★ BLUE
KIRKUS - July 15, 2018 (starred review)
This companion to Seeger's Caldecott Honor book Green (2012) explores a fresh color's visual and metaphorical permutations. Seeger unfolds the entwined lives of a white boy and a golden Lab, from baby- and puppy-hood through a series of poignant transitions. Cleverly placed die cuts and rhymed, two-word phrases (set in ever crisp Helvetica Neue bold) anchor each double-page spread. To her many-hued blues, some thick with impasto, Seeger adds yellow, sienna, crimson, and green in scenes that transit fluidly among interiors and natural tableaux exploring the sea, a stormy night, a sun-dappled park, and more. At "baby blue," puppy and toddler sleep among blue toys, sharing a small square of blue cloth—a future neckerchief they'll trade throughout. For "berry blue," boy pulls dog and a berry basket in a red wagon. The phrase "maybe blue" perches on a blob of yellow in the child's vivid self-portrait with pet. (The dog traverses the picture, tracking yellow paint across the deep-blue ground, its die-cut paw prints mixing to make green.) At "very blue" the pair cavorts among blue butterflies, which fill the foreground in huge, delightful proximity. Later scenes depict the Lab's inevitable aging, with the boy sitting ("so blue") on a dock at sunset, his body bent in grief. Last, another transition: meeting a brown-skinned girl and her young sheepdog, the blue scrap now tucked in the teen's back pocket. Sumptuous, stunning, and heart-stirring. (Picture book. 3-7)
Starred review for BLUE from Booklist
★ BLUE
BOOKLIST - July 1, 2018 (starred review)
In this companion to her Caldecott Honor Book Green (2012), Seeger reflects on the many shades and emotions suggested by this pigment. “Baby blue” depicts a sleeping toddler and puppy sharing a blue blanket. A page turn reveals a slightly older preschooler and his dog collecting “berry blue” fruit. A child’s painting of a boy and dog, marred by paw prints, is captioned “maybe blue.” In later spreads, both youngster and pooch mature, sparking adventures that involve running into the waves (“ocean blue”), camping out (“quiet blue”), and a snowy walk (“chilly blue”). Eventually, of course, “old blue / true blue” passes away, leaving the teen “so blue,” until he meets a girl with her own pup, “new blue.” While story takes a prominent role in this concept book, Seeger has not neglected the artistic details that distinguished her work. The acrylic-on-canvas paintings exhibit a range of styles: from playful (“silly blue”) to contemplative (“midnight blue”) to gently combative (“my blue,” in which boy and mutt each tug at the baby blanket). As in Green, strategically placed die-cuts help to connect the spreads, previewing important features of the next illustration. A story full of heart, this works on many levels, assuring satisfying discoveries with repeated viewings.
— Kay Weisman
Fun times at ALA 2018!
It was so much fun to debut BLUE at ALA in New Orleans. Here are some photos from the weekend...
(at the Newbery/Caldecott banquet with Emily Feinberg, Neal Porter, Jason Chin)
(with Yuyi Morales)
(with Philip Stead)
(with Matthew Cordell and Shane Evans)
(with Sue McCleaf Nespeca)
Macmillan's LVS Sweepstakes at ALA!
Macmillan's BLUE Announcement!
Book Expo 2018, NYC
Book Expo in New York City was so much fun today.
Got to sign tons and tons of books and meet so many wonderful teachers, librarians, parents, children, and friends.
So excited to share BLUE!.
Thank you to everyone at Macmillan Children's for everything!
with Matthew Cordell
Irma Black and Cook Prize Awards 2018
It was an honor to deliver the keynote speech at the Irma Black Award/Cook Prize ceremony at the Bank Street College of Education in New York City. Special thanks to Cindy Weill for organizing an incredible event, and congratulations to all the award recipients!
(photos by Cheryl Simon)
Amazing China Trip!
Recently, I was so fortunate to have spent almost a month in China, speaking at the Pudong and Puxi American Schools in Shanghai, visiting my 21st Century/Macmillan publisher in Beijing, and appearing at the incredible Shanghai Book Festival.
At the American schools, I had an absolute blast working with the children. An extra special thank you to Kimbra Power and Beth Rohrbeck for making sure every day was a joy. As a huge added bonus, I was able to spend some extended quality time with my good friend, author Chris Crutcher.
And everyone at 21st Century/Macmillan couldn't have been nicer. Jon Yaged (President of Macmillan Children's Publishing Group), Kristin Dulaney (Executive Director of Subsidiary Rights), and I had such a wonderful time. We visited the Great Wall and the Forbidden City, and had countless amazing meals.
Here are just a few photos from this most memorable trip...
Snow Scene Book Signing Event
Please join us for a book signing!
Friday, October 20, from 7pm - 8pm
Turn of the Corkscrew Bookstore, 110 N Park Avenue, Rockville Centre, NY 11570, 516-764-6000
Plum Creek Festival was a Blast!
What a wonderful time was had by all at the fabulous Plum Creek Festival, in Seward, Nebraska.
It was so much fun to hang out with so many friends, including Melissa Sweet, Philip Stead, Matthew Cordell, Kadir Nelson, Brandon Mull, Christian Robinson, Tad Hills, Jenni Holm, Matthew Holm, Lauren Castillo, Henry Cole, Rebecca Kai Dotlich, Joan Bauer, and the absolutely amazing Patricia MacLaughlin.
Special thanks to Dylan Teut for making all of us feel so welcome, and for organizing this incredible event. He and his colleagues are absolutely wonderful.
BYU Symposium on Books for Young Readers
Great time in Utah, speaking at the BYU Symposium on Books for Young Readers, with Melissa Sweet, Matt De La Pena, Debbie Wiles, Jen Bryant, and Tess Hilmo. Special thanks to Gene Nelson!
Virginia State Reading Association Conference
Fabulous events at Virginia State Reading Association 30th Annual Conference, and Broward Public Library Conference on Children's Literature - special thanks to Anna Shaw and Lisa McClure!
Dog and Bear Board Books are here!
LOVE these new editions for DOG AND BEAR - board books, perfect for little ones!
Love Bayville Schools
So happy to visit Bayville Schools (again!). Thank you, Stefanie Lipsey, the wonderful staff, and all 400 incredible, smart, creative kids!
ILA 2016
Great fun meeting so many librarians and teachers at ILA in Boston. Shout out, for an amazing job, to Lucy Del Priore and Katie Halata at Macmillan, and Deborah Wooten and Amy Broemmel at ILA. And an added bonus was getting to hang out with my good friends, Steve Sheinkin, Candy Fleming, and Jack Gantos. Love these guys.❤️
Uniondale School Rocks!
Had a wonderful time this week with 144 utterly well-behaved, attentive students, and the amazing Dr. Brenda Williams and her staff at the truly special new PreK school in Uniondale, New York.
New Editions Now Available
Macmillan has just released new editions of BLACK? WHITE! DAY? NIGHT!, LEMONS ARE NOT RED, WALTER WAS WORRIED, and ONE BOY…
On sale now!
Simmons Childrens Literature Institute/Trustman Art Exhibit
Extremely honored to have an art exhibit of almost 40 paintings at the Trustman Art Gallery in Boston, and to give a presentation with Neal Porter at the wonderful Simmons Children's Literature Institute. Thank you Megan Lambert, Cathie Mercier, Susan Bloom, and everyone at Simmons.
Knoxville Children's Literature Festival
Fun time in Knoxville, Tennessee with Dan Santat, Jonathan Auxier, Erin and Philip Stead, and Gregory Christie (not pictured).
Bank Street College of Education
Great time speaking at the Bank Street College of Education "Building Blocks of Play" Conference, with Paul Zelinsky, Nina Crews, and Peter Reynolds. Thank you, Jenny Brown, for everything, but especially for letting us draw on the walls!
Pictured: Nina Crews, Laura Vaccaro Seeger, Jennifer M. Brown, Paul Zelinsky
Pictured: Paul Zelinsky, Laura Vaccaro Seeger, Nina Crews