Meteor Shower

Amongst the meteorological and astronomical events of February, ones birthday usually goes unreported.  Upon turning 40 this past week, I was caught unaware by a surprise meteor shower of creativity.  I was both illustrated and feted in ways I can hardly fathom.  I am astronomically beyond lucky to work beside you children’s book creators, friends, and propagators of curiosity.

More from the chronicles of the brillaint  Jamie Hogan and Cathryn Falwell (and photos from the asteroid belt.)

Belated Valentine from Portland Phoenix

Some sweet folks nominated Curious City for one of Portland’s Most Influential People for “getting creators, readers, and fans of children’s books on the same page.”

Well, thanks and gosh, Portland Phoenix and mysterious somebodies.

The Science of Superheroes Expo

Bronx Community College (BCC) and Kids Comic Con band together for another brilliant blend of kids, comics, and education with their upcoming The Science of Superheroes Expo. Students will research superheroes’ abilities and how science fact and science fiction play into their powers. Results from that study will be presented in a science expo at BCC in Spring 2010.

We are happy to offer the graphic novel, The Legend of Hong Kil Dong: The Robin Hood of Korea as a fictional jumping off point for studying the science of cloning. One of the powers of Korea’s legendary hero, Hong Kil Dong was the ability to clone himself so that he could lead his Robin Hood-like army against the corrupt nobles in every corner of Korea.

Korea has been one of the world’s leading cloning research nations and elsewhere in the region, China is making strides in stem cell and regenerative medicines. The growth in these areas of science are outlined in a recent article in The Economist.

Educators interested in the title and supporting materials should contact Curious City at 207-699-2755 or kirsten@curiouscity.net.

To Hamlet or Not To Hamlet, That Is…

A Hamlet Look-Alike Contest? Could it be so?

We here in the Curious City lair are hard at work designing a photo contest for Erin Dionne’s hilarious middle grade novel, The Total Tragedy of a Girl Named Hamlet.

Illustrator, Jamie Hogan just delivered a Yorick skull (complete with accessories) to be used in the design of the promotion.

Soon you too will be able to gaze on poor Yorick for prosperity and prizes. Stay tuned, my dear Bard-ites…

Photograph of Erin Dionne contemplating the Total Tragedy of the prototype…

Stink, Stank, Stunk

Seems like we do not totally stink at creating games and activities because Candlewick Press has had us back for a new round of book activities–this time for the indomitable Stink Moody and his friends.

Proud to have had a hand in Sniff it Out: Hunt for Stink’s Treasure, The Walking Stink-O-Pedia: Test your Stink I.Q., Stink’s Solar System Superhero Scramble, and Stink’s Cross-the-Solar-System Crossword. The complete will soon to be posted at Stink’ website…

A super stinky thank you to my brilliant 2nd-grade nephew who helped me brainstorm all things Stink and my creative 2nd-grade niece who helped decide what pictures would look best with which games. Below is my nephews mind-blowing Stink maze design which sadly did not make it into the official kit, but you can try it at home…

National Book Award Footage

Phillip Hoose and Claudette Colvin, 2009 National Book Awards Dinner from National Book Foundation on Vimeo.

Hope you heart does all the leaps mine did and does seeing Phil Hoose and Claudette Colvin side-by-side accepting the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature.

Phil & Claudette Take the Prize

Our dear friend, Phillip Hoose walked away with a National Book Award tonight for his stunning portrait of a brave woman, Claudette Colvin.

Claudette stood regal by Phil’s side as he accepted the award and thanked her repeatedly for taking a chance on him, for letting him tell her story.

Could be the hour of 3AM, could be the champagne, could be all the darn delight and pride I am feeling, but I cannot come up with any more to say yet. Just all too grand.

New York City Here We Come

With a round of “New York City Here We Come” set to the tune of Buck Owen’s Kansas City Song, Phillip Hoose and his band Chipped Enamel closed the send-off party for the National Book Awards.

The lyric of “they’ve got a whole lot of awards and I’m gonna get me some” brought down the house of fellow writers, musicians, activists, librarians, friends, and other readers.

Phil was especially honored to have the Talbot family present at the event. Phil’s book is dedicated to Jerry Talbot, Maine legislator, innovator, historian, and friend to so many.

Phillip Hoose’s book Claudette Colvin: Twice Towards Justice is a finalist for the National Book Award. He and Claudette Colvin will be strolling into the ceremony on Wednesday night and Curious City will not be far behind camera and shimmery shoes at the ready.

Miami Thrice

Three days of 80 degree weather and 100’s of thousands of readers for Anne Sibley O’Brien and Ed Briant at the Miami Book Fair.

We booked both for Alex Simmon’s Kids Comic Con held within the larger festival.

Anne’s work from The Legend of Hong Kil Dong: The Robin Hood of Korea was accepted in the Color of Comics Exhibit at Miami Dade where she appeared with other artists that have included characters of color in starring roles in their comics.

Ed was there to support his fabulous picture books / comic books Don’t Look Now and If You Lived Here You’d Be Home By Now from Roaring Brook Press.

(Photos from Miami Book Fair Flickr)

Claudette Colvin Live

It is one thing to read Phillip Hoose’s biography, Claudette Colvin: Twice Towards Justice (FSG). It is another to meet the woman herself. I have had the honor over the last nine months of watching Phil share the stage with unsung Civil Rights heroine, Claudette Colvin. In Claudette today you can see the 15-year-old girl that said “no” to Jim Crow by refusing to give up her bus seat on a Montgomery, AL bus 9 months before Rosa Parks.

We gathered all of the photos and audio recordings of their appearances and wove them together the best we could for a YouTube piece. I hope it captures the spark of this fine, fine woman whose story is finally told in full in Phil’s stunning biography.