BARBARA JEAN HICKS

CHILDREN'S BOOK AUTHOR

                           
                           

 


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Books for Grownups


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Contact


LINKS

My Illustrators:

Alexis Deacon
Lila Prap
Dan Santat
Sue Hendra

My Publishers:

Alfred A. Knopf
Farrar Straus & Giroux
Hutchinson Children's Books
t
iger tales

My Booksellers:

The Frugal Frigate
The Secret Garden
Powell's Books
IndieBound Books

Barnes & Noble
amazon.com

My Event Manager:

Michele Kophs,
Provato Events

Children's Author Portals:

Jacketflap.com
America Writes for Kids

Just for Kids Who Love Books
Toni Buzzeo's Author List

Sharyn November's Author List
California Readers

Children's Book Blogs:

ALSC Blog
Bildungsroman
Elizabeth Partridge's Blog
La Bloga
Tales From the Rushmore Kid

Cats, Cats, Cats!

Cat Quotes
Cat Photos
Cat Art

 





COMING SOON:

WELCOME TO MY VIRTUAL HOME

I'm pleased you've found your way to my website.
Come on in and poke around!
You'll find out lots of stuff about me, my books,
and the cat who inspired me to look, leap and learn
in my journey as a writer for children.

Cheers,
Barbara Jean Hicks
Still a kid at heart! 

I MAKE
SCHOOL VISITS

Nothing is quite so inspiring to a young author as hearing a published, working author talk about the writing process.

"A dynamic presentation..."
"My students learned so much..."
"The kids were interested and involved."
"Thanks for getting my students all excited about writing!"

Not sure your school can afford it? Look here:
FINDING FUNDS FOR AUTHOR VISITS

   

 

 

 

 

 

  KIDS:
Need to write a report about an author?
PARENTS:
Looking for fun activities for the kids?
TEACHERS:
Interested in tie-ins for the classroom?
FANS:
Wondering how a cat became my muse?
FRIENDS:
Want to know when I'm going to be in town?
 

 

NEW! STUDENT PUBLICATION PROGRAM

I've added a new option to my school visits: the publication of a beautiful, bookstore quality trade paperback book of your students' art and writing, including six FREE copies for your school library!

Click on the icon for sample pages of a book of student art
and writing produced through my imprint, Class Act Creative,
for an elementary school in Ventura, California.
Resolution has been reduced for web viewing.

THINGS TO DO, PLACES TO GO, PEOPLE TO SEE
WHERE TO FIND ME THIS MONTH (JUNE 2009)

This month artist Susan Seaberry and I complete our classroom workshops for Project Arts RESPECT in El Rio School District, Oxnard, California. A three-hour, standards-based literary and visual arts program addressing themes of identity, empathy, kindness and respect, the project will culminate in a published book of student art and writing. Our purpose is to encourage students to honor what makes each of them unique; explore the ways they are alike; and express the power of kindness in their lives, writing and art.

THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES OF Arts RESPECT

R - Taking responsibility for our own words and actions
E - Showing empathy for others’ disappointments and joys
S - Acknowledging both our strengths and our struggles
P - Finding peaceful solutions to conflicts
E - Offering encouragement to everyone around us
C - Showing compassion for those less fortunate than us
T - Showing tolerance for different points of view

TUESDAY JUNE 2
Project Arts RESPECT Writing Workshop
Rio Del Mar Elementary School

3150 Thames River Dr
Oxnard, CA 93036
Contact: Lynette Lucas, District Coordinator of Technology, Assessment and Curriculum

WEDNESDAY JUNE 3
Blog Interview (in Spanish)
Los Bloguitos

Contact: Leticia Pontoni, Blog Manager

WEDNESDAY JUNE 3
Project Arts RESPECT Art Workshop
Rio Real Elementary School

1140 Kenney Street
Oxnard, CA 93036
Contact: Lynette Lucas, District Coordinator of Technology,
Assessment and Curriculum

STUDENT WORK FROM THE RIO PROJECT ARTS RESPECT PROGRAM. CLICK THE IMAGE FOR MORE SELF-PORTRAITS AND EXAMPLES OF STUDENT "IDENTITY POEMS."

THURSDAY JUNE 4
Project Arts RESPECT Art Workshop
Rio Lindo Elementary School

2131 Snow Avenue
Oxnard, CA 93036
Contact: Lynette Lucas, District Coordinator of Technology, Assessment and Curriculum

WEDNESDAY JUNE 10
Project Arts RESPECT Writing Workshop
Rio Real Elementary School

1140 Kenney Street
Oxnard, CA 93036
Contact: Lynette Lucas, District Coordinator of Technology, Assessment and Curriculum

THURSDAY JUNE 11
Project Arts RESPECT Writing Workshop
Rio Lindo Elementary School

2131 Snow Avenue
Oxnard, CA 93036
Contact: Lynette Lucas, District Coordinator of Technology, Assessment and Curriculum

TUESDAY JUNE 16
School Visit
Alki Elementary School

3010 59th Ave SW
Seattle, WA 98116
Contact: Marjorie Nye, Grade 1 Teacher

For a more complete schedule, visit my EVENTS page.

COMING SOON

MONSTERS DON'T EAT BROCCOLI

(Or do they?)

And if monsters DON'T eat broccoli (or artichokes or greens), what DO they eat? You'll find out in my newest picture book from Alfred A. Knopf, available in August 2009.

You'll love the funny, cheerful, not-the-least-bit-scary monsters created by my talented illustrator, Sue Hendra, for Monsters Don't Eat Broccoli.

 Sue lives in Brighton, England and has illustrated
more than 70 children's books.


Thanks, Sue, for the fabulous coloring pages!

Click on the image for a full page picture to print and color.

      
Monsters Don't Eat Broccoli has an interesting history—already! My editor at Knopf came across a book dummy in the offices of Random House England for a project that had been contracted and then abandoned. (A book dummy is a prototype that an author-illustrator puts together to market a story, comprised of text, sketches and two or three finished pieces.) She loved the illustrations, but the text didn't quite work for her. When she got back to the states, she sent me a copy of the dummy and asked me if I could come up with a story for the pictures! Normally, the story comes first and the editor looks for an illustrator after the text has been contracted, so this was highly unusual. Sue sent me the sketches below to help me get a sense of her monsters. Her final artwork is even more vibrant and fun.

All text and images on this website © Barbara Jean Hicks 2005-2007 unless otherwise identified. Text and images may be used for educational and other non-commercial purposes if copyright and website information are clearly stated. Commercial use of all text and images is strictly prohibited.