StoryMakers in the Kitchen: Julie Hedlund & Susan Eaddy
Author Julie Hedlund and illustrator Susan Eaddy collaborated on My Love for You Is the Sun, a beautiful book that celebrates the many ways we express love for others. In this craft-based episode of StoryMakers, Eaddy teaches Hedlund and host Rocco Staino how to make a relief sculpture based on the illustration style used in the book. The author and illustrator provide examples of additional activities parents, caretakers, and teachers can do with children. Viewers are encouraged to explore color and texture creation.
Julie Hedlund is familiar to many aspiring and established children’s literature authors. She is the founder of 12×12, a year long picture book writing challenge where members write 12 drafts in 12 months. Hedlund celebrated five years of the 12×12 challenge in early 2016.
We’re giving away three (3) prize packs for this episode of StoryMakers. Each prize pack includes a of copy of Julie & Susan’s picture book, MY LOVE FOR YOU IS THE SUN and art supplies to make your own clay art inspired by Susan Eaddy’s work. The giveaway ends at 11:59 PM on May 31, 2016. ENTER NOW!
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ABOUT ‘MY LOVE FOR YOU IS THE SUN’
My Love for You Is the Sun
Written by Julie Hedlund, illustrated by Susan Eaddy
Published by Little Bahalia Publishing
My Love for You is the Sun is a love letter from parent to child, written in verse and expressing that timeless and unconditional love through metaphors from the natural world. My love for you is the sun, a tree, the rain, a river but of course, its also about more than familial or parental love, its about the universal, infinite nature of love itself, and as such, will hold crossover appeal for all ages. Edited by best-selling childrens book author Emma Walton-Hamilton, and illustrated with the amazing clay art of Susan Eaddy, this melodious tour of parent-and-child animals in their various habitats will mesmerize children at bedtime, and help them feel a connection with the loved one sharing it with them. With soothing verses evoking the beauty and wonder of the natural world, combined with stunning, hand-sculpted clay illustrations, this book is one families everywhere will read again and again.
ABOUT JULIE HEDLUND
Inspired by my two children, I began writing picture books. I took a course in children’s book writing and joined the Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators in order to learn more. All while continuing my “day” job. Finally, in the fall of 2009 I attended a regional SCBWI conference in Denver. I was swollen with inspiration, hope and desire to not only write, but to make a career from writing. On the drive home, I had an epiphany — “What if I could feel as inspired, driven and hopeful every day as I do today?” So I made the decision to leave my job – right as the world economy collapsed. Everyone, myself included, thought I was crazy, but I no longer felt like I had a choice. I knew I needed to give a writing career a shot, and that I needed to start immediately. I began writing my blog, signed up for a few social media networks, wrote another picture book manuscript, signed up for an SCBWI national conference in New York and never looked back.
People often ask me why I write for children. I write for children because I want to make their lives better through books. Yes, books educate children, give them adventures, escape, and entertainment. But books also give children hope. And what could be more important and profound than that?
Read more, here.
CONNECT WITH JULIE HEDLUND
Website | Facebook | Twitter
ABOUT SUSAN EADDY
One of the reasons I enjoy clay so much is that I don’t really know how to do it. Each illustration is a discovery process as I study nature and animals and try to figure out how to bring them to life in clay. My finished clay critters live in pizza boxes, and I suspect that they play at night while we slumber. I was an Art Director for fifteen years, and won some international 3D illustration awards and a Grammy nomination. But my passion is, and always has been, illustrating and writing for children. I am the Regional advisor for the Midsouth SCBWI, and a member of the SCBWI Bologna Team. I love to travel and have done school visits anywhere in the world from Taiwan to Alabama to Hong Kong.
Read more, here.
CONNECT WITH SUSAN EADDY
Website | Twitter
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StoryMakers
Host: Rocco Staino | Executive Producer: Julie Gribble
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What a wonderful book ,the idea to give a poem and a art gift to someone is great.
The clay work is so beautiful , Susan should have her own art exibit.
And Rocco was so funny and good at learning how to take clay lessons.
[hope he gave his Sun project to his wife with a poem].
What a Enjoyable Storymakers!
patte
‘My Love for You Is the Sun’ is a very lovely book. There are so many ways we can describe the love we have for children, spouses, family (furry family too), and friends. Rocco has been getting many great lessons via our StoryMakers guests. He’s a pro!
This is so much fun! Thanks for sharing!
Great pairing idea! I love it when books become more!
I completely agree, Earl. It’s a great way to keep children interested in reading; they’re able to see how a fictional story can apply to their real lives.
I really appreciate Julie Hedland. I’ve been a 12×12 member for 2 years. I can’t wait to read her new book. The illustrations look awesome. Great craft instructions on the video.
That was fun to watch! Yay for books, and creatives, and the 12 x 12 Challenge that’s my home now, and thank you KidLit TV! It was nice to see Susan’s wonderful art lesson and Julie, you rock :)
I have never met Julie, but I have met the incredibly talented Susan Eaddy a couple of times at events in which we were both participating. Her talent always blows me away!!!