian featured the near-wordless picture book in an article titled, “Which books deal with climate change for younger children?” The article’s writer says that the book “powerfully demonstrates the devastating effects of deforestation as Elephant, Parrot and Snake find their simple game of hide and seek is no longer possible as the trees of the forest have been cut down to make way for houses, road and cars.” Barroux’s beautiful illustrations paint an important message about climate change for young readers. Where’s the Elephant isn’t to be missed.
Lend a Hand, written by John Frank and illustrated by London Ladd, was included in the 2015 Notable Poetry List from National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE). “Each spread includes a poem with a beautiful color illustration portraying the act of kindness,” writes the reviewer of Lend a Hand. Congratulations London!
Visit the School Library Journal website to view the full list.
