B is for Brooklyn & More!

I'm thrilled to announce B IS FOR BROOKLYN's release!  It's off to an exciting start with some great reviews... A STAR from Publisher's Weekly, a fabulous write-up from Kirkus and a glowing review in The New York Times.  All of this praise has been a wonderful boost for my beloved book as we head into the fall season of promotional events.

Fall Calendar:

September 6 through December 1, 2012
SOLO show in the Youth Wing at The Brooklyn Public Library
Opening reception: September 6, from 6-8pm in the Dweck auditorium
Central Branch, Grand Army Plaza

September 8 & 9  GO open studio weekend
Sean and I will open our studios for the community to visit and decide who will be featured in an exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum*
399A Prospect Avenue, Saturday and Sunday 11am - 7pm.

September 15  B IS FOR BROOKLYN Book Release Party!
Brooklyn Farmacy & Soda Fountain
11am - 1pm
513 Henry Street, Carroll Gardens
Buy a book and get a FREE egg cream!

September 16
Books of Wonder panel
18 West 18th street, NYC

September 23  Brooklyn Book Festival

September 29  Greenlight Books
11am story time
686 Fulton Street

October 3 Mini Max
10am story time
152 Atlantic Avenue

*I am so excited to announce my participation in GO - a new project at the Brooklyn Museum, taking place in neighborhoods throughout Brooklyn. During GO, Brooklyn-based artists will open their studios to the community on September 8–9, 2012. Community members registered as voters will visit studios and nominate artists for inclusion in a group exhibition to open at the Museum on Target First Saturday, December 1, 2012.  Visit the GO website to learn about how you can take part in this borough-wide project.

My artist profile and studio information can be found here: 
SELINA ALKO

I would appreciate your help in spreading the word, and would love to see you participate in the fun and free GO weekend:

• Register to vote & add my studio to your itinerary
• Gather your friends, neighbors, families and colleagues and come visit my studio over the GO open studio weekend

Many thanks!

Subway Workshop

After a reading of My Subway Ride, 20 kids made their own subway cars at the King's Highway Branch of the Brooklyn Public Library yesterday. I've been doing these workshops over the past year and it's always amazing to see what different kids will come up with. So inspiring!

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

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