The Pink Debate

I'll admit it, I like pink. It happens to be a flattering color for me to wear. And I don't really have a problem dressing my daughter in pink. Especially since we get so many nifty hand-me-downs. Who I am to refuse free clothes?

Yet with my daughter about to turn 3, I have mixed feelings about the seemingly inevitable princess dress-up phase.

I'm looking forward to working through some of these conflicting feelings by reading Cinderella Ate My Daughter, which was reviewed in this Sunday's Times.

It seems there are many things to question. One thing that struck me is that pre-2000 there were no mass-produced Disney princess outfits for dress-up. That is, until a brilliant marketer capitalized on the natural gender identification age, and turned it into a multi-billion dollar industry.

For those mothers (or aunts or grandmothers or family friends!) who might be looking for an alternative to the panoply of princess dress-up books out there, my next book Every-Day Dress-Up might be just the solution.

I offer girls a chance to learn about real women who have done great things with their lives. The heroine dons outfits of such icons as: Frida Kahlo, Marie Curry, Eleanor Roosevelt and Julia Child, every day of the week.

There's probably no way to avoid the 'princessification' of girls entirely. But, why not give our impressionable daughters some alternatives?

Every-Day Dress-Up (Knopf) comes out this Fall. More to come!

Chocolate Coins & Christmas Trees

Ho Ho Oiy! It's that time of year. Both Hanukkah and Christmas are celebrated in our home. This means double the preparations, more shopping than I care to do, extended enthusiasm for each ritual, but - at least for the kids - twice the fun!

I'm working on a book at the moment about a family that celebrates both Hanukkah and Christmas in one home. So far, I have just written the manuscript, although I have been inspired by this festive season as I move into the sketch phase.

When my son's Kindergarten teacher suggested that parents come into the class to share a holiday book or special family tradition, I thought it might be interesting to 'test my story out'.

So, today I visited Isaiah's class to read, "Daddy Christmas and Hanukkah Mama". We talked about family's who celebrate both (75% based on a rough show of hands!), and then his classmates drew their own interpretations. Here are some of my favorites.

Now that I'm freshly inspired by the awesomeness that is unique to Kindergarten art, it's time to crack down and begin sketches of my own...

In the mean time, I wish you a very happy holidays– whatever it is you celebrate!

Making Trains at the BPL

Stand clear of the closing doors! This Saturday at the BPL I'll be leading a hands-on workshop for kids making subway trains. I'll read from my illustrated book My Subway Ride, as well as Christoph Niemann's new book Subway, to get your 8-10 year olds in the mood to create– using color, subway maps, metro cards & buttons. I tried this project out with my son and he loved it (see above)! Join me tomorrow at 2:30 for this FREE afternoon of fun. (And while you're there, be sure to check out the Drawn In Brooklyn exhibition. It's up through January, but time flies...!)

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Brooklyn Public Library

Grand Army Plaza, 2nd floor

2:30 PM

FREE

Book Maker's Dozen

It's a great time to shop early for the holidays!

13 children's book makers - who also happen to be friends - have gotten together to form the BOOK MAKER'S DOZEN. You can find us at Etsy selling archival prints from our children's books for just $100 each. Affordable art from some of your favorite books make terrific gifts for loved ones, children's rooms, or as well-deserved treats for oneself!

Who are the book makers, you might be asking yourselves? None other than...

Sophie Blackall

Sean Qualls

Brian Floca

Dan Yaccarino

John Bemelmans Marciano

Brett Helquist

John Rocco

Peter Brown

Boris Kulikov

Aileen Leijten

Sergio Ruzzier

David Gordon

and myself, Selina Alko

There will be not one - but TWO - opportunities to meet members of the Book Maker's Dozen and buy prints in person.

PowerHouse Arena is having 2 holiday party events!

1) December 2nd from 7 - 9 PM; A panel discussion cocktail party where 13 of us will talk about our work, answer questions, and sign books. Join us for some wine and inspiration!

2) December 5 from 4 - 5 PM; Another holiday party where rumor has it Santa may make an appearance. So be sure to bring your little ones!

PowerHouse Arena

37 Main Street

DUMBO, Brooklyn

Author Costume Photo Shoot

Halloween was perfect timing this year. The kids had to dress-up anyway AND I needed an author photo for my Dress-Up book. How apropos!

Ginger is still young enough that I can impose my ideas on her. Lucky for her, being Frida Khalo is a pretty cool idea. Frida's a character in my book, Every-Day Dress-Up (Knopf, 2011). Or I should say, my main character dresses-up as Frida. And her sister dresses-up as Georgia O'Keefe (That's me! That's right, I made myself look 40 years older for this photo-shoot. I am not vain!) Oh and Diego Rivera is, well, he's not really in the book. But I thought it would be only fair to include Isaiah. The thing is, he wasn't so into it. His idea of a real Halloween costume is something super scary. After this photo shoot he coined himself, "The Mysterious Freak", wearing blood red clothes with plastic spiders all over... but, I digress. For the sake of getting a 'cute author photo' I had to dress-up my kids appropriately, darn-it.

In the end, I chose the top photo of me & Ginger; Two Female Artists– since it IS a book about girls dressing-up (& their role-models). Anyway, I think Isaiah already had his turn in the spotlight as the protagonist in, "I'm Your Peanut Butter Big Brother". It's only fair, after all.

Dress-Up! & Fall Line-Up!

I'm rushing out the door to deliver art for my latest book, EVERY-DAY DRESS-UP!...

Dress-Up is about a girl who used to only play princess until she discovers real, great women from History, and decides to dress-up as a different Heroine every day of the week!

Sparking some ideas for alternative Halloween costumes? Personally, I'm looking forward to dressing up my Ginger as Frida Kahlo. EVERY-DAY DRESS-UP! comes out in the Fall 2011.

Before I leave, here's what's going on THIS Fall:

Saturday (tomorrow!) October 16 at The Brooklyn Public Library is FAMILY DAY. From 10:30 - 3 in the main lobby there will be book readings, music, activities and a chance to meet your favorite Brooklyn children's book illustrators. I'll be there signing books + some new prints too!

This Thursday, October 21 I'll be taking part in a multicultural literacy conference with Reach Out & Read at the Scholastic in SOHO. From 8:30 - 11:30 am join Pat Cummings, R. Gregory Christie and myself as we talk about diversity in picture books. It is free and open to the public.

Next Sunday, October 24 is GHOULS & GOURDS at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. This great festival has a spooky book barn and I'll be there again this year signing books all day long. Come on by to say, "boo!"

November 20 at 2:30 pm at the Brooklyn Public Library I'll be leading a TRANSPORTATION WORKSHOP. Bring your little ones for this free afternoon making subway cars from recycled materials. I'll be reading My Subway Ride to get your kids in the mood to make trains!

Drawn in Brooklyn

I'm just thrilled to be a part of DRAWN IN BROOKLYN– a wonderful exhibit opening this week at The Brooklyn Public Library. Over 30 children's book illustrators' work will be on display in the main lobby, plus a selection of illustrators will show how their books are made in the Youth Wing. I'll have work in both areas, and am particularly excited to show stuff from my upcoming B is for Brooklyn book (sketches, scans of final art, materials used, etc.,), as well as some process work from My Subway Ride. It was tons of fun creating the installation cases for these displays. And I think it will be great for kids to get a hands-on look at how illustrators work behind-the-scenes, too!

Featured illustrators: Selina Alko * Sophie Blackall * Peter Brown * Lauren Castillo * R. Gregory Christie * Bryan Collier * Pat Cummings * Leo & Diane Dillon * Keith DuQuette * Brian Floca * Melanie Hope Greenberg * Brett Helquist * Edward Hemingway * Paul Hoppe * Boris Kulikov * Yunmee Kyong * Aileen Leijten * Betsy & Ted Lewin * Kam Mak * John Bemelmans Mariciano * Megan Montague Cash & Mark Newgarden * John Nickle * Brian Pinkney * Sean Qualls * John Rocco * Sergio Ruzzier * Daniel Salmieri * Brian Selznick * Shadra Strickland * Sam Tomasello * Paul O. Zelinsky

Drawn In Brooklyn

Brooklyn Public Library

10 Grand Army Plaza

September 21, 2010 - January 23, 2011

Art in Wellfleet

Sean and I started going to Wellfleet on the Cape before we had kids, not only because of its breathtaking beauty, wonderful beaches and quaint charm, but also for The Art.

Many summers ago we biked from Eastham to Wellfleet where we stumbled upon a bunch of galleries and artist's homes. We discovered the artist, Selina Trieff. We were struck to find another Selina, and her beautiful work drew us in. We ended up buying a small piece, which I now treasure in my studio. Most summers we try to visit her and her husband, the artist Robert Henry, when they open up their studio/gallery.

Speaking of studios & galleries... Openings are a mainstay Saturday evenings in Wellfleet. This past week we were lucky to be there for Tommie dePaola's at the Cove Gallery. He has been showing his work for 15 years and only has ONE big opening every other summer. Sean, Isaiah, Ginger & I were delighted to attend this year. The kids were especially excited; Ginger coined Tommie, "grandpa" and Isaiah entertained him with funny faces. Tommie was such a great sport with our little firecrackers. You could tell he truly appreciates real-live children– if you didn't already get that from his hundreds of amazing children's books.

And speaking of children's books... Every summer we make sure to visit the Wellfleet library. It's a great local for restless kids– even when it's not raining. One morning last week I took Isaiah to story time and was happy to see, "Im Your Peanut Butter Big Brother" up on the bookshelf. I'm sorry, but I just had to take a picture.

(photos from top to bottom: Selina Trieff's latest work. Selina T with Sean & Ginger. Tomie dePaola and Sean. Isaiah & Sean, Tommie, Ginger & Selina A. PBBB and Isaiah)

Brooklyn sweet Brooklyn

Fast forward 3 months and the art for, 'B IS FOR BROOKLYN' is finished! It has been quite a journey depicting some of my favorite places in my beloved borough for this hip, new alphabet book. Of course, it won't appear as an actual, honest-to-goodness book for another year and half– but let's not be picky. The art is DONE and I feel good. My job now is to bid this brief, creative period of my life good-bye and take a leap in handing it all over to my Publisher. 'B IS FOR BROOKLYN' (Holt) will hit the shelves in the Spring of 2012. Stay tuned!

B is for Book deadline

B is for.... Busy. Busting-ass. Belting-out paintings. Brooklyn. Book.

Fill in the Blanks and that's what I've been up to for the past few months!

Sorry for the Blog hiatus, that's just how it tends to go when working on a Book deadline.

B IS FOR BROOKLYN will be published in the Spring of 2012 with Henry Holt.

(Here's a sneak peak...)