Last night I went to a book launch party for The Boy who was Raised by Librarians by Carla Morris, illustrated by Brad Sneed. Both Carla and Brad were there and signed my book.

If you are the kind of person who loves libraries like I do, you'll love this book.

CARLA MORRIS always wanted to write a book. As a children's librarian at the Provo City Library, she is surrounded by books and kids.

One particular boy, however, became the inspiration for The Boy who was Raised by Librarians. Ian Perkes helped at the library through a government program for disadvantaged youth. He started there when he was 16. He wrote a personal poem for Carla's birthday one year entitled "For my Librarian Mother". Carla began to think about children who grow up in libraries.

Carla first became a librarian at age 6. She had a bookshelf library over her bed from which she'd allow her siblings to check out books if they were being good to her. She later helped in school libraries, after begging librarians to let her stay in instead of playing outside for recess.

When she first wrote the story of Ian, it was much too old and serious. She workshopped it and had it critiqued.

Carla met a Peachtree editor, and knowing they had published Carmen Deedy's Library Dragon, she pitched the story. The editor liked Carla and the proposed book title. However, from that point, the book took 6 YEARS to become a reality!

In 2004, Peachtree booked Brad Sneed as the illustrator. Carla jumped up and down with excitement. She even sent flowers to Peachtree for getting him. But he was booked two years. He was worth the wait.

Carla did not have any contact with Brad until the book was complete. At that point, she found his email online and sent a thank-you note.

BRAD SNEED knew he wanted to illustrate The Boy who was Raised by Librarians after reading the first few paragraphs because it was very well-written. He knew book-people (like his daughter) and librarians would fall in love with the story.

Brad is from Kansas. He grew up there and now lives in the Kansas City area with his wife. Growing up, he had to use his imagination a lot because his friends lived too far away. He was an outside kid, didn't read much. If he was inside, he was drawing. Brad has always considered himself an artist.

He has been illustrating for 18 years (which is crazy because he looks very young). He studied illustration at Kansas University.

The librarians in this story are not modeled after real people. He hopes that they will be universal. Peachtree sent him the original ms along with the final one because it was more descriptive. In the original, there was a one-line description of each librarian. "Marge was tall and slender." "Betty was soft and round." "Leeola (named after Carla's mother) was short and frizzy."

He does not use the computer except for email. He's an old-fashioned artist. He loves the smell of paint and the feel of bristles against paper. If he did his art on the computer, he'd miss the tactile experience.

When Brad sent the mock-up to Peachtree, he was shocked when they responded, "There are no changes."

He really enjoyed working on this book.


After these two beautiful, talented people spoke, I jumped in line to get my book signed. And I'm glad I did, because the line was enormous and Brad, being a very generous person, took quite a bit of time drawing in all the books.



Carla Morris is everything a children's librarian should be. Just look at that smile.



And, in line, I happened across a suspiciously familiar, cute pregnant lady, who I recognized as eshakespear. And let me tell you, she is just as sweet and friendly in real life as she is online. She's here for an SCBWI conference. I can't wait to hear about it, Erin! And look, the picture turned out totally cute.