Monday, August 30, 2010

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.”

10 comments:

Brian Floca said...

"A star, a star, dancing in the night..."

Congratulations! I can't wait to see the book!

taeeun yoo said...

oh this review is great! Congratulations Lauren~!

shadrieka said...

Rock on chica~ This is awesome!

Ben Hatke said...

Congrats Lauren! So exciting!

Vicki said...

CONGRATS!!! The illustration looks soooooo beautiful!!

Sarah Jane said...

Oh how wonderful! I am so thrilled for you. I hadn't realized you created it yourself! Wow! Lovely...and I can espeicially appreciate it since I've been illustrating Christmas too:) Thanks for sharing!

martha rago said...

Brava Lauren! This looks great and I can't wait to see the real thing- Congratulations!

Lauren Castillo said...

Thank you guys so much! I had such a great time working on this book, and it's extremely exciting to know that (so far) it is well-received :)

Shirley said...

Super duper congratulations!!! I'm sure it is a beautiful book!!

Amy June Bates said...

well, done it looks lovely! Cant wait