April 27th, 2011
I had the pleasure of being interviewed by The Enchanted Inkpot's Grace Lin to discuss the Nathaniel Fludd series in general and the newly released The Unicorn's Tale in particular.
March 16th, 2011
Over At The Castle was selected for Bank Street College's 2011 Best Children's Books of the Year list, in the "Under Five" category.
A review of last weekend's artist talk featuring Christopher Bing, David Macaulay, Kelly Murphy and Matt Tavares at the Brush Art Gallery & Studios' Children's Book Illustrators Exhibition was published in today's print edition of The Boston Globe.
September 1st, 2010
'Haunted Houses (Are You Scared Yet?)' is reviewed in the September 2010 issue by School Library Journal.
"These 10 spooky stories include a classic Halloween scare: visitors get their admission fee of $25 back if they make it to the top floor of a haunted house-but can they? In another, the primary occupant of a dollhouse is a ghost of a child who needs help moving from one consciousness to another. San Souci also writes about an abandoned teahouse with ghosts, a Ouija board that foretells a confusing yet doomed future, and a mother's spirit who is searching for her missing son. The stories are well paced and satisfyingly startling. While some are better written than others, this book won't stay on the shelves for long. Murphy and Revoy's black-and-white illustrations heighten the fright factor, making San Souci's collection even more riveting."
-Patty Saldenberg, George Jackson Academy, New York City
July 3rd, 2010
A glowing review of The Basilisk's Lair by School Library Journal.
"Nate Fludd, budding beastologist, is back in an adventure even greater than his first. His Aunt Phil receives a telegram that a basilisk has escaped from the village of Bamako. The natives need her help, and soon Nate is racing on a camel, flying across the Sahara, and warding off crocodiles from a boat. Aunt Phil has two friendly weasels willing to do battle with the basilisk, and Nate's troublemaking pet, Greasle, accompanies him every step of the way. The basilisk is terrifying, with its deadly venom and scales, and Nate musters all his courage to fight it and continues to wonder who freed the beast and what happened to his parents, who disappeared in Flight of the Phoenix (Houghton, 2009). Children who enjoyed the first book will not be disappointed by the sequel, and those new to the series can easily pick up the story line. The action is nonstop, and the elements of fantasy, mystery, and humor will appeal to a wide audience. Murphy's spot art and occasional full-page drawings carry the action along nicely."
-Jane Cronkhite, Santa Clara County Library, CA
June 29th, 2010
A great The Basilisk's Lair review by the Sacramento Book Review.
"In the second book of R. L. LaFevers' series, Nate once again finds himself in an adventure where he must save the day. Aunt Phil has undertaken Nate's education in beastology since his parents disappeared. In the middle of the Sahara Desert, they are met by Arab friends with a telegram: A basilisk has escaped from its lair in a remote part of the Sudan. Aunt Phil arranges to travel by plane, then by canoe, then by donkey, to save the Dhughani people from the escaped basilisk. To her displeasure, Nate's pesky, oil-eating, pet gremlin, comes along. On this trip, Nate is only supposed to observe and learn while his aunt captures and returns the basilisk to its lair. But Nate peeks in Aunt Phil's Book of Beasts and is not happy with what he discovers: a basilisk is the king of serpents, born of a cockerel egg, hatched by a serpent. Its breath is venomous, its scales poisonous; its glance kills from twenty feet!
Things don't go according to Aunt Phil's plan, and it becomes Nate's job (with the help of the pesky gremlin), to rescue Aunt Phil. Action-packed, with humorous illustrations, this is a delightful read for young children."
-Elizabeth Varadan
April 30th, 2010
The Basilisk's Lair review by Booklist.
"Picking up immediately where Flight of the Phoenix (2009) finished, Nathaniel Fludd, Aunt Phil, and the gremlin Greasel pursue an escaped Basilisk, the highly dangerous king of the Serpents. Despite his previous success in the field, Nathaniel is an uncertain beastologist, although wise Aunt Phil finds ways to incorporate Nathaniel's preexisting skills, such as his artistic abilities, as he hones his new ones. Familiarity with Nathaniel's previous adventure is helpful though not necessary, and fans can look forward to a return to Batting-at-the-Flies as the trio investigates the disappearance of Nathaniel's parents in the forthcoming volume."
-Kara Dean
April 29th, 2010
The Basilisk's Lair review on Kirkus Reviews.
"When his Aunt Phil flies to the western Sudan to recapture an escaped basilisk, she takes Nathaniel Fludd along, reassuring him that he is only to "watch and learn." Instead, he and his gremlin friend, Greasle, play important roles. This satisfying middle-grade adventure features a hesitant, unskilled hero, a miniature sidekick straight from Where the Wild Things Are and an exotic setting in colonial British West Africa in 1928. The basilisk is appropriately scary, and straightforward storytelling leads to an exciting climax. Readers won't get and don't need the entire back story from Flight of the Phoenix (2009), the first in the Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist series, but those who have read it will surely enjoy the return of the supposed orphan and his formidable aunt. Murphy has provided a full-page pen-and-ink illustration as well as several smaller sketches for almost every chapter, and Nathaniel contributes drawings, too. Sharp-eyed readers will realize that the chapter numbers are counted in animal bones. This story is complete in itself, but the ending promises more adventure to come." (Adventure. 7-10)
February 1st, 2010
Brand-New Baby Blues receives a Star review from School Library Journal:
"Through rhyme and three repeating stanzas, a child laments about the good ol' days and realizes, "Now everything is different,/everything is changed./I'm not the one and only./My whole life's rearranged." The normal emotions of sadness, disappointment, jealousy, and anger follow when her parents shower her new brother with attention, pass her stuffed bear down to him, and share the hugs that were once all hers. Then, with just the right words from Mom and Dad about her uniqueness, and some positive observations, her attitude changes. She looks forward to the days when her new sibling will not be a baby anymore, but instead be a brother she can play catch with and a game of hide-and-seek. Oil, acrylic, and gel are used to create gentle hues. What makes this telling of the new brother/sister theme stand out is how well the verses are in sync with the illustrations, layout, and the characters' facial expressions. Great for sharing with a group or one-on-one."
-Anne Beier, Hendrick Hudson Free Library, Montrose, NY
December 15th, 2009
A great review of Brand-New Baby Blues from Kirkus Reviews:
"A young girl is adjusting to life with her new baby brother. "[T]he good ol' days are over," sings the repeated refrain, "It's official, it's the news! / With my brand-new baby brother / came the brand-new baby blues!" Appelt's catchy, child-friendly text and Murphy's energetic, engaging pictures illustrate her woes, from the golden memories of her days as the only one to her mother's newfound busyness, her father's goofy attempts at entertaining the baby and the unfortunate fragrance of stinky diapers. Funny and concise, the rollicking rhyme bounces along, accepting the frustration natural to the situation, while gently allowing the girl's love of and appreciation for her brother, as well as her anticipation of a future playmate, to gradually shine through. The process is complemented by the illustrations, which modulate in palette from angry blues and greens to sunny yellows, while serene compositions replace off-kilter ones. Older brothers and sisters will easily identify with this jaunty heroine and profit from her realizations-an excellent choice for a new older sibling. (Picture book. 3-6)"
August 18th, 2009
Flight of the Phoenix (Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist Series) review on School Library Journal.
"...The story is packed with adventure and mythological creatures. Children who love fantasy, myth, exotic settings, and even a little dose of history will relate to Nate as he discovers his inner hero and carries on the Fludd family tradition. The characters are strongly developed and the period illustrations done in line, including some of Nate's own sketches, enhance the tale. A quick and enriching read that will appeal to a wide variety of children."
-Jane Cronkhite, San Jose Public Library, CA
April 27th, 2008
Regan McMahon, Chronicle Deputy Book Editor, gave a lovely review of Hush, Little Dragon in the San Francisco Chronicle this past weekend. I can't say that I could be any more thrilled about this spotlight for Boni Ashburn, Abrams Books for Young Readers, and myself!
"It's "Sweeney Todd" for the sandbox set."
April 1st, 2007
Fiona's Luck review on School Library Journal.
"...Murphy's illustrations are richly toned and evocative. Some are spreads, full of color in a folk-art style; on other pages, the smaller spot illustrations highlight the details in the story. Each page is a harmonious blend of artwork and text, which makes the story an engaging read-aloud, and it's also accessible to young readers. Children will love this tale, particularly the facial expressions on Fiona and the small people who surround her, and they'll delight in the young woman's cleverness and quick thinking."
March 7th, 2007
Fiona's Luck review on The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books.
"...This well-crafted original tale is both logical and fanciful; the abundance of luck followed by the shortage of luck provides a creative premise for a tale, and Fiona proves a resourceful heroine. Murphy's illustrations, rendered in acrylic, watercolor, and gel medium, contrast softly shaping landscapes with sharp, bright-eyed figures (though the leprechauns are rather stiff and doll-like). Shifts in color reflect the changing tone in the story and establish the verdant nature of the countryside without resorting to an unending panorama of kelly green..."
January 15th, 2007
Fiona's Luck review on Kirkus Reviews.
"...Children will delight in the cunning way that Fiona triumphs over the leprechaun king, as well as in the rhythmic language of this well-told tale. Using acrylic, watercolor and gel medium, Murphy creates simple, angular figures and soft, right backgrounds, a combination that perfectly accentuates the folksy charisma of Bateman's story..."
January 1st, 2007
Fiona's Luck review on Publishers Weekly.
"...Murphy's (Boll Weevil Ball) textured mixed-media compositions, in a predominately dusky palette, keep pace with the action. Freckle-faced Fiona's changeable expressions hint at her scheming and the lively sweet-faced leprechauns flit across the pages."
November 2006
A while ago I was contacted by Lulu Tzeng from DPI magazine, asking me to feature some of my illustrations in their design magazine. Today, my copies were in the mailbox! I could not have worked with a more amazing editor and design team. Although I know NO taiwanese, I can tell from the content and caliber of people working there, it's an amazing magazine. And as they say, "every designer has PC or MAC, and a dpi magazine!" For my own benefit, I will add that everyone have a Taiwanese dictionary too!
I had the pleasure of being interviewed by The Enchanted Inkpot's Grace Lin to discuss the Nathaniel Fludd series in general and the newly released The Unicorn's Tale in particular.
March 16th, 2011
Over At The Castle was selected for Bank Street College's 2011 Best Children's Books of the Year list, in the "Under Five" category.
"Illustrators draw a crowd"
October 5th, 2010A review of last weekend's artist talk featuring Christopher Bing, David Macaulay, Kelly Murphy and Matt Tavares at the Brush Art Gallery & Studios' Children's Book Illustrators Exhibition was published in today's print edition of The Boston Globe.
September 1st, 2010
'Haunted Houses (Are You Scared Yet?)' is reviewed in the September 2010 issue by School Library Journal.
"These 10 spooky stories include a classic Halloween scare: visitors get their admission fee of $25 back if they make it to the top floor of a haunted house-but can they? In another, the primary occupant of a dollhouse is a ghost of a child who needs help moving from one consciousness to another. San Souci also writes about an abandoned teahouse with ghosts, a Ouija board that foretells a confusing yet doomed future, and a mother's spirit who is searching for her missing son. The stories are well paced and satisfyingly startling. While some are better written than others, this book won't stay on the shelves for long. Murphy and Revoy's black-and-white illustrations heighten the fright factor, making San Souci's collection even more riveting."
-Patty Saldenberg, George Jackson Academy, New York City
July 3rd, 2010
A glowing review of The Basilisk's Lair by School Library Journal.
"Nate Fludd, budding beastologist, is back in an adventure even greater than his first. His Aunt Phil receives a telegram that a basilisk has escaped from the village of Bamako. The natives need her help, and soon Nate is racing on a camel, flying across the Sahara, and warding off crocodiles from a boat. Aunt Phil has two friendly weasels willing to do battle with the basilisk, and Nate's troublemaking pet, Greasle, accompanies him every step of the way. The basilisk is terrifying, with its deadly venom and scales, and Nate musters all his courage to fight it and continues to wonder who freed the beast and what happened to his parents, who disappeared in Flight of the Phoenix (Houghton, 2009). Children who enjoyed the first book will not be disappointed by the sequel, and those new to the series can easily pick up the story line. The action is nonstop, and the elements of fantasy, mystery, and humor will appeal to a wide audience. Murphy's spot art and occasional full-page drawings carry the action along nicely."
-Jane Cronkhite, Santa Clara County Library, CA
June 29th, 2010
A great The Basilisk's Lair review by the Sacramento Book Review.
"In the second book of R. L. LaFevers' series, Nate once again finds himself in an adventure where he must save the day. Aunt Phil has undertaken Nate's education in beastology since his parents disappeared. In the middle of the Sahara Desert, they are met by Arab friends with a telegram: A basilisk has escaped from its lair in a remote part of the Sudan. Aunt Phil arranges to travel by plane, then by canoe, then by donkey, to save the Dhughani people from the escaped basilisk. To her displeasure, Nate's pesky, oil-eating, pet gremlin, comes along. On this trip, Nate is only supposed to observe and learn while his aunt captures and returns the basilisk to its lair. But Nate peeks in Aunt Phil's Book of Beasts and is not happy with what he discovers: a basilisk is the king of serpents, born of a cockerel egg, hatched by a serpent. Its breath is venomous, its scales poisonous; its glance kills from twenty feet!
Things don't go according to Aunt Phil's plan, and it becomes Nate's job (with the help of the pesky gremlin), to rescue Aunt Phil. Action-packed, with humorous illustrations, this is a delightful read for young children."
-Elizabeth Varadan
April 30th, 2010
The Basilisk's Lair review by Booklist.
"Picking up immediately where Flight of the Phoenix (2009) finished, Nathaniel Fludd, Aunt Phil, and the gremlin Greasel pursue an escaped Basilisk, the highly dangerous king of the Serpents. Despite his previous success in the field, Nathaniel is an uncertain beastologist, although wise Aunt Phil finds ways to incorporate Nathaniel's preexisting skills, such as his artistic abilities, as he hones his new ones. Familiarity with Nathaniel's previous adventure is helpful though not necessary, and fans can look forward to a return to Batting-at-the-Flies as the trio investigates the disappearance of Nathaniel's parents in the forthcoming volume."
-Kara Dean
April 29th, 2010
The Basilisk's Lair review on Kirkus Reviews.
"When his Aunt Phil flies to the western Sudan to recapture an escaped basilisk, she takes Nathaniel Fludd along, reassuring him that he is only to "watch and learn." Instead, he and his gremlin friend, Greasle, play important roles. This satisfying middle-grade adventure features a hesitant, unskilled hero, a miniature sidekick straight from Where the Wild Things Are and an exotic setting in colonial British West Africa in 1928. The basilisk is appropriately scary, and straightforward storytelling leads to an exciting climax. Readers won't get and don't need the entire back story from Flight of the Phoenix (2009), the first in the Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist series, but those who have read it will surely enjoy the return of the supposed orphan and his formidable aunt. Murphy has provided a full-page pen-and-ink illustration as well as several smaller sketches for almost every chapter, and Nathaniel contributes drawings, too. Sharp-eyed readers will realize that the chapter numbers are counted in animal bones. This story is complete in itself, but the ending promises more adventure to come." (Adventure. 7-10)
February 1st, 2010
Brand-New Baby Blues receives a Star review from School Library Journal:"Through rhyme and three repeating stanzas, a child laments about the good ol' days and realizes, "Now everything is different,/everything is changed./I'm not the one and only./My whole life's rearranged." The normal emotions of sadness, disappointment, jealousy, and anger follow when her parents shower her new brother with attention, pass her stuffed bear down to him, and share the hugs that were once all hers. Then, with just the right words from Mom and Dad about her uniqueness, and some positive observations, her attitude changes. She looks forward to the days when her new sibling will not be a baby anymore, but instead be a brother she can play catch with and a game of hide-and-seek. Oil, acrylic, and gel are used to create gentle hues. What makes this telling of the new brother/sister theme stand out is how well the verses are in sync with the illustrations, layout, and the characters' facial expressions. Great for sharing with a group or one-on-one."
-Anne Beier, Hendrick Hudson Free Library, Montrose, NY
December 15th, 2009
A great review of Brand-New Baby Blues from Kirkus Reviews:
"A young girl is adjusting to life with her new baby brother. "[T]he good ol' days are over," sings the repeated refrain, "It's official, it's the news! / With my brand-new baby brother / came the brand-new baby blues!" Appelt's catchy, child-friendly text and Murphy's energetic, engaging pictures illustrate her woes, from the golden memories of her days as the only one to her mother's newfound busyness, her father's goofy attempts at entertaining the baby and the unfortunate fragrance of stinky diapers. Funny and concise, the rollicking rhyme bounces along, accepting the frustration natural to the situation, while gently allowing the girl's love of and appreciation for her brother, as well as her anticipation of a future playmate, to gradually shine through. The process is complemented by the illustrations, which modulate in palette from angry blues and greens to sunny yellows, while serene compositions replace off-kilter ones. Older brothers and sisters will easily identify with this jaunty heroine and profit from her realizations-an excellent choice for a new older sibling. (Picture book. 3-6)"
August 18th, 2009
Flight of the Phoenix (Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist Series) review on School Library Journal.
"...The story is packed with adventure and mythological creatures. Children who love fantasy, myth, exotic settings, and even a little dose of history will relate to Nate as he discovers his inner hero and carries on the Fludd family tradition. The characters are strongly developed and the period illustrations done in line, including some of Nate's own sketches, enhance the tale. A quick and enriching read that will appeal to a wide variety of children."
-Jane Cronkhite, San Jose Public Library, CA
April 27th, 2008
Regan McMahon, Chronicle Deputy Book Editor, gave a lovely review of Hush, Little Dragon in the San Francisco Chronicle this past weekend. I can't say that I could be any more thrilled about this spotlight for Boni Ashburn, Abrams Books for Young Readers, and myself!
"It's "Sweeney Todd" for the sandbox set."
April 1st, 2007
Fiona's Luck review on School Library Journal.
"...Murphy's illustrations are richly toned and evocative. Some are spreads, full of color in a folk-art style; on other pages, the smaller spot illustrations highlight the details in the story. Each page is a harmonious blend of artwork and text, which makes the story an engaging read-aloud, and it's also accessible to young readers. Children will love this tale, particularly the facial expressions on Fiona and the small people who surround her, and they'll delight in the young woman's cleverness and quick thinking."
March 7th, 2007
Fiona's Luck review on The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books.
"...This well-crafted original tale is both logical and fanciful; the abundance of luck followed by the shortage of luck provides a creative premise for a tale, and Fiona proves a resourceful heroine. Murphy's illustrations, rendered in acrylic, watercolor, and gel medium, contrast softly shaping landscapes with sharp, bright-eyed figures (though the leprechauns are rather stiff and doll-like). Shifts in color reflect the changing tone in the story and establish the verdant nature of the countryside without resorting to an unending panorama of kelly green..."
January 15th, 2007
Fiona's Luck review on Kirkus Reviews.
"...Children will delight in the cunning way that Fiona triumphs over the leprechaun king, as well as in the rhythmic language of this well-told tale. Using acrylic, watercolor and gel medium, Murphy creates simple, angular figures and soft, right backgrounds, a combination that perfectly accentuates the folksy charisma of Bateman's story..."
January 1st, 2007
Fiona's Luck review on Publishers Weekly.
"...Murphy's (Boll Weevil Ball) textured mixed-media compositions, in a predominately dusky palette, keep pace with the action. Freckle-faced Fiona's changeable expressions hint at her scheming and the lively sweet-faced leprechauns flit across the pages."
November 2006
A while ago I was contacted by Lulu Tzeng from DPI magazine, asking me to feature some of my illustrations in their design magazine. Today, my copies were in the mailbox! I could not have worked with a more amazing editor and design team. Although I know NO taiwanese, I can tell from the content and caliber of people working there, it's an amazing magazine. And as they say, "every designer has PC or MAC, and a dpi magazine!" For my own benefit, I will add that everyone have a Taiwanese dictionary too!
