A Couple of Reviews!

 The Canadian Children's Book Centre (CCBC) puts out a 

BEST BOOKS for Kids and Teens 

publication twice a year. I'm delighted that 

The Digger Dance

is included in the Spring 2023 edition.

From the review:

"Grandmas tells her grandson that diggers can dance. While waiting to watch the diggers, the two bake together. Using his imagination, the boy discovers that baking and diggers have a lot in common. He unloads butter, shovels sugar, and digs in the dough. Then the construction site roars to life. Dig in to see if diggers really dance!"

I also received a very nice IG review for 

While We Wait

from 

https://www.instagram.com/lesliebarnardbooth.books/

where she said:

"A lovely book about waiting for the best possible surprise--hint: it has teeny toes!"

Thank you, Leslie!

Happy reading,

Judy Ann

Different Drummer!

I will have the great pleasure of being at 

A Different Drummer 

on Saturday, November 26, 1-3 pm!

Please join us! I'll read my stories, do a little show and tell,

and you'll love the fun craft I've got ready for you! 

xo

Judy Ann

Guest Blog Post

Last week I had the pleasure of being a guest blogger on

L.E. Carmichael's website. 

Check it our here!

 Lindsey is a wonderful writer and scientist and lovely supporter of other writers.

And don't forget that The Digger Dance is available now!

Happy reading,

Judy Ann

It's Here!

The Digger Dance has arrived!  

 I'm so excited that this playful, imaginative, sweet book, beautifully-illustrated by Yong Ling Kang is now available in stores! Pick it up or order The Digger Dance at your local independent book shop, or order it on-line from Owlkids Books or Indigo or Amazon or wherever you buy your books!

I had so much fun creating this photo using my hubby's childhood diggers. They're extremely durable and still so much fun to play with!

Happy reading!

Judy Ann

 

The Digger Dance

 This has been an amazing year for me in the world of books! 

In March, my beautifully-illustrated book,

  While We Wait, was released by Owlkids Books. 

Then in June, I received a copy of Nothing Happens in This Book 

in Simplified Chinese! Amazing! 

It's so cool to see Vigg's playful art with my words in translation! 

In July, While We Wait was released by Éditions Scholastic 

in French as En attendant. I just love it!

And now, in a few days, I will have an imaginative, fun new picture book

The Digger Dance

playfully illustrated by Yong Ling Kang and published by Owlkids Books.

I will post more about it soon!

Happy Reading,

Judy Ann

Today's the day!

 While We Wait is officially out in the world today! I'm so happy!

Pick up a copy at your library, favourite local bookstore or on-line, 

then sit and read and enjoy!

Judy Ann

New book!!

A few days from today is a very special day! March 15 is the official launch date of,

While We Wait

Élodie Duhameau did the illustrations and they are beautiful! 

Somehow she managed to put so much expression on the faces of the characters with so few lines. 

I can't wait for you to read my words and see her art! It is said that the best picture books are a perfect partnership between author and illustrator: 

The art invites you into the book 

and the words keep you coming back. And those words were 

patiently guided and edited by the BEST editor, Debbie Rogosin.

Already I've had such a lovely review from Linda Ludke, extraordinary Collections Management Librarian at London Public Library who made While We Wait her expert pick. She said, in part:

"The elegantly crafted text lyrically conveys just how active 

the act of waiting can be"

Linda goes on to say,

"Judy Ann Sadler expertly stitches warmth and originality into the fabric of this sweet picture book about a close-knit family and the fine art of patience."

Read the entire review here:

https://bookcentre.ca/publications/newsletter/march-2022#experts

Isn't that lovely?

You can order or pick up a copy at your favourite independent bookstore or on-line! 

Don't wait!!

Happy reading,

Judy Ann

Goofy Valentines!

 Over the past many years, I've created what I hope are fun and surprising 

Valentine's Day cards. I love sending them to family and friends. 

Here are a few samples:

This one said, "Hey Valentine, I'm hooked on you!"

In this one I printed, "Hogs and kisses to you on Valentine's Day!"

"I'd SNAP at the chance to be your Valentine!"

"WHALE you please be mine?"

"I SHELL always love you."

I wonder what this year's Valentine card will look like?

xo

Judy Ann

Pillow case fun!

Over the years, I've enjoyed choosing perfect fabrics to make pillowcases for gifts. 

I decided this past Christmas that it was time to make 

personalized pillow cases for the littles in my life!

I spent a delightful hour at stache fabrics in downtown London 

choosing just the right fabric combos.

One of our littles really likes cats and regularly pretends to be a playful kitty.

Another thinks he may want to be a sea captain someday.

Another is very good at identifying many different birds, just by their calls.

And, really, they all love frogs and lily pads and anything else around a pond, 

but this seemed perfect for the youngest.

I hope they sleep well on their playful pillowcases!

xo

Judy Ann

A first look!

It's been almost four years since I had a new book out in the world! 

That makes it extra delightful to have TWO picture books coming out in 2022! 

Here is a look at the cover of 

While We Wait 

which will make its grand entrance this March. I'm so excited to get my hands on a copy!

 (Are you wondering what these two are waiting for?!)

Élodie Duhameau has done an amazing job with the art. 

She manages to express so much emotion and love in so few facial lines.

I cannot wait for everyone to read and see this book!

Enjoy your day,

Judy Ann

Toques!

 Knitting toques for my grandkids is one of life's little pleasures. 

Recently I made a couple of extra-fun toques!

Stay cozy and warm,

Judy Ann

Dinosaur cake!

The littles in our family have recently become quite enchanted with dinosaurs. So, when one of them decided they needed a dinosaur cake for their birthday, I wasn't sure what to do. 

I love baking cakes, but I'm not particularly good at making shaped cakes. 

Here's how I solved the problem.

I baked a three-layer chocolate buttermilk cake with rich, buttery, chocolate icing.

And bought a fierce-looking dinosaur for on top. Ta-da! 

A dinosaur cake to eat and a toy to keep!

Have a sweet day,

Judy Ann

Paper pumpkins

Here's a fun paper-pumpkin craft that I've done at the library and with my grandkids.

Fold a sheet of card stock or construction paper in half, 

then fold each half to the centre.

Draw a pumpkin shape on a piece of cardboard or heavy paper. 

Trace it onto the folded paper so that the pumpkin 

goes off the paper on both sides. 

Cut out the pumpkin shape...

...and unfold your pumpkin string.

Draw on faces or decorate as you wish.

Hang up or stand up your pumpkin strings wherever you like!

Enjoy,

Judy Ann

Pumpkin Time!

 In late Spring we had rhubarb time...

...in the heart of summer we had blueberry time...

...and now it is pumpkin time!

The plants were started by our son and grandsons at their place, 

then planted at our place.

It wasn't long before the pumpkins took over our backyard!

We loved their bright orange colour.

It was soon time to harvest the pumpkin crop, load them up...

...and take a fun photo!

Happy pumpkin time!

Judy Ann

Doll Quilt

 A certain sweet granddaughter turned 3 last weekend! 

She needed a new baby doll so I decided to make 

a little quilt to go with the new doll. 

I used scraps I had leftover from a baby quilt I made a few years ago.

I loved doodling with thread all over the quilt.

 I stitched in names, words, hearts and loads of love.

You can see that the blanket is quite small when you see the boxed doll on it!

A sweet gift for a sweet granddaughter. 

(We just need to hang in a little longer

 before we can see our grandkids in real life.)

xo

Judy Ann