Mondays with Mira - Teaching Picture Books Reviews - Bootsie Barker Bites

Each week as I make these videos, I think about what would be most helpful for people writing and illustrating picture books in terms of technique and what publishers are looking for these days. I think this book fits the bill even tho it was written in the 70s it would still in all likelihood be published today because it is still very relevant and both the writing and art hold up well. I imagine if it were published today, it would probably be designed differently with better quality paper (at least in my edition).

So without further ado, introducing today's video review featuring the delightful "Bootsie Barker Bites," written by Barbara Bottner and illustrated by Peggy Rathmann. It's a cleverly written story with a great plot that starts on the very first page with a major problem that our heroine has to overcome. The illustrations match and extend the text in fun ways as the author and illustrator deal with the timely topic of bullying. Wait for the twist at the end. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Mondays with Mira - Firefighters in the Dark and a little creative heaven

I had an amazing but exhausting weekend in creative heaven. First off was a truly fabulous Society of Children's Picture Book Writers and Illustrators conference on Saturday thanks to our awesome regional advisers Patricia Newman and Erin Dealey who happen to be super talented themselves, super smart and organized assistant RA Catherine Felt, my co-illustration coordinator Kris Aro McLeod, the many lovely volunteers and the fantastic speakers. Kudos to all (especially the leadership). I managed to film two of the editors (who I also fell in love with) asking penetrating and hopefully super helpful questions for my upcoming courses at the Picture Book Academy, and they were both super insightful and very generous : )

Then today I went to San Francisco with one of my students from the last Hero's Art Journey course and we took a class with Maya Gonzalez. Maya contributed to the Hero's Art Journey course and will also be featured in the Picture Book Academy. I did my first Mondays with Mira on her one of her books, My Colors My World, and absolutely adore her and her brilliance. Maya is also putting on what will be a fantastic mini conference on radical self-publishing May 12th in San Francisco and she even has some scholarships. Here are the links www.reflectionpress.com/conference and www.reflectionpress.com/scholarships

I've known and worked with Maya for over 20 years and everything she does is extraordinary.

I also want to give a shout out to folks about our upcoming Northern California Central Society of Children's Picture Book Writers and Illustrators Day in Rancho Cordova (near Sacramento). All I can say for now is it will be incredible and intimate. Here is the link http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07e5iax92k36da453f&llr=bvqcu5dab do check it out.

The class Karen and I took with Maya was on Ink and brush as teacher. It was intense and brilliant taking both of us places we didn't expect to go. We spent the day drawing and painting hands but connecting them somatically to the rest of our bodies using inks, which are kind of challenging as are hands. We meditated and painted and discussed and if I have time, I'll post my pictures and tell you about the process later this week. Of course I'm super pooped but I wanted to get this up and out for your viewing and listening pleasure first thing on Monday.

So it's onward and upward to Mondays with Mira, First Seduction then Deconstruction - Pleasurable Picture Book Reviews!!!!
Today we're going to take a quick peek at Postmodernism in Picture Books with the delightful book Firefighters in the Dark, written by Dashka Slater and illustrated by Nicoletta Ceccoli. So settle down and have a watch, learn a little about Postmodernism and be prepared to go where you don't expect to go. You can find out more about Dashka at www.dashkaslater.com



I hope you enjoyed Firefighters in the Dark as much as I did and do check out the Hero's Art Journey half-off special here www.herosartjourney.com and let your friends know : )

Mondays with Mira: The Quiet Book Review

It's another Monday for  First Seduction then Deconstruction -pleasurable picture book reviews.And what a treat it was reviewing former student Deborah Underwood's NYT bestselling picture book - "The Quiet Book," which is really quite ingenious. It's another one of those seemingly simple books that actually has tons of teachable moments both for children and aspiring picture book creators.

After you've watched it, you might want to scroll down to watch some other picture book reviews or you might want to visit Deborah Underwood's website at http://www.deborahunderwoodbooks.com

I hope you enjoy this book and review and tell your friends about it : )

xxoxx yours in picture book love ~ Mira

Mondays with Mira - Picture Book Love

I'm very excited to be launching my Monday's with Mira series today.

Each week I will read and show the pictures from a wonderful picture book using my "First seduction - then deconstruction" technique - meaning we go along for a wonderful ride and then return to see what makes it so wonderful or maybe if there's something that could use improving. I am hoping this series will be really helpful for aspiring children's book authors and illustrators, parents, and teachers.

If your book has been published by an established publisher (ie not self-published or vanity press) and you would like me to consider it for Monday's with Mira, please jot me a line at miraguyATgmail.com

Meanwhile, kick back, relax, and let's have a look at My Colors, My World by my wonderful friend Maya Gonzalez!

Monday's with Mira - Pleasurable Picture Book Reviews

Am finally launching Mondays with Mira, my series of pleasurable video reviews where we practice First Seduction then Deconstruction. This week we'll be looking at Maya Gonzalez's My Colors, My World, where you'll learn about some of the the ways that authors and illustrators sometimes subtly embed deeper meaning into what may seem at first just like sweet simple stories (and art). You'll also learn about "second stories," and how Maya makes her language luscious among other things. I hope you enjoy and will be a little tolerant for this first video in my series. I'm hoping it will be super helpful for children's picture book authors and illustrators, teachers, and parents, and even kids who need to do book reports. And do come back next week for when we look at one of my all time favorite picture books Voices in the Park for more Seduction then Deconstruction. Yours in Picture Book Love ~ Mira

Just uploaded this and it looks pretty bad so click below for the better quality YouTube video which Blogger couldn't find so that I could link to it. Anyone know what I'm doing wrong? Hopefully will have it figured out by next week.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORXhFzJe6ls
 

Finally, if you're in the Northern California area May 19th 2012 and would like to attend a fantastic picture book conference... I'm one of our Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators North California Central Illustrator Coordinators along with Kris Aro McLeod and we've put together with our regional advisors an incredible day for BOTH authors and illustrators.

We have Rotem Moscovitch from Disney Hyperion, a normally closed house, and we got her because we were repeatedly told how brilliant she is (and fun too) and it's quite a scoop. And Ashley Wolff who has published a ridiculous number of picture books as both an author and illustrator including the best selling Miss Bindergarten series, and Mary Kole NY literary agent for the Andrea Brown Literary Agency who is also super smart and looking for good work.

It''s fantastic value in an intimate setting. I really hope you can make it. Just click on over here http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07e5iax92k36da453f&llr=bvqcu5dab

Or as my Auntie Gertie used to say - "What are you waiting for?" : )

Thank you for hanging in with me and I hope you'll come back as I get better at this.