5 STARS

By Amazon Customer on January 12, 2014

Kids make up their own stories in this beautifully illustrated wordless picture book about a year in the life of a golden mantled ground squirrel living in Crater Lake, Oregon.

The idyllic, serene, lovely illustrations by award-winning Oregonian artist K.C. Snider will transport children and adults alike as they explore wildlife and the seasons along with our little squirrel guide as it gathers food, stores it, interacts with others--animal and human--and even gets mixed up in an adventure!

Silence is both enjoyable and educational, stimulating young minds and their storytelling skills. This hardcover picture book is definitely a keeper, worthy of any permanent library shelf or gift. Highly recommended!

 5 STARS

The beauty in the Silence at Crater Lake Park

By Penelope Anne Cole on December 19, 2013

The picture book, Silence, beautifully illustrated by K.C. Snider, is a completely wordless book. The lifelike artwork -- nearly photographic -- takes us a through a year in the life of a golden manteled ground squirrel. We follow him through his daily life and adventures at Crater Lake National Park. Having been to Crater Lake in the early hours of dawn, I believe the choice of Silence for a title, is most certainly appropriate. The natural beauty of Crater Lake makes you want to hold your breath and not breathe a word.

Wordless books are perfect for pre-readers. They can enjoy the beauty of the illustrations and not be distracted by the printed word. Children are free to put in their own interpretation, in their own words, in response to such questions as: “What do you see in the picture?” “What is he doing now?” "What do you think he’s thinking as he. . .?” "What do you think he'll do now?" The imaginative story ideas are as endless as the children describing their stories. It will be just as much fun for the parent or teacher to see what they come up with as it will be for the kids.

K.C. Snider, an honors graduate from the School of Art in Eugene, Oregon, spent two years creating the artwork for this book. Ms. Snider is an award-winning illustrator of over forty children's books. Her Western Fine Art has won prestigious art awards and her illustrations for children's books have also won numerous literary awards. This is her first "solo" book -- entirely written and illustrated -- wholly created by Ms. Snider. Everyone would enjoy this book and could create their own word story while appreciating the amazing artwork.

 5 STARS

Best and Most Beautiful Wordless Picture book I Ever Read

By Susan J. Berger on November 24, 2013

This book literally took my breath away. It is beyond awesome. I cannot wait to share it with people. This is one book I MUST have in hardback. Each illustration in not only a word of art, it is a story unto itself. Together they form an adventure in the life of a Golden Ground Squirrel who lives in Crater Lake park in Oregon.
This book is for kids and grownups alike.Let the pictures form stories in your mind. Then hand it to a child and let the child tell you the story.  I can't wait to sit down and share the story with a child. I've always loved KC's illustration, but this is a whole new level. Thank you KC for sending my imagination a beautiful gift.

 5 STARS

Precious and Spectacular!

By Connie Arnold on November 23, 2013

Silence is a perfect name for this delightful book by award winning artist, KC Snider. Her remarkable, vibrant art is beautifully displayed on each page as an adorable mantled ground squirrel quietly visits scenic areas in Crater Lake National Park. There are no words, only pictures that tell the story as the little creature makes its way around the lake, rides two boats, interacts with children, adults and other creatures, tastes, samples and explores the many things the park has to offer. Each illustration is a detailed and precious work of art set in spectacular surroundings. Children and adults of any age can enjoy this art filled book while using their own imaginations to discover the story. KC has once again proven her tremendous artistic ability in another release from Guardian Angel Publishing.

 5 STARS

By Nicole Weaver  on Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Seattle Post-Intelligencer

K.C. Snider, an honors graduate from the School of Art in Eugene, Oregon, is an award-winning illustrator of over forty children’s books. Her Western Fine Art has won prestigious art awards and her illustrations for children’s books have won numerous literary awards.

Ms. Snider penned her first book titled Silence.  The book is wordless. It takes the reader on the journey in the life of a golden mantled ground squirrel. We follow him through his daily life and adventures at Crater Lake National Park.

The lovely, colorful illustrations transport the reader to a world that is stunning. A world so well depicted through the illustrations you feel that you are part of it.

This masterpiece of a book can be a valuable resource that teachers and parents can use to help pre-readers develop and exercise their imaginations.   Children can have fun coming up with their own stories for the illustrations.

As a foreign language teacher, I use illustrations that depict newly learned vocabulary and grammatical structures.   Illustrations are a powerful tool that affords students and young kids an opportunity to speak freely.

Ms. Snider’s book can be useful in any classroom where the teacher is looking for ways to help students develop both their speaking and writing skills.

I have my book, Silence, and a few of the other books I illustrated for Guardian Angel Publishing spread out in 2 display cases on the 3rd floor of this library in Portland, OR for a special children's books illustrators exhibit until Jan. 30, 2014.  My exhibits show the different styles and techniques I use to illustrate, depending on the story.

                               

     

My publicist and I just traveled to the Multnomah County Central Library in Portland, OR the weekend before Christmas.  I was invited to exhibit some of my books, illustrations, method and styles of illustrating for a month-long exhibit along with 10 other illustrators from the SCBWI (Society of Children's Books Writers and Illustrators) on the 3rd floor of this magnificent library for the month of January 2014.  We had a very successful book signing and reception at the Library.  I will be adding pictures soon.

It is the end of the year and 2 new books of my illustrations have been released.  "Silence" is a fine arts illustrated book with no words.  I am both author and illustrator, but anyone who looks through the book can create their own story from the pictures.  It took a couple of years, but it's finally been released.  Those of you who know Oregon will recognize Crater Lake, our only National Park in the state.  It surrounds the adventures of a little golden mantle ground squirrel.

"Andy & Spirit in Search & Rescue" by Mary Jean Kelso, artist K.C. Snider

This is the latest release in this series.for readers 3-10 years old.

Andy and Spirit track down a dumped dog seen near the ranch scrounging for food.  She appears to a nursing mother.  Even though people are trying to help her, she keeps getting out and running away from food and shelter.  People cannot understand why she leaves even her litter of pups behind.  So begins the mystery.

 

I painted a "repurposed" wooden chair for this annual silent auction that takes place in the month of April at participating businesses in Redmond, OR.  All the proceeds from the auction go to our local Sparrow Clubs.  Art students from the schools and artists from the community get involved every year.  My chair has characters from 4 of the Guardian Angel Publishing children's books I have illustrated:  Alleycat, Preston the Not-So-Perfect Pig, Stilts the Stork, and A Bad, Mad, Sad Day for Mama Bear (not published, yet.) You may find a few katydids from Katy Didn't, too.  It was a lot of work, but a lot of fun too.  For those of you in Central Oregon, my chair "Bedtime Stories" can be viewed and is open for bidding at Paulina Springs Books on 6th St. in Redmond.

"Journey's Promise"

by Dixie Phillips and Journey Dai Muhammad

Art by K.C. Snider

www.journeyspromise.com

Visit this web site to learn more about the new book.

I am mentioned in this interview by the Special Needs Book Review regarding "Andy and the Albino Horse" children's book series I illustrated for author Mary Jean Kelso.  Coming soon is the newest book in the series, "Andy & Spirit in Search and Rescue."  Check this out!

http://www.specialneedsbookreview.com/2012/11/09/childrens-books-on-disabilities-andy-and-the-albino-horse-series/

From Guardian Angel Publishing...

BENJAMIN JAY WAS A BULLY

Animals & Pets
by Emma Glover, artist KC Snider
http://www.guardianangelpublishing.com/benjamin-bully.htm
When the fledglings of Bird Garden extend their wings in friendship to Benjamin Jay, he must choose – the dove’s way or the bully’s path?

 

BLUE PAINT

Chapbook for Tweens
by Liam Maher, artist Bonnie Everett-Hawkes
http://www.guardianangelpublishing.com/blue-paint.htm
John shares his story of a painting job he had as a young man and the grumpy little man who came by to trick him out of fifty dollars.

 

CAMILLE'S JOURNEY MASTER & MUSICAL SCORES 

Angelic Harmony
by Dixie Phillips, Sharon Phillips, Lucy Robbins, Leslie Troyer
http://www.guardianangelpublishing.com/camille.htm
Spend your Christmas with Camille, an orphaned camel, as she leads three zany wise men and their bossy camels to the newborn King in Bethlehem. A Christmas musical-includes play, lyrics and musical scores.

 

CAPTAIN COURAGE & THE FEAR-SQUISHING SHOES

Littlest Angels
by Stacey A Marshall, artist Michelle Morse
http://www.guardianangelpublishing.com/captain-courage1.htm
The new girl at school shrivels until a unique superhero swoops in to the rescue, demonstrating specific ways to make self-confidence and courage soar.

 

JUST FOR TODAY

Littlest Angels
by Kevin McNamee, artist Marina Movshina
http://www.guardianangelpublishing.com/just-today.htm
You’ll love this gentle rhyming picture book about spending quality time with kids. All that’s needed is a little time, a lot of imagination and plenty of love.

  

 

LITTLE ISAAC'S BIG ADVENTURE 

Littlest Angels
by Tracy Helixon, artist Jack Foster
http://www.guardianangelpublishing.com/little-isaac.htm
What if you could swing so high that you landed on a cloud and traveled through the sky? Isaac did!  Join him on this adventure.

 

MYTH-BUSTING COLUMBUS

Academic Wings
by Kelly Bakshi
http://www.guardianangelpublishing.com/columbus.htm
Columbus convinced royals to fund his voyage; he forged new water routes and introduced Europe to a new world. He also lied to his crew, murdered and enslaved Native Americans, and never realized where in the world he actually was.

 

ONE FAMILY'S CHRISTMAS hardcover edition

Academic Wings
by Mary Jean Kelso, artist KC Snider
http://www.guardianangelpublishing.com/one-familys-christmas.htm
After a family's star for their Christmas tree is destroyed they resurrect the treetop angel carried across The Oregon Trail by a young pioneer and bring the story of The Christmas Angel full circle.

 

THE SKIN WE'RE IN: TSOOP series Book 6

Academic Wings
by Bill Kirk, artist Eugene Ruble
http://www.guardianangelpublishing.com/skin-tsoop.htm
An anatomical rhyme which describes all the names  and uses of the different tissues in the skin, including factoids and extra educational pages.

 

THE TOWN OF MASQUERADE 

Littlest Angels
by John Gayle, artist KC Snider
http://www.guardianangelpublishing.com/masquerade.htm
Explore an unusual town full of colorful expressions and childlike charm where two friends realize that the perfect mask might be easier to make than expected.

A new illustrated children's book from Guardian Angel Publishing, author Dixie Phillips and Journey Dai Muhammad, and artist K.C. Snider.  It will be coming soon!  Watch for it!

Oct. 12, 2012

Our local Central Oregon members of the Society for Children's Books Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) is having a "Meet and Greet" on October 12, 2012 at 6:00 PM.  It will be held at Madeline's Grill restaurant in Redmond, OR on the East side of Hwy. 97.  The address is 2414 S. Hwy 97 Redmond, OR  97756  phone number is 541-548-9964.  They have a semi-private room we can use and a menu with enough variety to please anyone.  If you want to come early, some of us will be there at 5:30 PM for the "happy hour."  Prices are reasonable and the plates are large!  Everyone pays their own way.  This is open to SCBWI members and an RSVP to me is required.  We are looking forward to meeting everyone!

Oct. 31, 2012

High Desert Society of the Arts will be in front of the Urban on Sixth building under The Redmond Arch handing out candy and flyers for our Art of Christmas Sale and Show in November.  Look for the Witch, that will be my publicist and friend, Sharon.  I usually am there to help hand out candy and flyers to around 2000 kids and parents, and lately, even animals like mini-horses and pigs!

Nov. 2-3, 2012

The 37th Snowflake Boutique held in the North Sisters Building at the Deschutes County Fair Grounds opens the Christmas buying season in Central Oregon.  For the last  few years, I have been the only book vendor at this event.  I sell the copies of children's illustrated books from Guardian Angel Publishing that I purchase.  Sometimes I am asked to give a brief interview with the local DJ of the radio station broadcasting the event live.  I only sell those books that I have illustrated but they are enough, they fill 2 wire rack display stands!
 

This year we had over 219 entries in the Open Fine Arts exhibit.  That was considerably more than past years.  The quality was way up over all making it very difficult to judge.  But it was a lot of fun!

Here is a long shot of the exhibit; even in this picture we are unable to show all the entries.


Here is one of me pinning Best of Show ribbon in the Professional Class  The picture below won a first place.   It took 7 hours after the 1 hour lunch we took to judge, choose, and place all the ribbons.

                          "The Powder Monkey" author Donna McDine and artist KC Snider.

                                               

This is a story about the  victims of the Press Gangs scouring the English countryside for young boys to become "powder monkeys" aboard the First Rate warships.  When in a sea battle, the ship's canons needed to be constantly supplied with exploding powder to send canon balls into the enemy ship.  Powder monkeys were expected to supply the bags of powder back and forth between the seamen and the powder storage below decks.  This is the story of one such boy.

"Andy and Spirit in Search and Rescue" by Mary Jean Kelso.  I have finished the illustrations for this newest story in the series which will be published later this year.  This story is an adventure for Andy, Tracy, and Spirit who rescue an abandoned family.  However, something, or someone, is missing!

Just got back from the Redmond Chamber of Commerce Friday Coffee Clatter.  What fun!  I had 10 of my books and 2 triptychs of original illustrations from "The Golden Pathway" and "The Town of Masquerade" on display. High Desert Society of the Arts was hosting the Clatter today which allowed us to show the business community who we are and what we do.  I sold 2 books after wards and got some people very interested in Guardian Angel Publishing..  Other members brought examples of their art work and some of them  sold work too.  I think we made a good impression!

I spent my 2 minutes showing the books from the 2 kids who were the Winner and Runner Up from the 4th Grade Writing Contest.  Most of the Chamber Members knew nothing about this project.  We explained how Kai Strand helped judge the writing and I judged the illustrations this year.  This is the contest shared by HDSA and the Writer's Guild.  We generated a lot of buzz among the Members with this.

Four of us took on various brief little speeches to say how we help the community in various art-related endeavors.  It opened some eyes when they realized we are not an artists' group but an ART group.  We used this platform to ask for members willing to help us go forward with with more community involvement and the importance of all forms of art to the education of our children.  We now have a lot of interest!

Reception at the Redmond Public Library was held for the Winners and Runners Up of the Redmond Schools Children's 4th Grade Writing Contest on Saturday March 10.  Kai Strand and myself were judges;  Kai judged the written stories and I judged the illustrations.  It was very hard to choose.  We had over 200  entries that had to be paired down to 27 Finalist and the Winner and Runner Up.

The Winner was Aryana Foster from Central Christian School and her illustrated book "The Mystery of the Missing Clown."  The Runner Up was Aspen Geisen from Tom McCall Elementary and his his illustrated book "Monkey Madness."  Both got their books published, had a book signing (I have 1 of each), and now several copies are available at the Redmond Library for check out.  I have been involved in this for about 4 years when Kathy Duffy started it all.  My has it grown!  It has been quite the adventure and is now handled by Central Oregon Writer's Guild.  The contest is sponsored, in part, by Central Oregon Writers Guild, High Desert Society of the Arts, and the Rotary Club of Redmond.

From left to right, back row KC Snider and Kai Strand
Front row left to right is Aspen Geisen and Aryana Foster

                                                                 

I had a one-woman show last week at the Regional Lions Club Convention held at Eagle Crest. I was invited to show and sell my illustrated books from Guardian Angel Publishing and some of my Western fine art original paintings.  I sold a print and over $300 worth of books.  Some of the books were donated to S.M.A.R.T. (Start Making a Reader Today) to go to the Terrebonne Community School (K-8th grade).

Sharon and I had a great free dinner and got to hear the main speaker. Kim Meeder who started the Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch.  She rescues abused horses and pairs them with troubled and abused children at no cost.  She is a very inspirational speaker and there was not a dry eye in the whole convention hall.

She has a couple of books out about her experiences in starting and running this ranch.  She invited me to come out and perhaps look at doing portraits of a couple of her rescued horses.  Looking forward to that!   She has quite a Christian ministry and it is done in a very subtle and loving way.

Redmond Merchants Association is planning an art walk on February 10, 2012 from 5pm to 8pm.  HDSA artists and others will be participating.  It is called Walk the HeART Beat.  I hope to be back at Arnold's Restaurant on the corner of 6th St. and Evergreen in the old Redmond Hotel again. When I was there in December, we definitely sold books and brought a lot of new traffic into this recently opened new business...and I like their food and prices!

I currently have several presentations of illustrations from the children's books I illustrate for Guardian Angel Publishing on display at the lobby of Home Federal Bank in Redmond, OR on the corner of 6th St. and Highland..  The exhibit lasts through February 2012.

Just received this announcement this morning.  Donna McDine's children's book, "The Golden Pathway" about the Underground Railroad received the Silver award from Lrterary Classics.  Here is the Press Release (in part):

Literary Classics Announces Youth Media International Book Award Winners

Snowflake Boutique is coming to the Deschutes County Fairgrounds Nov. 4th from 1pm to 8pm and 5th from 9am to 4pm.  I will be the only one with books for sale.  I also will be doing illustrations LIVE!

Art of Christmas will be 2.5 weeks later opening at 12 noon to 6pm Friday Nov. 25th for 9 days until Saturday Dec. 3 from 11am to 5pm.  Days and times are posted on my web site.