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03/24/12 - Hola mis amigos y familia! Hello my friends and family! If you find yourself in Brazil at the end of the month I am participating in the 1st Annual (MACLI) Exhibit of Contemporary Art in Children’s Literature / Mostra de Arte Contemporânea em Literatura Infantil, taking place at Livre Galeria, in Rio de Janeiro, from March 24 through May 27. This annual event of children's book art will be showcasing the talents of a select group of international and contemporary artists whose work has been inspired and published in the field of children’s literature. For more art and info click here.

03/01/12 - My children's book Gracias/Thanks with Pat Mora, has received the Gelett Burgess Book of the Year Award. The award honors the best family-friendly children's books inspiring imagination and creativity. The Gelett Burgess Children's Book Awards advisory council looks for books that entertain and teach with an energetic and creative approach. The books the Center selects must stimulate the child's imagination, as well as inspire them creatively. Advisory council members want to know a book will make an impact in a child's life by helping them grow: socially, emotionally, ethically, intellectually, and physically.

02/15/12 - The SCBWI - Golden Kite Awards Poster, is now available free to public libraries and independent bookstores and to current SCBWI members for $10 . Click here for more info.

02/01/12 - Ofrendas del Corazón are holding their Fifth Annual Silent Heart Art Auction Friday, Feb. 10, 2012, from 6 to 9pm, at the Salinas Civic Center, in Pharr, TX. Included among the many artist's donated decorated hearts you can bid on a new painting of mine entitled: St. Valentine Comes by Night, created especially for this wonderful event. The auction goes to benefit The Michael M. Rutledge Legacy Award, a scholarship fund to support dual language students from PSJA High School and PSJA North High School. For those not able to attend the Ofrendas del Corazón Silent Heart Auction in person you can support this wonderful cause by ordering their book: Ofrendas del Corazón (2008-2012). This book beautifully showcases a retrospective of current and past year’s artist participants and their decorated hearts.

01/01/12 - The National Education Association (NEA) posted its annual Read Across America Literacy Calendar featuring, for the month of December, artwork from my book Waiting for the Biblioburro. You can download other months that profile many wonderful children’s books from such luminaries as Roald Dahl, Lulu DeLacre, Leo and Diane Dillon, and many more, along with great media tools and tips for promoting literacy and reading. To download other months from the calendar click here.