Emily’s Big Discovery,(Candlewick) by Liz Kessler, illustrated by Joanie Stone is the first in a sparkling, charmingly illustrated series of readers that brings half-mermaid Emily Windsnap—star of the New York Times best-selling series—to a younger audience. With a mermaid tail and an entire ocean awaiting her, Emily is eager to meet new friends and swim off on big adventures in this inviting new series for the younger set. Get the book here
Kirkus has given a starred review to Mommy’s Hometown (Candlewick) by Hope Lim, illustrated by Jaime Kim. A child visits their mother’s hometown and is surprised to find it now differs from her recollections. Mommy regales the young narrator with bedtime stories about a playful, carefree childhood. Against the backdrop of a verdant countryside and towering mountains, a lush river provided ample opportunity for Mommy and her friends to catch fish, splash, and treasure hunt. Idyllic and joyful, these vivid memories have given the child high expectations for an upcoming visit. A train car window offers the first glimpse of a vastly different landscape. Bustling streets and gleaming skyscrapers crowd the horizon, and the mountains struggle to be seen. The striking contrast between reality and anticipation both awes and disappoints the child. Yet while many things have changed, the river still flows through the city center. Hand in hand, Mommy and child wade in, re-creating the cherished moments of Mommy’s youth. The pair make their own memories in this special place, reinforcing that it is familial bonds and unconditional love that define home rather than physical surroundings. A tranquil warmth radiates from the illustrations, providing an underlying feeling of safety […]
In addition to his wonderful children’s book art, Michael Slack is also a fine artist. Currently he has two colored pencil and acryla gouache drawings on display at The Compound Gallery in Emerville, CA. See more about the gallery here
A Sprinkle of Sadie (Affirm Press) written by Lana Spasevski, illustrated by Joanie Stone has been published in Australia. In this sweet chapter book, Sadie needs to throw a surprise birthday for her mum, help out at the Cookgrove fundraising day,and welcome someone new to her class. But Sadie’s sweet intentions do not always go to plan! Her vanilla ice-cream cake for Mum is as flat as a pancake. Her cupcake stall has tough competition. And her welcome treat is not welcomed! Can Sadie find a way to save the day? In these three sprinkle-filled stories (complete with recipes!) the unstoppable Sadie shows that any problem can be solved with generosity, kindness and, of course, a delicious baked treat. This book is the first in a series. Congratulations Joanie! Learn more about the book here
King of Ragtime (Simon & Schuster) by Stephen Costanza has won a Golden Kite Award for Picture Book Illustration. The awards are given by the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators in recognition of excellence in children’s books. Congratulations Steve! See the full list of winners here Get King of Ragtime here
People Magazine recently interviewed Clothilde Ewing about her book Stella Keeps the Sun Up (Simon & Schuster), illustrated by Lynne Gaines. Ewing says she had a very clear vision for how she saw Stella that illustrator Lynn Gaines helped bring to life. “I wanted to make sure that Stella was a little black girl — complexion-wise, I wanted to make sure there wasn’t any ambiguity,” she says. “I wanted Stella to have a beautiful brown skin tone and I wanted to make sure her hair looked like my daughter’s hair, that it had texture. And that she was colorful and exuded joy.” When she first saw Gaines’s drawings, “I almost cried,” she says. “It was so spot-on.” Read the full interview here Get the book here
