Sarah Dillard, Frank Morrison and Josee Masse featured on Curious City blog’s 2014 Best Of list

December 09, 2014

The Curious City blog picked three Painted Words artists for its best children’s books of 2014 line-up. The three titles are Extraordinary Warren Saves the Day by Sarah Dillard, Little Melba and Her Big Trombone by Frank Morrison, and What Ship is Not a Ship? by Josee Masse.

Sarah Dillard’s Extraordinary Warren Saves the Day  was deemed the “best excuse to don a cape.”

Frank Morrison’s Little Melba and Her Big Trombone was dubbed “best girl tooting her own horn.”

Josee Masse’s What Ship is Not a Ship? was praised for its “best use of word play.”

One Plastic Bag, illus. by Liz Zunon, Receives Children’s Africana Book Honor

October 6, 2016

The Africana Access Review, a program dedicated to reviewing children’s books about Africa, annually gives out awards to the best children’s and YA books on Africa. This year, One Plastic Bag: Isatou Ceesay and the Recycling Women of Gambia, written by Miranda Paul and illustrated by Liz Zunon, has been chosen by this committe to receive a Children’s African Book Honor.

Liz Zunon will be attending a dinner to honor the awarded authors and illustrators is being held tomorrow, October 7th, at Busboys and Poets in Washington D.C. Those interested in attending can RSVP here.

Saturday October 8th, Liz will be signing copies of One Plastic Bag at the 24th Annual Children’s Africana Book Awards Festival at the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art. This event is free to the public. Liz will be available for signings from 11 am to 2 pm.

One Plastic Bag, illus. by Elizabeth Zunon, Makes the 2016 Amelia Bloomer List

January 13, 2016

One Plastic Bag, illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon and written by Miranda Paul, has been included on the 2016 Amelia Bloomer List which celebrates “Recommended Feminist Literature for Birth through 18.”  One Plastic Bag tells the true story of Isatou Ceesay who started a recycling movement in her village in Gambia by inspiring women to turn plastic bags into plastic purses.  This tale is the perfect book to empower young girls to dream big and create change.

Visit the full list here.

Congrats Elizabeth and Miranda!

New York Public Library includes Frederick’s Journey and One Plastic Bag on List of 2015 Recommendations

December 17, 2015

Frederick’s Journey: The Life of Frederick Douglass, written by Doreen Rappaport and illustrated by London Ladd, and One Plastic Bag: Isatou Ceesay and the Recycling Women of Gambia, written by Miranda Paul and illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon, both made the New York Public Library’s list of recommendations for 2015! The NYPL recommended one hundred children’s books from 2015, and Frederick’s Journey and One Plastic Bag both made the list for non-fiction children’s books. Congratulations!

Frederick’s Journey can be purchased here and One Plastic Bag can be purchased here. Check out all of the NYPL’s recommended books for the year here!

One Plastic Bag, illus. by Elizabeth Zunon, Won a Eureka! Honor Award

November 6, 2015

One Plastic Bag: Isatou and the Recycling Women of Gambia written by Miranda Paul and illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon, won a Eureka! Honor Award. The Eureka! Gold and Honor Award are awards established by the California Reading Association to recognize great children’s non-fiction books and assist parents and teachers in picking books for their kids to read. Check out the full list of winners and purchase One Plastic Bag here. Congratulations, Elizabeth Zunon!

One Plastic Bag by Elizabeth Zunon out now

February 17, 2015

One Plastic Bag: Isatou Ceesay and the Recycling Women of the Gambia written by Miranda Paul and illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon is available now. This beautiful picture book tells the true story of Isatou Ceesay’s quest to clean up her neighborhood by ridding it of potentially dangerous plastic bags. Isatou and her friends did this by gathering the plastic bags and crocheting them into purses. Not only were these purses useful and beautiful, but they generated an income, and the act of recycling transformed Isatou’s neighborhood into a cleaner, safer place.

Elizabeth Zunon will be signing the book at Open Door Bookstore in Schenectady, NY, on Sunday March 1 from 12-1:30pm.

At the end of March, they will be joined by the star of the story, Isatou Ceesay herself, to visit schools in the Albany, NY, area where they will be creating recycled art projects with students.

Seven Impossible Things to Do Before Breakfast blog features One Plastic Bag by Elizabeth Zunon

December 08, 2014

The Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast blog featured Elizabeth Zunon, detailing her unique collage and multimedia illustrations. The feature was used to focus on Elizabeth Zunon’s artwork in the upcoming book One Plastic Bag, calling it “very textured and colorful, capturing well the transformation at the hands of Isatou.”

One Plastic Bag, written by Miranda Paul and illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon, will be available February 2015.

Kirkus reviews One Plastic Bag by Elizabeth Zunon

October 31, 2014

Kirkus expressed praise for One Plastic Bag, written by Miranda Paul and illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon.

This inspiring book tells the story of a Gambian woman who comes up with an ingenious way to repurpose plastic bags to deal with their difficulty of disposal. Kirkus called the book “a welcome addition to the small shelf of examples of ingenuity in developing nations” and commented that Elizabeth Zunon’s collage illustrations “fittingly … make use of colorful papers and plastic bags. These reveal the labor involved and show the women’s joy in the results of their work.”

My Three Best Friends and Me, Zulay Reviewed in The New York Times

January 30, 2015

My Three Best Friends and Me, Zulay, written by Cari Best and illustrated by Vanessa Brantley Newton, was reviewed in The New York Times’ Sunday Book Review. The review praised Vanessa Brantley-Newton’s “wonderfully spirited” illustrations, and say My Three Best Friends and Me, Zulay is “refreshing in its casual approach to racial diversity.” Read the full review here.

Publishers Weekly praises My Three Best Friends and Me, Zulay by Vanessa Brantley-Newton

December 09, 2014

Publishers Weekly gave a fine review to My Three Best Friends and Me, Zulay, written by Cari Best and illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton. Publishers Weekly called the book a “frank, encouraging story”, and described Brantley-Newton’s illustrations as “exud[ing] warmth and empathy as they build to a triumphant conclusion.”

Kirkus starred review for My Three Best Friends and Me, Zulay illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton

November 13, 2014

My Three Best Friends and Me, Zulay, written by Cari Best and illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton, has received a starred review from Kirkus Reviews.

Aimed at readers aged 5-8, this charming book follows Zulay, a African-American first grader who must learn to navigate around school using a white cane. Although she is encouraged by her three best friends – Chyng, Maya and Nancy – all Zulay wants is to be like every other kid: to fit in. My Three Best Friends and Me, Zulay‘s inclusive nature ensures that readers of all backgrounds and abilities will feel welcomed and assured by the story and its characters.

About Brantley-Newton’s illustrations, Kirkus said: “Brantley-Newton’s bright colors and attention to facial expressions swiftly convey Zulay’s enthusiasm, attitude and apprehension, as well as the skeptical and encouraging looks she can’t see.”

On the back cover of the book, a raised braille alphabet will introduce the unfamiliar and provides a nice final touch to the experience.

Buy My Three Best Friends and Me, Zulay at Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

Praise for My Three Best Friends and Me, Zulay illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton from School Library Journal

November 3, 2014

School Library Journal praised My Three Best Friends and Me, Zulay with a very positive review that noted the book as “a great way to continue building diverse library collections for all readers.”

The book is written by Cari Best and illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton. About the illustration, SLJ said: “Bright, colorful illustrations on a clean white backdrop are crisp and clear and mesh seamlessly with the text.”

New York Public Library 100 Titles for Reading & Sharing Includes Frank Morrison, K.G. Campbell, & Ashley Spires

Ballerina Dreams: From Orphan to Dancer by Frank Morrison available now

October 29, 2014

Ballerina Dreams: From Orphan to Dancer, written by Elaine and Michaela DePrince and illustrated by Frank Morrison, is available to buy. The book is based on the true story of Michaela DePrince, one of the top ballerinas in the United States.

Michaela’s story starts with a three-year-old orphan living in Sierra Leone who discovers a picture of a ballerina. That single image inspired a dream that saw Michaela take up ballet after being adopted and moving to America. Even now, as a principal dancer in New York City who has been featured in documentaries, television shows, and, of course, countless dance performances, Michaela still remembers that photograph.

Ballerina Dreams: From Orphan to Dancer is an inspirational story written for readers who are new to reading independently and are improving their reading confidence. Containing both photographs and beautiful illustrations by Frank Morrison, this book is an uplifting read that will inspire readers to reach for their own dreams.

Find it at Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

EUREKA GOLD AWARD FOR STEVE ADAMS’ IF: A MIND-BENDING NEW WAY OF LOOKING AT BIG IDEAS AND NUMBERS

October 22, 2014

If: A Mind-Bending New Way of Looking at Big Ideas and Numbers, written by David J. Smith and illustrated by Steve Adams, has received a Eureka! Gold award.

The Eureka! Nonfiction Children’s Book Award was established by the California Reading Association as a way to highlight excellent nonfiction children’s books for teachers, librarians, and parents to assist them with choosing books for their students and children.

In the Honor Awards section, Little Melba and Her Big Trombone Katheryn Russell-Brown and illustrated by Painted Words illustrator Frank Morrison gained recognition.

Check out If: A Mind-Bending New Way of Looking at Big Ideas and Numbers on Barnes & Noble or Amazon.

Congratulations Steve (and Frank!)