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

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

The First Sign of Spring

Even through Colorado has many more snowy days ahead spring can't be far away. The first sign of spring for kids, their families and children's book creators is the Children's Festival of Stories in Denver. There's already a lot of planning and preparation going on behind the scenes. I look forward to seeing you there on March 23.

Click on the image to go the Children's Festival of Stories website

Above are some illustrations for The Tiny Giant. If you've been following my blog you've seen some of these images in different variations. This is a book I developed with a writer buddy and we've been revising and submitting for the past three years. Finally, it was picked up by a publisher so has new life. We couldn't be happier with the publisher and the new direction the book is taking. The release date is Fall 2020. The term, "Never Give Up!" comes to mind.

From the Sketchbook: Cathy Morrison

From The Sketchbook is a new series from The Children's Book Council. Illustrators share their creative process to provide context to their completed artwork for their picture books. This month they feature If A Mummy Could Talk, published by Arbordale Publishing, written by Rhonda Lucas Donald and illustrated by me!

Thank you for taking a look at my blog. You can click on the images for more information and a larger view.
Cathy

By the Light of the Moon

Looking out at White Pine Mountain, the Mummy Range and Poudre Canyon

I'm an early bird. One reason is the majority of my clients are on Eastern time, two hours ahead, so I feel a need to get on with my day. The other reason is that it's such a peaceful, solitary start of the day, just me and my fifth cup of coffee around this time of the morning.

To quote darling, "Life is Gouda!"

Above is a new and very fun project that I just completed for darling in NYC. This illustration was a little different for me. The art director and her team were actually darling to work with. I did the illustration and the agency handled the design.

Watch how a cheese label gets attached to a gouda wheel.

Below are illustrations from a variety of books in the works...

Gardener Girl (working title)

I Spy Blackberry Pie

The Tiny Giant (above and below images)

 

Mission Earth's SummerFest coming to Fort Collins this summer!

SummerFest 2018 focuses on climate change and it's impact on our planet by bringing together music, the visual arts and science for a month of concerts, lectures, film, art exhibits and STEAM-based educational events. Hope to see you there!

Thanks for taking a look. Tap on the images for a larger view or to follow a link with more information. And if you're an art director/editor, please send work!
Cathy