I’d been reading picture books to my kids for years before writing my own. I’d always taken pleasure in them but never really considered what a deep art form the genre is. It took creating Libba to figure that out.First, let’s take the words. Like in a song or poem, I wanted to get them just right. …
Musician Laura Veirs turns the spotlight on folk singer Elizabeth “Libba” Cotten for her debut picture book. Veirs traces the story of a girl who was meant to play music despite all the things going against her. Even the guitars weren’t made for a left-hander like Libba. But plucky Libba just “turned the guitar upside …
The Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association, a trade association of independent booksellers, publishers, authors, and librarians, announced the winners of the 2019 Northwest Book Awards. The awards are selected by a committee of independent booksellers from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Alaska. From more than 400 nominations written or illustrated by creators from the Pacific Northwest …
Adrian Simcox does not have a horse! Especially not a beautiful horse with a white coat and golden mane and beautiful brown eyes like he likes to tell anyone who would listen. And Chloe will be the first person to tell you that Adrian Simcox absolutely does not have a horse. How could he possibly …
[Here’s an example] of quirky illustrations and marvelous set pieces. Torben Kuhlmann has been consistently putting out stunningly illustrated books about small creatures doing great feats of aeronautics and engineering. Most recently, it’s Edison, the story of two mice who create a to-scale submersible in order to search for a sunken treasure. That’s right. A mouse-driven …
Jamie Temairik, illustrator of Bigfoot Does Not Like Birthday Parties written by WA author Eric Ode, has a holiday gift for you! If you sign up to receive her (adorable and never-overwhelming) emails, you’ll get a link to a free download of Bigfoot paper dolls. Whether you need a Christmas craft or a little bonus gift, …
As we celebrate Thanksgiving, enjoy some beautiful new books that celebrate Native American culture and history. We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga by Traci Sorrell, illustrated by Frane Lessac is vibrant and beautiful book. The Cherokee community uses the word “otsaliheliga” to express gratitude. The book takes us through a year of traditions and celebrations, starting in …
The Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association, a trade association of independent booksellers, publishers, authors, and librarians, announced the 2019 Northwest Book Awards Shortlist, selected by a committee of independent booksellers from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Alaska. From more than 400 nominations, the committee chose the following 12 finalists, written or illustrated by creators from the …
Independent bookstores don’t have the space to carry every title, but they celebrate your freedom to read. This week, many stores created displays to raise awareness of censorship through Banned Books Week (September 23-29, 2018). From University Book Store in Seattle: We’re with the Banned. In celebration and anticipation of 2018’s top 10 banned books, we’re …
Ian thinks rules are meant to be followed, but his sister Jenny thinks they are meant to be broken. When Dad takes them to a vacation house, Ian marvels at the list of rules framed on the wall and is quick to point out that Jenny is not following them. She gets mud on the …
