Book-A-Day Challenge Week 12

Though the Book-A-Day Challenge started by Donalyn Miller, The Book Whisperer, officially ended for me last week, I a continuing with the weekly post to share what I am reading.


Picture Books:

Zen Ghost by John J. Muth - This beautifully illustrated story can be adapted for all ages.  Check out my review here.

Middle Grade:

Graphic Novel:
The Cloud Searchers (Amulet #3) by Kazu Kibuishi - This was recently released and my niece and I have been waiting to read it.  We nearly wrestled for it. Fourth and Fifth graders will love this series.

Early Chapter Book:
Betsy-Tacy (Betsy-Tacy book 1) by Maud Lovelace Hart - Not sure how I missed this series as a child but fans of Anne of Green Gables and Little House on the Prairie will love this series about two friends named Betsy and Tacy. 

Novel In Verse:
All The Broken Pieces by Ann E. Berg - I am learning to appreciate novels written in verse.  This is one that I would highly recommend.  It tells the story of Matt, who was airlifted out of Vietnam during the war. 

YA:
Unnamed Manuscript - Well it actually has a name but I can't reveal it yet but it will be out in 2 years.

So what are you reading?  Love to learn about new books.

Interview with the Elegant Marisa Hopkins - Artist Extraordinaire & Designer of My Header

Almost a year ago, I became acquainted with Marisa Hopkins through a Maggie Stiefvater fan site.  She was looking for beta reader for her writing and I was willing to be said Beta Reader.  We clicked and became e-mail and social networking buds (one of these days we will really get to meet).

When I decided to start a book blog, I knew that I wanted Marisa to design the banner for me.  I had no clue what I wanted but I knew I loved colored pencils, Marisa's beautiful designs, and that I could trust her to do a wonderful job.  Recently, she blogged about her process for drawing a picture and used my header as the basis of the post.  Head on over to her blog, Elegant Bloggery, to check it out.  


Marisa graciously agreed to an interview so that you can learn more about her as an artist. 

When did you know you wanted to be an artist/illustrator/designer?

Truly, I can't remember a time when I DIDN'T want to be an artist. Even back to my preschool days my teachers had to force me outside to play because I never wanted to leave the coloring table. I was a freshman in high school when I started looking into Illustration as a college major, though I did change my mind eventually and majored in Creative Arts so I could focus on more than just drawing - I took a lot of English Lit classes, as well as children's theatre and dance and loved them all!

I love that you use colored pencils. It is one of my favorite mediums. Was there a reason that you were led to use colored pencils? Were you influenced by anyone's work?

Hurray for colored pencil lovers! Pencils have been my favorite medium since I was ten and received my first professional set as a present from my grandma for not scratching my chicken pox. Those colored pencils and I just seemed to click, and though I have played around with other mediums over the years, particularly acrylics, pastels, and watercolors, the colored pencils have always felt the best in my hands! I'm loyal, I think. I could never leave my pencils behind. (I just have to say that professional colored pencils are amazing.  I have a set and let me just say "touch them and you'll pull back a bloody stump"**)

In this day of high tech, computers and electronic drawing, using colored pencils seem so "organic" (not sure if that is the word I want). Do you find yourself thinking differently with pencil in hand vs. a computer mouse?

I have always been drawn to traditional art. I love the look of digital art, and sometimes wish I could do it well, but it's the feel of the wood pencils in my hand and the working of the lead into the paper that I love most about creating. Maybe it's a control thing as well... I feel more in control with a pencil than when I'm trying to create digitally - perhaps because I'm not very tech savvy and computers are still a mystery to me!


You are both an artist with pictures and with words. When you are creating a story, do you see it visually in your minds eye and then write it down or do you think of the words and imagine how it would be sketched? Or other?

Hmmm... that is a very good question! When I'm writing, it's mostly about the words I hear running through my head and then scramble to write down before they float away. I actually struggle to see things visually while I'm writing, other than a general idea of what I'd like to achieve. That might be why descriptions are the last layer I add to my stories, and dialogue is the first! But at the same time, I don't often visualize my illustrations before I draw them, either. They just seem to pop out of my pencil tip and then I manipulate them until I'm happy.

Do you have an special rituals for drawing? (i.e., music, place, type of pencils, etc.)

I don't, actually! I'm used to drawing whenever, wherever, with whatever! I think having two high-energy kids underfoot all day long has taken away any rituals I might have had. However, take away the kids, and I would draw all day in my studio, listening to music, with my Design Spectracolor pencils (which I use sparingly, as they were discontinued 12 years ago, and not so easy to come by these days).

Is there a piece of your work that you are most proud of and why?

The first time I sat down and designed a piece entirely out of my head without reference shots was when I created this Blue Leopard Snake illustration during my first year of college. All my art teachers from high school had me working exclusively from photo references or from other people's artwork, and creating from my imagination was what I wanted to do most. Until this snake illustration, I wasn't sure I was capable of drawing from my imagination. Nowadays, I rarely use references, and when I do it's usually because I can't remember the size of a hedgehog's nose, or the shape of a peacock's beak, rather than an entire drawing.



When you are working on a project for someone else, how do you balance out your vision for the final outcome with what might be their vision?

In the last few years I've done many, many custom projects and find I am given a LOT of freedom just about all of the time. I'm not sure if it's that my customers don't necessarily have a complete vision of what they want, or if they are familiar enough with my work that they trust whatever my vision might be, because usually a customer will say something like, "I want a monkey in a car" or "I want a pink cupcake with some flowers and a kitten" and I have to figure out for myself what that will look like. Custom orders are a challenge, especially as I'm never sure of what I'm doing until after I send off my first sketch and get that thumbs up or thumbs down. But if my sketch doesn't cut it the first time, it's always the starting point for more direction ("Sprinkls on the cupcake!" or "Big ears on the monkey!") and that always helps!  [Let me just say...this is true...she takes sparse thoughts and does good work.]


If you could meet or work with any artist living or dead, who would it be and why?

I am such a fan of Mary GrandPre (well known for her work on the American Harry Potter covers) and would LOVE to peek into her workspace and watch her create! Because of her, I have tried and tried, and tried again to use pastels well... but alas, I am no Mary Grandpre and end up with nothing but chalk smears and messy fingers, clothes and hair. Her work is absolutely brilliant and I admire her use of color very much!

Thank you Marisa for sharing with us your love of colored pencils and design work.  If you would like to purchase any of Marisa's work, she has an etsy site that you might want to check out.  

**If anyone can guess where the quote came from, I will give the winner a print from Marisa's Esty site.  Winner may select one print worth up to $21 plus shipping.  (All guesses must be made prior to September 17, 2010. If more than one person guesses right, a drawing will be held for a winner. Leave guesses in the comment section.) Hint:  It is from a TV show - off the air now, but still in syndication- not a book.

Back-to-School Guest Post: The Love of Reading - Pass It On!!

This month I am welcoming authors, bloggers, librarians and teachers to share about "Back-to-School" memories or experiences.  Today's guest blogger is Mel from He Followed Me Home


It all started when my oldest was still in my womb. Yes, I was one of those crazy first time moms who read to their unborn! Even now, every night we read a book together- though many times I thought it was also used as a stall tactic. We started out reading Golden Books, then onto my favorite Eric Carle books, Dr. Seuss and Rober Munsch. Now that he's reading chapter books on his own, it's been Captain Underpants, Diary of a Wimpy Kid and most recently The 39 Clues series. Each night, we still have the bed time story ritual, but now he reads to himself.

Last spring during a parent-teacher interview, I was shocked to hear that some students in my son's Grade 2 class didn't have books at home. This was something I had never really thought of, taking for granted all the books I had growing up, visiting the library & the bookshelves of kids books I've accumulated over the years. It was then that I realized how fortunate my son is to have the love of books supported at home! He is no bookworm by any means. In fact, if given the choice of Lego or reading he'd pick Lego in a heartbeat, but I know the time he does spend getting lost in a book every night is invaluable.

As a mom of two boys, it's doubtful that my love for The Babysitters Club, Sweet Valley High or Anne of Green Gables will ever be shared but I'm proud to pass on my love for books. I can't wait for the time he picks up Harry Potter, Artemis Fowl and The Lord of the Rings. What other books do you consider 'must reads' for pre-teen or teen boys?

Thanks Mel for sharing about how you have passed on your love of reading to your sons.  If you want to know more about Mel, check out her blog: He Followed Me Home

Book Review - Zen Ghosts

Author/Illustrator: Jon J. Muth
Publisher: Scholastic Press (September 1, 2010)
Age Level: 4 to 8 years
Source: Personal Copy
Rating: 4 of 5 Stars

Description from GoodReads:

On Halloween, Stillwater the panda, who dons a spooky costume and mask, promises his friends Addy, Michael, and Karl a spine-tingling ghost story to be told by a mysterious storyteller.
The storyteller--who looks remarkably like Stillwater--tells the children an unforgettable ancient Zen story about a girl named Senjo who hopes to marry Ochu, the boy next door.
But Senjo's parents have different plans for her future. They want her to marry a more prosperous man than Ochu--someone who will care for the family and her ailing father.
Heartbroken by the prospect of being separated, the two run off to a far away village and marry.
As the years pass, Senjo's regret for having left her family slowly eats away at her happiness, and she and Ocho return home to make amends.
But a surprise ending is in store. For Senjo's father swears his daughter has been sick and living at home with him the entire time. Yet Ocho knows differently, for he has been living with Senjo for many years. What is the truth? Who is the real Senjo?
The story of Senjo was originally written down by a Chinese Buddhist Monk Master named Wu-men Hui-hai in the early 13th Century. This type of story, called a Koan, is used by students of Zen to attain enlightenment. It provokes thought and conversation--yet has no concrete answers.
With Zen Ghosts, Muth has once again presented an original, beautifully crafted story, perfect for Halloween--or any time. 


This is the third book in Jon Muth's "Zen" series.  In Zen Shorts, the reader is introduced to Stillwater, the Giant Panda, who tells tales to three siblings (Addy, Michael, and Karl).  The tales each are intended to assist the children in looking at things from a different perspective.  In a similar vein, Stillwater has returned to provide new insight to his three young neighbors.  In a nod to Halloween, the children are each dressed up and go out into the neighborhood trick-or-treating.  They are joined by Stillwater, who is dressed as a ghost (of sorts).  


Muth's watercolors are breathtaking, and the two page inner spread captures the magic of a neighborhood in full Trick-or-Treat mode, with children dressed up in costume, and trick-or-treat bags.  I was mesmerized by the beauty of the paintings and the richness that they contribute to the story. 


In this installment, Stillwater shares with the children a surprise - their own special ghost story in the form of a Koan based on an original Zen story by the Chinese Buddhist Monk Master Wu-men Hui-hai.  The story presents to the children a mystery - how can one girl both be the wife of a man but also lay ill in her parents' home?  As with any koan, the intention is to provide the listener with a puzzle to contemplate.  


For younger children, the dichotomy presented in Stillwater's story may be confusing.  For older children, this same dilemma can provide for valuable conversation to develop critical thinking skills. This is a beautiful book and an excellent addition to any personal collection or school library collection.