GLOBAL WARMING?

Yesterday, and especially last night, we had unbelievable winds--almost 70 miles an hour. We lost a huge limb out back and we have garbage all over the yard from all the garbage cans that tipped over in the night. (Today was garbage day and everyone's garbage can was in the street.)

I went to the Mock Caldecot party last night with a friend. We looked at over 30 picture books and tried to pick the winner--none of us had watched the news on Monday morning when the Coldecot winner was announced. On the way to the party we nearly got blown to the wrong house and on the way home--one measly block--we got a ride because the wind was worse!

Then today this is what we have.

Global warming? Not in Utah.

This is the Coldecot winner: THE LION AND THE MOUSE by Jerry Pinkney. No words at all, not even on the front cover! Just some "squeaks" and maybe a "roar," but I'm not sure about the roar. We had exactly one minute to look at each book and you simply can't get everything looked at or read in 60 seconds.

Jerry has been up for the Coldecot many times but never won before. He went to an art director for advice and was told, "You are afraid of white space." (He filled every inch of the page with something, even if it were only grass.) So, for THE LION AND THE MOUSE he left lots of white space and this year he won. His illustrations are amazing.

By the way, Amazon has amazing prices on the winner and two runners up. The winner is eight bucks instead of seventeen. ALL THE WORLD is $10.52 and RED SINGS FROM TREETOPS is $9.35, (They are not called runners up but I can't think of what they are called.) I guessed two of the three right, my other choice was Tsunami. And my fourth favorite was THE CURIOUS GARDEN.

This is Jerry's studio. Amazing. His web site here.

PS If you are reading this, basking in the sun, do. not. tell. me. I'm not bitter or anything.