Diving into Summer Reading
Gorgeous Weekend Arts cover illustration for The New York Times Books by Red Nose Studio. Alongside the cover, he created 4 spot illustrations of different book genre categories: "It Books" of summer (books everyone will be talking about), True crime, Literal books about summer, and Highly-anticipated follow-ups from big-name authors.
Red Nose Studio illustrated Precious Little Things by Adrian Tchaikovsky for TOR.com. The story is a prequel to the author’s book, Made Things, published by TOR.com Publishing and featuring cover art by Red Nose Studio. See Chris’ blog for sketches and behind-the-scenes shots.
For: TOR.com
More great awards news! Dinara Mirtalipova‘s illustrations for Leila in Saffron were accepted into The Original Art Show at the Society of Illustrators. The exhibition, The Original Art: Celebrating the Fine Art of Children's Book Illustration, opens tonight – Thursday, November 14th, 6-9pm – at the Society of Illustrators (128 E. 63rd St.) in New York City.
Leila in Saffron, published by Zareen Jaffery’s new Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing imprint Salaam Reads, is the story of a shy young girl who discovers all the things that make her special. Dinara’s illustrations capture both the gentle tenderness of the love between a girl and her grandmother, and the exuberant colors, patterns and energy of their rich culture. Written by Rukhsanna Guidroz, Leila in Saffron was released in June 2019.
For: The Original Art Show, Society of Illustrators
Great news! Red Nose Studio‘s illustrations for Elvis is King! have been accepted into The Original Art Show at the Society of Illustrators. The original sculptures and figures from the book will be exhibited at The Original Art: Celebrating the Fine Art of Children's Book Illustration, opening Thursday, November 14th, 6-9pm at the Society of Illustrators (128 E. 63rd St.) in New York City.
Elvis is King! is the latest picture book illustrated by Red Nose Studio and written by Jonah Winter. It’s an extraordinary visual telling of the King of Rock n’ Roll’s rise to a Technicolor life. It was published by Schwartz & Wade earlier this year on January 8th, 2019, which would have been Elvis’ 84th birthday.
For: The Original Art Show, Society of Illustrators
Hennie Haworth illustrated the cover of A Girl Called Shameless by Laura Steven (Electric Monkey/Egmont Publishing). The young adult novel promotes feminism and combats slut shaming and is the sequel to Steven’s previous title, The Exact Opposite of Okay.
For: Electric Monkey/Egmont Publishing
Dinara Mirtalipova collaborated with Compendium for Once Upon a Time: A storytelling kit to make family memories into tales, written by Miriam Hathaway.
“This captivating storytelling kit includes 20 illustrated cards to prompt the telling of family memories and also includes a companion storybook to capture every tale.”
For: Compendium
Elvis is King!, the newest picture-book illustrated by Red Nose Studio, was released on what would have been Elvis’ 84th birthday – January 8th, 2019. An extraordinary visual telling of the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll’s rise to a technicolor life, the Schwartz & Wade Books title written by Jonah King has already received critical acclaim. Named one of “THE MOST EXCITING PICTURE BOOKS OF 2019” by Brightly, it was featured as the cover image for the December 2018 issue of The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books. Glowing reviews from BookList and Publishers Weekly Review, and starred reviews from Kirkus and Bulletin have been a thrill.
“A reprise collaboration between Winter and Red Nose Studio is indeed something to celebrate, and both author and illustration team are at peak performance in this sly, rollicking picture book bio of Elvis Presley and his rise from mic-shy blond tyke to teen dreamboat with product-infused raven hair who turned his stage-fright trembling into iconic sex appeal” - Bulletin
Elvis is King! features a special hidden cover and the book jacket highlights the process and low-tech materials used to create the book’s artwork. Visit Chris’ blog to see sketches and learn more about the illustrations in Elvis is King!, from re-creating Elvis’ signature dance moves to imagining the hardware store where Elvis got his first guitar.
For: Schwartz & Wade
Dinara Mirtalipova created the illustrations for Cinderella, written by Katie Haworth and published by Templar Publishing. This beautiful cut paper diorama-style pop-up book is described as a “triumph of paper engineering with wonderful illustrations” and is available now through Amazon.
For: Templar Publishing
Red Nose Studio has once again teamed up with Here Comes the Garbage Barge! author, Jonah Winter, for Elvis is King!, published by Schwartz & Wade.
The picture book follows the rags-to-riches story of Elvis Presley and is slated to be released on January 8th, 2019 – Elvis’ birthday.
Elvis is King! recently received its first starred review from Kirkus, saying, “Readers will want to pore over this thoroughly engaging volume.”
For: Schwartz & Wade
Great news from Dinara Mirtalipova – Salaam Reads, a Muslim children’s book imprint from Simon & Schuster, has purchased the rights to Rukhsanna Guidroz's Leila in Saffron, illustrated by Dinara Mirtalipova.
From Publisher's Weekly: "Zareen Jaffery at S&S/Salaam Reads has acquired world rights to Rukhsanna Guidroz's (l.) Leila in Saffron, illustrated by Dinara Mirtalipova. The picture book follows a Pakistani-American girl named Leila who uses her senses of sight, smell, taste, and touch to cook a family meal with her grandmother and delight in the various items in her grandmother's home that speak to Leila's unique identity. Publication is slated for summer 2019; Wendi Gu at Janklow & Nesbit represented the author while at Sanford J. Greenburger Associates, and Chrystal Falcioni at Magnet Arts Collective represented the illustrator."
For: Salaam Reads, Simon & Schuster
RED NOSE STUDIO Trailer for The Secret Subway by Shana Corey, available March 8th, 2016 Published by Schwartz & Wade / Video editing by Dempsey Rice
From Chris' blog: “Absolutely wonderful in every way” – Kirkus, Starred Review New York City in the 1860s was a mess: crowded, disgusting, filled with garbage. You see, way back in 1860, there were no subways, just cobblestone streets. That is, until Eli Beach had the idea for a fan-powered train that would travel underground. Fifty-eight days of drilling and painting and plastering later, Beach unveiled his masterpiece on February 26, 1870 – and throngs of visitors took turns swooshing down the track. This true story by Shana Corey and a New York Times Best Illustrated artist, Chris Sickels, will wow readers just as Beach’s subway wowed riders over a century ago.
GRAHAM ROUMIEU for A Manner of Being: Writers on Their Mentors Edited by Annie Liontas and Jeff Parker, published by University of Massachusetts Press
From Publishers Weekly: "What the writers share of their mentors, and what their mentors shared with them, makes for a fascinating work on writing and the student-teacher relationship."
Read an excerpt from George Saunders' essay in The New Yorker
RED NOSE STUDIO for The Secret Subway by Shana Corey Published by Schwartz & Wade, available March 8th, 2016
Kirkus Reviews (January 1st, 2016) "A long-forgotten chapter in New York City history is brilliantly illuminated. In mid-19th-century New York, horses and horse-drawn vehicles were the only means of transportation, and the din created by wheels as they rumbled on the cobblestones was deafening. The congestion at intersections threatened the lives of drivers and pedestrians alike. Many solutions were bandied about, but nothing was ever done. Enter Alfred Ely Beach, an admirer of "newfangled notions." Working in secret, he created an underground train powered by an enormous fan in a pneumatic tube. He built a tunnel lined with brick and concrete and a sumptuously decorated waiting room for passenger comfort. It brought a curious public rushing to use it and became a great though short-lived success, ending when the corrupt politician Boss Tweed used his influence to kill the whole project. Here is science, history, suspense, secrecy, and skulduggery in action. Corey's narrative is brisk, chatty, and highly descriptive, vividly presenting all the salient facts and making the events accessible and fascinating to modern readers. The incredibly inventive multimedia illustrations match the text perfectly and add detail, dimension, and pizazz. Located on the inside of the book jacket is a step-by-step guide to the creative process behind these remarkable illustrations. Absolutely wonderful in every way."
Publishers Weekly (January 4th, 2016) "Corey’s absorbing story of New York City’s ill-fated first subway provides an ideal venue for the sculptural artistry of Chris Sickels, aka Red Nose Studio. Sickels (The Beginner’s Guide to Running Away from Home) crafts stylized clay figures and furnishings with infinite care, then photographs them under dramatic lighting—they could be stills from a movie. In the 1860s, Alfred Ely Beach conceived of an underground train that could be propelled pneumatically. He oversaw the building of a short tunnel, a single car, the machinery to make it move, and a luxurious underground waiting room, complete with a fountain. “Beach’s train was a sensation,” writes Corey (Here Come the Girl Scouts!). A witty spread shows the car traveling to the right of the page, then back to the left, its momentum causing the wide-eyed, elaborately dressed passengers to sway. Shopkeepers and corrupt city leadership scotched the project, and it was forgotten, but Corey’s account sheds light on the way that commonplace institutions are often preceded by false starts, error, and scandal. Ages 4–8."
DINARA MIRTALIPOVA for Echo by Pam Muñoz Ryan (Scholastic) "Music, magic, and a real-life miracle meld in this genre-defying masterpiece from storytelling maestro Pam Muñoz Ryan."
GRAHAM ROUMIEU for Hachette Book Group 'Findings: An Illustrated Collection' by Rafil Kroll-Zaidi. Available November 24th, 2015.
BELLA PILAR for Some Like It Witchy by Heather Blake Cover for the fifth book in the Wishcraft Mystery series
GRAHAM ROUMIEU for Penguin Books Life Among the Savages and Raising Demons by Shirley Jackson In this series from Shirley Jackson, "the author of 'The Haunting of Hill House' confronts the most vexing demons yet: her children." Available for pre-order now.
JUNGYEON ROH for The Who, the What, and the When: 65 Artists Illustrate the Secret Sidekicks of History by Jenny Volvovski, Julia Rothman and Matt Lamothe for Chronicle BooksJungyeon Roh illustrated Martin Luther King Jr's mentor Bayard Rustin for this "treasure trove of word and image for history buffs, art lovers, and anyone who rejoices in unexpected discovery."
HENNIE HAWORTH for Big Picture Press Art Cards: Fashion – "The second in the vibrant series of ARTCARDS: original pieces of art made for you – and made by you! With 16 pull-out ARTCARDS to colour in and decorate with 20 pages containing over 600 stickers, this book features cheeky editorial and highly detailed contemporary illustrations."
DINARA MIRTALIPOVA for Little Dudes Contribution for a collaborative exhibition, book and charity auction