By Bree Rae
Award-winning children’s author and illustrator Mitsumasa Anno died Dec. 24, 2020. He was 94.
Obituary: Mitsumasa Anno by Shannon Maughan from Publishers Weekly. Peek: “He grew up in Tsuwano, a small town surrounded by mountains, where his talent for drawing and an aptitude for mathematics began to shine,
Today I am so pleased to welcome the illustrator/author debut duo Larissa and Keith Marantz. From being inspired by their own children to working as a team, they’ll share their unique path to publication.
What first inspired you to write for young readers?
Keith: Well,
I am happy to welcome debut illustrator Qing Zhuang to Cynsations today to talk about her journey and what motivates her to create books for kids.
What first inspired you to write/illustrate for young readers?
Books were my best friends. Growing up, I had a lot of things I wanted to say but couldn’t do so directly,
Continue Reading New Visions: Qing Zhuang Shares Her Motivation to Illustrate Books for Kids »
It’s Day 2 of my Cynsations spooky middle grade takeover!
Today’s post is an interview with Jane Pica, the illustrator for The Second Best Haunted Hotel on Mercer Street (Amulet, Aug. 18, 2020). She is responsible for the gorgeous cover and the interior illustrations.
Continue Reading Guest Interview: Illustrator Jane Pica on Drawing Spooky Stories »
Caldecott Honor-winning illustrator Susan Jeffers died January 22 at the age of 77.
Her book Three Jovial Huntsmen (Bradbury, 1973) received Caldecott Honors in 1974.
Jeffers studied art at the Pratt Institute, then worked in the children’s art department at three different publishing houses.
Working on other illustrators’
April Pulley Sayre is a successful children’s author-illustrator with a long, distinguished career.
In children’s writing, maintaining an active publishing career is arguably an even bigger challenge than breaking into the field.
Reflecting on your personal journey (creatively, career-wise, and your writer’s heart), what bumps did you encounter and how have you managed to defy the odds to achieve continued success?
By Traci Sorell
Today I’m excited to feature an inspiring Choctaw duo–author Sherri Maret and illustrator Merisha Sequoia Clark–who crafted The Cloud Artist, a bilingual Choctaw-English fiction picture book (RoadRunner Press, 2017).
The story centers on a young Choctaw girl who creates art using clouds, and it has been well received since publication.
Continue Reading Native Voices & Visions: Sherri Maret & Merisha Sequoia Clark on The Cloud Artist »