"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!

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.

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!

Thank you, Jackie Robinson!

On April 15, 1947, when Henry was thirteen,
Jackie Robinson played his first game 
for the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Finally, there was a black ballplayer
in the big leagues.

Henry's whole world changed.

-excerpt from Henry Aaron's Dream

Illustration from Henry Aaron's Dream, copyright 2010 by Matt Tavares, reproduced by permission of the publisher, Candlewick Press, Somerville, MA.

Fenway Park Photo Shoot

The Massachusetts Teachers Association asked me to do a photo shoot at Fenway Park on Saturday, to promote their 2013 Red Sox Reading Game. I said yes, because it's an awesome program that promotes literacy at every school in Massachusetts- and because any time anyone invites me to Fenway, I'm there! It's pretty amazing to be inside the park when almost nobody is there.

Renowned photographer Rick Friedman was kind enough to shoot a few author photos for me after the MTA shoot was done.  I'll post those once I have them, and I'll post details about the Red Sox Reading Game once it's up and running. For now, here are a few snapshots from the photo shoot...

And there was this cool moment- I heard them rehearsing Jackie Bradley Jr.'s first-ever Fenway Park introduction. I'm sure this moment will get some loud applause this afternoon:

Happy Opening Day! Play ball!

Book Ends Event on Sunday!

Just wanted to spread the word that I'll be reading and signing my new book, Becoming Babe Ruth, at Book Ends in Winchester, Massachusetts on Sunday, March 24, at 2:00 pm.

Winchester is my hometown, and Book Ends has supported me and my books from the very beginning, so its always a lot of fun going back there. Play ball!

BECOMING BABE RUTH in The New York Times!

Woohoo! Check it out:

And here's the online version, which has a nice slideshow featuring Becoming Babe Ruth and some other great new sports picture books. Huzzah!