hotTEAs of Children’s Literature: Cheryl Willis Hudson

June 16, 2016September 25, 2017 ~ jama ~ 6 Comments

Cheryl Willis Hudson is the editorial director of Just Us Books, Inc., an independent children’s press co-founded with her husband Wade Hudson. Just Us Books focuses on the Black experience for children. Cheryl also oversees editorial operations at Marimba Books, a sister-multicultural publishing imprint owned with her husband and two children, Katura and Stephan. Cheryl is the author of over two dozen books for young people.

☕ CUPPA OF CHOICE: For mornings my fav is Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee with a splash of Amaretto cream…yum, yum, yum! You can’t beat this drink for kick-starting the day. After 3 pm I love Red Zinger or Camomile tea, sipped hot with honey from my Grandmother Viola’s fancy teacup. This reminds me of both my grandmothers who introduced me to the idea of having “high tea” in the afternoon.

☕ HOT OFF THE PRESSES: Songs I Love to Sing by Cheryl Willis Hudson, illustrated by Laura Freeman (Marimba Books, 2015); Hands Can by Cheryl Willis Hudson, illustrated by John-Francis Bourke (Candlewick, 2013), and My Friend Maya Loves to Dance by Cheryl Willis Hudson, illustrated by Eric Velasquez (Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2010).

☕ COMING SOON FROM JUST US BOOKS/MARIMBA BOOKS:

AFRO-BETS Book of Shapes (to be re-issued by Just Us Books, Fall 2016)
AFRO-BETS Book of Colors (to be re-issued by Just Us Books, Fall 2016)
I’m a Big Brother Now by Katura J. Hudson, illustrated by Sylvia Walker (Marimba Books, a new picture book for Fall 2016)
Book of Black Heroes: Political Leaders Past and Present by Gil L. Robertson (Just Us Books, a new book of biographies for Fall 2016)
Sights I Love to See by Cheryl Willis Hudson, illustrated by Laura Freeman (Marimba Books, Spring 2017)

☕ FAVE FOODIE CHILDREN’S BOOK: Aunt Flossie’s Hats (and Crab Cakes Later) by Elizabeth Fitzgerald Howard, illustrated by James Ransome (HMH, 1995). I love the focus on family memories that are demonstrated so lovingly in this picture book. I grew up in the Tidewater region of Virginia where crabbing is a popular summer pastime and eating crabs (by the bushel) is part of an annual family reunion tradition. My grandmother Viola Brown made her own beautiful Sunday hats and also cooked wonderful crabcakes. Although they are never as delicious as my grandmother’s, I can’t resist ordering crabcakes whenever they appear on a restaurant menu. Aunt Flossie’s Hats always reminds me of my own happy childhood.

☕ Visit Cheryl Willis Hudson’s Official Website.

☕ Check out the Just Us Books Website to see all the wonderful books available from this publisher.

☕☕ JUST ONE MORE SIP: Don’t miss Cheryl’s must-read guest post at The Brown Bookshelf (part of their 28 Days Later showcase for 2016). She discusses her passion for children’s books, her personal publishing journey, as well as how and why she and her husband Wade established Just Us Books in 1988.

hotTEAs of Children’s Literature: Jeremy Tankard

May 26, 2016September 25, 2017 ~ jama ~ 8 Comments

South African born, American and Canadian raised, Jeremy Tankard is the authorstrator™ of the best-selling GRUMPY BIRD books. He is also the illustrator of IT’S A TIGER! by David Larochelle; PIGGY BUNNY by Rachel Vail; HERE COMES DESTRUCTOSAURUS! by Aaron Reynolds; and MELVIS AND ELVIS by Dennis Lee. A reluctant reader for the first half of his life, he is sometimes surprised to find himself authoring books for a living. (Pictured here with his favorite mug — octopus design by A. Williams.)

☕ CUPPA OF CHOICE: Chamomile tea. It’s classic. It’s healthy. It’s tasty. It’s my favourite drink while unwinding in the evening.

☕ HOT OFF THE PRESSES: Grumpy Bird (Scholastic board book edition, March 2016), Melvis and Elvis written by Dennis Lee (HarperCollins, 2015), and Here Comes Destructosaurus written by Aaron Reynolds (Chronicle Books, 2014). Forthcoming: Hungry Bird (Scholastic Press, September 2016).

☕ FAVE FOODIE CHILDREN’S BOOK: I can’t think of any particularly food themed books off the top of my head. But in MY BOOK ABOUT ME [a fill-in-the-blanks baby book by me at age 4 with some help from my “friends” Dr. Seuss and Roy McKie], I list my favourite food as Pronutro, a South African cereal of sorts. It also says I like ice cream and apples and cherries. And then it says, “And please don’t give me any vegetables. I can’t stand it.” This book also claims that “I eat like a boy.” Of course this book also claims my nose looks like this… which is a blatant lie as you can see from that photo of me, so I’m not sure if this food information can be trusted. I love apple pie.

☕ HOTTEA IN THE FLESH: I will be launching HUNGRY BIRD at the upcoming Telling Tales Festival in Rockton, Ontario, on September 18, 2016.

☕ Visit Jeremy Tankard’s Official Website.

☕☕ JUST ONE MORE SIP: Sophia Yang reads Grumpy Bird!

☕☕☕ CAN’T GET ENOUGH: Mr. Cornelius’s favorite illo from Boo Hoo Bird. Cookies!

☕☕☕☕ STILL THIRSTY: Betsy Bird reads Jeremy’s classic Me Hungry! Remember this one? 🙂

hotTEAs of Children’s Literature: Lisa Schroeder

May 12, 2016September 25, 2017 ~ jama ~ 11 Comments

Once upon a time Lisa Schroeder wanted to join Encyclopedia Brown on his fun adventures. Since that didn’t work out, she decided to be an author instead. Lisa has written over a dozen books for kids and teens including IT’S RAINING CUPCAKES and MY SECRET GUIDE TO PARIS. She’s a native Oregonian and lives with her family outside of Portland.

☕ CUPPA OF CHOICE: Tea, tea, glorious tea. Tea for you and tea for me! My favorite decaf is Teatulia’s Lemongrass tea. That’s often what I drink in the afternoons. In the mornings, I switch it up with various kinds. But no Earl Grey. Ewwww. I occasionally splurge on a soy chai latte, but never drink coffee because it gives me a headache.

☕ HOT OFF THE PRESSES: The Girl in the Tower, illustrated by Nicoletta Ceccoli (Henry Holt, March 2016), Sealed with a Secret (Scholastic, May 10, 2016), and My Secret Guide to Paris (Scholastic paperback edition, March 2016).

☕ FAVE FOODIE CHILDREN’S BOOK: All Four Stars by Tara Dairman (J.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2014).

☕ Visit Lisa Schroeder’s Official Website

☕ ☕ JUST ONE MORE SIP: Check out this cool trailer for The Girl in the Tower:

☕☕☕ CAN’T GET ENOUGH: Love this photo of Lisa at Alice’s Tea Cup in NYC, where she ate the most delicious scone of her entire life! A look of sheer bliss on her face. *sigh*

☕ ☕ ☕ ☕ STILL THIRSTY: Check out Lisa’s Charmed Life Series!!

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hotTEAs of Children’s Literature: Brian Won

May 5, 2016September 25, 2017 ~ jama ~ 8 Comments

Brian Won wore many hats as a busboy, shoe salesman, library shelver, art director, and designer before making children’s books. His debut children’s book, Hooray for Hat!, is published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

☕ CUPPA OF CHOICE: Coffee black, no cream no sugar. Any brand, even gas station coffee is fine by me.

☕ HOT OFF THE PRESSES: Outer Space, Bedtime Race written by Rob Sanders (Random House, 2015), How to Tell a Story written by Daniel Nayeri (Workman, 2014), and Hooray for Hat! (HMH, 2014). Forthcoming: Secret Agent Man Goes Shopping for Shoes written by Tim Wynne-Jones (Candlewick, June 14, 2016), and Hooray for Today! (HMH, September 6, 2016).

☕ FAVE FOODIE CHILDREN’S BOOK: Pete’s a Pizza by William Steig (HarperCollins, 1998).

☕ Visit Brian Won’s Official Website.

☕☕ JUST ONE MORE SIP: Check out the trailer for Outer Space, Bedtime Race!

☕☕☕ CAN’T GET ENOUGH: Adorable book trailer for Hooray for Hat!

☕☕☕☕ STILL THIRSTY: How to Tell a Story trailer 🙂

hotTEAs of Children’s Literature: Brian Rock

March 31, 2016September 25, 2017 ~ jama ~ 2 Comments

I confess that I don’t like too many hot drinks (not even coffee!) But I do enjoy hot chocolate on snowy days. I have five published picture books, one of them is even food themed! I think getting kids excited about reading and creating is about the best job a person could ever have!

☕ CUPPA OF CHOICE: Williams & Sonoma Classic Hot Chocolate. It’s rich, robust and loved by children everywhere (it’s everything I want to be!).

☕ HOT OFF THE PRESS: Martian Mustache Mischief, illustrated by Joshua Dawson (First Light Publishing, August 2015).

☕ FAVE FOODIE CHILDREN’S BOOK: I love the way food is played with in Alice in Wonderland and how it’s used as a metaphor in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and I love how it’s used to define and motivate Winnie the Pooh. But since I’m a picture book guy, I’m going to go with The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog by Mo Willems (Disney-Hyperion, 2004). The story is even more delicious than the hot dog!

☕ Visit Brian Rock’s Official Website

☕☕ JUST ONE MORE SIP: Listen to Brian read The Deductive Detective, illustrated by Sherry Rogers (Sylvan Dell, 2013).