Current Happenings

{scroll down to see awards and more news}

   


Upcoming Events

Celebration of Minnesota Children's Authors and Illustrators

Saturday, September 6th,   12:30 - 5 p.m.

Many of Minnesota's finest children's Authors and Illustrators will be at the Anderson Center in Red Wing for this premiere event in Children's Literature.

Mike will be speaking at 3:30 p.m. and will be available all day for signing. Mike will also be displaying  a number of original pieces in the art gallery.

Click here for more details.


Publication Party for Jack's House!

Saturday, September 20th  ~  10:30 a.m. at  The Red Balloon Bookshop

Mike will be reading, drawing and hopefully signing copies of his new book, Jack's House.  Haul in your family and friends.  They'll dig it!


The Original Art Exhibition 2008

October 16th ~  November 26th

Museum of American Illustration at the Society of Illustrators,  New York City

Mike was thrilled to learn that his new book, Jack's House will be a part of this wonderful show that celebrates the fine art of Children’s Book Illustration.

 

 

   

 

First Thursdays in the Arts District

Thursday,  September 3rd - 5:00 to 9:00 p.m.

Thursday,  October 2nd - 5:00 to 9:00 p.m.

Studio 423 in the Northrup King Building.

Join us for First Thursdays in the Arts District as a multitude of painters, sculptors, printmakers, photographers, ceramists, textile and fiber artists, jewelers, furniture showrooms and more open their studios at the Northrup King Building located in the heart of the Northeast Minneapolis Arts District.

Mike will be showing originals from his most recent book "Mama's Little Duckling" along with other new paintings. Mike will also have all of his books and prints available.

Art Attack: this November, look for more details coming soon!

   


Illustration from Jack's House.

New Picture Books

A new picture book illustrated by Mike called “Mama's Little Duckling” written by Marjorie Blaine Parker came out February 28, 2008 by Dutton Children’s Books. This book was selected by the Children’s Book of the Month Club!
Click here to see a preview.

Mike also has finished the illustrations for another picture book called "Jack's House" written by Karen Beil. It will be published September 2008 by Holiday House. This book was also selected by the Children’s Book of the Month Club and made the cover of the Holiday House Fall Catalog!  Click here to see a preview.

   

 

Exclusive LADYBUG cover art poster!

 

By popular demand, and for the first time ever, Carus Publishing is introducing their favorite covers as art posters. Mike illustrated "Green Thumb" for the June 2007 issue of Ladybug.

Click here for more information.

Ladybug is the monthly children’s magazine that opens the door to reading for children ages 2 to 6. Each 40-page issue is filled with page after page of enchanting stories and poems to read aloud.

Click dragon to see full painting.

 

 

The Show Award

Mike recently did seven pen and ink illustrations for Olive and Company. These were made part of “The Olive Marketing Book” for which the Minnesota Advertising Federation (AdFed) awarded the Bronze award in the Direct Marketing/Single category. Olive and Company designed a beautiful book and Mike is proud to have been a part of it.

Olive and Company is a creative service agency specializing in design, interactive, brand development, strategic marketing consulting,
communications, and advertising.

 

 

Spider Magazine

Mike recently illustrated a Puerto Rican folk tale called, "The Terrible Storm." This story will be published in  Spider Magazine.

Click tiger to see more.

Spider magazine is a children’s magazine filled with fun stories, poems, and activities perfectly pitched for newly independent readers and learners. It’s specially written and edited for children who have reached that amazing age when they first get excited about reading on their own.


 
Awards!
   

 

The Original Art Exhibition 2008


Museum of American Illustration at the Society of Illustrators

Mike's new book, Jack's House will be a part of this wonderful show that celebrates the fine art of Children’s Book Illustration.

   

 

"Davey's Blue-Eyed Frog" won the 2006 Beverly Cleary Children's Choice Award!


The purpose of this award is to encourage reading by highlighting good quality literature (fiction and nonfiction) written on the second - third grade reading level, taking into account text, format and the illustrations of the books.

The Beverly Cleary Children's Choice Award, sponsored by Oregon Educational Media Association, (OEMA).

Click here to for more information about "Davey's Blue-Eyed Frog."
To look inside the book click here.

 

Clementine Honored!

"The Foot Stomping Adventures of Clementine Sweet" has been selected by the Children's Book Committee at Bank Street College of Education as one of the best children's books of the year!

The Best Children's Books of the Year is one of the most comprehensive annotated book lists for children, aged infant-14. The Committee reviews over 4000 titles each year for accuracy and literary quality and considers their emotional impact on children.

Click here to see more of Clementine.

 


Yahoo! Cowboy Sam and those Confounded secrets was nominated for the 2002-2003 Buckaroo Award.

Sponsored by Wyoming Library Association and the Wyoming State Reading Council, the Buckaroo Award provides the opportyunity for Wyoming children in kindergarden through third grade to select favorite books they have read or have listened to and to the honor the authors and illustrators of these books.