RAPPY GOES TO THE SUPERMARKET

2017 has arrived like a strong gust of wind. New projects are lining up, new ideas are forming and a new children's book arrived earlier in the month. Rappy Visits the Supermarket is an early reader, full of fun and humor. The "rappin" story was written by Dan Gutman and published by HarperCollins.

You can see a sample of the book by visiting this link:

https://sample-c84e6276c9cb811becbcfff4eb281a3a.read.overdrive.com/?p=rappy-goes-to

Here's a sketch from the book. I try to create as much humor through facial expressions and body gestures as possible. I remember learning to read. Finding funny characters in the artwork usually got my attention. Still does.

So, why not start the new year with a new Rappy story? Pick up a copy and we'll share a few laughs in the supermarket. See you soon!

Four more books for my bookshelf in 2016.

I had four new titles published this year. I'm very fortunate to have had the opportunity to illustrate these very different books. The first was the fourth in the "Memoir" books, Memoirs of a Parrot by Devin Scillian (Sleeping Bear Press).

This book was expensive. I don't mean the purchase price... but the story is about a guy who buys a parrot and plays a ukulele. So, I needed to buy a ukulele. That was the expensive part.

Plus, I was also inspired by another ukulele strummer, Emily Arrow. She visited a nearby school and I sat in on her excellent presentation. Great music...with a ukulele named "Bow".

Oh well, I could have purchased an African grey parrot. That would have been even more expensive.

My second book of 2016 was Rappy Goes to School by Dan Gutman (HarperCollins). No, I didn't buy a dinosaur for this one. They are way too messy... and hard to house train.

The third title for 2016 was Buddy's Bedtime Battery by Christina Geist (Random House). A cute story of getting a child to slow down for bedtime. "Beep!" 

Then, dancing to the fourth book of 2016 is Footloose by Kenny Loggins (Moondance Press). Kenny Loggins (with Dean Pitchford) re-wrote the iconic song to become a kid's dance tune. A story about two children who discover that zookeeper "Jack" and the zoo animals wait until the sun goes down, then put on their dancin' shoes. 

So, there you have it. With Christmas just around the corner, I can think of four really nice gifts for that special child in your life. I'll be closing out the year, wearing my dancin' shoes and strummin' my ukulele. This is November (turkey month) and I definitely have a lot to be thankful for.

That's all for now. I need to practice my ukulele.