Speaking of trains…

This video demonstrates that their appeal is timeless.

A big day at the studio

Tags

Chronicle Books, Finished illustrations, Sherri Dusky Rinker

It’s always an exciting day when I finish a book and ship out the illustrations to the publisher. This time, I eliminated shipment-anxiety by hiring a couple of friends to do the job. The package should arrive in about a month.

I only trust FedRex to deliver my art.

Birkensocks

When I need a breather from the studio, I go for a bike ride along the Fox river. It’s a good time for working out whatever book problem is vexing me at the moment, and I often get some doodling inspiration.

SUNDAY! SUNDAY!

Tags

E, E-mergency, Los Angeles Time Festival of Books, Target Children's Books, Tom Lichtenheld

I’ll be here Sunday, April 22nd, at 10:30 am on the Target stage.

Signing books afterwards at the nearby signing area.

BONUS! MEET THE YOUNG MAN WHO INSPIRED “E-MERGENCY!” 

Ezra Fields-Meyer will be joining me for the book signing. A rare opportunity to have your book signed by co-conspirators of silliness.

At 12:30, I’ll be signing at the Kinokuniya Books Booth, no.190.

Be sure to visit the Chronicle Book Booth, no.550

Mr. Giraffe lost his Pringles

Tags

Canal st., giraffe, lost and found, Pringles

I saw many interesting things while visiting New York this week, but this was easily the most puzzling. Spotted from my hotel room at the intersection of Canal and 6th. Go figure.

Sketches for the birds

Tags

Bird sketches, children's book sketches

These are character sketches for a book currently on my drawing board. I love to draw birds, especially in flight. Now I have 32 pages of them to draw.

E-MERGENCY! gets more good press.

The New York Times reviewed four new picture books about the alphabet, with some nice things to say about E-mergency.

 

 

number nine… number nine… number nine…

Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site works its way back onto the New York Times Bestseller list.

Ahead of its time

I just discovered a gem of a book from 1956. Cartoonist Osborn created this visual essay about the perils of the rat race as a promotional piece for a drug company. It then went “viral” and was published by S&S. Great energy and design, not to mention a message that was way ahead of its time.

Thanks to Groucho Marx, and my wife.

I recently got an assignment to illustrate the cover of a magazine, for their fall children’s book issue. My wife suggested I think of a quotation about books, then bring it to life in a picture. I immediately thought of the great Groucho Marx line; “Outside of a dog, a book is man’s best friend. Inside of a dog, it’s too dark to read.”

The magazine chose a different idea, so I’m sending this one right to the top.

Pastel and colored pencil, with a little help from Photoshop