SYLVIE KANTOROVITZ - Children's Books

visit at Altamont Elementary

2011-04-26T17:01:00.001-07:00

Thank you to my new friends at Altamont Elementary for inviting me today. What a wonderful day. Go to Bed, Monster is always fun to read. The potato game always a big hit. The visit was well organized, the kids excited, the faculty engaged. I have been so lucky with my visits so far!
Thank you Kari for contacting me and leading me into your lovely library.

4 groups, 4 team pictures, 3 of them with dogs! Good thing I like dogs.

Our first dog was to ride a motorcycle, be happy, wear shorts and flip-flops and a leash (!)

The second dog was to cook potatoes, be sad (i mistakenly made the tail wag), wear chef hat, clown shoes and pajama pants.

The third dog was to wash dishes , standing on a pile of china plates, be angry about it, and wear party hat, rubber gloves, and shorts.

The K class finally broke with the motif and wanted a crocodile riding a play-jeep, and looking shocked. No wonder as he was heading straight onto a red light (that I accidently cropped upon taking the picture.)

school visit near Chicago

2011-04-13T18:28:00.000-07:00

Tuesday was school visit day for me. In Glencoe, IL. What a fantastic visit! What a fantastic school! What a fantastic team of parents, children and faculty! Everyone was so welcoming, enthusiastic and helpful.

Thank you Lisa and Carolyn for inviting me, for organizing so beautifully and for your attention to all details. Thank you Jacob for getting up early to pick me up at my hotel and showing me into the school. Thank you Nancy the librarian for your welcome. I enjoyed eavesdropping on your class while I was signing books. Thank you to the principal for being so interested. Thank you to all the teachers and a special thank you to the art teacher who is a gem of a teacher. I loved seeing her class. (I am sorry I do not remember all the names.)

(note to Lisa's daughter: next time, I would love to see your graphic novel!)

Here are the images we came up with:

A happy koala bear eating spaghetti.
(with top hat, glass of milk, flip-flops.)
(I am sorry to say I need to review my knowledge of koala bears.)

A worried tiger ready to eat a huge potato.
(with tap dance shoes, bows, dress. side lamp.)
(Kids had eating in mind that morning.)

An excited lion dancing disco.
(with new shoes, a zebra outfit, party hat, sunglasses, and, of course, the disco ball.)

A very tired giraffe -named Sabrina- jazz dancing.
(with tank top, shorts, rose in mouth and bow tie.)
(Kids had dancing in mind too!!)

blue, pink and yellow

2011-03-09T17:53:00.000-08:00

detail from dummy in the works.

back in time

2011-03-04T11:26:00.000-08:00

It is always such a treat to go back to the Robert C. Parker School. My daughter went there for her whole elementary schooling and it was so good for her.
Yesterday I went back, not as a parent, but as an author-illustrator and enjoyed the children so much. Thank you Carol for inviting me. Thank you Liliana and Michele for opening your classrooms to me. Thank you to all the children who became my new friends and teamed up to come up with some good images.
Great job coloring our picture K-4! Better than anything I would have done.

fan mail

2011-02-20T07:14:00.000-08:00

from I LOVE YOU, MISTER BEAR

once in a while i receive a note from a parent who is enjoying one of my books with his or her child. it warms my heart. thank you Peter for this:

Just wanted to say thank you for your book 'I Love You, Mister Bear'. Just a perfect book for a 3 year old. My daughter Josefine loves it.
My wife and I are always shocked at how many children's books are not age appropriate. Yours is a true gem.
Best,
Peter
P.S. After 3 and a half years of reading children's books to my daughter this is the first time I've felt compelled to write an author. Thanks for a great book.

Josephine, Mister Bear has a message for you: "Dear Josephine, I am so glad to have a new friend. Love, Mister Bear."

silly bob has found a home

2011-02-19T14:35:00.001-08:00

detail from submission page for SILLY BOB

i am so glad SILLY BOB has found an interested publisher. Dutton. contract is in the works. it will be so much fun to work on. still waiting to start on TINY BABY. the way things work, both publishers will get in contact the same day and it will be a real challenge to keep up with the work then. in the meantime, working on ZIG. (that is all i am going to say about Zig for now!)

cute but not it

2011-02-15T11:26:00.001-08:00

sleeping

acrylic sketch

after 3 double spreads along these lines, decided that it wasn't the way i wanted this idea to evolve. i guess it is good to find out where one doesn't want to go. like eliminating a wrong path in the creative labyrinth. still the sketches helped me discover a possible story line. will that survive? to be followed.

studio tour

2011-01-24T05:56:00.000-08:00

detail from dummy of THE VERY TINY BABY

yesterday i hosted a studio tour at the CLC's suggestion. i did not know what to expect. who really wants to come, i thought. about 18 people came! friends, colleagues, teachers, librarians, artists, all such delightful people. Janice brought all the necessary things for a lovely tea and coffee and sweet afternoon. more people brought homemade pastries. all i had to do was talk and enjoy the attention. which i did. plenty. sometimes i'm afraid i talk too much. i talked a lot about my new direction (the strip format) and my thoughts on comics (or graphic novels). also showed the dummy for THE VERY TINY BABY. i think they liked it.
thank you CLC, thank you Janice, thank you to all that came.
for the CLC website: http://www.childrensliteratureconnection.org/wordpress/

snow day

2011-01-21T07:44:00.000-08:00

what i've been doing...

i remember when there was no such thing as "too much snow". that was a long time ago, when there was also no such thing as a "side-walk to shovel".

just for fun

2011-01-18T13:55:00.000-08:00

amusing little doodles done for no reason at all.

FELIX revisited

2010-12-18T16:48:00.000-08:00

a detail from a dummy page.

i have been working on a project i tentatively call FELIX. finished my entirely redone second version. i'm completely absorbed by my new approach to story telling: the strip form. i have been working on it for the last 3 or 4 years. it suits my personal rhythm and pacing. i can concentrate on what is so important to me: emotions. plus i have a great time working that way.

contract with charlesbridge

2010-12-03T05:55:00.001-08:00

happy call from Linda yesterday: Charlesbridge wants to acquire my book, A VERY TINY BABY. I am thrilled. the image is a detail from the dummy. we will have to wait a long time for anything more final.
the story is told in a sort of journal/scrap book/ strip form. it originally stems from my experience as the mother of a very premature baby but surprisingly (to me!) much more from my experience as the 2 year old sister of a very premature brother. all the emotions a young child feels when a new baby comes along are there... with the extra drama of the baby's prematurity.

visit in Hamilton

2010-10-22T17:14:00.000-07:00

fantastic visit to Hamilton yesterday. preK to 3rd graders. thank you to all my new friends for the invitation and especially to Melissa and Meredith.
here is the product of our team effort:

we started out with the preK and K classes and they requested a cat playing ball and having forgotten to wear his pants that morning:

on with the the 3rd graders who wanted a dancing Tyrannosaurus Rex, wearing dress, top hat and sneakers:

the 2nd graders requested a dragon reading a book on the ceiling! i almost asked for another suggestion on that one and then decided to stick with my rule: yes to first suggestion. no favoritism:

and the first grade came up with a dinosaur playing video games... i had to add the banana peel. (the inscription however was a request.)

working, working.

2010-09-14T05:34:00.001-07:00

working hard. just not posting.
reviewing old ideas, redoing dummies, experimenting with drawing styles, discarding some, starting others...
fun, but hard to stay on track. a good talk with Linda always helps.

talk to literacy volunteers

2010-06-03T06:46:00.001-07:00

On Tuesday morning, I gave a talk at the Jewish Federation of Northeastern NY. I was speaking to a roomful of literacy volunteers. It was a wonderful experience. The volunteers are devoted to helping children who experience difficulties in reading. They will spend time in any local elementary school that need their help.
The whole group made me feel so special. When life becomes a bit roomier, I will consider joining them. This is definitely a cause I would embrace wholeheartedly!
My main theme during the talk was that learning to read is insufficient without the enjoyment of reading. I believe children's books can help build a life-long joy in reading.
Thank you to Shelly Shapiro (extreme right on picture) who is a truly dedicated person. Shelley showed me around the heart-braking and extraordinary Holocaust Memorial Center that she is also in charge of.

fritz update.

2010-05-19T12:14:00.000-07:00

This is another try for possible finishes. Just a try. Fritz is ready to knock on doors.

visit to grafton elementary

2010-05-12T11:57:00.001-07:00

My visit at Grafton Elementary was fantastic. Thank you Susan and kids for inviting me. You were all so well prepared. Your welcome was heart-warming and I had a great time. If I were a kid, I would register at your school!

What we created together:

a horse and a jaguar on a skateboard.

and a gorilla and a hedgehog hiking.

What a team we made!

still on Fritz!!!

2010-04-28T11:20:00.001-07:00

FRITZ is still going through changes. Now on the color samples. And I don't think I'm there yet! It is a challenge but I like it. I can only get better. One can bemoan being pushed... or be thankful for it. I bemoan first, then appreciate when I see the results.

Fritz on its way

2010-04-16T06:00:00.001-07:00

Onto Felix!!!

grant application

2010-04-09T05:43:00.000-07:00

for the first time ever, i applied for a grant. my submissions for books in strip form seemed a perfect match for the CLC grant guidelines. i felt good sending my package on time with 3 fantastic letters of recommendation: one from Jennifer Armstrong (author), one from Karen Beil (author too) and one from Linda Pratt (my trusty agent).
i did not get the grant. i am sure the CLC chose well among many applicants. they are discerning people. but i am happy i tried and i now have 3 esteem-boosters in my files.

last visit of the series

2010-03-11T17:02:00.001-08:00

today was the last visit of the series of visits in and near Utica. again a good and creative time. after leaving the last group, i realized i forgot to read from my book! can you believe that! nobody seemed to notice. we were all plenty busy with the drawing demos. and that class had a million of interesting questions! which shows good preparation. thank you to the artist in residence.

we had a tiger on a scooter wearing hula skirt and coconut bra. (no kidding!)

and a zebra shopping for ham, eying some potatoes and wearing expensive shoes.

school visits are wonderful but also very draining. it will feel good to concentrate again on a project.

watson williams

2010-03-10T13:28:00.000-08:00

Lovely visit at Watson Williams Elementary in Utica. Again, well prepared students - a big thank you to the faculty- and great creative times for all.

We came up with an elephant in a cowboy hat, playing basketball but being distracted by some forgotten peanuts.

And a monkey on a skate board going a bit too fast and unaware of you-know-what!

visit with 5th graders

2010-03-05T15:36:00.000-08:00

Same school as yesterday. But with the 5th grade. Just as well prepared, just as enjoyable, just as creative. And more time per group, which was nice.
Thank you to all the teachers I met today, for your dedication. Your students are lucky ones!

Here are the drawing demos we came up with:
A cat lounging by a pool, in a tutu and a leprechaun hat and drinking soda,

a buffalo practicing her salsa steps with a broom,

an elephant juggling with pineapples,

and a bunny named Elvis, dancing disco, wearing a jump suit and converse, complete with carrot, hairspray and combs.

visit with 6th graders

2010-03-04T12:51:00.001-08:00

I am not used to visiting with 6th graders. I was a bit worried. I ended up LOVING it! The students were so much fun: attentive, respectful, enthusiastic and creative. They obviously were surrounded by an excellent team of teachers. Thank you to all my new friends at Clinton Middle School. Near Utica.
We had to deal with tight time constraints but what fun pictures came out!
We started with a giraffe shopping for coats and wearing a bikini.

Then came a loony rabbit playing ice hockey and wearing sombrero, sweater vest and tutu.

Next, an angry shark playing football...

... and finally, a cat doing a back flip, wearing tuxedo and bunny slippers.

visit to FDR elementary

2010-01-27T13:33:00.000-08:00

Reading from MISTER BEAR

The visit at FDR Elementary in Schenectady was a real pleasure. Thank you to Nikki for her enthusiasm and dedication as a "one woman PTO" in a grossly underfunded school. The children were wonderful, with tons of ideas for me to draw.
Thank you to everyone for the warm welcome. It was a treat for me too!

the drawing assigned by the children: an elephant with a hula-hoop and a tiger jumping rope.

getting ready for Schenectady

2010-01-22T13:11:00.000-08:00

Decided to donate a reading/drawing visit to an inner city school with no funding in Schenectady. Looking forward to a different experience. Let's just hope I find the place and a few children show up!

Revising

2010-01-16T19:04:00.000-08:00

FRITZ needs a better ending. Tough realization. As Pooh would say: "think, think!"

application

2009-12-26T15:18:00.000-08:00

Filled out the application for the 2nd annual children's books festival in Hudson. May 1st 2010. If it's anything like last year, it will be tremendous. And fun!
Will post link to website as soon as it is ready.

working, working

2009-12-22T16:11:00.001-08:00

working relentlessly on the story. Linda is such good input. reviewed dummy sent. so hard to wait during winter break when everything stops. good time to do some painting.

moving right along.

2009-11-08T15:56:00.001-08:00

a big thank you to my brother David, whose work inspired me to use the monochromatic effect. i am enjoying myself tremendously!

flying

2009-11-06T19:54:00.001-08:00

the sluggishness is gone. i am now working non-stop. i have a dummy ready for copying and am working on 2 finished pieces. let's hope they come out too!

contradiction

2009-11-03T12:55:00.000-08:00

character study

happy with what i am working on, and yet at such a slow pace... will be starting 2nd stage (refining very very rough sketches). hopefully this will go a bit faster.
thank you Karen, for your support and enthusiasm.

utica

2009-06-29T18:38:00.000-07:00

the visit in Utica went well. a bit intimidating at first as i was in such a big theater and was being filmed! it was a new presentation for me, focusing on my work as an illustrator and not author/illustrator. the audience participated and was receptive. i wish now i had spent more time on the drawing parts and had showed the way i draw varied expressions on faces.

i feel i talked too much and didn't draw enough. i'm always afraid people will get bored if my drawing takes too long.

thank you Serena for inviting me. thank you Matt for your help and to all the teachers for your clapping support.

visit in Utica

2009-06-27T13:05:00.000-07:00

getting ready for a presentation in Utica. Not for children but for teachers. that will be different. i will be conducting my presentation as if for children though, so the teachers get a sense of what it would be like to hire me for a school visit.

my experience with teachers at the elementary level has always been a warm and friendly one. in fact, i consider teaching an art in itself and am delighted to meet people usually full of enthusiasm and curiosity. not to mention an unquenchable love of books.

the presentation is for the Arts in Education Institute at the Stanley Center for the Arts.

work for Click

2009-06-26T06:00:00.001-07:00

always fun to work for Deb. love drawing kids in various positions. this week, they were taking animal positions. this little girl is arching her back like a cat.

quentin

2009-06-23T10:34:00.001-07:00

thank you, Karen, for suggesting i look at Quentin Blake's website. i've fallen in love with him all over again. what fun!

check it out: http://www.quentinblake.com
my favorite: on the "fossicking" intro page, click on the image for the Saint Valentine's Day Massacre. some drawing skill there!!!

a website

2009-06-11T17:15:00.000-07:00

after hours of banging my head against the wall of webworld, i am proud to say: i did it! i have now a home made web site which i should be able to update and revise at will. knowing myself... not too often.

on and off

2009-02-12T20:40:00.000-08:00

on and off

i have been working on this child-like style lately and enjoying it tremendously. felt like posting a picture tonight. do you like this one?

happy new year

2009-01-24T14:48:00.000-08:00

i feel one can wish a happy new year during the whole month of january!

waiting

2008-11-15T15:03:00.000-08:00

project sent. now starts long period of waiting... should get used to it.

at work.

2008-11-09T07:02:00.000-08:00

working on a new project. having fun. words by natasha wing. can't tell more for now...