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)

 

CAROLINE ARNOLD’S HABITATS: A Day and Night in the Rain Forest, Desert, Prairie and Forest--New Series Written and Illustrated by Caroline Arnold

My new books are just out from PictureWindow Books (Capstone)!  The series, Caroline Arnold’s Habitats, includes four titles, A Day and Night in the Rain Forest, A Day and Night in the Desert, A Day and Night on the Prairie, and A Day and Night in the Forest.  Like my earlier PWB series, Caroline Arnold’s Animals, the books are illustrated with my own cut-paper collage art. The large format (10 x 10 inches) makes them perfect for reading aloud in a classroom or library or for reading alone to a young child. Fascinating extra facts appear as sidebars and in the extensive back matter.

6:00 A.M., illustration from  A Day and Night in the Desert

Each book follows a 24 hour cycle of activity, highlighting the role of each animal in its habitat and how the habitat supports a variety of life. The illustrations progress from daylight to darkness to daylight again, visually supporting the progression of activity through the day and night.

9:00 P.M., illustration from A Day and Night in the Desert

The Caroline Arnold’s Habitats books are available in both a hardcover library binding and in a paperback edition. You can go to my website to find Common Core connections to each book, suggested projects and activities, and links to the other titles in the series.

Radical Changes in the Editing Process: Santa Barbara Breakfast With the Authors

Greg Trine, Joan Graham, Heidi Gill, Susan Casey, Valerie Hobbs, Alexis O'Neill, Sherry Shahan, Mel Gilden, Sara Kras, Marianne Richmond, Caroline Arnold, Robin Mellom, Amy Koss

Last Saturday I participated, along with thirteen other authors, in the 62nd annual Breakfast with the Authors sponsored by the Santa Barbara County Office of Education.  After time to mingle and chat and eat a delicious breakfast we each had the opportunity to address the question:  What is the most radical change you have made to your manuscript in the editing and rewriting processes?

For me, the answer was easy.  It was the conversion of my 24 page nonfiction picture book A Panda’s World (PictureWindow Books, 2006) to a 20 page board book.  First of all, the page sizes were shrunk from 11 by 11 inches, to 8 by 8 inches. (The illustrations remain the same, except smaller.) Then all the front matter (information about panda size, weight, etc.) was eliminated along with three pages of back matter (map, fun facts, glossary, etc.).  Then, the text on each page spread had to be shortened from two paragraphs to about two sentences! That's a radical change! And, the sidebars with fun facts were also eliminated. What was left were the essentials of the story.  Net result: a new book perfectly suited for a parent to read to a young child or for a beginning reader to read alone.  The board book edition of A Panda’s World will be published in February 2015, along with three other titles from the same series–A Penguin’s World, A Zebra’s World and A Polar Bear’s World.  I am delighted to have the new board book versions of these books, which make the stories available to a whole new audience.

The morning’s program also included a panel of teen readers who responded to anonymous first pages.  It was fascinating to hear their opinions and find out how they identified with the characters in the stories.
Thanks so much to Rose, Matt, Fred and Doris for all the hard work to organize the breakfast.  It is always a pleasure to participate!