Thursday, May 26, 2011

GUYS READ panel at BOOK EXPO



"Weren't at the Javits Center in NYC for BEA? Don't worry, the Internet is here. BookExpo just uploaded a video of the whole shebang. Hang with Jon Scieszka, Jack Gantos, Mac Barnett, Matt de la Peña, Eoin Colfer and some weirdo in a red pleather Thriller costume as they talk about Guys Read and the Guys Read Library anthologies."—Jarrett J. Krosoczka

Lilly Look Here



My friends Shannon and Patrick Strange made a short film. Here is the teaser trailer. Enjoy!

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Page by Paige —Self Portraits

This Sunday Laura Lee Gulledge held a signing and workshop at BookCourt in Brooklyn! She talked about her artwork and invited kids and adults to make mirror self portraits, which was an activity based on her introspective style of art-making portrayed in Page by Paige.

Rainy, cold, gray with no F or G Train service in Brooklyn, it was a perfect day to sit and draw.












Thursday, May 19, 2011

Amulet Books Fall 2011 Preview





First Cover sketch for Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes
by Gilbert Ford

Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes is the utterly beguiling tale of a ten-year-old blind orphan who has been schooled in a life of thievery. One fateful afternoon, he steals a box from a mysterious traveling haberdasher—a box that contains three pairs of magical eyes. When he tries the first pair, he is instantly transported to a hidden island where he is presented with a special quest: to travel to the dangerous Vanished Kingdom and rescue a people in need. Along with his loyal sidekick—a knight who has been turned into an unfortunate combination of horse and cat—and the magic eyes, he embarks on an unforgettable, swashbuckling adventure to discover his true destiny.



1st Origami Darth Vader by Tom Angleberger



About the book
It is a dark time at Ralph McQuarrie Middle School. After suffering several Origami Yoda–related humiliations, Harvey manages to get Dwight suspended from school for being a “troublemaker.” Origami Yoda pleads with Tommy and Kellen to save Dwight by making a new case file—one that will show how Dwight’s presence benefits McQuarrie. With the help of their friends, Tommy and Kellen record cases such as “Origami Yoda and the Pre-eaten Wiener,” “Origami Yoda and the Exploding Pizza Bagels,” and “Origami Yoda and Wonderland: The Musical.” But Harvey and his Darth Paper puppet have a secret plan that could make Dwight’s suspension permanent . . .
With his proven knack for humorously exploring the intrigues, fads, and dramas of middle school, Tom Angleberger has crafted a worthy sequel to his breakout bestseller.


Jacket character sketches
by Ethen Beavers



About the book
Matilda “Wheezer” Choi, the asthmatic who can fly and kick butt courtesy of her nanobyte-enhanced inhalers, loves pro wrestling and hates anything “girlie.” Maybe that’s because she grew up with six brothers—or maybe it’s because her home life has become a battle zone in the conflict between her parents. Unfortunately for Wheezer, when a former member of NERDS turned villain gets extensive plastic surgery in order to become a cheerleader, Matilda must swallow her pride to successfully infiltrate the squad.
The newest supervillain, Gerdie Baker, assisted by the criminal mastermind Simon, has created a device that opens portals to other worlds, which she and the other cheerleaders have been pillaging. But the alternate realities are starting to get awfully close together, so it’s up to Wheezer and the NERDS to stop the cheerleaders before the worlds collide.



Redesigned cover for Lauren Myracle's Flower Power series
Art and design by Maria Middleton



Reel Life Starring Us
by Lisa Greenwald
Photography by Jonathan Beckerman


About the book
Rockwood Hills Junior High is known for the close-knit cliques that rule the school. When arty new girl Dina gets the opportunity to do a video project with queen bee Chelsea, she thinks this is her ticket to a great new social life. But Chelsea has bigger problems than Dina can imagine: her father has lost his job, and her family is teetering on the brink. Without knowing it, Dina might just get caught in Chelsea’s free fall.
Filled with honest truths about status and self-confidence, as well as the bubbly, infectious voice Lisa Greenwald mastered in her breakout, My Life in Pink & Green, this book is sure to charm tween readers everywhere.

Redesigned Paperback cover
Sweet Treats & Secret Crushes



About the book
Jael has always felt like a freak. She’s never kissed a boy, she never knew her mom, and her dad’s always been superstrict—but that’s probably because her mom was a demon, which makes Jael half demon and most definitely not a normal sophomore girl. On her sixteenth birthday, a mysterious present unlocks her family’s dangerous history and Jael’s untapped potential. What was merely an embarrassing secret before becomes a terrifying reality. Jael must learn to master her demon side in order to take on a vindictive Duke of Hell while also dealing with a twisted priest, best-friend drama, and a spacey blond skater boy who may have hidden depths.
Author Jon Skovron takes on the dark side of human nature with his signature funny, heartfelt prose.
Redesigned Paperback cover
Struts & Frets
Hand lettering by Meagan Bennett


Book Three: Words of (Questionable) Wisdom from Lydia Goldblatt and Julie Graham-Chang

Designed by Melissa Arnst Art by Amy Ignatow

Redesigned Paperback cover
Island of the Unknowns

Art and design by Maria Middleton

Redesigned Paperback cover
Photos by Geoff Spear

About the book
Designed like a case file, chock-full of notes, journal entries, letters, e-mails, illustrations, and more, Free Thaddeus! is an uproarious middle-grade novel that argues why the irreverent Thaddeus should be released from his in-school suspension and explains the unbelievable circumstances that led to his punishment. Soon readers will be chanting, “Free Thaddeus!”

The Storyteller


About the book
Anna and Abel couldn’t be more different. They are both seventeen and in their last year of school, but while Anna lives in a nice old town house and comes from a well-to-do family, Abel, the school drug dealer, lives in a big, prisonlike tower block at the edge of town. Anna is afraid of him until she realizes that he is caring for his six-year-old sister on his own. Fascinated, Anna follows the two and listens as Abel tells little Micha the story of a tiny queen assailed by dark forces. It’s a beautiful fairy tale that Anna comes to see has a basis in reality. Abel is in real danger of losing Micha to their abusive father and to his own inability to make ends meet. Anna gradually falls in love with Abel, but when his “enemies” begin to turn up dead, she fears she has fallen for a murderer. Has she?
Award-winning author Antonia Michaelis moves in a bold new direction with her latest novel: a dark, haunting, contemporary story that is part mystery, part romance, and part melodrama.

Deviant


The Phantom Limb

Cover Sketches and Final by Yuta Onada

The Wimpy Kid Do-It-Yourself Book
(revised and expanded edition)


Coming Soon! Diary of a Wimpy Kid 6








NERDS 3: The Cheerleaders of Doom is almost ready to be sent to the printer


NERDS 3 2nd pass, originally uploaded by chadwbecks.

Office hilarity!


Office hilarity!, originally uploaded by chadwbecks.

BEA is coming!