Boats for Papa- BIG BIG NEWS!

Hey all!
It's been a whirlwind past month and half and there is sooooo much to talk about!

First off, I finished all of my art for my next picture book Before I Leave. This is the book I spent the summer lovingly toiling over about the friendship between an anteater and a hedgehog. I sort of fell in love with these animals while making this book, to the point where I would highly consider having a hedgehog as a pet. Before I Leave is due out Winter 2016, so more to come with that!

The next most recent big news is that earlier this week I got my Advance Reader's Editions of my book Boats for Papa! I was SOOO excited to receive these! It was such an awesome thing to hold my book in my own hands was sureal to say the least. It's was like holding my dream in my hands. It looks so good. I am beyond words to say how I feel about how it turned out. I can't wait for it to hit the shelves June 30th, 2015!

AND to top it off- just this morning, I received some phenomenal news: The Japanese rights to Boats for Papa was just sold at the Frankfurt Book Fair to distinguished publisher, Asunaro Shobo. SO awesome- and the book hasn't even come out yet!

And if that wasn't awesome enough- I found out Boats for Papa was selected by the Junior Library Guild!!! It is an AMAZING honor to be selected by them! They go through over 3000 books and select what they believe to be as the best ones and send them to small libraries that can't afford their own selection staff. It's a very bog honor and I am so grateful to be among the chosen "best books" that will make it into the hands of thousands of little kids.

All of this is so awesome and overwhelming, and all just before I'm about to have another dream come true- having a baby! Ahhh!!! So much to be happy, and thankful for.

Thanks to everyone for all of your support!!!
jx