This Saturday, April 30th is Independent Bookstore Day. Independent bookstores across the country are celebrating in various ways, such as selling special merchandise and hosting author talks.

For April 30th only, participating independent bookstores will be selling Draw Me!, a book aimed at teaching children how to draw a variety of favorite characters. Constance Lombardo, author/illustrator of the Mr. Puffball: Stunt Cat to the Stars series, is one of the featured authors in Draw Me! To find out more about Draw Me! and other special merchandise, check out Independent Bookstore Day’s website.

The Bank Street Book Store in New York is celebrating the day by having authors and illustrators drop by to discuss their books and do signings. Liz Zunon, award winning illustrator of picture book such as Don’t Call Me Grandma and Poems in the Attic, will be at Bank Street from 12:30 to 1 pm. If you’re in the area, drop by to say hi! You can find out more here.

Happy Independent Bookstore Day!

Huy Voun Lee is the winner of the 2016 Japan Day Art Contest!  As the winner, her original artwork will be used as the official poster for Japan Day.  She also won a trip to Japan and other prizes. Of her artwork, Huy said,

“I decided it was best to use meaningful Eastern and Western symbols: origami cranes, monarch butterflies and cherry blossoms. Cranes represent peace and everlastingness. Monarch butterfly is a North American species. No matter how far they migrate, they always come back home in the spring. Cherry blossoms, in Japanese culture, represent a beautiful, yet fleeting moment in life that can never be forgotten.”

Read more about the award and Huy’s artwork here.

Japan Day is Sunday, May 8th in New York City’s Central Park.  You can learn more about the upcoming festivities by watching the video here.

Not only is April National Poetry Month, but this year actually marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of National Poetry Month! To help students, teachers, and parents celebrate, the New York City Department of Education put together a list of recommended books of poetry for students. Included are Poems in the Attic, written by Nikki Grimes and illustrated by Liz Zunon, and Edgar Allan Poe’s Pies: Math Puzzlers in Classic Poems, written by J. Patrick Lewis and illustrated by Michael Slack.

You can find out more about National Poetry Month on the DOE’s site.

This Saturday, Marilyn Sadler, author of Charlie Piechart, will be participating in the Ohioana Book Festival, a book festival that celebrates Ohio authors. The book festival will be held at the Sheraton Columbus Hotel in Columbus, Ohio on Saturday, April 23rd. Marilyn will be participating in the Writing and Publishing for Young Readers panel from 2:00-2:30 pm. If you’re in the area this Saturday, she would love to see you!

For more information, you can visit the Ohioana Book Festival site here.

The Cooperative Children’s Book Center (CCBC) has announced their Choices 2016 list. The CCBC’S Choices list is a selection of the best children’s books of 2015 as made by a board of librarians. Liz Zunon and Vanessa Brantley Newton both have picture books that made the list. Congratulations, Liz and Vanessa!

In the Contemporary People, Places, and Events category:

• One Plastic Bag:Isatou Ceesay and the Recycling Women of the Gambia, written by Miranda Paul and illustrated by Liz Zunon

In Poetry:

• Poems in the Attic, written by Nikki Grimes and illustrated by Liz Zunon

In Picture Books for School Age Children

• My Three Best Friends and Me, Zulay, written by Cari Best and illustrated by Vanessa Brantley Newton

Read more about the CCBC Choices 2016 list and find a full list of winners here.

Lesters_P16

In exciting news, K.G. Campbell‘s charming 2012 picture book, Lester’s Dreadful Sweaters, has been adapted into a children’s musical! Lester’s Dreadful Sweaters tells the story of Lester, whose cousin won’t stop knitting him embarrassing sweaters. Lester was adapted for the stage by Aly Renee Amidei, who loves to knit herself and was inspired by K.G.’s illustrations. She also designed the costumes, based on the signature dreadful sweaters, and helped write the lyrics. The play is running until April 24th in the Lifeline Theatre in Chicago. You can learn more about the play at the Lifeline Theatre’s website here and find Publisher’s Weekly review here.

Before checking the play out, don’t forget to check out the original!

Sarah Dillard’s Mouse Scouts was reviewed in Sunday’s issue of The New York Times.  For the full length article, click here.

Don’t Call Me Grandma, written by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson and illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon, received high praise in a review from The School Library Journal. The SLJ praised the picture’s book sparse storytelling and portrayal of a complicated great-grandmother and writes that, “Elizabeth Zunon has been a force to reckon with.” They call the book as a whole, “Sharp and smart.”

You can read the full article here and purchase a copy of Don’t Call Me Grandma here.