Shelf Awareness

I'm happy to see that book-industry newsletter Shelf Awareness has put Sheep Go to Sleep in its June 19 issue: "The team behind Sheep in a Jeep delivers an original twist with this charming take on bedtime...Shaw's meter never falters, and Apple's drawings keep the woolly quintet (and their canine guardian) front and center," says reviewer Jennifer M. Brown. Click here for the full review.

Baaab the sheep likes the review.

Celebrating two new picture books

Shutta Crum & Nicola Rooney

On June 3rd at Nicola's Books, we heard Shutta Crum explain how she went about writing a nearly-wordless book, and how much thought went into conveying how the toddler-size problems built to a climax--a hat over the eyes, a crab crawling into a bucket, a seagull, a sippy cup, and a big wave. It added up to Uh-Oh!, her new book with art by Patrice Barton.

I explained how Nicola was a part in the genesis of my new book--I had fun writing Sheep Phone It In as part of a tribute to her store in the Black Dog & Leventhal anthology My Bookstore. (Sheep and a smartphone--what could go wrong?) That story led to my editor at HMH suggesting Sheep Go to Sleep. The story is just out, with dreamy art by Margot Apple. And Nicola herself introduced us. Thanks to all the folks who made this quite a party.

Book Party at Nicola's

You're invited to a book party for Shutta Crum's picture book Uh-Oh!, about two toddlers at the beach, and my Sheep Go to Sleep. We will be reading and signing, and we'll have starfish cookies to go with the beach book, and apples-oats-&-sugar-lump cookies (something the sheep made after they went trick-or-treating). Sheep's-milk cheese, too. Nicola's Books, 2513 Jackson Ave, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48103, at 7 p.m., Wednesday, June 3.