Elephant’s Story…headed to NYC for Original Art Show at Society of Illustrators…

ELEPHANT'S STORY by Tracey Campbell Pearson published by Farrar, Straus, Giroux Fall 2013

ELEPHANT’S STORY by Tracey Campbell Pearson
published by Farrar, Straus, Giroux OCT 22, 2013 ISBN 9780374399139

Elephant and Gracie are excited to be taking part in the Original Art Show at The Society of Illustrators in NY.

They are thrilled to be surrounded by wonderful art by wonderful artists in a wonderful show….cool.

Although there is the “Elephant in the room” concern…but maybe there will be more elephants…they can have an elephant party!

It’s a great show of original children’s book art…hope to see you there!….tcp

“The Original Art: Celebrating the Fine Art of Children’s Book Illustration is on display at the Museum of American Illustration at the Society of Illustrators from October 23 through December 21, 2013. Founded in 1980 by artist’s agent Dilys Evans, this exhibit showcases the year’s best children’s books.  For editors and art directors, it is an inspiration and a treasure trove of talent to draw upon. For art students, it is a marvelous opportunity to examine—up close—the work of the best in the field. And for the public, it is a chance to appreciate the enormous range of creativity in children’s books and to see both the printed pages and the original paintings, drawings, prints, and collages they represent.”

http://www.societyillustrators.org/The-Museum/2013/Original-Art/The-Original-Art.aspx

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The Moon by Robert Louis Stevenson…The Common Core & muffin cups?…

The Moon by Robert Louis Stevenson Illustrated by Tracey Campbell Pearson published by Farrar Straus Giroux ISBN 0-374-35046-9 Booklist Editor's Choice, Top of the list 2006 School Library Journal,  A Book of the Year, 2006

The Moon by Robert Louis Stevenson Illustrated by Tracey Campbell Pearson
published by Farrar Straus Giroux ISBN 0-374-35046-9
Booklist Editor’s Choice, Top of the list 2006
School Library Journal, A Book of the Year, 2006

While signing books at stores in Maine…*(BOB, THE MOON…ELEPHANT’S STORY isn’t out until October 22nd)…I was told THE MOON is being used for “The Common Core”!

Here are links for using THE MOON  with the “The Common Core”:

http://www.ode.state.or.us/wma/teachlearn/commoncore/ela.03.sr.1.07.-015-v1.pdf

http://www.wsra.org/assets/Convention/Handouts_2013/b20%20laura%20adams%20gr%204.pdf

I was NOT thinking of  “The Common Core” when I created the illustrations for Stevenson’s  poem.

What was I was thinking?…
(while reading my Dad’s childhood copy of A Child’s  Garden of Verses)

…I love the rhythm, the language, the spaces that Stevenson left me to create my own story within the poem

…the magic of a moonlit night

…sailing with my dad by the light of the moon when I was young.

spread-title-page

My story begins on the title page….when Dad goes into the child’s room…the new baby can’t sleep and neither can anyone else in the house.

spread-moon-clock“The moon has a face like the clock in the hall;”

I’m not sure Stevenson was thinking…

…about a Dad taking his child out for a boat ride in the moonlight… Mom stays home with the baby. This story is for the older child when a new sibling arrives. There are enough books written that will tell him how he’ll “love his new baby brother or sister”
This book celebrates the older child.

Here is a link to THE MOON on my website. It includes “the inside story” about my process creating the book. I share this with teachers, librarians and students when I visit schools.

http://www.traceycampbellpearson.com/books/themoon.htm

What were the children thinking?
The same poem.
Different artists.
Different art.

See posts from June 5th,  June 6th…Chamberlin Elementary in S. Burlington,VT made beautiful watercolors.

Post from April 7th…Alden Primary in Buffalo, NY made great paper cut outs of owl in the night..check out the owl’s eyes made out of…muffin cups!!!

So…after teachers fit The Moon into The Common Core…
…maybe students can pick up a paintbrush…or scissors…paper…a glue stick and….
….muffin cups???…tcp

*PS…I left signed books in Maine at The Children’s Book Cellar inWaterville, The Briar Patch in Bangor, Maine Coast Books in Damariscotta and Blue Hill Books in Blue Hill…all wonderful independent bookstores…I just sent books at Deer Isle Library….and left a pile of books for the Deer Isle-Stonington Elementary School for kids to check out…enjoy…tcp

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WORLD ELEPHANT DAY…

WORLD ELEPHANT DAY...AUGUST 12, 2013

WORLD ELEPHANT DAY…AUGUST 12, 2013

Elephant and Gracie will tell their story in their own book ELEPHANT’S STORY on their pub date of October 22, 2013

TODAY…is for listening to every Elephant’s story….everywhere…

I’ve posted links for World Elephant Day on Elephant’s Blog.

http://elephantstoryblog.com

Have an Elephant day….tcp

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Concert at the Coach Barn at Shelburne Farms, VT…sketching with Mendelssohn & the Burlington Ensemble

Bernard Herrmann…Giovanni Bottesini…& Mendelssohn….

The concert by the Burlington Ensemble was lovely…so much so…we went twice…once to the Monitor Barn in Richmond, VT and again to the Coach Barn at Shelburne Farms.

These sketches are from the closing concert for the Summer Serenade Series at the Coach Barn. I was mesmerized watching Rachel Calin perform on the double bass. …The cellist Ariana Falk commented that it was like watching someone dance with an elephant!….I’ll have to share that comment with Elephant and Gracie….tcp

Thank you to the musicians for the wonderful concerts…if you missed them…I’m sorry…but you can still catch their winter concerts…Here’s a link to the website for The Burlington Ensemble…

http://www.burlingtonensemble.com

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Biking Burlington Vermont…Lake Champlain, Green Mountains, Adirondacks & rock art…

When I spend too much time in my studio and my brain gets squishy….I get out and move…

Here is one of the most beautiful bike rides…ever!!!!

Start at the Boat House in Burlington, VT…follow the bike path to Colchester…and stay on the path to the causeway….until you feel like you are riding on water….

Surrounded by the lake…mountains in the distance….Green Mountains….Mount Mansfield and Camel’s Hump on one side…Adirondacks on the other….then look closely…you will see…piles of rocks…little sculptures…along the way.

You’ll feel like you are riding on water...really!!!
or walk if you’d rather…
walking on water works…

On weekends…in the summer…there is a Bike Ferry to take you across the Champlain Islands….you can ride some more!…

Here is the link to Local Motion in Burlington, VT…they know everything  about biking in VT…they can rent you a bike if you don’t have one…enjoy…it will feed your soul…promise!!!…tcp

PS…Bonus…and it is about as flat a ride as you can get in Vermont!

http://www.localmotion.org/

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Concert at the Coach Barn at Shelburne Farms, VT…Opening Night with Burlington Ensemble

Sketches from the opening concert…Summer Serenades 2013…another fabulous concert with the Burlington Ensemble…Vivaldi, Bruch….Picnic…Shelburne Farms Sunset…part of the proceeds for this concert went to benefit VT Feeds…perfect night!

You still have time to catch a concert!…This week!…Pack a picnic…Enjoy…Support live music in Vermont…and a non-profit…

The Burlington Ensemble will be at:

August 7th…Basin Harbor, Vergennes, VT

August 8th…The West Monitor Barn, Richmond, VT

August 9th…Castleton State College, Castleton, VT

August 10th…The Coach Barn at Shelburne Farms, VT

Here’s a link to their website:  http://www.burlingtonensemble.com/

warning…if you go…you may end up in my sketchbook!…tcp

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Chicago table art…another sketchbook…

I love the street art in Chicago…I didn’t leave any of my art on the street…you can find mine in bookstores and libraries…but I did leave sketches in a restaurant…I brought some drawings back to Vermont in my sketchbook.

I could have brought home more sketches…but I got into trouble at The Art Institute of Chicago!!!…more on that later…tcp

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Chicago Street Art in Pilsen…and two tired librarians?

We went out on bikes while we were in Chicago for ALA…our son said…follow me…then he lead us past these amazing murals in Pilsen….so cool…tcp

PS…Do I spy a couple of librarians…exhausted from ALA in one mural?

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2013 ABC Best Books for Children Catalog Cover with Elephant’s Story…

Gracie reading to Elephant on the 2013 ABC Best Books for Children Cover

Gracie reading to Elephant on the 2013 ABC Best Books for Children Cover

Look who’s reading to Elephant on the 2013 ABC Best Books for Children Catalog Cover!

Gracie thinks everyone should take time to read to their Elephant!…tcp

Here is a link to the article from American Booksellers Association http://www.bookweb.org/node/26745

PS…If you want to know what Elephant thinks…here’s a link to his blog:
http://elephantstoryblog.com

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BEA…Sketchbooks and Elephant in New York City…

As I get Elephant ready for ALA…I am looking over my notes from BEA.
My problem with note taking is that my pen is constantly distracted by people in the room….even when I am looking at the backs of heads.

My packing list for ALA:
Elephant & Gracie…
Sketchbook & favorite pen…tcp

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