Come join in celebrating Shadra Strickland at the Highlights Foundation Art Reception in her honor on March 17, 2018. The reception launches the Highlights Foundation’s 2018 Visual Arts Exhibit, which features Shadra’s original art from A Child’s Blessings and Prayers: From Faiths and Cultures Around the World, written by Deloris Jordan. Not only can you attend the reception, but you’re also welcome to join Shadra in “Unworkshopping,” where the Highlights Foundation provides lodging and meals while you focus on your creative work. RSVP for the reception here, and get more info about both the reception and Unworkshopping event here.
London Ladd, illustrator of Frederick’s Journey: The Life of Frederick Douglass, recently paid a visit to Douglass’ hometown of Baltimore, Maryland, where he presented to a troop of boy scouts at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum on the importance of the prominent African American historical figure. Through art and lecture, he helped them learn about the impact of the famed abolitionist, who fought for equal rights for everyone. You can watch a video of Ladd’s impact here.
Congratulations to K.G. Campbell, whose picture book Dylan the Villain has been nominated for the Iowa Association of School Librarians’ Goldfinch Award for 2018-2019! This award is unique because children get to read the nominated titles and vote for the winner, directly influencing the yearly reading list. You can read more about the award here.
Ashley Spires was recently interviewed for the podcast Art Side of Life, where she discussed topics such as finding an agent and things she wishes she had known starting off as an author/illustrator. Listen to Ashley’s inspirational chat with Iva, the show’s host, where you’ll hear everything from great advice about children’s publishing to Ashley’s own art tool preferences and process. You can find the full episode here.
Let the Children March, written by Monica Clark-Robinson and illustrated by Frank Morrison, is included in a recent New York Times piece titled “Children’s Books About Black History, Heavy on Biographies.” The piece features a list of children’s books that are biographical in nature and focus on prominent African-American figures, with a brief review of each book. The author of the piece states that in Let the Children March “Frank Morrison’s illustrations are loose and modern in spirit, enlivening the history lesson.” You can view the full piece here and purchase a copy of the book here.
Congratulations to Josée Masse, who illustrated the picture book Thunder Underground, which has been nominated for two awards in 2018! The book appears on the Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Awards master list, which you can find here, and is also a 2018 Children’s and Teen Choice Book Awards finalist, which was announced here. You can vote and show your support for Thunder Underground to win the PYRCA and the C+TCBA online.
