Thursday, May 23, 2013

"Open Studios" Video

Candlewick Press is in the midst of a yearlong celebration of picture books, during which they're posting a new video every day, on their We Believe in Picture Books website. Today's video shows me in my studio. It's a clip from a DVD Candlewick produced a few years ago, called "Open Studios". Enjoy!

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Remembering Bernard Waber

Bernard Waber passed away on Thursday. He was most famous for his Lyle the Crocodile books, but when I was a kid, I knew him mostly because he was the author-illustrator of one of my favorite books, Ira Sleeps Over.

One of my greatest thrills early in my career came in September of 2000, when I got to sign books with Mr. Waber at an event at FAO Schwartz in New York City. I had done a few book signings before, but nothing quite like this. It was very exciting and surreal to be sitting there signing books right in the same room as James Howe and Judy Blume, and right next to Bernard Waber. I got to tell him how much I loved Ira Sleeps Over when I was a kid, and he signed my copy for me.

I just dug through my old photos and found a few from that day...

Bernard Waber and me, at FAO Schwartz in New York City, 2000

I got to watch Mr. Waber read and draw for a group of kids.

my signed copy of Ira Sleeps Over. He wrote: "For Matt, Good Luck! Bernard Waber, 9-24-00 Pleasure signing next to you."


Here's a nice remembrance of Bernard Waber in The New York Times.

Monday, May 13, 2013

Amazing Day at Fenway!

Thanks to the Massachusetts Teachers Association, I had an amazing day at Fenway Park on Saturday. I've been involved with the MTA's Red Sox Reading Game for several years. As a thank you, they honored me as a "Most Valuable Educator" during a pregame on-field ceremony. It's an honor I don't think I really deserve, but I wasn't about to turn it down!

After the pregame ceremony and a brief rain delay, my whole family got to enjoy the game from the grandstand right behind home plate. Even though the Sox came up a bit short with their late rally and lost 3-2, it really was a magical day. My kids even lasted all nine innings!

The Fenway photographer is going to send us some pictures of the ceremony. But for now, here are a few we got:

My daughter was so excited to be standing on the field at Fenway, she even took a picture of the dirt.

And so did I.



My name up on the screen, during the ceremony

!!!
The view from our seats. Pretty awesome.


Thank you, Massachusetts Teachers Association!