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.

Let's Talk Illustrators #118: Jenni Desmond

I was lucky enough to chat with Jenni Desmond about her newest picture book Migration, written by Mike Unwin. Jenni is known for working on books with environmental themes, and her illustrations in Migration are another feather in her overflowing cap of beautiful books. Enjoy our conversation!

Crushes of the Week: September 8-14, 2019

This week's crushes:

1. Mermaid Dreams by Kate Pugsley (Tundra Books, April 2019)
2. Hats Are Not for Cats! by Jacqueline K. Rayner (Clarion Books, August 2019)
3. Button and Popper by Oili Tanninen (Thames & Hudson, September 2019)
4. Blue Cat by Charlie Eve Ryan (Starberry Books, October 2019)
5. Little Tigers by Jo Weaver (Peachtree Publishing Company, October 2019)
6. Thank You! by Charo Pita and Anuska Allepuz (Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, August 2019)

     

ENCYCLOPEDIA OF GRANNIES

Eric Veillé's previous picture book My Pictures After the Storm accidentally passed me right by, and I whole-heartedly regret not reviewing it. So naturally I was pretty psyched to see Encyclopedia of Grannies absolutely measures up in terms of design and content. Each spread examines a different facet of "Granny": what's inside granny's bed, why do grannies travel by bus, why do grannies have creases, etc. And Veillé's answers are witty, inclusive, and thoughtful.

THE FATE OF FAUSTO

The Fate of Fausto by Oliver Jeffers is a cautionary tale that reminds readers of the fate that awaits selfish people.

Let's Talk Illustrators #117: Ingela P. Arrhenius

I caught up with Ingela P. Arrhenius, book creator extraordinaire. Each one of Ingela's books is unique in design, from die-cuts to oversize trim sizes, from board books to picture books. Today I'm talking to Ingela about her Bookscape Board Book series, which is seeing two titles––A Marvelous Museum and A Forest's Seasons––publish in the US today. Enjoy our conversation!