Writings

MARNI McGEE

BOOKS, BOOKS, BOOKS!

BUMBLE, THE LITTLE BEAR WITH BIG IDEAS. This is the story of a bear cub who goes to visit his Grandma. When he discovers that she is asleep -- with a big bump on her head -- he decides to help. He wants to surprise her, and he does!

"Long ago, when the world was new, the angels all had work to do." So begins this quietly hopeful book. Told in gentle rhymes and illustrated with shimmering images, this story brings comfort and delight to children, parents, and grandparents.

WHILE ANGELS WATCH is illustrated by Tina Macnaughton and published by Little Tiger (UK) and Good Books (US). With 9 international co-publishers, it has sold more than 175,000 copies. In 2006, it was a Summer BOOK SENSE PICK: "This is a magnificent story of springtime. Every page is dappled with the silvery dust of angel wings as the angels teach dolphins to swim, spiders to spin, roosters to crow, and owls to fly. What a beautiful way to teach children that they will be protected!"

SILLY GOOSE, illustrated by Alison Edgson; published in 2008 by Little Tiger (UK) and Good Books (US) plus nine other countries.

When Fox tells sweet, silly Goose that her ears are missing, Goose is all a-flutter. Where can her ears be? Then she meets Peacock, who just happens to be selling ears. What luck! Goose is so excited, she does not even notice Peacock's pointy ears, his bushy tail and sharp, sharp teeth. Will Goose's friends be able to save her in time?

Described as breathtaking. A SONG IN BETHLEHEM, illustrated by Jason Cockcroft was published by Knopf/ Random House. From the jacket: "One chill, wintry evening in Bethlehem, young Naomi hears of an amazing sight, there are three men rich as kings. . . Naomi forgets how hungry and cold she is and rushes to the stable. . . Naomi discovers a different treasure. . . It is a night full of wonders.

From Publishers Weekly: "This tender tale of a street urchin's encounter with the Holy Family hits all the right holiday notes. . . . Cockcroft's photo-realistic acrylics set a dreamy tone. Accents of nearly transparent flecks of paint create the effect of watching the drama unfold in a snow globe."

An inside page from THE COLT AND THE KING, luminous illustrations by the late John Winch; published by Holiday House. This is the Palm Sunday story told from the donkey's point of view.

In its STARRED REVIEW, Publishers Weekly quotes the following lines before concluding: "Luminous!"

    Happiness made my hooves tap high,
    and joy was in my breath.
    My heart welled up with wonder
    like a barrel that fills with rain.

From School Library Journal: "The importance of love and peace are theological ideas skillfully woven into the poetic text, which is both simple and moving in its language and images. Bold ... illustrations inspired by Renaissance frescoes delineate every hair, blade of grass, and wisp of straw. . . "

WINSTON THE BOOK WOLF, illustrated by Ian Beck and published by Bloomsbury/ Walker in the UK, US and Germany. Winston just loves words and books. He likes them so much that he EATS THEM. In fact, he has bitten a hole in the cover. . . As you might imagine, this gets him into trouble, especially at the library. Fortunately, a smart girl named Rosie comes to the rescue. Readers will find her solution delicious!

The GUARDIAN of London describes WINSTON as "playful and inventive, with a vibrant vocabulary and distinctive illustra- tions." Reviewer Kendall Rautzhan wrote: "Loaded with fun and promoting a terrific message, WINSTON THE BOOK WOLF is first rate."

From the Iowa State Education Association came this lovely review: "A magical book showing children the love of reading. Winston, a wolf, loves to eat words. Rosie, a young girl, teaches him how to taste words by eating them with your eyes. Winston learns to read and comes back to the library disguised as Granny and reads stories to the children."

THE NOISY FARM, wonderfully illustrated by Leonie Shearing, was published in 2004 by Bloomsbury (UK and US). From the jacket: The sights and sounds of this delightul day at the farm are sure to be enjoyed by readers of all ages, especially when they join in the noise!

"A rolicking romp!"

Chinaberry calls it a gem. THE NOISY FARM is full of noises, "which helps make the 100th reading much more tolerable. It is about a quiet farmer who is awakened each morning by the rooster's "Cock-a-doo, cock-a-doo! Cock-a-doodle-doo!" When he gets out of bed, the bedsprings go Squeak! and the floor goes Creak! . . . We follow the genial farmer through the day as he tends to his animals--right up until he goes to sleep that night with a Zzzzzz. The sound effects combined with a simple story involving animals makes for a darling winner of a book." (Hint: Look for the charming little mouse who appears in almost every spread.)

For a complete list of books, including nonfiction histories, poetry, and out-of-print books, please go to page entitled "Pub List."