Won Ton: A Cat Tale Told in Haiku (Henry Holt and Co, 2011) by Lee Wardlaw, illustrated by Eugene Yelchin has won the 2012 Lee Bennett Hopkins/Penn State University Poetry Award. Not a surprise really. Lee Wardlaw is quite the award-winning author, and Won Ton is so darn cute! It's a sweet story of a kitty at an animal shelter. We learn what he thinks and feels about it and follow him as he is adopted and adjusts to his new house, where he finally reveals his true name. I love the illustrations. This is a definite book choice for cat lovers and one easy to read over and over.

I also like how the author gave a bonus in her note where she explains senryu and haiku.

Writers should go check out Lee's "101 Ways to Bug Children's Book Author Lee Wardlaw" on her About Me page. Take a look at how many other books she has published, too--you'll find others you want to read.

Illustrators should check out the beautiful art on Eugene Yelchin's site. Wow!

The Little Piano Girl (Houghton Mifflin, 2010) by is by sisters Ann Ingalls and Maryann Macdonald. This historical picture book about Mary Lou Williams is illustrated by Giselle Potter.

At age 3 Mary Lou imitated a song her mother played. Soon she was playing to anyone who would listen and getting requests. Mary Lou became a famous jazz musician; this book shares her success with enjoyable rhythm.

Here's Maryann's website and Ann's website. Recently this book was a finalist for SCBWI's Crystal Kite awards. Woo Hoo!

Flora's Very Windy Day (Clarion, 2010) by Jeanne Birdsall and illustrated by Matt Phelan is very sweet. The drawings are lovely. Most older siblings will relate to Flora. Here's a description of the story:

Flora is mad because her little brother got into her paints again. Mom not sympathic "I told you to keep them..." She sends Flora outside, but Flora says it is so windy, she'll be blown away. Mom makes her go anyway and take Crispin. The wind tries to blow her away, but she tells her it can't 'cause of her special red boots, but points out Crispin is only wearing purple boots, so the wind takes him. Flora kicks off her boots to chase him. A dragonfly, a sparrow, a rainbow, a cloud, an eagle, the man in the moon, the wind all want Crispin, but Flora decides she needs to take him home. She tells her mom she decided to bring Crispin back. From the moon.

This book is author Jeanne Birdsall's debut picture book. She's known for her Penderwick books. She also has a picture of an unusual pet on her website!

Matt Phelan's work also graces the cover of The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron. Check out Matt's studio.

I love seeing how a writer takes an old story and gives it a new twist.  Melissa Sweet, author/illustrator of Carmine, A Little More Red, gives several twists to her picture book.  Not only is an updated story, but it also is a unique alphabet book, with some comic book style additions.  This book was published by Houghton Mifflin (2005).

Read more about Melissa at her website:  http://www.melissasweet.net/index2.php

Sylvia Jean, Drama Queen written and illustrated by Lisa Campbell Ernst is a delight.   In this picture book (Dutton Children's Books, 2005) Sylvia has a costume and persona for every event, and everyone, including Sylvia, expects her to have the best costume for the costume party.  Coming up with the ideal costume isn't so easy, however.  The reader doesn't get to see her surprising costume until near the end of the story and indeed Sylvia wins the prize.   The solution is summed up with this quote:   "The more original a discovery, the more obvious it seems afterward." -Arthur Koestler