While I was at ALA in Anaheim this weekend I was ecstatic to find out that the book I illustrated last year for Freespirit Publishing ' How to Talk to an Autistic Kid' won a gold in the Foreward Reviews Book of the Year Awards, announced at ALA. And I didn't realize till I got home!

https://botya.forewordreviews.com/winners/2011/juvenile-nonfiction/

Congratulations to Daniel Stefanski .. awesome autistic author!

In other news I found a box o' books awaiting me when I got back to Maine. Love the colours! This is the 4th in the series of Anastasia Suen's 'All Star Cheerleaders' published by Kane Miller.

And here we are together at ALA getting ready to sign like crazy! 100 in an hour and I drew a cheerleader in EVERY one ... what was I thinking??

More on my exploits at ALA Anaheim in another post ... it was exhausting and fun and exhausting and FUN!

Right now I have to finish a cover.

Toodles!
Hazel

This week I was asked to create a banner for New England's SCBWI Facebook page. This was an honour and a lot of fun to do. What better than lobster and water on a day that was over 90F .. phew, Maine!

Here is the banner.

View it on Facebook at NESCBWI page

I wanted to keep it fun and lively, so it's one of my digital drawings straight into Photoshop, no sketching. It stops me overthinking and it's a style that is appealing to younger eyes. And older ones too I hope!

Right now I am packing to go to ALA (American Library Conference) in Anaheim, CA. This is my first time at a big library conference and it's exciting. I have two book signings, so if you are going, catch me at Kane Miller (with Anastasia Suen, author of 'All Star Cheerleaders') at 11am Saturday and at Charlesbridge's booth Saturday 2-3pm signing 'Hidden New Jersey'.

I am looking forward to meeting LIBRARIANS and catching up with some industry friends. So please come and say HELLO!

There will be photos ...

Right, back to packing.

Toodles
Hazel

On the bedside table:
A slew of Emily Gravett picture books
'Picture This' and 'What it is' by Lynda Barry - recommend highly.

All images, text, photographs and ideas represented on this website are copyright of the artist Hazel Mitchell and may not be reproduced, copied or used in any way without written permission of the artist.