A Penguin Story

I recently attended the 2012 Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators conference in Los Angeles.  Inspirational!  What a pleasure it was to listen to and learn from the best in children's literature - Gary Schmidt, Tony Diterlizzi, Clare Vanderpool, Patricia Maclachlan, Lin Oliver and on and on.

I write middle grades fiction, so I wasn't sure what I would take away from the Illustrators Panel.  I love I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen and recently enjoyed the illustrated middle grades book, Breaking Stalin's Nose by Eugene Yelchin, and since both of them were on the panel, I decided to attend. It was fascinating to hear about the process of bringing text to life through illustrations.

Antoinette Portis was also on the Illustrators Panel.  She is the author/illustrator of Not a Box and Not a Stick.  During the panel she told a funny story about the creativity and business behind her book, A Penguin Story.

A bought this elegant and simple story for my daughter.  Ms Portis was kind enough to sign it for my six-year-old, and it has quickly become one of my kiddo's nighttime favorites.

The book tells the story of a penguin named Edna who has grown weary of her world of blue, black and white.  She takes off on her own in search of something different.  Edna stumbles upon a group of Arctic scientists with their orange equipment, jumpsuits and bright orange plane.  Just like that, the penguin and her friends have a new color in their lives, and Edna sees a world of possibilities.

Blog you later,

Ali B.