In this photo taken by Elaine Magliaro-slash-Wild Rose Reader at a Foundation of Children's Books event two nights ago, slim and elegant Charlesbridge editor Judy O'Malley is the redhead in the middle, multi-talented author-illustrator-Blue-Rose-Girl Anna Alter is on the left, and that's non-petite me hogging half the photo space on the right. (Note to self #1: in future photo ops, stand between or behind two size fours).Judy and I are doing another duet at Charlesbridge's annual open house for teachers and librarians this afternoon. We'll be sharing the process that led to the publication of Rickshaw Girl, and rumor has it that I'll be draping her in a saree. Illustrator Jamie Hogan will be there, too, and she's bringing along the original art she created for the book. (Note to self #2: try and make an offer on one of those gorgeous pastels, but knowing Jamie, she might just hand it over as a gift ... this is going to take some finesse and diplomacy.)
But there's more. Much more. Author-illustrator Ralph Masiello (aka Icky Bug Man) is going to show us all how to draw the dragons in his new Drawing Book, and two other artists will be there: Kate Endle, who created the collages in Trout Are Made of Trees (Spring 2008), and Ilene Winn-Lederer, illustrator of The Golden Dreydl (Fall 2007). After this soirée, though, I'm putting my heels away until ALA.