Gone Fishing

I'm taking the next few weeks off to attend some conferences (come say hello if you'll be at Children's Institute or the American Library Association's Annual conference!), but I'll be back first thing in July. Until then, I recommend checking out all the favorites lists, which are all updated as I find books to add to them. Have a great few weeks, and see you in July!

           

Crushes of the Week: June 1-7, 2025

This week's crushes:

1. The Paper Bridge by Joelle Veyrenc and Seng Soun Ratanavanh, translated by Katy Lockwood-Holmes (Floris Books, May 2025)
2. George & Lenny Are Always Together by Jon Agee (Rocky Pond Books, May 2025)
3. Party Rhyme by Antonia Pesenti (Scribble US, May 2025)
4. Clara and the Man with Books in His Window by María Teresa Andruetto and Martina Trach, translated by Elisa Amado (Greystone Kids, May 2025)
5. The History of We by Nikkolas Smith (Kokila, May 2025)
6. The Ordinary Life of Jacominus Gainsborough by Rébecca Dautremer, translated by Charis Ainslie
7. Tiger, Don't Worry! by Daishu Ma (Post Wave, May 2025)
8. Music of the Mountains by Sabrina Shah and Manal Mirza (Barefoot Books, May 2025)

       

Endpapers for the end of your week!

Down to the Last Detail: UNNATURALLY BLUE

Yesterday I shared my interview with Byron Eggenschwiler, but I can't get over the spot gloss detailing on the cover of this book and had to show it off for you all! It makes me feel like I'm under the water, too!

Let's Talk Illustrators #366: Byron Eggenschwiler

I am so pleased to present my in-depth chat with Byron Eggenschwiler about the gorgeous-from-top-to-bottom Unnaturally Blue, written by Dorson Plourde! This book is seriously beautiful with a keen attention to design detail, and it was an honor getting a chance to talk to Byron about how it all came together. Enjoy!!

Case(wrap) of the Mondays

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

Endpapers for the end of your week!

Down to the Last Detail: THE GLASS PYRAMID

Absolutely stunning spot gloss on the cover of this book! What a gorgeous detail!

Let's Talk Illustrators #365: Susie Ghahremani

I have long been a fan of Susie Ghahremani. It was her award-winning book Stack the Cats that put her on my radar (see my review from almost 9 years ago to the day here), and I've been itching to find an opportunity to interview her since. It turns out, Rosemary Long Ears was that opportunity! Tune in below to check out the process behind creating it.

Case(wrap) of the Mondays

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

Crushes of the Week: May 18-24, 2025

This week's crushes:

1. Precious by Carlos Aponte (Nancy Paulsen Books, May 2025)
2. Nightsong by Sally Soweol Han (Bloomsbury Children's Books, May 2025)
3. Sloth and Squirrel on Vacation by Cathy Ballou Mealey and Kelly Collier (Kids Can Press, May 2025)
4. Gymnastica Fantastica! by Briony Stewart (Viking Books for Young Readers, May 2025)
5. Diggers, Dozers, and Dumpers by Ole Könnecke (Gecko Press, May 2025)
6. No One Is Home by Mikolaj Pa and Gosia Herba and translated by Scotia Gilroy (Greystone Kids, April 2025)
7. A Seed in the Universe by Elyon Liu (Post Wave, April 2025)

      

Endpapers for the end of your week!

Down to the Last Detail: ON THE MOVE

Does this dog make this barcode look long? Who's to say! Sure is a cute detail, though!

Let's Talk Illustrators #324: Jenny Lucander

Today I'm talking to Jenny Lucander about Freya and the Snake, written by Fredrik Sonck. You can tell from the cover that this is a playful book with a lot of serious layers to it, and I'm excited to share our conversation here about the process behind making the illustrations for this unique book. Enjoy!

Case(wrap) of the Mondays

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

Crushes of the Week: May 11-17, 2025

This week's crushes:

1. Octavio and His Glasses by Marc González Rossell (Kids Can Press, May 2025)
2. Six Little Sticks by Tiffany Stone and Ruth Hengeveld (Greystone Kids, May 2025)
3. Frank's Red Hat by Sean E. Avery (Walker Books Australia, May 2025)
4. Next to Me by Daniel Salmieri and Sophia Haas (Rocky Pond Books, May 2025)
5. How to Spot a Mermaid by Jane Yolen and Sally Deng (Chronicle Books, April 2025)
6. Life: The Wild Wonders of Biodiversity by Jennifer N. R. Smith (Thames & Hudson, April 2025)
7. Kitty Camp: A Picture Book by Drew Brockington (Abrams Books for Young Readers, April 2025)

   

   

Endpapers for the end of your week!

Down to the Last Detail: MINH AND THE MAGIC GRAINS OF RICE

I'm so excited about this foil! It looks blue-purple at first, but as you move it around it turns into a rainbow foil!

Let's Talk Illustrators #323: Catarina Sobral

I am pleased to share my interview with Catarina Sobral about Ashimpa: The Mysterious Word , translated by Julianna Barbassa, here today! This is a particularly exciting interview for me because I have owned the Portuguese edition for over a decade, and now that it's publishing in English I have a chance to show you the process behind making it! Enjoy taking a closer look at this gorgeous and whimsical book with me!

Case(wrap) of the Mondays

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

Crushes of the Week: May 4-10, 2025

This week's crushes:

1. A Surprise in the Wood: A Touching Story of Love and the True Meaning of Family by Cosetta Zanotti and Lucia Scuderi and translated by Angus Yuen-Killick (Red Comet Press, April 2025)
2. The Playdate by Uje Brandelius and Clara Dackenberg (Lantana Publishing, April 2025)
3. Out and about: What Cats Do When We're Away by Daniel Carlsten (Helvetiq, April 2025)
4. Chidori: A Story of One Thousand Birds by Jennifer Maruno and Miki Sato (Pajama Press, April 2025)
5. The Girl Who Wore Pants by Susanna Isern and Esther Gili (Nubeocho, April 2025)
6. Miffy and the Artists by Dick Bruna (Thames & Hudson, April 2025)
7. Barkley by Rebecca Crane (Walker Books Australia, April 2025)