Welcome!

   

   I'm Susan Stockdale, the author and illustrator of children's books about nature:

Carry Me! Animal Babies on the Move

Nature's Paintbrush

Some Sleep Standing Up

and my most recent book,

Fabulous Fishes

Here are some reviews of Fabulous Fishes:

"Every turn of the page reveals vivid paintings of exotic as well as common underwater creatures to delight all ages. If the paintings are the feast, Stockdale's words are the dessert."
                                                                                                             The Washington Post 

"Youngsters will tap their toes to the rhythm. An excellent teaching tool and an appealing introduction to the wide world of fish."    Kirkus Reviews

"An exciting way to prepare kids for a visit to the aquarium."  Booklist

"With creativity and accuracy unusual for an early primary book, this volume has earned an NSTA/CBC Outstanding Science Trade Book for 2009 designation."
                                                                                  National Science Teachers Association

You can read The Washington Post article about how I created this book by clicking here:
Every Story Is a Picture: With 'Fabulous Fishes,' Stockdale Brings Underwater Creatures to Life

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Upcoming Appearances.....

I'll be speaking about my creative process at Cecil College's" Literacy for All: A Conference on Youth Literature" on Saturday, March 21 in Northeast, Maryland, just north of Baltimore. This event is FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!

II'll also be presenting a session at the 2010 National Art Education Association's National Convention in Baltimore on Wednesday, April 14.

And on Tuesday, June 8, I'll read and sign copies of Fabulous Fishes during "World Oceans Day" at the National Aquarium in Washington, DC.

Check out my Appearance page for more details about these events.

What Else Is New?

I just returned from an amazing tour of the Galapagos Islands, where I saw fascinating animals and many of the birds (like the fabulous blue-footed boobies) that I'm featuring in my next picture book, Bring on the Birds.

I'm currently wrapping up the art work for the book. It will include 21 illustrations of birds from around the world. Like Fabulous Fishes, I've written it in rhyme and am including a picture glossary with a little information about each bird. I'm super excited about this new book! Look for Bring on the Birds in Spring 2011 from Peachtree Publishers.

Other News...

Check out my television appearance on Fairfax Network's "Meet the Author" Program! You can view four excerpts from the show below or watch the 30-minute interview in its entirety on my Press page.

My research process  (2 minutes)
Illustrating in my studio (3 minutes)
Kindergarteners bring Fabulous Fishes to life (2 minutes)
Advice to Budding Author/Illustrators (30 seconds)    

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It's a joy for me to share my passion for writing and illustrating and to celebrate nature in my books and presentations. Please explore my web site and contact me if you have any questions. I'm easy to reach at susanhstockdale@gmail.com.