Christopher and Jeanette Canyon Visit the CMC

Children’s book illustrators Christopher and Jeanette Canyon visited the Centennial Library on September 14, 2010.  The husband-and-wife team spoke to an audience of approximately 50 people, including students, faculty, staff, and guests, in the Curriculum Materials Center.  The Canyons spoke about their backgrounds and what led each of them to become children’s book illustrators.  They also discussed their experiences in the book publishing business, including how picture books are created and designed.  Using video and pictures, each demonstrated how their art is created.  Christopher’s publications include a series of four picture books based on John Denver songs, including Grandma’s Feather Bed and Take Me Home, Country Roads, as well as books about the environment.  Jeanette’s publications include counting books that use rhyming meter not only to teach counting, but also to teach about nature (Over in the Ocean in a Coral Reef and Over in the Jungle: A Rainforest Rhyme), and City Beats: A Hip-Hoppy Pigeon Poem.   During the reception following their presentation, audience members had an opportunity to visit with Canyons and learn more about their experiences.  The Canyons’ visit to Cedarville was made possible by Rebecca Stroble, elementary librarian for the Xenia Community Schools, where they were serving as Xenia’s 2010 visiting authors.

Books by Our Visiting Authors/Illustrators

Please join us on Tuesday, September 14, at 3:00 in the CMC as we welcome Christopher and Jeanette Canyon to campus.  Here's a list of their books that are available in the CMC:

Over in the Ocean: In a Coral Reef
The coral reef in this book is like a marine nursery, teeming with mamas and babies! In the age-old way of kids and fish, children will count and clap to the rhythm of "Over in the Meadow" while pufferfish "puff", gruntfish "grunt" and seahorses "flutter". The colorful art is fresh and fun-constructed entirely from polymer clay-and invites young fingers to fashion fishy forms.

Grandma's Feather Bed
A picture book adaptation of the song written by Jim Connor, and made popular by John Denver, which celebrates the fun of visiting grandmother's house. Includes facts about Connor and Denver, their grandparents, and their music.

City Beats: A Hip-Hoppy Pigeon Poem
Presents a collection of poems with accompanying illustrations about the sights and sounds of a busy city.

Take Me Home, Country Roads
A picture book adaptation of John Denver's song Take me home, country roads, which celebrates the experience of arriving home to the countryside of West Virginia.



Sunshine on My Shoulders
A picture book adaptation of John Denver's song Sunshine on my shoulders, which celebrates the simple things in life such as sunshine, being in nature, and loving relationships.

Earth & Me, Our Family Tree: Nature's Creatures
Many diverse creatures, including a beetle, a hawk, a whale, a dragonfly, a deer, a penguin, and a boy, converse about their habitats, which are all so different, but together make up the Earth.

Earth & You, A Closer View: Nature's Features
Global awareness is the mark of the millennium. This series of books is an example. A group of Japanese educators, publishers and business people saw the need for children's books to convey the simpatico connection among all life, to help teach the new generation to love, respect and cooperate with the whole community of Earth. They engaged and American children's poet and artist team to carry out this vision. First published in Japanese, these Earth books are intended not only to teach, but to testify to the wonders of a connected world--Earth's features, Earth's creatures, and Earth's past and future.

Earth & Us, Continuous: Nature's Past & Future
Illustrations and simple text teach children about how the Earth is connected to all living plants, animals, and humans.

Over in the Jungle: A Rainforest Rhyme
Looks at the behaviors of some of the animals of the rainforest while introducing the numbers one to ten.





Stickeen: John Muir and the Brave Little Dog
True story of a brave dog who accompanied John Muir on an exploration of glacial areas in Alaska.

Ancient Rhymes: A Dolphin Lullaby
A picture book adaptation of John Denver's song Ancient rhymes, celebrating the birth of a dolphin.



A Tree in the Ancient Forest
Cumulative verse illustrates the interdependency of the plants and animals that live in the ancient forest, with information on the featured characters, including a 300-year-old Douglas fir tree, Northern spotted owls, and truffles. Also includes a brief discussion of the importance of ancient forests.

Will Hillenbrand Visits Cedarville University

Children's author and illustrator Will Hillenbrand visited the CMC today, where he spoke to Dr. Sweigard's children's literature class and other invited guests.

New Books by Visiting Author, Will Hillenbrand

The Moon Might be Milk - Lisa Shulman, illustrated by Will Hillenbrand
A young girl asks her animal friends what they think the moon is made of, and her grandmother proves that each theory is partly correct. Includes recipe.

Down by the Station - Will Hillenbrand
In this version of a familiar song, baby animals ride to the children's zoo on the zoo train. Printed music on last page.

Calendar - Myra Cohn Linvingston, illustrated by Will Hillenbrand
And so begins a new year full of sights, sounds, and feelings. From January through December, the months of the year are celebrated in a book that is a treat for all seasons.

My Book Box - Will Hillenbrand
A determined elephant creates his own book box and discovers all the magic and fun of books and reading.

Whopper Cake - Karma Wilson, illustrated by Will Hillenbrand
Grandad bakes Grandma a whopper of a birthday cake. Includes recipe and directions for chocolate cake.

Smash! Mash! Crash! There Goes the Trash - Barbara Odanaka, illustrated by Will Hillenbrand
Presents a rhyming imitation of all the sights and sounds of the neighborhood on trash day.

October 2008 Newsletter

Visiting Author

The CMC will be hosting a visit by author/illustrator Will Hillenbrand the week of November 10. The exact date has not been set yet, so stay tuned for updates. To see a list of Will's books in the CMC, click here.



Websites of the Month

Since the presidential election is just around the corner, here are two more suggestions for information about the candidates. The Centennial Library has compiled a "National Election News" website containing links to information about the candidates and their parties, voter registration, and political news, polls, and research. Another great election website has been published by ABC-CLIO, one of the leading publishers of history reference books.

New Materials

During September, the CMC added new puppets, new music posters, the Ohio edition of Reading Street, and a number of new trade books. To see the complete list of books added to the Centennial Library collection during September, click here.

Adam Rex Visits

On Tuesday, author/illustrator Adam Rex visited Cedarville University, where he spoke to Dr. Tom Sweigard's children's literature class and other invited students, faculty, and staff. Adam spoke about how he became a children's author and showed pictures of his books in various stages of their development. Afterwards, a reception was held in the library's Media Auditorium. Adam's visit was made possible by Xenia Community Schools elementary librarian, Becca Stroble.

Kevin O'Malley Visits Cedarville

Children's author and illustrator Kevin O'Malley paid a visit to the campus yesterday. He spoke to Dr. Sweigard's class in the CMC about the process of writing and publishing children's books. Following his presentation, the students were invited to attend a reception, where they were able to talk further with Kevin about the writing and publishing process. Special thanks go to Kathy Buck, Xenia Schools Elementary Librarian, who offered to bring Kevin to Cedarville during his week-long visit to the Xenia Schools.

Author visit

On Thursday, November 30, children's author/illustrator Kevin O'Malley will be visiting Cedarville. He will be speaking with students in the children's literature classes about the process of writing and publishing. His presentation will be at 3:20 in the CMC. Space is limited, but if you're interested in hearing Kevin, please send me an email.