New Stuff That May or May Not Be New To You

Here I am again after a way long absence from the blog! Yeah!

I wanted to report on some really great stuff that's been going down.

First up, my forthcoming picture book, HELLO! HELLO!, got an amazingly comprehensive, spot-on review in the New York Times this past Sunday. (Alongside Michael Ian Black's and Debbie Ohi's great-looking I'M BORED.) And to make matters even more amazing, this review was written by one of our greatest authors/illustrators/author-illustrators, David Small. I am still out-of-control psyched about this review. If you have not seen it, please have a look here.

Secondly, I've finally put together a book trailer for HELLO! HELLO! (after my usual dread, procrastination, fear of iMovie). And I was so lucky to get my triple threat talent of a pal, Philip Stead, to craft the perfect piece of music for this little movie of mine. It goes so well with the spirit of the book and really gives this trailer some juice. Thank you, thank you, Phil!



In fact, if you haven't seen already, you must have a look at some of the trailers he's done for his and Erin's books that incorporate some of his other great tunes (all of which you can download for free by visiting his website here).







I love all these Erin Stead, Phil Stead, and Erin Stead and Phil Stead books, and if (by some slim chance) you have not yet seen their newest offerings, A HOME FOR BIRD and BEAR HAS A STORY TO TELL, then you are certainly in for a treat. Two of the year's finest, hands down.

Incidentally, here are two other trailers I remember seeing recently that I was quite taken with. LITTLE TUG by the great Stephen Savage....



...and BAD APPLE by the great Edward Hemingway...



Last but definitely not least, Julie and I (and Romy too!) were so thrilled that our super-awesome-talent author pal, James Preller (who we previously had only known via the internets) could stay with us while he was in town for a round of school visits. After playing at our neighborhood park, our dinner of brats and cheese in Wisconsin, a fine evening of talk, and a cup of coffee in the morning, we snapped this pic of us all with bed heads, wet heads, and a cute little clown (for good measure). Love that guy, Preller.