We have news! (no, not Austenland movie news yet...)
Presenting the illustrator for The Princess in Black! As we announced earlier this year, The Princess in Black will be a series of early chapter books, written by me and my husband, published by Candlewick. The first is looking at a fall 2014 release. And I'm elated, ecstatic, and overjoyed to get to crow about the illustrator:
LEUYEN PHAM!
I met LeUyen (pronounced Le Win, or just call her Uyen/Win) many years ago when on tour in California. We kept in touch, and all the while I had secret, fervent wishes to one day work with her. I had no idea she might have felt the same about me! Dean and I are thrilled she's agreed to go on this adventure with us. She's a gorgeous, silly, thoughtful, imaginative, and obscenely skilled artist, mother, and human being. She's going to blow these books OUT OF THE WATER.
Here's her bio:
LeUyen Pham is the prolific and bestselling illustrator of many books for children, including Grace for President by Kelly DiPucchio and Freckleface Strawberry by Julianne Moore. Pham has also written and illustrated her own works, including All the Things I Love About You and Big Sister, Little Sister. She lives with her husband and two sons in San Francisco.
But really the best way to get to know an illustrator is through her art, no? Feast.
All image copyrights LeUyen Pham. See her website for even more lovelies. She's ridiculously versitile. I can't wait to see what she comes up with for Princess Magnolia--princess by day, monster hunter by night! (or by day too, really, depending on what time they crawl up out of Monster Land and into her kingdom.)
How exciting! Can't wait!
Posted by: Lori Folkman | October 11, 2012 at 01:49 PM
Art like that makes me think "Wait, a real-life person can do that?!" So glad to hear that two fantastic artists get to team up for a work of awesomeness.
Posted by: Annie | October 11, 2012 at 01:53 PM
OOohhhhhhhhh, congratulations. She is really and truly one of my FAVORITE illustrators, and I can't wait to see this project come together! And another you and your honey project? Too cool!!
Posted by: tanita | October 11, 2012 at 02:10 PM
Oh, wow - those covers were amazing!! This book is going to be beautiful!
Posted by: Franki | October 11, 2012 at 02:20 PM
Awesome!
Posted by: Janeil J. | October 11, 2012 at 02:22 PM
Very exciting! Her artwork is beautiful. I can't wait!
Posted by: Dena | October 11, 2012 at 02:42 PM
She is SO talented, a great partner for such a talented writing duo! Congratulations one and all!
Posted by: wendy toliver | October 11, 2012 at 02:48 PM
Oh my gorgeous! I am so excited for this team!
Posted by: Jessica | October 11, 2012 at 02:52 PM
She is very versatile for sure! Love her style! We have gotten Big Sister, Little Sister at the Library it was super cute!
Posted by: Katie | October 11, 2012 at 04:15 PM
How exciting! I've loved her work for awhile. I couldn't find it on her webpage, but I just got Vampirina Ballerina in at my library, and it so such a gorgeous book! http://www.amazon.com/Vampirina-Ballerina-Anne-Marie-Pace/dp/1423157532
Posted by: Opaleyz | October 11, 2012 at 04:40 PM
ach. *it _is_ such
now I feel better.
Posted by: Opaleyz | October 11, 2012 at 04:41 PM
Love her ilustrations; this will be fun to watch!
Posted by: Anne Holman | October 11, 2012 at 05:04 PM
EXCITEMENT!!! AAAAAAAAAAAGH I can't wait for it! I changed my mind. The worst part of books is not when it ends, it's waiting for it to come out.
Posted by: Debbie | October 11, 2012 at 06:20 PM
*GASP* I'm so excited!!! I can't wait 'til 2014 though and her illistrations... I can't even. I suppose I'll wait but it will be on tinderhooks
Posted by: Jessica | October 11, 2012 at 06:35 PM
Versatile is a wonderful word for her work. From the time you announced the project idea of "Princess in Black", I imagined a "Freckleface Strawberry" kinda artwork with lots of personality and movement. Soooo very exciting!
And I love it when two friends (or almost friends) get to work on a project together and become even better friends.
So. Very. Cool.
Posted by: Amelia Loken | October 11, 2012 at 09:53 PM
What fun! She's IS an incredible artist - what a fun team the three of you make!
Posted by: Zena Parks | October 12, 2012 at 09:05 AM
That's wonderful! She's a fabulous artist!
Posted by: Ciera Horton | October 12, 2012 at 09:15 AM
She is really incredible! So excited for this to come out!
Posted by: Ashley R. | October 12, 2012 at 10:33 AM
That's so cool! Her stuff is gorg and seems like she'll be great for the book. :D Which I TOTALLY can't wait for!
Posted by: Inky | October 13, 2012 at 02:25 PM
Wow, I'm amazed at how many different styles she can pull off! Very exciting, indeed! Congrats to all of you for getting the chance to work together.
Posted by: Kathryn Purdie | October 13, 2012 at 03:41 PM
I'm excited for these books because I have two daughters who will be just the perfect age! Thanks Shannon. THE GOOSE GIRL is their favorite read-aloud book, we've read it ten times or more. They call it the Princess Ani book. But now they'll have some books they can read themselves!
So excited!
Posted by: Emily | October 15, 2012 at 09:07 AM
Wonderful news!
Posted by: Linda W | October 15, 2012 at 01:13 PM
Wow! Can't wait!
Posted by: Sondy | October 16, 2012 at 12:31 PM
OH! I just HATE that! Our schools have cut a lot of the art prraogms, yet they keep pouring so much money into the sports prraogms! So frustrating!It's not our country, it's the school districts! My town gets PLENTY of money from our taxes to pay for the prraogms, but they first give themselves nice hefty pay increases, then worry about the school budget! UGH!
Posted by: Michail | October 19, 2012 at 05:25 PM
Oh, Shannon! I just saw this old post and had to chime in to cheer for such an incredible combo of you and LeUyen! Being a former illustrator b.c. (before children)turned writer, I have to say that a more beautifully-suited duo could not exist.
Since my oldest was barely old enough to hold picture books in his lap, my children and I have been checking Ms. Pham's stuff out of the library and poring over it ravenously. Have you seen her sensitive illustrations in "Before I Was Your Mother?" Ga ga! Makes the rubberband in your heart twang a few beats out of rhythm. I had to buy "Before I Was Your Mother" for my middle daughter for Christmas a few years back--her work is that kind of gorgeous, isn't it? The kind you want to cherish and keep around.(Her characters' expressions are so insightful and human, and full of life...you have to own them to enjoy them over and over.)
So, congratulations on the happy nuptials of a beautiful pairing of author and illustrator. I couldn't be more pleased for you, and thrilled for myself at the happy prospect ahead of finding your impeccable work married.
P.S. I just finished "Midnight in Austenland" last week. I couldn't get enough of the running commentary by Charlotte's inner thoughts. M.i.A. was another nursing book that made rocking a little one to bed each night such an escape. "Could you put the hooligans down, Honey...while I nurse little Q. to sleep? It's such a chore you know?" Angelic babe in one arm and Midnight in Austenland in the other. Ah, sweet nights in Austenland.
My favorite characters? Colonel Andrews conjured up reminiscences of the ginger-haired Mr. Bingley in the Keira Knightly version of P&P...and I loved Ms. Charming--her vulnerability, her fake accent sitting pretty on top of her talent for detecting fakes! Loved it. And how I wouldn't love hearing her say, "What, what?" in person? Thanks for the fun. :) I can't wait to see the movie someday soon. Any news on that topic?
Posted by: Emily Reynolds | October 19, 2012 at 10:39 PM