Let's Talk Illustrators #109: Ximo Abadía

Recently, I got a chance to chat with European illustrator Ximo Abadia about Goliath: The Bow Who Was Different. Ximo has a lot of books coming out right now, and there's a reason his stories are in  such high-demand. Each one is thought-provoking in addition to graphically stunning, and Goliath is no exception. 

Crushes of the Week: May 12-18, 2019

This week's crushes:

1. Blooming Beneath the Sun by Christina Rossetti and Ashley Bryan (Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books, April 2019)
2. You Are Light by Aaron Becker (Candlewick Studio, March 2019)
3. Daniel's Good Day by Micha Archer (Nancy Paulsen Books, May 2019)
4. Teddy: The Remarkable Tale of a President, a Cartoonist, a Toymaker and a Bear by James Sage and Lisk Feng (Kids Can Press, May 2019)
5. The Invisible Garden by Valerie Picard and Marianne Ferrer (Orca Book Publishers, April 2019)
6. How to Light Your Dragon by Fred Benaglia and Didier Levy (Thames & Hudson, June 2019)
7. Adopting a Dinosaur by Jose Carlos Andres and Ana Sanfelippo (Nubeocho, June 2019)
8. Pedro's Pan: A Gold Rush Story by Matthew Lasley and Jacob Souva (Alaska Northwest Books, February 2019)

       

Let's Talk Illustrators #108: Rowboat Watkins

It was such a treat chatting with Rowboat Watkins about his latest picture book Most Marshmallows. And I'm not just saying "treat" because the main characters are made from real-life marshmallows but because Rowboat is an absolute pleasure to try to unravel. Enjoy our chat!

Crushes of the Week: May 5-11, 2019

This week's crushes:

1. Lion of the Sky: Haiku for All Seasons by Laura Purdie Salas and Merce Lopez (Millbrook Press, April 2019)
2. The Tide by Clare Helen Welsh and Ashling Lindsay (Tiger Tales, April 2019)
3. Nature All Around: Trees by Pamela Hickman and Carolyn Gavin (Kids Can Press, April 2019)
4. A Book About Whales by Andrea Antinori (Abrams Books for Young Readers, May 2019)
5. Kahlo's Koalas: 1, 2, 3, Count Art with Me by Grace Helmer (Andrews McMeel Publishing, April 2019)
6. Mom Loves Little Jumbo: Hello, I am Jumbo by Yasushi Muraki (minedition, May 2019)
7. Norm by Sylvia Liang (Thames & Hudson, May 2019)

      

Let's Talk Illustrators #107: Zeke Peña

I am super excited to present my interview with award winning illustrator Zeke Peña about My Papi Has a Motorcycle, his latest collaboration with author Isabel Quintero. I was immediately drawn to this book because of its graphic novel elements, and it was a pleasure picking Zeke's brain about how he utilizes those elements within a picture book format. 

Crushes of the Week: April 28-May 4, 2019

This week's crushes:

1. A Children's Book of Demon by Aaron Leighton (Koyama Press, July 2019)
2. Let's Learn Japanese: First Words for Everyone by Aurora Cacciapuoti (Chronicle Books, March 2019)
3. Red Light, Green Lion by Candace Ryan and Jennifer Yerkes (Kids Can Press, May 2019)
4. The Little Pink Rosebud by Jennifer Shand, Sally Garland, and Sara Cone Bryant (Flowerpot Press, March 2019)
5. The Whale, the Sea and the Stars by Adrián Macho (Floris Books, July 2019)
6. When the Stars Come Out: Exploring the Magic and Mysteries of the Nighttime by Nicola Edwards and Lucy Cartwright (360 Degrees, March 2019)
7. Perfectly Polite Penguins by Georgiana Deutsch and Ekaterina Trukhan (Tiger Tales, April 2019)

      

Crushes of the Week: April 21-27, 2019

This week's crushes:

1. Ida and the Whale by Rebecca Gugger and Simon Röthlisberger (NorthSouth Books, March 2019)
2. We Are the Change: Words of Inspiration from Civil Rights Leaders by Harry Belafonte (Chronicle Books, May 2019)
3. My Dad, My Hero by Ethan Long (Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, April 2019)
4. The Little Black Fish by Samad Behrangi, Farshid Mesghali, and Azita Rassi (Tiny Owl Publishing, April 2019)
5. Beastly Puzzles: A Brain-Boggling Animal Guessing Game by Rachel Poliquin and Byron Eggenschwiler (Kids Can Press, May 2019)
6. The Moon by Hannah Pang and Thomas Hegbrook (360 Degrees, April 2019)
7. Frankie Frog and the Throaty Croakers by Freya Hartas (Albert Whitman & Company, April 2019)

       

Let's Talk Illustrators #106: Soyeon Kim

I got a chance to talk to paper cut extraordinaire Soyeon Kim about her newest book You Are Never Alone, written by Elin Kelsey. I have admired her illustration style for many years, and it was such a pleasure picking her brain about how she makes each new book with Elin feel unique. Enjoy!!