They let themselves go with the flow, as none of them knew how to row.
A new star was discovered today. It’s called School Library Journal, and joins Kirkus, PW, and The Horn Book in the ever brighter constellation of the Duck.
BUNTING, Eve. Have You Seen My New Blue Socks? illus. by Sergio Ruzzier.
A small green duck has lost his new blue socks. He looks for them in his toy box and consults his friends the fox and the ox. He does not find them among other socks on the rocks, but his peacock friends help him find them. The short, repetitive rhyming sentences are a good fit for beginning readers, and the large trim size allows plenty of space for the watercolor and [pen] illustrations to provide clues to solve the humorous mystery. This is a whimsical delight for children whose parents clamor for phonics-based books.–Laura Scott, Farmington Community Library, MI
I originally wrote this piece for the March/April 2012 SCBWI Bulletin.
There was a thread on Twitter about Karla Kuskin recently. That made me feel a bit nostalgic. I consider myself very fortunate to have met her and chatted with her.
Bear wakes up hungry from hibernation, and the only food source in sight is a beehive. When the bee on top of the hive offers up his honey, Bear says, “But what about the bee?” See, Bear doesn’t actually know what a bee is—it’s certainly not the creature he is talking to—and his preconceived notions about bees include that they’re “terrible monsters!” with “large teeth” and “sharp claws.” […] These two unlikely friends […] are charmers […]. This story about snap judgments is wrapped in cuteness, making it just right for the pre-school set. — Ann Kelle
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How bees look in Bear’s morbid imagination. |
As you can see, I am updating my website. Meanwhile, you can still visit my old site.
Bear and Bee. published by Hyperion in 2013.
“I Bee-lieve Sergio Ruzzier is a big Bear of a talent.” – Maurice Sendak
“Ruzzier has a solid sense of comic timing and proffers his lesson on the folly of prejudice with an admirably light touch.” – Publishers Weekly
“Ruzzier’s pacing is impeccable. The illustrations are simple and uncluttered, keeping the focus on the two expressive friends and making this a great choice for sharing with groups. The correction of misconceptions has never been so much fun.” -Kirkus Reviews
Sergio Ruzzier is a picture book author and illustrator.
He was born in Milan, Italy, in 1966, and began his career as an illustrator in 1986.
Sergio has written and illustrated many picture books, including Fox and Chick: The Party, a 2019 Geisel Honor Book; Fish and Wave, a 2023 Geisel Honor book; Two Mice; and more. He was a recipient of the 2011 Sendak Fellowship. His work has won many awards, including the Parents’ Choice Gold Medal for The Room of Wonders and This Is Not a Picture Book!.
After many years in Brooklyn, NY, he now lives in a very old house in the Apennine Mountains in northern Italy. He is both an Italian and a U.S. citizen.
Sergio is represented by Jennifer Laughran of Andrea Brown Literary Agency. You can follow her blog and her tweets.