Ogunquit painting

A few weeks ago, I took the morning off from working on my book and painted this picture of the view from the bridge to Ogunquit Beach. It's watercolor, about 7" by 20".

The Horn Book Magazine Summer Reading list

Children's summer reading recommended by The Horn Book Magazine (including Henry Aaron's Dream!)

Going once...

On the evening of May 25, the Association of Booksellers for Children will hold their annual silent auction of children's book art during Book Expo America in New York City. Money raised in the auction is used to fund projects that support independent booksellers. It's always a fun event, and it's even more amazing this year because David Wiesner is the keynote speaker.


Since I have two books coming out in 2010, I donated two pieces of artwork. If you're planning on attending the auction, keep your eyes open for them! The first one is a painting I did for Henry Aaron's Dream (Candlewick), of Henry Aaron hitting his record-setting 715th home run. In the end, I decided to include a full page of his career stats in the book instead of this illustration. But even though it didn't quite make it into the book, hopefully it will earn a few bucks for independent booksellers and look nice on someone's wall. Here it is:

My other donation is a sketch from my upcoming collaboration with Doreen Rappaport, Jack's Path of Courage: The Life of John F. Kennedy (Disney-Hyperion, October). It's a pencil sketch I did for the page in the book that discusses Kennedy's bold and ambitious goal of landing an American safely on the moon before the end of the 1960's. One interesting side note to this picture- this auction is being held on May 25, which is the anniversary of the day Kennedy announced this plan to the nation, May 25, 1961. Here's the sketch:

I also included a signed proof of the final illustration. Not sure if this will be out on display at the auction, but here it is:

first pitch, Pawtucket Red Sox @ Gwinnett Braves, 5-4-2010