Review: Mama's Chickens

Mama is mother to two adorable kidlets and a backyard of curiously cute chooks – Aussie slang for chicken.

At first, she wasn’t at all sure she wanted to take on such a strange new glossary of feathers and fuss, but once the hens arrived, she changed her mind.

And this is really the crux of this comforting tale; the fact that mama’s mind is slowly but surely changing. Mama is suffering from early onset dementia, a condition mistakenly attributed to the elderly, but debilitating to any aged person. 

Mama’s ability to reason and remember, rationalise and recognise is diminishing but as her family and brood of chooks is about to discover, her love remains steadfast and strong.

Review: Mama's Chickens

Mama is mother to two adorable kidlets and a backyard of curiously cute chooks – Aussie slang for chicken.

At first, she wasn’t at all sure she wanted to take on such a strange new glossary of feathers and fuss, but once the hens arrived, she changed her mind.

And this is really the crux of this comforting tale; the fact that mama’s mind is slowly but surely changing. Mama is suffering from early onset dementia, a condition mistakenly attributed to the elderly, but debilitating to any aged person. 

Mama’s ability to reason and remember, rationalise and recognise is diminishing but as her family and brood of chooks is about to discover, her love remains steadfast and strong.

Cover Reveal: This Is My Dad

Did you know, over 10% of households in Australia comprise of a single or primary parent and of those single parents, 82% of them are female? Similar figures exist in countries throughout, New Zealand, the Americas and Europe. 

Until I was promoted by a proactive teacher librarian during a Book Week visit to her school, I was only vaguely aware of these statistics. She highlighted a notable absence of mainstream picture books reflecting children who had never known a ‘father figure’ and or had no significant male model in their lives. 

Like other casual suggestions for book ideas from people in the frontline of education and child care, this was an idea I simply couldn’t let go.

Fortunately, I didn't and in a couple of short months, my latest picture book will hopefully help fill those literary gaps on school library and home bookshelves around the world. This story, illustrated  by Nicky Johnston with generous heart and unfettered affection, is a timely commentary on contemporary family dynamics and societal trends that highlights a situation many children experience within classroom set ups. And so without further ado, it's time to become acquainted with ... 

Review: Where The Magic Happens

I’m no stranger to the ordeal of brain tumours and while the trauma of diagnosis and treatment is beyond taxing for those related to brain cancer sufferers, it can be positively paralysing for those dealing with it firsthand, especially if you are just four years old.

This joint project by children’s author, Coral Vass, illustrator, Nicky Johnston, nurse and director of Hand in Hand Fighting Brain Cancer Foundation, Amanda Christensen and Charity Founding Director, Carolyn Oldano, is in my humble opinion a beacon of golden shining light. As a relatable, touching children’s picture book, Where The Magic Happens is oozing with warmth and tender moments. As a resource for those children, parents, siblings, teachers and friends who have been impacted by brain cancer in some way, it is exemplary.

Announcement: At The End of Holyrood Lane Crystal Kite Award Winner

Warning: the following contains a fair dollop of self-love and galaxies of sparkle, because that's what happens when one wins awards. Ed. (aka Dimity)

EK Books is delighted to announce that At the End of Holyrood Lane, by Dimity Powell and Nicky Johnston, has won the 2019 Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCWBI) Member Choice Award (Australia, New Zealand).

The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCWBI) is the international professional organisation for writers and illustrators of children’s literature.

Winners: Picture Book Packs by Dimity Powell and Nicky Johnston

And our lucky winners are...

Serge Smagarinsky, NSW

Debra Tidball, NSW

Elsa Ribeiro, NSW

Congratulations! You have each won a gorgeous picture book pack featuring At The End of Holyrood Lane, the latest release by Dimity Powell and Nicky Johnston, and The Fix-It Man.

Enjoy!


Thank you to ALL who entered. We all fear something, but once conquered, are stronger for it.

Read our KBR review of At The End of Holyrood Lane!

Giveaway: Picture Book Packs by Dimity Powell Nicky Johnston

Thanks to the exceptional people at EK Books and to celebrate the latest release from much-loved picture book team, Dimity Powell and Nicky Johnston, we have three awesome picture book packs to giveaway!

Each pack includes a copy of The Fix-It Man and their new book, At The End of Holyrood Lane.

At The End of Holyrood Lane, is a poignant yet uplifting picture book that deals with domestic violence in a way that provides understanding and offers hope to young children.

Review: At The End of Holyrood Lane

Dimity Powell’s powerful new book addresses the current and important issue of domestic violence. 

Attention is drawn to this severe social problem with messages crucial to the well-being of children suffering from violence in the home, with a superb approach that immediately gains the reader’s full attention. 

The duality of carefully chosen language brings into use Nature’s elements as metaphors for the fear and anxiety that Flick, the main character, endures.   

Meet the Illustrator: Giuseppe Poli

Describe your illustration style in ten words or less.
Emotion, big and small moments, life, energy, movement, colour

What items are an essential part of your creative space?
Being surrounded with colour and having my art materials handy for a quick play. I try to make it really easy for myself to create on the spur of the moment and have my current projects ready for me to quickly continue working on. I also love having space to hang my latest ideas on display so as I walk past them I can keep motivated and thinking about the projects I’m keen to finish. Good lighting is very necessary too.

Do you have a favourite artistic medium?
I love the movement and feel of watercolours and inks. The range of expression that you can get with a brush and watercolour is just delicious.

Meet the Illustrator: Judith Rossell

Describe your illustration style in ten words or less. 
Detailed, careful, time-consuming, funny, colourful, moody, a few different things.

What items are an essential part of your creative space?
Light, paints, pencils, paper, movies and tv shows,

Do you have a favourite artistic medium?
I like pen and ink, pencil, and a product called ‘Magic Color’ which is liquid acrylic ink, and I use it for just about everything.

Name three artists whose work inspires you.
Edward Gorey, Anita Jeram, Chris Riddell

Introducing -- our new Meet The Illustrator Coordinator!

Good news often succeeds wistful goodbyes. Today we farewell another valued member of the KBR family, Nicky Johnston who, after several glorious months of coordinating our Meet The Illustrator interviews, is now packing away her KBR pencils to dedicate more time to her zillion other creative projects. On behalf of the entire KBR team, I thank Nicky for her efforts and wish her even more illuminating moments to come as she immerses herself ever deeper into her craft.

Stepping up into the Coordinator's Role is the equally radiant, Sally Fawcett.

Sally  is an Author/Illustrator, Primary School Teacher and Mum to three kids, a dog and four chickens. She lives in the beautiful country town of Margaret River in the South of Western Australia. Sally loves to draw pictures that move the soul and elicit feelings of connection with nature and people. Sally has published two picture books with EK Books What Could it Be? in 2016 and Through the Gate in 2017. She likes to write stories that inspire readers to interact with the pages and to think beyond the book.

The whole team is as excited as I am to welcome Sally aboard and can't wait to see what wondrous creative talent she can round up for us.

Our amazing team continues to swell and sparkle. Allow yourself to be dazzled and learn more about  them, here.

Meantime, I invite you to get to know Sally.

Yours enthusiastically

Dimity, KBR Managing Editor

Welcome Sally Fawcett!

Sally loves to draw pictures that move the soul and elicit feelings of connection with nature and other people. Sally won 2^nd place Peoples’ Choice 2015 and 1^st place Peoples’ Choice 2017 at the Margaret River Annual Art Auction. She also won Peoples’ Choice at the Margaret River Readers and Writers’ Festival Art Competition 2017. These wins were a great encouragement to keep creating. Sally mostly uses ink and watercolour on paper for her artistic creations.
 

Sally has published two picture books with EK Books What Could it Be? in 2016 and Through the Gate in 2017.She likes to write stories that inspire readers to interact with the pages and to think beyond the book. Her ideas come from the children in her classes at school, her own children, children in the street and sometimes from her own childhood.  These ideas tend to jump into her mind while in the shower or doing the dishes—perhaps the flow of water brings the flow of ideas. Sally has many more ideas for picture books clambering for a space in her mind and demanding she sits down and actually gets them on paper. 

Sally also works part-time as a primary school relief teacher. Her favourite subjects to teach are, not surprisingly, Art and Writing. But she also loved to teach Maths!  Sally reads picture books to children every day, even bigger kids!  She believes no-one is too old for a picture book. 

Visit Sally at her Blog, here.

Meet the Illustrator: Aska

Describe your illustration style in ten words or less.
Fun, quick, instinctive, energetic, still-in-development.

What items are an essential part of your creative space?
Big, fat permanent markers, fine-liners, ultra-fine black ball-point pens and kilos of recycled bond paper. These are joined by my workstation, a scanner and a Wacom tablet. I also end up surrounded by hundreds, literally hundreds of pencils, but I don’t really use them, however kind people keep on gifting them to me.

Do you have a favourite artistic medium?
Permanent markers and pens. No erasing or going back. There is a finality to every stroke. It looks great if you’re spontaneous, but slow, over thought strokes spill and wobble awkwardly. I find it a really satisfying medium, which teaches me how to live with my ‘mistakes’ or work around them, and encourages planning. I also enjoy how my hands end up stained, from knuckles up to my elbows, a living memory of the fun I’ve just had.

Name three artists whose work inspires you.
Gus Gordon – love the niche he has found through combining classical and digital art techniques, as well as his slightly anarchic layouts. The ‘Gus Gordon’ stroke that holds it all together commands attention and recognition. This guy sure knows how to draw!

David Roberts – he makes me laugh and then take a closer look. I sometimes even ‘try out’ his illustrations of figures by copying them, often thinking to myself “can’t believe this works!” I hope to one day be able to simplify life to such an extent, whilst retaining all the energy and joy of David’s work.

Shaun Tan – I admire Shaun’s ability to create his own, very unique and personal visual style.  Rather than just sprinkling his work with whimsy he plunges it right into it, and somehow, rather than getting lost in his imaginary world, we all go along with it, recognising the signposts he has left for us, somewhere among the dusty memories of our childhood.

Meet the Illustrator: Laura Stitzel

Describe your illustration style in ten words or less.
Curious creatures from an imagined bygone era.

What items are an essential part of your creative space?
Books for reference - children’s books, books of posters, advertising, gallery catalogues and a few collections from artists. My most thumbed through book is All-American Ads 1900-1919

My drawing and painting tools - Fineliners, watercolours, various thicknesses of paper, tracing paper, pencils, mechanical pencil and an eraser stick.

Photoshop - my illustrations are never entirely digital, but I use Photoshop to put line and colour together, and make adjustments to colour and texture.

Do you have a favourite artistic medium?
Definitely fine liner. I use a variety of thicknesses and colours, but any fine liner is good. I love the way you can go from tight and controlled to loose and scratchy, like going from an old lithograph to Quentin Blake.

Name three artists whose work inspires you.
Norman Rockwell - the way he could tell a story in a single image.
Edward Gorey - his techniques with ink, as well as his odd sense of humour.
Mabel Lucie Atwell - a great female illustrator whose work evolved to drawing baby-doll type figures that recall Rose O’Neill’s Kewpies. Her work is quaint, nostalgic and uses colour beautifully.

Meet the Illustrator: Cara King

Describe your illustration style in ten words or less.
I would call my style a little bit whimsical with a touch of quirky.

What items are an essential part of your creative space?
My watercolours, lots of 2B pencils and my smudgy pencil thing that Sam Cohen (fellow illustrator friend) put me onto.

Do you have a favourite artistic medium?
I use mostly grey lead pencils, fineliners, pencils and watercolour. Sometimes only a touch of colour in my images.

Name three artists whose work inspires you.
I adore the work of Charles Blackman and Arthur Boyd and the anitipodean artists that shared the same space and vision. And through the 52-Week Illustration Challenge, I’ve become enamoured with a number of artists work, particularly the free-style watercolour splashings of Leonie Cheetham.

Meet the Illustrator: Lucinda Gifford

Describe your illustration style in ten words or less.
Varied, warm, bold, still developing…

What items are an essential part of your creative space?
A big, thick pad of ‘draw and wash’, a tub of grey and black pencils, music, some greenery, light box, kids drawings on wall, coffee plunger and … of course… my Mac laptop with Cintiq tablet.

Do you have a favourite artistic medium?
I can’t decide whether it’s ink or pencil. I love splashing ink around, and I feel more confident when it comes to adding shade or drama in ink; somehow most drawings seem to work out they way I like. But pencil – especially thick, black pencil – is just so flexible, direct and fun to use. I like gouache and watercolour too, but they’re still sort-of ‘secondary media’ to me. I do a lot digitally too, but that usually tends to come in at the end of the process.

Meet the Illustrator: Annie White

Describe your illustration style in ten words or less.
Expressive, joyful, traditional and fun.

What items are an essential part of your creative space?
Good light and time to think.

Do you have a favourite artistic medium?
Water colour, pencil, oils.

Name three artists whose work inspires you.
Honore Daumier, Shaun Tan, Bob Graham.

Meet the Illustrator: Marjory Gardner

Describe your illustration style in ten words or less.
Bright, happy and friendly, with strong linework and rainbow colours

What items are an essential part of your creative space?
Lots of desk space to s p r e a d  o u t (I’m very messy!), good light (from window and desk lamp), a sloping drawing board, an ergonomic 'kneeling’ chair, radio, computer, lightbox and Jessie our jack russell asleep in her basket. I have large folios full of original illustrations, plus paper and card for drawing. My filing cabinet is full of contracts and roughs, and my boxes of index cards records all publishers and work done since I started freelancing.

Do you have a favourite artistic medium?
A blue clutch pencil, Copic markers, Prismacolour pencils, black Artline pens, inks and paint and a 000 brush.

Meet the Illustrator: Kym Langfield

Describe your illustration style in ten words or less
Fun, playful, whimsical, magical, colourful, imaginative, sweet, funny.

What items are an essential part of your creative space?
Watercolour paints, brushes (a range of sizes but especially sizes 4, 8 and my teeny-tiny Winsor & Newton brush), mechanical pencil, eraser, fineliners (size 0.1 - grey, black and brown), Prismacolour pencils, good quality watercolour paper, photographs and children's books for inspiration - oh and most definitely, chai tea!

Do you have a favourite artistic medium?
Watercolour. I love how versatile and surprising it is. I enjoy adding salt, extra splashes of colour and water and using the wet-on-wet technique. I gasp and giggle as the paint works it's own magic, it's wonderful fun!

Name three artists whose work inspires you.
Freya Blackwood, Anna Walker and Janet & Allan Ahlberg

Meet the Illustrator: Anna Wilson

What items are an essential part of your creative space?
My beautiful Pelikan pen, a fountain pen gifted to me by my four siblings and their partners one birthday. Almost all my illustration work begins with this pen and a sketchbook. I love to draw from life on location and then take it back to my studio to develop into a finished piece. Also, my tiny mint tin filled with watercolours – this and a water brush means I have a portable studio with me at all times. The other main thing I like to have is a teapot filled with tea.

Do you have a favourite artistic medium?
Pen and ink drawings are my favourite, finished with a touch of bright gouache or watercolour. Love how much simplicity can pop and come alive with just these simple mediums.

Name three artists whose work inspires you.
At the moment my favourite artist is Marc Martin, a wonderful Melbourne-based illustrator. His work is so simple, beautiful watercolours that seem to capture the essence of daily moments of life with such simplicity. I also adore the work of another local artist, Kyoko Imazu. She is a printmaker but her work is filled with adorable creatures – filled with fantasy but she is is such a talented drawer that they everything feels so close to life. Finally, I love Egon Schiele for his magical lines.

Meet the Illustrator: Alison Smallwood

Describe your illustration style in ten words or less.
Evocative, thought provoking, always evolving and fun.

What items are an essential part of your creative space?
As I do most of my thinking and planning outside my studio, when I’m in the studio I need to be surrounded by everything I might possibly need so I can create as quickly and efficiently as possible – heaps of art materials like paints, charcoal, pastels, pencils, inks etc. computer, scanner and tablet, inspiring books, sketch books and lots of paper and pencils.  I adore my speedy electric pencil sharpener and I have a sink for washing brushes etc.

Do you have a favourite artistic medium?
Mixed media. A combination of traditional materials and digital FX. I use whatever mediums will give me the atmosphere and feeling I’m trying to portray.

Name three artists whose work inspires you.
The opulent detail in the paintings of Gustav Klimt, the simplicity and superb compositions of Hiroshige’s Japanese woodblocks and the spiritual insight of the Russian expressionist, Wassily Kandinksy.