Happy Holidays

Happy Holidays from Brooklyn, friends! 

Wishing you and your loved ones peace and joy this holiday season. Here's to a most wonderful new year~

Much love,
Lauren

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!!

Let it Snow!

I'm really excited to be part of the group exhibition Let it Snow! at the Bruce Museum in Greenwich, CT! The show is now open, and will run through most of the winter. If you are near Greenwich, stop by and check out the art and books. As a part of this exhibition, the museum will also be running programs for teachers, parents and kids between now and Feb. 24, 2013. Hooray for snow!

Come join the party!

NY friends— Hope to see you at BookCourt this Saturday! Come eat some h'orderves, drink some wine, and jump start your holiday shopping : )

THE READER on 7-imp

Character studies, sketches & final art from THE READER on the very awesome Seven Impossible Things blog. Many thanks to Jules Danielson for this nice post!

Three cheers for

THE READER Blog Tour!

Today is DAY 1 of a two week long blog tour for THE READER. First stop, the awesome illustration blog Pen & Oink, where I talk book making process!


 
Here's the full two week tour schedule, if you'd like to follow along:

Monday, November 5: Pen & Oink  and A Mom’s Take

Tuesday, November 6: Mouse Grows, Mouse Learns

Wednesday, November 7: Susan Heim on Parenting

Thursday, November 8: 5 Minutes for Books

Friday, November 9: The Children’s Book Review

Monday, November 12: Media Darlings

Tuesday, November 13: Kid Lit Frenzy

Wednesday, November 14: Cracking the Cover

Thursday, November 15: Adventures in Mommydom

Friday, November 16: Momma Drama

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!!

The Reader gets an "A"!

Entertainment Weekly reviewed THE READER, and they give it an "A".  Thanks so much to EW editor Abby West for such a lovely write-up!!

Pub week for The Reader!

This Tuesday my latest book, THE READER, hit shelves. Hooray!! I've been waiting a long while for this one to come out. I had such a fantastic time illustrating Amy Hest's sweet story. And really, there is nothing I like to draw more than dogs, snowscapes, and teeny children :)

 

Our publishing house threw an amazing luncheon to celebrate the release of the book on Tuesday. Delicious food, wine and fantastic company. How wonderful to be able to gather together with all the people who put their hearts in to this project, and toast to the special day. It certainly isn't often I take time to celebrate my book releases. I should do it more :) When I arrived home Tuesday evening, this beautiful bouquet was waiting at my doorstep. Thank you ACP for everything you have done to make this a successful and memorable launch! ♥

And here is a fantastic review that just came in from Booklist:

"The reader" is a small boy, all bundled up for the cold conditions outside. He has a brown shaggy dog, a red sled, a small suitcase, and the snow-covered world at his fingertips. Hest's quiet, lyrical prose matches the stillness of the landscape, as she describes the reader's journey: "Up and up he climbs, tilting in the wind, pulling in the blowing storm." The little dog, who has bounded ahead, waits patiently at the top of the hill for his boy to join him. Once there ("the hill is very, very tall. The top is far, far away"), boy and dog make snow angels and a "snow dog" and snack on toast. Finally, the reader clicks open the mysterious suitcase, which contains not just any book, but "the very best book," titled Two Good Friends. Perfect. This sweet story is beautifully imagined by Castillo, as her boldly outlined, colorful characters pop against the brilliance of a total whiteout. Share this with other pint-size readers who understand the joy of reading, anytime, anyplace.  —Ann Kelley, Booklist Aug 2012