31 October 2019
Alexandria Neonakis was born in Nova Scotia, Canada, an Eastern maritime Province where she spent most of her time outdoors among forest landscapes and the beautiful coastal Atlantic. These days, she can be found on the opposite coast where she lives in Santa Monica, California. During the day, Alex works as a full-time Concept Artist at the game development company, Naughty Dog. Pulling inspiration from childhood memories, nature, animated films, and classic illustration, she combines characters with lighting, strong color direction, and staging to help sell a moment. These skills especially shine through in her recent picture book, This Is My Room! (No Tigers Allowed!), which published with Simon & Schuster in May 2019. In this ever-relatable tale, JoJo is ready for her first night all alone in her very own room, but a menagerie of animals have other ideas. We were thrilled to catch up with Alex and glean a glimpse into her creative process that brought this charming and fun picture book to life!
31 October 2019
Bright artists have been busy! Read about what they’ve been working on in October’s end of month Publishers Weekly rights report roundup, featuring new deals, upcoming titles, and more.
25 October 2019
Each year, the Northern Lights Book Awards honors children’s books from around the world that excel in aesthetic and literary quality. With an emphasis on permanence, the NLBA seeks works that will leave a lasting impression, ones which will resonate with the reader not only now but in years to come. This year, we are thrilled to present three Bright titles that have been awarded this honor in the categories of Picture Book 4-8, Poetry, and Family. For more information on the NLBA, click here.
15 October 2019
Ever since she was a child, British Columbia based illustrator Julia Iredale has been intrigued with creating magical, mythical worlds, be it in her own imagination or through the words of one of her fictional stories. Julia continued to pursue her love of creativity as an adult, going on to earn her bachelor’s degree in illustration from Emily Carr University before joining Bright in 2018. In the spirit of legends and lore that October brings, and with Halloween just around the corner, we thought it was the perfect time to catch up with Julia to chat about all things mysterious, as well as the hauntingly beautiful artwork behind her latest project, Myths and Legends of the World, which published on October 15th with Lonely Planet Kids.
01 October 2019
Hello, October! As the dust settles from back to school and fall marches on in full swing, we’re embracing exciting new books that are perfect for cozying up with. From adorable animals to heroic nonfiction and everything in between, October brings a little something for everyone. Here’s a look at new Bright books hitting the shelves this month.
30 September 2019
Bright artists have been busy! Read about what they’ve been working on in September’s end of month Publishers Weekly rights report roundup, featuring new deals, upcoming titles, and more.
25 September 2019
Meet Grandude—a super-cool grandfather who is an intrepid explorer with some amazing tricks up his sleeve. Grandude is a one-of-a-kind adventurer! Now, meet Kathryn Durst—the fabulous Bright Artist behind the gloriously colorful illustrations of Hey Grandude!, Sir Paul McCartney’s debut picture book. After a long-awaited release, Hey Grandude! hit the shelves this month on September 5th with Puffin Books in the UK and Random House Books for Young Readers in the US. Since making its way into the world, Hey Grandude! has been embraced by children, adults, and Beatles fans alike and quickly earned a spot on the New York Times Best Sellers list. Between the excitement of the release and a trip to London to join Paul himself at Waterstones for an unforgettable launch event, it’s safe to say it has been quite the month for Kathryn! It was such a delight to catch up with her for an inside look at all of the hard work that went into the making of this magical book.
01 September 2019
Crisp air, back to school, apple cider…September is hard not to love, especially with so many wonderful books publishing! It’s a busy month for Bright artists, and we’re gearing up for fall with big new titles that we’re thrilled to share. From author-illustrated to YA and everything in-between, here’s a look at what’s hitting the shelves this September.
31 August 2019
Bright artists have been busy! Read about what they’ve been working on in August’s end of month Publishers Weekly Rights Report roundup, featuring new deals, upcoming titles, and more.
23 August 2019
Rachael McLean lives and works on the East coast of Austrailia with one of the world’s most beautiful beaches as her backyard—it’s no surprise then that she is inspired by all things bright, colorful, and whimsical! Using clean shapes, bold colors, and subtle textures, Rachael is a master at creating characters and illustrations that are fresh, fun, and oh-so-adorable. We were delighted to catch up with Rachael on the blog to discuss her nontraditional path to becoming an artist and the magical debut of her first author/illustrated board book, My Best Friend Is a Unicorn!
19 August 2019
At Bright, we understand that keeping up with the ongoing cycle of industry awards can feel like a daunting task at times, and so we wanted to find a way to streamline the information in a handy guide to major children’s publishing and illustration awards. Who’s eligible to apply? What are the key dates to look out for? We’ve simplified the nitty gritty details and listed them in one place for an overview that can be referred to whenever you need a refresher!
15 August 2019
Grab your backpacks and sharpen those pencils because it’s that time again…back to school! This month, we went behind the scenes of New York Times bestselling picture book, Raise Your Hand, published by Penguin Workshop and illustrated by our talented artist, Marta Kissi.
