KITTEN AND THE NIGHT WATCHMAN
The Story
They say every guy has one good story to tell: his life story. This book is the story of my work life. I've been a night watchman for twenty-nine years.
I sent this story in for a critique at the Prairie Writer's and Illustrator's Day in 2013, and, in a stroke of good luck, it went to Sylvie Frank at Simon & Schuster. Sylvie liked the story, got the others at Paula Wiseman Books to back the story, and sought the services of Taeeun Yoo, a past winner of the Ezra Jack Keats Award, to illustrate the story. Taeeun took my words and ran with them. Her illustrations of shadows were inspired. When a writer has Sylvie and Taeeun on his side, his book will be well received, and mine certainly was.
Kitten and the Night Watchman is my debut book, published with Simon & Schuster in 2018.
Awards & Honors
Awards:
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CCBC Choices (Cooperative Children's Book Council)
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Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Award
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Illinois Reads List
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Magnolia Book Award Nominee (MS)
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Margaret Wise Brown Prize
Honors:
SELECTED AS A BEST BOOK OF 2018 BY THE:
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BOSTON GLOBE
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KIRKUS REVIEWS
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PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
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BOOKPAGE
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Reviews:
“This quiet, understated book contains a wealth of emotions.” –The Horn Book (starred review)
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“This soft, gentle story is a perfect bedtime story for lovers of trucks and construction equipment, cats, and nighttime wanders.” –BCCB (starred review)
