Recommended Reading : Curse of the Buttons

One of the great perks of being a writer is that I get to read the manuscripts of books before they are even published, like CURSE OF THE BUTTONS (Fall '14, Candlewick), a middle grade novel by my friend Anne Ylvisaker. This is third book in the Button family saga which began with  LUCK OF THE BUTTONS and continued on with BUTTON DOWN. Each book in this three book series works its way backward through the Button family's history, helping us understand their present woes and joys as well as their past.  

It's hard to be patient and wait for the next opportunity to luxuriate in the skilled language of Anne Ylvisaker's historical family stories. But by waiting , you will be rewarded. In the meantime, you can grab a copy of LUCK OF THE BUTTONS and BUTTON DOWN. If you get yourself a new, just released, paperback of BUTTON DOWN, you'll find a short excerpt from CURSE OF THE BUTTONS at the back of the book.

Other posts about Anne Ylvisaker's Books :

LUCK OF THE BUTTONS

BUTTON DOWN

From the Image Vault: Smithy

A sketch from my picture book, Eve and Smithy: An Iowa Tale. Done in colored pencil on vellum and backed with black paper.

About Eve and Smithy: An Iowa Tale from the Bulletin for Children's Books:

..in Eve and Smithy , elderly neighbors share a touching and symbiotic relationship-Smithy dispenses helpful gardening tips, and Eve always thanks him with a painting. The understated warmth between these neighbors is conveyed through their kind, crinkly eyes when they share a smile; meanwhile, the green vines that wend their way through the tale suggest intertwined lives and an intricate economy of give and take.

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Sweet New Year: Jam Jar Applesauce

Jam Jar Applesauce

My mother, Lillian Edwards made great applesauce. She usually waited until a jar of jam was down to its last few tablespoons, then she would fill it with water and shake. She poured the jammy water into a big pot and set it on a medium burner. She added the apples, cored, peeled, and quartered -- as many as she had. She might throw in a handful of raisins or dates if she wanted to use them up. Occasionally, if the spirit moved her, she tossed a couple of shakes of cinnamon over the pot. 

Best wishes for a happy, healthy New Year. For those observing Yom Kippur, may you have an easy fast. And to one and all, may you be inscribed in the Book of Life.

Gesture for the Future: Preemie hats

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There are many ways to remember 9/11. To honor the day and those who died. Knitting preemie hats is one. A Gesture for the Future. We each find our own. Read how how I found mine. 

From the Vault: Alef

alef sketch 

I started writing and illustrating after I finished my MFA in Printmaking. I had supported myself through graduate school by teaching Hebrew.  Inspired by Ashanti to Zulu,  I wanted to do a Hebrew Alphabet picture.  Eventually I did. Here is alef from an early dummy. 

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