Townes

It's been a while since I've posted anything non-book here. And my top 10 column has gone by the wayside (maybe some day I'll bring it back...). At any rate, sometime ago I came upon this guy, Townes Van Zandt. And he became an instant fave. Last night, I came across this chilling version of Pancho And Lefty. A favorite from a favorite. Give a listen and I hope you hear what I heard.

Win a copy of ANO BRO from Mr. Schu!

The great John Schumacher (K-5 librarian extraordinaire out of Oak Park, IL) is having a contest over at Watch. Connect. Read. where you can enter to win a free copy of ANOTHER BROTHER! Head over there right now and enter yourself up in this and please do check out his very kind review of the book while you're there. Thanks much, Mr. Schu!

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!)

ANOTHER BROTHER out today!!

Psyched to say that ANOTHER BROTHER, my second ever picture book both written and illustrated by yours truly, is out today! I hope you will seek out a copy for yourself and/or a loved one at your local indie bookshop or B+N or at your local library (or request it at either, if they haven't caught onto it yet!). Online shopping works too. Huzzah!

Below is the first ever signed copy. It went to our daughter's awesome pediatrician. Dr. Zwirn gets all of our books (free, of course). Like it or not...

ANOTHER BROTHER gets the book trailer treatment!

Behold! My first ever book trailer. I have only admired others book trailers from afar, but this time I bit the bullet and made one of my own. Please sit back, crank the speaks, and feast your eyes and ears on Davy and his 12 little bros and my possibly hilarious (I mean, intentionally so...) attempt at a one-man-band. If you like, you may be better off going straight to YouTube, seeing as blogger don't take kindly to embedding the new widescreen format (sigh). Link: http://youtu.be/PtUw0Xd3S78

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

ADVANCE BOOK BONANZA!!

I just got two hot-off-the-press advance bound books that I illustrated and author'd-illustratrated! ANOTHER BROTHER is out January 1, 2012 (Feiwel and Friends) and BAT AND RAT is out May 1, 2012 (Abrams). For the love o' Pete please save them dates! Here's little taste of both... (click on pics to view larger)

BAT AND RAT in spring 2012

I've noticed this cover's been popping up at various online booksellers, so I reckon it's safe to show here now. I love how this looks and I'm psyched about this picture book I illustrated by the great Patrick Jennings. It's been called a, sort of, modern, urban FROG AND TOAD (Lobel... sigh). Ask for it at your favorite bookseller when it's out May 1, 2012!

(click it, make it bigger)