Wishful thinking . . .

Most days, I love the challenges of my work. But once in a while, a day comes along that makes me wish I was Cow.


Or Puppy.



Or Lamb.


Or especially Kitty.

Happy Friday!

While browsing a blog that some of us designers regularly peruse, Share Some Candy, we happened to come across some of our books! How cool! And what a nice way to end the week. Don't they look good? We certainly think so! Written by our own Michael Dahl, illustrated by Migy and designed by Bob Lentz, these books are filled with colorful fun! Check them out on our website, and have a great weekend!

Image from Share Some Candy

Can There Ever Be Enough?

March Madness has finally ended (in April, which is very confusing), baseball is in full swing (Twins home opener is on Friday, and I will be there!), and summer league slow-pitch softball for men is right around the corner (don't even ask). Sports are a big part of my life. In fact, every two years my life is consumed with the Olympics. (My obsession borders on crazy.)

Coincidentally, sports are also a big part of children's book publishing. Every season we do at least two series about sports (Jake Maddox, anyone?), and I doubt that will change any time soon. From My First Graphic Novel sports stories to Sports Illustrated chapter books, we have a great range of topics for every age group. Because really, can we ever have enough sports books?

April is National Poetry Month

The Enkindled Spring


This spring as it comes bursts up in bonfires green,
Wild puffing of emerald trees, and flame-filled bushes,
Thorn-blossom lifting in wreaths of smoke between
Where the wood fumes up and the watery, flickering rushes.

I am amazed at this spring, this conflagration
Of green fires lit on the soil of the earth, this blaze
Of growing, and sparks that puff in wild gyration,
Faces of people streaming across my gaze.

And I, what fountain of fire am I among
This leaping combustion of spring? My spirit is tossed
About like a shadow buffeted in the throng
Of flames, a shadow that's gone astray, and is lost.


--D.H. Lawrence

Autism Awareness Month

April has a lot of great things to offer. It has April Fool’s Day. It has Easter. It has Earth Day. It often has what feels like the real start of spring. But it also has something more meaningful: Autism Awareness Day. This is something that always hits close to home for me since my brother Ryan has autism. He and I are only two years apart in age, so we’ve always been close. (Especially when you take into account how siblings usually bicker!)

There are a lot of misconceptions about people with autism: they’re standoffish, they don’t show affection, they always prefer to be alone, they can’t communicate, they’re all savants like in Rain Man, the list goes on and on. And while some of those might be true for some people, they’re not true for all. My brother is without a doubt, one of the sweetest, funniest, most affectionate people I know. And believe me, when he wants something he has ZERO trouble communicating it to you. And despite whatever challenges and problems may arise as a result of Ryan’s autism, I know I’m a better person for having him in my life.

Today in the United States, 1 in every 110 children is diagnosed with autism, and that number increases to 1 in 70 for boys. That’s a 600% increase from when Ryan was diagnosed almost 20 years ago, and there’s still no cure. Tomorrow, April 2nd, is World Autism Awareness Day, and all of April is Autism Awareness Month — use the time to talk to a child you know about what autism is. For more information, check out http://www.autismspeaks.org/index.php or http://www.autism-society.org/.