This week, Wendell Minor is honored as an artist laureate; First Book staffers transform into mermaids; Natasha Anastasia Tarpley’s I Love My Hair! gets a new look; and debut author Christina Uss rides her bike to school.
What An Honor!
Wendell Minor was recently honored as the Norman Rockwell Museum’s 2018–2019 Artist Laureate. The museum’s director and CEO, Laurie Norton Moffatt, presented the honor to Minor. Also joining Minor at the podium was the previous Artist Laureate, Jerry Pinkney, and historian and author David McCullough, who spoke about Minor’s distinguished career as an illustrator. Pictured (from l.) are Moffatt, Minor, Pinkney, and McCullough.
A Party Fit for Mermaids
First Book, a D.C.-based literacy nonprofit, recently held a release party for one of the organization’s favorite new titles, Julián Is a Mermaid (Candlewick) by debut author-illustrator Jessica Love. The event included “shell-fies” with mermaid props, happy clam desserts (made from vanilla wafers with frosting and candy eyeballs), face painting, and a read-aloud of the book. Here, First Book’s Lori Prince shows off her own mermaid tail and head piece, just like Julián.
Happy Anniversary!
Author Natasha Anastasia Tarpley (seated) signed copies of the anniversary edition of I Love My Hair! (Little, Brown) at 57th Street Books in Hyde Park, Ill., on June 9. Attendees took part in craft activities and posed with props (including crowns) for photos. The updated edition of the book (originally published in 1998) features an updated cover.
I Want to Ride My Bicycle!
Christina Uss (center) rolled in on two wheels for the local launch of her debut middle grade novel, The Adventures of a Girl Called Bicycle (Holiday House/Ferguson) at Mapleshade School in East Longmeadow, Mass. The event was held in tandem with Bike to School Day and Uss rode alongside students before giving a presentation at the school.
