E B White wrote this wonderful letter to a child explaining why libraries are important. Isn’t that great? Here are 10 other writers on libraries… Starting with my very favorite: “People can lose their lives in libraries. They ought to be warned.” Saul Bellow “Without libraries we have no past and no future.” Ray Bradbury… Read more »
Posts Categorized: Picture Books
The light of the world
“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.” Isaiah 9:2 #advent
my child could do that
A few months ago, I visited MOMA on an unofficial tour led by my friend Dan Siedell (author and Presidential Scholar and Art Historian in Residence at The King’s College, NYC). It was great. He took us to floor 5 where we looked at Cezanne, Matisse and Van Gogh. Then down to floor 4 where… Read more »
Where stories come from
Where do stories come from? Does the writer invent them? Or discover them? I’m certain it’s the latter. As least if they are living stories, true stories. (True–whether or not they are factual.) It was that blog from a couple of weeks ago that got me thinking about the promise that God will supply all… Read more »
why there’s no such thing as children’s books
“I don’t believe that I have ever written a children’s book,” Maurice Sendak once said. “I don’t write for children. I write–and somebody says, ‘That’s for children!’” Madeleine L’Engle said, “You have to write the book that wants to be written. And if the book will be too difficult for grown-ups, then you write it… Read more »
Featured Illustrator: Chris Haughton
Chris Haughton is a favorite artist of mine—such a brilliant sense of humor and most of all so very deceptively simple (and believe me, as a picture book writer, I know how extremely hard that is to do…) Behind a “simple picture book” are revision after revision. With How To Be A Baby, for instance,… Read more »
limits and freedom
Imagine if you could do anything you want, and absolutely nothing was off limits, and your choices were unlimited, how would you feel? At first you think, yes! I’d feel great. But the reality is, if you’re like me, you don’t feel free. You feel trapped. There are too many things you could do so… Read more »
Running and Writing and Cups of Tea
A few years ago, I was on Fripp, a barrier island in South Carolina. (I was there with great friends on a writing retreat.) I got up early one morning and went running — and happened upon a magical scene… As the mist hung over the marsh, the sun was just rising, a fisherman in… Read more »
Picture Books, Theater and the Turn of the Page
A good picture book is like theater. You’re probably familiar with The Caldecott Medal (awarded annually to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children). But who is this Caldecott exactly? Beatrix Potter called him, “one of the greatest illustrators of all.” Maurice Sendak credited him with inventing the modern picture book…. Read more »
Maya Angelou reads “Life Doesn’t Frighten Me”
It was so sad to hear that Maya Angelou’s had died last week. Like so many others around the world, I was touched by the words she wrote and spoke. And by the woman she was. And her spirit and sheer joy of life. I discovered this wonderful recording of Angelou reading one of her… Read more »