This is Mike Lester, better known as Rome, Georgia's beloved editorial cartoonist and even better known in certain circles as The Inspired Illustrator of my book, NINETY-THREE IN MY FAMILY. You know, the guy who drew all those wonderful wacky pictures of the penguin who wants to drive, the armadillos with the watches, the twenty-seven owls, Bernice the pygmy hippo, Ed the gerbil and all the other family members in my book.

Well, this past weekend, Mike got some well-deserved accolades for his work. He donned a penguin suit (see photo) and accepted a Reuben Award, bestowed annually by the National Cartoonists Society, for Best Illustrated Book. And the book that was named Best Illustrated Book was none other than NINETY-THREE IN MY FAMILY!

Yay, Mike! You totally deserved this honor. Your illustrations captured the book's spirit in ways I couldn't even have imagined. To this day, I can open the book and find new details I haven't noticed. Details that often make me laugh out loud. Details that excite and amuse pretty much every child in every school I visit with the book. Details that work so well with my words I can't believe we've only communicated by pen and keyboard.

I am one lucky author, that's for sure.

# posted by erica : 7:56 PM