imagine

peter sis

madlenka and friends at the new york public library

Imagine: Peter Sis [Petr Sis] on FB

mr. sis is on facebook, courtesy of

his marvelous czech publisher

Joachim Dvorak, of Labyrint...

tap here, for

Petr Sís [Peter Sis]

on FB, and here if

you happen to be

in Prague in May

[wouldn't it be nice, to be in Prague in May?]

Laterna Magica: Costume By Peter Sis

from Peter Sis:

"...here is one more costume design from 27 years ago...

Laterna Magica In Prague...

No wonder the opera singers did not like me..."

[Don't know about the opera singers,

think they probably thought Mr. S.

was terrific; as for me, there's not

much that can compare with this.

Utterly fabulous.]

Sweet Music II

from Peter Sis

[click image for marvelous close-up]

Peter. Woodstock. Tibet. Couldn't be better.

peter sis. woodstock. tibet.

here.

[May Second. Soon.]

Time to Jet to Florence, dear Readers: See Messaggero delle stelle!

Florence: 13 March to 30 August, 2009

 The Institute and Museum of the History of Science: 

The Exhibition Galileo:

"Images of the universe from antiquity to the telescope will be inaugurated at Palazzo Strozzi, in Florence. The exhibition is a journey through space and time, exploring the science of the heavens and the birth of astronomy...to the achievements of the classical Greek and Roman civilizations...and...to the head of the astronomical revolution heralded by Nicolaus Copernicus, confirmed by Galileo and his telescope, and completed by such extraordinary figures as Johannes Kepler, René Descartes and Isaac Newton."

Dear Reader, if you can translate the wonderful information about Peter Sis's "Starry Messenger," (see last image in post) from the folks at Rizzoli, please do let me know and I will reprint it for all to see (leave it in comments, or send me an email...I'm not picky). This new version of the starry Sis classic (more info, here) will be available at the beginning of April.

And, for that little touch of class you have come to expect from art.books.children, we've included a final salute from Galileo...his preserved finger, which is housed in the Museo di storia del scienza, Firenze. A bit of the story behind it all:

The Messenger from the Stars

"This short book created a revolution in astronomy – and in the history of science! Based on his observations of the moon in 1609, the Starry Messenger was published in Venice the following year. The publication was met with a storm of protest, and several rivals argued that the moons of Jupiter – which Galileo dubbed the Medicean stars – were mere artefacts caused by the faulty lenses of his telescope. But the real revolution was the use of the telescope to see celestial objects that had been hidden to the naked eye for the first time in the history of humankind.

 The proposal that the earth circled the sun not only shocked contemporary astronomers, but challenged the teachings of the Church, which preached that the earth was the immoveable centre of the universe. Galileo’s Dialogue Concerning the Chief Two World Systems was banned in 1632, he was forced publicly to recant his beliefs under threat of death a year later, and was placed under house arrest in Arcetri until he died in 1642. In 1992, over 300 years later, Pope John Paul II admitted the Church had been in error. Galileo has long been revered as champion of science over faith, and his middle finger preserved, in the manner of a secular saint." [Biblioteca Nazionale, Firenze]

Put a Little More Art in Your Life, via Reading the World, March 28-29, in San Francisco

add some art to your life! 

click here to 

find out about 

the rtw

 art auction: 

be there or be square

"Sis’s speech was definitely the buzz of the conference—everyone I talked to raved about how moving and powerful he was."

This morning, Buffy Hamilton posted more about the 40th Children's Literature Conference at UGA:

"I had the privilege of hearing Peter Sis speak—-I have been a fan for many years, but I discovered on Friday that not only is he an incredibly talented author and illustrator, but he is also an amazing storyteller. 

We all sat enthralled as he shared stories about his childhood behind the Iron Curtain in Czechoslovakia, his early experiences in the United States, and his journey of becoming a children’s illustrator and author. 

I only wish that I could have heard more of his stories—I easily could have listened to him all afternoon! If you are interested in his work and art, check out my favorite pages at theunquietlibrary/petersis; if you are in Georgia, there are several great (and recent!!!) full text articles about and by Mr. Sis in the Academic Search Complete database from EBSCOhost via GALILEO...

What I find most inspiring about his work is the common theme of celebrating those who dare to dream and to engender change. In his speech (which really felt more like the most wonderful informal conversation of storytelling!), he repeated his admiration of those who bring about change just as he did in this 2003 article he wrote for School Library Journal:

'As an author and artist, I want my work to celebrate innovative thinkers. And I want to show that the discovery process is not easy. Let’s face it, very few individuals have changed the way we view our world. That’s why visionaries like Columbus, Newton, and Einstein continue to inspire me.'

I think the idea of having the courage to believe in your dreams and ideals in the face of difficult circumstances resonated with many of us in the audience... 

Hearing Sis’s own story of overcoming adversity and overwhelming odds personally renewed my spirit and commitment to my vision of school libraries and librarianship. 

For me, being a school librarian is not just a job—it is a way of a life, a calling, an art, a mission. I think that is where the power of story lies—we can often find or even discover ourselves in the stories of others to help us find our way."

To read the entire post, click here. 

Well worth your time.

Go, Unquiet Librarian! 

Love your style.

Peter Sis and The Unquiet Librarian: The 40th Annual Conference on Children's Literature at the University of Georgia

Peter Sis and The Unquiet Librarian 

at the University of Georgia.

The Unquiet Librarian is Buffy Hamiliton, 

and she's got an absolutely delightful blog. 

What's more, you can 

follow her on twitter (here).

Additional goodies: a video of Peter's talk that 

Buffy's included on her blog,

and a wonderful set on her flickr account 

(this Unquiet Librarian is the bomb! she's terrific!)...

looks as though the 

40th Annual Conference on Children's Literature

at the University of Georgia 

is a smashing success.

Good Morning, Darwin: Happy Birthday!

celebrating Darwin's birthday with 

the glorious work of Mr. Sis, of course:

here, a link to a wonderful post 

at bioepherma on The Tree of Life

by Peter Sis

Happy Birthday, Mr. Darwin

[more darwinian delicacies available @ new bioepherma]

Plus: Get Your Fresh 

Animated Darwin, HERE!

More Sis: Coming Soon!

To See Work From 

The Czech Center

 Exhibit 

for 

Peter Sis, click here.

Looking for Buried Treasure? We're Camping Out at Victoria Thorne.

We're giving ourselves a little vacation and only posting 

on one blog right now...it saves on holiday cheer, 

and will certainly help ease into the new year. 

Just click HERE to get to where we are now. 

See you there!

Our boy's room, here.

Peter Sis: 2009

holiday greetings

a quick muse on this week in publishing

December has been a cruel month for many in publishing.

My belief, as stated earlier in the blog - actually, the reason the blog was started - is that we are undergoing a profound change in the way we read. Books will not go away. It is my hope that the strong will survive.

And it is my belief we can help make this happen.

We have a choice: why not, with great discernment, choose the best words and the best art?

Let's choose to accept that great reading and inspired art can, and will, continue in many forms (many more that we might have ever thought possible) and in a variety of formats.

Does this mean fewer books? Probably.

But the ones that continue to exist can be better books: the best.

And new authors, and new illustrators, will still find ways to be seen. You're looking at one of the most efficient ways right now: this screen.

The glowing field in front of you will never trump a great tome. But it will inspire them (tomes), abet them (tomes), and bring new forms to life.

Isn't it our prerogative, as the public, to find ways to continue to support this great art?

Go buy a book. A good book.

Never stop choosing the classics.

Never stop supporting the great art of the past, and that of the present.

And keep your eyes open for new work, champion it when you see it, follow it where you can.

Please.

A Window On Elizabeth Street | Peter Sis

When I am drawing pictures for a book about Prague or Tibet, for weeks or months at a time it is nice to look outside and see the real world. The models and junkies and kids from the Catholic school across the street. The dogs - one of them has a set of wheels instead of hind legs - who romp by.

What books and art did I do in this studio? Starry Messenger, Galileo Galilei, Madlenka, Tibet, The Wall. Every time transferring myself to a faraway place. Except for the character of Madlenka, who lives on a block just like this one. I have been here ever since our son Matej was born, and he is fourteen and big now.

What did I see from my window? The World Trade Center for sure - for the last time on the afternoon of September tenth. Marching processions and bands with statues of St. Anthony or St. Gennaro, lots of car crashes because of a silly stop sign on Elisabeth St., lots of bums, transvestites and panhandlers from the Bowery, the next street to the east. The transformation of a bodega, a hardware store and a shoemaker into boutiques and more boutiques. Dustin Hoffman shopping, the owner of the Connecticut Muffin café shot to death, the old italian lady sitting on her chair outside of the Albanian butcher place. Martin Scorcese grew up and slept on the fire escape in that same building. Italian home cooking on the corner of Prince and Elizabeth streets. After years of emptiness, the greasy spoon just outside my kitchen became a trendy café, the Café Habana. Lenny Kravitz shot one of his rock videos there.

The condo buildings are growing like mushrooms, and old wrinkly artists of the past are disappearing. The New Museum of Contemporary Art on the Bowery one block away means a constant flow of tourists, who are happily shopping because the dollar is so low. 

Jim Jarmusch lives across the street, but I haven’t seen him in a long time. So maybe he moved? Or maybe he is making another film in Finland?

These old tenement buildings, still full of people from Asia, have bare and dim-lit kitchens I can see into. But there are hipsters too. Models. Japanese models. People who look like characters out of Pokemon. Mafia guys in Ray’s Pizza. 

Robert Plant in the Café Gitane. David Bowie in the Brazilian restaurant. The pigment store under my studio became a handbag boutique. I will have to draw with markers now….

FILIJ: Peter Sis in Mexico

Peter Sis 

at the 

Feria Internacional del Libro Infantil y Juvenil 

in

Mexico 

November 18, 2008

It's a Great Week to be in the Windy City: A Thousand Madlenkas and The Films of Sis

In 2003, Peter Sis was named a MacArthur Fellow, 

an honor bestowed 

by the 

John D. and Catherine T. 

MacArthur Foundation 

in Chicago. 

The foundation recognizes "talented individuals 

who have shown extraordinary originality 

and dedication in their creative pursuits and 

a marked capacity for self-direction."

This December, Peter Sis Returns to Chicago 

to Donate 1000 Copies of the 

Spanish version of Madlenka 

to 

the Children of Chicago Public Schools, 

to support the mission of 

the Center for Teaching through 

Children’s Books 

at National-Louis University 

and to Participate in the 

Chicago Premiere 

of his 

Short Animated Movies at the 

Facets Cinémathèque.

Cinémathèque

presents

Artist in Residence

Peter Sís

MacArthur Fellow 2003 

and his book 

Madlenka 

offered as a 

gift to the 

children 

of Chicago Public Schools

on 

Friday, December 12, 2008, 9:30 a.m.

at José Clemente Orozco Community Academy

1940 West 18th Street 

Chicago

R.S.V.P. 

t312-861-1037, ext. 100 or chicago@embassy.mzv.cz

You can also attend

A presentation of Peter Sís’s book 

The Wall 

for teachers and librarians

followed by a Q&A and book signing by the author

on Saturday, December 13, 2008

2:00 p.m. at National-Louis University’s Lisle Campus

850 Warrenville Rd, Lisle

R.S.V.P. 

 CTCB@nl.edu

The screening of Peter Sís’s 

Animated Films 

at 

Facets Cinémathèque

 followed 

by a Q&A and Book Signing 

by the author on 

Sunday, December 14, 2008, 12:00 p.m. 

1517 West Fullerton Ave.

Chicago

Admission $9/$5 

R.S.V.P. 

 laurenw@facets.org

Okay, Boys and Girls: Do You Wanna Scare A Little Christmas Outta Yourself?

If yes, then you're so very in luck. 

Creepy Christmas Cometh. 

Click here for a little beaded sweat 

with which to deck your 

nevergreen. 

(I've picked films to click that might not 

feed nightmares: I, myself, was 

scared witless by 

"The Ghost and Mr. Chicken" 

...'nuf said?)

Each day brings a new short film. 

Courtesy of Beck and Co. (see below).

It's all so very scary but fearfully delightful.

Rumor has it that there will be a film from Peter Sis. 

Advent countdown has begun. See December 4 here. 

hohoho+eeeeee

equals 

glass eye pix

& 

Beck Underwood

Dateline: Tomorrow. Hastings on Hudson, New York: Capucilli. DuPont. Howe. Jeffers. Reich. Schotter. Sis. Schories. Young.

Galapagos Books is excited to have 10 wonderful local authors and illustrators for their annual book signing event. The illustrious panel:

Alyssa Satin Capucilli

Lindsay DuPont

James Howe

Susan Jeffers

Susannah Reich

Roni Schotter

Peter Sis

Pat Schories

Ed Young

Enjoy an afternoon with incredible authors & illustrators; refreshments will be served.

Saturday

December 6, 2008

11:00am - 3:00pm

Main Street
Hastings on Hudson, New York 10706

Contact Information:
Amada Abad
914-478-2501
info@galapagos-books.com

Art, above, by the excellent Ed Young!