Charles Darwin's Around-the-World Adventure ~ Advance Copy!

An advance copy of my next book arrived yesterday, to my total surprise! I am absolutely thrilled with the way it turned out. (Hard to see in the photo, but there's a spot varnish on the butterflies, Charles, and the title. I totally wasn't expecting such a wonderful detail. The design geek in me is very, very happy!)

I'm feeling truly fortunate and thankful to be working with such an amazing Editor, Art Director, and the whole team at Abrams!

The book will be out in October... stay tuned for some behind-the-scenes book posts in the weeks leading up to release!

Happy Birthday, Charles Darwin!

"... There are several other sources of enjoyment in a long voyage... the map of the world ceases to be a blank; it becomes a picture full of the most varied and animated pictures." –from THE VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE

Charles Darwin was born 207 years ago today, on February 12, 1809. Today is also Darwin Day– a celebration of Darwin's life and amazing contributions to the world of science. Cake for everyone!

*Art detail from CHARLES DARWIN'S AROUND-THE-WORLD ADVENTURE (Abrams 2016), coming in October!

Publishers Weekly Fall 2016 Children's Sneak Previews!

A is for Abrams! (Also, "Awesome!" And "Aw yeah!")

News!

I'm so thrilled to finally be able to share this news!

"Tamar Brazis at Abrams has bought author-illustrator Jennifer Thermes's Charles Around the World in a preempt. The picture book biography tells of Charles Darwin's adventures on the HMS Beagle, featuring maps illustrating the route of his travels and his discoveries in each location. It is scheduled for fall 2016. Marietta B. Zacker of Nancy Gallt Literary Agency brokered the deal, which includes a second book, for world English rights."

– from Publishers Weekly Rights Report: Week of September 8, 2014

 

(Charles Darwin is one cool dude!)

Little Author ~ Book Giveaway

 
 

    Goodreads Book Giveaway
 

   

       
   

   

     

          Little Author in the Big Woods
     

     

          by Yona Zeldis McDonough
     

     

         
            Giveaway ends September 30, 2014.
         

         
            See the giveaway details
            at Goodreads.
         

     

   

   

      Enter to win

Reason #2,539 Why I Love My UPS Guy (Hint: Book!)

This arrived last week!

There's a map inside...

And loads of illustrations big and small...

On almost every page...

Including drama! (Grasshopper plague!)...

And in the back there are recipes, games, and instructions for making a corn-husk doll. Fun!...

And under the dust jacket, one of my favorite things– a sweet silhouetted surprise that just about made me swoon. (I LOVE this special detail!)...

The actual book birthday is about three weeks away (September 16th), but you can pre-order a copy now if you'd like. (May I suggest your local independent bookstore?)

Yay! (Also, please excuse the phone-quality pictures!)

Things That Make Me Happy

Publishers Weekly Children's Books Fall 2014

Coming in September!

I'm so pleased that Little Author in the Big Woods: A Biography of Laura Ingalls Wilder  is included in @FuseEight's School Library Journal post (scroll down):


Librarian Preview: Macmillan Children's Publishing
Group (Fall 2014)

Whee!

Blueberries!

A little Bear and Bird art to remind me that summer will be here. Someday.

More Bear and Bird. Also, Cookies.

I feel like I've been hibernating for much of the winter. Why go out when it's icy cold and snowy? Especially when it's nice and cozy in the studio, and I can do what I love best– write and make art.

But, oh yeah– we DO have this thing about making cookies every time it snows. And it has snowed a LOT this winter! (I am capable of eating more cookies than a bear. Heh!)

Here is a wonderful and very thoughtful blogger's review of Bear and Bird. Enjoy!

Art from Bear and Bird, written by James Skofield, Sleeping Bear Press, March 2014.

(Below: Oatmeal-Butterscotch cookies. OH yeah!)

Bear and Bird Giveaway, and an Interview!

It seems like yesterday I was shipping out art for Bear and Bird, and now it's a book! To celebrate the upcoming release in a few weeks I'm hosting a giveaway of three copies. Click on over to take a look!

 
 

    Goodreads Book Giveaway
 

   

       
   

   

     

          Bear and Bird
     

     

          by James Skofield
     

     

         
            Giveaway ends March 16, 2014.
         

         
            See the giveaway details
            at Goodreads.
         

     

   

   

      Enter to win

Also, I was interviewed on Kathy Temean's blog this past weekend for her Illustrator Saturday series. Kathy's blog is a wealth of publishing information– I highly recommend it. Here's the link:

Illustrator Saturday - Jennifer Thermes

Oblique Peek

The Great Wall O' Reference...

And a little peek at art in progress...

Okay, Go!

I've gotten the okay to start final art for a new book with Sleeping Bear Press, scheduled for 2014! Here's a snippet of a sketch. Bears are really fun to draw, by the way.

It's a Book!

Look what the UPS guy brought!

It's a book! Whohoo!

Coming November 9th!

Box O' New Books!

Look what Mr. UPS guy delivered yesterday! Hardcover copies of Maggie and Oliver, or A Bone of One's Own! The official release date is in less than three weeks, on October 25!



















Such fun to page through it...

The book is printed in a nice brownish ink, which fits the time period well, I think! Here are a few interior spreads...

While working on the endpapers, my editor and designer came up with the brilliant idea of having Maggie and Oliver separate on the front end... (See the girl and the dog close to the gutter?)

... and coming together on the back end, as they do in the story.

And it was a lovely surprise to see that they had taken one of interior spots...

... and embossed it on the hardcover of the book. Sweet detail!

I'll post more in the coming weeks, but for now, time for a great big Happy Dance!