Reflection: 2018

What a year! 


I signed with an agent, 
earned a portfolio award at an #SCBWI conference, 
signed two book contracts, 
started working from home as a full time author- illustrator, 
hit five years since my stroke and heart surgery, 
and all in all, I am utterly dazzled. 

Thank you, Molly O'Neill and Root Literary for taking me on and helping make this happen. 
Thank you, friends, for joining me on this journey. 
I am blessed. 

As we look ahead to another year, 
I wish you joy in all your creating, 
light in the darkness, 
and so much love.  

Bea and Jules, all together:

Bea and Jules have had a busy month! 

Thank you for following their advent journey, and for cheering them (and me!) along the way. 

Long live the dreamers, 

the scissor-wielders, 

the glitter-lovers, 

outdoor gatherers, sweets-bringers, 
light-finders, 

the merry makers! 

Cheers to you all!

Bea and Jules, Day 25!

Happy Advent!

Happy Christmas!

-

from Jules and Charlie

and Bea -

and me. 

Bea and Jules, Day 24:

Bea and Jules have been bringing home a little bit of Christmas every day. 

But will it work? 

Bea put light jars at every window so her mom could see them on her way home. She hung up all the stick elves.  And there was the music concert. And clove oranges! And cookies!

But what if it’s not enough?

But it turns out, it is.

“YOU are the present, Bea! Every time I come home, it’s Christmas. All your making - every thing you touch, all the merry magic - that just adds twinkle. But I already have my Christmas right here.”

Books!

 

The Legend of the Poinsettia - Tomie dePaola

The Wish Tree - Kyo McClear, Chris Turnham

Bear's First Christmas - Robert Kinerk, Jim La Marche

How Six Found Christmas - Trina Schart Hyman

Christmas Tapestry - Patricia Polacco

Who is Coming to Our House? - Joseph Slate, Ashley Wolff

The Little Drummer Boy - Ezra Jack Keats

The Nativity - ill. by Julie Vivas

Bea and Jules - Day 23

Candles!

Jules gets to sit and be quiet for a long time. 

So she makes a poem.

Bea and Jules, Day 22:

Sugar plums.

Jules read stacks of Christmas books to Charlie.
Now Charlie wants to ride a North Pole train,
find polar bears and magic jingle bells.
And he wants to dream about dancing sugar plums. But who knows what sugar plums are?
Jules tells him they are a new kind of cereal.
Now "Sugar Plum Cereal" is on Charlie's Christmas list.

What books would you recommend to Charlie for dreams about dancing sugar plums? 

  

The Night Before Christmas - Clement C. Moore, Richard Jesse Watson
The Nutcracker - E.T.A. Hoffman, Maurice Sendak
The Polar Express - Chris Van Allsburg

Santa Calls - William Joyce

The Three Snow Bears - Jan Brett

The Mitten - Jim Aylseworth, Barbara McClintock

The Snowman - Raymond Briggs

Bea and Jules, Day 21:

Solstice

Tonight is the longest night of the year.
Jules says that makes it the best night to look for light.

Bea’s mom piles them in her car, and they go light-finding. 

Bea loves everything with icicles and snowflakes. 
Jules loves houses that look like gingerbread with white icing, and everything that sparkles.
Charlie’s favorite is a house with a flashing train in the yard. 

It even SINGS! 

Books!

Great Joy! - Kate DiCamillo, Bagram Ibatoilline

Shine Mine - Mary Quattlebaum, Tim Ladwig

Snowmen at Night - Caralyn Buehner, Mark Buehner