HELLO! HELLO! 2013!

Happy new year, blogosphere!

I have not posted anything here in a while, so I thought a books up-to-speed was in order.

Here are the crazy cool things that have happened with HELLO! HELLO! since my last check-in.

Named a Best Children's Picture Book of 2012 by the New York Times! "Its message is loud, clear and important."

Named a Best Children's Picture Book by BookPage! "Cordell’s hopeful story encourages children to play outside, while also challenging their parents to play with them, a reminder for all of us to take time to disconnect from work and gadgets and reconnect with nature and family."

Named a Top 20 Children's Book by super-librarians John Schumacher and Travis Jonker! "The story is sweet, offbeat, and funny. And hello! hello! has picture book craft in spades, with thoughtful artwork that goes from small grey spot illustrations to vivid two page spreads to match Lydia’s story. It’s a beautiful, relevant, unexpected book."

Named (alongside ANOTHER BROTHER and BAT AND RAT!) a best picture book by Tanya Turek at books4yourkids! "These three books would have made it onto this "best of list" anyway, but I just thought it was so cool that this spectacular author/illustrator had FOUR picture books out this year, three of which I reviewed here and read at story time and love to bits!"

Recommended by the Kansas City Star! "Put down your cellphone and read this with your kids, and when you're done, go outside and chase some leaves."

Recommended by People Magazine!

Very kind review from The Horn Book! "...whimsical cartoon art and a keen sense of humor."

Very kind review and an Editors Choice Award from childrensbooksguide.com! "Technology has its perks without a doubt, but let us not forget to teach our kids that it is vital to stay connected- and not through any form of technology. The illustrations are gorgeous, it’s an entertaining read, and it has a good theme to boot."

Beyond all this (whew!), this very sweet piece came out from Publishers Weekly about wonderful author/illustrator, illustrator, super-editor pals, Philip Stead, Erin Stead, and Neal Porter, respectively. Including the bit (and sample art) about how I'll be soon working on a picture book with the Mr. Stead. Very excited about this!

Also, the art giveaway/book promo for HELLO! HELLO! was a smashing success. So incredibly grateful to all those who participated. And so incredibly grateful for all the love that's been shown for this book.

Thanks to all.

2013!

Onward and upward!

Sheboygan Children's Book Festival October 12-14!

This weekend, I will be doing my thing at the 3rd Annual Sheboygan Children's Book Festival in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. Drawing, reading, book-talking, and book-signing! In fact, my upcoming picture book, hello! hello!, will be available for purchase at the Festival before the actual release date of October 23rd! A slew of other authors and illustrators will be there including (not limited to) my lovely wifey, Julie Halpern, Liz Garton Scanlon, Dan Yaccarino, and Edward Hemingway. If you are a Wisconsinite or even anywhere nearby, I hope you will come out and enjoy and celebrate the love of children's books. I've not been to Sheboygan yet, but from what I hear it is a very nice town to visit and the festival is incredibly well-organized and attended. I hope to see you there!

Here is the link to their website for author info, schedules, and other details:

http://sheboyganchildrensbookfestival.org/

My schedule:

Sunday, October 14

10:30 am
John Michael Kohler Arts Center
ARTery
ages 5+
Matthew Cordell demonstrates his illustration techniques and children and adults will have time to make art with him in the ARTery.


11:30 am
Book sales and autographing
John Michael Kohler Arts Center
Room: JMKAC Book Signing Area | Ages: All


1:30 pm
Turn Off Your Gadgets, Turn On Your Imagination!
Bookworm Gardens
Outdoors in the Gardens
ages 3+
Every so often, in our modern non-stop lives, it is important to switch off our phones, computers, and televisions to connect with each other just as a family. Join author/illustrator, Matthew Cordell, as he reads from his newest book, hello! hello! and afterwards conducts a drawing demonstration for you and your children.


2:30 pm
Book sales and autographing
Bookworm Gardens
BWG Book Signing Area 
All ages

IF YOU WERE A CHOCOLATE MUSTACHE

Out now is my newest book, IF YOU WERE A CHOCOLATE MUSTACHE. A spectacular collection of poems by our brilliant Children's Poet Laureate, J. Patrick Lewis, illustrated by yours truly.

portrait of J. Patrick Lewis from jacket back flap

self-portrait from jacket back flap

Here's what folks are saying about it...

"...poetry (and silliness) seekers will find much to feast upon. Cordell’s scribbly illustrations bring the master (Silverstein, who receives a tribute poem here) to mind and are the goofy icing on this goofy cake." -Kirkus

"Lewis is not only one of the most prolific, comic poets; he’s also one of the funniest and most inventive. The collection will serve as a strong resource for creative-writing prompts. A great big feast of poems." -School Library Journal

"In offbeat poems that include haikus, limericks, riddles, and wordplay of every kind, current children’s poet laureate Lewis offers quirky contemplations, silly vignettes, and improbable events...Cordell’s pen and ink cartoons have an improvisational energy that complements Lewis’s off-kilter verse." -Publishers Weekly

And here are some of my personal favorite spreads, poems, drawings from this weighty collection. Click images to zoom in.

IF YOU WERE A CHOCOLATE MUSTACHE  is available now wherever books are sold.

Mustache!

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.

HELLO! HELLO! Kirkus star and Mr. Schu!

So psyched to report a second review of HELLO! HELLO! has come in, this one from Kirkus, and it is a starred review! Thank you, Kirkus!

Also delighted to see this blog post (Watch. Connect. Read.) from super-cool, uber-librarian, John Schumacher, aka Mr. Schu, aka @MrSchuReads. He is currently on a road trip down south, with the point of meeting, at Zoo Atlanta, the real Ivan from Katherine Applegate's masterpiece, THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN. Along the way, he's documenting himself reading books at various indie bookshops, libraries, and general roadside attractions. Here's our man reading noneotherthan, HELLO! HELLO! Most excellent!

Check out this hilarious vid of Mr. Schu bouncing while reading.

HELLO! HELLO! starred review in PW

This just in! The first review for hello! hello! and it's a starred one from Publishers Weekly! So pumped! Thank you, PW!

Hello! Hello!

Matthew Cordell. Disney-Hyperion, $16.99 (56p) ISBN 978-1-4231-5906-3

Cordell (Another Brother) outdoes himself with this silly, loving nose-tweak to digital civilization. Lydia’s electronic gadgets fail to charm her one afternoon, and her family members—all drawn in shades of gray—are lost in their own virtual worlds. “Pec Pec Pec,” her father texts in an anonymous LCD font. “Zap Beep Pow,” chirps her brother’s video game. Led outside by a stray leaf, Lydia discovers trees, bugs, flowers, and a horse who knows her name. The outdoor world appears in full color, Cordell’s text becomes hand-lettered, and the action unspools faster and faster. The horse carries Lydia through the flowers, picking up by twos and threes an improbable group of animal friends—a fish, a gorilla, a swan, even a whale—who chorus “hello” and thunder across the fields with them, until Lydia’s cellphone rings and everything comes to a halt. Fortunately, upon her return, Lydia is able to entice her family outside. The vision of Lydia and her escape is a glorious image of liberation; it’s required reading for any kid with a phone. Ages 2–6. Agent: Rosemary Stimola, Stimola Literary Studio. (Sept.)

HELLO! HELLO! let it begin...

As noted in my previous post, with my ode to ALA/Anaheim, I debuted my next (my third) author-illustrator picture book, hello! hello!, to a room of 100+ librarians, some authors, some illustrators, and various Disney-Hyperion personnel. It was great fun, and exhilarating to finally get it out there and start talking about it.

I'd like to start beating that drum now on a more semi-regular basis. By blogging about the book from now until it's publication date of September 18, 2012. Which, from now, is about 2 months time. I'll have to dust off the blog a bit since I haven't had time or, at least, put time into it for a while. But I'd really like to start sharing what went into this book, how it came to be, and what it means to me.

With this post, I will just start with some kind words from someone other than myself. Brenda Kahn, a middle school librarian and blogger, posted a sort of review/synopsis/rumination of and about hello! hello!. Since ALA and that particular Disney-Hyperion Story Time event, I've seen a few great mentions of the book (thank you, Mr. Schu!), but Ms. Kahn's blog post at proseandkahn is the first to pick it apart. Thank you, Brenda, and please, reader, read on here!

More to come...

BAT AND RAT in the NY Times!

I'm a bit lagged on my bloggin' here, but some great news I've been meaning to post... BAT AND RAT, my newest picture book, written by Patrick Jennings, got a very kind review here in last Sunday's New York Times Book Review! It was part of  a semi-annual big children's book pullout section they do. And the review was written by the great publisher and children's book expert and writer, Anita Silvey, as part of a roundup of friendship books. All very, very cool stuff. Here's the bit where she talks about our pals Bat and Rat. Hooray!

In Patrick Jennings’s “Bat and Rat” readers meet another pair of animals, both occupants of the Hotel Midnight, yet unlikely to become friends. But although Bat lives on the top floor and Rat in the basement, the two rendezvous to play music together and share simple joys like going out for ice cream. They only really differ on what flavor to choose — Mosquito Ripple, Butter Beetle Pecan or Mint Fly Chip? In the end, the duo perform Rat’s new song inspired by the events of the evening. The talented illustrator Matthew Cordell keeps this soufflé of an adventure rising; in two stellar double-page spreads he shows Bat swooping down to the lobby while Rat painstakingly climbs the steps to get to the same place.

ANO BRO origins

Please head over to Kirkus online today to read an interview I did where origins and ideas behind ANOTHER BROTHER are discussed. Thanks to Erika Rohrbach for a great conversation! Here's the link.

And in case you missed it, here's the book trailer for ANO BRO! (view FULL SCREEN for FULL EFFECT!)

My 2012 offerings (and more) at 7-Imp!

Please take a moment and head over to one of THE best kidlit blogs in the biz, 7 Impossible Things Before Breakfast. Today, Julie (Jules!) Danielson has posted an extensive interview that talks up and shows off the books I have coming out in 2012. As well as my road to publication, my process, my filthy cluttered studio, and a weird bit about turkey butts. Jules does an amazing job, and it always shows. Please have a look here and leave a comment if just to say, "what up, bruh?"!

ANOTHER BROTHER in NY TIMES!

"Baby brothers may be a pain, but the havoc they create can be painfully funny." Excited to share this sweet review of ANOTHER BROTHER in today's NY Times. Davy and all 12 bros say "huzzah!" Thanks very much to Pamela Paul!

Check it out here.

ANOTHER BROTHER pulls down a second star!!

Father Christmas and/or Hanukkah Harry have/has come early this year, folks! I just got wind that my forthcoming picture book (my second offering as both illustrator and author), ANOTHER BROTHER, has received a second starred review! This one from our friends at School Library Journal. Unbelievable. And a BIG thank you for getting it/me, Sara Lissa Paulson! Huzzah, good people and a happy holidays to you and yours!

CORDELL, Matthew. Another Brother. illus. by author. unpaged. CIP. Feiwel & Friends. Jan. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-312-64324-9. LC 2011001135.

PreS-Gr 3–In the beginning, it was Mom, Dad, and Davy. For years, the little sheep basked in the love of his small family. Then along came Petey, then Mike, and then Stu. The formerly close-knit family eventually becomes a mob, and Davy is stuck with “12 WHOLE BROTHERS,” who nightmarishly copy his every move. Dad explains to Davy, “When they get older, your brothers will have their own interests. Then they won’t copy you.” It takes a while, but his father’s prediction eventually comes to pass, much to Davy’s chagrin. The pen-and-ink and watercolor artwork is filled with humorous detail. Think Richard Scarry’s warmth and scale, with a minimalist approach to setting. The psychology of the oldest child is well chronicled here. With a delightfully fulfilling ending, Davy (and readers) realize that being the one and only sometimes means being alone, and lonely. The story is a great way to discuss life as a half-empty or half-full vessel, and the very human struggles of sibling rivalry.–Sara Lissa Paulson, American Sign Language and English Lower School PS 347, New York City

ANOTHER BROTHER pulls down a star!

Good lawd, man! I just found out that my second picture book offering as author-illustrator, ANOTHER BROTHER, received a starred review from the most excellent Kirkus! Very exciting, friends. Here's how it reads, and here's a sample page (a personal favorite). ANO BRO is out 1/31/12 from my friends at Feiwel and Friends.

(click it, make it bigger)

Davy, a little sheep, has trouble adjusting to the arrival of not one but 12 baby brothers in this humorous twist on the tried and true new sibling theme. Although Davy was his parents’ adored only lamb, “things change.” In the space of two page openings, he suddenly has a dozen little brothers wagging their tails behind him. True to their ovine nature—and much to his chagrin—the little sheep copy Davy’s every move. When he complains, his exhausted parents say that his flock of siblings imitates him out of admiration, reassuring him that as they grow and find their own interests they will let him be. This can’t happen soon enough for poor, beleaguered Davy, who can’t even groan without a dozen echoes of “ugh” bleating forth—or can it? When the day comes that his brothers do stop mimicking him, Davy feels alone and bereft until he hears a voice echoing his once more—but this time it comes not from another brother, but from a new sister, a downright “darling ewe.” This is not just another new-baby book: Cordell’s humorous text and mischievously silly, expressive cartoon art will have readers bleating to read it again and again. (Picture book. 4-8)

You sound like THAT?

I was recently invited to contribute to what I feel is one of the coolest ideas I've seen (heard) in quite some time. It's oh so simple, yet oh so creative and fun. Danika Brubaker, of this wonderful TeachingBooks.net, asked me to phone in and leave a brief message simply saying how to pronounce my name, and maybe adding a little funny anecdote about my name. I went to the website, and found that TONS of other kids book authors and illustrators had contributed to this project. I spent lots of time listening to many of my faves and heroes speak words on to a voicemail message. If, like me, you geek out on kids books and their creators, I highly recommend you go here and listen. It's so much fun. And if you're still interested, check out my voice message. It's here.

See Me. Feel Me. Touch Me. Heal Me.

Just really wanted to say a few things pertaining to... Me.

Talented author/illustrator, Sergio Ruzzier, had the great idea last week to ask a single question around the kidlit community. What are your top ten favorite picture books of all time? I had the honor of being the first post in this series (I think I was maybe just the biggest nerd who went and turned his answers in first). Find out what my tops are right here. And, you know, there's already been a few more posts since mine. Authors Emily Jenkins and Marc Tyler Nobleman. And one of our favorite bloggers, Julie Danielson of Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast. Very much looking forward to seeing more of these lists!

Next up... I just reformatted my blog. It looks pretty much exactly as it did before, but it's allowed me to "label" all of my posts (see the snazzy list o' labels at the column to our right). So, for instance, if you had any desire whatsoever to read all of my "Top Ten" columns, you can click the label titled (what else) "top ten" and you're golden.

I've also added all links to all interviews, and the like, that I've done to the right. So you can read (or reread!) all kinds of stuff about me. Yours truly. This guy.

One more thing. Regarding me.

Here's a new self-portrait.

Interview at 100 Scope Notes

Please take a moment to head on over to the awesome children's lit blog, 100 Scope Notes, and check out this interview I just did with Travis Jonker. Travis found this weird website, Twiddla, that acts like a collaborative computer sketch pad. We did some interview-style mouse doodling together (alongside the more traditional q/a interview questions), and the results are something else. A cool idea, Trav. Drop a comment and let him know you stopped by!

Travis also just redesigned the blog and it looks great. The new home page, here.

Thanks for having me at 100 Scope Notes, Travis. Lots of fun.

More About Me.

Ever wonder what nibs I use? What I collect? My pre-drawing rituals? Favorite comic strip? Musical instrument I play?

I have answered these questions and many more here, at David-Wasting-Paper, the blog of cartoonist/cartoon enthusiast David Paccia. David has sought out and Q/A'd some of the coolest in the cartoon/illustration biz. Bob Staake, Bill Griffith, Shannon Wheeler, and fellow Feiwel and Friends illustrator, Greg Ruth (also a fellow James Preller collaborator) to name a few.

Not sure what his motivation is, but he's getting some cool people to contribute. Thanks for including me, David.

(Up next is Rick Geary. Nice!)

TROUBLE GUM studies, etc. at new MacKids blog

Macmillan Children's has an awesome new blog up. It's a lot of behind-the-curtain type of stuff played out by various Macmillan Children's personnel. And for those not in the know, Macmillan is the great big pub that's home to imprints Feiwel and Friends, Henry Holt, Roaring Brook, Priddy, First Second, Roaring Brook, and Square Fish.

Already, I've read a cool piece by Nicole Moulaison, Production Manager for F+F and Squarefish, about color-correcting scanned art for print. And another cool piece by Reka Simonsen, Senior Editor, Henry Holt Books for Young Readers. A "what's on my desk" fun one.

For my part, I was asked to send in some early stuff I did for TROUBLE GUM. Not finished art, but just sketches, thought process, color study work I did before the final art came around (like the drawing I did way back when, below, as a color test). Please do have a look at this, and please do have a look at this hip new blog!

TROUBLE GUM at 7-imp

I'm still in the thick of final art on a new book by Lauren Thompson, but wanted to drop a quick post. This morning, alongside Steve Jenkins and Scott Magoon, I'm featured (for TROUBLE GUM) on Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast. We're rounding out a series of posts, by Jules, highlighting new books by illustrators who've been on the blog before. 7-imp remains one of my absolute favorite kid lit blogs (my go to for the best illo in kid books!), so I'm honored to be invited again. Check it out here.

One other bit of hot TROUBLE news, before I get back to work. Just found out that it's gone into its second printing! Say what??!

Thank you, San Francisco!

I don't typically like to blow my own horn, but I just read a super-cool review of TROUBLE GUM in the San Francisco Chronicle and wanted to share. Thanks a lot, Regan McMahon!

Maybe hard times inspire the imagination, but for whatever reason, the books that are leaping off the pile this month are wild and wacky.

First up is the irresistible Trouble Gum, by Matthew Cordell (Feiwel and Friends; 32 pages; 16.99; ages 2-6). Move over, Olivia, there's a new pig in town. His name is Ruben, and he, too, is headstrong. "You know the rules," his mom tells him after Grandma gives him some bubble gum. "Don't play with your gum. And don't blow big, sticky bubbles with your gum." Ruben does all three and makes a big mess, roping his little brother, Julius, into his crime spree.

The spare art is graphically dynamic, often featuring tiny pen-and-watercolor drawings of the pigs below a single line of type or a giant word like "THUMP" or "POP."

The other books featured are: Jeremy Draws a Monster, by Peter McCarty; Billy Twitters and His Blue Whale Problem, by Mac Barnett and illustrated by Adam Rex; The Marshmallow Incident, written by Judi Barrett and illustrated by Ron Barrett; and The Calamitous Adventures of Rodney and Wayne, Cosmic Repairboys: The Age Altertron, by author-illustrator Mark Dunn.