Wrapping Up 2020, One Illustration At A Time

What can you say about 2020?  

It’s been no picnic, but we’ve tried making the best of what life has thrown our way this year. I’ve been grateful to be able to work from home and have some fun projects to wrap my mind around. 

Below are illustrations from Litter, Litter, Please Come Here by Jacqueline Bordeaux and Ryan Caver. This is a very fun, simple story with an empowering message for today's kids. “You can clean up your environment, a piece of litter at a time. It only takes one to to make a big impact.” When the book is published I'll post a link with more information.

Our beach friends make the trash a meal. Imagine how that makes them feel?

Litter, litter, everywhere. Litter, litter, please come here. 

Many call the beach their home. Fish that swim and crabs that roam.

Now back to that Picnic theme...

The last several years I’ve been illustrating various projects for Darling NYC. They always throw fun challenges my way. The videos below are for Pink & Pepper, two of five picnic themed ads to launch Morton Himalayan Pink Salt & McCormick Ground Pepper Shakers. All the creative, the animation, design, etc., is Darling. I drew the illustrations.

 Various illustrations from Pink & Pepper

So now you know, children’s book illustrators sometime do more than illustrate children’s books.

Thanks for taking a look at my blog. 

And here’s hoping for a brighter and better 2021.

Cathy

HEAR YE, Here's Ye Tiny Giant Free Downloadable Activities!

Tiny Giant Wreath Activity

Tiny Giant Wishes and Dreams Box Activity

Tiny Giant Bookmark Activity

Tiny Giant Poem and Link to Neil Bromhall's Acorn Video

Tiny Giant Arbor Day Jokes

Tiny Giant Digital Puzzle

One bright spot during this time has been working with my friend, Barb Ciletti, the author of The Tiny Giant. We've been putting our heads together (as much as you can put your heads together while social distancing) to come up with a variety of Free Downloadable Activities for you. Here's a few and you can find more on Schiffer Books Resources Page. I'll include that link once we've put everything together.

The Tiny Giant, Schiffer Books, coming September 2020

All activities vetted by actual curious, creative kids

School Library Journal, ...Tiny Giant is a charming and pretty addition to nature-focused collections.

 

Midwest Book Review, ...This rhythmic story of the life cycle of a mighty oak from a tiny acorn is sure to fill you with awe and appreciation.

 

Please click on each image for a larger view, to download an activity or to access a link with more information. For instance, the link to the puzzle image actually takes you to the digital puzzle (although it won't bring you back to my blog). The link under the poem activity takes you to Neil Bromhall's YouTube video. Try it, you'll like it.

Hope you're well and thank you for taking a look at my blog!
Cathy

Oh, what a difference a virus makes!

Under the Sea, part of the Over/Under series

Family Tree (18"x 24")

 Puzzle Me This

Above are a couple of new illustrations for my art licensing agency. They start as ideas that will become puzzles, beach blankets, home decor, murals and more. It's a different process than illustrating picture books, but still relates to kids. I do have more books coming, but it's way too soon for show and tell. Click on each image for an expanded view.

Read Across America

NEA (National Educational Association) launched Read Across America to encourage children to read more books. This began in 1997 and is celebrated on or around March 2, Theodor Geisel's (Dr. Suess's) birthday. It's since expanded to a week long celebration hosted by schools, bookstores and libraries where local celebrities, public leaders, authors and illustrators visit and read with elementary school aged kids. 

I got to visit with kindergartners and first graders at Bauder Elementary in Fort Collins. The kids were wonderful and gifted me a signed copy (signed by them!) of one of my favorite picture books, Little Red Writing by Joan Holub, illustrated by Melissa Sweet.

Read Across America / Dr Seuss Day, March 2 - 6, 2020

 We All Hunker Down at Home

Oh, what a difference a couple of weeks makes. Coronavirus came along and changed our world for awhile as we all hunker down and stay home. I'm lucky to have a home studio to work from. Self isolation is pretty much business as usual for book creators. We're mostly introverts, but still love connecting with kids in our community, sharing our books, visiting schools, museums, libraries, all closed for now.

But book creators are a resourceful bunch. If kids can't come to us we'll come to them, one way or another. Here's a great online resource: The Big List of Children's Book Creators Doing Read-Alouds and Activities - We Are Teachers.

Below is The Big Empty: Drone footage of Denver during coronavirus stay-at-home order by Guerilla Capturing. It was shot and edited by Blake Rubenstein with views of downtown Denver; RiNo, LoHi, Mile High Stadium, Denver Art Museum, among other landmarks. It was shot during lunch hours between Tuesday, March 24th - March 26, 2020. It's eerie watching empty Denver streets, but I feel it's a good reminder that we're all in this together and we should wash our hands.

Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue

US Forest Service Poster framed by a Colorado sunrise - I'm an early bird illustrator

In with the Old!

Here's one of the last illustrations completed in 2019 (so last decade!) which goes to press January 2020. This was such a fun project to research and illustrate. I'd love to have more jobs like this come along in this new decade.

The Ribbon, new story in the works

 Something New!

I'm collaborating on a new picture book. The working title is The Ribbon. So far I'm just playing around with different looks and exploring possibilities. The story is in flux as well as the illustrations. I don't feel I'm where I want to be yet, but you have to start someplace. Plus, turtles are fun to draw.

Download, print, color and laugh!

 Something Borrowed!

I borrowed these jokes from the folks who bring us Arbor Day. This fall I have a new book, The Tiny Giant coming out. The premise of the story shows how it takes one small thing to make a huge impact. We get the concept through watching the life cycle of a tiny acorn becoming a giant oak forest. I love to create activities that relate to the book. And kids love jokes, right?

Below is a partial cover reveal. The acquiring publisher, Schiffer Books, has been great to work with and is putting all the bells and whistles on the book cover and interior design and layout. You'll be seeing more throughout the year.

Partial cover reveal with a Colorado sunset in the background - gotta set the mood

Shhhh, Blue Beauty and her animals are trying to sleep!

And finally something Blue!

What's This Tail Saying? by Carolyn Combs, illustrated by Cathy Morrison

And I'm adding one last bittersweet announcement regarding my picture book coming out this Spring with Dawn Publications. I've been a huge fan of Dawn's creative nonfiction nature books long before I started working with them. This is our seventh book together and they have always been amazing to work with. Dawn has been acquired by Sourcebooks based in Chicago and is now part of their eXplore juvenile nonfiction imprint. You can find the acquisition details in this Publishers Weekly article. So on one hand I'm excited that Dawn Publications has found a new home with Sourcebooks. This should bring a wider audience to their books, continuing their mission of connecting children with nature. But on a personal note I'm going to miss working with the original folks who have always been so supportive and put their heart and soul into creating these fun nature titles.

Thanks for taking a look at my blog. You can keep up with new images by following me on my Instagram account, @cathymorrisonillustrates. Also, clicking on an image will enlarge it for a better view and clicking on a link will give you more information.

Happy 2020.
Cathy