My op-ed art is da bomb!

Horn Book ad

Walrus celebrates literacy

This year, Scholastic launched a global literacy campaign: “Read Every Day. Lead a Better Life”. Yesterday, I had the great privilege of joining 11 other artists marking the event, and we spent the day wining, dining and signing at the company headquarters in New York. Each of us created posters for the campaign, and original lithographs of the images were auctioned off. One of the posters had a Big Red Dog on it... and looked vaguely familiar. That's right. Norman Bridwell, who turned 83 this year, was there in attendance, along with his darling wife, Norma. Meeting the couple was an honor and a pleasure, and I was humbled to discover that Norman created Clifford in 1963— two years before I was born!

The poster posse: L to R: Jon J. Muth (Zen Shorts), Mary GranPré (Harry Potter), Norman Bridwell (Clifford the Big Red Dog), Raina Telgemeier (Smile), Bruce Degan (The Magic School Bus), Barbara McClintock (Our Abe Lincoln), Ed Fotheringham (Tony Baloney), David Shannon (No, David), Jeff Smith (Bone), Sean Qualls (Dizzy), Mark Teague (LaRue) and (gulp) me. Photo credit: Stuart Ramson.

NY Times Book Review illustration

My work in today's Times is 'Patently Obvious'

Brooklyn's in the house!

I spent the morning at the Brooklyn Public Library, speaking to 200 kindergardeners, first graders and second graders from PS 9 and PS 282. Thanks to my gracious hosts Paquita Campoverde and Judy Zuckerman.

The Fathers Are Coming Home to Bank Street

Last year, I illustrated Margaret Wise Brown's lost text, The Fathers Are Coming Home. I'm delighted to report that the Bank Street College of Education just included the picture book in their 2011 Best Children's Books of the Year.