Welcome to my new blog, which now includes content from many of the blogs I’ve created over the years. You can now also access content via category from this one page instead of having to search for my individual blogs, which were scattered over various platforms and websites.
Many thanks to my friend David Diaz for his friendship and mentorship. I got to know David through the SCBWI, when I was chosen for the SCBWI-LA Illustration Mentorship program in 2010. David has been recently touching base with many of the Mentees, past and present, to find out how they’re doing…he . . .
KOALA HOSPITAL Written and photographed by Suzi Eszterhas Launches from Owlkids Books on Oct. 15, 2015Juvenile: Age (years) from 7 – 10, Grade (CAN) from 2 – 5, Grade (US) from 2 – 5ISBN-10: 1771471409 – ISBN-13: 978-1771471404 I picked up the f&gs for KOALA HOSPITAL at ALA at the . . .
Appropriately enough, I began and finished Kevin Sylvester‘s MiNRS underground. It was soOooOooOOoo good that I missed my subway stop. Twice. MiNRS is Kevin’s upcoming action-adventure sf book for middle grade … though honestly, I believe older readers will enjoy it as well. The premise: A 12-year-old boy and his friends have to . . .
(Updated April 17, 2017, plus check reader comments) The quandary: You want to support someone’s new book and as much as you’d like to buy it, you can’t. Perhaps you can’t justify the cost of the new book right now. Perhaps your author friend is prolific and has multiple books . . .
FAMILIES, FAMILIES, FAMILIES! by Suzanne Lang and Max Lang is a wonderful celebration of family love, no matter what the size or type. Adorable and goofy family portraits included nontraditional as well as traditional families. Published by Random House Children’s Books this year. Suzanne produces, develops and writes for children’s television. Max codirected the film . . .
One of my favourite recent reads is THE BLACKTHORN KEY, a debut novel from Kevin Sands, coming out from Aladdin/Simon & Schuster this September. Wow. Really, REALLY loved this. When people ask me for recommendations for good, new middle grade novels, I will not hesitate to list this book. It’s a . . .
Donna Gephart is a professional nerd. She’s written five novels filled with humor and heart for Penguin Random House, including How to Survive Middle School, Death by Toilet Paper and Olivia Bean, Trivia Queen. She’s also written some compelling grocery lists and award-winning Post-it notes to her dogs. For free activity/reading guides, lots of fun . . .
Timothy Young has been an animator, puppet maker, toy designer, sculptor, art director and graphic designer. He’s designed for Pee-Wee’s Playhouse, the Muppets, Disney, and Universal Studios. Tim is the author/illustrator of 5 picture books with a sixth out this fall, Do Not Open The Box. He lives in Easton, Maryland. You . . .