The first CHRISTMAS review is in

And it's a star!!! I am so happy. This being the first book I've worked on where I am fully responsible for the outcome, I have to admit I've been pretty nervous about what the critics will have to say... But, so far so good! Thank you Kirkus for a wonderful write-up of CHRISTMAS IS HERE, which appears in their September 1st issue:

CHRISTMAS IS HERE
Illustrated by Lauren Castillo; Adapted from The King James Bible
(SSBFYR; ISBN: 9781442408227; October 2010; Fall catalog page 24)

“This touching interpretation of the Christmas story wordlessly follows a modern-day family as they journey through a snowy town in the evening to view a live Nativity scene. The family includes a baby in a white snowsuit, who provides a subtle symbolic connection to the baby in the manger in both the re-created scene and the Nativity story that follows. As an older child peeks in at the baby in the manger, the setting shifts in time and place to Bethlehem of long ago, accompanied by the traditional words from the King James Bible, before returning to the contemporary setting. Gorgeous watercolor illustrations in a subdued palette of twilight grays set off the falling snowflakes in the modern scenes, while the biblical scenes are brilliantly lit by starlight. Castillo's smudgy style infuses all with wonder.”

ALFIE Blog Reviews

Little Alfie has been receiving some pretty nice reviews from some pretty kind bloggers out there. I wanted to share a handful of them, and thank each and every one of these blogs for taking the time to write about ALFIE:

~Kiss The Book

~Carol's Corner

~Kids Kit

~K Bookwoman

~Picture Book of the Day

~Books For Kids Blog

~University of Delaware, Education Resource Center

~Lisa, Lisa and the Book Jam (where you can listen to a discussion with author of ALFIE, Kenneth Cadow!)

Thank you all very much! (I know Alfie just loves it when people say nice things about him)

~Jurying the 30th Annual Society of Illustrators Original Art Show~

Piles and piles of books to judge...554 to be exact! (photo courtesy of Chad Beckerman)

Monday was a very big day for me: I had the incredible honor of serving on the jury of the 30th Annual Society of Illustrators Original Art Show. About a month ago Laurent Linn, Chair of this years show, called me up to ask if I would be an alternate juror in the event that one of the others could not make it. I was honored to be asked, but doubted the fact that I'd actually be called in... Well, much to my surprise, I got the "you're in!" phone call on Sunday night. Wow. What a wonderful experience it was, and I am extremely thankful to both Laurent Linn (Chair) and Amy June Bates (Co-Chair) for having me on board! One of my fellow co-jurors, Chad Beckerman, did a great job of documenting the day over at his blog, if you'd like to see and hear a little bit about how it all went down (thanks for photographing, Chad!). This is going to be an awesome show--make sure to mark your calendars for the opening reception and awards ceremony on Thursday, October 21st!

What's here?

Christmas Is Here!!!

The first bound copies of the book arrived on my doorstep yesterday. Very exciting! But since it is still summer, I will refrain from showing wintery images...
I'll wait till AFTER Labor Day to share a few interiors :)