Case(wrap) of the Mondays

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

Crushes of the Week: August 20-26, 2023

This week's crushes:

1. May's Brave Day by Lucy Morris (Bloomsbury Publishing PLC, August 2023)
2. Rosie Runs by Marika Maijala and translated by Mia Spangenberg (Elsewhere Editions, August 2023)
3. Our Cat's Day by Radek Maly and Iku Dekune (Albatros Media, August 2023)
4. Granny Came Here on the Empire Windrush by Patrice Lawrence and Camilla Sucre (Nosy Crow, May 2023)
5. A Dive Into the Blue by Ellie Huynh and Bao Luu (Beaming Books, May 2023)
6. Yenebi's Drive to School by Sendy Santamaria (Chronicle Books, June 2023)
7. My Brain Is Magic: A Sensory-Seeking Celebration by Prasha Sooful and Geeta Ladi (Soaring Kite Books, April 2023)
8. Tree Whispers by Mandy Ross and Juliana Oakley (Child's Play International, May 2023)

       

Endpapers for the end of your week!

Let's Talk Illustrators #258: Shahrzad Maydani

I recently had a chance to interview Shahrzad Maydani, illustrator of Always Sisters: A Story of Loss and Love, written by Saira Mir. Shahrzad always finds powerful and meaningful projects to work on, and it was such a pleasure delving into her process for this book.

I do want to issue a light trigger warning for this interview, as the book deals heavily with topics related to neonatal death and grief.

Case(wrap) of the Mondays

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

Crushes of the Week: August 13-19, 2023

This week's crushes:

1. Fodo Dodo Goes Fishing by Édouard Manceau (Gecko Press, August 2023)
2. Come Over to My House by Eliza Hull, Sally Rippin, and Daniel Gray-Barnett (Hardie Grant Books, August 2023)
3. How Plants Talk by Helena Harastova and Linh Dao (Albatros Media, April 2023)
4. The Hidden World of Gnomes by Lauren Soloy (Tundra Books, June 2023)
5. Folktales for a Better World: Stories of Peace and Kindness by Elizabeth Laird and Mehrdokht Amini (Crocodile Books, February 2023)
6. Duck, Duck, Tiger by Brittany R. Jacobs (Beaming Books, May 2023)
7. Is This the Bus for Us? by Harriet Ziefert and Richard Brown (Red Comet Press, June 2023)
8. A Year of Good News by Martin Smatana (Boxer Books, April 2023)
9. Yenebi's Drive to School by Sendy Santamaria (Chronicle Books, June 2023)

 

     

Endpapers for the end of your week!

Let's Talk Illustrators #257: Andy Harkness

The illustration process behind Wolfboy Is Scared by Andy Harkness is truly one-of-a-kind, and the last thing I want to do is spoil it here before you can read about it below. But I will say this: Holy cow, this is a cool book! It was a delight getting a chance to talk to Andy about the second book in his fun-loving Wolfboy series, and I hope you enjoy our conversation!

Case(wrap) of the Mondays

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

Crushes of the Week: August 6-12, 2023

This week's crushes:

1. Where Have You Been, Little Cat? by Richard Jones (Peachtree Publishers, August 2023)
2. If Mama Sings by Laura Wittner and Maricel Clark (Crocodile Books, July 2023)
3. The Pumpernickel-Daffodil by Galia Bernstein (Abrams Books for Young Readers, June 2023)
4. A Curious Mind and a Very Big Heart: The Story of Designer and Innovator Sara Little Turnbull by Aura Lewis (Beach Lane Books, July 2023)
5. 10 Cats by Emily Gravett (Boxer Books, May 2023)
6. River of Mariposas by Mirelle Ortega (Cameron Kids, August 2023)
7. Sonny Says No! by Caryl Hart and Zachariah Ohora (Bloomsbury Publishing PLC, August 2023)
8. The Song That Called Them Home by David A. Robertson and Maya McKibbin (Tundra Books, April 2023)

       

Endpapers for the end of your week!

Let's Talk Illustrators #256: Julie Benbassat

It was love at first sight when I saw Julie Benbassat's illustrations in the wordless masterpiece The Book From Far Away, co-created by Bruce Handy. I am so happy that I got to talk to Julie about this project because it's her debut picture book, and it feels like an honor to talk to her at the very beginning of what I know will be an incredible career in illustrating children's books. Let the conversation take you far away!

Case(wrap) of the Mondays

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

Crushes of the Week: July 30-August 5, 2023

This week's crushes:

1. Who Am I? by Julie Buchholtz and Aliya Ghare (Sleeping Bear Press, July 2023)
2. Kantiga Finds the Perfect Name by Mabel Mnensa, Chantelle Thorne, and Burgen Thorne (Crocodile Books, July 2023)
3. Tribeca by Amanda Pearlstein, Howard Pearlstein, and Renate Potter (Marshall Cavendish Children, July 2023)
4. A River of Dust: The Life-Giving Link Between North Africa and the Amazon by Jilanne Hoffmann and Eugenia Mello (Chronicle Books, July 2023)
5. The Little Scottish Ghost by Franz Hohler and Werner Maurer (NorthSouth Books, July 2023)
6. If You Get Lost by Nikki Loftin and Deborah Marcero (Anne Schwartz Books, July 2023)

     

Endpapers for the end of your week!

Let's Talk Illustrators #255: Nani Brunini

I am thrilled to come back from my July hiatus with a book that features a wordless, highly-visual argument between two complementary colors. Okay, that's not exactly what Disagreement is about, BUT you can definitely see why I was immediately drawn to it! I got a chance to talk to Nani Brunini about her illustration and story processes for this beautiful picture book that takes something messy like a disagreement and shows the beauty that can come from it. Enjoy our conversation!