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.

CBC’s 2017 Notable Social Studies Books for Young People List Includes Frank Morrison, Gene Barretta, Gerald Kelley

January 27, 2017

Every year the Children’s Book Council (CBC) releases a list of children and YA books with social studies themes that they consider to be exceptional in storytelling, themes, diversity, and illustrations. They have recently released the preview for the 2017 list, and three of our authors and illustrators have made the list!

Kindergarten to Second Grade:

• Lincoln and Kennedy: A Pair to Compare, by Gene Barretta

Third to Fifth Grade:

• Grover Cleveland, Again!, written by Ken Burns and illustrated by Gerald Kelley
• The Quickest Kid in Clarksville, written by Pat Zietlow Miller and illustrated by Frank Morrison

Congratulations, Gene, Gerald, and Frank! The full preview of recommended books for 2017 as well as more information about the selection process can be found here.

The Quickest Kid in Clarksville chosen for a Junior Library Guild Selection

October 5, 2016

The Quickest Kid in Clarksville has been chosen as a Junior Library Guild Selection for Spring 2016! This great honor is often a great predictor of future success for a children’s book. Congratulations, Frank and Pat!

Quickest Kid in Clarksville, illus. by Frank Morrison, nominated for North Carolina Children’s Book Award

August 30, 2016

The Quickest Kid in Clarksville, a picture book written by Pat Zietlow Miller and illustrated by Frank Morrison, was nominated for North Carolina’s Children’s Book Award. Every year, the school children of North Carolina nominate their favorite picture and junior books. Members of the North Carolina Children’s Book Award committee choose about ten books from the nominees. This year, The Quickest Kid was one of those chosen books. During the upcoming school year, children will read the nominated books and vote for their favorite. We’ll find out who won in March!

To see all the nominated books, check out the Children’s Book Award’s site here. The Quickest Kid in Clarksville can be purchased online here.

Publishers Weekly Praises The Quickest Kid in Clarksville, illus. by Frank Morrison

February 9, 2016

The Quickest Kid in Clarksville, written by Pat Zietlow Miller and illustrated by Frank Morrison, comes out today! You can order it online here.

Publishers Weekly calls The Quickest Kid, “A story about teamwork and determination.” They praise Frank’s art, writing that, “Working in watercolor, Morrison…gives the girls abundant personality.” The Quickest Kid in Clarksville tells the story of two girls determined to impress their track hero, Wilma Rudolph, and prove who the fasted kid in Clarksville really is.

Check out Publishers Weekly’s full review here.

The Quickest Kid in Clarksville, illus. by Frank Morrison, Makes Amazon’s Best Books of February List

February 2, 2016

The Quickest Kid in Clarksville, written by Pat Zietlow Miller and illustrated by Frank Morrison, was chosen by Amazon as one of their best books of February for ages six to eight. The Quickest Kid tells of rival girls in the fifties who love to run track and learn to work together. Congratulations, Pat and Frank!

The Quickest Kid in Clarksville comes out February 9th and can be pre-ordered here. The full list of best books for ages six to eight can be found here.

Booklist Praises The Quickest Kid in Clarksville, illus. by Frank Morrison

January 27, 2016

The Quickest Kid in Clarksville, written by Pat Zietlow Miller and illustrated by Frank Morrison, doesn’t come out until February 9th, but it’s already receiving positive reviews! The Quickest Kid in Clarksville tells the story of Alta and Charmaine, two rival girls who love running and want to prove themselves to their hero, Olympian Wilma Rudolph. Booklist praises the The Quickest Kid for its inspiring message of “teamwork and unification,” and they write that, “Morrison’s bold, expressive watercolors capture the flavor of the era (1960s) with a contemporary tone that will make this story feel strikingly current.” The review is in Booklist’s February 1st issue. You can read it online here, and The Quickest Kid in Clarksville can be pre-ordered here!

The Quickest Kid in Clarksville, written by Pat Zietlow Miller and illustrated by Frank Morrison, doesn’t come out until February 9th, but it’s already receiving positive reviews!  and The Quickest Kid in Clarksville can be pre-ordered here!

Release of Elise Gravel’s New Book I Want a Monster!

March 3, 2016

Elise Gravel‘s latest book, I Want A Monster!, is now available for purchase! I Want A Monster! tells the story of a little girl who longs for a monster as a pet and her process of finding and learning to care for her monster. The School Library Journal calls it, “A fun, spirited read-aloud for storytime or classroom use.” A French version, Je Veux Un Monstre, has also been released.

You can order I Want A Monster! online here.

I Want A Monster! Receives Advance Praise from Quill & Quire

January 13, 2016

I Want A Monster!, Elise Gravel’s new picture book from Katherine Tegen Books, won’t hit shelves until March, but the positive reviews are already rolling in. Quill & Quire, Canada’s top book news magazine, praised the book in their January/February issue. They write, “Silly and offbeat, I Want A Monster! is more fun than a barrel of baby Oogly-Wumps.”

Pre-0rder your copy here.

Sewing Stories Featured on SLJ’s List “Celebrating African Americans: The Arts”

January 13, 2016

Sewing Stories, written by Barbara Herkert and illustrated by Vanessa Brantley Newton, is the wonderful picture book biography of Harriet Powers, a little-known artist born into slavery in rural Georgia. The book was released in late 2015 by Random House Children’s Books to praise from Kirkus Reviews and School Library Journal, and was recently featured on SLJ’s list “Celebrating African Americans: The Arts.” The list features recent picture book biographies that introduce young readers to “noteworthy African Americans who have defined their place in the world by following their passions and pursuing their art. The full list can be viewed here.

Praise for Sewing Stories:

“A much-needed introduction to the life of a little known African American artist, with many possible curriculum connections: artists, quilters, women’s history, and the Civil War.”–School Library Journal

“As a picture-book introduction to an unsung artist, it inspires. Harriet Powers: an artist worth knowing.”–Kirkus Reviews

The New York Times Reviews Ashley Spire’s Over-Scheduled Andrew

February 18, 2016

Ashley Spire‘s new children book, Over-Scheduled Andrew, was recently reviewed by The New York Times. Over-Scheduled Andrew is the cautionary tale of a little bird who signs up for way too many clubs and classes at school. The New York Times praises Ashley’s “digitally drawn creatures…with big heads and tiny paws and wings” and her “small details,” and remarks on the timeliness of her message in this age of over-scheduled children, calling it, “a sneaky kind of cautionary tale.” You can read the full review on The New York Times website and you can buy Over-Scheduled Andrew online here.

Over-Scheduled Andrew is On Sale Now!

January 13, 2016

Ashley Spires‘ Over-Scheduled Andrew was released by Tundra Books this week.  In this sequel to Edie’s Ensembles, Andrew and Edie return in a cautionary tale that Kirkus calls a “tongue-in-cheek take on an all-too-common plight.” When Andrew signs up for too many extracurricular activities, he learns the trouble in spreading oneself too thin.  Publishers Weekly writes, “While the premise of the overcommitted child has been explored before…Spires makes it her own, bringing a playful touch to her writing and artwork. In fact, insofar as this is a message book, the real takeaway is less ‘know your limits’ than ‘nothing ventured, nothing gained.'”

You can read the Kirkus review here, and the Publishers Weekly review here. Over-Scheduled Andrew was also featured on CBC Canada’s Spring 2016 Book Preview.

Purchase a copy of the book here.

Il Sung Na’s Welcome Home, Bear and Betsy Snyder’s I Can Dance make Amazon’s Best Books of 2015

November 16, 2015

Il Sung Na’s Welcome Home, Bear and Betsy Snyder’s I Can Dance made it to Amazon’s list of Best Books of 2015! Welcome Home, Bear and I Can Dance were both included as one of the best books of the year for the baby to age 2 category. Congratulations to Il Sung Na and Betsy Snyder! You can buy Welcome Home, Bear here and I Can Dance here.

Great Review from Kirkus for Betsy Snyder’s I Can Dance and I Can Play

October 12, 2015

Kirkus gave a wonderful review to I Can Dance and I Can Play, toddler board books written and illustrated by Betsy Snyder. Both books feature cut-outs where children can subsitute their own fingers for dancers’ legs and arms. Kirkus writes, “This is an appropriately brief, appealing title with a simple bit of interactivity that toddlers will appreciate.” The books are described as, “Encouraging activity on multiple levels, a good choice for toddler board-book collections.”

Check out the full review for yourself here!

You can order your own copy of I Can Dance here and I Can Play here.

I Can Dance Selected for Amazon’s Best Books of the Month: Baby-Age 2

September 1, 2015

Betsy Snyder’s inventive new board book, I Can Dance, has been picked by Amazon as a Best Book of the Month for Baby-Age 2.  This adorable novelty book includes two die-cuts for little fingers to dance along with the book’s characters.

Order a copy for your favorite budding reader here.

Watch the video tutorial here.

Watch the Demo Video for Betsy Snyder’s I Can Dance and I Can Play

August 24, 2015

Race Car Count, illus. by Michael Slack, Chosen for the 2016 Texas 2×2 Reading List

February 5, 2016

Every year, the Texas Library Association chooses a list of 20 books to recommend for children age 2 to grade 2 in order to encourage reading. This year, Race Car Count, written by Rebecca Kai Dotlich and illustrated by Michael Slack, was chosen as one of the twenty books. Race Car Count is a counting book for children age 3-6 featuring Michael Slack’s brightly colored, expressive race cars. Congratulations, Rebecca and Michael!

The 2016 Texas 2×2 Reading List can be found here, and you can order Race Car Count here.

Booklist Praises Race Car Count, illus. by Michael Slack

November 20, 2015

Race Car Count, written by Rebecca Kai Dotlich and illustrated by Michael Slack, received praise in a Booklist review! Race Car Count shows the story of a high speed car race to help teach children to count. Booklist writes of Michael Slack’s race car illustrations, “Full of power and personality, each car has its own color, look, and attitude, created with its eyes (in the windshield area) and mouth (the grill).” In all, they call the book, “A fast-paced, fun counting book.”

You can read the full review in Booklist’s November 12^th issue, and you can check out Race Car Counts here!

Race Car Count, illus. by Michael Slack, made Amazon’s Best Books of the Month for November

November 6, 2015

Race Car Count, written by Rebecca Kai Dotlich and illustrated by Michael Slack, made Amazon’s November Best Books of the Month for ages 3 to 5. Race Car Count is available online here!

Race Car Count Makes Amazon’s Top Picks for Fall Reading

August 26, 2015

Race Car Count, written by Rebecca Kai Dotlich and illustrated by Michael Slack, was included on Amazon’s Fall Reading Preview for Baby-Age 2. The book will be released on October 27, and can be pre-ordered now.

See the full list of Amazon’s Fall Books Preview for Children.

Race Car Count Receives Glowing Review from Publishers Weekly

September 8, 2015

Race Car Count, illustrated by Michael Slack and written by Rebecca Kai Dotlich, received a great review in Publishers Weekly. They write, “The book’s bouncy rhymes and Matchbox-worthy vehicles (spoilers and bulging hot-red engines abound) combine to create a lively race with some tense back-and-forth moments.” You can pre-order a copy of the book here.

More praise for Race Car Count: 

“The flash and thrill of the race car track-it’s all here in a zippy counting book just right for the toddler set. . . .When the cars line up for another race, children will cheer.” – Kirkus Reviews

 

Kirkus Praises the Latest Frog and Friends Book, illus. by Josee Masse

August 13, 2015

Frog and Friends Celebrate Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve, the eighth book in the reader series from Sleeping Bear Press, comes out September 1st. Josee Masse’s illustrations will delight fans as usual, in this latest foray into Frog’s world. Kirkus Reviews writes, “The stories are quietly entertaining and cleverly humorous with solid plots, subtle lessons, and a cozy sense of community among the group of friends…Charming illustrations are thoughtfully integrated with the text.” Pre-order a copy for your budding reader’s collection here.