"Grand Canyon" book presented in Arizona
Book Signings/School Visits 2009 February 7 - Saturday 12:00 - 2:00 pm Book signing "Abraham Lincoln Comes Home" Books of Wonder 18 West 18th St. New York City For information: (212) 989-3270 store@booksofwonder.com www.booksofwonder.com February 12 - Thursday Lincoln Bicentennial Authors Event Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum 500 East Madison Street Springfield, IL 62701 For information contact Ian Hunt: (217) 558-8892 / ihunt@alpm.org www.alplm.org February 16 - Monday 10:00 a.m. Book signing Florence and Wendell Minor's "If You Were a Penguin" and "Abraham Lincoln Comes Home" R.J.Julia Booksellers Madison, CT For information contact: Meghan Ownbey (203) 245-3959 mownbey@rjjulia.com March 11 - Wednesday School visit John Shields Elementary School Sugar Grove, IL March 12-13 Thursday-Friday Children's Literature Conference Northern Illinois University DeKalb, IL For information contact: Marti Jernberg (815) 753-3005 mjernber@niu.edu March 17 Tuesday JFK Library Teachers' Conference John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum Boston, MA For information contact: Samuel Rubin (617) 514-1650 sam.rubin@nara.gov March 31st Tuesday Harrisburg, PA Kick-off for the Pennsylvania "One Book, Every Young Child" tour with "If You Were a Penguin" For information about the tour: http://www.paonebook.org April 25th - Saturday 12:00 - 2:00 pm Book signing "If You Were a Penguin" Books of Wonder 18 West 18th St. New York City Please join us and these other terrific authors and artists: Jules Feiffer, Kate Feiffer, Diane Goode, Michael Rosen, and Dan Yaccarino For information: (212) 989-3270 store@booksofwonder.com www.booksofwonder.com July 18th - Saturday 1:00 - 4:00 pm Book signing "Look to the Stars" Cradle of Aviation Museum One Davis Avenue Garden City, New York 11530 www.cradleofaviation.org 516-572-4038 July 31st - Friday evening Book signing "If You Were a Penguin" and "Look to the Stars" Hotchkiss Library of Sharon 10 Upper Main St., Sharon CT 06069 www.hotchkisslibrary.org 860-364-5041 September 3 – Thursday, 5:30 pm Opening reception for the exhibition “Wendell Minor: In the American Tradition” Selby Gallery, Ringling College of Art + Design Sarasota, FL www.ringling.edu/selbygallery September 12 – Saturday, 12:00 - 2:00 pm Book signing with astronaut Buzz Aldrin “Look to the Stars” Books of Wonder 18 West 18th St. New York City www.booksofwonder.com September 20 – Sunday, 2:00 - 4:00 pm Opening reception for the exhibition "Wendell Minor: Reaching for the Moon" New Britain Museum of American Art 56 Lexington St. New Britain, CT www.nbmaa.org September 27 - Sunday (time TBA) Book signing "Celebrate Children's Book Day" Washington Irving’s Sunnyside Sunnyside, NY For information contact Beth Vetare Civitello bethvetare@gmail.com October 3 – Saturday, 12:00 - 2:00 pm OCTOBER BOOK BONANZA Book signing with 9 great children's book authors and artists, among them - Wendell, Loren Long, Jerry Pinkney and Genady Spirin to name a few! Books of Wonder 18 West 18th St. New York City www.booksofwonder.com October 18 – Sunday, 1:00 – 3:00 pm Halloween event and book signing New Britain Museum of American Art 56 Lexington St. New Britain, CT www.nbmaa.org October 22 - Thursday 11:00 a.m. Book signing with Astronaut Buzz Aldrin "Look to the Stars" Cradle of Aviation Museum One Davis Avenue Garden City, New York 11530 www.cradleofaviation.org 516-572-4038 October 24 – Saturday morning Presentation and book signing “Black, White & Read All Over” Carnagie Library Pittsburgh, PA www.pittsburghlectures.org November 7 – Saturday, 2:00 pm Book signing "Look to the Stars" "The Last Polar Bear" and "If You Were a Penguin" The Hickory Stick Bookshop Washington Depot, CT 860 868-0525 www.hickorystickbookshop.com November 8 – Sunday, 4:00 – 6:00 pm Artist Reception 20th Annual Illustrator's Exhibit Meet over 50 premier Picture Book Illustrators & Authors R. Michelson Galleries 132 Main Street Northampton, MA 413-586-3964 www.RMichelson.com November 14 – Saturday, Time TBA Book signing UConn Book Fair 18th Annual Connecticut Children's Book Fair University of Connecticut, Storrs www.bookfair.uconn.edu November 21 – Saturday, Time TBA Book signing Elm Street Books 35 Elm Street New Canaan www.elmstreetbooks.com November 22 – Sunday, 1:00 – 3:00 pm Space Day event and book signing New Britain Museum of American Art 56 Lexington St. New Britain, CT www.nbmaa.org December 2 – Wednesday, 2:00 pm Presentation and Book signing Southbury Public Library Southbury, CT www.southburylibrary.org December 3 – Thursday, 6:00-8:00 pm Group book signing for the book “Everything I Know I Learned from a Children's Book” Books of Wonder 18 West 18th St. New York City www.booksofwonder.com Book Signings/School Visits 2008 February 2-3 Saturday & Sunday Presentations and book signings Leigh Yawkey Woodson Museum of Art Wausau, WI For information please contact Erin Narloch enarloch@lywam.org April 4 School visit Walkill Sr. High School Walkill, NY April 10 School visit Hindley School Darien, CT April 12 Saturday, 2-4 pm Book signing “The Wolves Are Back” Smithsonian-Natural History Museum Washington, DC For information contact Joyce Burns burnsjm@si.edu April 15 Tuesday Book signing Kids Ink Indianapolis, IN For information contact Shirley Mullin kidsink@indy.net April 16 Wednesday School visit Park Tudor School Indianapolis, IN April 19 - Saturday 1:00 pm Book signing "The Wolves Are Back” with author Jean Craighead George From 11:00-12 noon, come meet ATKA, the Ambassador Wolf Borders Bookstore Mt. Kisco, NY For information (914) 241-8387 For additional information contact the Wolf Conservation Center www.nywolf.org (914) 763-2373 *This event re-scheduled for May 31* April 26 - Saturday 12:00 noon Book signing "The Wolves Are Back” The Bookworm West Hartford, CT For information (860) 233-2653
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| Events 2006 |
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Memorial Day Weekend book signing at historic Cogswell Tavern in New Preston, Conneticut
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| May 7 - Slide Presentation/book signing The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art Amherst, MA May 13 - Book signing Books of Wonder New York City May 27-29th Connecticut events: Exhibition of "Yankee Doodle America"art and book signing Bryan Memorial Town Hall Sunday, May 28 "Yankee Doodle America" book signing Cogswell Tavern Monday, May 29 Exhibition of "Yankee Doodle America"art and booksigning Bryan Memorial Town Hall August 4th - Book signing "Yankee Doodle America" "Luck" and others The Hotchkiss Library of Sharon September 7th - Presentation/Book signing/Exhibition Southbury Public Library September 10th - Book signing Celebrate Children's Book Day Sunnyside, NY Sept. 21 and 22 - Slide Presentation/book signing Santa Fe Trail Children’s Literature Festival Sterling, KS November 1 and 2 - Slide Presentation/book signing Capital Area District Library Lansing, MI November 11th - Book signing University of Connecticut Book Fair Storrs, CT |
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| Solo Exhibitions – 2006 |
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| NATIONAL CENTER FOR CHILDREN’S ILLUSTRATED LITERATURE Abilene, TX |
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| SOUTHBURY PUBLIC LIBRARY Paintings from the book "Yankee Doodle America" Southbury, CT |
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| Group Exhibitions – 2006 |
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| MERIDIAN INTERNATIONAL CENTER Washington, DC "This is Where I Live" |
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| About "Yankee Doodle America" From Publishers Weekly Bookshelf: Acclaimed artist Wendell Minor has provided the illustrations for a number of children's books that illuminate the history of this country, including Katharine Lee Bates's America the Beautiful, Abe Lincoln Remembers by Ann Turner and Reaching for the Moon by astronaut Buzz Aldrin. Now, in Yankee Doodle America: The Spirit of 1776, he takes a solo journey back to the American past, examining the period leading up to, during and immediately following the Revolution. Due next month from Putnam with a 45,000-copy first printing, this alphabetical roundup of people, places and events pivotal to the era has an intriguing period look, as it is illustrated with replicas of the hand painted wooden signs that welcomed colonists to taverns and inns that served as the hubs of their social and political lives. There were several sources of inspiration for Minor's project. What the author calls "perhaps the initial germ of this book" was a painting on wood that he created for the cover of a book published in the Revolution's bicentennial year, Patrick Henry: Firebrand of the Revolution by Nardi Reeder Campion. "When I now look at that painting, I realize that it could very easily be part of Yankee Doodle America," he says. "Sometimes things take a long time to happen—in this case it was only 30 years!" Two more recent books for which he created cover art—David McCullough's John Adams and 1776—also fueled his interest in the Revolutionary era. "I've always found this period fascinating and I thought I knew quite a bit about it," he says. "But when I read 1776 and started to do my own investigating, I realized that there was a lot I didn't know. David and I have talked over the years about the importance of educating children about the founding of this country. I was very interested in finding out exactly what books existed for young readers on the subject." After Minor decided to tackle the topic in his own book, another interest of his—the alphabet book genre—helped him select his format. "I have always been fascinated by this particular mode for expressing an idea," he comments. "I think that every illustrator should try a book in the ABC genre at least once. I thought maybe I could do something unique with this format." And he did. Perhaps what makes his tour of Revolution-era highlights unique is its art, which was inspired by an exhibition Minor viewed at the Connecticut Historical Society. This organization, he observes, "has the largest collection of early inn and tavern signs in the country. The signs not only marked the beginnings of an art form, but they were also the first source of income for American artists, artists like Edward Hicks and Benjamin West. Artists would paint these signs, perhaps for room and board, perhaps for a few dollars. Most early inns and taverns were regular homes and were unmarked as public houses except for these signboards. The more successful the inn, the more elaborate the sign. They ranged from those with very simple graphics to more detailed designs, often depicting a famous individual or event." From Slabs of Wood to Printed Page Minor was thrilled when John Reichling, whom he describes as "a very talented woodworker and craftsman," agreed to create the wooden signboards that would serve as canvas for the book's art. Minor sent him two drawings of pattern prototypes—one of the simple and one of the more elaborate historical design—and Reichling had a year to fashion 28 signs, one for each alphabet letter, one for the book's cover and one, says Minor wryly, "just in case." To create each of the more elaborate signboards, Minor points out, Reichling used more than 20 small pieces of wood. Once the signs arrived in Minor's studio, his painstaking task began. "Each board had to be primed, after which I proceeded to take my drawings and transfer them onto the boards in acrylic paint," he recalls. "I did the lettering and antiquing by hand, which was quite a laborious process." To ensure an authentic look, Minor used a razor blade and fine brushes to give the tavern signs their weathered, vintage feel. He notes, "Thereare some craft solutions you can apply to get that cracked surface, but that would have made the signs too uniform." In creating the sign's images, Minor was equally committed to keeping true to history. "I have always been interested in American folk art," he says. "It has a quality of innocence and honesty that is so indicative of these earlier times. I put myself in the mind of an 18th-century itinerant artist and pretended to move from town to town. As a result, creating each of these signs was a very different experience." And Minor hopes that his journey will encourage readers to appreciate the remarkable individuals and milestones spotlighted in these pages. "The freedom that we enjoy today in this country is nothing short of a miracle," he says. "It's important to remember that this resulted from the beliefs of a few leaders and the efforts of a few thousand soldiers who were the core of the continental army and stuck with it all the way. It's remarkable when you consider that only one-third of the colonists were for independence—one-third of them were ambivalent and the rest were loyalists. Too many of us take our freedoms for granted and I firmly believe we have to be constantly reminded about how lucky we are to live in this country." Reaction from the Field Based on early response from retailers, Yankee Doodle America successfully delivers this message. With her store planted firmly on patriotic and historic soil, Sarah Gunn, owner of The Toymaker of Williamsburg in Colonial Williamsburg, Va., has high hopes for the book. In her words, "The illustrations are wonderful, bright and traditional, and here in Williamsburg that is just the spirit we want to convey. At the end of the day we are trying to encourage children to recognize and understand where our country started and how we got our freedom and this book does just that." Gunn, who has placed a sizable order for Yankee Doodle America and fully expects she'll need to reorder, considers Minor's book an ideal parent, grandparent and gift buy. "I see this as a book that parents will give their children, who will then likely pass it on to their children. This is definitely a keeper." "I personally look forward to selling this book," says Dinah Paul, owner of A Likely Story in Alexandria, Va. "Wendell Minor's art always connects with his audience, and here he effectively brings the story of the Revolution down to the elementary level. With this text and these pictures, kids are really going to see the Revolution in a whole new light." Paul says that when she showed the book to her staff, which includes several teachers, their reaction was so positive that she immediately called the publisher to increase the size of her initial order. Located just 10 minutes from Mount Vernon, A Likely Story boasts a prime location for selling books on this historical era, Paul reports, especially those about George Washington, who obviously plays a key role in Yankee Doodle America. "We'll probably do a window display around the book," she comments. "It's coming out at the perfect time for displaying patriotic-themed books, since that will be the beginning of high tourist season." Minor has heartfelt words of gratitude to David McCullough (who offers an enthusiastic endorsement of Yankee Doodle America on its cover) for the historian's work. "I hold him in such high regard," says Minor. "He has brought so many people to American history who otherwise may not have had the opportunity to learn about it." When praised for doing much the same, Minor demurely responds, "Well, I hope so. I know that I am very much committed to it and I do have several other projects in the works that carry on this theme." That's flag-waving worthy news for young history buffs, their parents and teachers—and of course for booksellers. |
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| Events 2005 |
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| March 17 and 18 - 2005 Forum on Children and Literature Keynote Speaker UTAH VALLEY STATE COLLEGE Orem, Utah April 27 - School/Slide Presentations Wickford Middle School North Kingstown, Rhode Island May 2 - Panelist: Visually Portraying a Hero Without a Camera INTERNATIONAL READING ASSOCIATION 50th Annual Convention San Antonio, Texas May 26 - Book Signing/Exhibition Book Signing with astronaut/author Buzz Aldrin "Reaching For the Moon" BOOKS OF WONDER New York, New York May 27 - Book Signing Book Signing with astronaut/author Buzz Aldrin "Reaching For the Moon" BARNES & NOBLE Bethesda, MD May 28 - Reading/Book Signing Book Signing with astronaut/author Buzz Aldrin "Reaching For the Moon" Gallery 104 - West End NATIONAL AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM National Mall Washington, DC June 18 - Book Signing THE HICKORY STICK BOOKSHOP Washington Depot, CT August 12 - Book Signing Book Signing with astronaut/author Buzz Aldrin BARNES & NOBLE Paramus, NJ September 21 - Wednesday Book Signing with astronaut/author Buzz Aldrin Olsson's Bookstore Arlington, VA September 24 - Presentation and Book Signing with astronaut/author Buzz Aldrin "Reaching For the Moon" National Book Festival The National Mall Washington, DC November 10 - Book Signing/Exhibition Grand Opening of Elizabeth Stone Gallery Alexandria, VA November 12 - Saturday Book Signing University of Connecticut Children’s Book Fair Storrs, Connecticut November 17 Book Signing The National Press Club Washington, DC December 9 - Friday Book Signing Holiday in the Depot” THE HICKORY STICK BOOKSHOP Washington Depot, CT December 10 Holiday Book Signing BOOKS OF WONDER New York, New York December 12 - Book Signing BOOKS, BYTES & BEYOND Glen Rock, New Jersey |
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Solo Exhibitions – 2005 |
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| BOOKS OF WONDER New York, New York "Reaching For the Moon" Original art and prints from the book by Buzz Aldrin THE SILO New Milford, Connecticut "Wendell Minor’s America" Original art created for publishing, and personal landscapes |
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| Events 2004 |
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| Midland Center for the Arts Midland, Michigan Exhibition: "Wendell Minor's America the Beautiful: Celebrating 15 Years of Picture Book Art" |
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| May 7 - Slide Presentations/book signings Delta College University Center, Michigan |
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| May 23 - Slide Presentation/talk/book signing/art exhibit Pequot Library Southport, Connecticut |
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| May 29 - Book signing Hickory Stick Bookshop Washington Depot, Connecticut |
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| July 28 - Slide Presentation/talk/book signings Mazza Summer Institute |
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| August 6 - Book signing The Hotchkiss Library of Sharon Sharon, Connecticut |
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| September 11 - Presentation, Book signing, Panel Discussion Midwest Literary Festival Aurora, Illinois |
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| September 26 - Book signing The 7th Annual “Celebrate Children’s Book Day” Washington Irving’s Sunnyside Tarrytown, New York      Photos by Katie King |
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| October 30 - Slide Presentation/book signings Keene State College Children's Literature Festival Keene, NH |
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| November 20 Book signing with Newbery-Award winning author Jean Craighead George The Second Story Bookshop Chappaqua, New York |
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Solo Exhibitions – 2004 |
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| Midland Center for the Arts Alden B. Dow Museum of Science & Art Midland, Michigan "Wendell Minor's America the Beautiful: Celebrating 15 Years of Picture Book Art" |
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| Mazza Museum Findlay, OH "Wendell Minor's America the Beautiful: Celebrating 15 Years of Picture Book Art" |
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Group Exhibitions – 2004 |
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| The Maritime Gallery at Mystic Seaport Mystic, Connecticut "Illustrating the Sea" |
