Here’s how it usually goes when I try to predict the 10 titles that will be named New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s books. I begin with maybe one or two books that seem likely. Then I survey the landscape and realize there are a ton of books that could end up on the list. […]

Every year I gather a group of teachers together to decide how we will celebrate March is Reading Month. You know, extra-celebrate reading (since celebrating reading is sort of the all-year gig as a librarian). We usually have an author visit, a family reading night at the school, and other activities. But sometimes those activities […]

In August . . . . . . we looked at the most unconventional books of the year. It’s always one of my favorite posts to put together. . . . I found paint colors based on famous picture books. And I challenged you to name the book by color palette alone. . . . […]

Here’s to keeping it interesting. Pushing the envelope. Pushing boundaries. Pushing buttons. Here’s to children’s books that expand our assumptions of what a children’s book can be. Previously . . . The Most Astonishingly Unconventional Children’s Books of 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012 Encyclopedia of Grannies by Eric Veillé Gecko Press | August 13 Why It’s Unconventional: Veillé is […]

My strategy for painting a room is pretty simple. Two words in fact. Gray Horse. But what if I actually had the guts to choose a color? A real color? A color that connects with something I love: picture books? Well, if I was that person, I’d get myself over to this website, enter the […]

Part of the fun of blogging is the ephemeral nature of the medium – you write a post, put it up quickly, maybe some folks read it, and then it fades away in a hurry. On to the next post. But – PROBLEM – now I’m stuck with this stockpile of ridiculous stuff that never […]

I’m not here today to blow your mind with some list of outrageous list of promotional items that sometimes arrive with books. A Fuse #8 Production has that corner well covered. Very well covered. I am here today to say that for all the pomp and circumstance that surrounds the release of some books, the […]

In July . . . . . . we looked at the most creative picture book barcodes of the year. My faith in art and design is restored. . . . we covered some controversies. On book covers and bad reviews. . . . I challenged you to name the book based on its LEGO-fied […]

Okay, Google – you think you’re pretty smart? How about you try completing the text from famous children’s books. I’ll type the beginning of each line into a Google search (plain text below), and you try to finish the line (bold text below). (All credit to @botnikstudions for the inspiration) Previously . . . Auto-Completed […]

I’m always curious how illustrators choose to depict the sun. How can they solve the problem of making something so common look beautiful and unique? I decided to start collecting suns on Instagram using the hashtag #illustratorsun. Click here to see what I have so far. Oh, and it turns out, I’m not alone with […]

The barcode – oh clawmark of capitalism! Oh mandatory stain of consumerism! Oh ruiner of book jackets! But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks? Books with creative barcode placements, restoring my faith in art and design! Previously . . . Gallery: The Art of the Picture Book Barcode Gallery: The Art of the Picture […]

Before we left to go West, I had a tough decision to make – which books do I bring? Here are the books that are coming along for the ride: The author of the wonderful First Rule of Punk has a new one coming out and I’m looking forward to it. I enjoyed Miller’s last […]

I’m traveling West with my family until the end of the month. I have all my posts here set to run, but I won’t be minding the blog day to day until we return. If you’d like to see what I’m up to, I’ll be over on Instagram.