Something something something. Caldecott Honor (!!!)

So many months (and so many adventures) have passed since my last post that I think I'm just going to have to skip over a ton of things and go straight to this:

It is still hard to believe this actually happened. I've been pinching myself a lot.

On the morning of February 2nd I received a phone call from a room of cheering Caldecott committee members, telling me that my book NANA IN THE CITY had won a Caldecott Honor. Wow. Whoa. Oh my gosh.
Stunned.
Overwhelmed.
Elated.
Just a few of the many emotions I've felt these last several weeks.
I am truly humbled.



To know that the committee saw something special in my little book just blows me away. I cannot wait to thank them in person and accept the award at the annual ALA conference in San Fransisco this June.

For now, here's a little Times Square marquee thank you.  ♡♡♡


Thank you, Caldecott committee! from Lauren Castillo on Vimeo.

Exciting SPUNKY news!

Just found out that SPUNKY TELLS ALL is a nominee for the 2014 Beverly Cleary Children’s Choice Award!! You can view the 7 books that were nominated right here. Hooray for Spunky!

100 Titles for Reading & Sharing

I was thrilled to find out that HAPPY LIKE SOCCER has been selected for The New York Public Library's 100 Titles for Reading & Sharing 2012 list!

 Thanks so much to the NYPL Committee for including our book!!

The Original Art 2012

I'm honored to have two of my books represented in this years Original Art Show at the Society of Illustrators. Thanks so much to the awesome jury for their selection of HAPPY LIKE SOCCER and THE READER! This Thursday evening, October 25th, is the opening reception -- probably my favorite industry event of the year. Here are the details if you'd like to attend. Hope to see you there!!

A Happy Like Soccer nomination! Plus some lovely blogger reviews

Great news! Happy Like Soccer has been nominated for the Amelia Bloomer 2013 Project List. What exactly is this list you ask? Here's a description straight from their blog: 

We create an annual booklist of the best feminist books for young readers, ages birth through 18. We are part of the Feminist Task Force of the Social Responsibilities Round Table of the American Library Association.

Awesome! Thanks so much for the nomination~



I also wanted to thank this handful of wonderful bloggers who had such kind things to say about our book:

• Books That Heal Kids: 

 "I'm using this story to validate children who might not be living with their parents and to teach other kids that all families have a different make up. What a great new book!"

• Girls of Summer:

"One of the most important skills for girls to learn is self-advocacy. For Sierra, the desire to join the two things she loves most – family and soccer – helps her speak up for herself. Author, Maribeth Boelts, and illustrator, Lauren Castillo, are perfectly paired in Happy Like Soccer. The inviting call and response of words and pictures bring both the light and shadows of Sierra’s story to life."

• Deborah H. Moore:

“Happy Like Soccer  is a story about the joy of family support. It also shows how empowering and wonderful it can feel to figure out a solution to a problem instead of succumbing to despair."

• Buzz Words Books:

"Sometimes words are not enough to describe beauty and excellence. That is the case with this book."

• Read Plus:

"A lovely story extolling the virtues of family and resolution, this story with its bold, seemingly simple drawing style will appeal to many children. All of those who love soccer will be absorbed while those who live in the city and know the problems of getting a spare space to play in will also read it with pleasure. "

• Waking Brain Cells:

"A celebration of a small family, an urban community and sports, this picture book glows with love." 

• Whom you Know:

 "This is a book that should be a must on every classroom bookshelf."

• Kids Reads:

"With honesty and rare subtlety, author Maribeth Boelts and illustrator Lauren Castillo portray an endearing character in a moving, uplifting story that touches on the divides children navigate every day- and remind us that everyone needs someone to cheer them on from the sidelines."

• Kid Lit Frenzy:

"I really liked the message in this story. It presents the challenges that a working single guardian faces in order to attend the Saturday soccer games of her niece."

• Heidi Fuchtman:
  

 "Several years ago, Maribeth (Boelts) brought together all kinds of elementary school kids, teachers, coaches, and volunteers to take part in some soccer. My first two children were born during this time (I remember running around on the field with a pregnant belly!), and the fruit from those few seasons of soccer continues to grow in the lives of many."

Hooray for Happy Like Soccer! And thanks again to Maribeth Boelts for writing such a fantastic, important text for children :)

Melvin has PA fans!

I was super excited to learn that The Pennsylvania Center for the Book named MELVIN AND THE BOY a 2012 Best Children's Book for Family Literacy!

This from their website:

The Pennsylvania Center for the Book works with hundreds of children's books each year while preparing booklists, activities, and curriculum materials. Our Family Literacy Activities Web page is designed to help parents and caregivers fill each child's world with a love of books. We consider these 13 titles—a Baker's Dozen—to be the very best picture books published in 2011. They fulfill the goals of family literacy programs across the nation: to create lifelong readers and lovers of books and to start with the youngest audience—preschool children.

Huge thanks to The Pennsylvania Center for the Book for selecting Melvin as one of their Baker's Dozen — I am so honored to be a part of this list.

Thank you, Bankstreet!

Bank Street College of Education has released their 2012 edition of the Best Books of the Year, and I was very happy to find out that both SPUNKY TELLS ALL and MELVIN AND THE BOY made the list (age 5-9 category)!! You can read more about Bank Street College of Education, and how they choose books for their annual list, right here. Thanks again to the fantastic committee for selecting my two titles!

Alabama is a fan of Spunky!

Good news: Spunky Tells All has been chosen as a 2012-2013 Alabama Camellia Children's Choice Award selection! You can find out more about the award and program right here. Thanks to the state of Alabama for including Spunky on your list :)

an award for Spunky!

   

Spunky Tells All was named an Honor Book for the Maryland Blue Crab Young Readers Award!!! My home state has good taste :-) Thanks, Maryland! You can check out the full list of winners here if you like: http://www.mdlib.org/divisions/csd/blue.asp

JLG mail

I received a surprise package from my publisher over the weekend — the official selection letter for Happy Like Soccer from the Junior Library Guild, along with a JLG lapel pin and certificate with gold seal! Gold sure does make me happy :) Thanks to the Junior Library Guild for this wonderful honor. Really excited for Happy Like Soccer to be a part of their list~

JLG selection

I just found out that my forthcoming book, HAPPY LIKE SOCCER, is a Junior Library Guild selection! The book comes out in May, but wont be available from JLG till September of this year. Very exciting! Thank you, JLG!

Hip Hip Hooray!

WOW. Melvin and the Boy ranked #2 on 100 Scope Notes Top 20 books of 2011 list! Again, wow.. Thank you Travis Jonker (100 Scope Notes) and John Schumacher (Watch. Connect. Read.) for drawing some attention to Melvin. He appreciates it, and I certainly do, too! 

 Here's what Travis has to say:

 

Again, thank you so much for the support and recognition, gentlemen. 

I am honored to be a part of this fantastic list~

The Original Art 2011

I'm honored that two of my books are included in this years Original Art Show at the Society of Illustrators! Many thanks to the jury for selecting CHRISTMAS IS HERE and MELVIN AND THE BOY. I look forward to seeing lots of lovely book folks at the opening reception next Thursday evening, October 27th. Here are the details if you'd like to join. Hope to see you there!

CCBC Choices 2011!

The Cooperative Children's Book Center has just released their CCBC Choices 2011 annual best-of-the-year list, and both ALFIE RUNS AWAY and CHRISTMAS IS HERE are on it -- Hooray! The Cooperative Children’s Book Center (CCBC) is a unique examination, study and research library of the School of Education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The complete CCBC Choices 2011 publication will be available after March 5th, and will include annotations and recommended ages for all of the books included, as well as an author/title/subject index, and a commentary on the publishing year. Many thanks to this years panel of jurors, Kathleen T. Horning, Carling Febry, Merri V. Lindgren and Megan Schliesman!
You can check out the complete list of titles right * here *

Alfie got a gold seal!

ALFIE is pretty excited. He's received a 2010 Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Seal Award! ("Given to outstanding new products that enhance the lives of children.")

Here's what the committee had to say:
"A little gem of a story about a boy who wants to keep his old shoes. When his mother does not give in, Alfie announces he is going to run away. In one loving scene after another his mother makes sure that he will have everything he needs--water, a flashlight, batteries, peanut butter and crackers, his pillow and bear. Finally Alfie takes off. Though the ending is predictable, it is also reassuring. The drawings capture the youthful vitality of this spirited boy and the moments of bitter sweetness that make it both meaningful and memorable. "

Thank you for noticing ALFIE, Oppenheim Toy Portfolio!!

Opening fun

The Original Art Show opening last week was a blast! The show is up at the Society Of Illustrators through November 24th. I hope if you're in the city you'll swing by—It's a great looking show! Here are a few photos from the evening:

The incredible Eric Carle accepting the Lifetime Achievement Award

Laurent Linn and Amy June Bates, this years' lovely Juror and Co-Juror

my ALFIE pieceFront: Paul Hoppe and Julia Denos;
Back: Brian Floca, me, Laurent Linn, Selina Alko, Sean Qualls, Chad Beckerman, Meghan McCarthy

30th Annual Original Art Show Opening

Tomorrow night is the 30th annual Original Art Show opening @ the Society of Illustrators! This show never disappoints, so hopefully if you're in the area you'll swing by and check it out! (click on the above image for details)
p.s. I was on the jury this year! Here's a link to the post about my experience back in August~
p.p.s. ALFIE is also represented in the show, if you want to see him up close and personal :)

Hooray for Papa's Way!

The Cooperative Children's Book Center has just come out with their CCBC Choices 2010 annual best-of-the-year list, and That's Papa's Way is on it! The Cooperative Children’s Book Center (CCBC) is a unique examination, study and research library of the School of Education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The complete CCBC Choices 2010 publication will be available March 6th, and will include annotations and recommended ages for all of the books included, as well as an author/title/subject index, and a commentary on the publishing year. Thanks so much to this years panel of ladies, Kathleen T. Horning, Merri V. Lindgren and Megan Schliesman and Tessa Michaelson, for selecting Papa's Way!
*You can check out the complete list of titles right here

Society of Illustrators Opening

In front of my piece (from That's Papa's Way). It was fun that Peter's piece was below mine, and Julia's piece was to the left of mine~ Goooo Team Rodeen!
A small part of the crowd, right before Chris Van Allsburg came up to accept his Lifetime Achievement Award. It was so wonderful to hear him speak, especially because his incredible books were part of what inspired me to work toward a career in this field!
SVA MFA unite! Taeeun Yoo, You Byun, me, Paul Hoppe, and Chris Butzer. Congrats to Tae and Chris, and to all my other friends who had their work on display (AND to all my other incredibly talented and hardworking friends who did not, and should have!). It was a great exhibit, and an event that I look forward to every year. The show is up through November 25th, so go check it out if you can!

S.I. Original Art Show

If you live in or around NYC, and have interest in the book arts, then The Society of Illustrators is the place you need to be next Thursday evening October 22nd! It is the opening reception of the 29th annual Original Art Show, and I promise the exhibit never disappoints. I feel honored to be part of the show this year, and look forward to celebrating the work of this lovely industry~

And P.S. A big CONGRATULATIONS goes out to Brian who won a Silver medal for Moonshot, his absolutely gorgeous book!