Picturebooks Everyday: 5月 2009

5.21.2009

Steve Jenkins, more

那天看完書後，一直興起，就想為什麼要自己猜測，不如直接問作者，於是發了一篇e-amil給 Steve Jenkins，如下：

Dear Mr. Jenkins,
My picture-book sharing circle started with your books this morning.
The topic was brought up because our book club talked about David Wisniewsky last week.
We are a group of picture book lovers and readers, gather some college teachers, moms, English tutors, and book shop owner at the SilexBooks <http://www.silexbooks.com.tw/silexbooks/> in Taipei.

I have few questions:

* Do you make certain kind of the paper by yourself? The wings of
dragonfly confused us.(Prehistoric Actual Size)
* How do you find your material (I mean paper)?
* Do you use X-acto knifes?

There's a paper culture museum <http://www.suhopaper.org.tw/english/default.htm> in Taipei. The owner also runs a store with great collection of paper next to the museum. Visitors can make their own sheet of paper by using ready-made paper pulp in museum. If you are interested in this. I can take pictures for you.
Last, your books are amazing. Do you keep all the original manuscripts? Is there any exhibition?

Best regards,
Charlene Lai

幾天之後(5/20)收到他的回信，太棒啦！
Hi Charlene,

I'm glad you're sharing the books -- thanks!

Here are a few answers:

Those dragonfly wings are actually maple tree seeds. I'm not sure if those trees grow where you are. I don't usually use things that aren't paper, but in the US every kid is familiar with maple tree seeds -- they call them 'helicopter seeds', because if they are dropped from a height they spin around as they fall. It's sort of a visual joke...

I use mostly handmade papers, many of which come from Asia. I do make a few paste papers - basically painting the surface of the paper.

Most of my paper comes from a single art store in New York City. They have a big handmade paper section, and I travel there twice a year or so to shop for paper (New York Central).

I do use X-acto knives. The only time I don't is when I want a rough edge, and tear the paper. It takes several hundred knife blades to illustrate a book, because the blade's points snap off and I have to replace them so they cut cleanly.

If you know of a good art supply store that sells paper (on the internet) in Taipei, let me know, and I'll check them out. I'd love to see the pictures of the museum store.

I keep most of the original art. Perhaps someday there will be an big exhibit... There is an exhibit that includes some of my work in Korea right now -- that's the only one I know of.

Thanks for writing,

Steve Jenkins

他回答了那隻蜻蜓的翅膀是楓葉樹種籽，果然，如大家所料，是紙之外的材質。其他的等我到樹火紙博物館回來再整理。

5.18.2009

Nancy Elizabeth Wallace

這也是一位用剪紙做圖的童書創作者，Nancy Elizabeth Wallace 的書，著重在知性的如回收、蜂蜜採成、蘋果豐收、節日、藝術作品的賞析；其他在網站看到的還有蝴蝶、種子、拼布，共有20本，還有DVD，每一本都有特殊主題。

5.17.2009

Petra Mathers

與其他作者合作的作品

自己的創作

因為她的畫很適合獨立欣賞，所以容易與詩集搭配。

5.13.2009

Steve Jenkins

1995-2000的作品，

2000以後-

他的特別在用collage做non-fiction，而且是很"強"的知識類書籍，從太陽系、昆蟲、恐龍、鳥、到靈長類。我們猜想他是不是有特殊紙來源，因為使用的紙張種類越來越多種，有些甚至有昆蟲的翅膀紋路、深淺如蜥蜴的身體、諸多情形，不可思議。這是5/13/09 sharing circle的主題作家。

The Heroine of the Titanic, by Joan W. Blos, illustrated by Tennessee Dixon

5-12-2009新聞: Kate Winslet & Leonardo DeCaprio 幫助Tatanic 最後一位生還者的安養院費用。
這位目前97歲的Millvina Dean女士當年沈船時只有9周大，她的父親為了救得妻女，與船上其他1500多人一起遇難。她想要用她僅剩與鐵達尼號有關的新聞、相片、簽名等等東西拍賣籌款付安養院的費用。

在2009- Seattle Library Book Sale 中購得一本The Heroine of the Titanic。以Molly-Margaret-Maggie-Tobin-Brown為主角，她喜歡交朋友、旅行；雖然在正史上找不到她的名字，但是當時新聞讀的確報導過。她在船漸漸下沈時，踏上救生艇，用外套讓大家輪流取暖、負責看著大家不停地划，離開危險區，上岸後，被稱為Unsinkable Molly。她的故事也成為一齣百老匯音樂劇。

5.12.2009

DUCK!RABBIT! by Amy Krouse Resonthal & illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld

The New York Times書評才剛出來，Amy是很有趣的女孩，可以寫書、寫曲、拍短片、做活動…相信她一定還有很多很多點子要繼續發生。
她先舉例了生活中所做的17件事，拍成短片，放到youtube上，並邀請看到的人參加她在2008年8月8日晚上8點08分芝加哥千禧公園雕塑前的聚會，當時她會拿一把黃色與大家相認，與大家一起做第18件事，當天現場來了比估計多了10倍以上的人，不一定認識，但是大家都確想要有個不同的晚上。
今年到目前，已經發行出版了4本書了，2007的The OK Book，一定還記得吧？就是她的作品，驚豓吧？那年，她並將另一本給大人看的書The Encyclopedia of An Ordinary Life，放到各個地方，主演了一場Lost and Found。林林總總，她還有為媽媽寫的、為幼兒寫的。