Not My Girl, written by Christy Jordan-Fenton & Margaret Pokiak-Fenton and illustrated by Gabrielle Grimard, received an Honorable Mention from the Eric Hoffer Book Awards. The awards honor books published by independent houses. Congrats to Gabrielle, Christy, Margaret, and all involved at Annick Press! Not My Girl was also selected as a Best Multicultural Book of 2015 by CSMCL and an Outstanding International Book by USBBY.
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.
