Let's Talk Illustrators #122: Paweł Pawlak

I was lucky enough to get a chance to talk to Polish author-illustrator Paweł Pawlak about his illustration and story processes for Oscar Seeks a Friend, a story I knew I would connect to from the cover alone. I dug a little deeper into the design of Paweł's book, and I hope you enjoy the interview!

Crushes of the Week: October 6-12, 2019

This week's crushes:

1. The Dark and the Light by Kerstin Hau and Julie Völk (NorthSouth Books, September 2019)
2. Hawks Kettle, Puffins Wheel: And Other Poems of Birds in Flight by Susan Vande Griek and Mark Hoffmann (Kids Can Press, September 2019)
3. My Footprints by Bao Phi and Basia Tran (Capstone Editions, September 2019)
4. Hello, Dinosaurs! by Sam Boughton (Templar, September 2019)
5. My Wild Cat by Isabelle Simler (Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, September 2019)
6. Lejos / Far by Juan Felipe Herrera and Blanca Gómez (Candlewick, September 2019)
7. Be Bold, Baby: J.K. Rowling by Alison Oliver (HMH Books for Young Readers, September 2019)
8. Old Man of the Sea by Stella Elia and Weberson Santiago (Lantana Publishing, September 2019)
9. Franklin and Luna and the Book of Fairy Tales by Jen Campbell and Katie Harnett (Thames & Hudson, September 2019)

        

Let's Talk Illustrators #121: Misa Saburi

I have yet ANOTHER favorite book about cats! But in my defense, this one is so unique and funny. Cats Are a Liquid by Rebecca Donnelly and Misa Saburi takes a very specific look at cat behavior and flexibility, shall we say. I talked to Misa about what it was like to have a dream come true and illustrate this fantastic, as of yet unexplored angle about our favorite felines for young readers. 

Crushes of the Week: September 29-October 5, 2019

This week's crushes:

1. Poop by Poppy Champignon and Mark Hoffmann (Cameron Kids, August 2019)
2. Helen's Birds by Sara Cassidy and Sophie Casson (Groundwood Books, September 2019)
3. Paper Mice by Megan Wagner Lloyd and Phoebe Wahl (Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books, May 2019)
4. Migrations: Open Hearts, Open Borders by ICPBS (Candlewick Studio, October 2019)
5. The ABCs of AOC: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez from A to Z by Jamia Wilson and Krystal Quiles (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, October 2019)
6. Animazes: Extraordinary Animal Migrations by Katie Haworth and Melissa Castrillón (Big Picture Press, September 2019)
7. Alphabet Street by Jonathan Emmett and Ingela P. Arrhenius (Nosy Crow, October 2019)

      

Let's Talk Illustrators #120: Cynthia Alonso

I caught up with Argentinian illustrator Cynthia Alonso about her newest illustrated book The Reader, written by Luciana De Luca. Cynthia pushes color and shape to the limit in The Reader, and the vibrancy and texture of the illustrations really drive home the text's invitation to explore imaginative new worlds. Take a closer look below!

Crushes of the Week: September 22-28, 2019

This week's crushes:

1. Alma and the Beast by Esmé Shapiro (Tundra Books, September 2019)
2. Oak Leaf by John Sandford (Cameron + Company, September 2019)
3. Maybe by Kobi Yamada and Gabriella Barouch (Compendium Publishing, September 2019)
4. Goodbye, Friend! Hello, Friend! by Cori Doerrfeld (Dial Books, July 2019)
5. Ping by Ani Castillo (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, September 2019)
6. The King of Kindergarten by Derrick Barnes and Vanessa Brantley-Newton (Nancy Paulsen Books, July 2019)
7. Look, It's Raining by Mathieu Pierloot and Maria Dek (Princeton Architectural Press, September 2019)
8. Bauhaus Ballet by Lesley Barnes and Gabby Dawnay (Laurence King Publishing, October 2019)

       

UNDER THREAT

Under Threat: An Album of Endangered Animals is the stunning collaboration between nonfiction author Martin Jenkins and graphic designer Tom Frost.

Let's Talk Illustrators #119: Carlos Aponte

When I saw Carlos Aponte's Across the Bay, I was immediately struck by the use of bold lines and vibrant colors that I saw on the cover. And then I read the story, which confirmed my suspicions that this is indeed a special book. I caught up with Carlos about it, and I even got some illustrations from the cutting room floor that I can share! Enjoy!

Crushes of the Week: September 15-21, 2019

This week's crushes:

1. Proud to Be Latino: Food/Comida by Ashley Marie Mireles and Edith Valle (Familius, September 2019)
2. Amy Wu and the Perfect Bao by Kat Zhang and Charlene Chua (Aladdin, October 2019)
3. Your First Day of Circus School by Tara Lazar and Melissa Crowton (Tundra Books, June 2019)
4. The Rhythm of the Rain by Grahame Baker-Smith (Templar, August 2019)
5. You Smell!: (and so does everything else) by Clive Gifford and Pete Gamlen (Laurence King Publishing, October 2019)
6. American Gargoyles: Save the Wentworth by Neil Cohen (Rare Bird Books, June 2019)

     

A DIFFERENT STORY

A Different Story by Adolfo Serra reminds readers that although we are all unique, we're all similar in a lot of ways, too.