Violet and Victor return (with unicorns and koalas and...cake!)

Whenever I have the opportunity to speak about the creative process—whether to children or adults—I usually offer up two pieces of advice:
1. Be a collector
2. Be an experimenter

I love Violet and Victor because they embody these directions. They collect and experiment with various forms of inspiration until they build a story that they both love. And from a personal standpoint, the illustrations I made for these books are some of the clearest examples of following my own advice (which, sadly, is not always a given).

I’ve spoken quite a bit about the first Violet and Victor book (Violet and Victor Write the Best-Ever Bookworm Book) in the past. More on that here—the link includes a video about my process including examples of the ephemera I collected and the many ways I experimented with the raw materials I had at hand. And, to learn more about the creator of Violet and Victor, you can read an interview with the author, Alice Kuipers, here.

The process for the second book also involved collecting and experimenting. And even though some of the style was determined by the first book, the second story required a new collection and new experiments! So, while Violet and Victor look the same (graphite pencil lines with collage clothing), their environment is very different. 

This is a story that merges traditional fairy tales and Australian animals. I collected inspiration from a variety of sources—19th century fairy tale books (ink drawings), 19th century cookbooks, antique maps, and Aboriginal art. I experimented with these raw materials, building three dimensional art out of books and creating all kinds of dot-based paintings. I also thought about Violet and Victor’s setting; I imagined them outdoors as they were concocting this story. I envisioned them collecting and experimenting with leaves and twigs and various other inspirations from their natural world. Below are examples of MY raw materials and experiments. 

And below are a few finished spreads from the book. The Publisher's Weekly review said, “Murguia creates extravagant visual representations of the possibilities that await readers (and writers) of stories...Entertaining, and likely to inspire readers to try putting their own stories together.” I’m thrilled that Violet and Victor Write the Most Fabulous Fairy Tale is a Winter 2015/2016 Kids’ Indie Next List Pick. Thank you Indie bookstores for your support!

LAUNCH PARTY and TOUR UPDATES

The Cockatoo, Too launch party took place on January 9th, and you can probably tell from the photos below that we had just a wee bit of fun. We made masks, we ate cookies, we wore tutus, we read, we sang, we danced. Many thanks to Diesel Bookstore and Little Bee Books for their wonderful support.

Speaking of support, I’ve been so touched by the positive reactions to Cockatoo, Too. There have been many wonderful reviews, but perhaps my favorite is this one from Margie Myers-Culver, librarian and incredible book advocate. And the very best quote? “It’s a wordplay wonder!” Ahhhh, LOVE that.

I’ll be at Book Passage in Corte Madera for the Children’s Writer’s and Illustrator’s Conference on January 23rd and 24th (for adults). I’ll be doing an evening event at Books, Inc. on February 3rd (for children) and another at Book Passage on February 7th (for children). In early February, my book tour heads east to NY and then south to Los Angeles. Please have a look at the events page for more details.

I hope you enjoy the photos!

Cockatoo, Too Preorder Special!

Diesel Book Store is generously offering a preorder special for Cockatoo, Too! The first 20 preorders—that means orders received between NOW and January 5th—will received a signed (and personalized if you choose) copy of the book along with a Cockatoo, Too notepad and a Cockatoo, Too zipper pull. If you don’t live nearby but would like a signed book, this is a great way to make that happen and support a wonderful independent business. Plus, as a final bonus, one preorder will be chosen at random to receive a 5 x 7 signed original cockatoo painting. Click here to order.

Please specify in the order comments that you are ordering a signed book and include personalization instructions if you’d like your order personalized.

The Cockatoo, Too Trailer has launched...

I’m thrilled to announce that the trailer made its debut on Mr. Schu’s fabulous blog yesterday! Please head on over there to watch the trailer and read a few words about the book. As usual, I must thank my very talented brother for the music and my two daughters for the voiceovers.

All of this means that the countdown is on...in less than one month, Cockatoo, Too will be unleashed on the world. January 5th, which also happens to be National Bird Day, is the publication date.

And, there’s a really wonderful launch event for Cockatoo, Too in the works. If you are local (or in need of a vacation), please join me on January 9th at 11am. l’ll be at the lovely, cozy Diesel Bookstore (Larkspur Landing) with tutus, boas, music, crafts, and a real live cockatoo to welcome this book and its wacky dancing birds to the world. 

In the meantime, I’ve been busying myself making a paper mache cockatoo. I find it both meditative and soothing, and especially in the wake of so much tragedy in the world, I feel the need to be creating/making/putting good things out there. It keeps me moving forward. And, this little bird makes me smile every time I encounter it in the house. Wishing a peaceful, joyful December to all.

It’s November! And that means...

I can talk about my new Christmas book! The Best Parts of Christmas was released over a month ago, but who wants to hear about Christmas in September?!? Now that it’s cold and raining and I find myself dreaming about long underwear and slippers, it’s time.

We have a small collection of Christmas picture books that I read to my girls—The Christmas Quiet Book, The Christmas Magic, and Olivia Helps With Christmas. I love these books because they celebrate the simple pleasures of the holiday season. I wanted to write that sort of book. It also dawned on me that I’d never read a Christmas story that chronicles the entire emotional journey of the holidays. Taking down the tree in our house really does seem like this:

So, I made the tree the centerpiece of this story. It’s brought into the house, decorated, loved, and encircled during all of the family’s special moments. When the time comes to take it down, our protagonist finds a way to keep the holiday spirit going. Many thanks to Candlewick Press and my editor, Kate Fletcher, for bringing this story to life. Here’s one of my favorite images from the book:

Fritz and his family from I Feel Five are back again in The Best Parts of Christmas.

There’s also a parent/bookseller/teacher guide to go along with the book. That can be downloaded from the activities section of the book page. It includes discussion questions as well as suggestions for a few simple ornaments that can be made by hand. This only seems appropriate since Fritz creates all kinds of great decorations for his Christmas tree.

I’ll be at Diesel Bookstore in Larkspur on November 28th in the morning if you’d like to have one signed for a child (or adult) in your life!

And finally, my October school visits continue to pay dividends as I receive letters from students. These are my favorite packages to find in the mail. I’m including a few art highlights below—many are based on my drawing presentation. They’re inspiring, uplifting, and sometimes, brighten my day with a good laugh. To that point, please see the recommendation that I write more nonfishin books. I will definitely take that into consideration.

Happy November!

School Visit Season (Subtitle: two weeks of amazing potlucks)

October has been school visit season for me, and I’ve had the pleasure of speaking with students in schools from San Francisco to Humboldt County. I’m guilty of not taking as many photos as I should, but that’s because I’m usually distracted by the awesomeness of the schools, teachers, and students (not to mention the unbelievably yummy potlucks that are often also part of the deal).

I had a lovely time at the Tenderloin Community School in SF a few weeks ago with an amazing crowd of authors (photo below). Then last week, I headed north to the Humboldt County Author Festival. It’s only my second time participating, but these people know how to do it RIGHT—maybe because the volunteers have been organizing this incredible event since the 1970s. Wow. There are so many highlights between the two days of school visits and reader’s theater, but I think the Friday night dinner is my favorite part. Each author speaks for three minutes—it’s such a fun way to learn about people. And after returning to the Bay Area, I had the pleasure of visiting Jefferson Elementary School in SF for the first time—great authors, great teachers, great students, great questions, and AGAIN, great food. I'm truly blessed.

I'll be back soon with exciting news and info about upcoming appearances and books. It’s shaping up to be a busy fall/winter, and I can hardly wait. In the meantime, I’ve collected some photos below, a few of which are mine. The rest have been borrowed from people who actually remember to take pictures. 

Proud to be part of this group of authors

And...proud to be part of this group of authors

And this? This never gets old.

Nor does this. I still pinch myself when I see my books out in the world. 

Created with watercolor! Swoon!

Also created with watercolor—flowers inspired by Zoe's Jungle

And ornaments inspired by The Best Parts of Christmas

If you've read Snippet, you'll understand the awesomeness of this gift.

Taking the podium at the banquet for my three minutes. (And how about Larry's great bow tie?)

I received two books of beautiful art and writing after I spoke with students...

They're inspired by a character in my presentation. So creative, and such great drawings! LOVE THEM.

I'm thinking this student meant "tapping", although taping would probably also do the trick.

And, adorning the potluck tables...many small bears with my books!

The best behaved TK and K ever. Really.

Author cakes! My new favorite food group. Thank you, Jefferson Elementary!

Home sweet home.

Mexico

Here are a few sketches and paintings from my recent excursion to Mexico. I brought along a little set of travel paints, the sweetest little Moleskine watercolor pad, and some new markers. Waking up at sunrise with my daughters to paint and watch the colors of the ocean change was one of the highlights of my trip.

School days

My daughters are gearing up for school in a few weeks. Their anxiety and excitement about teachers and friends brings me right back to my own school days. I often find myself reflecting on all of the amazing teachers I’ve had over the years, especially those that had the ability to bring diverse classes together. I think I learned some of my most important lessons from them. 

A few months ago, Scholastic asked me to do an illustration about a favorite teacher for their Reading Club calendar, and I jumped at the opportunity. You’ll find me in September—and I’m in great company as you’ll see from the thumbnails on the front of the calendar. See/read about one of my very most favorite teachers below.