More of My Favorite Picture Books

As promised, here are a few more of my fav-o-rite picture books. Mmmmmm. Picture book love. It's the best.

Ira Sleeps Over, Bernard Waber
My Friend Bear, Jez Alborough
Mrs. Toggle's Zipper, Robin Pulver
Pete's A Pizza, William Steig
The Dog Who Had Kittens, Polly M. Robertus
Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse, Kevin Henkes
Ginger, Charlotte Voake
How I Became A Pirate, Melinda Long

Do you have more?

My Favorite Picture Books

Wow. I mean, how long can you neglect your blog only to find it waiting for you, tail wagging, ears bouncing, when you return? Apparently quite awhile, thank goodness.

But today is a new day, a new, perfect day to discuss picture books. (What day isn't?) So, in no order, here are my fav-o-rites.

The Old Woman Who Named Things, Cynthia Rylant
All the Places to Love, Patricia Maclachlan
The New Girl and Me, Jacqui Robbins
The Day The Babies Crawled Away, Peggy Rathman
Orville, A Dog Story, Haven Kimmel
Sylvester and the Magic Pebble, William Steig
The Going to Bed Book, Sandra Boynton
I Ain't Gonna Paint No More, Karen Beaumont
Zilla Sasparilla and the Mud Baby, Judith Gorog
The Red Bird, Astrid Lindgren
Louella Mae, She's Run Away, Karen Beaumont Alarcon
When I Met the Wolf Girls, Deborah Noyes
The Velveteen Rabbit, Margery Williams

I know I'll think of more the second I publish this post.
What are your all-time favs?

Urgently Seeking Ursula

I recently finished reading Leonard S. Marcus' Dear Genius: The Letters of Ursula Nordstrom, which follows Nordstrom's long and distinguished publishing career at Harpers Books for Boys and Girls. Wow. It's like eavesdropping on some of the most fascinating people in kid lit.

Beginning in 1937 with a letter to Laura Ingalls Wilder about On The Banks of Plum Creek, when Nordstrom was an assistant to then-editor Ida Louise Raymond, and continuing through her rise to head the department and beyond, Nordstrom's letters are filled with wit, enthusiasm for her authors and illustrators, and her expert knowledge of publishing. This book is a treasure for those who want to learn about the roots of children's publishing, when authors and illustrators published with just one house for the length of their careers. People like Maurice Sendak, Else Holmelund Minarik, Ruth Krauss, Margaret Wise Brown, E.B. White. Fascinating.

And while the letters are filled with editorial thoughts and questions about current projects, they are not all business. They also contain the mundane details of Nordstrom's life--that the newspaper is no longer being delivered because someone ran into the mailbox, the names of her dogs, how she hated living in New York city, and her inquiries about her readers' lives and families. Her letters have the feel of a note from your witty and wonderful dear Aunt Maude. They are pre-email, pre-internet, even pre-computer. A treasure.

And as truly fascinating as the publishing history is of books like Where the Wild Things Are and Charlotte's Web, and it is fascinating, perhaps the thing that struck me most was Nordstrom's nourishment of and love for her artists and writers. She was an incredible champion for her talent. An amazing lady.

Another Writing Contest

I found another great writing contest! This time in the Kansas City Star. Here's how it works: the Star prints a picture; you write a fake caption. It's fast--results are announced the following week--and you can email your submission. Perfect! The kicker: you've got less than 24 hours to submit your best stuff.

So I entered for the first time last Friday, 6/12, on DTV Conversion Day. Although I didn't win the $25 gift card, I was a runner-up. I couldn't get a link to page C7, so here's my caption for this crazy picture:

http://www.kansascity.com/806/story/1245277.html

"Ecstatic over his win in the inaugural DTV Conversion Day Awards, former rock star Melvin Bliggle takes home the Silver Spring."

I've missed the deadline for this week (rats), but I'm gonna enter again when I can. After all, it's a writing contest, and you know how I loves me some writing contests.

One of My Favorite Picture Books

I discovered Orville: A Dog Story by accident. I might have been researching the publisher, Clarion, or perhaps I was wandering in the "K" section at my library. Either way, I lucked out. The supreme beauty of Haven Kimmel's Orville is its luscious blend of raw emotion and perfectly chosen words, the essence of a great picture book. And it doesn't hurt that it features a dog, another of my all-time favorite things.

Picture book writers desiring an example of a great first sentence need only look at Orville's. It hits you right between the eyes:

"He was so lost, and had been lost for so long, that when the early April thunderstorm blew in like a freight train, the dog lay down in the culvert, covered his eyes with his paws, and decided to never get up again."

Wow. It's poetry. It's raw. It's literary. And it doesn't stop with the first sentence. There's a great story there, filled with longing, conflict, and resolution. It's a novel in miniature, a love story. Published in 2003 and written for older picture book readers, Orville is not typical of today's lighter, bouncier, funny picture books. It's the kind of book I'd like to have written.

Children's Book Week

It's Children's Book Week! And to celebrate, I read some of my picture books to two of my favorite elementary classes. What great audiences they were! Thanks to Mrs. Arth, Ms. Alvis and Mrs. Caywood and all your great students (especially my two favorites)!

Keep reading and writing!

My Debut Picture Book

You asked for it! Okay, not all of you. But a few did. Okay two. Two of my friends. So here it is! THE EASTER BUNNY, my debut picture book, written and illustrated by my 10-year old self. (P.S. World rights still available. Call me.)

The first thing you'll notice is the unique cover paper. Made from recycled wallpaper sample books, this stunning volume seamlessly melds art and text. And it's sparkly.

Notice how the animal motif (bunny, tiger) builds on itself on the inside front cover. The title page is simple, yet classic in design, punctuated by a single flower in the top right corner. (And yes, I went through a period where I bubbled the dot above my i's. Cool, huh?)

Page 1. The problem

Page 2. The community gets involved


Page 3. Mole knows something

Page 4. Mole spills (!!)


Page 5. Mumble, mumble

Page 6. Quick! To your homes!

Page 7. The big finish


What I learned by writing and illustrating my own book? You don't have to start big. You just have to start. What will you write today?