Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Blog Touring with Levine & Burke

Today's stops on the blog tour feature author Anna Levine and illustrator Jim Burke.

Freefall and Jodie's Hanukkah Dig were both recognized by the Sydney Taylor Book Award Committee: the former as a Sydney Taylor Honor Book in the Teen Readers Category and the latter as an Association of Jewish Libraries Notable Children's Book of Jewish Content in the Younger Readers Category. Read an interview with the author of both books, Anna Levine, at Abby (the) Librarian with blogger Abby.

Here's a sampling of the interview:

ABBY: In Freefall, Noah asks Aggie about her favorite sunrise. Where was your favorite sunrise?

ANNA: I used to live on a kibbutz up on the Northern border of Israel. From my window I could see Lebanon. Mornings I would get up at 6:00 AM to work in the apple orchards and I remember walking through the still silent kibbutz to the dining hall and seeing the sun rise, illuminating the sky. I would savor the stillness and beauty aware that it was fleeting (soon the hot sun would be beating down on me while I had a heavy sack around my neck reaching for an apple that would surely send me tumbling off the ladder). This is what Aggie and her friends have learned to do, to appreciate the moments of joy while they can grasp them, because life here changes so quickly.

Read more...


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Naming Liberty is a Sydney Taylor Honor Book in the Younger Readers Category. Read an interview with illustrator Jim Burke at The Page Flipper with blogger Chelsea. And be sure to check out the interview with author Jane Yolen at The Boston Bibliophile.

Here's a sampling of the interview:

CHELSEA: Do you have a favorite piece of artwork that you've done? Can you describe it?

JIM: My favorite two paintings in Naming Liberty: "Bartholdi's Studio" from the full title page spread...in which I tried to capture the stillness of the studio, yet show that it's full of life. And also "Liberty's Nod" when Liberty's head was rolled down the Parisian Street with an ensuing parade. I love sticking little things in works that may not get noticed, such as "Librairie du Mirage" The "Mirage" Bookstore, pertaining to the massive head rolling down the street, nodding to folks as she goes, as well as "Cafe du Desert"--the deserted cafe, because everyone has left to cheer on Liberty.

Read more...

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Tune in tomorrow for interviews with Jacqueline Jules (author, Sarah Laughs) at Chicken Spaghetti and Natascia Ugliano (illustrator, Sarah Laughs) at Write for a Reader. Remember, all interviews will remain archived online, so once they are posted you can read them any time.

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