About Me

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Currently seeking representation. Stephen Macquignon is an illustrator and was the first-runner-up for the prestigious Tomie dePaola award in 2017. He has had the privilege of working for Michael Sporn Animation Inc. on many different titles including, “The Little Match Girl”, “Ira Sleeps Over”, “Abel’s Island” and many more. An illustrator of children's books including Tea with the Queen, he has a BFA from the School of Visual Arts in New York and is a proud member of SCBWI. To date, he has never missed a deadline. A fresh energy that is not part of the trends out there.

Friday, February 13, 2009

Two Published Children’s book I have illustrated




“Angeline Jellybean” by Crystslee Calderwood & Colors by Dana warren, is two picture books I have illustrated and are available to purchase threw publisher 4RV Publishing or amazon.com
Reviews : "Angeline Jellybean - yay! My son went into fits of giggles every time Angeline said "Blah!" However I suspect he wasn't entirely convinced about the yumminess of the salad greens ;-) Gorgeous illustrations. Can't wait for the next one!"
Review: Can somebody who doesn’t like jellybeans write a book review for Angeline Jellybean?
I hope so because I don’t like jellybeans, and I’m writing this review. I think I can. I think I can. I think I can.
Angeline Jellybean by Crystalee Calderwood is a story about a girl who is obsessed with jellybeans. She loves them so much that she doesn’t want to eat anything else. Finally, when she gets to have all the jellybeans that she wants to eat, Angeline has a physical epiphany that changes the course of her life.
This story is a great read aloud book. It flows smoothly for the reader and sounds great to the listener. Crystalee uses precise language to make Angeline’s story come to life for her readers.
The rhymes are comfortable, natural, and never forced. Unexpected rhymes like “string beans” and “carotene” are just crazy enough to make children giggle and parents smile. Additionally, introducing new words like “carotene” to young children in a friendly read aloud setting will expand vocabulary quickly.
Every storyteller knows that one of the most important things for a read aloud book to encourage is audience participation! And Angeline Jellybean delivers. Small children will love to “blah” along with Angeline. For deeper participation, there is a question at the end of the book that parents might like to incorporate into a discussion with their children: “Does Angeline keep her promise? Should she?” Crystalee leaves this up to reader interpretation.
The illustrations are a wonderful match for the text! Somehow Stephen Macquignon caught a glimpse of Angeline floating, midair in story stream, drifting from the imagination of Crystalee. Then, he painted her into the book. Angeline is so beautiful that one of my daughters wants to hang her portrait in her bedroom. Her repeating sunflower buttons weave all the different views we see of her together into the definitive style of one little girl. Her Halloween kitty-face is Angeline. I for one, can’t wait to pick up whatever he illustrates next.
Most important of all, Angeline Jellybean reflects life. Children can understand immoderate behavior through the medium of jellybeans. Crystalee mentioned in one of her interviews that chocolate is to her what jellybeans are to Angeline, and her experience makes the story authentic. We all have our jellybeans, even those of us who don’t care for real jellybeans have our “Angleline Jellybean’s.” Crystalee’s charming book puts the “jellybeans” of both her children and her adult readers into a broader perspective. I look forward to reading more of her work.
I thought I could write this review, and I did. Maybe, like Angeline, I’ll broaden my palate and try something different. I might even try a red jellybean.
Please visit the publisher 4RV publishing to order a copy of this book.
By Laura Peters

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