Book or Bell?, Illus. by Ashley Spires, Released Today!

October 17, 2017

It’s here at last! Today is the release day for Book or Bell?, the new picture book written by Chris Barton and illustrated by Ashley Spires. Henry is hooked on a brand new book, but when the school bell rings, he has to put it down for the day…or does he? When one boy chooses a book over the school bell, hilarious chaos results.

Book or Bell? is now available for purchase online here.

Let the Children March Illust. By Frank Morrison Receives Positive Review From New York Times

February 14, 2018

Let the Children March, written by Monica Clark-Robinson and illustrated by Frank Morrison, is included in a recent New York Times piece titled “Children’s Books About Black History, Heavy on Biographies.” The piece features a list of children’s books that are biographical in nature and focus on prominent African-American figures, with a brief review of each book. The author of the piece states that in Let the Children March “Frank Morrison’s illustrations are loose and modern in spirit, enlivening the history lesson.”

You can view the full piece here and purchase a copy of the book here.

Two Strong New Reviews for Let the Children March, Illus. by Frank Morrison

November 1, 2017

Coming out January 2018, Let the Children March is already bringing in positive reviews. Written by Monica Clark-Robinson and illustrated by Frank Morrison, this inspiring picture book tells the story of the Children’s Crusades. In 1960s Birmingham, hundreds of children and adolescents marched in protest of segregation. Many were harassed, water hosed, and even arrested. The Horn Book Magazine and the School Library Journal (SLJ) both positively reviewed Let the Children March, and the SLJ awarded it a starred review!

The Horn Book Magazine praised “the strong, poetic text” and the unflinching depiction of the brutality the young protesters faced. They also praised Frank’s illustrations, writing that Frank’s “remarkable oil paintings…[are] a vibrant representation of the determination and courage of the civil rights movement.” The Horn Book Magazine’s full review is available in their November/December issue.

The School Library Journal wrote a starred review of Let the Children March. The SLJ appreciated the text’s ability to provoke important conversations in the modern day about racism and civil rights. They also had nothing but good to say about Frank’s art, writing, “The experiences of segregation are sensitively depicted by Morrison…The defiance, determination, and passion comes through clearly on the faces of the figures.” In conclusion, they wrote that Let the Children March is, “A highly readable historical account which deserves a place on picture book and nonfiction shelves alike.” The full review from the SLJ is available in their November issue.

Let the Children March can be pre-ordered online here. It’s coming out January 2018.

Let the Children March, Illus. by Frank Morrison, Receives a Starred Review from Kirkus

October 16, 2017

Today is a good day for us here at Painted Words! Two new picture books illustrated by our artists have been reviewed with starred reviews from Kirkus. The second is Let the Children March, written by Monica Clark-Robinson and illustrated by Frank Morrison. This powerful picture book tells the true story of the Children’s March for civil rights in 1960s Birmingham.

Kirkus praised the narrative’s factual yet emotional description of the harrowing true events and the use of free verse. They strongly praise Frank’s illustrations, writing, “Morrison’s powerful use of perspective makes his beautiful oil paintings even more dynamic and conveys the intensity of the situations depicted, including the children’s being arrested, hosed, and jailed. The child crusaders, regardless of how badly they’re treated, never lose their dignity, which the art conveys flawlessly.” In all, they conclude Let the Children March is, “A powerful retrospective glimpse at a key event.”

Kirkus’s starred review can be read online here. Let the Children March will come out January 2nd, 2018. Pre-order it here.

The Great Dictionary Caper, illustrated by Eric Comstock, is available now!

January 23, 2018

The wait is over! You can now pick up your copy of The Great Dictionary Caper, written by Judy Sierra and illustrated by Eric Comstock. This clever book is filled with wordplay, and has received three starred reviews.

Join Noah Webster on his quest to restore alphabetical order in this fun new picture book, available here.

The Great Dictionary Caper, Illus. by Eric Comstock, Featured in Booklist’s Review of the Day

December 13, 2017

Booklist’s starred review of The Great Dictionary Caper is their Review of the Day today! The review of this humorous new picture book is featured on the front page of their website. Written by Judy Sierra and illustrated by Eric Comstock, The Great Dictionary Caper tells the story of what happens when the words escape from the dictionary.

Third Starred Review for Great Dictionary Caper, Illus. by Eric Comstock

November 27, 2017

The Great Dictionary Caper has been raking in the starred reviews, and it hasn’t even come out yet! The latest review, from Booklist, is the third starred review for the upcoming picture book. Written by Judy Sierra and illustrated by Eric Comstock, this humorous picture book tells the story of what happens when the words escape from the dictionary.

Booklist calls The Great Dictionary Caper, “Delightful,” and praises both the humor and the educational worth of the story. They write, “It’s all fun and word games, but in the process, readers will also get a tidy lesson in linguistic concepts.” They also praise the elaborate page spreads which visually depict the textual word play, which are “enhanced by Comstock’s energetic, retro-flair illustrations, which fill the pages with cavorting words and creative details.” In all, Booklist concludes, “In approach and format, this is both entertaining and educational—likely to hold and pique kids’ interest in the topic and provide a fun learning supplement.”

The Great Dictionary Caper will be coming out January 2018 and is available for pre-order here.

Publishers Weekly Writes Starred Review of The Great Dictionary Caper, Illus. by Eric Comstock

October 23, 2017

Coming out January 2018, The Great Dictionary Caper is already receiving tons of advance praise! With a starred review from Kirkus already under its belt, The Great Dictionary Caper has now received a starred review from Publishers Weekly! Written by Judy Sierra and illustrated by Eric Comstock, this high-energy picture books tells the story of what happens when the dictionary words get bored and escape for the day.

Publishers Weekly writes that The Great Dictionary Caper, “introduce linguistics terminology in just about the most playful way possible.” They praise Eric’s illustrations, writing, “Working in a limited palette of orange, olive, and pale blue, Comstock brings the words to vivid anthropomorphic life while visually underscoring each concept.” In all, they conclude that this picture book is, “the very definition of wordplay.”

Publishers Weekly’s full review is available here. The Great Dictionary Caper will be coming out this winter and is available for pre-order here.

Kirkus Starred Review for The Great Dictionary Caper, Written by Judy Sierra and Illus. by Eric Comstock

October 16, 2017

Coming out January 2018, The Great Dictionary Caper, written by Judy Sierra, is illustrator Eric Comstock‘s newest picture book. This clever tale tells the story of what happens when all the words escape from the dictionary. They just want a day of fun, but without Noah Webster’s help to reorganize them, the dictionary may be in chaos forever.

Kirkus reviewed The Great Dictionary Caper and gave it a starred review! Kirkus praises the high energy wordplay, writing, “Teachers will have field day with this wordplay; this caper is clever, capricious, and cunning.” They have nothing but good to say about Eric’s illustrations. They praise the bright colors and the anthropomorphic word characters. Kirkus writes, “Exuberant and energetic design enlivens the letters as they bounce and frolic across the pages, minimalist compositions adding occasional details to amp up the fun.”

Kirkus’s full starred review is available on their site here. The Great Dictionary Caper comes out winter 2018. Pre-order it here.

A Child’s Book of Prayers and Blessings, Illus. by Shadra Strickland, Released Today

October 10, 2017

A Child’s Book of Prayers and Blessings: From Faiths and Cultures Around the World, written by Deloris Jordan and illustrated by Shadra Strickland, is now available for purchase!

This beautifully illustrated picture book is filled with multicultural prayers and blessings. Featuring traditional blessings and prayers from a variety of religions, including Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and Buddhism, this inclusive book encourages peace in children.

A Child’s Book of Prayers and Blessings is available for purchase here.