Big Snow at Bank Street

NYC friends, need a break from the Christmas hustle and bustle? Stop by Bank Street Bookstore tomorrow, browse their great selection and listen to me read BIG SNOW and converse with puppets!

3rd in the Burg

Need a last-minute gift? Stop by my studio this Friday, Dec 20th, where I'll have books and prints for sale. Also, The Steps Shown gallery will display my illustrations for Lauren Thompson's Christmas story, One Starry Night. Spiced cider and coloring pages included!

3rd in the Burg

Friday, December 20th, 6-9pm.

1320 North 3rd Street, 3rd Floor 

Harrisburg, PA 17102

AP Snowy Roundup

The AP has included Big Snow in a snowy roundup!

Winter on Etsy

I've got some new prints up on Etsy for the winter and holiday season!

Big Snow-guessing Contest!

ALSO! I herewith announce the first annual Snow Guessing Contest. This is a game my family likes to play. Pick the date you think the first flurry of snow will fall and write it in the comments section below. If your guess falls nearest the anticipated day, you win a free Big Snow block print in addition to a signed book! See below for rules, bylaws and other contest minutia.

1.) The  day of "first flurry" shall be the day Jonathan Bean (hereafter, "author") spots flurries. The author cannot vouch for the claims and/or hallucination of contest players (hereafter, "you/your").

2.) The author shall stay in the general mid-atlanic region during the duration of the contest. Though tempting, the author will not make a trip to the arctic simply to make a laughing stock of your guesses.

3.) You may consult past meteorological data, particularly if not familiar with weather patterns of the mid-atlantic, so your guess is not a joke.

4.) If your guess is a duplicate of another's guess, it will not count. Please review prior guesses and choose wisely.

5.) All guesses must be made before October 15th.

Big Snow Commemorative Print

In continuation of a tradition that began with Building Our House, I am now offering a new linoleum block print featuring the hopeful hero of Big Snow. It's available for sale at my shop on Etsy or in person, if you should have the misfortune.

BIG SNOW!

It's official. My latest picture book, Big Snow, is available for purchase!

Future House Builder?

I recently received this fantastic email from a friend whose nephew was prompted to ask more about his grandparent's house-building experience after reading Building Our House!

"Please tell him that we absolutely adore his book(s)! Because of Building Our House, Connor, tonight, figured out which walls of the house face which direction, why the earth moves, where the north star was and why it doesn’t move, the difference between a nail and a screw, and how a concrete mixer works and why concrete hardens. I stalled him when he started asking how snow plows work. Also, his other book, “At Night,” taught Connor to read his first word--AWAKE. His work is gorgeous and amazing and so adorably detailed, there’s so much to take in. I look forward to rereading this book for the next 4 weeks. I’m sure there’s depths even then to be parsed." 

September 3rd in the Burg

Join me this Friday, September 20th, when The Steps Shown gallery features the beautiful work of Hyewon Yum. Winner of the Ezra Jack Keats Award and the Golden Kite Award, among many other well deserved accolades, it is a great honor to show the gorgeous illustrations from her most recent picture book, This Is Our House!

Due to a scheduling conflict, Hyewon will not be able to join us for the evening. We'll miss her, but her clever and cheerfully toned work will speak beautifully on her behalf!

I hope you'll stop by!

3rd in the Burg

Friday, September 20, 6-9pm.

1320 North 3rd Street, 3rd Floor

Harrisburg, PA 17102

Hyewon Yum to Visit Bean Illustration!

This is so exciting that it deserves advance notice! On September 20th Hyewon Yum (and family), straight from the heart of Brooklyn, will visit Bean Illustration to share original work form her most recent picture book This Is Our House! Winner of the Ezra Jack Keats Award and Golden Kite Award, among many other accolades, it is a great honor to play host to Hyewon and her beautiful work! Mark your calendars, because there's a good reason I used three exclamation points in this short paragraph (now four. . . )!

3rd in the Burg
Friday, September 20, 6-9pm.
1320 North 3rd Street, 3rd Floor
Harrisburg, PA 17102

From the Shore of Lake Ontario to the Shoals of Central Park

I recently returned from a lovely vacation that spanned the Empire State. But which of these was drawn from a kayak and which from a park bench? 

Children's Art #2

Some wonderful drawings my oldest nephew did during church. 

WITF Pick of the Month Celebration!

Join the "strong crew" from Building Our House in an extravaganza to celebrate my book being named the WITF and Little Scholar pick of the month for August! I will be doing an interactive book reading, book signing and, as always, making drawings on demand for children. Special guest John Bean will give a demonstration of traditional wood joinery as he begins construction of a table and benches for The Little Scholar! And that's not all! The Building Our House coloring pages will make a reappearance along with the tool guessing contest, where you'll have the chance to win a personally signed and doodled copy of Building Our House. 

I hope you'll join us!

August 17th, 11am - 12:30pm

Midtown Scholar Bookstore

1302 North 3rd Street,

Harrisburg, PA 17102

3rd in the Burg

I am thrilled to be showing the work of the very talented Paul Hoppe for this month's 3rd in the Burg. All around illustration juggernaut, Paul does it all: picture books, children's magazines, zines, graphic novels and editorial! The Steps Shown stairwell gallery will feature Paul's drawings from Peanut, the recently released, and deservedly praised, YA graphic novel by Ayun Halliday. Paul is busily at work in NYC and won't be present, but you can visit him online and tell him how much you like his work at www.paulhoppe.de. 

Hope you can make it. A visit includes a refreshing drink, an activity for children and air conditioning! 

This month's open studio: Friday, July 19, 6-9pm.

1320 North 3rd Street, 3rd Floor

Harrisburg, PA 17102

Denizens of NYC

PW Review

The first review for BIG SNOW is in, and it's a star! Says Publishers Weekly,

 ". . . This is another terrific offering from Bean; his subtly rhythmic prose and elegant, astute watercolors hit just the right notes of comedy, suspense, and fantasy. The dream scene of Mom vacuuming the snow out of her drift-covered living room is at once deeply silly and a tribute to the indomitable will of mothers everywhere."

3rd in the Burg

From stoop to steps to desk to roof, come see what new sprouts are pushing back dirt at Bean Illustration. Includes refreshing drinks, an activity for children and work-in-progress in The Steps Shown gallery. Hope you can make it!

This month's open studio: Friday, June 21, 6-9pm.

1320 North 3rd Street, 3rd Floor
Harrisburg, PA 17102

Bad Bye, Good Bye

Mojitos on the drawing table can only mean one thing at Bean Illustration: another project was completed! I'm pleased to announce that I've just wrapped up illustrating Deborah Underwood's story Bad Bye, Good Bye (Houghton Mifflin, Spring 2014). Beautiful, spare and evocative, the text was an illustrator's dream to work on and tells the story of a boy's dramatic move from one neighborhood to another. This time around I'm particularly thankful for pain-free work, the support of family and friends and the patience of Kate and Scott at HM! Now for some sleep, sleep sweet. Ummm. . . I mean, sweep, sweep sleet? Arggghzzzzzzzz. . .

February 3rd in the Burg

DON'T MISS THE FREAK SHOW!

Happy Valentine's Day

FSG Books for Young Readers has a FB page! I did a doodle to celebrate the launch. Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!

Book Signing and Open House

A great, huge, massive, stupendously giant THANK YOU to those who came from near and far (Baltimore, Harrisburg, NYC!) overflowed the bookstore and house and made an evening unforgettable!

The owners of Firefly prepared the store beautifully for the event.

Building Our House coloring pages!

The official map to my parent's home.

Apple tree moons. . .

. . . and luminaries. 

Spiced cider warms.

Illustrated food?

My editor, Wesley Adams, gave a moving speech.

Steve Fieser plays one of his Ragtime compositions. 

Conversation and dancing!

My father and friends talk house construction.

The cider inspires some unsanctioned villainous laughter.