AMERICANLY

AMERICANLY by Lynn Parrish Sutton

Kane Miller Books ISBN 978-1-61067-511-6

No Longer in Print

While researching the art for AMERICANLY, I felt awestruck by the vast and diverse beauty of the land. It was fun to create art for a poem that says, "I Love You" described as adverbs to our nation's cities, states, rivers, oceans, natural and historical landmarks, from sea to shining sea. The book has a cool video.

Celebrating the 100th Year Anniversary 

of the National Park Service

"The language is both playful and informative ("I love you faithfully like Yellowstone's spout). The illustrations match the playfulness of the text with vivid colors. A must have for history/geography teachers and art teachers will find much to study, too.” 

- Teri Lesesne, Children's Literature Professor

“I love you Americanly, I must be confessin’, this is one sensational geography lesson."

- NC Teacher Stuff

 

My Art with CDF + FREE Coloring Page

My professional relationship with the Children's Defense Fund (CDF) began in 1993.

I sent a newly released autographed copy of my published picture book, IT'S MY EARTH, TOO (Doubleday) to then First Lady, Hillary Clinton. I sent a book to Tipper Gore, wife of the Vice President. And, I sent a book to Marian Wright-Edelman, president of the Children's Defense Fund. CDF was the original "Leave No Child Behind - Stand for Children" organization.

I also included a note with each book to please consider a stand for environmentally friendly publishing. IT'S MY EARTH TOO was published in an environmentally friendly way.

I received two thank you notes in the mail.

A few weeks later CDF called on the telephone. Gulp! Not only did they thank me for the book, Marian Wright-Edelman wanted to publish my art on their greeting cards. She felt my art style aligned with the spirit of CDF. I sent a few images and two were chosen.

Around the same time I had also published a poster using the cover art from IT'S MY EARTH, TOO. I sent the poster as a gift to Marian Wright-Edleman who loved it. She re-published the poster with the CDF logo.

"Everyone Belongs" was reprinted several times and was published for 10 years. The illustration was also published as coffee mugs

A bookmark for Marian Wright Edelman's book titled, "GUIDE MY FEET".
 

Stamps, and many other greeting cards.

Best of all I got to meet Marian Wright-Edelman.

FREE Coloring Page! Color the sketch from my Children's Defense Fund greeting card. I do at least one sketch for every finished illustration. Download my monthly FREE Coloring Pages at the What Do We Do All Day Blog.

Art: Copyright Melanie Hope Greenberg

It's Spring

In honor of Spring I am offering FREE Coloring Pages.
Click on each image to enlarge. Print. Color!







All Sketches Copyright Melanie Hope Greenberg

MHG #228 CONFETTI PARADE Gouache and Ink 10 1/2" x 7 1/2" Copyright Melanie Hope Greenberg
Collect the original art

TLA, Cybils, New School and FREE Coloring Pages

Yeeha! I've got great news to share!
I'm the selected artist for the Texas Library Association's 2011 Disaster Relief Fund raffle. I've donated my original gouache illustration called "Space Age", 8.5" x 11.5", from the picture book SUPERMARKET by Kathleen Krull (Holiday House, 2001). SUPERMARKET is now celebrating its 10th year in print!

For a $5.00 raffle ticket or 5 tickets for $20.00 you can own original picture book art worth hundreds of dollars, and help libraries at the same time. See the Art, Get a Raffle Ticket and Learn about the TLA Disaster Relief Fund here.
The raffle will be held on Thursday, April 14, 2011 during the TLA Annual Conference in Austin. You need not be a librarian or at the conference in person to win.

My other great news is that I lucked out and was selected to judge the 2010 Cybils Awards in the Fiction Picture Book Category. And the winner is..."Interrupting Chicken" by David Ezra Stein! Congratulations!
The Cybils awards are given each year by bloggers for the year's best children's and young adult titles. The panel organizer was the Mother Reader herself, Pam Coughlan! And my fellow blogging judges panel consisted of Becky Bilby, Katie Davis, Danielle Smith and Tess Hafner Goldwasser, who also wrote the winning book's official review.
Many other bloggers spread the word here, and there.

Last but not least I presented a Power Point program at the New School's Writing for Children Forum moderated by Deborah Brodie.

I want to keep the February Valentine Love going by offering some FREE Coloring Pages that feature hearts. Click on the images to enlarge, print and color! Enjoy! Love, Melanie xox

Heart Balloons
Heart Peacocks
Heart Garden
Heart Ice Cream Cones

Color and Black & White Art: Copyright Melanie Hope Greenberg

2010 Wrap-Up

2010 went by way too fast and my List of Links really grew.

In 2010 MERMAIDS ON PARADE was officially on the map, A Literary Map of Brooklyn.


In 2010 I submitted picture book proposals,

and wrote articles,
Talking Story Blog
Hunger Mt. VCFA Journal of the Arts
HMHnyc
My Word Playground
Momasphere
SCBWI NY Metro "Say YES with Dan Yaccarino"

and presented Children's Lit programs.

Photo from the NYCDOE School Library Conference

In 2010 I was interviewed by The Got Story Countdown.


Some people even wrote about me here and there.

In 2010 I became a curator and organized the Women's History Month Celebration,


and signed books under the Manhattan Bridge at the Dumbo Parents Organization Stoop Sale.


In 2010 more neighborhood stores sold my books.

In 2010 I took part in Kelly Light's Ripple Auction, Dan Santat's 826LA Auction,

and the Dumbo Arts Festival representing Superfine. I also read and signed books at the annual Atlantic Antic representing the store Gumbo.


In 2010 the Drawn In Brooklyn Exhibition began. I signed books for the Brooklyn Public Library at the Brooklyn Book Festival,


presented a mermaid tail making crafts program,


was in a video (see it here),


signed my books for the Drawn In Brooklyn Family Day,


and was completely thrilled when the Time Out Kids NY editor said my name on TV during the CBS Morning News. She also said that MERMAIDS ON PARADE was her "favorite" book!


Our exhibition art was in the New York Daily News and the New York Times,


and there were even exhibition posters down in the subway ;)


In 2010 I also took part in the Public Library's 24 Hour Read-In,


the Halloween Librarian Zombie march across the Brooklyn Bridge,


and The Brooklyn Museum Children's Book Fair.


In 2010 I was a celebrity judge.


To wrap up 2010 I signed books at the Brooklyn Friends Winter Festival.



I am extremely grateful for 2010. To start 2011 off right I rested!

Here's a FREE Coloring Page to download that displays refreshed energy! Click to enlarge, print and color!
Happy New Year Everyone! May All Your Dreams Come True!

All photos: Copyright Melanie Hope Greenberg
Celebrity judges photo credit: David Winter