March 28, 2023

Let's Talk Illustrators #242: Rilla Alexander

You could say it's about time that I caught up with prolific author-illustrator Rilla Alexander, whose bold, graphic, and incredibly eye-catching illustrations have been taking up more and more room on my shelves over the years. Among many things, we talk about her career so far and her new book You Rule!. Happy reading!


March 27, 2023

Case(wrap) of the Mondays

We've got a case(wrap) of the Mondays!


March 25, 2023

Crushes of the Week: March 19-25, 2023

This week's crushes:
  1. No Fair! by Jacob Grant (Viking Books for Young Readers, March 2023)
  2. As Night Falls: Creatures That Go Wild After Dark by Donna Jo Napoli and Felicita Sala (Random House Studio, March 2023)
  3. 100 First Words: Nature by Edward Underwood (Candlewick Press, March 2023)
  4. Sometimes: A Day Full of Feelings by Stephanie Stansbie and Elisa Paganelli (Crown Books for Young Readers, February 2023)
  5. The Night Before Eid: A Muslim Family Story by Aya Khalil and Rashin Kheiriyeh (Christy Ottaviano Books-Little Brown and Hachette, March 2023)
  6. My Paati's Saris by Jyoti Rajan Gopal and Art Twink (Kokila, November 2022)
  7. Tiger & Cat by Allira Tee (Berbay Publishing, March 2023)
  8. The Secret Life of Bugs by Emmanuelle Figueras (Twirl, March 2023)
  9. Meet Frank by Mavis Lui (Tilbury House Publishers, March 2023)
        

March 23, 2023

MY BABA'S GARDEN

Poet Jordan Scott and illustrator Sydney Smith (the same award-winning duo behind I Talk Like a River) are back with their latest stunning title My Baba's Garden.



March 21, 2023

Let's Talk Illustrators #241: Steph Littlebird

I recently got a chance to talk to artist, curator, writer, and now picture book illustrator Steph Littlebird about My Powerful Hair, written by Carole Lindstrom. We discussed Steph's deep connection to Carole's manuscript and how her work always serves to educate people about the history of Indigenous people in America. I'm proud to share that interview here with you all today.


March 20, 2023

Case(wrap) of the Mondays

We've got a case(wrap) of the Mondays!


March 18, 2023

Crushes of the Week: March 12-18, 2023

This week's crushes:
  1. How Are You? by Edouard Manceau (Twirl, March 2023)
  2. My Momma Zo by Kelly Allen, Zoey Allen, and Tara O'Brien (UCLan Publishing, March 2023)
  3. The Tree Book by Hannah Alice (Candlewick Press, March 2023)
  4. What Does Little Crocodile Say at the Beach? by Eva Montanari (Tundra Books, March 2023)
  5. Trees: An Illustrated Celebration by Kelsey Oseid (Ten Speed Press, March 2023)
  6. Ancient Night by David Bowles and David Alvarez (Levine Querido, March 2023)
  7. The Brilliant Calculator: How Mathematician Edith Clarke Helped Electrify America by Jan Lower and Susan Reagan (Calkins Creek Books, March 2023)
      

March 14, 2023

Let's Talk Illustrators #240: Zoey Abbott

It feels bananas that I got a chance to talk to Zoey Abbott about her newest picture book Banana. I say bananas because in addition to this being a bananas story, the design of this book is also super on point when it comes to bananas (and cell phones). I hope you enjoy this chat as much as I did about a story many of us (even adults!) know all too well.


March 13, 2023

Case(wrap) of the Mondays

We've got a case(wrap) of the Mondays!


March 11, 2023

Crushes of the Week: March 5-11, 2023

This week's crushes:
  1. Eco Girl by Ken Wilson-Max (Candlewick Press, March 2023)
  2. My Little Thief by Augusten Burroughs and Bonnie Lui (Christy Ottaviano Books-Little Brown and Hachette, March 2023)
  3. How Old Is a Whale?: Animal Life Spans from the Mayfly to the Immortal Jellyfish by Lily Murray and Jesse Hodgson (Big Picture Press, March 2023)
  4. Frog by Maggie Li (Templar Books, March 2023)
  5. Big Truck Playdate by Laurie Carmody and Jennica Lounsbury (Beaming Books, March 2023)
  6. We Are Human Animals by Rosie Haine (Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, March 2023)
  7. Trying by Kobi Yamada and Elise Hurst (Compendium Publishing & Communications, December 2020)
  8. Pop-Up Forest by Fleur Daugey, Bernard Duisit, and Tom Vaillant (Thames & Hudson, March 2023)
     

March 7, 2023

Let's Talk Illustrators #239: Vivienne Chang & Eugenia Yoh

It was such a pleasure talking to besties and debut author-illustrator team Vivienne Chang & Eugenia Yoh about their picture book This Is Not My Home. This is not your conventional children's book duo, as the two conceived of the story and worked on the entire book together every step of the way. And you're about to see why! Enjoy our chat about this uniquely special book!


March 6, 2023

Case(wrap) of the Mondays

We've got a case(wrap) of the Mondays!


March 4, 2023

Crushes of the Week: February 26-March 4, 2023

This week's crushes:
  1. A is for Affrilachia by Frank X. Walker and Ronald W. Davis (University Press of Kentucky, February 2023)
  2. Zap! Clap! Boom!: The Story of a Thunderstorm by Laura Purdie Salas and Elly MacKay (Bloomsbury Publishing PLC, February 2023)
  3. Little Chicks by Taro Gomi (Chronicle Books, February 2023)
  4. Adam and His Tuba by Ziga X. Gombac and Maja Kastelic and translated by Olivia Hellewell (Northsouth Books, February 2023)
  5. Sisters in Science: Marie Curie, Bronia Dluska, and the Atomic Power of Sisterhood by Linda Elovitz Marshall and Anna and Elena Balbusso (Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers, February 2023)
  6. The Kindest Red: A Story of Hijab and Friendship by Ibtihaj Muhammad, S. K. Ali, and Hatem Aly (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, January 2023)