Secrets of a Christmas Box: Part 3

Secrets of Christmas Box
Written by Steven Hornby
Color Illustration by Justin Gerard
Chapter Illustration by Gabriel Hordos


Published by Ecky Thump Books, Inc 2009
248 pages / 56 illustrations / for ages 8 and up



The Synopsis
Enter the magical, festive world of the Christmas 'Tree-Dwellers' , as Larry, a Christmas Snowman, wakes up after a long sleep in the Christmas box, to find his brother is missing. Desperate to find him before Christmas, Larry, along with his girlfriend Debbie, a newcomer Splint, and Larry's companion Tinsel, break the laws of the 'Tree-Elders' and escape down the tree and away into the house, to look for clues. Away from the safety of the tree and in the unfamiliar world, the Dwellers stumble upon a dark and sinister secret that threatens their entire world. Can Larry and the group make it back to the tree in time to warn the others, and finally uncover the truth behind the 'Secrets of a Christmas Box'.

The Review
This is a sparkling tale that is a magical adventure! I particularly enjoyed the fact that it had a "Honey, I shrunk the kids" feel. This gives the audience a fresh perspective from the ornaments point of view. I could just picture the characters on a journey across the living room floor.

I liked Steven's writing style. The text had a terrific flow which made it easily and effortlessly read. Steven gives you point by point in his story telling leaving nothing to chance. He paints a beautiful picture of a family's anticipation of Christmas. Sitting in the family room with a warm cup of wine or cider, enjoying the twinkling lights, aroma of food, and the total ambiance, makes me want Christmas to come early!

The book was written for children, however it was written to appeal to either the young or old. I felt there was something in for everyone. The ending was left wide open leaving room for a fantastic new sequel.

From an Illustrators Point of View
The cover art is absolutely BEAUTIFUL!! I feel like I am looking right onto a branch from my own tree right now! The media chosen has been handled in quite a delightful way. The brightness of the lights on the tree capture the ambiance of Christmas perfectly! The personalities of the characters come blazing through on the cover as well. I love it!!

The chapter illustrations are spontaneous and very active little graphite sketches. I think they are perfect for the book. I love illustrated novels! In fact, I can't figure out why all novels aren't illustrated. The drawings were truly dazzling and supported the text seamlessly!

Overall, the book exudes those kind of magical Christmas feelings that you only get that time of year. I loved the book and I am looking forward to reading the sequel. (I can only hope they make a motion picture film!)

Secrets of a Christmas Box: Part 2

Steven Hornby Biography

Steven Hornby is a multi award winning animator and has been storytelling for over 15 years in visual effects and animated movies. He was born in Preston, England and attended Lancaster University for Design Communication. After working on a set of commerials in Europe and Australasia and his own short film, "Zzz Night", Steven joined the animation crew in 2000, on the Academy Award winning "The Lord of the Rings" film in New Zealand.

He is best known for his award winning animation, bringing to life J.R.R. Tolkien's fictional character, Gollum, on "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy.

He has since worked as a lead animator on "I, Robot" (2004), "King Kong" (2005), Disney's "Meet the Robinson's" (2007) and "Glago's Guest" (2008), and more recently Dreamwork's "Kung Fu Panda" (2008), and "How to Train Your Dragon" (In Theaters 2010).

In 2009, Steven finished his children's fantasy novel, "Secrets of a Christmas Box" to be released September 1, 2009. He initially planned 'Secrets of a Christmas Box' as a screenplay after spending several years having the story running around in his head, but instead turned it into his first children's novel.

Steven is currently working on the sequel to his Christmas novel. He lives in Burbank, California with his family.

Secrets of a Christmas Box: Part1

This is the first of a few posts in light of a new, FANTASTIC book being released! I had the joy of reading the book early in order to prepare this review series. Today's post is information I received in the publicity packet.

The Synopsis
Enter the magical, festive world of the Christmas 'Tree-Dwellers' , as Larry, a Christmas Snowman, wakes up after a long sleep in the Christmas box, to find his brother is missing.

Desperate to find him before Christmas, Larry, along with his girlfriend Debbie, a newcomer Splint, and Larry's companion Tinsel, break the laws of the 'Tree-Elders' and escape down the tree and away into the house, to look for clues.

Away from the safety of the tree and in the unfamiliar world, the Dwellers stumble upon a dark and sinister secret that threatens their entire world. Can Larry and the group make it back to the tree in time to warn the others, and finally uncover the truth behind the 'Secrets of a Christmas Box'?


About the Author
Steven Hornby grew up near Preston in the north of England and has been in the entertainment industry for nearly 15 years, working on heartwarming animated and award-winning visual effects films. After years of bring classic stories to life on screen, Hornby has written his own Christmas novel destined to be a family classic.

"Growing out of my childhood, I remember trying to hold onto those magical feelings only I got a Christmas time, the warm fuzziness in my stomach and the giddy excitement of knowing Santa Claus would soon be arriving. But those feeling faded and in their place completely new developed; equally as good mind you, just different. So I wanted to create a world that captured those magical feelings I had as a child, but also include a sense of what Christmas means to me today, every time I open up that wonderful Christmas box." - Steven Hornby

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

My Reaction

I wrote my last post to "The Graveyard Book" without completely finishing the book, I have to admit! So now, I can properly comment! I cried at the end! I loved it! What a beautiful, spooky, yearning, funny, creepy, adventurous, perfect book!!! As I read my way through the book, I really began to identify with the main character, Bod (short for Nobody Owens). There was something special about Bod that made him so different from anyone else -- he lived in a graveyard since he was about a year and a half and was raised by spirits. Many souls in the community taught him about many different aspects from the time periods they lived. I thought this was a very unique point of view!

In the last chapter, I was truly touched by how the spirit world began to fade away and everything was changing for Bod. In a sense, life was gently tell him that it was time to move on and experience the world for what it is. Live freely and experience everything you can.

The last line of the book: "But between now and then, there was life; and Bod walked into it with his eyes and his heart wide open." -Neil Gaiman

Book Review: Raindrop, Plop

Raindrop, Plop!
Written by Wendy Cheyette Lewison
Illustrated by Pam Paparone
Published by Viking / Penguin Young Readers Group 2004

Raindrop, Plop! is a fantasticly written book for young readers. A young girl and her dog finds many things to count as they play outside on a rainy day. As the storm developes into a downpour, they venture inside and find more objects to count as they dry off in a warm house.

The bright colors used in the illustrations is what drew my attention to the book. I love the way that Pam used a bright, orange red and juxtaposed it along a kelly green on the rain boots. A lot of times, I think the illustrations are what sells a book. At least for someone that is taking a quick glance trying to make a decision. I know for myself, I buy books for the pictures. I'm an illustrator, what can you expect, right?

I wonder what percentage of people, meaning parents, librarians, teachers, etc. would buy books based on the illustrations.

I should take a poll. Here's what I would ask: "If you had to make a decision between 2 books, and couldn't read the text, what would you base your decision on?" I think the answers would be interesting!

Book Review: The Tale of Pip and Squeak

The Tale of Pip and Squeak
Written & Illustrated by Kate Duke
Published by Dutton Children's Books / A division of Penguin Books 2007

Two mouse brothers try to out do each other every year at their annual party. One brother is a musician and the other an artist. They mutual agree to stay at opposite ends of the house except for one day out of every year. The day before the big party, a mishap occurs that brings the brothers together to reconcile their differences.

I fully enjoyed the book because it reminded me of the relationship I have with my sister as she is a musician and I am an artist. I will admit that we did have our differences growing up and now as adults, we have ironed out our issues. The writing is clean and tight. A terrific read-aloud!

The words just seem to flow as easy as the watercolor onto the page; combined with acrylic, ink and gouache the little pleasant mouse neighborhood springs to life. The mice have made an attic their home with an old suitcase as the movie theater, a tricycle becomes a ferris wheel. The fine detail in the pictures will keep young and old captivated for hours. You will always see something different everytime you pick up the book. A fantastic pictoral read as well.

Book Review: The Grouchy Ladybug

The Grouchy Ladybug
Written and Illustrated by Eric Carle
Published by Harper Collins Publishers 1999

The Grouchy Ladybug is about just that - a grouchy ladybug. He tries to pick fights with all sorts of animals and thinks that he is bigger than everyone else. He continues on his journey throughout the day to meet bigger and bigger "friends." By the end of the day, he meets his match and learns to be a better bug!

This story is great because it is fast moving and it invites children to learn the concepts of time, size, shape, and manners!

I love this story because it is written very repetitive and children catch on to that concept quickly. This invites them to want to read because they already know a part of the story.

Here is a small excerpt:
At six o'clock
it met a yellow jacket.
"Hey you," said
the grouchy ladybug.
"Want to fight?"
"If you insist," said
the yellow jacket,
showing its stinger.
"Oh, you're not
big enough," said
the grouchy ladybug
and flew off.

Children will love it!! I love it!

Sometime soon I will do a posting about how Eric Carle executes his illustrations. Stay tuned!
I will be highlighting other illustrators whom I think are worthy. If you find someone you think should be given the spotlight, please let me know! I will be open to your nomination!

Un-Brella

Un-Brella
Illustrated by Scott E. Franson
Published by Roaring Brook Press

Just imagine if you had a magic umbrella that could change the weather outside to whatever you wanted it to be, wherever you went. Open this book to find out how one little girl changes uses her un-brella to change the world she lives in.

I think the book is exquisite. It was created by Scott Franson, a graphic designer who developed the illustrations digitally on the computer. I’m guessing the large part of the work was made in Illustrator and Photoshop. The color scheme is very nice as it is not too bold, however, it matches the tone for the book beautifully. I like wordless books for young children because they don’t need words to tell them the story. The child will make up the story as they look through the pages. Lastly, of course, the illustrator does not need to leave room for the text! The illustrator has the whole page as their playground. I love that!

I think it is a book that children will enjoy for a long time to come.

Pirate Treasure

Pirate Treasure
Written & Illustrated by Loretta Krupinski
Published by Dutton Children’s Books 2006

“Some are weatherwise, some are otherwise.” – Benjamin Franklin

When a raging storm drives the pirate ship upstream, Captain Oliver and his first mate, Rosie decide to settle in a little town named Mousam. Their new surroundings bring them to change their clothes to a rural, farmer style. After they discover learning to grow grain is easier than living upon a ship and making friends, a huge storm blows up and the Captain’s talent for maneuvering a ship and ability to predict the weather helps to uncover the greatest treasure for the Captain, Rosie, and the people of Mousam.

Loretta Krupinski has painted rich and very detailed illustrations for the book. These illustrations truly made my jaw drop and gave the motivation I need to get back in the studio. They inspired me to try some extra detail in my color work. The color is strong, bold and beautiful.

Gouache is an amazing medium. It goes on like watercolor, by dries and is “permanent” like acrylics. Permanent meaning, “after it dries, that’s it. You can’t rewet it and move it around like watercolor.” This makes it a perfect medium for highly detailed illustrations.

With 9 spreads and 14 single pages illustrated, the book is beautifully laid out and planned. The breaks in spreads and single pages add enough diversity to be interesting. ­

My Two Hands, My Two Feet

My Two Hands, My Two Feet
Written by Rick Walton and Illustrated by Julia Gorton
Published by G.P. Putnam’s Sons 2000

My Two Hands, My Two Feet is a double delight. It has two books in one. On one side of the book, it is My Two Hands and then you turn the book over and the story is My Two Feet. Each book reads to the very middle of the book.

“When I wake up
My two feet wiggle
Like little kids
Who laugh and giggle.”

I think the manuscript is delightful. I love the rhythm and rhyme. The book talks about all the different things hands and feet can do during the day. A perfect book aimed at the toddler learning about hands and feet.

The illustration is creative and fun. It boasts a technique called cut paper illustration. Shapes were cut out of paper and then arranged on the board. In this case, this paper was airbrushed to add necessary modeling. This is truly a fresh style - you don’t see this everyday in children’s books. (Which is probably why is works so well!)

I Love It When You Smile

I Love It When You Smile
Written by Sam McBratney and Illustrated by Charles Fuge
Published by HarperCollins Publishers 2005

From the bestselling author of Guess How Much I Love You, comes a masterpiece guaranteed to make you smile! Charles Fuge is the illustrator of Sometimes I Like To Curl Up In A Ball by Vicki Churchill.

Little Roo woke up and feeling grumpy. His mother tried everything to make him smile, but nothing she did would perk up little Roo. On the way to breakfast, the couple comes across a deep muddy hole and there is found a smile.

I really enjoyed this book. I thought the story was quite true to life. Every word made the story progress to the end. The story clearly communicated that the funniest little things that tend to go wrong can be funny. The watercolor / colored pencil illustrations are truly beautiful. The kangaroos look so silky you just want to reach out and touch them! Their eyes are so expressive and warm. I love how the illustrations switch back and forth between full spreads and partial spreads. What I mean is the sky in the landscape is not always rendered in. Sometimes there is sky and sometimes it is just white space. It would be an insult to the viewer to always paint in the sky. Instead, this is a perfect place to put the text in the white space.

The Mine-O-Saur

(Note: I would really like to post pictures of the books, however, that would be a break in copyright permissions. The only way I can post those images is if they come directly from the book publisher.)

The Mine-O-Saur
By Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen and illustrated by David Clark
Published by G.P. Putnam’s Sons / Penguin Group 2007

Mine-O-Saur is written with beautiful rhythm and rhyme to tell a story of the Mine-O-Saur. He learns a very important lesson in sharing his toys with other kids at school and ultimately gets the thing he wants most of all.

I love to read this story to my daughter. There is enough dialog in the story that you can play with different voices and make the story come alive. The text is easy to read and flows well. The illustration is a loose, spontaneous watercolor technique with black ink to define edges and add more definition.

It’s fun to study the book layout. Some pages have full spreads and others have spot illustrations. I guess I should define spreads and spots. Spreads are illustrations / pages that cover both the left and the right pages when the book is lying open. Usually the illustration bleeds, or runs off the page. Spot illustrations are usually self contained on the page and do not run to the edge. I love when the title and copyright pages has illustration. I think this is a good place to “set the stage” for the story. Illustrate the surroundings of where the story takes place, or sometimes put a small spot illustration of one of the characters above or below the copyright / title page text.