A bunch of books coming out soon! Starting with . . .
I am super happy to report that Rex, Gizmo, Wild, and Sprinkles (the stars of my book REX WRECKS IT!) now have a second book . . . and perhaps also a new friend?
Boo is new. And even if the other kids are welcoming, it can be scary being new, especially for a shy ghost who can’t play any of their games. ("You tagged me? Oh, sorry. I couldn’t feel it.") Can Boo find a way to fit in and make friends with the rest of the group? From the creator of Rex Wrecks It! comes a funny story about feeling invisible — and finding a way to be seen and appreciated for who you are.
Boo was actually going to be in the first book (REX WRECKS IT!), but didn't have a major role in it so was cut to add more focus to the main four characters. At the time I really didn't want to cut Boo, but now am happy that I did because it set up this new story.
I imagine this book might get pegged as a Halloween title because of the cast and because of Boo in particular, but I think it is much more a beginning of school story. It is all about how difficult it can be to make new friends and find a sense of belonging.
BOO WHO? comes out August 1st!
Also coming out soon are the first few titles I had the good fortune to help acquire in my role as editor-at-large for the Little Bigfoot imprint of Sasquatch Books. I joined the Little Bigfoot / Sasquatch team about two years ago and am super excited to see these first projects I helped edit come out
First up is a project I have dreamed about putting together for some time. DRAWN TO COLOR is a 64 page coloring book for the whole family. It features artwork with Pacific Northwest subjects by 22 Pacific Northwest illustrators (including me!). There is a huge variety in the book of both style and detail, so really a bit of something for everyone.
DRAWN TO COLOR comes out August 22nd! For those in the Seattle area there will be a color / book launch party at the end of August at U Books in U District.
Here is a full list of the illustrators with pieces in DRAWN TO COLOR:
DANA ARNIM, AARON BAGLEY, JESSIXA BAGLEY, ERIK BROOKS, BEN CLANTON, FRIDA CLEMENTS, CAROLYN CONAHAN, BRANDON DORMAN, KATE ENDLE, ALISON FARRELL, STEVEN HENRY, AMY HEVRON, JUSTIN HILLGROVE, DOUG KEITH, JULIE KIM, CLAUDIA McGEHE, ANDY MUSSER, CARRIE O'NEILL, COREY R. TABOR, RICHARD JESSE WATSON, SEAN DAVID WILLIAMS, LIZ WONG
Next up is FRANK THE SEVEN-LEGGED SPIDER by Michaele Razi, which comes out Sept. 12th! Michaele has been a friend and critique pal of mine for somewhere around 6 years now and most of that time she has been steadily working on this book. It has been amazing to watch the evolution of Frank from first manuscript to what I've got to say is one of the funniest and best read-aloud books coming out this year. Here is a bit about the book:
Frank loves being a spider, especially the part that involves having eight glorious legs. But one morning Frank wakes up missing a leg. One of his friends exclaims, "I barely recognize him!" Another friend asks, "Are you still a spider, Frank?" Is he still a spider? Frank doesn't know. A funny and heartfelt quest filled with surprises ensues as Frank searches for his leg and the answer to his identity.
Hooray and congratulations to Michaele on her debut! And for FRANK who will catch you and stick with you in the best possible way.
And coming out October 3rd . . .
WHERE'S HALMOMI? is one of the most brilliant books I have ever encountered. Seriously, it is up there! And if I was on the Caldecott committee I would be pushing this book for the award. It is a 96 page picture book with graphic novel leanings, but I wish it was even longer.
Beautifully illustrated and told by debut author Julie Kim, this picture book in a graphic-novel style follows a young Korean girl and boy whose search for their missing grandmother leads them into a world inspired by Korean folklore, complete with mischievous goblins (dokkebi), a greedy tiger, a clever rabbit, and a wily fox.
Two young children pay a visit to Halmoni (grandmother in Korean), only to discover she's not home. As they search for her, noticing animal tracks covering the floor, they discover a window, slightly ajar, new to their grandmother's home. Their curiosity gets the best of them, and they crawl through and discover an unfamiliar fantastical world, and their adventure begins. As they continue to search for their grandmother and solve the mystery of the tracks, they go deeper into a world of Korean folklore, meeting a number of characters who speak in Korean along the way, and learn more about their cultural heritage.
This beautifully illustrated graphic picture book is filled with a number of Easter eggs for readers of all ages to discover, and is inspired by the Korean folktales that author and illustrator Julie Kim heard while growing up. Translations to Korean text in the story and more about the folktale-inspired characters are included at the end.
I actually have one more book that I wrote and illustrated coming out this year (ROT: THE CUTEST IN THE WORLD!), but I will wait to share more about that nearer to December. I will also share more about each of the books in this post when they come out. :)
Thanks for stopping by!
