"Perhaps most fascinating, the movie, app, and book taken together present an entirely kid-friendly opportunity to talk about the interplay between content and format."

Another kind review of The Fantastic Flying Books of Morris Lessmore picture book, this time from ALA's Booklist Online:

"Perhaps most fascinating, the movie, app, and book taken together present an entirely kid-friendly opportunity to talk about the interplay between content and format." Read more...

"The best part? Lingering quietly while savoring the atmospheric scenes of Joyce’s narrative vignette."

School Library Journal wrote a lovely review for The Fantastic Flying Books of Morris Lessmore picture book:

JOYCE, William. The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore. illus. by author. 56p. S & S/Atheneum. 2012. ebook $12.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-6489-6; Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-5702-7.

Pre-Gr 3–Joyce’s Academy Award-winning animated short-film-turned-app that celebrates those who care about  (and receive nourishment from) books is, ironically, now a picture book. The wonder and mystery inherent in the wordless film and the ability to manipulate the visuals and play the soundtrack on the app’s piano beg the question: Can the book compete? As it turns out, the book has its own rewards. Clarity comes from Joyce’s well-chosen words. In the opening on a New Orleans balcony, readers learn that Morris “loved words…stories…books.” Every day he would “write of his joys and sorrows, of all that he knew and everything that he hoped for.” When an Oz-like storm turns everything topsy-turvy, the melancholy man in the pork-pie hat spots a lady held aloft by a “festive squadron of flying books.” Her gift leads Morris to a book-filled sanctuary set in a landscape staged and lit like a Maxfield Parrish painting. He tends to the volumes, distributing favorites to visitors, whose once-gray bodies blossom with color. Every life and story ends, and those struggling with their own goodbyes (and yearnings about printed books) may find comfort in seeing the fading elder revert to his younger self in order to be transported by the joyful squadron–just as a little girl arrives to choose Morris’s story. The author’s motivations (explained on the flap) will resonate with adults in the reading business. The best part? Lingering quietly while savoring the atmospheric scenes of Joyce’s narrative vignette.
–Wendy Lukehart, Washington DC Public Library

Check out the book from your local library or pick up a copy.

Nick St. North News and Reviews!

 The Jade Sphinx has released a delightful review of Nicholas St. North and The Battle of the Nightmare King.

"like L. Frank Baum and Oz, he is creating a whole alternate history, a densely packed saga of fantastic fiction that brings to life a fully-realized fantasyland....Re-imagining Santa Claus as a reformed swashbuckler is a stroke of genius"

Mundie Moms, a virtual hub for book-lovers, is giving away 2 copies of  Nicholas St. North and The Battle of the Nightmare King. Enter here to win.

Last weekend William Joyce jetted over to Austin, TX to attend Texas Book Fest. That event coincided with the Austin Film Fest, where "The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore" was named  Best Animated Short.

The Man In The Moon is a New York Times Book Review Editor's Choice. From the New York Times Bookshelf: 

"With the aura of an established classic, the first volume in Joyce’s long-­anticipated series, “The Guardians of Childhood,” is worth the wait. And what a brilliant concept!...With lots of detail in its gold-flecked blues, the lavish illustration will set 6-year-old minds ticking..."

When engaging in transport via jet pack, always wear a helmet!

Tomie DePaola & William Joyce

 William Joyce landed safely in DC this weekend just in time to meet readers, sign books, and offer a presentation at the National Book Festival. He even found time to participate in an interview with Fox News:


Next book tour stop: Texas Book Festival, in Austin, TX on Saturday October 22nd.

Another review of The Man In The Moon is out:

Joyce does not write for idealized carefree children living what adults view as an idyllic existence.  Joyce knows that even happy children have fears and concerns about their world.  Joyce creates fantasy worlds where scary or sad things happen, but children (or their animal counterparts) are strong enough to find ways to cope. -The Open Book