Animal Magnetism
Nick Bruel, Tom Lichtenheld, Peter McCarty, Peter Sís, and Chris Raschka, who were among the 13 authors and illustrators who contributed to Eric Carle’s new picture book What’s Your Favorite Animal?, entertained 150 students at the New York Public Library on January 21. In keeping with the book’s theme, the authors discussed their favorite animals with the crowd and then asked kids to share their own favorites, which the authors illustrated; here, Raschka draws a horse. When Lichtenheld asked the audience to provide a location and activity for his animal, the creative result was a dog in space juggling children.
Party People
Ann Redisch Stampler celebrated the release of her second YA novel, Afterparty at a launch party held at Brentwood, Calif.’s Diesel Books. Stampler was greeted by a packed house of friends, community members, and fellow authors, including Jennifer Bosworth (Struck), Lissa Price (Starters), and Gretchen McNeil (Ten). Here, Stampler (l.) checks in with Diesel employee Alex Melnick.
Put to the Test
Sub-zero temperatures and icy roads didn’t deter fans from attending Joelle Charbonneau’s book launch and signing event for Independent Study, the second book in The Testing trilogy. The event took place at Anderson’s Bookshop in Naperville, Ill., on January 7, and kicked off a 10-day tour that included stops in Austin, San Francisco, Seattle, Milwaukee, and Washington, D.C., among other cities.
Ever in Their ‘Faber’
Faber and Faber launched its first picture book list on January 20 in the company’s London headquarters. The five books, which include two adaptations of classic poems, two rhyming books, and the story of an invisible feline, will be released throughout 2014, beginning in March. Shown here (l. to r.): illustrator Arthur Robins (Macavity: The Mystery Cat, adapted from T.S. Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats); illustrator Carolina Rabei (Snow, based on a Walter de la Mare poem); author Julia Copus (Hog in the Fog, illus. by Eunyoung Seo); and author Pip Jones (Squishy McFluff the Invisible Cat, illus. by Ella Okstad); the fifth book is Dinosaur Rhyme Time, illustrated by Valentina Mendicino. Publishing director Leah Thaxton told PW: “I only want to publish books that children can trust. I don’t want them ever to feel let down by a story.”
Second Time’s the Charm
A wallop of snow in December postponed Susan Cooper’s planned appearance at Books of Wonder. Though frigid temperatures plagued the rescheduled date of January 18, and illness kept a second author, Cornelia Funke, from attending, Cooper soldiered on. At her reading and discussion of Ghost Hawk, moderated by Books of Wonder owner Peter Glassman, she answered questions about the research she conducted for the book, writing for a middle-grade audience, and more.
