Dedication by Annette Simon

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Dedication by Annette Simon

Posted by Colby Sharp on July 31, 2012 in Author Posts | 46 Comments

Annette’ childhood copy of Green Eggs and Ham

To you, my companion, The Picture Book.

Together, we’ve smelled flowers with Ferdinand and walked to Paris with Henri, planted a rainbow and grownvegetable soup. We’ve rocked in our school shoes. We’ve rhymed with dust bunnies. Under a red tree and anowl moon, we’ve gone on a bear hunt to where the sidewalk ends. We’ve interrupted a chicken, flown the polar express, looked at Lincoln, and beheld the bold umbrellaphant. We’ve heard Maestro play, beseeeechingly. We’ve chicka chicka boom boomed, tikki tikki temboed, crash bang walloped, click clack mooed and oink-a-doodle-dooed. This is just to say, we’ve gone, Dog. Gone! (If not exactly taken Grandfather’s journey.)

Fortunately, we’ve enjoyed tea with Fancy Nancy, bread and jam with Frances, blueberries with Sal, and green eggs and ham. In a boat. With a goat. In the rain. On a train. We gave a mouse a cookie; we’ve shared nine kinds of pie. (Mmm…affirmative!) We’ve devoured stone soup, a leaf, an apple, a pair of pears, three plums, four strawberries, five oranges, cake, ice cream, a pickle and some cheese. Someone else swallowed a fly. Arnie the Doughnut is safe.

You and I’ve made life-long pals: Olivia, Sylvester, Strega Nona, Maisy, Amos McGee. Corduroy, Cinderella,Thumbelina and a curious monkey. The Great Pumpkin, the Happy Hocky Family, Scaredy Squirrel, Viola Swamp, Miss Rumphius and Eloise. Tra-la-LAA!–Captain Underpants! The Grinch and Stinky Cheese Man.Elephant and Piggie and the velveteen rabbit. Officer Buckle and Gloria, Shark and Train and Hippo! No, Rhino.Yo! Yes?

Once upon a twice, we pressed Here and traveled There. We’ve wished for wings that worked. We’ve made way for ducklings, been too absolutely small for school. We’ve questioned brown bear, brown bear, and survived a monster at the end of this book. We’ve whispered goodnights to a gorilla, a chair and an iPad. We’ve loved to the moon and back, but we’ve yet to let a pigeon drive the bus. (Maybe on a snowy day…?)

Ah, if we were in charge….We’ve contemplated polkabats and octopus slacks, a red thread, a freight train, aduck on a bike, what if we had duck feet, flotsam, stars, snow music, 17 things I’m not allowed to do anymore,dinosaur vs. bedtime, the moon in my room, a bird on your head, balloons over Broadway, the mysteries ofHarris Burdick, the adventures of Hugo Cabret, the fantastic flying books of Mr. Morris Lessmore, and that some days are like that, even in Australia. We’ve pondered all the world. And that Libby died.

Thanks to you, cherished chum, I know a lot of things. I know that if you shake your fist and throw your cap to the ground, copycat monkeys will, too. I know how the sphinx got to the museum and how to get a kite from a tree. I know a hole is to dig, an egg is quiet, dragons love tacos, and children make terrible pets. I know where the wild things are, who took my hat, and how to get a king out of the bathtub. And while I don’t know where we’re headed next, I know that I can’t wait.

May I bring a friend?

Annette Simon

Annette says that when she was in kindergarten, she was named Best Artist in her class.

When she was in the third grade, she won her school’s Fire Prevention Week poster contest.

After she graduated from the University of Cincinnati’s College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning, Annette earned awards as an advertising creative director.

Now, she writes and draws for young readers. Simon says she could not feel more honored.

Annette wants to know what picture books are your favorite. Leave a comment letting her know two or three of your favorite, and on August 4th we will randomly draw one winner. The winner will receive a copy of Annete’s book Robot Zombie Frankenstein!

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