Peggy Archer
Children's Author

This year celebrates the 75th anniversary of the Caldecott Medal for illustration of a children’s book. The winner for 2012 will be announced on Monday, January 28th.

The Caldecott Medal was first awarded in 1938. An annual award presented by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), it is given to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children during the previous year. Any picture book by a citizen or resident of the USA and published in the United States is eligible, but only one picture book receives the award each year.

So what exactly is a Mock Caldecott? I looked for that answer on line and found much more.

The Mock Caldecott is a fun way to predict which picture books will be given the award for 2012 on Monday. It’s your chance to recognize outstanding artistic merit in a children's book. Here are some other benefits to participating:

• Learn about the history, terms, and definitions of the Caldecott Medal
• Participate in book discussions
• Look at the evolving nature in children's picture books and its impact on the Caldecott selection process
• Become familiar with how the medal impacts librarians, authors, publishers and children
• Develop skills in holding mock Caldecott discussions with children and other programming ideas
• Form the skills to look at picture book art more critically

The Mock Caldecott follows the same selection process that is used by the Caldecott committee. But with so many children’s picture books published each year, what makes picture book illustration distinguished? You might be surprised to see that the criteria used focuses on both illustration and writing in a picture book!

A picture book has a collective unity between text and pictures. Narrative elements include character, plot, theme, setting and information. Art elements include medium, style, composition, color, line, space and shape. When considering their selections, committee members need to consider all of this through the pictures. Sounds a little harder than I imagined!

Some questions to consider when evaluating a picture book for the Mock Caldecott award are these:

Does the story appeal to kids?
Is this an outstanding use of the artistic medium?
Is the artwork critical to the story being told?
Can the story stand alone without the support of additional media?
Is there an appropriate balance of text and illustration?

There are some wonderful websites that I visited while doing my research.

Visit Matthew C. Winner’s blog, The Busy Librarian at http://www.busylibrarian.com/2012/12/mock-caldecott-stage-1.html to find a mock Caldecott evaluation chart.

Find a Mock Elections Toolkit slide show on Steven Engelfried’s site at http://www.slideshare.net/stevene/mock-caldecott-criteria-power-point

Or check out the authors blog, Books Around the Table, for a discussion on the Caldecott selection process, and see the different art forms used in picture books being considered for the award at
http://booksaroundthetable.wordpress.com/2013/01/17/the-word-distinguished-a-mock-caldecott-discussion/

Learn about the 75th anniversary logo and its many characters at the official ALSC site at http://www.ala.org/alsc/Caldecott75#preconference. Scroll down to the bottom. Can you name all of the characters?

The 2013 Caldecot Medal announcement will be made on Monday, January 28th at 7:45 am. You can watch a free live webcast of the award presentation from the link at the American Library Association (ALA) website at http://www.ala.org/news/mediapresscenter/presskits/youthmediaawards/alayouthmediaawards.

Congratulations to all illustrators being considered, for the official Caldecott and the Mock Caldecott as well!  Read More 

It’s been said that most New Year’s resolutions are broken by mid January. So how are you doing with yours so far? If you’re getting discouraged already, rather than giving up, this might be the time to re-evaluate and make some revisions to those resolutions. Are your goals within reach? Have you set up a reward system for taking baby steps toward reaching those goals? Give yourself some slack, and remember that each day is a chance to begin again.

In regard to my writing, I decided to focus on just a couple of things this year and really try to follow through. I picked reading and marketing.

Reading is two-fold. First I need to keep up with what kids are reading. I also want to know what books are already out there on the topics that I’m writing. Second, I need to read books for the grown-up in me. For pleasure. And for direction. As I read, my mind picks up clues on how the writing draws me into the book, what it is that keeps me reading, and makes me not want to stop.

Marketing is my second major goal. I have poems and stories that are completed, or nearly completed, that should be out looking for a home instead of sitting in my file cabinet. I need to take time to decide the best course for those manuscripts and get them on their way! I also need to finish, or revise, those that are oh, so close, to being ready to send out.

So far this year I think I’m doing okay. I've given myself a month by month schedule. I’m close to reaching my goal for January. But if I fall short during the year, I’ll just start over again the next month.

A friend sent me the following quote which I’d like to share with you. I hope it reminds you of your accomplishments in the past year, and encourages you to celebrate every step that you take toward your goals in 2013!

Time for—

This is a time for reflection as well as celebration.

As you look back on the past year and all that has taken place in your life,
remember each experience for the good that has come of it
and for the knowledge you have gained.

Remember the efforts you have made and the goals you have reached.

Remember the love you have shared and the happiness you have brought.

Remember the laughter, the joy, the hard work, and the tears.

And as you reflect on the past year, also be thinking of the new one to come,
because most importantly, this is a time of new beginnings
and the celebration of life.

—Taylor Addison
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Need some last minute gift ideas? Think books!

Yesterday I visited Vicki Erwin at her bookstore, Main Street Books, in downtown old St. Charles. I love this store. It has such a cozy, friendly atmosphere. People come in and out, calling out greetings by first name, like family.

When our children were small, one of their Christmas gifts was always a book. But books make wonderful gifts, for any age, at any time of year.

There are many perks to reading a book. Here are just a few.

1. Reading reduces stress and helps you relax. Psychologists believe that reading eases the tensions in muscles and the heart. A person only needs to read, silently, for six minutes to slow down the heart rate and ease tension in the muscles. So take some time to read when you come home from work. Or fall asleep at night reading a good book.

2. Reading makes you smarter. Reading is an active mental process. It stimulates your mind. Books make you use your brain. By reading, you think more, and become smarter.

3. Reading increases vocabulary. Your brain determines meaning through repetition and context. Language in children’s books is likely to be more sophisticated than your average conversation.

4. Reading improves concentration and focus. Reading books takes brain power. It requires you to focus on what you’re reading for long period. Since you must concentrate when you read, you will get better at it.

5. Reading improves memory. Reading requires remembering details, facts and figures, and helps you stretch your memory muscles.

6. Reading improves analytical thinking. Readers improve their general knowledge and are able to spot patterns quicker, which in turn gives your analytical skills a boost.

7. Reading builds self-esteem. By reading books, you become better informed which translates into higher self esteem.

8. Reading helps you socially.The more information you gather the better conversationalist you will become.

9. Reading helps writers. The more you read, the more ideas you have.

10. Reading is an enjoyable, inexpensive form of entertainment. A visit to the library or your local bookstore is sure to fill your need on any topic of interest.

Here are some reading recommendations for children from Vicki at Main Street Books.

Children’s Fiction
THIS IS NOT MY HAT, by Jon Klassen, Candlewick, HC, 15.99.
PETE THE CAT SAVES CHRISTMAS, by James Dean and Eric Litwin, Harper Collins, HC, 17.99. Pete has many other adventures in his other books also available.
SNOWMEN AT WORK, by Caralyn and Mark Buehner, Dial, HC, 16.00.
Children Non-Fiction
SAFARI, by Dan Kainen, Workman Publishing Company, HC, 24.95.

Youth Fiction
THE THIRD WHEEL, DIARY OF A WIMPY KID, by Jeff Kinney, Harry N. Abrams, HC, 13.95.
LIAR & SPY, by Rebecca Stead, Wendy Lamb Books, HC, 15.99.
EVERYDAY, by David Levithan, Knopf, HC, 17.99.
SON, by Lois Lowry, Houghton Mifflin, HC, 17.99.
THE FALSE PRINCE, by Jennifer A. Nielsen, Scholastic, HC, 17.99.
WHO COULD THAT BE AT THIS HOUR, by Lemony Snicket, Little, Brown Books, HC, 17.99.
ELEMENTAL, by Antony John, Dial, HC, 17.99.
VENOM, by Fiona Paul, Philomel, HC, 17.99.

Adult Fiction
ART FORGER, by B.A. Shapiro, Algonquin, HC, 23.95.
SUTTON, by J.R. Moehringer, Hyperion, 27.99.
THE BOOKSELLER, by Mark Pryor, Seventh Street, PB, 15.95.
PIGEON PIE MYSTERY, by Julia Stuart, Doubleday, 24.95.
PARIS WIFE, by Paula Mclain, Ballantine, PB, 15.00.
SECRET KEEPER, by Kate Morton, Atria, 26.99.
MRS. QUEEN TAKES THE TRAIN, by William Kuhn, HC, Harper, 25.99.

Adult Non Fiction
BITTER BREW, by William Knoedelseder, Harper Business, HC, 27.99.
ONE LAST STRIKE, by Tony LaRussa, William Morrow, HC, 27.99.
THOMAS JEFFERSON, THE ART OF POWER, by Jon Meacham, Random House, HC, 35.00.


Main Street Books
307 South Main Street
St. Charles, MO 63301

www.mainstreetbooks.net
636-949-0105

Twitter:@mainstreetbooks
Facebook: www.facebook.com/mainstreetbooks

Merry Christmas to all!
And to all, a good book!  Read More 

Meet your local authors, and do some Christmas shopping for the book lovers on your list!

What better way to spend an evening than to browse through books at the library. Better yet is to meet the author (or illustrator) of books by authors from your own neighborhood! Check your local library or bookstores for author events and programs planned for your area this holiday season.

In O’Fallon, MO, the place to be on Thursday evening is at the Middendorf-Kredell (MK) Branch Library on Route K for the Local Author Open House. I will be one of 49 participating authors who will be there that evening.

My picture books include NAME THAT DOG!, Puppy Poems from A to Z, Dial Books for Young Readers; FROM DAWN TO DREAMS, Poems for Busy Babies, Candlewick Press; and TURKEY SURPRISE, Dial Books for Young Readers.

Children’s authors who will be joining me there on Thursday evening are:

Margo Dill, author, FINDING MY PLACE, White Mane Publishing Company
Nicole Hardison, author, FARMHOUSE SECRET, Aberdeen Bay Publishing
Angela Sage Larsen, author, FIFTIES CHIX: KEEPING SECRETS, FastPencil Premiere Publishing
Patty Mund, author, NOT JUST A PONY, CreateSpace Independent Publishing
Dawn Bensen, illustrator, NOT JUST A PONY, CreateSpace Independent Publishing
Audrey Munsch, author, THE TALE OF THE RED RIBBON, Strategic Book Publishing
Leah Scott, author, TIN CUP AND THE TORNADO, Outskirts Press

Click under the banner on the right to visit the St. Charles County Library site, then click on November 29th on the calendar to see a complete list of participating authors. There's no need to register!

Stop by and say hello! I’d love to meet you. Bring your kids or pick up a free coloring page from NAME THAT DOG!

Go to http://www.youranswerplace.org/ to see a list of up-coming library events and programs.

For a list of local author signings and events at independent bookstores in St. Charles County, MO, go to: http://www.stlindiebook.com/.
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Happy Thanksgiving to all of my blog friends!

Download a TURKEY SURPRISE coloring page from my website—just click on ‘My Works,’ then on ‘Turkey Surprise’ and click on the link to the coloring page on the left.

Or click under the picture for links to my coloring page and other Thanksgiving activities.

Earlier this month I attended the MO-SCBWI conference in St. Louis. The high point of attending a conference is, of course, the speakers and all that they have to offer to both aspiring and published authors. Here are some high points from this particular conference:

from Emma Dryden, consultant and former editor—Your website is key. Editors and agents check your web presence. If you’re not published yet, at least secure your domain name, which should be your own name.com, then create a simple page with your bio.

from Ellen Hopkins, YA author and poet—novel writing is ‘story-telling,’ and is not didactic; poetry is ‘painting pictures with words.’ She talked about writing bravely.

from David Harrison, author, on poetry collections—Know the common core state standards and what kids are studying in school. Choose a theme and make a list of possible poems to go with that theme.

from Will Terry, illustrator—The story is most important, then perfect your craft. The ‘tides are changing’—he does illustrations digitally now, and gathers his audience on places such as blogsites, facebook, flickr, twitter, UTube, and eblogger.

from Joyce Ragland, MO-SCBWI Regional Advisor— find a critique group; go to conferences and national conferences; network with other authors and editors.

Some other perks of attending conferences for children’s writers and illustrators—gathering together with others who understand what writers really do; meeting with old friends and making new ones; networking—sharing experiences and learning from each other’s past; getting face-to-face with editors, agents and authors and having an opportunity to ask those ‘burning’ questions.

Some perks of volunteering to help at a conference—spending one-on-one time with speakers as you drive them to the airport or time their critiques, and schmoozing at dinner the night before the conference starts.

There’s always so much to absorb and follow through on following a conference! Look for conferences for children’s writers and illustrators in your region at the SCBWI website at www.scbwi.org.
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Looking for a great book to add to your writer's library? Check out Snoopy's Guide to the Writing Life by Barnaby Conrad and Monte Schulz.

See my blog, Advice From a Dog, on the Indiana Writer's Consortium (IWC) blog site. Click under the book cover to visit the IWC blog site.
Or go to http://indiana-writers-consortium.blogspot.com/.

While you're there check out past blogs written by Indiana authors, including This Post is Copyrighted, by author and lawyer Kathryn Page Camp, and find answers to your questions about copyrighting your work.

Visit Kathryn 's website at www.kathrynpagecamp.com.
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Come and join the fun at the Indiana State Fairgrounds this week at the Christmas Gift and Hobby Show in Indianapolis. Featured will be several Indiana authors who will be doing book signings at the show.

Joining me on Saturday evening from 7-9 pm will be picture book author, Deb Osza, author of BUTTERCUP’S BIG DAY.

Visit with young adult author Barb Shoup on Wednesday and Thursday from 4-8 pm. Two of her young adult books were selected as American Library Association Best Books for Young Adults. Her newest book is AN AMERICAN TUNE (Indiana University Press (September 2012).

Join Mike Mullin on Friday from 3-6 p.m. His first novel, ASHFALL (Tanglewood Press 2011) was listed on the International Reading Association’s 2012 Young Adults' Choices list. The second book in the trilogy, Ashen Winter, was released in October 2012.

Visit with Laurie Gray on Saturday from 1-7 p.m. Her debut novel, Summer Sanctuary (Luminis Books May 2010), won a Moonbeam Children’s Book Award Gold Medal for excellence in young adult literature.

My own picture books available on Saturday are:
NAME THAT DOG! (Dial Books for Young Readers 2012)—an alphabet book featuring poems about dogs and their names
FROM DAWN TO DREAMS: Poems for Busy Babies (Candlewick Press 2007)
TURKEY SURPRISE (Dial Books for Young Readers 2005)—a Thanksgiving picture book and NY Times bestseller.

Click on the link below the coupon for a complete list of the 21 authors in order of appearance, or go to the link listed below.

Take advantage of the coupon posted here for $2 off the entrance fee. It's a great opportunity to have fun and get some holiday shopping done early!

http://www.christmasgiftandhobbyshow.com/features/CGHS_12_AuthorSchedule.pdf
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Picture book writers—do you need some daily inspiration? A goal to keep you going? Sign up at Tara Lazar’s blog site for PiBoIdMo—Picture Book Idea Month!

The idea is to come up with a picture book idea every day in November. Get your juices flowing! The more ideas you find, the more likely one, or more, will evolve into a finished picture book. “Daily blog posts by picture book authors, illustrators, editors and other kidlit professionals will help inspire you.”

Log onto Tara’s blogsite at www.taralazar.com (or click on the link under the banner at the right) and click on ‘PiBoIdMo’ to read about the challenge. Then click on the link to register by November 4th to accept the challenge. Those registered have a chance to win some great prizes which you’ll find listed on the PiBoIdMo site.

The fun has already started. Read the guest blog posts and find out where other picture book authors get their ideas. Then get set to create your own month of picture book ideas to follow up on later!
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October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and the perfect time to blog about a wonderful picture book that deals with breast cancer. THE GOODBYE CANCER GARDEN teams up children’s author Janna Matthies and illustrator Kristi Valiant, both from my home state of Indiana.

In January, when her mother shares the news with her family that she has breast cancer, Janie comes up with the idea to plant a garden: “Watching it grow, and eating healthy veggies, will remind us Mom’s getting better,” Janie tells them. With pumpkin season as their goal, the family joins together to plant the ‘Goodbye, Cancer’ garden.

From planning and planting, to eating the vegetables that they’ve grown, the garden parallels Mom’s progression through her treatment of breast cancer. Told in a sensitive way, the story shows ups and downs over the months that follow—eg: “Sometimes she looked sad, and my brother and I felt a little worried.”

THE GOODBYE CANCER GARDEN addresses a difficult issue with an uplifting and hopeful story line, and is illustrated with beautiful pictures filled with love and hope. The story was driven by the author’s own battle with breast cancer.

Enjoy a chat with the author and illustrator, and get in on a special give-away, at Jama’s Alphabet Soup, a blog that combines food and children’s books. While there, you’ll also find photos, a recipe, and get some insight into writing and illustrating a children’s book.

Jama’s Alphabet Soup:
http://jamarattigan.com/2012/10/18/chatting-about-the-goodbye-cancer-garden-with-janna-matthies-and-kristi-valiant-a-special-giveaway/

Janna Mathies blogsite: http://jannamatthies.blogspot.com/
Kristi Valiant’s website: http://kristivaliant.blogspot.com/

THE GOODBYE CANCER GARDEN by Janna Matthies, illustrated by Kristi Valiant
Albert Whitman & company, Chicago, IL 2012
ISBN: 978-0-8075-2994-2
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