Meet the Artist: Michele Wood!

On Saturday, October 22, from 2:00-4:00 p.m., visit the Krull Gallery to meet, live and in-person, award-winning artist and illustrator Michele Wood.  Michele Wood was honored with the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award in 1999 for her book I See the Rhythm, written by Toyomi Igus. Come and see her amazing art, which will continue to be on display in the gallery through Sunday, October 23, 2011.   This event is FREE and is open to families and patrons of all ages.

Below is a brief video featured on ACPL's You Tube Channel about Michele Wood's exhibit "Not to be Forgotten":

ACPL Author Fair -- Saturday, April 23

This Saturday, the library is providing a wonderful opportunity.

It's the first annual Author's Fair! Visit the downtown library on Saturday, April 23, to chat with local authors, including children's authors
Helen Frost and Lynn Rowe Reed,
and attend presentations and author readings.

Click here for more information.

Roslyn Rutabaga

We just put this darling book on our shelves! It is the latest offering from the immensely talented author and illustrator Marie-Louise Gay. Roslyn Rutabaga and the Biggest Hole on Earth! is a sweet story of a little bunny who spends the day, of course, digging the biggest hole on earth. She encounters a cast of grumpy characters including a worm and a mole who do not appreciate her endeavors, but throughout it all she maintains her determination. Only after an encounter with a disgruntled dog does her enthusiasm wane. Enter her wonderful father: his interaction with Roslyn is worth the read alone.

Enjoy this new book!

A Refreshed Classic

I just found this fantastically illustrated version of Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island on our new book shelves.

John Lawrence, the brilliant artist who brought the world This Little Chick has refreshed this classic with spectacular (and sometimes disturbing) vinyl cut illustrations. Don't miss it.

"We sail tomorrow!"

Looking for an Indiana author?

If you are looking for a list of Indiana authors and illustrators, check out this site. You can search by genre, location, name and even publication date.

Jan Thomas Creates Read Aloud Magic

Can You Make a Scary Face? by Jan Thomas is perfectly written to be read aloud. I used this title in a recent storytime and oh, how the kids laughed at "The tiny TICKLY bug is out of your mouth, but NOW it's in your SHIRT?" They loved the indecisive ladybug and happily did every single thing she told them to do - no matter now silly it sounded.
The timing, the illustrations, and the humor in this book work together to make read aloud magic. Share it with your favorite child today.

Don't miss Jan Thomas' other delightful books including: What will Fat Cat Sit On? and The Doghouse.

National Center for Children's Illustrated Literature

Fans of children's picture books will want to know about the website of the National Center for Children's Illustrated Literature. Not only will you find information about the museum, located in Abilene, Texas, but also a long list of artist biographies and a variety of children's art activities based on the artwork of well-known illustrators. It's definitely worth a look!

Happy Birthday Wild Thing!

Today is the birthday of children's author and illustrator, Maurice Sendak. He has written and illustrated many books over fifty years, but he is probably best known for his book, WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE, which brought him international acclaim.
It is the story of a young boy named Max, who is sent to his room only to find his imagination has created a new world there, populated by wild geographies and monsters of all kinds. Before long it was a favorite among children everywhere. It has been translated into fifteen languages and has sold more than two million copies!

Birds for Spring

Kevin Henkes is a fantastic illustrator. He won the Caldecott Award for illustration in 2005 for Kitten's First Full Moon. But he wrote the words in his latest picture book and the illustrations were created by Laura Dronzek. She did a great job. The color and movement found in her pictures are the perfect accompaniment to Mr. Henkes' story of a girl who admires birds from her window and discovers something that she has in common with them. Check out this book, look out your window, and draw a picture of the birds that you see.

Cut Paper Illustrations "All in a Day"

Who could resist the sweet sounding text of Cynthia Rylant
paired with the mesmerizing paper-cut illustrations of Nikki
McClure?

“All in a Day” is the perfect way to welcome a new
day or wish it a dreamy goodnight.

Find more books with Cut Paper Illustrations here!

Indiana Children's Authors and Illustrators

The Indiana State Library has published an interactive tool for finding and sharing information about children's authors and illustrators local to Indiana:

Indiana Children's Authors & Illustrators Wiki

It's indexed by name, location, genre, and publication date. If you're trying to find Indiana authors and/or illustrators, this is a GREAT place to start!

Reading Rainbow Young Writers & Illustrators Contestng

It is time for the Reading Rainbow Young Writers & Illustrators Contest! This contest is for students in K to 3rd grades. To enter, simply write and illustrate a story, pick up an entry form at the library (or print one out from your computer), and return your entry to the Main Library by March 13, 2009. For the complete rules, visit the PBS website.

Today Show Interview with the Caldecott and Newbery Winners

Traditionally, the Today Show interviews the new Caldecott and Newbery winners. Here are Neil Gaiman, the Newbery Award winning author of The Graveyard Book and Beth Krommes, the Caldecott Award winning illustrator of The House in the Night in their interview with Al Roker.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

This interview originally aired on Tuesday, January 27, 2009, the day after the awards were announced at the ALA midwinter meeting in Denver.

2009 American Library Association Awards

John Newbery Medal:
"The Graveyard Book" written by Neil Gaiman

Newbery Honor Books:
"The Underneath" written by Kathi Appelt
“The Surrender Tree: Poems of Cuba’s Struggle for Freedom” written by Margarita Engle
"Savvy" written by Ingrid Law
"After Tupac & D Foster" written by Jacqueline Woodson

Randolph Caldecott Medal:
"The House in the Night" written by Susan Marie Swanson, illustrated by Beth Krommes

Caldecott Honor Books:
"A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever" by Marla Frazee
"How I Learned Geography" by Uri Shulevitz
"A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams" by Melissa Sweet

Sibert Medal:
“We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball,” by author and illustrator Kadir Nelson

Sibert Honor Books:
“Bodies from the Ice: Melting Glaciers and Rediscovery of The Past,” written by James M. Deem
“What to Do About Alice?: How Alice Roosevelt Broke the Rules, Charmed the World, and Drove Her Father Teddy Crazy!” written by Barbara Kerley, illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham

Theodor Seuss Geisel Award:
"Are You Ready to Play Outside?" by Mo Willems

Geisel Honor Books:
"Chicken Said "Cluck!' " by Judyann Ackerman Grant, illustrated by Sue Truesdell
"One Boy" by Laura Vaccaro Seeger
"Stinky" by Eleanor Davis
"Wolfsnail: A Backyard Predator" by Sarah C. Campbell

Coretta Scott King Author Award:
“We Are the Ship: The Story of the Negro League Baseball,” written and illustrated by Kadir Nelson

Coretta Scott King Author Honor Books:
“The Blacker the Berry” by Joyce Carol Thomas, illustrated by Floyd Cooper
“Keeping the Night Watch” by Hope Anita Smith, illustrated by E.B. Lewis
“Becoming Billie Holiday” by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Floyd Cooper

Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award:
“The Blacker the Berry,” illustrated by Floyd Cooper, written by Joyce Carol Thomas

Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Books:
“We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball” written and illustrated by Kadir Nelson
“Before John Was a Jazz Giant” by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Sean Qualls
“The Moon Over Star” by Dianna Hutts Aston, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney

Pura Belpré Author Award:
“The Surrender Tree: Poems of Cuba’s Struggle for Freedom” by Margarita Engle

Pura Belpré Author Honor Books:
“Just in Case” written by Yuyi Morales
“Reaching Out” written by Francisco Jiménez
“The Storyteller’s Candle / La velita de los cuentos,” written by Lucía González

Pure Belpré Illustrator Award:
“Just in Case” illustrated by Yuyi Morales

Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor Books:
“Papá and Me” illustrated by Rudy Gutierrez, written by Arthur Dorros
“The Storyteller’s Candle / La velita de los cuentos” illustrated by Lulu Delacre, written by Lucía González
“What Can You Do with a Rebozo?” illustrated by Amy Córdova, written by Carmen Tafolla

Andrew Carnegie Medal:
Paul R. Gagne and Melissa Reilly of Weston Woods Studios, producers of “March On! The Day My Brother Martin Changed the World,”

Odyssey Award:
“The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian,” written/narrated by Sherman Alexie

Odyssey Honor Audiobooks:
“Curse of the Blue Tattoo: Being an Account of the Misadventures of Jacky Faber, Midshipman and Fine Lady,” written by L.A. Meyer, narrated by Katherine Kellgren
“Elijah of Buxton,” written by Christopher Paul Curtis, narrated by Mirron Willis
“I’m Dirty!” written by Kate & Jim McMullan, narrated by Steve Buscemi
“Martina the Beautiful Cockroach: A Cuban Folktale,” written and narrated by Carmen Agra Deedy
“Nation,” written by Terry Pratchett, narrated by Stephen Briggs

2009 May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecturer:
Kathleen T. Horning, director of the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Cooperative Children’s Book Center (CCBC)

Mildred L. Batchelder Award:
“Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit” originally published in Japanese, written by Nahoko Uehashi, translated by Cathy Hirano, illustrated by Yuko Shimizu

Batchelder Honor Books:
“Garmann’s Summer,” originally published in Norwegian, written by Stian Hole, translated by Don Bartlett
“Tiger Moon,” originally published in German, written by Antonia Michaelis, translated by Anthea Bell

Fly Into the World of Claire Ewart!

Come to the Jeffrey R. Krull Gallery in the Main Library to view original art from Claire Ewart; one of Fort Wayne's finest illustrators of children's books.

The show includes actual illustrations from her books including:

• The Legend of the Persian Carpet
• Sister Yessa's Story
• The Dwarf, the Giant, and the Unicorn
• Fossil
• The Giant
• Time Train
• One Cold Night

The art exhibit will be up through September 29th. Come enjoy the paintings, and then check out some of her books to enjoy at home!