SATA
ENTRY TYPE:
WORK TITLE: Memoirs of a Dog
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://www.timbowers.com/
CITY: Granville
STATE:
COUNTRY:
NATIONALITY: American
LAST VOLUME: SATA 254
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born in Troy, OH; married, wife’s name Keryn; children: four; grandchildren: three.
EDUCATION:Columbus College of Art and Design, B.F.A., 1979.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Illustrator and author of children’s books. Graphic illustrator in Dayton, OH; Hallmark Cards, Kansas City, MO, cofounder of “Shoebox Greetings” line and illustrator, 1983-88; Bowers Studio, founder and president, 1992—. Visiting artist to schools and libraries. Exhibitions: Work shown at galleries and museums.
MEMBER:Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.
AWARDS:Honorable mention, Society of Illustrators Los Angeles Illustration West 47 Exhibition; Parents’ Choice Award, 2007, Human Society KIND Children’s Honor Book designation, 2008, and Beehive Book Award, Children’s Literature Association of Utah, 2009, all for Dogku by Andrew Clements; Best Book designation, Bank Street College of Education, 2009, for Shampoodle by Joan Holub; Keystone to Reading Book Award listee, and Seal of Excellence Award, both 2010, both for First Dog by J. Patrick Lewis; Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Book Award, and Grand Canyon Reader Award nomination in picture-book category, 2011, both for Princess Pig by Eileen Spinelli; Preferred Choice selection, Creative Child Awards, 2010, for Memoirs of a Goldfish by Devin Scillian; NAACP Image Award nomination, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, 2011, for Acoustic Rooster and His Barnyard Band by Kwame Alexander.
WRITINGS
Contributor to Speak! Children’s Book Illustrators Brag about Their Dogs, edited by Michael J. Rosen, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1993.
SIDELIGHTS
An award-winning illustrator of children’s picture books, Tim Bowers has seen his work paired with texts by such noted children’s writers as Laura Numeroff, Eileen Spinelli, Judy Sierra, and Dan Bar-el. Bowers has earned recognition for his lively and humorous paintings, most often done in acrylics and oils. School Library Journal critic Marian McLeod, for instance, praised Bowers’ “rich and colorful illustrations” in Maestro Stu Saves the Zoo, a work by Denise Brennah-Nelson.
Beginning his professional career in his native Ohio, Bowers created commercial illustrations, storyboards, and cartoon characters for advertising. He soon realized, however, that his early inspiration—the work of “Golden Age” artists such as Howard Pyle, Maxfield Parrish, and Norman Rockwell—was pulling him toward narrative illustration. A five-year stint working for Hallmark Cards and Bowers’ eventual move to freelancing as a children’s book illustrator were the result.
One of Bowers’ early illustration projects, Rylant’s Little Whistle’s Dinner Party, is part of a series that focuses on a Guinea pig that lives in a world of living toys. The Bowers-Rylant collaboration prompted Booklist critic Gillian Engberg to recommend the series’ “lovely” illustrations and predict that “children … will linger over the sturdy, detailed paintings” in Little Whistle’s Dinner Party. In his work for Shutta Crum’s The Bravest of the Brave, a picture book in which a little skunk takes its first walk alone through the woods, Bowers uses what School Library Journal critic Lisa Gangemi Kropp described as “reassuring” shades of brown and green to “show youngsters that the landscape might be dark, but certainly isn’t scary.” The “over-the-top” art he created for Palatini’s humorous dino-tale in Gorgonzola: A Very Stinkysaurus “will bring belly laughs to children,” according to School Library Journal contributor Kara Schaff Dean.
Princess Pig , a collaboration between Eileen Spinelli and Bowers, introduces readers to a silly young pig that is dazzled to discover, after a blustery night, that she is now swaddled with the princess sash from the local farm parade. Princess Pig puts on princess airs, despite the fact that other farm animals try to tell her that she is not a real princess. After a few days and lots of attention, however, she realizes that maintaining the high “snout-in-the-air” standards of royalty are not as fun as a roll in the mud, bringing a humorous close to Spinelli’s quirky tale. Recommending Princess Pig as a good choice for story hours, Patricia Austin added in Booklist that “Bowers uses the animals’ facial expressions to create delightful personalities.” His “colored-pencil and watercolor artwork builds on Spinelli’s smoothly told story,” concluded School Library Journal critic Barbara Elleman, the reviewer dubbing Princess Pig a “lighthearted” picture book enriched by its “underlying message about being oneself.”
Bowers’ artwork brings to life Dogku, Andrew Clements’s book-length story about a frisky dog. Described by Clements in a series of sixteen Japanese haiku, the starring canine gains “appealing facial expressions and poses” in the art, according to a Kirkus Reviews writer while Booklist critic Julie Cummins wrote that “Bowers’ lively oil paintings are, well, doggone charming.” In School Library Journal Gloria Koster cited the “vibrant illustrations” in Clements’s “joyful tale,” adding that the artist’s “busy and bright” illustrations “fill … the pages with the same unbounded energy as the lovable” star of Dogku.
Dogs star in several other picture books featuring Bowers’ art, among them J. Patrick Lewis’s First Dog, which describes the series of events that led a Portuguese water dog to a new home at the White House. Heiligman’s Cool Dog, School Dog and Fun Dog, Sun Dog feature a spunky golden retriever named Tinka that lives in a home with her loving young owner. The “vivid acrylic” paintings the artist creates for Cool Dog, School Dog “are full of expression,” noted School Library Journal critic Adrienne Wilson, and a boy and dog’s day at the beach in Fun Dog, Sun Dog comes to life in “bold” colors and “perspectives [that] give readers the feeling of being part of the action,” according to Catherine Callegari in the same periodical.
Sherman Crunchley, Numeroff and Evans’s story about a canine cop, features “softly textured oil paintings” that “brighten … the proceedings considerably,” in the opinion of a Publishers Weekly contributor, while the seven dogs that create all manner of chaos at the dog groomers in Joan Holub’s Shampoodle are captured in what a Kirkus Reviews writer described as “very funny” images which capture the “wonderful personality” of each tail-wagging character.
Bowers also provided the artwork for the first picture book written by Kristi Yamaguchi, an Olympic figure-skating champion. Dream Big, Little Pig! follows the exploits of Poppy, an energetic young porker that longs to become famous. With the encouragement of her mother and grandparents, Poppy unsuccessfully tries her hand at ballet, singing, and modeling before finding her niche at the ice rink. According to School Library Journal critic Amy Lilien-Harper, Bowers employs “a pleasantly subdued palette, and the use of single pages and spreads effectively adds a sense of motion to the story.” Another School Library Journal reviewer, Judith Constantinides, applauded Bowers’ “cheerful illustrations” in Yamaguchi’s It’s a Big World, Little Pig! , which chronicles Poppy’s further adventures.
Neil Sedaka’s “Calendar Girl,” a hit song from 1960, serves as the inspiration for the picture book Dinosaur Pet written by Sedaka’s son, Marc. Reworking the lyrics of his father’s tune, the author presents a humorous, month-by-month account of life with a most unusual pet. In his performance as illustrator, “Bowers … works in lusciously hued, brushstroke-textured spreads, and his comedy is nicely underplayed,” a contributor noted in Publishers Weekly. Judy Sierra offers her take on the prehistoric creatures in Suppose You Meet a Dinosaur: A First Book of Manners, and Lora Van Marel applauded Bowers’ illustrations here in a School Library Journal review, stating that his “acrylic paintings are bright and filled with humor.”
In Maestro Stu Saves the Zoo a youngster comes to the rescue when he learns that a greedy developer plans to tear down his local zoo to build a mall. A highlight of the book, in the words of a Kirkus Reviews critic, is “Bowers’ artwork—light but lush and charged with character and emotion.” Another illustration project, Dan Bar-el’s Not Your Typical Dragon , looks at the unlikely relationship between a timid knight and a dragon that breathes whipped cream instead of fire. “Bowers’s bug-eyed characters are appealing, expressive, and never scary,” Lilien-Harper observed, and Carolyn Phelan wrote in Booklist that the illustrations in Not Your Typical Dragon effectively “capture the comic absurdity as well as the drama of the story.”
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Bowers next illustrated Footloose, written by Dean Pitchford, a tale of two children who stay in the zoo after closing time and witness Jack the zookeeper having an all-night dance party with the zoo animals. The lyrics of the famous 1984 song by Kenny Loggins are rewritten by Loggins himself to express the fun the animals and their keeper have. While Mister DJ the elephant spins records, a lemur, wombat, chimps, lions, and others dance until dawn. Soon, the children join in the fun. A variety of dance styles are shown, from tutu-clad llamas to a cowboy hippo to hip hop. “Bowers’ textured, full-bleed double-page spreads are appropriately kinetic and playful,” declared a writer in Kirkus Reviews, who added the rhythm of the song’s new lyrics may be difficult to read.
In an interview on the HenryHerz.com blog about Footloose, Bowers hopes that “Kids can read the story, follow the illustrations and listen to the song.” He also explained what he’s learned being an illustrator: “Art is a powerful tool used to tell a story, deliver a message or share an idea. I want to use my talent to help deliver positive messages and good ideas and stories to viewers and readers. That’s why I like to illustrate children’s books.”
Buddy’s Bedtime Battery launches the “Growing with Buddy” picture book series, written by Christina Geist and illustrated by Bowers. It’s time for bed, but little Buddy, dressed in robot pajamas, decides he’s a robot. With a fully powered battery, Buddy is too wound up to go to bed. He must be powered down before he retires. So Robo-Mom and Robo-Dad take turns deactivating parts of Buddy’s body, from his face to his arms, tummy, legs, and toes. Focusing on relaxation of a toddler before bed, “Bowers’ illustrations have a laser focus on Buddy, capturing the active hands and feet of a toddler playing make-believe,” according to a Kirkus Reviews critic.
The second book in the series, Sorry, Grown-Ups, You Can’t Go to School!, made the New York Times bestseller list. Buddy and his sister, Lady, are getting ready for the first day of back to school. In this topsy turvy switch, it’s the children’s family—Mom, Dad, Grandma, and Bow-wow the dog—who want to go to school with them. But school is only for students and teachers. Mom has a new backpack, Dad is wearing high-top sneakers, and Grandma whines that it’s not fair that they can’t go. The children tell the parents they can stop at the playground on the way home. Although the refrain gets tired, “Bowers’ bright illustrations delight with the characters’ expressive faces,” a Kirkus Reviews writer reported.
Buddy’s New Buddy, the third book, finds Buddy distraught after his best friend moved away and he doesn’t have a bus partner for the field trip. Now he has to make new friends. His sister, Lady, suggests he find something he has in common with the other children, but no one else likes to play Robo Chargers. Then a new student arrives who wants everyone to call her by her nickname, Sunny. Since everyone calls Buddy by his nickname, he now has something in common with Sunny, who also likes to play Robo Chargers. A Kirkus Reviews critic remarked that “Friendship-building can be an emotionally charged event in a child’s life” and that Bowers’ digital art is a mix of spot art and full-bleed illustrations.
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BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, February 15, 2001, Ilene Cooper, review of Little Whistle, p. 1142; October 1, 2001, Gillian Engberg, review of Little Whistle’s Dinner Party, p. 326; March 1, 2002, Gillian Engberg, review of Little Whistle’s Medicine, p. 1144; August, 2003, Shelle Rosenfeld, review of One Wide Sky: A Bedtime Lullaby, p. 1991; May 1, 2005, Julie Cummins, review of Fun Dog, Sun Dog, p. 1590; October 15, 2006, Hazel Rochman, review of Matilda’s Humdinger, p. 54; May 1, 2007, Julie Cummins, review of Dogku, p. 92; May 1, 2009, Patricia Austin, review of Princess Pig, p. 89; February 1, 2013, Carolyn Phelan, review of Not Your Typical Dragon, p. 64.
Kirkus Reviews, September 1, 2001, review of Little Whistle’s Dinner Party, p. 1300; January 15, 2002, review of Little Whistle’s Medicine, p. 108; March 1, 2003, review of One Wide Sky, p. 401; September 15, 2006, Lynn Downey, review of Matilda’s Humdinger, p. 951; June 15, 2007, review of Dogku; April 1, 2008, review of Gorgonzola: A Very Stinkysaurus; June 15, 2009, review of Cool Dog, School Dog; March 1, 2012, review of Dinosaur Pet; September 15, 2012, review of Maestro Stu Saves the Zoo; September 15, 2016, review of Footloose; June 1, 2016, review of Buddy’s Bedtime Battery; June 1, 2019, review of Sorry, Grown-Ups, You Can’t Go to School!; April 15, 2022, review of Buddy’s New Buddy.
Publishers Weekly, June 14, 1999, review of Sometimes I Wonder If Poodles Like Noodles, p. 69; February 7, 2000, review of The New Hounds in the Great Balloon Race: A Geography Adventure, p. 86; April 2, 2001, review of Little Whistle, p. 63; January 27, 2003, review of One Wide Sky, p. 257; October 13, 2003, review of Sherman Crunchley, p. 77; June 4, 2007, review of Dogku, p. 49; January 31, 2011, review of Dream Big, Little Pig!, p. 49; March 5, 2012, review of Dinosaur Pet, p. 69; December 17, 2012, review of Not Your Typical Dragon, p. 58.
School Library Journal, April, 2000, Jill O’Farrell, review of The New Hounds in the Great Balloon Race, p. 90; May, 2001, Marlene Gawron, review of Little Whistle, p. 134; October, 2001, Sharon McNeil, review of Little Whistle’s Dinner Party, p. 130; November 1, 2001, Alice Casey Smith, review of Sam and Jack: Three Stories, p. 124; April, 2002, Heather E. Miller, review of Little Whistle’s Medicine, p. 122; June, 2002, Susan Lissim, review of A New Home, p. 88; December, 2003, Sheilah Kosco, review of Sherman Crunchley, p. 122; April, 2005, Lisa Gangemi Kropp, review of The Bravest of the Brave, p. 96; May, 2005, Catherine Callegari, review of Fun Dog, Sun Dog, p. 85; October, 2006, Catherine Callegari, review of Melinda’s Humdinger, p. 109; July, 2007, Gloria Koster, review of Dogku, p. 89; May, 2008, Kara Schaff Dean, review of Gorgonzola, p. 105; August, 2008, Gay Lynn Van Vleck, review of First Dog, p. 79; June, 2009, Barbara Elleman, review of Princess Pig, p. 100; September, 2009, Adrienne Wilson, review of Cool Dog, School Dog, p. 124; May, 2011, Amy Lilien-Harper, review of Dream Big Little Pig!, p. 92; November, 2011, Keisha M. Miller, review of Acoustic Rooster and His Barnyard Band, p. 78; February, 2012, Lora Van Marel, review of Suppose You Meet a Dinosaur: A First Book of Manners, p. 98; May, 2012, Judith Constantinides, review of It’s a Big World, Little Pig!, p. 84; December, 2012, Marian McLeod, review of Maestro Stu Saves the Zoo, p. 86; February, 2013, Amy Lilien-Harper, review of Not Your Typical Dragon, p. 70.
ONLINE
Henryherz.com, https: //henryherz.wordpress.com/ (February 8, 2017) Henry Herz, “Interview with NY Times Bestselling Children’s Book Illustrator Tim Bowers.”
Tim Bowers Home Page, http://www.timbowers.com (February 1, 2013).
Tim Bowers Web log, http://timbowersart.blogspot.com (February 1, 2013).*
Tim Bowers
Tim Bowers is an American illustrator of children’s books, known for his humorous and whimsical characters. Two of his children’s book titles have appeared on the New York Times Best Seller list. Bowers has created hundreds of greeting card illustrations, including many top selling cards. Tim is also an award winning Fine Artist, creating finely detailed Miniature Paintings. He and his wife, Keryn, live in Ohio and have four grown children and three grandchildren.
To find out more about Tim’s work: http://www.timbowers.com/
Tim Bowers
Tim Bowers is an American illustrator of children’s books, known for his humorous and whimsical characters. Three of his children’s book titles have appeared on the New York Times Best Seller list. Tim is also an award-winning Fine Artist, creating finely detailed miniature paintings.
Tim Bowers fueled his childhood imagination with comic book superheroes, television comedies, and his grandparents’ many animals, including dogs, cats, chickens, ponies, a talking parrot, a house pig, and a squirrel monkey, named Joe-Joe. It’s no surprise that Tim’s career in art would be filled with humorous storytelling and animal characters. Bowers has illustrated over fifty children’s books, including collaborations with Olympian, Kristy Yamaguchi (Dream Big, Little Pig!), singer/songwriter, Neil Sedaka (Dinosaur Pet) and singer/songwriter, Kenny Loggins (Footloose). Bowers was recently selected to illustrate new stories featuring the popular character, P.J. Funnybunny, written by author Marilyn Sadler.
His books have received numerous state awards including the prestigious Texas Bluebonnet Award for the book, Memoirs of a Tortoise. Bowers has had books included on the Chicago Public Library's "Best of the Best" list and several Junior Library Guild selections. His books have been selected for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and his art has been juried in the Society of Illustrators Annual Art Exhibition. Bowers’ whimsical characters have been licensed for a wide variety of products, including hundreds of greeting cards.
Tim and his wife, live in Ohio and have four grown children and three grandchildren. When he isn’t creating art for a children’s book, he is probably strumming his guitar or ukulele and writing songs.
Interview with NY Times bestselling children’s book illustrator Tim Bowers
February 8, 2017 by Henry Herz 2 Comments
Tim Bowers is a children’s book illustrator. His first picture book was published in 1986. Since then, he has illustrated over 45 other titles. A couple of the titles have landed on the New York Times best seller list. His art is usually filled with animals and humor…and people, when needed. Tim currently lives in Granville, Ohio with his beautiful wife. They have four talented grown children and are proud grandparents.
bowerstim
For what age audience do you illustrate?
I illustrate for all ages, but mostly for children. I hear from many parents who have enjoyed my books as much as their kids. That’s especially true for my title, MEMOIRS OF A GOLDFISH by Devin Scillian. A very funny story.
Henry: Sounds like quite a fish tale…
Tell us about your latest book.
My latest book is FOOTLOOSE by Kenny Loggins. Kenny re-wrote his 80’s hit song, Footloose, into a kid’s version, which includes a zoo keeper (who, I’m told, looks a lot like Captain Kangaroo), dancing animals and a couple of curious kids.
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What do you hope readers will get from that book?
When your life is a total zoo…DANCE!
Seriously, it’s a fun story about two kids who sneak into the zoo just before closing. The zoo keeper and animals have a great dance party under a full moon. The party continues until sunrise. Kids can read the story, follow the illustrations and listen to the song (a CD is included in the book). So, I hope kids will put on their dancin’ shoes and have fun!
Henry: Fun! And now you’re only one degree away from Kevin Bacon.
“Now I gotta cut loose
Footloose, kick off the Sunday shoes
Please, Louise, pull me off of my knees
Jack, get back, come on before we crack
Lose your blues, everybody cut footloose”
What aspect of illustrating do you find most challenging?
A children’s book is a long project: from character development, sketches and book dummy to the final art. It takes focus and endurance to keep the process moving forward. There are times during the painting of the final art that seem to move at a snail’s pace. My mind seems to wander during those times. I’ll think of new book projects, other art techniques to explore, people I’d like to meet, a good name for a pet elephant, how would I even get a pet elephant?, would I rather have an elephant or a monkey?… and guitars, wish I could practice more, wish I could buy another guitar.
Then, I snap out of it and get back to the final artwork. Come to think of it, I’ve had this problem since childhood. Focus, focus, focus.
Henry: Would You Rather Have a Monkey or an Elephant sounds like a great picture book idea. Thanks!
What is a powerful lesson you’ve learned from being an illustrator?
Art is a powerful tool used to tell a story, deliver a message or share an idea. I want to use my talent to help deliver positive messages and good ideas and stories to viewers and readers. That’s why I like to illustrate children’s books.
What has been a memorable experience that you never would have had if you had not been an illustrator?
There are a lot of them. I’ve been to hundreds of elementary schools to share my experiences and talk to students about making art for picture books. I love talking to kids and sharing my art with them. I wouldn’t have had that type of a connection without being an illustrator.
I’ve also worked with some celebrities because of my illustrations. I illustrated DREAM BIG, LITTLE PIG! by Kristi Yamaguchi. Without the illustration connection, I probably would not have worked with Kristi because I’m a lousy skater. I’ve also illustrated books by Neil Sedaka (DINOSAUR PET) and Kenny Loggins (FOOTLOOSE). I’m not in their social circles, and I need a lot more practice on my guitar so being an illustrator got me those “gigs”.
I guess the “powerful lesson” would be that being an illustrator has allowed me to connect with people through stories, from children learning to read to well-known people with stories to share.
Henry: I’d pay good money to watch you play guitar while ice skating. Triple axle!
What advice would you give to aspiring children’s book illustrators?
Surround yourself with books. Study the great picture book art of the past, explore current art trends, and use the best of both to create your own personal voice.
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Work on your craft. Draw. Learn the elements of visual story telling/sequential art. Draw more. Strive to create art that connects emotionally to the reader. In most books, the words and art must unify to tell a clear story. Practice working with text, using your art to compliment the written word. Then, draw some more.
Much can be learned by connecting with groups like The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI.org).
So, three things that I would suggest: One- work to improve your art skills, Two- learn about the business/process of creating children’s books, and Three- make connections (network) with people in the biz: editors, authors, designers and others who are pursuing your same goals.
Henry: Four – get an elephant. Or a monkey.
Do you have any favorite quotes?
I have a huge file of quotes. Here are a few of my favorites for today:
“Outside of a dog, a book is man’s best friend. Inside of a dog, it’s too dark to read.”
– Groucho Marx
“Don’t play what’s there, play what’s not there.”
– Miles Davis
“I get up every morning determined both to change the world and to have one hell of a good time. This makes planning the day difficult.”
– E.B. White
“Don’t worry about the world coming to an end today. It is already tomorrow in Australia.”
– Charles M. Schulz
Henry:
“Every dog has his day, unless he loses his tail, then he has a weak-end.”
– June Carter Cash
“What counts is not necessarily the size of the dog in the fight; it’s the size of the fight in the dog.”
– Dwight D. Eisenhower
Do you have any strange rituals that you observe when you work?
Hmmm, let’s see. I usually listen to music, have a cup of coffee by my side and try to keep focused on the task at hand (see earlier answer about staying focused). I find it extremely hard to work if my paintbrush isn’t just right for the job…if it’s lost the sharp point, too big, too stiff. The wrong brush can drive me crazy. Brushes wear out after a while, so I have a container filled with hundreds of those retired brushes. I often work better at night. Between 11pm and 3am seems to be an easier time to focus. I can’t think of anything else that might apply…Hey, did I tell you that my Grandpa had a monkey? Would you rather have a monkey or an elephant? Oh, sorry… where were we?
Henry: Life’s too short to use the wrong brush.
If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
The power to heal at will. I could eliminate the pain of people suffering from abuse, burns, cancer and accidents… as a starter. It breaks my heart to see kids who suffer in life. Having wings would also be cool but then what? You fly around. That would be nice but I think that healing would be my superpower. But, having two powers, flying around AND healing, would be even better. I’d like to negotiate for two superpowers, if that’s ok.
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Henry: Ah, the old “wish for more wishes” ploy. Healing is a lovely wish.
If you could have three authors over for dinner, who would it be?
The Apostle Paul…because he was there.
Kate DiCamillo…because her work is full of heart and humor. One of my very favorite story tellers.
Cynthia Rylant… because her work is full of heart and humor. Another one of my very favorite story tellers.
There are so many amazingly talented authors (I’ve worked with a lot of them), so I’d have to have a few more dinners.
Henry: Trying to break the rules again? I sense a trend. 🙂
What is your favorite creature that exists only in literature?
I’d have to go with dragons. I’ve illustrated a great dragon book, NOT YOUR TYPICAL DRAGON by Dan Bar-El. Mermaids would come in a close second place…who doesn’t like mermaids? I’ve illustrated one book with a mermaid, Sometimes I wonder if POODLES LIKE NOODLES by Laura Numeroff. I created some “Mer-mutts” (dog mermaids) in THE ADVENTURES OF UNDERWATER DOG by Jan Wahl, but that probably doesn’t count.
Henry: The blog judges rule that Mer-mutts is an acceptable response.
What do you like to do when you’re not working?
I play the guitar. I do more listening to great players than playing but I’m always thinking about guitars. I also have a beautiful ukulele and mandolin (my grandpa, who had a monkey, was also a mandolin player). They get less playing time than my guitars. I also like to fish. I only had time to fish a couple of times, this summer. That’s why I didn’t have you over for a big fish fry, Henry. I really like to golf, but I’ve only done that several times. My kids bought me a new set of clubs for father’s day, so I need to golf more often.
This question is leading me to believe that maybe I work too much. I have a lot of interests but don’t seem to have much time outside of my work schedule. I think I need more balance in that area. Thanks for bringing it up, Henry.
Henry: You’re welcome, Tim. You should definitely have more fish fries. I’ll even bring the fish!
What would you like it to say on your tombstone?
I’m not sure but here’s another quote that might apply:
“The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.”
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
Henry:
“I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practice resignation, unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to live so sturdily and Spartan-like as to put to rout all that was not life, to cut a broad swath and shave close, to drive life into a corner, and reduce it to its lowest terms…”
– Henry David Thoreau
Where can readers find your work?
In children’s books at your local library or bookstore. On line, you can visit my website: http://www.timbowers.com/ and my blog: timbowersart.blogspot.com.
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Henry: Thanks for joining us, Tim!
Dickey, R.A. KNUCKLEBALL NED Dial (Children's Picture Books) $17.99 5, 1 ISBN: 978-0-8037-4038-9
A major league knuckleball pitcher pens a cautionary tale about self-esteem and standing up to bullies. Ned is a very nervous baseball who worries about navigating his first day of school. He is clumsy and unsure of himself, always wobbling and bumping into everything. Strangely, at times he can float and glide. All the other kids know what kind of baseballs they are, but Ned has no clue. The Foul Ball Gang taunts him and calls him names, but Connie Curveball, Fletcher and Fiona Fastball, Sammy Softball and the others befriend him. When the gang throws his sneakers into a tree, he watches as the fastballs unsuccessfully launch themselves up to get them, spinning madly all the way. When Ned tries, he twists and turns and floats through the branches without spinning and deftly grabs the shoes, triumphing over the gang. He is a knuckleball and proud of it. Although story and prose are more than a bit unsubtle and stiff, Dickey, with an assist from Karounos, creates a sweet, sympathetic character and presents an earnest, heartfelt message. Bowers' multilayered technique, employing acrylic, watercolor and color washes, produces illustrations that are lively and charming, giving the baseball characters surprising life and substance. Young readers will clearly understand the intent even if they are unfamiliar with the various pitch names and characteristics. Well-intentioned but not quite a winner. (Picture book. 3-6)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2014 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
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"Dickey, R.A.: KNUCKLEBALL NED." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Feb. 2014. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A357032971/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=c3e47af1. Accessed 24 Feb. 2025.
Scillian, Devin MEMOIRS OF AN ELF Sleeping Bear Press (Children's Picture Books) $16.99 9, 1 ISBN: 978-1-58536-910-2
Santa's head elf delivers an hour-by-hour report as he and two other male elves assist Santa with his Christmas Eve deliveries, as well as an emergency delivery on Christmas morning. This 21st-century elf uses a smartphone, takes "elfies" and communicates with the North Pole with a phone headset. Santa needs his head elf to keep him on track to get through the night, so the elf urges him along with a text: "Time to fly, big guy!" Each page indicates the number of hours left until Christmas morning along with the sleigh's current location, problems solved and a feature called "Little Known Facts." For example, "Santa loves dogs and dogs love Santa." The deliveries are completed by sunrise, but Santa and the elves find a stowaway dog named Tugboat hiding in the bottom of the toy bag, necessitating a return trip. The story tries hard to be humorous and up-to-the-minute, but it is neither new nor particularly funny. Cartoon-style illustrations are adequate but also rather pedestrian. In addition, though the general elf crew is multiethnic, the head elf is Caucasian, and all the elves and the stowaway dog are male, along with Santa, of course. Mrs. Claus is the only female character, holding a tray with hot chocolate and yelling at the menfolk to do the right thing. A 21st-century Mrs. Claus might grab some gal-pal elves and return that dog herself. Little Known Fact: lots of cheery text, exclamation marks and trendy electronic devices do not necessarily add up to a successful Christmas story. (Picture book. 4-7)
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"Scillian, Devin: MEMOIRS OF AN ELF." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Sept. 2014. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A380746545/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=eef9ba49. Accessed 24 Feb. 2025.
Gutman, Dan RAPPY THE RAPTOR Harper/HarperCollins (Children's Picture Books) $17.99 4, 21 ISBN: 978-0-06-229180-6
A newborn dino falls from a tree and wakes up a rapping machine.This light tale largely follows his trip to the hospital and the many tests he must endure while his sobbing, distressed parents look on. One look at the title and cover, which features a backward-hat-wearing dino kid, and potential readers will understand that there will be no way to read this, whether aloud or to oneself, without rapping. Some verses work better than others, however, with regard to rhythm, rhyme and sensibility (mind, the trip to the hospital is not due to the fall but because he can't stop rapping afterward). "My parents freaked out; / they didn't know what to do. / Should they take me to the doctor? / Or take me to the zoo? // They rushed me to the hospital; / the ambulance was screaming. / The nurse gave me a Popsicle; / I thought that I was dreaming!" Even through all the diagnostic testing, Rappy is enthusiastic about his rapping ability, celebrating what makes him different. Bowers' brightly colored acrylic illustrations focus on the anthropomorphized dinos with their expressive faces and exuberant clothing. Many dino species are featured as medical staff, none of them scary, so those looking for a distraction for children anxious about upcoming medical tests will find it here. Upbeat, rhyming, rhythmic but ultimately slight entertainment. (Picture book. 4-8)
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"Gutman, Dan: RAPPY THE RAPTOR." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Feb. 2015. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A399321886/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=c1a2c694. Accessed 24 Feb. 2025.
Wessels, Marcie PIRATE'S LULLABY Random House (Children's Picture Books) $16.99 8, 25 ISBN: 978-0-385-38532-9
On a vessel whose crew numbers two, a young boy uses his formidable avoidance techniques to put off bedtime for as long as possible. When a boy's pirate papa declares in no uncertain terms that it is bedtime, the dance of getting his tiny crewmember down begins. First, "not-so-sleepy Ned" begs for additional time. Then his teddy goes missing. Then there's an outright escape up the mainmast. And even when Papa Pirate gets his miniature mutineer into bed, there are cries for more water, a book, and even a song. Little wonder that it's the weary captain and not his one-man crew who conks out first. Told in gentle rhyming verse, the book never goes beyond the usual sleepy-time tropes. The nautical terms are at times clever (as when the boy objects that he's soon to be "marooned...all alone" in his bed) and at times driven more by rhyme than logic (referring to a merely missing teddy as a "stowaway" doesn't make much sense). Likewise, the art is serviceable if not exciting. Yet for young buccaneers eager for their own adventures on the seven seas, the nonthreatening tone and look will hold a certain lure. Bedtime is already well-bedecked with piratical fare, but no one's going to object to just one more book of this kind, particularly when it's this good-natured. (Picture book. 3-6)
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"Wessels, Marcie: PIRATE'S LULLABY." Kirkus Reviews, 15 May 2015. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A413234180/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=8400e6f4. Accessed 24 Feb. 2025.
Geist, Christina BUDDY'S BEDTIME BATTERY Random House (Children's Picture Books) $16.99 9, 27 ISBN: 978-0-553-51339-4
Imagination and progressive relaxation are the key to powering down little Buddy, the boy "robot."With spiky blond hair and chubby pink cheeks, Buddy looks in the mirror at his new robot pajamas and proclaims, "BEEP! My battery is on! I can walk and talk!" As bedtime approaches, Robo-Mom turns on her techno-voice and orders Ro-Buddy to turn on his "jumping button" until his "turbo charger" is worn out. The science-fiction dialogue continues through a trip to the family bathroom for a visit to the "space station potty." When Robo-Dad commands, "Time to activate your cuddle pod," the toddler climbs into bed while his parents start to "power down" each part of Buddy's very active body. "Ro-Buddy, please turn off your legs. BEEP! BEEP! Be still, legs. Be still." The techno-themed scenery and language are kept to a minimum, offering just enough to give it an imaginative flavor; the center of the book focuses on relaxation. With gentle and methodical repetition, each wiggly part is powered down and ordered to be still: legs, bottom, belly, arms, and face. Bowers' illustrations have a laser focus on Buddy, capturing the active hands and feet of a toddler playing make-believe. Overall, the storyline and pictures are a typical parenting go-to-bed book rather than one for true robot fans. Searchers of progressive muscle-relaxation books for children will find this choice interesting, but readers after robot fare should look elsewhere. (Picture book. 2-4)
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"Geist, Christina: BUDDY'S BEDTIME BATTERY." Kirkus Reviews, 1 June 2016. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A454177139/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=67160013. Accessed 24 Feb. 2025.
Gutman, Dan RAPPY GOES TO SCHOOL Harper/HarperCollins (Children's Picture Books) $17.99 6, 21 ISBN: 978-0-06-229181-3
Following series opener Rappy the Raptor (2015), Gutman and Bowers team up again to bring readers another chapter in Rappy's life story: the first day of school.The rapping dino is definitely nervous on the first day--about school supplies, about making friends, about whether the teacher will be kind or not. But despite nervousness (and the huge and terrifying-looking--in Rappy's eyes--teacher), the rapping dino manages to use that talent to distract both a bully, Chris, and his victim, Aidan. But rapping won't help Rappy to spell, and that's the first lesson of the day. But luckily, Aidan comes to the rescue with some whispered letters, and suddenly Rappy can spell some words. It's the start of a new friendship for them both. And Chris? Mrs. H. "said we shouldn't make fun of others, / and if we did she'd tell our mothers. / Being a bully isn't cool, / so she made Chris stay after school!" Gutman's slight tale is quite similar to the first--right down to the very similar refrains--and the resolution is too pat to be believable. Still, it's fun for a read-aloud (practice the rhythms first), and the bullying message goes down easily. Bowers' digital dinos are full of personality, and readers will enjoy seeing the friendship between Rappy and Aidan develop.Fans of rap and dinos will enjoy this; others may want something with more story. (Picture book. 4-8)
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"Gutman, Dan: RAPPY GOES TO SCHOOL." Kirkus Reviews, 1 June 2016. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A454176937/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=a752fec4. Accessed 24 Feb. 2025.
Kenny Loggins, Dean Pitchford, Tim Bowers FOOTLOOSE Moondance/Quarto (Adult Picture Books) 17.95 10, 13 ISBN: 978-1-63322-118-5
Two children who hide in the zoo after closing witness zookeeper Jack getting down with all the animals in this re-envisioning of the iconic movie song.Inspired by new grandparenthood (as he reveals in a performer’s note), Loggins has rewritten the lyrics to one of the 1980s’ biggest earworms to recount a dance party at the zoo. “All the animals are watchin’ / to see if everyone’s gone. / Gettin’ ready to party, / they’re gonna be dancin’ till the dawn.” The white zookeeper boogies with chimps, wolves, lions, and more, while the surreptitious visitors (both light-skinned; one with a black pageboy and the other with close-cropped brown hair) look on with excitement before joining in. Bowers’ textured, full-bleed double-page spreads are appropriately kinetic and playful, depicting a quartet of tutu-clad llamas in midjete, a hip DJ elephant spinning LPs with forelegs and trunk, and a hippo dressed for a hoedown in white cowboy boots. The range of dance styles indicated by costume spans ballroom dancing to hip-hop. The new variations on the familiar refrain will probably be easy enough for adult readers to manage in a read-aloud, but the new verses’ scansion may be difficult to parse. A CD embedded in the back cover, performed by Loggins, is immeasurably helpful in establishing the rhythms. “Slip on your dancin’ shoes,” indeed. (Picture book. 3-7)
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"Kenny Loggins, Dean Pitchford, Tim Bowers: FOOTLOOSE." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Sept. 2016. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A463216053/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=79e05d79. Accessed 24 Feb. 2025.
Gutman, Dan RAPPY GOES TO THE SUPERMARKET Harper/HarperCollins (Children's Picture Books) $16.99 1, 3 ISBN: 978-0-06-225263-0
The reluctant rhyming, rapping dino has to be dragged to the supermarket by his mother, but maybe shopping isn't so bad. In this outing, Rappy saves the day with his rhymes when his mother forgets her shopping list: luckily, he made up a poem. Up and down the aisles they roam, Rappy's attitude slowly changing as he sees all the goods on offer. The young dino even goes out of his way to be helpful, volunteering to find the toilet paper on his own. But the precarious tower of tissue comes tumbling down on his head, bringing the manager running: "You're a pest. / You made a mess. / And now I'm feeling lots of stress. / I'm gonna scream and lose control, / Unless you pick up every roll!" Turns out Rappy is a born salesman, and in no time, he has shoppers coming to pick up something they all need: "But just in case you forgot 'em, / This is something for your bottom!" Gutman makes the move to early readers with this entry in the I Can Read! series, a level two ("reading with help") that uses challenging vocabulary ("mosquito," "cough," "windshield," "guaranteed") and anywhere from four to nine lines of verse on each page, with Bowers' illustrations serving to break up the text. Unfortunately, rhymes often feel forced and the scansion falters, making this a lackluster outing. Kids practicing their reading skills deserve better. (Early reader. 4-8)
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"Gutman, Dan: RAPPY GOES TO THE SUPERMARKET." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Oct. 2016. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A466329221/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=6280c333. Accessed 24 Feb. 2025.
Geist, Christina SORRY, GROWN-UPS, YOU CAN'T GO TO SCHOOL! Random House (Children's Fiction) $17.99 7, 16 ISBN: 978-1-5247-7084-6
In a reverse of the back-to-school books featuring teachers reluctant to face the first day, this one spotlights some grown-ups who long to head back to the classroom.
Buddy is back (Buddy's Bedtime Battery, 2016), joined by his sister, Lady, and the two are getting ready for school, but first they have to dissuade some overeager adults. Mom is thrilled with her new backpack; she's wearing it to school, but: "You can't go to school. / Only kids and teachers. / Only kids and teachers." Dad's got new high-tops. He hears the same refrain, as do Grandma, Grandpa, and their dog. Then come the wheedling and whining: "It's not fair." The grown-ups want to play alphabet games, do science experiments, have recess, etc. The kids are apologetic and try to sweeten the disappointment, promising they can go to the playground on the way home. A parting shot raises the adults' eyebrows and may hint at another book: "Don't forget--tomorrow we get to go to work with you!" This topsy-turvy plot may get readers pumped about school, but the funny premise and humor are eroded by the refrain, which gets old long before it stops. Bowers' bright illustrations delight with the characters' expressive faces. Buddy and Lady's family is white; other students are diverse.
While the premise beckons, it may not sustain repeat readings. (Picture book. 4-8)
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"Geist, Christina: SORRY, GROWN-UPS, YOU CAN'T GO TO SCHOOL!" Kirkus Reviews, 1 June 2019. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A587054281/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=916a3b90. Accessed 24 Feb. 2025.
Acoustic Rooster's Barnyard Boogie Starring Indigo Blume
Kwame Alexander, author
Tim Bowers, illustrator
Sleeping Bear Press
315 East Eisenhower Parkway, Suite 200, Ann Arbor, MI 48108
www.sleepingbearpress.com
9781534111141, $16.99, HC, 32pp
https://www.amazon.com/Acoustic-Roosters-Barnyard-Boogie-Starring/dp/153411114X
On the eve of singing at a community festival, a bout of stage fright threatens a little girl's confidence. As Indigo Blume drifts off to sleep, she isn't sure she's brave enough to take the stage. But once she falls asleep, Indigo finds herself in a dream world with the characters of her favorite book, Acoustic Rooster and his Barnyard Band. The band's members, including Miss Dairy Parton and Chickee Minaj, are rehearsing, and they invite Indigo to join the group. But when a storm destroys their barn, the animals are left with almost nothing. Can Indigo rally the band to work together and save their home? And will she find her voice in time for the festival?
Also readily available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.24), "Acoustic Rooster's Barnyard Boogie Starring Indigo Blume" by author/storyteller Kwame Alexander and artist/illustrator Tim Bowers will prove to be a welcome, thoroughly 'kid friendly' picture book entertainment--and an enduringly popular addition to family, daycare center, preschool, elementary school, and community library picture book collections for children ages 4-8.
Please Note: Illustration(s) are not available due to copyright restrictions.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2020 Midwest Book Review
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"Acoustic Rooster's Barnyard Boogie Starring Indigo Blume." Children's Bookwatch, Dec. 2020. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A648418729/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=484e00c0. Accessed 24 Feb. 2025.
Geist, Christina BUDDY'S NEW BUDDY Random House (Children's None) $18.99 7, 12 ISBN: 978-0-593-30709-0
How do you make a new friend when an old one moves away?
Buddy (from Sorry, Grown-Ups, You Can't Go to School, 2019, etc.) is feeling lonely. His best friend just moved across town. To make matters worse, there is a field trip coming up, and Buddy needs a bus partner. His sister, Lady, has some helpful advice for making a new pal: "You just need to find something you have in common." Buddy loves the game Robo Chargers and karate. Surely there is someone else who does, too! Unfortunately, there isn't. However, when a new student arrives (one day later) and asks everyone to call her Sunny instead of Alison, Buddy gets excited. No one uses his given name, either; they just call him Buddy. He secretly whispers his "real, official name" to Sunny at lunch--an indication that a true friendship is being formed. The rest of the story plods merrily along, all pieces falling exactly into place (she even likes Robo Chargers!), accompanied by Bowers' digital art, a mix of spot art and full-bleed illustrations. Friendship-building can be an emotionally charged event in a child's life--young readers will certainly see themselves in Buddy's plight--but, alas, there is not much storytelling magic to be found. Buddy and his family are White, Sunny and Mr. Teacher are Black, and Buddy's other classmates are racially diverse. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Making friends isn't always this easy and convenient. (Picture book. 4-7)
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"Geist, Christina: BUDDY'S NEW BUDDY." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Apr. 2022. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A700219923/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=8e185286. Accessed 24 Feb. 2025.
Bowers, Tim MEMOIRS OF A DOG Sleeping Bear Press (Children's None) $18.99 8, 1 ISBN: 9781534112995
A day in the life of a very busy pooch.
A fluffy white dog named Topanga starts the day at 6:30 a.m. First, Topanga awakens the rest of the household: parents "Big Guy" and "Lady," children "Ponytail," "Moptop," and "Freckles," and brand-new baby "Poop-and-Cry." Topanga helps out all day long, finding Ponytail's tights, keeping Poop-and-Cry occupied while Lady works on her computer and Big Guy does laundry, and alerting Lady to a kitchen fire. Later, Topanga saves Freckles from the neighbor bully dog Buster and lends a sympathetic ear when Moptop describes a bad day at school. When the family erupts into a series of arguments, Topanga knocks over the flour in the kitchen, distracting everyone from their various crises. The day comes to a close as Topanga entertains Poop-and-Cry, who says her first word:Topanga! Scillian and Bowers add another winning volume to their successful Memoirs series. Scillian's text, narrated by Topanga, perfectly captures a dog's perspective. Topanga is a mix of exuberance, self-confidence, and patience--everything readers young and old love about dogs. Though Topanga's a crucial part of this family, the humans are often oblivious to the ways in which their pet saves the day; readers will giggle knowingly. Bowers' energetic cartoon illustrations ramp up the humor. The family is light-skinned.
A fantastically fun tale; little ones longing for their own dogs will come away even more eager for a four-legged friend.(Picture book. 4-9)
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"Bowers, Tim: MEMOIRS OF A DOG." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Oct. 2024. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A810315426/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=08f9e903. Accessed 24 Feb. 2025.