Jon Klassen

Jon Klassen won the 2013 Caldecott Medal for the most distinguished picture book for This Is Not My Hat published by Candlewick Press. His collaboration with Mac Barnett, Extra Yarn, was a 2013 Caldecott Honor Book.

Jon grew up in Niagara Falls, Canada, and now lives in Los Angeles, California. He is the author and illustrator of I Want My Hat Back, as well as the illustrator of Cats’ Night Out by Caroline Stutson, Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett, and the other books in the Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place series. He also created concept art for Coraline, the stop-motion animated film based on the book by Neil Gaiman. Source 

Timothy Young

Timothy Young has had a very creative career. Aside from being an author/illustrator, he has been an animator, sculptor, toy designer, and art director. He has worked on fun and exciting projects like Pee-Wee’s Playhouse, Jim Henson Presents and many others. His latest book, I HATE PICTURE BOOKS! (Schiffer 2013), has been getting great reviews, especially amongst teachers and librarians. He really enjoy's school visits where he gets to read his books and demonstrate drawing to students.

Tim’s dot is a sneak-peek at the main character from his next book, THE VERY ANGRY PUFFIN, which will be released in summer 2014. Why is the puffin angry? You’ll just have to wait and see. 

Speaking of round things like dots, Tim is also the creator of a line of characters called HEDZZ™. The first HEDZZ™ toys will be in stores this coming spring. They’re wacky ball-shaped guys that include SEAFUDD, who likes to show off what he’s eating, TREXX, who has a pretty toothy grin and UNDDAWHERE, who has trouble dressing himself.

You can see more of Tim’s creativity and find information about his books, toys and artwork at his website.

Here is the book trailer for "I Hate Picture Books!"

Bren Bataclan

Bren Bataclan's textbook was just published by Heinemann.

Bren gives away paintings around the world. The notes attached to his free artwork says, "This painting is yours if you promise to smile at random people more often." He also gives school presentations about his street art project and he paints murals. You can find out more about his cartoon inspired acrylic paintings via his website: www.bataclan.com

Louise Borden

Louise Borden is the author of 28 books for children. After living in the Washington, DC area for the past five years, she and her husband recently moved back to Cincinnati, OH.

Louise writes about her dot, "I'm a writer but also love to stand on the edge of paints. Sometimes I make sketches in my notebooks or make tiny field paintings. This keeps me close to the world of color, amazement, and young readers. Taking a second look often brings surprises.  Huzzah to all young artists and readers!"

Learn more about Louise on her website.

Mr. Pig and The Little Crooked Cottage

What’s The Little Crooked Cottage? Well, it’s home to four children’s book authors -- Anika Denise, Kara LaReau, Jamie Michalak, & Kristen Tracy -- and a pig. It’s also the name of a children’s book blog dedicated to celebrating authors, illustrators, and their creations!

Read and Subscribe to: Little Crooked Cottage Blog

Learn more about Anika Denise

Learn more about Kara LaReau

Learn more about Jamie Michalak

Learn more about Kristen Tracy

This Dot was created by talented children's book illustrator Christopher Denise  -- http://www.christopherdenise.com -- who also designed the banner for the blog. 

Diane Mayr

Diane Mayr is the author of Littlebat's Halloween Story and Run, Turkey, Run!   She writes poetry, too.  You can see her children's poetry at Kids of the Homefront Army: Poems of World War II Americahttp://www.homefrontarmy.com/, and her haiku and other short-form poems at Random Noodlinghttp://www.randomnoodling.com/.

Diane is also a long-time public librarian and in that position she writes two blogs, maintains several Facebook and Pinterest pages, and orders lots of books!

About her dot she says, "I've combined my love of words, pictures, and cats in a dot-shaped haiga.  Haiga, for those who don't know, is a haiku with a picture.  A haiku is extremely terse, but in its brevity it allows the reader to interpret it according to his or her own experience.  Some may read it as being negative--the cat will never catch the dot, how sad.  Others may read it as: the cat will never catch the dot, but the cat will continue to live according to its nature, pursue its prey, and probably have fun doing it!  Still others may read the haiku completely differently!  By the way, the cat is Skippy, who along with Smudge, think they own me--they're probably right!"

Aaron Becker

Aaron Becker was born in Baltimore and moved to California to attend Pomona College where he scored his first illustration job designing t-shirts for his water polo team. Since then, he's traveled to Kenya, Japan, Sweden, and Tahiti backpacking around while looking for good things to eat and feeding his imagination. He now lives with his family in Amherst, MA where he's busy at work on his next book project. You can find out more about what he's been up to lately at storybreathing.com. Source Aaron's book, Journey is a 2014 Caldecott Honor Book.

Learn more about Aaron on his website or his blog.

Watch the book trailer for Journey!

JOURNEY by Aaron Becker (official trailer) from Aaron Becker on Vimeo.

Aaron Becker be on the SharpSchu chat later this month.

Read a review of Journey by elementary school teacher Holly Mueller.