Jamie Michalak's Blog, page 30

Mr. Pig Live . . . with Louise!

Greetings! Mr. Pig here with another exciting episode of my hit talk show, Mr. Pig LIVE! Today's guest is the star of Kelly Light's picture book masterpiece . . . 

LOUISE LOVES ART!
But before we bring Louise out, let's check out her book. Roll the clip, please!




Brilliant! Everybody, give a warm welcome to Louise!

Hello, Louise. What is your full name? 
My name is Louise Rose Phillips.

What three words best describe you? 
Let’s see. . . . 1. Focused 2. Observant 3. Artistic

Do you have a belly button? 
Why yes, I do. Art calls it his “F-Art button.” Cracks – me – up.

Who is Art? 
He is my little brother, silly! He’s 4. He’s very annoying sometimes, but he is cute. I cut his hair. 

What is the best thing about being you? 
Drawing!

What is the worst thing about being you? 
Sometimes I have to stop drawing and do my schoolwork and chores. So I add drawings to my school work for my teacher! And I fog the windows when I have to clean my room. My drawings are invisible until I re-fog the windows!
 
If you were stranded on a desert island, what would you bring? 
Paper, pencils, and my BIG book Gardner's Art Through the Ages – it’s got art all throughout forever!! I will memorize every line! Every curve!!
 
From Louise Loves Art by Kelly Light. Copyright 2014 by Kelly Light.When do you feel the happiest? 
When I am drawing, of course!! I also love when I am hanging my art shows, and when the cat poses for me!

Would you rather be able to fly or be invisible? 
I think I will say . . .  invisible!!! It would help me sit and draw people without them feeling all weird like I am staring at them!! Sometimes they look up and notice me drawing so I cross my eyes just to make them laugh.

Do you identify more with Goldilocks or the three bears? 
The bears. I do not like people in my stuff. You hear that, Art!?

What is your favorite word? 
Masterpiece!

From Louise Loves Art by Kelly Light. Copyright 2014 by Kelly Light.What is you least favorite word?  
“Can’t” – never say that. Always say can!!

What is your favorite sound? 
The scratch scratch scratch of a really sharp pencil point on new white paper! Sigh.

What is your least favorite sound? 
That sound when you go to the dentist and you have your teeth cleaned. . . . ooogy. Ooooooo-gy. 

From Louise Loves Art by Kelly Light. Copyright 2014 by Kelly Light.
What is your special talent?  
Other than drawing? I am fluent in art language. There are a lot of very complicated words in art! "Chiaroscuro," "juxtaposition,” “goo-wash” . . . See?

If you could dine with three characters from other books, who would they be? 
The Lorax 'cause he’s all cranky like Wilford Brimley, that oatmeal guy on TV. I would love to meet Harold! He has to bring his purple crayon!! He and I would have fun drawing and Art is a big fan. He has a red crayon, ya know. The third is my pal Elliot. He just arrived in August! He always brings cupcakes!!

If a genie gave you one wish, what would you wish for?  
A trip to Paris!! I want to draw in Montmartre with all of the other artists sitting at their easels! I want to visit the Louvre! I want to see where Renoir and Monet and Toulouse Lautrec and especially Mary Cassatt painted!! 

If you have a pocket, what is in it right now?  
Pencil shavings!!!


From Louise Loves Art by Kelly Light. Copyright 2014 by Kelly Light. What is your most embarrassing moment? 
I don’t want to talk about it. It involved paste. I was very little. I might have eaten some. What was I thinking? Wasting good art supplies like that? 

What is your pet peeve? 
My friends who say they can’t draw! Or that I “can’t even draw a straight line!” Like who wants to draw a straight line!? Draw your line. How does your line look? Everybody’s got one, a line of their own! You won’t know you can draw it – unless you draw!!

What was it like working with Kelly Light?
Oh, she is very, very cool and likes to draw a lot, just like me. I give her pointers!! Lots of art tips! She could loosen up a bit. 

Thanks for visiting, Louise! Please stay for a very, very cool Louise lunch made especially for you by our caterer Nina at Mamabelly's Lunches with Love!


About Kelly Light
Author-illustrator Kelly Light has illustrated Elvis and the Underdogs and Elvis and the Underdogs: Secrets, Secret Service, and Room Service by Jenny Lee, and the Quirks series by Erin Soderberg. This is her first picture book.  

Kelly was born in 1970 off exit 149 of the Garden State Parkway. She grew up down the shore surrounded by giant roadside dinosaurs, cotton candy colors, and skee ball sounds. Schooled on Saturday morning cartoons and Sunday Funny pages, she picked up a pencil and started drawing and never stopped. 

To learn more about Kelly and see her portfolio, visit www.kellylight.com.
 




About the book
LOUISE LOVES ART
by Kelly Light
Balzar & Bray, September 2014
ISBN: 978-0062248176

Louise loves art more than anything. It's her imagination on the outside. She's determined to create a masterpiece—her pièce de résistance! Louise also loves Art, her little brother. This is their story. Louise Loves Art is a celebration of the brilliant artist who resides in all of us.

“Light . . . is a confident visual storyteller with a gentle sense of comic timing.” —Publishers Weekly

“Budding artists, those not only crazy for art but who have their eyes and heart open, will find a muse and a collaborator.” —School Library Journal

“A fresh and bright sibling tale. . . . Cheerfully art-ful." —Kirkus Reviews

Quote of the Week

“According to how gifted we are, we are all given a large or small key to this treasury of wonders. I have been blessed with a small key to the world of the young. It's a place where good and evil are clearly stamped. It's a place where the better part of human nature triumphs over tragedies, and where innocence rides high. It is a great pleasure to write there, because the young have what the rest of us only envy, and that is a belief in goodness and perpetual hope. ”


―Rosemary Wells (Max & Ruby at the Warthogs' Wedding)

Mr. Pig Visits . . . ROSEMARY WELLS!

Greetings, dear readers!

How do I look? I'm dressed in my very best because today I'm headed to the studio of award-winning author-illustrator Rosemary Wells! That's right, ROSEMARY WELLS . . . creator of some of the most memorable characters in children's literature, including perennial favorites Max & Ruby, Noisy Nora, Yoko, two treasured (and definitive) collections of Mother Goose, several acclaimed novels, and many more beloved titles for young readers.

I'm nervous. And excited. I'm nervously excited!!!

<<Knock, knock>>

Ahem. Hello, Ms. Wells, thank you for inviting me. These flowers are for you.  
Thank you, Mr. Pig. And please, call me Rosemary. Come in.



I know you're very busy, so we can get right to the tour if you'd like.

Alright. Here is the window where I work.


(Um, Rosemary? There's someone in your chair. Never mind . . . please proceed.) 

When I create a book, I always tack my artwork on the wall where I can see the whole book at once and see that the narrative works from page to page. 

As you can see, I have many different materials in my arsenal. I work with pencils, pastels, and watercolor.

Here is my paint box filled by me with individual pans of certain colors I like to use. I love their names: Alizerin crimson, cerulean blue, Prussian green, gamboge, Indian yellow. . .  I could go on forever.


I use sable brushes. They are expensive but they last forever if you take care of them. I condition them and make sure I use clean water and never leave a brush in a jar of water for even three seconds or the brush will curve and be useless next time around.


Pastels are another way of expressing color. They are beautiful but a pain to use. They create dust, which I try not to breathe in or get all over the white dog. I do love them however and use them on dark sanded paper from the art store.

Pastels are kept in beds of rice in order that the colors don’t pollute each other with chalk dust.

Here is an example of how a red pastel looks when on white paper and how much more brightly it resounds on a dark background.


Here are several pastel background color paintings that the publisher will insert around the central artwork to give the page a beautiful tone.


I use the pencils, both watercolor and pigment, for many other textures and reasons. I sharpen them often with an industrial-size electric pencil sharpener.


Spatter is a nice technique. I mask the painting subject with masking frisket--a clear, plastic, stick-on medium. Then spatter away.






I also use rubber stamps. I make them from any number of different textures. Here is brown rice. I also use tapioca and other ingredients like gravel. I place the rice or other material in a large rectangle on the copy machine and send the paper copy of the texture out to the stamp-making company.


Oh, yes. I use rice and tapioca all the time too. (Mainly for pudding.) 

Here is the tapioca stamp along with the illustration fully stamped in. It makes a nice snowstorm. 


Once again I mask a central part of an illustration and then stamp the whole, lifting the masking film up when the stamp is finished. These are huge stamps. I love to use them for background texture of all kinds and colors.




Look closely at these two illustrations. You’ll see stamps all over!



I also use fabrics in my art.
These unusual and friendly patterns come from “feed sack” materials which used to abound in the America of the mid-twentieth century. Farmers ordered all their dry goods, coffee, chicken feed, sugar, and flour in these sacks. When they were empty, the farmers’ wives took the material and made clothing and other household goods from it. The patterns are charming and available now remanufactured. They are to be found all over my books.
I also use Origami papers in the Yoko books. These are the apogee of amazing Japanese design.


Here is a picture of Yoko, reading with her mother using watercolor, gouache, origami paper, pastel, and pencil.


Here are some of my most recent books. They are accompanied by Max and Ruby plush created years ago by Eden Toys. Now collectors’ items!


Picture books begin with a story first. When that story has a good beginning, middle, and end, I type it out and fashion what’s called a “dummy book” out of it, watching for page turns, length, and structure. Here are pictures of the original idea of Max and Ruby at the Warthogs’ Wedding. You can see the sketch early illustrations glued to the pages. You can see my editor’s comments and suggestions on post-it notes. I generally follow my editor’s suggestions as she is my third eye and ear on each book I do.


Sometimes I have a co-worker in my studio!


Part of my work which I truly love is school appearances and foreign travel at International schools. These are pictures from my album of travel to Singapore, Bangkok, and Japan.




In addition to all the rest of my work, I try to sponsor a Read to Your Bunny national campaign aimed at those invaluable professionals who work with parents to encourage them to read aloud to their children. Here is the best image “worth a thousand words” that I know to show that even a five-month-old loves her books!

In emergencies, my friends on the bed are always available for opinions from the kibble gallery!

Thank you, Rosemary, for your gracious hospitality. This has been such a fascinating peek into your studio and process! Will you please sign my copy of Max and Ruby at the Warthogs' Wedding?

Of course, Mr. Pig!

About Rosemary Wells
Rosemary Wells’ career as an author and illustrator spans more than 30 years and 60 books. She has won numerous awards, and has given readers such unforgettable characters as Max and Ruby, Noisy Nora, and Yoko. She has also given Mother Goose new life in two enormous, definitive editions, published by Candlewick. Wells wrote and illustrated Unfortunately Harriet, her first book with Dial, in 1972. One year later she wrote the popular Noisy Nora. “The children and our home life have inspired, in part, many of my books. Our West Highland white terrier, Angus, had the shape and expressions to become Benjamin and Tulip, Timothy, and all the other animals I have made up for my stories.” Her daughters Victoria and Beezoo were constant inspirations, especially for the now famous “Max” board book series. “Simple incidents from childhood are universal,” Wells says. “The dynamics between older and younger siblings are common to all families.”

About Rosemary's new book
MAX AND RUBY AT THE WARTHOGS' WEDDING
by Rosemary Wells
Viking, September 2, 2014
ISBN 978-0-6707-8461-5 

Oh, no! Max has lost the wedding ring! How can the Warthogs’ wedding go on without the ring? Max and Ruby lead the search through the grand hotel. Down to the laundry, up to the towers, back to the conservatory they run, following the map in Grandmother’s Bunnyphone, which, School Library Journal noted, is “cleverly adorned with a sparkly carrot and iBunny logo.” Children will delight in lifting the flaps to see where Max and Ruby are headed next in this ingenious use of up-to-the- minute technology in telling another hilarious story featuring the beloved bunny siblings. Booklist cheered, “The siblings’ antics are as hilarious as always...this interactive title should be a hit with the pair’s many fans.”

The Little Crooked Bookshelf

Edgar's Second Word
by Audrey Vernick
illustrated by Pricilla Burris

What it's all about. . .
Hazel can’t wait for her baby brother to be born so she can talk and read with him! But when he arrives, he just sits there. More disappointing yet, when he finally speaks, his first word is a resounding NO! Frustrated by his oft-repeated syllable, Hazel begins to wonder if Edgar is doomed to a life of grouchy naysaying—but her persistence eventually pays off when Edgar utters his second word, "again," after Hazel reads him a bedtime story.

Why it's on The Little Crooked Bookshelf . . .
First off, it's funny. Vernick's comedic timing is spot on, as always. But it's also tender and sweet. We love the enthusiasm Hazel expresses, even though the whole baby brother thing isn't always a walk in the park. And Pricilla Burris's illustrations are quite simply. . . adorbs. Perfect for Vernick's breezy, witty text.

Our favorite line(s) . . . 
Hazel read Edgar stories, but she didn't know if he understood.
She wished he would whisper questions.
But Edgar didn't speak.
Mostly, he pointed.
And grunted
Like a pointing, grunting watermelon.

Our favorite illustration. . . 
Why kids will love it . . .
Kids will recognize the excitement and sometimes disenchantment that accompanies the arrival of a new sibling. And for any kids awaiting the big event. . . hand them this book!

Why grown-ups will love it . . . 
For all the reasons above. Because it's sweet but not sappy. Because Hazel is so earnest and she has the best springy, curly hair. Because it contains phrases like "love-weight" and "tired-baby gravity."

A Mr. Pig Special . . . with Kerry O'Malley Cerra

We're thrilled to have Kerry O'Malley Cerra, debut author of the highly praised middle grade novel Just a Drop of Water, with us today!

A former history teacher, Kerry describes her gripping and poignant story as a "coming-of-age tale in which 13-year-old Jake Green is forced--for the first time--to see the world for its sometimes big ugly self, in the aftermath of September 11." 

School Library Journal calls Just a Drop of Water "an excellent book sure to spur thoughtful discussion.” 

Thanks for visiting, Kerry! You've tackled a difficult topic. Was it hard writing about 9/11?
Most definitely! By far the most difficult day was when I watched YouTube video after YouTube video of the actual planes hitting the two World Trade Towers, and then tried to portray it as a 13-year-old boy—who had no clue as to what was really happening at that point—would describe it. I had to strip all of my own knowingness, emotions, and so forth to be authentic to Jake’s voice. 

When I got my writing to a fairly decent point and couldn’t stand to watch the videos again, I had to go for a walk. Two houses down, I threw up—though even that didn’t make me feel better. But then the worrying set in, too. Would readers think Jake was shallow for his thoughts? Would readers think I—as the author—was trying to capitalize on such a tragedy? So, yeah, it was hard to write, but, in a way, it’s still hard even now that it’s out there.

How much of the book is factual and how much is fictional?
I’m really glad you asked this question. I’ve include an Author’s Note on my website that touches on this, as I feel it’s important for kids to know what was real and what I added to enhance the story. The timing of the events--such as the planes hitting, the President’s speeches, and Tropical Storm Gabrielle blowing through Florida in the days following 9/11--are authentic. Likewise, our smallish town did lose six members of our community in the attacks that day. 

I find it interesting that several boys who have read the book asked me about the NFL postponing the games that weekend following September 11 — which is also true. Maybe this small fact puts the tragedy in perspective for them, I don’t know. But I did include as many smaller details as possible to preserve the mood and events for readers. 

It’s important to note that the final mosque scene is entirely fictional. Though there were mosque attacks around the country after September 11, there were no mosque attacks in Coral Springs, nor is there a mosque in town. I took some creative licensing with that, in order to tell a story about where the road of prejudice can lead. The story of the mother is fictional, and yet her backstory is based on a real American hostage incident that occurred in Sudan in 1973 and involved an Arab PLO terrorist group called Black September. The depth that the mother was able to add to this story, because of her past, is one I hope kids in classrooms all around the country will be able to learn from. We cannot let fear control us.
 

 

How much time did you spend researching the story, and did you learn anything surprising along the way?  
I think I was subconsciously taking notes beginning September 11, 2001 and on. I never planned to write a book about 9/11, but the history teacher in me processed every ounce of information that came out immediately following the attacks—and the days, weeks, months, years following. I’m intrigued by the whys and hows of the events. What did we do wrong to allow ourselves to be attacked? What can we do to avoid it in the future? I’m always thinking. Sadly, my brain rarely shuts off.  Once I knew I was going to write the book and the angle I was going to take, it took me about four years from first to final draft. 

Do you have a writing process or does it vary from book to book?
Ha! No! Out of 365 days in a year, I think I spend less than fifty writing. I have three kids and love volunteering at their schools, being team mom for sports, participating in booster clubs, and chaperoning trips. I do that pretty much full time, and the writing comes when I can squeeze it in. I know my kids won’t be around on a daily basis for much longer, so I’ve prioritized them. I certainly don’t long for the day they leave home, but I’ll definitely get a lot more writing done. 

This is your debut novel. Was the publication process what you expected? 
Everyone says publishing is a roller coaster, so I was prepared for that. Yet I’d call myself a pretty faith-filled person. My kids went to a Catholic preschool that had a turtle mascot and the motto, "In His time …" I sort of adopted it for myself when I decided to pursue publication and always had faith that I’d end up exactly where I was meant to be. Don’t get me wrong, there were days I was really down after a rejection or getting my hopes set on something that didn’t work out, but the day my future agent wrote me an email professing her love for my story and saying she “had to represent it,” and then found the most perfect editor in the whole wide world for both me and this story, I’d say I did end up exactly where I was meant to be. I wouldn’t change a single thing!

Tell us something random or fun that most people don't know about you.
I really don’t like showing my emotions—okay, this mostly applies to me being sad or upset. But . . . I literally cried when we were in California and I saw The Lone Cypress tree at Pebble Beach. There was something completely soul-stirring for me in that moment. Shhh, don’t tell anyone else.

Are you working on anything new?
Remember, working is a loose term with me, but, yes. Haha! For now, I’m super busy planning the launch and signing for Just a Drop of Water. I want to enjoy every second of this and not worry about what’s next, just yet. However, I do plan to revise my first novel, The Sacredness of Spit Swears, soon. And, I have eleven pages of a new middle-grade novel in the works that I’m crazy-excited about. It’s the first time I’m writing from a girl’s point-of-view and I’m loving her voice. Stay tuned. . . .

We'll look forward to them! Thank you for visiting, Kerry, and congratulations on the success of your debut novel!
My pleasure. Thanks for having me!

About JUST A DROP OF WATER
Sky Pony Press, September 2014 ISBN 978-1-6291-4613-3
“Historical fact and realistic fiction elements are woven together with an expert hand, making readers care about this moment in history and giving educators an excellent book sure to spur thoughtful discussion.” --School Library Journal
  “A perceptive exploration of an event its audience already sees as history … the supplemental material middle-grade history teachers are looking for.” --Kirkus

“9/11 reverberates in a middle-school boy’s life, thrusting him into a bigger and more threatening world. This is history tensely told for readers too young to remember the moment when this century truly began.” —Richard Peck, author of  On The Wings of Heroes 
“Tackling a difficult topic, Kerry O’Malley Cerra captures the mood of the country right after September 11 in a way that’s not frightening or sensationalized. This well-told, poignant novel about prejudice, school bullying, and best friends should spark discussion and capture the hearts of young readers for a very long time.” —Augusta Scattergood, author of Glory Be

About Kerry O'Malley Cerra Kerry O'Malley Cerra is a former high school history teacher who often enhanced textbooks with historical fiction to bring time periods to life. Just a Drop of Water was inspired by a deeply personal experience following the tragic events of September 11, 2001.Though she'll always consider Philly her home, she currently lives in Florida with her husband, kids, and three poorly behaved dogs.

To learn more about Kerry and download teaching resources, visit her website, http://www.kerryomalleycerra.com.

Literary Lunch . . . Joe and Sparky

Ok, Joe and Sparky, feast your eyes on the delicious lunch prepared by Cottage caterer and bento-box extraordinaire, Nina from Mamabelly!
Do your kids have the back-to-school jitters? Help put them at ease by reading Joe and Sparky Go to School by Jamie Michalak and illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz . You can be sure that the giggles won't stop! Nina's kids love to imagine what would happen if Joe and Sparky came to their school.

To celebrate back to school, Nina from Mamabelly packed a Joe and Sparky lunch to please:gold cheddar stars that Joe so badly wants to eat at schoola green Sparky turtle kiwiand of course, a Joe the giraffe peanut butter and jelly sandwich

Mr. Pig LIVE . . . with Joe and Sparky!

Hello, friends! Welcome to a special back-to-school episode of my hit talk show:


MR. PIG LIVE!
Why is it a back-to-school episode, you ask? Well, because it's past Labor Day and now that all you little piggies are back in the halls of learning, it is my pleasure, dear viewers, to bring you the who's who of children's book characters and get your brains ready for some fantastic reading!

Speaking of fantastic reading . . . today's guests are none other than SUPERSTARS Joe and Sparky from Cottager Jamie Michalak's hit series of the same name. Her latest, Joe and Sparky Go To School, just came out in paperback.

Roll the clip, please. . .


Lovely to see you both. Um, Joe, can you duck down a bit? Your head is out of frame. Great. Thanks. Let's get started. What are your full names?
J: Joe Giraffe
S: Sparky Turtle

What one word best describes you?
J: SUPERSTAR!
S: Safety-conscious.

What is your pet peeve?
J: I do not have a pet peeve, but I do have a pet worm named Wiggy.
S: Joe says Wiggy is super talented. He can make the letters S and O with his body.

That is impressive! If you were stranded on a desert island, what would you bring?
J: A surfboard, basketball, my fruit hat, a flashy yellow convertible, striped sports socks, Wiggy (my pet worm), and-- 
S: I think Mr. Pig means one thing, Joe. I would bring a safety helmet to protect myself from falling coconuts. Safety first!

What did you eat for breakfast this morning?
J: 152 1/2 leaves
S: a worm
J: (gasp) Wiggy?!
S: Of course not. I have never, ever met Wiggy. Does he really exist?
J: Yes, but you can not see him right now. He is visiting his girlfriend in Niagara Falls.

If you could have any superpower, what would it be?
J: I would like to be the world’s first flying giraffe.
S: I would like to use contractions.

What is your favorite word?
J: hubbub
S: nap

What is you least favorite word?
J: nap
S: idea — because every time Joe says, “I have an idea” we get into BIG trouble.

What is your favorite sound?
J: The sound of noisy, short people laughing.
S: The whoosh of the magic pond we found in the school restroom. The water disappeared — and then it came back again!!!


From JOE AND SPARKY GO TO SCHOOL. Illustration copyright 2013 by Frank Remkiewicz.
If you could dine with three characters from other books, who would they be?
S: I would dine on the Very Hungry Caterpillar, the Lowly Worm, and Fly Guy.
J: Sparky, Mr. Pig said “dine with” not “dine on!”
S: Oh. This is awkward.

Right, we have a strict no-eating-the-guests policy in the Cottage. Or the hosts for that matter. I can't tell you how many times we had to remind SHARK when he was here (shudder). Where was I? Oh yes, what is your most embarrassing moment?
J: When we went to school for a day, the teacher said, “Clap your hands, stomp your feet, put your bottoms in your seat!” I did . . . and broke the chair.
S: I once flipped over while doing the Hokey Pokey. (Turtles are not made to shake things all about.)


From JOE AND SPARKY GO TO SCHOOL. Illustration copyright 2013 by Frank Remkiewicz.If a genie gave you one wish, what would you wish for?
J: hands
S: safety goggles

What was it like working with Jamie Michalak?
S: This was our third time working with Jamie. She drinks too much coffee and lives with two noisy, short people who give her ideas for stories.
J: If you see her, tell her that I would like my fruit hat back.

I'll let her know. Well, thank you both SO much! Before you head back to the cageless zoo, Nina from MamaBelly Lunches with Love has prepared a fabulous lunch for you! 
S: Are there worms in it?
J: Very funny.


Oh, there's Jamie. And pssst, Joe, she's wearing your fruit hat.
Jamie Michalak is the author of more than twenty-five children's books, including the award-winning Joe and Sparky books--Joe and Sparky Go to School, Joe and Sparky, Superstars!, and Joe and Sparky Get New Wheels, all illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz; She also wrote The Coziest Place, illustrated by Jon Davis and So You Want to Catch Bigfoot? illustrated by Mark Fearing, as well as numerous movie and TV show adaptations. Jamie lives in Barrington, Rhode Island with her husband and two sons. To learn more about her books, visit Jamie’s website, www.jamiemichalak.com
Frank Remkiewicz is the beloved illustrator of more than 100 children’s books--fourteen of which he has authored himself. Frank created the artwork for many popular series, including the Joe and Sparky series of early readers, the popular Horrible Harry series by Suzy Kline, and the bestselling Froggy series by Jonathan London. Frank has also written and illustrated several books of his own, including The Last Time I Saw Harris, Gus Makes a Gift, and Gus Gets Scared. He lives in Sarasota, Florida. To learn more about Frank, visit his website, www.remkiewicz.com.

JOE AND SPARKY GO TO SCHOOLIllustrated by Frank RemkiewiczCandlewick Press, June 2014ISBN 978-0-7636-6278-3 (hardcover)ISBN 978-0-7636-7181-5  (paperback)
     ★ "This book is perfect for the newly independent reader and makes a fine bridge from Amelia Bedelia to Ramona. Limited but lively vocabulary, a large font, and carefully placed illustrations—all in a humorous, high-interest package—will make this a hit."  —The Horn Book, starred review
“Michalak will have readers giggling over the silly exchanges and comedic misunderstandings that follow as Sparky and Joe attempt to fit in at school. . . . The vibrant watercolor and colored pencil cartoons and well-targeted humor . . . will entertain growing readers.” —Publishers Weekly


**WIN A SIGNED COPY OF JOE AND SPARKY GO TO SCHOOL - FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @MRPIGLIVE AND TWEET THIS POST!**

(Winner announced next week!)

Quote of the Week

“Oh, it’s delightful to have ambitions. I’m so glad I have such a lot. And there never seems to be any end to them–that’s the best of it. Just as soon as you attain to one ambition you see another one glittering higher up still. It does make life so interesting.”

—Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

Loved to Pieces . . . with Ann Stott!

Look who's in the Cottage today. . . . children's book author and designer, the lovely Ann Stott! 

Ann has written the popular picture books ALWAYS and I'LL BE THERE, illustrated by Matt Phelan. Her hilarious new book, WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU'RE SENT TO YOUR ROOM, illustrated by Stephen Gilpin, hits bookstores on September 23rd.

As an Art Director at Candlewick Press, Ann has designed the 2013 Caldecott Medal winner This is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen, the 2011 Caldecott Honor book, Interrupting Chicken by David Ezra Stein, as well the Judy Moody series by Megan McDonald and the Mercy Watson series by Kate DiCamillo. (WOW!)

Picture books by Ann Stott--Always, What to Do When You're Sent to Your Room, and I'll Be There

Hello, Ann! We see you've brought something special with you today . . . your first favorite books. Could you tell us about them?  

 "Sure! I’ve always had a thing for box sets. When I was about six-years-old my dad worked as an accountant for Little, Brown and Company in Boston. One day, he brought home the Thornton Burgess Animal Library. It was a small, 7” x 7” cardboard box with a cover. It originally contained eight paperback books, but only six survived my childhood; Bobby Coon’s Surprise, Flash the Young Deer, Paddy the Beaver’s Visitor, A Bear Scare, Reddy Fox Leaves in a Hurry, and Fun at Queer Trail. 

I remember believing totally and completely in these characters. I was always fascinated with animals dressed in human clothing. This made them even more real to me. I believed that a squirrel wearing an apron, sipping tea from a cup made from an acorn must certainly be living in a tree in my backyard. 

Ann Stott's Animal Library boxed set by Thornton BurgessTo me, a box set was like the cupboard in The Indian and the Cupboard or the wardrobe in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. The simple act of opening the cover of the Thornton Burgess Animal Library gave me access to a magical world — a world where 'a merry little breeze came down from the tree-top' and bears carried umbrellas and beavers wore bathing suits. Once the box was open, I had a choice. Who did I want to spend time with? Little Joe Otter? Jimmy Skunk? or Nimbleheels the Jumping Mouse? 

Reddy Fox Leaves in a Hurry by Thornton Burgess.Closing the box gave me a sense of control and a way to keep this world safely tucked away until I was ready to visit again. If this box set could have told me that one day I would be designing books, writing stories and art directing illustrators who dressed pigs in pants, I definitely would have believed it. Wait! Maybe it did and it just took me a few years to hear it!"

About Ann's new book
WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU'RE SENT TO YOUR ROOM
by Ann Stott
Illustrated by Stephen Gilpin
Candlewick Press, September 2014
ISBN 978-0-7636-6052-9

When Ben gets caught feeding his dinner to the dog (again) and is sent his room (again), he’s up to the challenge of solitary confinement. And he’s more than happy to share strategies with readers, from unearthing his cache of hidden snacks to liberating his caged pets, honing his slingshot skills — and of course drafting his birthday list. There’s so much to do! Will there be time to do it all before his time is up? Every kid who ever earned a few time-outs on his or her own turf will smile at this deadpan primer—and parents may wish to take notes for future reference.

From What to Do When You're Sent to Your Room. Illustration copyright 2014 by Stephen Gilpin.




"A funny how-to. Gilpin, working in an exaggerated cartoon realism reminiscent of Mad magazine, has created a ne plus ultra of a messy boys’ room, and his portrayal of Ben is very much in sync with the cool confidence and strategic smarts articulated in Stott’s matter-of-fact first-person narration." --Publishers Weekly
About Ann Stott

Ann Stott grew up in Arlington, Massachusetts, graduated from UMass Dartmouth, and received her Masters Degree from Lesley University. Ann is a book designer, art director and children’s book author. Two of her picture books, Always, (Candlewick Press, 2008) and I’ll Be There, (Candlewick Press, 2011) were illustrated by Matt Phelan. Her most recent picture book What to Do When You’re Sent to Your Room (Candlewick Press, 2014) was illustrated by Stephen Gilpin and will be in bookstores this month. 

As an Art Director at Candlewick Press, Ann has designed many award-winning children’s books including; the 2013 Caldecott Medal winner and Kate Greenaway Medal winner, This is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen, the 2011 Caldecott Honor book, Interrupting Chicken by David Ezra Stein, as well the Judy Moody series by Megan McDonald and the Mercy Watson series by Kate DiCamillo.

She lives with her husband, two sons and their dog, Moxie on the North Shore of Massachusetts.

The Little Crooked Bookshelf

Star Wars: Jedi Academy
Return of the Padawan
by Jeffrey Brown

What it's all about . . .
In this sequel to the bestselling Star Wars: Jedi Academy, a boy named Roan returns to a middle school in a galaxy far, far away. He faces alien poetry tests, menacing robots, food fights, flight simulation class, online bullies, lightsaber duels, and worst of all . . . a girl who is mad at him.

Why it's on The Little Crooked Bookshelf . . .
Told through Roan's comics, journal entries, letters, sketches, e-mails, and more, this funny book has lots to keep the attention of even the most reluctant of readers.  

Our favorite illustration . . . 

From Star Wars Jedi Academy: Return of the Padawan. Illustration copyright 2014 by Jeffrey Brown.
Why kids will love it . . .
Kids will relate to Roan's middle school woes and laugh at the Star Wars spin on them. Roan's friend uses the Force to deflect spitballs, the alien Cafeteria Chef's menu includes "Nuggets ... served with Sarlacc mucus dipping sauce," and the class bullies are voted Most Likely to Be Sith Lords. 

Why grown-ups will love it . . . 
Because their children will devour this book and eagerly await the next one.