Luke and the Wolves

Last night our book club had a literary treat - author Jean Craighead George's son came and spoke to us about his mom's book, Julie and the Wolves. Luke George, then 14, accompanied his mother on a trip to Alaska to research wolves. The trip was funded by Readers' Digest which hired Jean to write articles for the magazine. She was often sent on trips to research locations, and while in Alaska, Jean met with scientists and observed wolves on the tundra. Luke recalls visiting a pup den, spotting the pack, and learning about wolf behavior. On one outing to the science center, Jean and Luke decided to walk back to the town across the tundra, and partway home, fog blinded their way. This became a scene in Julie of the Wolves.

When they returned from Alaska, Readers' Digest decided not to take her article. Wondering what to do with all of her research, Jean wrote a book instead. Luke said his mom didn't belong to any writers' groups, or share her stories with anyone but her editor. When it came time to write, she would sit down and within three weeks, type up a manuscript! Julie and the Wolves went on to win the 1973 Newbery Medal.

What our book club enjoyed most about "Julie" was the author's knowledge about wolf behavior, the setting details, and exposing us to the traditional Eskimo culture. And thanks to Luke's visit, we were able to get a glimpse into how an author turned field work into an award-winning book!

Jean recently turned 90. She has published 80-plus books with her latest, The Last Polar Bear, due out in October.

Read to a Dog

Saturday at the Humboldt County Library from 1:30-3:00 p.m. is a special program for kids where they can read to an audience who's all ears.

The Reading Education Assistance Dogs will be at the library all groomed and ready to hear stories read to them by young children. This is the perfect way to get your reluctant reader to read aloud to a very attentive listener.

Independence Day

I celebrated Independence Day by hiking Brewer Creek trailhead with Dan, climbing part way up Mt. Shasta. As you can see, it was a glorious day. We pulled up a rock and watched the skiers ski down the glaciers behind me. Dan has climbed to the top, but I don't have any desire to...yet. As we hike higher and higher with each trip up there, I sometimes think, "Maybe I can." Then I get real - I'm not a poop-in-a-plastic bag/scrape-my-knees kind of gal. From the stories Dan tells of reaching the top though, it sounds like the payoff would be worth it. Deep blue skies, incredible views, and bragging rights. For now I'm content with reaching an 8,250ft. elevation.

We're tossing around the idea of writing a book about people's journeys to the summit. If you, or anyone you know has climbed Mt. Shasta, I'd love to hear about your experience.

Colorful Reviews

Got an email from my editor at Henry Holt today sharing two great reviews that were published about my new book coming out in September called An Eye for Color: The Story of Josef Albers. I'm very pleased that both reviewers got what I was doing with the story and enjoyed the backmatter as well. Teachers will really love that part. So if you know any teachers who might be interested in my book, pass this along, thanks! This is a photo of Josef Albers taken by his friend and photographer Jon Naar.

Kirkus
July 15, 2009

Wing, the author of mass audience favorites (The Night Before the Tooth Fairy, 2003, etc.), takes an aesthetic leap forward in this sophisticated and engaging account of an artist and color theorist whose name is unknown to most young people. Albers, part of the German Bauhaus Movement, immigrated to the United States and was one of the leaders in the shift of art’s intellectual center from Europe to the States. His pioneering and extensive work on the interaction of colors continues to influence fine art and graphic design today. The author grew up down the street from Albers and brings warmth and sensibility to her subject, succeeding in making the life and work of this fascinating man both comprehensible and accessible for art lovers of all ages. Strikingly illustrated by the award-winning graphic artist Breckenreid (in an admirable picture-book debut) and supported by terrific, inclusive backmatter, this will prove a must-have for museum shops as well as school and public libraries hungry for handsome and unique art books. (Picture book/biography. 6-9)


Booklist
July 1, 2009

Best known for her long-running The Night Before series for young children, Wing explores very different territory in this picture-book biography of artist Josef Albers. Moving quickly through Albers’ youth, Wing focuses on the artist’s famous work with color theory, which he began at age 61. The text and Breckenreid’s gouache illustrations don’t always mesh successfully. An abstract image of Albers lecturing about optical illusions, for example, is more whimsical than accessible. In addition, younger students may need help grasping the meaning of a few of Albers’ direct quotes, woven throughout the text, such as his charge to “watch what’s going on . . . and capture the accident.” What works best are the spreads devoted to Albers’ artistic experiments. Set against pure white backgrounds, the forms in saturated hues ably demonstrate how colors recede, advance, and shift in mood when placed in proximity to one other. An expanded biographical spread and comprehensive glossary with a color wheel greatly enhance this unusual effort, which closes with hands-on projects that explore color theory.
— Gillian Engberg

In France, Reading is Art

Just got back from a two-week trip to France, very jetlagged oui, but I wanted to share why I loved Paris so much. First of all, this was my favorite metro stop, Concorde. It's filled with tiles of letters which contain hidden French sayings. Can you find any?








At the Musee d'Orsay there were paintings of my favorite pastime! I loved this one called "La Liseuse" by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and these two lovely ladies painted by Henri Fantin-Latour.







And yes, my husband and I also had the pleasure of dining with children's book illustrator, Doug Cushman.

Oo-la-la! Such inspiration! I shall return.

Oo-la-la Paris!

My husband and I are heading to Paris!

My sister and her husband rented an apartment there so we will spend 5 days with them exploring the beauties of Paris in the springtime. We're planning to climb the Eiffel Tower, visit the catacombs, tour the Louvre, and take a boat ride down the Seine. And of course eat beaucoup delicious meals and drink bottles of champagne! Then it's on to southern France where we'll stay in a castle and visit Bordeaux's wine country.

I'm also looking forward to meeting up with Doug Cushman, a children's book illustrator, whom I met years ago at the Humboldt County Author Festival. He illustrated one of my writer friend's books, Orange Cat Goes to Market. Doug lives part-time in Paris and part-time in Northern California. I'm also hoping to check out the bookstore, Shakespeare & Company.

Perhaps I'll even come back with some ideas for new books. At the very least I hope to come back well-rested and energized...that is, if I come back!

Sing the Easter B rap

My sister-in-law sent this Easter greeting and it's pretty funny. I'm a sucker for bunnies and clever play on words, so this rap song hit a high note for me. Check it out and have a hip-hoppin' good Easter!