GUILD NONFICTION AWARD EVENT!
We will be honoring Don Brown
on Thursday, May 18th, at 12noon
in PERSON at Busboys and Poets,
450 K Street, NW, Washington, DC.
The Children’s Book Guild Nonfiction Award honors an author or author-illustrator whose total work of nonfiction subject matter has contributed significantly to the quality of nonfiction for children. In his long and wide-ranging career, Don Brown has written and illustrated books about pioneers, explorers, and historical events, making them immediate and memorable to young readers. In many of his books, he has delved into difficult episodes of American history, such as the Dust Bowl, Hurricane Katrina’s impact on New Orleans, and the 9/11 terrorist attacks. He has created distinctive, affecting images of damage and destruction, but he balances them with clear explanations of the world and of the people who made positive, often heroic, contributions under great stress. He is respectful of his audience and his subject matter and produces engaging, well-researched illustrated nonfiction for children of all ages.
We are so pleased to honor his significant contribution to children's nonfiction, and especially excited to be together for this event in person. Click the registration link for lunch options and other details. Hope you can be there!
In case you missed it...
APRIL SPEAKER SERIES RECAP
By Fred Bowen
Recently, my granddaughters – Clare (age 9) and Alice (6) – were visiting overnight. I had planned to read the girls a mystery that their father had loved when he was young. Clare put an end to those nighttime plans. “Is this a ‘black and white’ book?” she asked. Like many kids these days, Clare enjoys graphic novels and non-fiction books with plenty of information and splashy pictures.
I think Clare would like the books of Megan Wagner Lloyd and Michelle Mee Nutter. The two have teamed up to produce two best-selling graphic novels, Allergic and Squished.
Lloyd, the writer, and Nutter, the artist, spoke to the Guild at an online meeting on April 13th. They first described their individual journeys with the knowing smiles and laughs of good friends.
Lloyd’s story is one of writing groups and “ten to twelve” unpublished novels. Along the way, however, she tried a picture book and that seemed to be a better fit. She now has several and her writing career was underway.
But as her children got older, Lloyd became intrigued with graphic novels. She studied the form by reading Scott McCloud’s Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art (which has been in my reading queue for weeks). She discovered that all those unpublished novels had not been wasted time as she plotted the longer stories of the graphic novels.
Nutter’s tale is one of being in the right place at the right time. She was working as a graphic designer but had always wanted to be an illustrator. Nutter bet on her artistic ambitions by paying for a trip to a SCBWI conference in Los Angeles where she met an agent who happened to be shopping a graphic novel.
Nutter fell in love with the script of the graphic novel on the flight back to Boston. As she said, “It seemed like fate.” And the team of Lloyd and Nutter was formed.
The two also described the way they work together. When asked whether it was a close collaboration, Nutter answered, “Yes, yes.” Lloyd was not sure whether this kind of collaboration is common, but their publisher (Scholastic) has been very supportive of their working relationship.
Lloyd writes the script for the graphic novels in a way that is not overly descriptive and leaves room for the artist to give her input. But Lloyd very purposely aims to 1) make every chapter someone’s favorite chapter of the book and 2) have plenty of humor and heart in the book.
For her part, Nutter likes to sit with the script for a while. Then she takes notes about the script including “stage directions.” Next, she does character sketches including ones that have the characters showing different emotions.
Then it is on to more rough sketches, inking, the “flatters,” and eventually the final touches. Making the colorful graphic novels kids love is clearly a long process. Up to two years.
What is the future for these two talented women? They are doing another graphic novel together while Nutter is working on two “secret projects.”
Lots of kids – including my Clare – will be happy to hear that.
INVITES FROM OUR FRIENDS AT SCBWI
Tuesday, June 13th, 7 to 8:30pm (virtual event): "The Business of Children's Books with Agent Brent Taylor." In this presentation, literary agent Brent Taylor breaks down the business basics of the children’s book publishing industry for both new and seasoned writers.
MEMBER NEWS ROUNDUP
GINGER PARK is delighted to announce the book launch party for her picture book Grandpa's Scroll (Albert Whitman) on May 17th from 2 to 5pm. Says Ginger: "This event is more of an open house to give me an opportunity to chat with each guest, so please come anytime between those hours! And bring friends! Feel free to RSVP at: gingerpark952@gmail.com. Where: at my chocolate shop CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE, 1130 Connecticut Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20036. There will be complimentary chocolate & sparkling wine! AND a gift tier raffle for all who purchase a book!"
Ginger will also be at HOORAY FOR BOOKS in Alexandria on Saturday, May 20th at 2pm to read and sign copies of Grandpa's Scroll.
SUSAN STOCKDALE and JENNIFER O'CONNELL will present their nonfiction picture books Line Up (by Susan) and Elephants Remember (by Jennifer) at the Gaithersburg Book Festival in the Jim Henson Pavilion on Saturday, May 20th from 10:15 to 11:05am. Their book signing will follow from 11:15 to 11:45am, and Susan will present an art workshop from 12:25 to 1:05pm.
SUE FLIESS has a new lyrical nonfiction book out May 11th, Cicada Symphony, illustrated by Gareth Lucas and published by Albert Whitman & Co. Reflecting Sue's fascination with the insects during the last brood, she wrote it as a poem about the lifecycle of the cicada with facts peppered throughout.
MARY QUATTLEBAUM is delighted to report that her early reader Queen Elizabeth II was published last month by National Geographic Kids. Mary especially loved learning about the queen’s many dogs and horses as she researched and wrote the book. Her favorite facts: The queen took her corgi, Susan, on her honeymoon. Susan had been a gift from her father, King George VI, on her 18th birthday.
First published as a graphic novel, White Bird: A Novel will come out in June from Knopf. It was co-written by ERICA S. PERL and R.J. Palacio (who wrote the original graphic novel). White Bird: A Novel tells the story of Sara Blum, who was enjoying an idyllic life with her adoring parents in Vichy France until her world came crashing down. The Nazi occupation separated the family and forced the young Jewish girl into hiding. Her classmate Julien and his family risked everything to ensure her survival, and, together, Sara and Julien sought beauty in a secret world of their creation. (Read it before the movie, starring Helen Mirren and Gillian Anderson comes out in August!)
SAVE THE DATE: ANNA E. JORDAN's debut middle-grade novel launch will be at Politics & Prose on October 10th at 6pm. Shira and Esther may look identical, but the two girls couldn’t be more different. Shira, the only daughter of a stern and pious rabbi, dreams of singing and dancing onstage, while Esther, the daughter of a glamorous Yiddish stage performer, dreams of reciting prayers and studying the Torah. Shira and Esther are going to need more than a little chutzpah to swap places and follow their dreams. But if they do, their double dream debut is sure to be the performance of a lifetime.
JANE HARRINGTON is so excited to have ERICA PERL and CAROLINE BREWER as guest authors in her Writing For Children course at Washington & Lee University this month. Students will be reading their books and engaging in conversation about craft and the writing life :)
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