It's a Book! Two New Books!

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My advance copies of YOU MAKE ME SNEEZE! and the paperback edition of YOU ARE NOT A CAT! arrived this week. Both books will officially be released on February 20th by Astra Young Readers.

Unboxing a year’s worth of hard work, seeing it glued and bound together as a book never gets old. I had the pleasure of sharing a sneak peek of YOU MAKE ME SNEEZE with some classrooms this week for World Read Aloud Day, and I’m happy to report: the jokes landed!

The lovely folks at Astra also created a very fun promotion for SNEEZE at this year’s ALA conference: tissue packs! They’ve sent me a bunch that I am looking forward to sharing with readers at some upcoming children’s book festivals this Spring and Fall. For more information on my appearance, scroll down this page to the Events section.

I also collaborated with Astra to create coloring pages based on a few of our favorite images from SNEEZE. Those are free for download here and on Astra’s website.

If you’d like to order a copy of one (or both) books, click here. ACHOO!

YOU MAKE ME SNEEZE Book Trailer!

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Acchoooooo!…I mean, Yippee! My book trailer for YOU MAKE ME SNEEZE! just went live! Feel free to watch and share. :^)

Written by Sharon G. Flake and illustrated by me, SNEEZE is the sequel to YOU ARE NOT A CAT! featuring the same kooky duo of Cat and Duck as they navigate the world and the hiccups (sneezes?) that friendship can bring. Written completely in dialogue, it’s perfect as a read aloud, and for kids who are starting to read on their own. YOU MAKE ME SNEEZE! is available for pre-order now, and will be out in February 2024.

If you’d like a sneak peek at some of the interior art, I’ve posted some images in the books section of my site.

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Speaking of YOU ARE NOT A CAT!, Astra Publishing House is also releasing a paperback edition to coincide with the publication of SNEEZE. And guess what? It’s also available for pre-order. Many thanks for my editor, Rebecca Davis and art director, Barbara Grzeslo and the whole team at Astra for bringing our book to life. And a special thanks goes to the amazing Sharon Flake for her wonderful, hilarious words!

Announcing: Party Animals!*

I’m thrilled to be illustrating two new picture books by the wonderful, Tara Lazar beginning with Party Animals, due out in Spring 2025 from Disney-Hyperion. I’ve been a fan of Tara and her books for a long time, so this is an honor. Not to mention I come from a long line of party animals, so the subject matter suits me perfectly!

[*Full disclosure: this announcement is a little late to this space. I’ve been busy drawing parties!]

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Universe is a 2022 Beehive Book Awards Nominee

Great news! The Day the Universe Exploded My Head has been nominated for a 2022 Beehive Book Award by the Children’s Literature Association of Utah. Founded in 1980 by professors at Brigham Young University, CLAU is an organization that “promotes literacy and a love of reading, and serves as a resource for excellence in children’s literature.” I’m thrilled that our book continues to get into the hands of more kids. For more about the Beehive Book Awards, CLAU, and to see the other nominees, click here.

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Saturday Stories at the Society of Illustrators

Ever wonder how a picture book gets made? On Saturday, July 17th, I’ll be giving a free, kid-friendly, virtual presentation at on of my favorite New York institutions, the Society of Illustrators.

Presented monthly, Saturday Stories invites guest illustrators to lead children and their adult companions in a read-aloud Zoom workshop related to the wide range of materials and processes that illustrators use to create their picture books.

Join me at 10:30 AM–noon EST, on Saturday, July 17th for a workshop about children’s publishing, including a behind-the-scenes look at my illustration process, a read-aloud, and a character-building craft activity. I’ll present what happens when I first receive a story idea to illustrate, and how I get to know the characters through brainstorming and sketches, long before I put paint to paper. Focusing on the main character from A Big Surprise for Little Card, I’ll do a reading, followed by some step-by-step crafting using common household materials.

Here’s what you’ll need to make your own Little Card character:

• 1 letter-sized piece of paper cut in half (to approx. 8.5” x 5.5.5”)

• 2 pipe-cleaners (or 2 strips of paper, approx. 11” x .5”)

• drawing materials (crayons, markers, pencils—your choice!)

• scissors

• tape

• a pom-pom and glue (optional)

The program is free, but an RSVP is required. You can register online here.