JOY TO THE WORLD

JOY TO THE WORLD: CHRISTMAS STORIES AND SONGS will be published tomorrow by G. P. Putnam's Sons. It features THE NIGHT OF LAS POSADAS, THE STORY OF THE THREE WISE KINGS, THE LEGEND OF THE POINSETTIA, and five classic Christmas carols.

Sweatin' Clean

Haidyn in Miss Ballas's first grade class at Mathewson Elementary in Milford, Connecticut:
Why can't you draw Mickey Mouse or Donald Duck and only your characters? One day will you be able to visit me and my family for a little bit for like I don't know 2 minutes or so? My family can do anything for a special guest. When a special guest is at my house I'll clean it so hard I would start to sweat.

Tomie: Do you also clean your bedroom so hard that you sweat?

Big Anthony Gets Married to a Turkey

Charlotte is a second grader in Ms. Coats's class at St. Frances Cabrini School in Oshkosh, Wisconsin and has a story idea for Tomie: Big Anthony Gets Married to a Turkey.

Big Anthony Takes Santa Hostage

Brock is a second grader in Ms. Coats's class at St. Frances Cabrini School in Oshkosh, Wisconsin and has a story idea for Tomie: Big Anthony Takes Santa Hostage.

Dinner with Mary Louise

We had dinner with Mary Louise Hancock (seated) and Juliana Eades a couple of weeks ago. Mary Louise, now 90 years old, is an important Democratic politico in New Hampshire. PEOPLE magazine wrote in 1988 prior to the New Hampshire presidential primary that a visit with Mary Louise was "an obligatory stop" for Democratic candidates.

Juliana is president of the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund.

www.marylouisehancock.org
www.communityloanfund.org

Applause! Applause!

Angie in Joy Michalsen's second grade class at Gallimore School in Canton, Michigan wrote:
We are reading books. We like your books. We clap.

What Do You REALLY Think, CC?

"CC" from Philadelphia shared her thoughts in the Comments section of the NEW YORK TIMES regarding the October 8, 2010 article "Picture Books No Longer a Staple for Children."

"Clearly written by someone who has no clue about the sea change that has taken place in children's book publishing since the golden days of GOODNIGHT MOON, Dr. Seuss, WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE, FROG AND TOAD, STREGA NONA and so many other works of genius. In those days books were developed under the auspices of book editors with backgrounds in literature and art and culture working for book publishers. Now books are developed by marketing departments in divisions of multinational corporations. Editors seldom have much experience in children's literature, education, art or anything cultural, and even if they do have some literacy qualifications they have no power to select what's published. That is left to a committee where most attendees' jobs may depend on whether or not the stories they support sell. Then there are the bazillions spent on giving celebrities, with no professional connection to children, million dollar contracts for pathetic ghost written books with massive promotion, while efforts by real writers are expected to be promoted solely by the unknown author using their own money and what ever connections they can drum up. Personally I know dozens of very talented very committed mid list picture book authors and illustrators who have left the field. Tired of being badly treated and having their books taken out of print after 6 months because of not having met arbitrary sale figures set for that time. And what about almost all the independent specialist children's bookstores with informed staffs who have been driven out of business by special deals arranged with the giant multiple bookstores. There are more than a few reasons for the decline in the sale of picture books."

Friends in New London

Nancy Paulsen and her husband, David Friend, visited for a couple of days. Nancy is Tomie's editor (Nancy Paulsen Books at the Penguin Young Readers Group). Tomie and Nancy tweaked the text for STREGA NONA'S GIFT (Fall 2011), and fine-tuned the flap copy. They also worked on the story for his Fall 2012 book.

David is an editor for VANITY FAIR, and a writer. He is currently researching and interviewing for his next book project.

As we were having dinner last night at Rockwell's at the (New London) Inn, the hostess unwittingly seated Nancy and David's friends from New York, Marianne, Will and John Shearer, next to our table. Will is a freshman at Colby-Sawyer College, and this weekend is Parents' Weekend. Nancy and David and the Shearers had not seen each other for awhile. Small world.

www.davidfriend.net
www.johnshearerpicturebook.com

Shocking

"Picture Books No Longer a Staple for Children"
NEW YORK TIMES, October 8, 2010

www.nytimes.com/2010/10/08/us/08picture.html?_r=1&hpw

A Bribe?

Jennette from Vancouver sent flowers for Tomie's birthday.

Since she will be competing later this year for Canadian Fruitcake Queen (judged in Tomie's house), could it be that she sent "birthday" flowers to improve her chances for victory?

Manly Flowers

Tomie's publisher requested "manly flowers" from the florist for Tomie's birthday. The publisher did not want carnations and balloons sent.

Who knew "Baby's Breath" were manly flowers?

Once Upon a Time Pumpkins Were Orange

The Light of Tomie's Life

Sally (Kimball) Campbell visited this weekend. She was in town to attend her 50th class reunion at Colby-Sawyer College (called Colby Junior College 50 years ago).

Tomie and Sally met when Tomie acted in a production at the college in 1959, and Sally, as a student, was on the production crew and lighted the show.

Much later, Sally was a schoolteacher and Tomie visited her school.

She continues to light up his life.