48 days and counting!

Hello again! It's been a nice few weeks for Amos and crew (Phil and myself included). It certainly helps that it's spring and that baseball season has started. Phil has started a blog in anticipation of his next book, Jonathan and the Big Blue Boat. The book is about a very lost best friend teddy bear and the adventure Jonathan has to go on to find him. And so, for every day that passes he'll be putting up a postage stamp of a ship from somewhere around the world. You can follow the journey here. You can see some of the art from both of Phil's books here and here, too! Also, see some kid art related to Creamed Tuna Fish and Peas on Toast here.

A Sick Day for Amos McGee has had a very nice couple of weeks. Phil and I received our

certificates and lapel pins from the Junior Library Guild (Amos is their September selection) and we've been discussing the best way to wear them with pride. Amos McGee

will also have reviews coming up in Kirkus and The Horn Book (hooray!). But today was also very exciting because Amos was reviewed on Elizabeth Bird's blog for the School Library Journal. You can see that here. It was delightful but very strange to see my own drawing on a blog I read daily. What a nice surprise.

Whew. Well, who's fed up with the bragging? That will be it outta me for a couple of weeks. Let's get down to some art sharing. Today we'll go to a tea party....of the non political variety (I'll admit, I kind of resent that group for usurping such a happy phrase of mild friendship time).

I sketched this one out towards the end of the book making process so I was able to be a little looser and more confident before I went to a final illustration. If you look closely you'll notice I had to color code the penguin to table to Amos area because carving woodblocks for that area was getting a little confusing.

And there's the final illustration. Come back soon! Less bragging! More art!

It seemed like a good idea at the time.

Spring is really rolling here right now. There are Marches in Michigan that laugh in the face of spring but this year it's really mild. I'm tentatively enjoying it and so is the dog (who is on your left tentatively checking out Huron river).

7o days until A Sick Day for Amos McGee hits the shelves! Or at least the internet! I'm probably going to post about the process for the next few weeks to get everyone nice and sick of the book before it comes out. Remember this post about my picture making process?

We'll start today at the very last picture I made for the book but the very first one you'll see. The cover.

For better or for worse, I tend to thumb my nose at the computer. It's a tool for me. There are times when I make bad sketches on it, lay out a book, or stare at it to try to get an idea. I avoid the computer for final art. For the cover of A Sick Day for Amos McGee, I had an idea that I would do the title type by hand. So I went to work. Below is the carved block.

Here is a detail of it.

I printed the title type in 3 colors– one for the cover, one for the title page, and one for luck.

I ended up (with the help of the art director) using the dark blue type on the cover. I don't think it mattered. The type is pretty small and would have been just as nice as digital. But I learned a little and I enjoyed carving the type.

The book is out May 25th! Mark your calendars! 'Til next time!

A case of books!

We're actually thawing out this week after the snowstorm pictured on your left. But it was pretty. I live in Michigan, so you never really know, but it may have been the last big one.

Last week Phil and I received a couple of cases of A Sick Day for Amos McGee (which will be out May 25th). We had to give a few copies away and the recipients wanted them signed.

It might sounds silly, but I have been dreading signing copies of my book since I knew I was making a book. I have terrible handwriting. I think the type of drawings I usually make should go hand in hand with nice nun-like script. But this is not the case.

To compensate for my handwriting, I made a little print on each book I was giving out.

So everyone gets a penguin along with a hurried signature.

Snow and Sketching

There is a snowstorm today in Ann Arbor. Much coffee and hot chocolate will be consumed. Phil and I have recently bought a new type of paint so there is some excitement in our little studio. The snow is a good combination with new paint because it feels like hunker-down-and-make-art weather.

So, in honor of the weather and the new paint, here is a quick post of a page right out of my sketchbook. Phil and I are knocking around a new idea for me. The page below is the most preliminary result of this new idea. More later!

Porcupines! sounds like a great expletive.

To your left is how my dog, Wednesday, goes to work with Phil and me. Her office is that red tent she's sleeping in (that's my desk behind it). Phil and I work in a pretty small room together so the tent can be a little cumbersome. But I have a desk, Phil has a desk, so Wednesday needs a place to work as well. It's only fair, I guess.

More later this week-

but here is a tiny sketch to share.

Announcing the First Annual STEADBERY and PHILDECOTT AWARDS

From the Desk of Phil and Erin Stead,

In conjunction with this year's Newbery and Caldecott Awards we, the Steads, are proud to announce to The First Annual Steadbery and Phildecott Awards. The criteria for selection is as follows:

Authors and illustrators selected for the awards must have had their book published in the United States during the previous calendar year. However, the author or illustrator need not be a United States citizen or resident.

And now for the awards.

The First Annual Steadbery Award, for the most outstanding contribution to children's literature in 2009, goes to (in an ironic twist)...

WHEN YOU REACH ME, by Rebecca Stead

In the interest of full disclosure we discolose that we have nothing to disclose about our relation to Rebecca Stead. As far as we know we are not related. We are proud though to claim her as a Stead.

And now for the Phildecott.

We are pleased to announce three winners of The First Annual Phildecott, going to the finest works of illustration for a children's picture book. In alphabetical order...

POUCH! by David Ezra Stein

THE SNOW DAY by Komako Sakai

WAITING FOR WINTER by Sebastian Meschenmoser

There are three Phildecott Honor Books this year.

THE CURIOUS GARDEN by Peter Brown

FEELING SAD by Sarah Verroken

ONLY A WITCH CAN FLY by Alison McGhee, illustrated by Taeeun Yoo

Congratulations to this year's winners and honorees. Congratulations as well to this year's ALA award winners.

Hello 2010!

Hello again! Apologies for the long stretch. I'd say that it's a new year and I'll be much better at posting, but that would probably be a lie. But I'll do my best. It's winter in Ann Arbor. My dog is happy. I love the snow. Phil, I think, is neutral.

Nothing much to say today, but here is an update to the last picture you've seen.

Happy snow-shoeing!