Storm Codes Recognized by NY Reading Association

It’s a beautiful day and I’ve got some good news: Storm Codes has been recognized once again! The New York State Reading Association recently placed the book on their “Suggested Reading List” in the Intermediate category.

The New York State Reading Association is an affiliate of the International Reading Association comprised of more than 30 local reading councils having a total membership of over 2,500 educators from across New York State. The organization includes classroom teachers, librarians, reading specialists, parents, college educators, and researchers. Check out their entire “Suggesting Reading List” for the year here.

As always, we are grateful for the attention! Thanks to the fine folks at Finney Company for the tip.

Meeting Deadlines and New People

I’m doing the “Happy Dance” right now! After several months spent chained to my art table and desk, I met both of my book deadlines! It’s a really good feeling, especially since I’m very excited about my new illustration technique. After 5 years painting solely in watercolors, blending graphite drawing with digital coloring was just the creative change of pace that I needed. Look for this new technique in the forthcoming children’s books, The Antarctic Express and The Triangle Republic.

Though bookended by these two deadlines, this past Saturday held a very nice visit to Winona, MN for the Tau State Convention. Storm Codes author and friend, Tracy Nelson Maurer, is this year’s Jeanette Fair Award winner in the children's author category. Tracy and I both really enjoyed presenting Storm Codes at the convention, but it was a special treat to finally meet the lovely ladies who selected our book for this award. Thanks again to the Tau State Communications Committee of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International for making us their honored guests during their event!

Storm Codes Honored by Tau State

Nearly two years after its original publication date, Storm Codes is still winning recognition! It is with pleasure that I announce Tracy Nelson Maurer, the author of the book, is the 2009 recipient of the Jeanette Fair Award! This award is given every two years to a Minnesotan woman author by the Tau State Communications Committee of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International. Congratulations, Tracy!

The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International is a professional honor society of women educators. The Society, established in 1929, promotes professional and personal growth of its members and excellence in education. It has attained major objectives in improving opportunities for qualified women employed at every level of education, as well as in advancing the status of women educators.

Tracy and I will be signing copies of Storm Codes at this Saturday at the Tau State Convention in Winona, MN. We’re looking forward to meeting Delta Kappa Gamma Society members! Very special thanks go to the Tau State Communications Committee for honoring Tracy and our book with this award.

Antarctic Express Sneak Peek

I’m on deadline-mode for two book projects, so things have been a little crazy around here, but I’m happy to give you all a sneak peek of The Antarctic Express! I’m very pleased with how these turned out, both as a loving homage to Chris Van Allsburg’s The Polar Express and as examples of my new technique:
See a couple of the earlier sketches for these finished pieces here and here. Quite a bit has changed since those first drawings were drafted!

CPSIA Update

Some good news this week: The Consumer Product Safety Commission has said it will not enforce the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) when it comes to ordinary (non-novelty) books printed after 1985. Furthermore, ink-on-paper and ink-on-board books could potentially be excluded from the Act entirely, thanks to additional legislation introduced late last month. Unfortunately there is some bad news: while this ill-conceived Act is losing some of its stranglehold on the publishing industry, the CPSIA will likely continue to cost time and money for book creators everywhere. Novelty books account for a significant percentage of the market, and the testing procedures are costly, confusing, and not a little crazy. Here's hoping the insanity will be curbed somehow and soon.

Head on over to Publisher’s Weekly to catch up on the most recent CPSIA coverage.

The Sisters Grimm: Magic and Other Misdemeanors

The Sisters Grimm Book 5: Magic and Other Misdemeanors by Michael Buckley

My Rating: 5 of 5 stars

After the somewhat disappointing Once Upon a Crime, it’s nice to see that Magic and Other Misdemeanors brings the series back to top form. In fact, I’d say this book is my favorite in The Sister’s Grimm series so far!

With Granny Relda scrambling to pay Ferryport Landing’s property tax, newly imposed by the evil Mayor Heart and Sheriff Nottingham, the girls are on their own to stop the thefts of several magical items from various Everafters. Solving this mystery proves imperative after Sabrina and Daphne are given a glimpse into a dark alternate future. All the while, Mr. Canis’ control over the Wolf breaks down even more, and Puck surprises everyone by starting to grow up.

I loved the additional sci-fi element of “time tears” profusely; it’s just too cool to imagine Sabrina and Daphne all grown up and kicking major butt. Puss in Boots, Cinderella, and the Evil Queen are added to the ever-expanding roster of Everafters, though the Scarlet Hand’s mysterious “Master” is still unknown. I’m getting a little impatient for that to be revealed; there’s only so much suspense a gal can take! For now, though, I can forgive it, because the action and time-traveling is very intense. I am dancing with excitement for the next installment!

View all my reviews on Goodreads.

The Science of Little Red Riding Hood

Happy Saturday, everybody! After a tough work-filled week, it's time for a Saturday morning cartoon break! I love this nifty student animation by Tomas Nilsson. It's a cleverly scientific interpretation of the classic fairy tale, Little Red Riding Hood, set to a techno tune. Kudos to Tomas - I hope he gets top marks for this!

Illustration Friday: Talisman

I almost didn’t submit for this week’s Illustration Friday until I remembered this piece from the award-winning children’s book, Storm Codes. That’s NOT rabbit poo she’s holding, it’s taconite! Katy’s father is a captain aboard the Edward B. Greene steamship, carrying the steel pellets from Duluth Harbor to other ports along the Great Lakes. Katy keeps her taconite as a good luck charm, or talisman, to bring her father safely home during a November storm.

Storm Codes has been recognized by the Midwest Booksellers Association, Foreword Magazine, the Northeastern Minnesota Book Awards, and the Mom's Choice Awards. It is available in bookstores everywhere and on Amazon.

Minnesota SCBWI 2009 Spring Workshop

The Minnesota Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators cordially invites you to our Spring 2009 Workshop, The Nuts and Bolts of Children's Writing.

Whether you're just getting started writing for kids or you've been writing for a while, this is the workshop for you! Dara Dokas and Laura Purdie Salas will share tips on the basics of children's/teen writing, resources for kids' writers, submitting your work, researching publishers and agents, etc. Then, you can ask any questions you like (including the ones you might have been too embarrassed to ask at a conference). This will be an encouraging, supportive atmosphere where you can learn more about becoming a children's writer.

Dara Dokas is the author of Remembering Mama and Saving Shadow. Her newest picture book, Muriel's Red Sweater, was published by Dutton Children's Books in February 2009. Dara is a former English and drama teacher. In addition to writing for children, she works as a bookseller and children's book buyer at Micawber's Books in St. Paul.

Laura Purdie Salas is the author of more than 70 nonfiction and poetry books for the educational market. Her first trade poetry collection, Stampede! Poems to Celebrate the Wild Side of School, comes out from Clarion in April. Laura was an instructor for the Institute of Children's Literature, and she has taught children's writing to adults through the Loft, SCBWI conferences, and online courses.

Date: Saturday, May 16th, 2009
Time: 10am – 1pm
Place: Ridgedale Library, 12601 Ridgedale Drive, Minnetonka, MN 55305
Cost: $25 members / $35 non-members

Registration will be at the door, and light refreshments will be served. Hope to see you there!