By: Julie Fortenberry,
on 2/13/2009
Cards created by Ian Falconer (above), Kevin Henkes, Brian Selznick, and Marla Frazee.
The auction continues at shop.ebay.com/save the children with work by LeUyen Pham (below), RosemaryWells, and Mo Willems.
By: Jen W.,
on 9/25/2008
On Tuesday night, First Book had the incredible pleasure of attending the third annual Carle Honors event, held at the University Club in New York City!
The Carle Honors, sponsored by the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, is a unique set of awards designed to recognize four distinct forms of creative vision and long-term dedication to the art of the picture book and its vital role in supporting art appreciation, early literacy, and critical thinking. This year’s amazing list of honorees included Maurice Sendak (Artist), Vanita and Jim Oelschlager (Angels), Susan Hirschman (Mentor), and Jim Trelease (Bridge).
And what an amazing evening it was! Everywhere one looked, there was an author or illustrator standing nearby – people like Chris Van Allsburg, Jon Scieszka, Rosemary Wells, Eric Carle, Kevin Henkes, Ashley Bryan, Matthew Reinhart, Robert Sabuda, Leonard Marcus, and Lois Ehlert, just to name a few in attendance. It was incredible to encounter so many talented people gathered all in one room!
In celebration of 2008’s Carle Honors recipients, First Book is happy to announce that we will be donating 5,000 new books to children in need in New York and Western Massachusetts. We’d also like to take a moment to thank our wonderful friends at the Carle, especially Museum Director Nick Clark, Assistant Director Rebecca Goggins and Board Member Leonard S. Marcus for their amazing support of First Book’s mission and for continuing to help bring the magic of books to children everywhere!
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By: Sara Lewis Holmes,
on 10/23/2007
Jules, at 7-Imp, has tossed out a brief and burning question to writers. At the Southern Festival of Books, she heard Rosemary Wells say:
By: Betsy Bird,
on 4/29/2007
No theme this week. I'm feeling all kinds of lazy. So let us plumb the internet itself, sans rhyme or reason, and come up with tasty tidbits in and of themselves.
This one comes from Adrienne at What Adrienne Thinks About That. Her boss apparently sent it to her. Those of us in the profession can relate. And I was delighted to see that it also displays a death-by-closed-stacks portion that is reminiscent of a movie my husband made in college.
In the realm of "oh, THAT's how it's done!" I bring you an explanation for how graphic novel illustration works via computer. Like the Bone books? Of course you do. You are a beautiful, intelligent, highly motivated individual. As such, you will enjoy this view of coloring in Thorn from the books. I just think that it's cool that you get to draw on the actual screen.
Julie at Children's Illustration recently had a small tribute to Bill Baird and Company over at her site. First off, it's very interesting to watch pre-Muppet puppets. Plus the song is fairy trippy in and of itself. Betcha you won't see the iron lung coming, though.
How come no one names their daughters Cora anymore? I think Cora is going to have a second coming. GO CORA! Julie, I should note, also located this neat interview with Brian Selznick about his latest. You may have heard of it. It's something something Hugo something, I think.
Which led to me to the discovery of this Expanded Books website. And that, in turn, led me to the discovery of something the Buffy fans amongst us will find odd. Look! It's Tara! Writing books! The book itself isn't all that thrilling, but it's nice to see Amber Benson getting work of one kind or another.
We'll do a 180 after this and show the direct opposite of horror novels with an interview with Rosemary Wells. Anyone who has ever worked with Ms. Wells will tell you that the woman is... a pistol, let's say. Yes. That sounds about right. A pistol. Well, here she is doing the sweetness and light bit.
Pistol, I say.
Posted on 4/5/2007
Our favorite Easter picture book is Max's Chocolate Chicken by Rosemary Wells. Max and Ruby are typical siblings. They have a love/hate relationship. Maybe hate is a bit strong. But anyway, I know my little ones relate to their relationship. Ruby is bossy. Max is clumsy and curious.
In Max's Chocolate Chicken, the Easter Bunny brings a huge chocolate chicken to the kids. Whoever collects the most eggs gets the chocolate chicken prize. When Max realizes that there is no way he will win the Easter Egg Hunt, he grabs the chocolate chicken, hides in the hollow of a tree, and eats it. Will Easter be ruined for Ruby? No. The Easter Bunny will pay her another visit.
So, this book is the funniest Easter picture book we like. It obviously isn't the most touching or religious. But we like it.
My daughter is allergic to eggs, so I'm trying to figure out if there is a way to color eggs without her reacting. My mom suggested blowing the insides out and bleaching the empty shells. I'm also on a mission looking for a great eggless sugar cookie recipe for Saturday's Easter Party.
In random other news, I'm having a blast with my family here. What's better for Easter than to celebrate life with family? I hope you all have a wonderful weekend, whether or not you are of the Christian persuasion or not.
But if you are Christian, I heard something I've been thinking about...If we didn't have Easter, we wouldn't celebrate Christmas. We celebrate Christmas because Jesus died for us and was resurrected. These are the most important things He did for us.
Posted on 2/12/2007
Rosemary Wells considers herself a Professional Illogical Thinker, given that creative career-people (like writers and artists) are opposite of logic-based career-people (such as professors and lawyers).
PICTURE BOOKS
-How does she get her ideas? She has a 'junk drawer'. If she throws all the junk together and puts in a kaleidoscope, it becomes something marvelous. WRITING IS ADDING LIGHT TO JUNK.
-Wells loves art stores. She loves to buy everything.
-In a picture book, THE STORY IS IT. It must be strong enough to be read 500 times without boring the reader. Other genres do not have to withstand this test. Only a small percentage can write for children.
-Maurice Sendak's editor at Harper once said, "I am a former child, and I have forgotten nothing."
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
-Children come to school with various amounts of pre-knowledge. Just as a mechanic cannot fix a car without the right parts, a teacher cannot help a child without the right basis for learning.
-The US is seriously in trouble because parents are not proactive enough.
-In a recent study, 60% of teachers in the midwest said that the #1 problem they deal with is parental involvement.
-Wells does not write about issues, but she hopes to share her passion for family and the importance of reading through her speaches.
-She has a new book coming out, A Shining Star. It is a companion book to Read to your Bunny. A Shining Star has 10 characteristics Rosemary Wells believes are crucial to a child's learning.
1. Respect
2. Listening
3. Patience
4. Trust
5. Work
6. Honesty
7. Children spell love T-I-M-E
8. Reading
9. Writing/Drawing
10. Good Habits/Schedule
These are things that must be learned at home to prepare a child to learn at school. School can open up the world to a child at age 5, IF PARENTS HAVE PREPARED THEM AND CONTINUE TO BE INVOLVED.
If you would like to know more about how Rosemary Wells feels about this topic, read her speech HERE.
A COUPLE RANDOM THINGS ABOUT ROSEMARY WELLS
-She hates TV/video games. Surround children with books.
-She is working on a new mid-grade called Father Abraham. It is about Abraham Lincoln as a father.
-She loves the Maisy books, Margaret Wise Brown, Babar books, Tomie dePaola and David Shannon's Fergus.
Posted on 1/30/2007
I usually blog on Monday, and if I don't, I blog Tuesday morning. But this week I didn't because I was too busy reading this:
HOPE WAS HERE by Joan Bauer (think she's related to Jack?) is an excellent novel that will appeal to fans of Deborah Wiles (Each Little Bird that Sings and Love, Ruby Lavender).
I am also reading many picture books by Rosemary Wells. MAX'S CHOCOLATE CHICKEN is a bundle of fun.
I have been waiting and waiting for Stephenie Meyer's book, TWILIGHT, at the library. And I really hope I get it by this weekend.
So, why am I reading up on Joan Bauer, Rosemary Wells, and Stephenie Meyer? I am going to see them on Saturday at BYU's Midwinter Books for Young Readers Symposium. AND it looks like there will be plenty of time for questions. So, come on, don't be shy...what questions would you like me to ask these brilliant authors?
Because, here's a confession. I hate speaking on-the-spot. Ask me to speak in front of a group, and sure, I don't have a problem with that if I am prepared. If I go there, questions-in-hand, I'll be perfectly fine and composed. If I go unprepared, I'll sweat, turn read, stutter, and probably chicken-out of asking anything at all.
Ah, the Meaning of It All. I love it when I can come here and you explain that all to me.
Process is so personal, don't you think? Not personal as in, "None of your beeswax," but personal as in you like bagels (if you do) and I like oatmeal.
But I think you and I can both agree that coffee is an integral part of our writing process. Cheers, Coffee Buddy.
If I become an author, can I drink more coffee -- and with you two?
I've already said this, but I love this post.
Glad you bought my "explanation" Robin. And I agree on the personal. I think the reason we DO write is to figure out what we truly think, and that is as unique as each person.
jules: I have the biggest latte in the world waiting for you, if you decide to join Robin and I in our craziness.
I work at a school for the arts and our unofficial motto is "It's not the product, it's the process." For students who continually focus on the product and not the journey that helps them arrive at the end product, process is a hard concept to understand. Yet, for those learning their craft and for those who really want to enjoy their craft, I personally think that process is everything.
OK, Sara? BRILLIANT. I looooove this. I just wrote my own response, too, but not nearly so witty, I fear:
http://liz-scanlon.livejournal.com/38753.html
Thanks, Liz. I'll run over right now in my jammies and read it.
And welcome Deb! I agree that the relationship between process and product is extremely tricky. Everyone wants something to show for their hard work and so we value product. And of course, it IS valuable. After all, I wouldn't want my favorite authors or artists to say: Sorry, no more books or paintings!
But each product is also a record of our process in making it, and the act of making it changes us, too. How great that you get to work with students who are discovering all this!
Oh you are SO inside my head. That's MY process too. And I'll even cop to it.
I have to go compose a process post of my own now.
And for what it's worth, every book has a different proces for me.
Not to come off sounding like the cranky old man who has literally slept only 7 hours in the last three days (weird insomnia), but what makes Rosemary Wells think she can speak on behalf of good writers?
Good work, Sara.
I read her comment, then I read it again, then I massaged my forehead and reread it -- and yep, it still said the same thing. I'm betting that Ms Wells was tired and in need of a sit down or a break. Or maybe a quiet cup of coffee. This sounds like one of those comments made while Under the Influence in decades past, everybody nodding and treating the words as pearls of wisdom.
Process is alive and kicking! I believe in the product, but the process is what the product's all about. Without a process that one has honed into something very personal, like a tool that fits only one's own hand, the product will never see the light of day.
Ha--like your twisted process. Quotes like Wells' remind me of why I *always* preface presentations with, "These are just my opinions and what works for me. There are lots of ways to write, and every writer will have different suggestions. Just use what you think might work for you and ignore the rest."
Yikes.
Ah... coffee is process? Yeah, I'm with that.