m a r y z i s k • i m a g e s a n d w o r d s
works in progress:
Welcome to Oliver's house!
Happy Birthday, Oliver! (wip)
assignment for NJSCBWI illustration intensive:
picture me a story
I've loved children's books forever and treasured all my Little Golden Books (I still have them) because of the illustrations. My favorites are The Pokey Little Puppy, Gaston and Josephine, Animal Friends, and Little Red Riding Hood, and others—especially books with illustrations by Garth Williams, Feodor Rojankovsky, Tibor Gergely, and Eloise Wilkin. As I got into elementary school and junior high, my favorite books were ones illustrated by Robert Lawson, Thornton Burgess, Louis Darling, and Robert McCloskey.
In 8th grade, I wrote and illustrated my first book, Clyde the Chartreuse Cow. My English teacher sent it in to a contest, but it was rejected.
In my twenties, I took childrens' book classes at Parsons School of Design/The New School and wrote and illustrated my next book, Hillary's Museum. I sent it to only one publisher and it was rejected (hmm, maybe I should take a second look at it).
Never losing my interest in kids' books, I finally published my first book in 2001, The Best Single Mom in the World: How I Was Adopted (A.Whitman & Co.). When I adopted my daughter as a single mother, there weren't any books I could read to her that fit our situation. The closest I found was Dr. Seuss's Horton Hatches the Egg. So, by writing and illustrating my book, I was able to fill a neglected niche.
In 8th grade, I wrote and illustrated my first book, Clyde the Chartreuse Cow. My English teacher sent it in to a contest, but it was rejected.
In my twenties, I took childrens' book classes at Parsons School of Design/The New School and wrote and illustrated my next book, Hillary's Museum. I sent it to only one publisher and it was rejected (hmm, maybe I should take a second look at it).
Never losing my interest in kids' books, I finally published my first book in 2001, The Best Single Mom in the World: How I Was Adopted (A.Whitman & Co.). When I adopted my daughter as a single mother, there weren't any books I could read to her that fit our situation. The closest I found was Dr. Seuss's Horton Hatches the Egg. So, by writing and illustrating my book, I was able to fill a neglected niche.
"The Best Single Mom in the World: How I Was Adopted"
You can buy my book through amazon.com.
Click on images below to enlarge.
All images, copyright Mary Zisk, 2011
Illustration sample for 'Oliver's Week'
Oliver's House
works in progress
I continue to write and illustrate in hopes of publishing again. Here are some hints about my works in progress:
* Oliver's Week, a picture book about playdates that is like a combination of Sesame Street and HGTV (see samples above).
* The Art of Being Remmy, a middle grade novel about 1964 and a girl who wants to become a famous artist and meet The Beatles (not necessarily in that order).
* A picture book about a dog groomer with high aspirations.
* Oliver's Week, a picture book about playdates that is like a combination of Sesame Street and HGTV (see samples above).
* The Art of Being Remmy, a middle grade novel about 1964 and a girl who wants to become a famous artist and meet The Beatles (not necessarily in that order).
* A picture book about a dog groomer with high aspirations.
You can read my adoption-related writings:
Interview with me at ComeUnity.com
"A Poodle for Anna," an article in Adoptive Families Magazine
I have also had essays published in Chicken Soup for the Single Mother's Soul and What Is Your Life's Work?
Interview with me at ComeUnity.com
"A Poodle for Anna," an article in Adoptive Families Magazine
I have also had essays published in Chicken Soup for the Single Mother's Soul and What Is Your Life's Work?
