Chicken Spaghetti

Robert's Snow

In August, Grace Lin, a children's book author and illustrator, lost her husband, Robert Mercer, to cancer. When he was diagnosed some years back, Robert and Grace were told that the best hope for his rare type of cancer lay in research. They went to work. Portions of the proceeds from Grace's picture book Robert's Snow went to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, and now each year many leading children's illustrators create snowflake ornaments for the Institute, which the public can bid on.

This year children's literature bloggers got involved, too. For the next month or so, many blogs are featuring snowflakes that you can buy. We'll link directly to Dana-Farber, which is managing the online auction  sales. (Bidding for the first group starts in November.) You can see this year's snowflakes and find out how to bid at http://www.jimmyfund.org/eve/event/roberts-snow/default.html

I am so excited to bid on some of the beautiful pieces of art! Won't you buy one, too?

MORE AFTER THE JUMP

Picture for "Ladybug"

Because of a never-ending stack of  books to be read, my family doesn't subscribe to any of the children's magazines, but perhaps we need to re-think that. Here is a great reason to seek out Ladybug Magazine : this illustration by Roz Fulcher,  at Rozzieland.   So cute. The picture will run in the June 2006 issue. And Rozzyland's banner! Also adorable.  I believe that the animal is a hedgehog, but it might take a subscription to Ranger Rick to make sure.

About the Chicken Artist

A huge shout-out to  Natalie, who created the Chicken Spaghetti chicken, on the right. Thank you! He's just the greatest. Chicken Spaghetti readers should know that Natalie, who's a painter and illustrator,  and a business partner have a line of personalized children's stationery, and it's wonderful! Do go see her work online. You'll want to order everything, and you can see which stores carry the line.  Click here, for  Ellie Mim's Social Stationery.

And if any of you editors are reading along, you'd be wise to seek out Natalie's portfolio; you can reach her through the Ellie Mim web site.