Award

Hey folks,

Back in February I wrote and illustrated a wee reader called Tim and Sam for Hooked on Phonics' total revamping of their Learn to Read program. In doing so, I was pleased to join the company of such children's book stars as Rosemary Wells and Michelle Knudsen.

I was assigned the kindergarten level, and given a list of a hundred or so 3-letter words with which to write a compelling story. This resulted in Tim and Sam, the tale of a race between a fox and a bulldog. It is based on the sentence, "the quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog." I had a lot of fun with the vocabulary challenge, and with letting the art speak the volumes that the text couldn't.

So now iParenting has awarded HOP with their Media Award for Outstanding Products. My book is a small part of the total package, but I'm glad to have been involved. Congrats to HOP.

[Thanks to Amy Kraft for the last two photos used here. (They are from the HOP blog.)]

See ya at the races,
David

Ohio Kids Love Monster Hug!

Happy Spring,

I just found out Monster Hug! (Putnam, 2007) has been nominated for the Buckeye Book Award. School children in Ohio do the nominating, so it truly is a people's-choice type of award. Way to go Monster Hug!

I feel like my books are my children, and MH!, ya done me proud. True it's up against four very fine books in the k-2 category. But just being nominated is great—it means kids all over Ohio will be reading the book so they can vote for a winner.

Read about the award and nominees here.

Read about buckeyes here.

See you under the buckeye tree,
David

Ezra Jack Keats Award

I'm mighty proud to say that I just received the 2008 Ezra Jack Keats New Author Award, for my third book, Leaves. This award is given once a year by the New York Public Library and the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation to one new writer and one new illustrator of picture books. I shared the spotlight on Thursday May 15 at the Donnell Library with Jonathan Bean, the very talented illustrator of The Apple Pie That Papa Baked, among others.

The evening was filled with warmth, coming from the wonderful children's book folk and guests who were present. I am always pleased to be part of this community of creative and loving people. And to be honored by them. . .well!: Heaven on earth.

My thanks again to the jurors and supporters of my work, my editor and art director, and the New York Public Library and Ezra Jack Keats Foundation.

Click here to visit the EJK Foundation's web site.

(Above: Me and Jonathan Bean with Doctors Deborah and Marvin Pope of the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation.)