[Cynthia Kremsner Posts: 734 Status: Offline Author / Illustrator WWW]

Last week I went on my semi-weekly run into B&N to peruse the PB's. Sometimes, those covers are like BEACONs and I have to pull them from the shelves to peruse through the pages. And when they are amazing, which is often for me, I buy them.

Loren Long has always been one of my favorites. But, I've discovered another illustrator whose work is amazingly brilliant (to me): John Rocco.

My new favorite PB illustrations for the week are from How to Train A Train. The fun text and illustrations are so strong, I just love it. http://www.amazon.com/How-Train-Jason-Carter-Eaton/dp/0763663077/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1383258408&sr=8-1&keywords=how+to+train+a+train

What are some of your favorites that are newer releases?

[Artemesia Posts: 4,527 Status: Offline WWW]

Oh, gorgeous illustrations!

I really loved the illustrations in Cloudette by Tom Lichtenheld. http://www.amazon.ca/Cloudette-Tom-Lichtenheld/dp/0805087761 I loved the colors and textures and the way he combined different media. And it's one my little guy wants me to read to him a lot. Really pretty book. I love looking at it. I think it would really appeal to you, knowing you as I do, my dear. The selected pieces in the preview really don't do it justice.

[LeslieG Posts: 220 Status: Offline WWW]

"But, I've discovered another illustrator whose work is amazingly brilliant (to me): John Rocco." (<-- Sorry, "Insert Quote" doesn't seem to be working...)

Yes, John Rocco! I fell in love with his work in BLACKOUT, so I will definitely look for HOW TO TRAIN A TRAIN. I'm also in love with Jon Klassen's work in THE DARK. The little guy at the top of the stairs in his footy PJs is just "Awwww!"

[Cynthia Kremsner Posts: 734 Status: Offline Author / Illustrator WWW]

Artie, I can tell Cloudette has a beautiful palette. I'm on that like white on rice. I'll have to look for it on my next visit to the book store. You're right, the links to the images really don't compare to the printed works . . . same for How to Train a Train.

Leslie, I looked up Klassen and wow . . . love the contrasts and raw emotion they evoke. I looked up Rocco's Blackout, wow. Just wow. http://www.amazon.com/Blackout-John-Rocco/dp/1423121902/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1383265833&sr=1-1&keywords=john+rocco

[claudia-pearson Posts: 23 Status: Offline I love kids' books!]

I love BATTLE BUNNY - looks effortless, but clearly was not easy

[Cynthia Kremsner Posts: 734 Status: Offline Author / Illustrator WWW]

Claudia, such humor! Love it! So much thought and planning had to go into assembling those illustrations. I wonder if Jon Sciezka had a lot of illustration notes or if he collaborated directly with Matthew Myers. It would be enlightening if they facilitated an author/illustrator workshop to show how something like that worked. 
 
http://www.amazon.com/Battle-Bunny-Jon-Scieszka/dp/1442446730#reader_1442446730

[LeslieG Posts: 220 Status: Offline WWW]

Scieszka and Mac Barnett were at SCBWI-LA this August and did a workshop focused exclusively on how they created BATTLE BUNNY (which included a pretty hilarious read-aloud, with the two of them simultaneously reading the two storylines). Yes, they collaborated directly with Matthew Myers. Don't know if they'll do a workshop with Myers, too, someday, but if you catch another workshop with Scieszka and Barnett, they did talk about the collaborative process quite a bit.

[Cynthia Kremsner Posts: 734 Status: Offline Author / Illustrator WWW]

And I missed it! Okay, L.A. is a must this summer. I would have loved to see Jon and Mac do a presentation about this book. I bet it was hilarious. I went to one of Jon's workshops a few years ago . . . one of my absolute favorites at the SCBWI LA event. The other facilitator who I thought was excellent was Richard Jesse Watson. For animated effect, Richard took it for me. But for brainstorming/fun, Jon was awesome too. He's really in tune to kids' humor.