2011 In this section I will give daily updates, talk to my readers and try to answer their questions. If you would like to write and ask me a question, just click on the Write Me button in the column on the left of my Home Page.

Tasmanian devils, Tasmanian devils, Tasmanian devils-
I certainly get a lot of questions about Tasmanian devils! It seems my readers like them as much as I do.....

Here is the web address of an article in National Wildlife Magazine that mentions my visit to King's Run in Tasmania, where I studied and met real Tasmanian Devils:
http://www.nwf.org/NationalWildlife/article.cfm?issueID=122&articleID=1598

I am already getting excited about the upcoming 2012 Iditarod Race. Below is an old picture of me at the Iditarod Musher's Banquet with Dee Dee Jonrow and Susan Butcher.

I have been at the Jonesboro Storytelling Festival in Tennessee. Over the next few days I will post some of the drawings I did while there.

At the Jonesboro Storytelling Festival.... Here are some random people who were standing around, waiting for a storyteller to begin.

At the Jonesboro Storytelling Festival.... Here's a dog in a golf cart. I don't what this is all about- I didn't put him there!

At the Jonesboro Storytelling Festival.... This lady decided to take a rest. So I drew her.

At the Jonesboro Storytelling Festival.... This guy didn't stay seated on the hay bale very long, so I had to draw fast .

At the Jonesboro Storytelling Festival.... And this is just a random quick-sketch.

Miriam asks: What zoo did you go to in order to see real Tasmanian Devils? I did not go to the zoo to see them- I went to Tasmania (part of Australia) to draw them in the wild!

Katherine asks:When you made the book PAINTER AND UGLY, did you make all the paintings at once or did you make them one at a time? That is a good question. I actually worked on them all together, that is, I did not just finish one and then move on to the next one. I did all the beginning stages together, then all the middles, and finally the details pretty much together. Here are the paintings for PAINTER AND UGLY as I was working on them in my studio. You can see my sketchbooks on the shelves- and my dog's pink "Queenie Bed" on the floor (she feels quite regal when snoring on her bed).

Zack says:I like the book PAINTER AND UGLY. Is it easy to get lost when you are mushing dogs? It is a challenge for me!

Jillian asks: Have you ever made a horse book? I happen to be working on illustrations for a collection of horse stories right now. Actually, I once did a unicorn book called THE BABY UNICORN. It has unicorns, dragons, and even a little bit of magic in the story. It was very popular. That's almost a horse book, right?

Aidan wants to know: Do you have a favorite painting in the book PAINTER AND UGLY? Umm... I actually like all of them. But I had a lot of fun painting the dogs barking and jumping at the Junior Iditarod race start!

Sari asks: Do you draw a lot? Yes, I do draw a lot. I draw in my sketchbook every day and do a lot of practice drawing. That's how you get better! Here is a drawing I did at a diner....

Kira asks: When you made the book THE PERFECT SPOT did you really go under a waterfall? Yes, my son and I really did go under a waterfall for THE PERFECT SPOT. I had to know what it would be like before I could paint it!

Here is beautiful painting of my story THE PERFECT SPOT done by Kaela.

Here is a very nice painting of PAINTER AND UGLY by Jamie.

Yesterday Sam asked if I ever publish my books in other countries: Yes, some of my books are published in other countries. Here is AKIAK as published in South Korea.

Sam asks: Do you ever make books for readers in countries other than the USA? Well, I make my books for everybody, everywhere, but they are usually published first in the United States. Sometimes publishers in other countries buy the "rights" to publish a book of mine in their own language. Here is a book I illustrated, written by France Ward Weller, called THE ANGEL OF MILL STREET. The edition here is published in Greek.

I got this great drawing in a packet of fan mail, but I do not know who drew it.

I like that Painter and Ugly are shown running together. But I really like the drawing of Painter saying, "Woof!" Or should that be, "Yip!" ?

In the letter below, Jack wants to know how old I was when I made my first book. My first picture bok was called THE SPIDERS DANCE. I made the pictures and Joanne Ryder wrote the words. I began THE SPIDERS DANCE when I was 26 years old and it came out when I was 28 years old. Thank you for the terrific drawing of the dog Painter, from my book PAINTER AND UGLY.

Kelly says that she loves all my stories, especially the dog stories. Thank you for the nice drawing of Painter and Ugly!

Bill asks: Why do Tasmanian Devils run around in circles all the time? Actually, Bill, when I was researching the book LITTLE DEVILS in the wild areas of Tasmania, I saw lots of Tasmanian Devils. But I never saw any Tasmanian Devils running around in circles. They do run and travel far when looking for food in the wild, though. The only place I have ever seen them run in circles over and over is in zoos. Maybe when they are in a caged area, they still need to run and so they run around the cage. Or maybe they get stressed.

Here is a beautiful drawing of the dog Ugly, from the book PAINTER AND UGLY. And, "Do I like?" I sure do, Sara! Ugly really isn't ugly, is he?

This drawing of Painter, from my book PAINTER AND UGLY, was given to me by a great student artist in the Washington Township school system. But they forgot to sign it! If this is your picture, please let me know your first name so I can post it here. Thanks! Pretty nice picture, don't you agree?

Colby writes: My favorite part is when Painter finds Ugly. I am glad that you like that part of my book PAINTER AND UGLY. I tried hard to make it excitng. Thanks!

I have just returned from visiting three schools in Washington Township, NJ. I also spent another day at one of my all-time favorite schools, the OLD YORK SCHOOL, in Branchburg, NJ. The kids were great- so, for the next few days I will be posting some of the great art and letters that they gave me. Here is a beautiful piece of art made by Olivia:

Karin wants to know: What exactly is a sketch?

A sketch is a quick practice piece for the finished piece of art. It lets you see how certain things look before you go through the time and effort of a whole finished piece of art. A sketch may be done with a pencil, pen, watercolors, crayons- anything. Below is a pen drawing sketch I did for the page in PAINTER AND UGLY in which the two dogs meet again during the race.

Sara asks: In the book PAINTER AND UGLY, what happens after the race? Hmmm....that is a good question. There are several things that might happen. Here's one- the dogs Painter and Ugly play and play because they are so happy.... and then..... ....and then maybe they run away!

2011 May Jason asks: Is Chile a nice country? Chile is a beautiful country! Here is a quick watercolor painting I made in my sketchbook. It shows the boat I was on sailing into a cove in Chile where there is a glacier. It was cold!

2011 Here is a nice drawing of Painter and Ugly by Grace. I like the colorful musher.

2011 This artist likes my book LITTLE DEVILS and has drawn a Tasmanian Devil of his own. Thanks!

2011 Here is a very nice drawing by Ann, of me painting outside. I painted outside when I made LITTLE DEVILS.

Past question of the day: Shannon asks: DOES YOUR DOG PULL A DOGSLED? No, but she likes to chase squirrels.

Past question of the day: Jimmy asks: IS ANYONE ELSE IN YOUR FAMILY AN ARTIST? No, I am the only one. I am also the only left-handed person in my family.

Past question of the day: Marty asks: DID YOU DRAW A LOT WHEN YOU WERE A KID? Yes, I did. I drew on paper and cardboard and garbage bags and napkins and on our upstairs hallway wall (got in a lot of trouble for that). One day my second grade teacher gave me a "Marble Pad" and suggested that, if I drew in it, I wouldn't lose my drawings because they would all be in one place! So I began my first sketchbook. I now have 118 and I know where all my drawings are.

Past question of the day: Curt from Springfield asks: WHERE IS YOUR FAVORITE PLACE TO DRAW? I like to draw people at airports and restaurants.

Click here to check out the inside stories on AKIAK, LITTLE DEVILS, and FLEDGLING !!!