Spring forth with books!

It’s showering spring books here. Here’s a few, sent in by friends.

This one is from Marsha Wilson Chall, with illustrations by debut illustrator Jed Henry. Check out Jed’s blog, too.

jacket front plus flap

back jacket plus flap

Many graphic designers enjoy exploring picture book vernacular, distilling the everyday into simplicity. Children see the world with fresh eyes, and so do many designers. Patricia Intriago demonstrates how DOT can be fun in her upcoming book.

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And finally, a correction to an earlier post.  I had mistakenly posted the U.K cover for the delightful Kristy Dempsey/Bridget Strevens-Marzo book, Mini-Racer. Bridget writes:

“. . . I noticed you put the yellow UK cover online.  Attached is the full Bloomsbury US cover – they kept to my original grey-blue textural “road” cover which I like best. . . “

U.S. edition of MiniRacer cover

Bridget's rough storyboard for Mini Racer

Preliminary character studies for Mini Racer

Sample spread: "monkey out"

Sample spread: "mouse out"

Sample spread: "rabbit out"

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Tomorrow: Illustrating with quilts

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Show us your latest picture book!

We’ll be seeing some sparkling new picture books with spring just around the corner.

Here are just a few, sent in by book friends. We’re get up close and personal on the collaborative aspect, in weeks to come. Stay tuned!

Roxie Munro has a new book, Hatch!, just published by Marshall Cavendish. It’s a big picture book with a guessing game about eggs, and the birds that hatch from them.

Marion Dane Bauer has a new book coming soon, with illustrations by Caldecott medalist Emily Arnold McCully.

Illustrator Lori McElrath-Eslick‘s new book is by NYC fireman Tim Hoppey.

Popular librarian Jeanette Larson has a new book, Hummingbirds: Facts and Folklore from the Americas, beautifully illustrated with textile art byAdrienne Yorinks, just published by Charlesbridge. There will be a Book Release party at Book People (Austin) on March 5 at noon. The book looks at the facts about hummingbirds and couples that information with folktales from peoples of the Americas. Great for kids or birders of any age.

The dynamic mother-daughter duo of Anne Rockwell and Lizzy Rockwell returns with First Day of School, featuring the children we’ve met in their previous classroom holiday books. We will get a sneak peek here!

And Bridget Strevens-Marzo writes us from France:

I’ve really appreciate your Got Story interviews on digital books; and Anne Rockwell; but I’m running to catch up! That’s why I identify with the snail in the book I illustrated, MINI RACER, just out yesterday with Bloomsbury US and UK. Kristy Dempsey’s text is a zooming romp of an action poem so I had to come up with all the characters from a mouse in a cheese car to alligators in a gas-guzzling Cadillac and a visual storyline that fit their personalities. So far, no one has noticed that the most eco-friendly vehicles get furthest in the race. . .

[An update: This cover is from the U.K. edition. Go here to see the U.S. version. — JC]

Do you have a new book coming out this spring?  Drop me a line. You could be in for a lot of nosy questions about it at the Countdown!