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“Dinosaurs Roamed Arizona!” TWO Time Award Winner!

I’m beyond thrilled to share that Dinosaurs Roamed Arizona!, authored by Elaine A. Powers and a book I had the honor of illustrating, has been awarded the 2025 Judy Goddard Award! It is an extraordinary honor that this book is now the winner of two exemplary awards, after being picked for Pima County Public Library’s Southwest Books of the Year 2025 earlier this year!

I was thrilled to be a part of this project, and to have my artwork recognized is a true honor. It is so humbling to know that my illustrations have helped bridge the gap between education and imagination. Being part of this project was a deeply rewarding experience – one that challenged me creatively and allowed me to explore my own love for both art and dinosaurs (long running love since childhood).

Before becoming an author, Elaine is a retired biologist, conservationist, stage performer, and passionate science communicator. With more than 25 children’s books under her belt, her stories are brimming with scientific wonder, many of them set right here in the American Southwest. Her latest honor, the Judy Goddard Award, is a well-deserved recognition of her incredible work making science fun and accessible for young readers.

Elaine’s storytelling blends factual science with rhythmic writing and thrilling adventure. As she puts it, “I have always loved science, but the musician in me loves rhythm and entertainment, so science needs to be fun. Thus, you will find science woven into adventure tales and rhyming stanzas, which have been shown to support cognitive development in children and grow their language skills.” That philosophy is on full display in Dinosaurs Roamed Arizona, a book that also won the 2025 Pima County Public Library’s Best Books of the Southwest.

Her books feature not only dinosaurs, but a whole parade of desert creatures: rattlesnakes, roadrunners, desert tortoises. Elaine’s connection to Arizona runs deep. Originally from Peoria, Illinois, she’s called Oro Valley home for the past 15 years and was the 2024 Summer Writer-in-Residence with the Pima County Public Library, mentoring up-and-coming writers.

About the Judy Goddard Award

This award is a prestigious Arizona tradition, created in 1983 by Libraries, Ltd. founder Judy Goddard, in partnership with the Arizona State Library Association. It honors authors and illustrators whose work celebrates the uniqueness of Arizona and the Southwest. Since 2019, one award is given annually for either children’s or young adult literature that demonstrates exceptional artistic or literary merit and highlights our region’s distinctive character.

Elaine A. Powers fits that description to a T. Her vibrant, science-rich storytelling helps children see the desert not as an empty landscape, but as a wild, fascinating place full of life, history, and discovery.

Congratulations, Elaine! I’m honored to have collaborated with you, and I can’t wait to see what creature or mystery we’ll bring to life next.

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“Dinosaurs Roamed Arizona!” Picked for the Pima County Public Library’s Southwest Books of the Year 2025

I am so happy to announce that Dinosaurs Roamed Arizona!, the children’s book I had the privilege of illustrating, has been selected for the Pima County Public Library’s Southwest Books of the Year 2025!

A special thank you goes to Elaine A. Powers, the author, whose passion for science and love of storytelling shines through every page. I am so proud to see her talents recognized! As one Pima County Public Library selection committee panelist so wonderfully put it: “Powers, a former laboratory biologist and citizen scientist known for her rhyming, science-based picture books for children, brings her talents to dinosaurs in this engaging and educational read.” Dinosaurs Roamed Arizona! isn’t just a story, but an adventure that encourages curiosity and learning, and her skill of blending entertainment and education truly shines.

I was thrilled to be a part of this project, and to have my artwork recognized is a true honor. As Helene Woodhams of the Arizona Daily Star noted: “Of special note are stunning illustrations by Anderson Atlas that breathe life into these long-departed creatures.” It is so humbling to know that my illustrations have helped bridge the gap between education and imagination. Being part of this project was a deeply rewarding experience – one that challenged me creatively and allowed me to explore my own love for both art and dinosaurs (long running love since childhood).

While this award is an incredible personal achievement, it’s a tribute to the power of collaboration – Elaine’s fun and well crafted writing, the educators who share the book with their students, the librarians who make it accessible to families, and the parents who spark that early love of reading in their children. This is a collective achievement rooted in a shared dedication to education, storytelling, and fostering curiosity in young minds.

I’m deeply grateful for everyone who has helped bring Dinosaurs Roamed Arizona! into the world. I’d also like to extend a thank you to the Pima County Public Library for this amazing recognition.

Thank you Elaine! I look forward to more books, more dinosaurs, and more adventures! Here’s to continuing to inspire young readers with the wonders of science and the magic of storytelling!

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I made the AZ Daily Star Newspaper

“Dinosaurs Roamed Arizona!” by Elaine A. Powers. Illustrations by Anderson Atlas. Independently published. 98 pages. $24.95; $19.95 paperback; $6.99 Kindle.

From the Petrified Forest and the Kayenta Formation to the Chihuahuan Desert, dinosaurs once abounded in Arizona. Author Elaine A. Powers gives young readers the scoop on them in this ambitious picture book.

From page one, it’s packed with information: do you know the difference between dinosaurs and other ancient reptiles? (I do, now.) Broken out by historical eras and periods, each dinosaur gets star treatment with descriptions, habitats and all manner of paleontological particulars. Of special note are stunning illustrations by Anderson Atlas that breathe life into these long-departed creatures.

And, true to Powers’ trademark style, the text is delivered in rhyme, enhancing its value as a read-aloud. The polysyllabic names of the dinosaurs might not come trippingly off the tongue, but give it a go — you and your young audience will have fun with it.

Tucsonan Powers, a former laboratory biologist, has written a number of science-based picture books for kids but had never taken up the subject of dinosaurs until now. It was a long time coming, but well worth the wait.

— Helene Woodhams

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New Music Video

Hello! Anderson Atlas here with an update:

I’m still busy writing Dark Swarm, so that is something to look forward to for those Sci Fi fans out there. But sometimes I get to tell stories in a different way. Music is an art form that I hold close to my heart as do most of us. Songs tell stories in unique ways. That statement definitely qualifies for ringing the obvious bell. But when I watch music videos, I am engaged in the story of the song in a visual sense. And to visually map the song to a story is a fun bit of entertainment and is especially fun to create.

I recently had the pleasure of creating a music video for a local artist named Katie Haverly. She has a new album coming out that is fantastic and I definitely recommend listening to it. You can find it on Apple tunes or Spotify but if you want to see my involvement in this mini-story head over to YouTube and check out Triangulating Line by Katie Haverly. Me and Katie designed and wrote the video, I animated it and mapped it to the song.

Enjoy! Give it a Like and a Comment! That will help us spread the word and support not only her art but mine as well.

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Morty’s Travels Gets FaceLift

Hello! I’ve been thinking about doing more Morty’s Travels books but Dealing With Bullies didn’t go over so well at the Tucson Festival of Books. It’s such a funny, adventurous story. I was left scratching my head. Then it occurred to me that the book cover was junk and so were in interior illustrations. Both did little to engage the imagination. Which breaks my ethos. Engaging Young readers with stories and art and seeing their imaginations light up is awesome and why I do what I do. I can draw crazy things and write stories around those art pieces. But Morty’s Travels 2 Dealing With Bullies was lacking. I must have been in an impatient mode (of which I consistently try to avoid).

Now, I’ve re-evaluated, re-sketched, re-edited, and re-painted the story. Dealing With Bullies has more in-depth illustrations that kids looking for a great Middle-Grade series to get into will love!

Spark the imagination! Grab a copy of Morty’s Travels 2, Dealing With Bullies.

Thanks for reading and feel free to let me know what you think!

Below is the cover, but click on the button to see some of the illustrations!

See the Illustrations here

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New Cover Art For Lost Spells!

Here’s the new cover art reveal for the Lost Spells! Every kid that reads this book loves it. It’s such a favorite of mine and a great early-reader chapter book. check it out! feel free to let me know what you think.

They made him leave all his friends behind. Now he has to deal with a ghost? If you or your child like spooky adventures, brave characters, and magical journeys, then you’ll love Anderson Atlas’s thrilling tale. Tap the link to buy the book today! buy now

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Dark Swarm Poster Art

Still writing Dark Swarm. Just not working on the Graphic Novel version. I’ve put that on hold for now. But if you read, sign up for my newsletter and become a beta reader! It is your calling! AndersonAtlas.com #darkswarm #novelcoverdesign #scifiposter #scifinovel

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Little Giant Remade and Way Better

I just finished redrawing Little Giant. I pushed myself to create something better and took the time to get it done right. Now it’s done and I love it! I’m sure you’ll agree, this style will resonate with kids much easier and I hope it finds it audience. Here’s the final art for the cover but see all the timelapse vids on my Instagram @andersonatlas

See the vid here:

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Little Giant Timelapse pg 2-3

https://youtube.com/shorts/iNkQN23Mj3...

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Little Giant Timelapse painting

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