Let's Talk Illustrators #98: LK James

I got a chance to catch up with LK James about her debut book The Full House and the Empty House, a powerful allegory about the complexities of inequality in friendships. It's a book I've been waiting for since I saw the cover many moons ago, and when I finally got to read the book I was pleased to see that the story hits every single note I'd hoped it would. It was a pleasure talking to LK, and I hope you enjoy our conversation about her rather impressive debut book.

Crushes of the Week: February 10-16, 2019

This week's crushes:

1. A Day with Yayah by Nicola I. Campbell and Julie Flett (Crocodile Books, March 2018)
2. Little Plane by Taro Gomi (Chronicle Books, March 2019)
3. City by Ingela P. Arrhenius (Candlewick Studio, September 2018)
4. Ahmed's Journey: A Story of Self-Discovery by Jill Apperson Manly (JABU Books, January 2019)
5. Eliza: The Story of Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton by Margaret McNamara and Esme Shapiro (Schwartz & Wade, October 2018)
6. It Jes' Happened: When Bill Traylor Started to Draw by Don Tate and R. Gregory Christie (Lee & Low Books, May 2019 –– Paperback)
7. The Great Indoors by Julie Falatko and Ruth Chan (Disney-Hyperion, April 2019)
8. Not Your Nest! by Gideon Sterer and Andrea Tsurumi (Dial Books, March 2019)

       

WHO AM I?

Who Am I? by Tristan Mory and Stephanie Babin is an interactive board book with pull tabs that create fun animal shapes! I'm a little late to the game with this one, but I'm so glad I found it.

Let's Talk Illustrators #97: John Martz

John Martz is a cartoonist, illustrator, designer, and typographer, so it's safe to say he basically lives and breathes art. His newly illustrated book How to Give Your Cat a Bath: in Five Easy Steps, written by Nicola Winstanley, is a testament to John's mastery of artistic elements like motion and body language. I got a chance to chat with him about this book and his other artistic endeavors, and I'm excited to share that here today. Enjoy!

STAY, BENSON!

Stay, Benson! by Thereza Rowe is an energetic, colorful, and deceptively simple book about a dog who is MOSTLY a good boy.

Crushes of the Week: February 3-9, 2019

I've had the flu the past couple of weeks, so to make up for lost time, here are a bunch of crushes:

1. Catch Me: A Seek-and-Find Book by Anders Arhoj (Chronicle Books, March 2019)
2. Contrary Creatures: Unique Animal Opposites by James Weinberg (Page Street Kids, October 2018)
3. Magnificent Birds by Narisa Togo (Candlewick Studio, September 2018)
4. Eye Spy: Wild Ways Animals See the World by Guillaume Duprat (What on Earth Books, October 2018)
5. The Book Tree by Rashin Kheiriyeh and Paul Czajak (Barefoot Books, September 2018)
6. No! I Won't Go to School by Alonso Nuñez, Bruna Assis Brasil, and Dave Morrison (Tilbury House Publishers, July 2018)
7. The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost and Vivian Mineker (Familius, March 2019)
8. Mega Meltdown: The Weird and Wonderful Animals of the Ice Age by Jack Tite (Blueprint Editions, November 2018)
9. Pies from Nowhere: How Georgia Gilmore Sustained the Montgomery Bus Boycott by Dee Romito and Laura Freeman (little bee books, November 2018)
10. Rebel Voices: The Global Fight for Women's Equality and the Right to Vote by Louise Kay Stewart and Eve Lloyd Knight (Crocodile Books, October 2018)
11. P Is for Pterodactyl: The Worst Alphabet Book Ever by Raj Haldar, Maria Beddia, and Chris Carpenter (Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, November 2018)

          

THE BELL RANG

The Bell Rang by James E Ransome is the story of a girl who experiences heartbreak and fear when her brother runs away from home to escape a life of slavery.

#kidlitpicks January Round-Up: 18 Nature Books

The human spirit thrives in nature. When we connect to our natural world it can create feelings of happiness and connectedness with others. Breathing in that fresh air sends a rush of good vibes to our brains and exploring all of nature’s creatures and beauty is just another avenue to learning. So this month, why don’t we celebrate the wonder of nature in picture books?! The singing birds, buzzing bees, crashing waves or swaying trees? Find and share any books that illustrate the wondrous environment around us and pay homage to our sweet Mother Nature.

During January the @kidlitpicks book club featured books about nature. Thanks to Angelique from Heads Shoulders Knees for the inspirational theme!