News and Events
{scroll down to see awards and more news}
Upcoming Events in 2011
April 8-9- Spotlight on Books - A Conference for
Adults Focused on Youth Literature ~ Mike will be a
featured speaker along with Alison McGhee and Sarah Weeks
Grand Rapids, MN ~ Click here for more details
July 24 - Storytime before the Saint Paul Saints game!
At 12:20 p.m. in the right-field corner, families enjoy the
Reading Tree, presented by The Red Balloon Bookshop.
Before Mike's reading, a Saints player will talk about why he loves to read. Free and open to the public.
August 25 - Mike at the State Fair! Mike is honored to be
the featured illustrator at the Alphabet Forest located in Baldwin Park, across from the 4-H building. Mike will be working with kids on activities and signing copies of "The Twelve Days of Christmas in Minnesota" (which will be available for purchase) from 10:00am to 6pm, Thursday, August 25th. Hope to see you at the Fair!
Click here for more details
September - Mike's new book, A Teacher for Bear written by
Anne Marie Pace, will be available through the Scholastic Book Club!
October 15 - Minnesota SCBWI 2011 Fall Conference
Mike will be a featured speaker.
Keynote Speakers: Alison McGhee and Dan Santat Metropolitan State University, St. Paul Campus
Click here for more details!
Nov. 4, 5, 6 - Art Attack, Studio 423 in the NK Building.
Open Studio Event! Mike will be showing many new paintings,
and all of his books and prints will be available.
Friday, Nov. 4th 5:00 - 10:00 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 5th Noon - 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 6th Noon - 5:00 p.m.
Free and open to the public.
Upcoming Events in 2012
March 13- Publication of Mike's new book, Stay Close to Mama
written by Toni Buzzeo and published by Hyperion Books.
More details coming soon!
March 17 - Publication Party for Stay Close to Mama!
At The Red Balloon Bookshop at 10:30 am.
Mike will be reading, drawing, and signing books. There will be cake!
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Illustration from
"The Twelve Days of Christmas in Minnesota"
The Twelve Days of Christmas News
"The Twelve Days of Christmas in Minnesota" written by Connie Van Hoven , sold out in 2009 and 2010. It has gone into another printing and is available again this fall!
This book was listed by the St. Paul Pioneer Press
as one of the best holiday gifts for children!
Also, it was listed as one of the top sellers at The Red Balloon Bookshop! Click here to read the Publishers Weekly article.
Print Detail: Click for more info
First Thursdays in the Arts District
Thursday, Aug. 4th 5:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Thursday, Sept. 1st 5:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 6th 5:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Studio 423 in the Northrup King Building.
1500 Jackson St. NE
Minneapolis, MN 55413
Get directions to the building.
Join us for First Thursday 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.
Two new editions of Mama's Little Duckling!
Mike is thrilled to announce Mama's Little Duckling has two new editions. To the left is the cover of the Korean edition. Also, the english paperback edition is now available.
Click here to see more of "Mama's Little Duckling"
Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes!
Mike has another new book coming out this fall, "Head, Shoulders, Kees, and Toes" published by Scholastic.
Join some very friendly animals as they sing along with this family favorite. Familiar rhythms and rhymes will introduce children to the sounds of language.
Babybug Cover
Look for Mike's illustration on the cover of the March 2009 issue of Babybug. Also, in the same issue Mike illustrated two spreads for a wonderful story called, "The Duck and the Kangaroo" by Eward Lear.
BABYBUG Magazine, the listening and looking magazine for infants and toddlers, is just right for small hands. It's filled with simple stories and rhymes and bright, engaging pictures
Click here to see ten of Mike's favorite picture books (he could have listed many, many more)!
The Original Art Exhibition
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.
Mike's book will also be a part of the 2009 traveling show!
Look for an itinerary coming soon.
Jack's House was also selected by the Children's Book Committee at Bank Street College of Education as one of the best children's books of the year!
SCAD Illustration 30 x 30 Alumni Show
Mike was happy to hear his illustration "Ruffling Feathers" will be a part of the juried Alumni Show along with 29 other wonderful illustrators.
This year SCAD is celebrating 30 years!
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.
How Magazine and 'The Show' Awards
Mike 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 and a Merit award from HOW Magazine Design Annual. 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.
Illustration from Jack's House.
Jack's House Honored!
"Jack's House" 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!
Click here to see inside Jack's House.
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.
"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.
Click here to see more of Cowboy Sam.