Many Many Mouse Cookies

Preparing for my book signing tomorrow. Spent the last couple days making Mouse Cookies -- Come and get one tomorrow! Hopefully see some of you there!

1 pm at Books Inc In Laurel Village, San Francisco

For Monsieur Poilu

So if you don't already know it, I really don't like posting photos online.  Don't know why, just feels too close somehow.  BUT, I have no problems at all revealing my love life in comic form.  Because let's face it, life is funnier when pared down and parsed to just the nice bits.

This weekend is the 13th anniversary of me and my French man.  That is, when we first got together, in that lovely Paris flat, during that ridiculously golden summer that will always make the 3rd Arrondisement the best in the world for me.  I thought I'd post the wedding booklet we made.  It only chronicles from when we met to when we got married, hence the early dates.  We have more cartoons since then, mostly with the kids and buying a house and all, but I think today it's nice just to post life pre-children.  You know, when we could still sleep in, had extra mula, and had time to sit around and draw each other...

Happy Anniversary, my Monsieur Poilu!

Found these...

Stumbled across these I sketched ages ago, I just love sketching from fashion magazines...

Confessions of a Bibliophile

I know I promised a recipe of the most excellent Chef Matthew Dolan tonight, but I'm actually too pooped to do the man justice, so instead, I hope you'll consider this bent offering instead.  It's written for the Books Inc Newsletter that goes out, to encourage more reading, officially labeled "Endorse Reading".  I couldn't come up with a good reason to endorse it, other than I am a bibliophile and have serious problems when it comes to book buying.  So here enjoy reading what a weirdo I am (as well as my weirdo family!):

A Piece of Cake Launch Party and Raffle!

Alright, here's all the info you might want to know about A PIECE OF CAKE the Launch Party!

DATE: June 1st, 2015
TIME: 1-3 Pm
PLACE: Books Inc Laurel Village, 3515 California Blvd, San Francisco
STORE PHONE: 415-221-3666

There will be LOTS of goodies there!  Special stickers, postcards, bookmarks galore!  Mouse cookies (baked by moi), plus some special Mouse cupcakes for the little ones IF they bring something to trade for! A special limited supply BOOKPLATE for each book purchased, and of course a drawing from me in each book! And if all that doesn't interest you, then there's also a raffle at the end of the whole thing.  Two winners will be selected to win, get this, a hand-sewn LITTLE MOUSE AND BIRD doll!  Either I have too much time of my hands, or I'm crazy.  Probably the latter, because I NEVER have enough time.

For those of you locally who can't make it, but would still like a chance at all these goodies, never fear!  You can pre-order the book, leave a name to sign to, and I'll sign it on the day of, for you to pick up at your leisure. You can also do this if you are planning on coming, but don't want to wait to have the book signed.  I aim to please!

And for any of you out there who don't live nearby, but would still like a chance at the raffle, plus the bookplate, you're in luck!  Because if you order your book through your local independent book store (go Indies!), and then send an email to me with the bookstore's information, I'll send a bookplate to you through the mail, plus some extra goodies for your local favorite store.  And your name will go down for the online raffle as well, where chances are higher.  I'll be giving away three Little Birds, three Mice, and three free signed copies of the book.  Include a recipe for your favorite nut cake, and your name goes down twice!

Bookplates are on a first come, first serve basis only, once I'm out, I'm out.

Send online raffle requests through the following email:
uyen@leuyenpham.com

Phew!  I think that's it!  Tomorrow night, I'll post some images from the book, PLUS a recipe from renowned Chef Matthew Dolan, of Twenty-Five Lusk in San Francisco, a buddy of mine who has graciously donated some of his much-sought after time to help me with the whole baking side of this.  More on that tomorrow!  It's pretty awesome...

The First Post of Many for my new book "A Piece of Cake"

Okay, tonight begins the first in the the next of many announcements for my latest self-authored picture book, A PIECE OF CAKE! Yup, you heard right, I've finally put pen to paper at last and written another story!  Not bad, the third one in what, ten years?  yes, yes, I know, I'm slow.  But this one is a good one, I hope!  It's all about a very kind little Mouse, who tries to take a cake he made to his friend Little Bird for her birthday, but on the way to her house, basically gets bamboozled left and right by every animal he meets, trading a piece of cake for one piece of junk after another.  When he finally gets to little bird with no cake and lots of useless objects, our clever Little Bird comes up with a great way to swap things back, with a little ounce of sweet revenge on the way.  That's all I'll say about it -- needless to say, it's not the story you think it'll be when you start reading it.  Anyway, there's an awesome review of it from Kirkus here:

https://www.kirkusreviews.com/features/taken-surprise/

And of course, there will be a big launch party!  I'll send more information tomorrow night, but for now, please mark your calendars for June 1st, at the Books Inc in Laurel Village, San Francisco.  It's going to be a party chockfull of goodies, giveaways, and even a raffle!  For those of you who want to read about it now, here's the link to the "Piece of Cake" website:

http://www.leuyenpham.com/books/apieceofcake.html

More to come tomorrow night!

Another Madame Pham sighting tomorrow night...

Another quick announcement -- I'll be at Mrs. Dalloway's Bookstore tomorrow night in Berkeley.  I'll be on a panel with Mitali Perkins (author of Monsoon Summer) and Nina Lindsay (of the Oakland Public Library) to offer some good summer reading choices.  If that panel sounds familiar, we were the Usual Suspects a while back when we were all interviewed on KCRW to discuss cultural diversity in kids' literature.  It's a hot topic still, so our choices are going to reflect that.

It's a ticketed event, but you can find out more information here!  http://www.mrsdalloways.com/events/hot-reads-cool-summer-ages-6-11

See you tomorrow night!  In the meantime, here's another image (not necessarily in the name of cultural diversity, but just me passing on love to all you out there...)

Mother's Day Bonanza

You know, it being mother's day tomorrow and all, I just realized for the first time that I've illustrated, like, a million images of mothers and kids.  seriously, i've forgotten how many i've made!  So for all you mothers out there, myself included, here are a few images I dug up from my past books...  Happy Mother's Day!

This one is from Vampirina Ballerina Hosts a Sleepover, but you know every mother has had an argument with her daughter about style...

This one is from "Mama Seeton's Whistle" by Jerry Spinelli (coming out next year).  This is one loved mama...

This is from "Before I Was Your Mother" by Kathryn Lasky.  Very sweet book I did a while about, about what a mother was like when she was younger...

 

This one is from "Sing Along Song".  Not really a mother's day book, but I always loved painting this particular image.  Isn't that baby cute?

"Bedtime for Mommy", by Amy Krouse Rosenthal.  I just love this book -- a little girl puts her MOTHER to bed.  Amy is comic genius...

This one is from "A Father Like That" by Charlotte Zolotow.  I realized halfway through the book that the "father" in this book the kid is missing is actually the mother he has.  Just love the writing...

"Boy of Mine" by Jabari Asim.  Does that kid remind you of anyone in particular?  He looks just like my son Adrien.  But, I painted this before Adrien was born.  

And last but not least, "All the Things I Love About You", by me.  Written for my little sons.

Happy Mother's Day!

Want some original sketches?

Hi all! Quick announcement -- for anybody looking for an original sketch or maybe a mini-painting from me, look no further! I'll be at Book Passage this Saturday, from 10-11, helping to celebrate California Bookstore Day. I'll have my drawing pen and even a water color set, and i'll be sketching for on command. All proceeds will go to the Giving Tree Program. But you know, if you have a copy or two of my books, and bring them in, I'll sign them on the sly for you...

Book Passage, 51 Tamal Vista Blvd, Corte Madera, 94925

in the meantime, here's a quick sketch i did for my friends Jordan and Whitney (recent newlyweds!), from a comic my husband and I did called "Surviving Eden: Adam and Eve's Guide to Marriage". Enjoy!

A GOOD CAUSE, PEOPLE!!!

Alright, friends of children's book art everywhere! Have I got great news for you! If you've been looking to collect some amazing-and-hard-to-find children's book art from some amazing-and-hard-to-find artists, AND you've been wanting to plunk down some good money on an excellent cause, then LOOK NO FURTHER! My ridiculously talented friend Carson Ellis has put together an online auction of some of the best children's books artists out there, and everything earned from the sale of the art goes straight to a great school called Victory Academy in Oregon. Apparently, this school for autistic kids is amazing, but needs a permanent building. So fulfill two of your new year's resolution now: Help out a good cause, and own some awesome art!

http://paddle8.com/auctions/victoryacademy

to whet your whistle, here's a list of the artists selling their work:
MARLA FRAZEE * JEN CORACE * LEUYEN PHAM * NIKKI MCCLURE * JON KLASSEN * ADAM REX * ELEANOR DAVIS * LAURA PARK * ROMAN MURADOV * HEATHER ROSS * GILBERT FORD * MATT MYERS * SOPHIE BLACKALL * LISA BROWN * MELISSA GUION * DIANA SUDYKA * LANE SMITH * CHRIS TURNHAM * CHUCK GROENINK * CARIN BERGER * MO WILLEMS * GREG PIZZOLI * MARIA VAN LIESHOUT * JOANNA NEBORSKY * CARSON ELLIS

i'm not sure myself why i'm on this list with these cool people, but i'll take it! here's my piece below. and PLEASE pass it on! the more people who see, the more support for the school!

On the Radio! I'll be on Forum, on KQED, Monday, March 24th, from 10 to 11, pass it on!

Check out Forum on KQED this monday (yes, tomorrow!), from 10 to 11 am. Yours truly will be on the show, with a panel of other notables. We'll be talking about how people of color are underrepresented (or not) in children's books today. The topic was sparred by an article written by Walter Dean Myers in the NYT :
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/16/opinion/sunday/where-are-the-people-of-color-in-childrens-books.html?_r=0
The full link to the panel is here:
http://www.kqed.org/a/forum/R201403241000
Much thank to the great Gene Luen Yang, writer and artist extraordinaire, who recommended me for the panel.
And on the topic of multiracial art, here's a poster I did for Scholastic's "Read Every Day, Lead a Better Life" campaign for this year. You can actually buy this poster, along with many other amazing designs, at the Scholastic website:
http://store.scholastic.com/Toys-and-Games/Furniture-and-Decor/LeUyen-Pham-REDLABL-Poster
Man, this whole post seems to be a collection of links...
Happy Sunday!

Nothing special today...

nothing special today! just found this sketch i did LONG ago, back when i actually had time to make images just for fun, rather than work. 

don't forget my book signing tomorrow at "book passage" in corte madera -- see you there!

BOOK SIGNING COMING UP!

Mark your calendars, San Francisco! believe it or not, i am finally dragging myself out for an official book signing! well, maybe more unofficial -- i'm tagging along with the great PHIL BILDNER to sign books at Books Passage in Corte Madera, next friday evening (march 21st) at 6 pm.

http://bookpassage.com/event/phil-bildner-soccer-fence

phil and i worked on a book together a long time ago called "twenty-one elephants". one of the first books i ever did, and believe it or not, this was one of the fastest books i ever did. from start (getting the contract and starting the sketches) to finish (turning in final art), it took me three months total. that included a research trip to new york, and some very very very detailed sketches. i think it also secured me in the industry is one of the quickest, and craziest, artists out there.

also in attendance is phil's partner, and my editor extraordinaire, and amazing writer in his right, kevin lewis!

please come, say hi, and bring books to sign!

Paul Erdos!

PAUL ERDOS!!!

okay, today i'm posting about a book that's near and dear to my heart. this is a book called "the boy who loved math", written by the most excellent deborah heiligman. it's about a real mathematician named paul erdos, who was probably the most prolific mathematician of all time. he never lived in one place -- instead he traveled around the world, lecturing, discussing, and living math. he died a while back, but i was able to attend his centennial celebration in budapest last year, and got to meet many of the amazing mathematicians i illustrated in the book. the book came out last year, and has gotten some great critical notice. plus it's won an award or two to boot. but this book is crammed with math! i shoved as many mathematical concepts, diagrams, and equations as i could find into every image, and included massive detailed notes about it all in the back.

so please please please go pick up a copy of this one! deborah's writing is phenomenal, and so child friendly without being condescending (which i love). here are some images to hopefully entice you...

This one is an image of Paul as young child in Budapest with his mother.  The numbers you see in the background are examples of prime numbers.

This is an image of Paul at the black board.  It's a pretty iconic image.

this is a full illustration of the "erdos number", a number that all mathematicians covet. if you wrote a paper with paul erdos, you have an erdos number of 1. if you wrote a paper with someone who wrote a paper with erdos, you have an erdos number 2, and so on. sound familiar? yup, the six degrees of kevin bacon was inspired by this concept. and me? i have an HONORARY erdos number of 1.5! since the book is a published work, and i collected the advice of many mathematicians with erdos number 1 on it, and i guess erdos himself is included in absentia, then i was given this number. totally love it. so if you want an erdos number of 2.5, you've got to publish a book with me.

Lunar New Year Post # 8

okay, so i missed a couple postings! i made it, alive, to the camellia parade, and just got back!  loved it, hometowns are the best at welcoming back their wanderers.  loved every second of it!  i'm not keen on posting photos on this site, but here's one of me where you barely see me, but can see my crew (husband alex puvilland, artist extraordinaire, and leo and adrien puvilland, miniature humans extraordinaire!

and here's a link to the star news article on the event:
http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/lifestyle/20140221/temple-city-to-celebrate-70th-annual-camellia-festival-and-parade-this-weekend

and finally, another image from something i'm working on...