Thursday, September 13, 2018

Sharon Creech 2018


Sharon Creech is the author of the Newbery Medal winner Walk Two Moons and the Newbery Honor Book The Wanderer. Her other work includes the novels Hate That Cat, The Castle Corona, Replay, Heartbeat, Granny Torrelli Makes Soup, Ruby Holler, Love That Dog, Bloomability, Absolutely Normal Chaos, Chasing Redbird, and Pleasing the Ghost, as well as three picture books: A Fine, Fine School; Fishing in the Air; and Who's That Baby 

Her latest book is Saving Winslow. 





Wednesday, September 12, 2018

Robin Newman 2018



Raised in New York and Paris, Robin Newman was a practicing attorney and legal editor, but she now prefers to write about witches, mice, pigs, and peacocks. She lives in New York with her husband, son, goldfish, and two spoiled English cocker spaniels.  

No Peacocks! illustrated by Chris Ewald (Sky Pony Press 2018), is a fictional feathered tale about Phil, Jim, and Harry, the real-life peacocks residing on the grounds of The Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Every day, Phil, Jim, and Harry are fed sunflower seeds by the staff who care for them. But one day, they decide they're sick of seeds. They make a break for the New York City street in search of pizza, Chinese take out, and pastries. But everywhere they go, they're told "No peacocks!" So they try to get an ooey, gooey, delicious meal closer to home. But how are they going to sneak into The Cathedral School's dining hall and get their wings on the school's world-famous mac 'n cheese? A little plotting, help from the students, and mission mac 'n cheese is a go! No Peacocks! is a story of friendship and teamwork, with a mild sprinkling of fowl play. Perfect for readers and foodies of all ages! 

To learn more about Robin and her other publications at: 

Twitter: @robinnewmanbook

Tuesday, September 11, 2018

Nancy Tupper Ling


Nancy Tupper Ling is the winner of the prestigious Writer’s Digest Grand Prize and the Pat Parnell Poetry Award.  She draws her inspiration from the multicultural background of her family and the interwoven fabric of familial culture which is, on the surface, seemingly everyday.  She is the author of My Sister, Alicia May (Pleasant Street Press), Double Happiness (Chronicle Books), The Story I’ll Tell (Lee & Low Books) and the founder of Fine Line Poets (www.finelinepoets.com). Currently she resides in Walpole, Massachusetts with her husband, Vincent, and their two girls.



More sides to her dot




Learn more about Nancy on her website. 

Saturday, September 8, 2018

Wendell Minor 2018

Wendell Minor is nationally known for the artwork he has created for over fifty award-winning children’s books. His many collaborators include Jean Craighead George, Robert Burleigh, Buzz Aldrin, Tony Johnston, Mary Higgins Clark, and last but not least, his wife Florence. In 2009 Wendell and Florence’s If You Were a Penguin, was chosen by Pennsylvania for their “One Book, Every Young Child” 2009 early literacy program, and they enjoyed the month they spent speaking to children in Pennsylvania’s libraries, schools, Head Start facilities, and Museums.
Wendell is also the cover artist and designer of over two thousand books for authors Pat Conroy, David McCullough, Fannie Flagg, and Nathaniel Philbrick among many others.  His portrait of “Truman” for the cover of David McCullough’s book is in the permanent collection of the National Portrait Gallery in Washington DC.



The 2018 Celebridot is detail from one of the paintings for his forthcoming book Tiny Bird with Robert Burleigh (Spring 2020, Christy Ottaviano Books).

Thursday, July 12, 2018

Molly Idle

Molly Idle has been drawing ever since she could wield a pencil. But while she started scribbling before she could walk, her professional career as an artist began slightly later…
It was upon her graduation from Arizona State University, with a BFA in Drawing, that Molly accepted an offer to work for DreamWorks Feature Animation Studios.  After five years, a number of film credits, and an incredibly good time, she left the studio and leapt with gusto into the world of children's book illustration!
Molly now lives in Arizona with her brilliant husband, two wonderfully mischievous sons, and two snugly cats. When not making mischief with her boys or watching old Technicolor musicals, she can be found at her desk scribbling away, with a pencil in one hand and a cup of espresso in the other- creating a plethora of profoundly whimsical picture books!
Molly's dot is based on her new book, Pearl which is due out October 9, 2018. Her book, Flora and the Flamingo won a Caldecott Honor in 2014


Learn more about Molly on her website

Monday, July 9, 2018

Anna Kang




Anna Kang was born in the Bronx and grew up on Long Island where she spent most of her free time reading Teen Beat magazine and Archie comics and watching movies at the local multiplex. Thinking she would one day become a professor/diplomat/world traveler, she studied International Relations and Asian Studies at Tufts University and Nanzan University in Japan. Instead, she followed her heart and moved to L.A., where she received an M.F.A. from USC's School of Cinematic Arts and discovered what made her happy -- telling stories.

After graduating, she was selected to participate in the Sundance Institute's Screenwriter's Lab and Film Independent's Directors Lab with her first feature script, The Lost Tribe of Long Island. All these experiences - personal, professional, creative - lead her to write her debut picture book, You Are (Not) Small with her talented illustrator-husband, Christopher Weyant. You Are (Not) Small was the winner of the 2015 Theodor Seuss Geisel Award.


Anna writes about her dot, "My Korean-born parents came to the U.S. forty-one years ago, thanks to the Hart-Cellar Act of 1965, which President Johnson signed into law at the foot of the Statue of Liberty. My parents became American citizens nine years after arriving in New York City, and though my mother did not speak much English, a "kind man" helped them fill out their application. My mother eventually received her Master's degree in Bilingual Education from New York University and taught in the NYC public school system for twenty years. My father was a physician in an inner-city Brooklyn hospital in private practice and in a local clinic for over thirty years. They both worked hard, bought a house in the suburbs, raised two children, and lived the American dream. My dot is to honor them and all immigrants who make America great."

Coming soon from Anna and Christopher, Eraser.




Learn more about Anna on her website.

Thursday, April 12, 2018

Cori Doerrfeld

Cori Doerrfeld is a full time author/illustrator who has helped create numerous books including seven self-authored titles. Her latest book, The Rabbit Listened, is about coping with difficult emotions and how sometimes the best way to be there for someone is simply to listen. When Cori isn’t busy making books, she loves to visit schools and teach cartooning to children. Cori currently lives in Minneapolis, MN with her husband, two children, and rescue dog Rufus. 

Learn more about Cori on her website.

Friday, March 23, 2018

Nina Victor Crittenden


Nina Victor Crittenden is an artist, certified veterinary technician, and tea enthusiast. She is the illustrator of CHICKEN LILY by Lori Mortensen and CEDRIC AND THE DRAGON by Elizabeth Raum. THE THREE LITTLE PUGS is her first book as author and illustrator. Nina works traditionally using ink and watercolor and lives in the land of 10,000 lakes with her husband, daughters, cat, bunny, parakeet, and two little pugs. 
Learn more about Nina on her website: www.ninacrittenden.com



Sunday, January 28, 2018

Mônica Carnesi




Mônica Carnesi an author/illustrator of two picture books, both by Nancy Paulsen Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House. She is also a full-time librarian, so picture books are a big and important part of her life.  


You can find more about Mônica and her books on her website: www.monicacarnesi.com












Wednesday, January 17, 2018

Mike Petrik



Mike Petrik is an animator by day and an illustrator of books, magazines, and wonderfully scary doodles by night. He’s contributed to such publications as Highlights for Children and is also the illustrator of Johnny Works with One Hammer by Nicholas Ian. Mike has always loved Halloween and has created many spooktacular haunted houses over the years. He lives with his family near Chicago, where he waits each year for the best day ever…Halloween! Learn more at www.mikepetrik.com.




Wednesday, January 10, 2018

Joy Steuerwald


Joy Steuerwald is an author and illustrator who has always been inspired by creating for children. Through children's educational animated games, product design and illustration, Joy has always loved making her mark with kids in mind. Joy lives in the Bay Area with her husband and 2 muses (her son and miniature wiener dog). She teaches her son to love nature and our planet and for him to be brave enough to make his own mark. 

Joy's first authored and illustrated picture book, The Peculiar Pig, will be released in 2019 by Nancy Paulsen Books, Penguin.

Learn more about Joy's work here:

Tuesday, January 9, 2018

Benson Shum

Benson Shum is an author/illustrator that enjoys creating and telling stories through animation and illustration. Benson is also an Animator at the Walt Disney Feature Animation Studios, where he was a part of such films as Frozen, Big Hero 6, Zootopia and Moana. His inspiration comes from his love of children’s book illustrations, and observation of the little things in life. Originally from Vancouver, BC, Benson now resides in Burbank, California.

Benson's first children's book Holly's Day at the Pool was published April 2017 with Disney-Hyperion. 

You can learn more about Benson here: