One of the best things about being a picture book creator is the way connections are made through books and art. A couple of years ago I met a young artist named Aarav and his mother at a Family Literacy Day event. Aarav shared a book that he had written and illustrated using plasticine. I was impressed and delighted to meet a fellow clay artist. Aarav’s mum kept us in touch and the next year she shared the exciting news that he had entered the 2020 Toronto Public Library’s annual Design-a-Bookmark contest for kids under 13 years of age. Aarav’s design was created with plasticine and was a winner in the age 7-9 category. In 2021 he created another winning bookmark with artwork created using a curled paper technique, and had the extra distinction of being an Elizabeth Cleaver Award selection. Along with the good news I received a beautiful card by Aarav that is now displayed in my studio.
Aarav’s 2021 winning bookmark and mixed media card
Canadian author and illustrator Elizabeth Cleaver was a trailblazer as a creator of multi medium and dimensional art. Her book The Enchanted Caribou, illustrated with shadow puppets, was a favourite with our daughters when they were small. I didn’t get to meet Elizabeth, but I followed in her footsteps on my first book tour in northern Manitoba and later was honoured to receive my own Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Picture Book Award.
Just like Aarav and the other bookmark artists, I entered art contests when I was a young. Contests gave me projects to try and the opportunity to learn from other artists and to share my art. It was sometimes scary to show my work, but getting positive feedback gave me confidence to keep at it. Each of the TPL bookmark contest designs were wonderful and unique. Congratulations ALL the artists who entered for their creativity and courage. Libraries are an excellent resource for young creators and their families to learn about contests and programs. You can learn more about the TPL Bookmark contest here.
Thanks to books, libraries and contests, artists from different places and times are able to inspire each other. Cheers to all the creative connections!
It’s been a long time in the making, but all the plasticine illustrations for my newest book are finished! They have been photographed and the digital files are off to the printers. The art is now safely boxed and stored in my studio. I use pizza sized boxes and re-use them when possible. You can see by the crossed out notes that some of the boxes have been used for other projects.
I Love You More , written by Emil Sher, will launch in February 2022. I can’t wait to share the love!
Watch it Grow has hatched and I couldn’t be happier. The book explores the lifecycles of four living things: a monarch butterfly, a sunflower, a green frog and a white oak tree. I love making pictures of nature and all of these subjects have a special place in my heart, especially the monarch butterfly. Our family spent many summers raising monarchs; finding milkweed leaves to feed the growing caterpillars, watching and waiting for the magical transformation to chrysalis and finally a beautiful butterfly. What’s growing in your neighbourhood?
Watch It Grow, by Barbara Reid. Published by North Winds Press/Scholastic Canada
This summer I found monarch caterpillar at our family summer cottage. I took photos as it grew and was lucky enough to see it emerge from the chrysalis. It was late summer, so this butterfly will have a long migration to its winter home. I wish it a safe journey! Maybe you will meet one of its descendants. You can learn more about the life cycle of the monarch butterfly in my book Watch It Grow – arriving in early 2020.
Gifts is celebrating 25 years in print! The award winning story of a travelling Grandma written by Jo Ellen Bogart has a fresh new cover look in honour of this milestone.
GIFTS fresh new cover
The book has travelled as much as Grandma over the years. Jo Ellen and I took it on the road when Gifts was a TD Grade One Book Giveaway and over half a million copies were given to grade one students across Canada. It has been published in Korea, Spain, Egypt and Portugal. Scholastic Canada included it in a book donation to the Creation of Hope founded by author Eric Walters in support of orphans in Kenya. Canadian author and globe trotting grandma herself, Margriet Ruurs added a copy to a travelling library in Mongolia. Where will Grandma travel next? Cheers to continued happy trails!
Jo Ellen Bogart and Barbara on tour for the TD Grade One Book Giveaway, Vancouver 2010Barb signs a BIG poster, Calgary 2010With young readers at the Creation of Hope, Kenya. Photo Eric WaltersGifts in Mongolia! Photo Margriet Ruurs.
Original artwork from Picture the Sky at the Mazza Museum Show of Hands
There’s always something to see at the Mazza Museum and I’m as excited as the girl on the Ferris wheel be part of the new “Show of Hands” exhibit which features a selection of art from various illustrators along with a plaster cast of their hand. Through this unique exhibit you can view not only the art, but a replica of the hand that created it.
Making a hand cast with Mazza Curator Dan Chudzinskyi
Curator Dan Chudzinski created a mold of my hand at the last year’s Mazza Summer Conference. It will be on display with an original illustration from Picture the Sky. Featured artists include Marc Brown, Floyd Cooper, Brian Lies, Will Hillenbrand, and Rosemary Wells – to name just a handful. The exhibit runs through spring 2020. Don’t miss it!
Celebrating CBC Fan Choice Award – and more-with Hamza. Photo:Ashly July
Hamza received a cash
prize plus a donation for his school library and a class set of Picture the
Sky, the Fan Choice winning book. I had the opportunity to visit Hamza’s class to
share some art techniques with a hands-on clay workshop. The class had created
an impressive literacy video which was shown at an assembly and then Hamza and
I had the fun of presenting a GIANT cheque to Black Walnut librarian Deb Dias.
Black Walnut PS student
Hamza Khan was randomly selected as the winner of the CBC’s Fan
Choice Contest which encouraged readers to vote for their favourite from among
the books nominated for the 2018 TD Canadian Children’s Literature award.
Barbara and Hamza present a BIG cheque! Photo: Ashly July
To make the day even
more special, Hamza told me that he arrived in Canada on the very same day four
years ago. I had the honour of meeting his parents and sisters in the library
and it was very moving to share in celebration of this important anniversary.
I am often surprised and amazed at the connections made through books, reading and art. It is truly something to celebrate!
In February I attended the Winter Conference of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators in New York City. It was my first SCBWI conference and what a whirlwind it was! I’m especially grateful for my Canadian friends who made the experience less scary and more fun, and the new friends who were so warm and welcoming.
The keynotes and sessions were outstanding. Between the events were wonderful conversations at socials, meals and elevator lineups. The biggest takeaway for me was the importance of community and teamwork. The trees in Central Park say it all: connect, branch out, grow, touch the sky.
First SCBWI Conference -scary and fun!
With Debbie Ridpath Ohi, Hilary Leung, Ishta Mercurio, Stephen Macquignon, Jason Hart at the Bank Street Bookstore
Other highlights: celebrating friend Hilary
Leung’s book launch at the Bank Street Bookstore; a dash through the American
Museum of Natural History; a spring like stroll through Central Park; seeing
the REAL Eeyore at the New York Public Library; having a cocktail while enjoying
the Maxfield Parrish mural at the King Cole Room and catching the Oliver
Jeffers installation at the High Line.
Oliver Jeffers installation The Moon, The Earth and Us, High Line NYC 2019
Found myself at the NYPL!
NYPL photo Aino Anto
I took very few photos because I didn’t want to miss a minute. Plus the blue whale at the museum was too big. My brain is full; now to digest all that wisdom, inspiration and energy…
