Bean Thirteen Quiet Book

Becky Fogarty hand-sews interactive felt versions of picture books, then animates them. She created this amazing Bean Thirteen interactive book, and when I saw it, I had to find out how she did it.

Becky calls her felt creations quiet books, and her particular style has handles on top and a buckle or velcro closure around the middle for quick and easy portability. She creates the animations show what the pieces do, and what the pages might look like when you play with them.

Becky has been sewing since she was little, but started making the felt books three years ago as tactile alternatives to electronic screens for her son. Now, Becky has found that adults love the books as much as the kids do, and she’s made several books for adults, each one custom to their likes and interests. Follow her on Instagram at @quietbooksbybecky

French Road Elementary

Over the years I’ve signed tens of thousands of copies of my books for other people. This week I got an amazing surprise in the mail. After my visit at French Road Elementary this spring, every student in the school got together and signed my books for me. They filled the endpapers, front and back, and the title pages. There were so many names it took three books! I’m absolutely speechless. What a fantastic gift.

Backbeard Sets Sail for New York City!

New York Music Festival

For the past several years I’ve had the honor of collaborating with some very talented people to turn my Backbeard books into a musical. Today I’m proud to announce some big news: Our little show, Backbeard, has been chosen as a Grand Jury Selection of the New York Musical Festival, one of only eleven selected from a pool of 220 nation-wide. We’re taking it to New York for a week of performances this summer. Big city here we come!

To learn more about Backbeard: The Musical, click here.

 

Eagle Elementary School

On rare occasions I have been known to show up at the wrong school for an author visit. That’s why I was especially flattered and relieved to find this sign waiting for me when I arrived at Eagle Elementary last week. What a warm welcome to a wonderful day!

Eagle Elementary School sign

Birdville, Texas

During my recent visit to the schools of Birdville, TX, one of the nicest surprises was all the different classroom doors decorated based on the books I’ve written. Each one was a masterpiece. Here’s a small sample:

 

And at West Birdville Elementary I was surprised with the most amazing box of cookies, each one hand-decorated and painted with characters from my books by Christy Knapp Alexander. They were literally too beautiful to eat. (Of course, I ate them. And they were delicious.)