AUTHOR VISIT AT JEFFERSON SCHOOL, Glendale, CA

Thomas Jefferson Elementary, an award winning school, Glendale, CA.

On Monday, Nov 18th, I had a good day at Jefferson Elementary School in Glendale, California. The day was sponsored by the Glendale Assistance League, who not only brought in the authors for the day and gave each teacher a copy of one of our books, but also gave a generous check to the school for the purchase of books for the library. I was one of six authors visiting classrooms--Larissa Theule, Tao Nyeu, Benson Shum, Joe Cepeda and Tracy Holczer were the others. I gave presentations to first and second grade students.

I was pleased by the good response to my presentation by the students and teachers. They especially liked my new book My Friend From Outer Space, enthusiastically helping to count down from 10 before shouting, BLAST OFF!

Special thanks go to Linelle Vicenti and Kathy Blyth for coordinating everything and making sure the day ran smoothly! I also thank all the Glendale Assistance League volunteers who helped--introducing me in the classrooms, helping out with the book signing, and bringing the delicious snacks and lunch. Many thanks to the Glendale Assistance League for another successful Authors and Illustrators Day! 

Entrance to Jefferson School on Authors and Illustrators Day, with the Assistance League banner.

 

CONVERSATIONS WITH ART: My Book Illustrations on Exhibit, Los Angeles, CA

Caroline with her art on display at Belmont Village Senior Living, Los Angeles, CA.

On Thursday, November 14, I had the pleasure of participating in the opening reception for Conversations with Art, an art show at Belmont Village Senior Living in Los Angeles featuring works by UCLA Emeriti and Retirees. I was one of ten artists. Each of us had the opportunity to discuss our creations and inspiration.

Four giclee prints of illustrations from my animal books published by PictureWindow Books are on display, two from A Panda’s World and two from A Bald Eagle’s World. I talked about my beginnings as a children's book writer and illustrator and about the cut-paper technique that I use to create my art.

Conversations with Art is coordinated by Alicia Thomason at Belmont Village Senior Living and the Emeriti/Retirees Relations Center at UCLA. It will be up for the next three months at Belmont Village Senior Living located at 10475 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90024. 

If you are in the neighborhood, please stop by and enjoy the art!

  

CLCSC GALA AWARDS CEREMONY 2024

At the Luminarias Restaurant for the CLCSC Fall Gala.

A week ago I attended the gala awards ceremony of the Children’s Literature Council of Southern California, held at Luminarias Restaurant in Monterey Park in East Los Angeles. Many members of our Book Chat Thursday group were there helping to celebrate excellence in children's literature. 

Book Chat Thursday group: Ann Whitford Paul, Linda Guthrie, Dana Middleton, Colleen Paeff , Caroline Arnold

The event began with a delicious breakfast buffet and fund raising auction followed by the presentation of awards. Poet Mason Granger was an excellent Master of Ceremonies for the program. Awards were presented to Marla Frazee for In Every Life; Sally J. Pla for The Fire, The Water, and Maudie McGinn; Tracy Badua for The Takeout; Abdi Nazemian for Only This Beautiful Moment; Dan Santat for a Distinguished Body of Work; to Stephanie Moran and Muammar Reed of MiJa Books for Distinguished Service in the Field of Children’s Literature; and to Olivia Bates who received the Caroline Gill Award for Exceptional Volunteer Service. After short introductions by members of the award committee, each of the winners gave engaging talks as they accepted the award. The morning ended with a book signing by the winners of the awards.

Book Signing. Dan Santat, Marla Frazee and other awardees.

I attend this event almost every year and enjoy the opportunity to see teachers and librarians and meet with other authors. I am always impressed by the talent and breadth of the children’s literature community in Southern California.

Colleen, Dana and Me

Many thanks to Dana Middleton for the photos.. 

GRINNELL COLLEGE LIBRARY--A Complete Collection of My Books

Grinnell College, Grinnell, Iowa.

I am proud that Burling Library, the Grinnell College library in Grinnell, Iowa, has all of my books in its collection. To my knowledge, it is the only institution that has copies of every one of my published books. (Note: the Kerlan Collection at the University of Minnesota, one of the few national archives of children's books, has many of my books, as well as the accompanying manuscripts and correspondence. They also have my original art used for the books I illustrated.)

Five Nests (1980), my first published book.

I graduated from Grinnell College in 1966 with a B.A. in Art. My first book for children, Five Nests (E.P. Dutton) was published in 1980 and the publisher sent a copy of the book to the college library. Since then I have been sending copies of my books as they have come out. The books are kept in the Special Collections Room of Burling Library on the ground floor of the library along with books by other Grinnell College graduates.

Burling Library, Grinnell College.

I am the author of 170 books for children. Most are illustrated by other people. But between 2006 and 2015 I illustrated 16 of my books published by PictureWindow Books (Capstone). On my recent trip to Grinnell I brought 16 giclee prints of illustrations from those books--one from each book--and donated them to the library. (See list below.) I am glad to have them become part of the Grinnell Library collection. I thank Christopher Jones, the librarian in charge of Special Collections, for making my books and art available to students and users of the college library.

Giclee prints of cut-paper illustrations by Caroline Arnold for the following books are in the Grinnell College Library:

DAY AND NIGHT SERIES (2015)

Illustration from A Day and Night in the Desert 

A DAY AND NIGHT IN THE DESERT, pp 16-17 (PictureWindow Books, 2015)

 A DAY AND NIGHT ON THE PRAIRIE, pp 12-13 (PictureWindow Books, 2015)

 A DAY AND NIGHT IN THE RAIN FOREST, pp 6-7  (PictureWindow Books, 2015)

 A DAY AND NIGHT IN THE FOREST pp 16-17 (PictureWindow Books, 2015)

BLACK AND WHITE ANIMALS SERIES (2006)

Illustration from A Panda's World

A PANDA’S WORLD, pp. 4-5 and 20-21, (PictureWindow Books, 2006)

 A PENGUIN’S WORLD, pp. 20-21, (PictureWindow Books, 2006)

 A KILLER WHALE’S WORLD, pp. 8-9, (PictureWindow Books, 2006)

 A ZEBRA’S WORLD, pp. 18-19 and 20-21, (PictureWindow Books, 2006)

AUSTRALIAN ANIMALS SERIES (2008)

Illustration from A Kangaroo's World

A KANGAROO’S WORLD, pp. 18-19 and  20-21, (PictureWindow Books, 2008)

 A KOALA’S WORLD, pp. 12-13,  PictureWindow Books, 2008)

 A PLATYPUS’ WORLD, pp. 14-15, (PictureWindow Books, 2008)

 A WOMBAT’S WORLD, pp. 16-17, (PictureWindow Books, 2008)

ARCTIC ANIMAL SERIES (2010)

Illustration from A Bald Eagle's World

A BALD EAGLE’S WORLD, pp. 10-11,  (PictureWindow Books, 2010)

 A MOOSE’S WORLD, pp. 6-7,  (PictureWindow Books, 2010)

 A POLAR BEAR’S WORLD, pp. 18-19, (PictureWindow Books, 2010)

 A WALRUS’  WORLD, pp. 8-9 and 18-19 , (PictureWindow Books, 2010)

 

SCHOOL VISITS at the Humboldt County Children's Author Festival, Eureka, CA

Last week was the Humboldt County Children's Author Festival in beautiful Eureka, California. I was one of twenty-four participating authors and during the first two days of the festival we visited more than fifty schools throughout Humboldt County. Our volunteer drivers brought us to a wide variety of schools, big and small, some in Eureka and Arcata, some located in tiny rural communities. 

I visited three schools--two on Thursday and one on Friday. On Thursday I went to Big Lagoon Elementary and Orick Elementary--taking a beautiful drive up the coast--encountering two herds of elk on the way. 

Big Lagoon has a total of twelve students. The younger children were very enthusiastic and full of questions and comments. The older students in were also attentive and very interested in the writing and publishing process. I thank the principal, Christy Ng, and the teachers for sharing my books ahead of time and preparing the students.

At Orick School, which has nine students, there were more elk on the playground than students! It was fun having lunch with the kids and getting to know them and the teachers. I enjoyed the personal way I was able to share my books with them. And I appreciated their charming penguin drawings that were inspired by my book A Penguin’s World.  I thank the principal Justin Wallace for coordinating my visit.

Orick School is at the edge of Redwood National Park. After my visit, my driver and I took a short detour for a walk through beautiful Ladybird Johnson Grove before returning to Eureka.

On the second day of author visits at the Author Festival I visited Coast Redwood Montessori School, tucked in the dunes of Humboldt Bay. I loved the enthusiasm of the students and their great questions. I thank librarian Tess Yinger for preparing the students for my visit. During the break before lunch, the children proudly showed me the extensive school garden. 

I then followed the path to the top of the dunes for a spectacular view of the ocean on one side and the bay on the other.

I have been participating in the Humboldt County Children's Author Festival since 2007. Every year I go to great schools, each with its own personality. I thank everyone on the Festival committee for doing such a great job of coordinating all of the author visits.

HUMBOLDT COUNTY CHILDREN'S AUTHOR FESTIVAL: Celebrating 50 Years!

Celebrating 50 years of the Humboldt County Children's Author Festival

I'm just back from Eureka, California, and the incomparable Humboldt County Children's Author Festival--celebrating its 50th year! It is an honor to have been part of the celebration—three days with author visits in the schools, a gala banquet, and book signing in the Humboldt County Library. I was one of twenty-four authors, together visiting more than fifty schools throughout Humboldt County--all organized by the dedicated Author Festival Committee. No other author festival has such wide community support and such amazing volunteers.  

Morris Graves Museum, Youth Gallery Exhibit. Illustrations from my books, A Day and Night on the Prairie and A Day and Night in the Desert, on the right.

At the Morris Graves Museum of Art, Eureka, CA.

The first event was a reception at the beautiful Morris Graves Museum of Art (formerly a Carnegie Library). Prints of two of my illustrations were on exhibit in the youth art gallery along with art by other participating author/illustrators.

Big Lagoon Elementary School

Orick Elementary School

I have been coming to this biannual festival since 2007, and every time I go to terrific schools-some big, some small, many of them rural. This year was no exception. I loved my visits at Big Lagoon and Orick schools with their small number of students and the chance to interact personally with the kids. 

Welcome sign at Coast Redwood Montesori School

And the students at Coast Redwood Montessori were great too. I loved the question from one of the students, "Are you going to write a book about us?" Who knows? Ideas for new books are everywhere.

In the dunes behind Coast Redwood Montessori School.

Coast Redwood school is tucked in the dunes on the peninsula between the ocean and Humboldt Bay. During the break before lunch with the students at Coast Redwood I had a chance to walk in the dunes. What a fantastic view! 

Marina, Eureka, CA.

On Friday afternoon the authors had free time. Some took the opportunity to do the Sky Walk in the redwoods at the Sequoia Park Zoo, an activity I enjoyed on my last visit to Eureka; this time I did a self-guided walking tour of Eureka’s historic downtown, with its buildings from the turn of the last century when Humboldt Bay was a major port along the California coast.

All the authors at the banquet.

On Friday evening everyone assembled for a gala banquet at the new Sequoia Conference Center, in a large room filled with festive decorations. Delicious birthday cakes (see photo above) were provided by Ramon's Bakery. The highlight of the evening was the program in which each author gave a three-minute talk.

At the Humboldt County Library.

Humboldt County Library.

The last event of the festival was the book signing at the library on Saturday, when from 10am to 2pm the authors had the chance to meet the public and autograph books. Profits from the book sales help to support the festival. 

History of the Children's Author Festival at the Humboldt County Library.

Upstairs at the library was a wonderful exhibit of the history of the author festival with a display of posters, T-shirts, a quilt, and other memorabilia from the past. 

So many people work hard to coordinate all the details of the author festival and make sure everything operates smoothly and on schedule. I thank everyone on the committee for inviting me to be part of the Humboldt County Children's Author Festival once again. And I thank all the volunteers for everything they do to make this festival special. It was an honor to be part of the celebration of the 50th year of the Humboldt County Children’s Author Festival. Here's to many more!

ART SHOW: Morris Graves Museum of Art, Eureka, CA

Children's book illustrations on exhibit at the Morris Graves Museum, Eureka, CA.

I'm just back from Eureka, California, and the incomparable Humboldt County Children's Author Festival--celebrating its 50th year! The first event was a reception at the beautiful Morris Graves Art Museum (formerly a Carnegie Library).

With giclee prints of illustrations from my books A Day and Night on the Prairie (Capstone 2015) (top), and A Day and Night in the Desert (Capstone, 2015) (bottom)

Prints of two of my illustrations were on exhibit in the Youth Gallery along with art by other participating author/illustrators. Many thanks to Lucy Quinby for coordinating the show!

In front of the Morris Graves Museum of Art.

The building, once the town library, is on the National Register of Historic Places.