The Levon "Lemon" Horvath Interview

So my youngest sone, Levon, although he prefers to go by the name "Lemon" has been very helpful to me during the process of writing and illustrating Dig, Dogs, Dig. So helpful, that he's pretty sure he did most of the work himself. 

We decided to interview him and see what he had to say. He does eventually give me a little credit. And truth be told, he was a very big part of Dig, Dogs, Dig!

I dedicated the book to both my boys, Levon and Ezzy. And you can see them on the inside credits page.

Dig, Dogs, Dig Official Book Trailer

My good friend, Mike Dietz, from Pencil Test Studios just finished my official book trailer! Check out Mike and his amazing work at Pencil Test Studios.

I'm very excited. I hope you all like it and share it!

NEW Activity Pages Added!

I haven't posted anything for a little while. But I just completed some new activity pages you can download. Just click on the images above to download a printable PDF file. 

Have fun!
James

Publishers Weekly Review

Another great review for Dig, Dogs, Dig.


Dig, Dogs, Dig: 
A Construction Tail

Fans of Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site will eagerly dig into illustrator/designer Horvath’s vehicle-centric debut, first in a planned series. Early one morning, the dozen or so canine workers hit the ground running, driving a fleet of big machines to an urban construction site. Horvath’s punchy verse both describes the vehicles (“The loader picks up/ a rocky big bite/ and moves out the rubble/ with all its might”) and spurs on the laborers (“There’s trouble in the pit,/ We’ve hit something big./ Get down in the hole and dig, dogs, dig!”). The high points of the story are the unexpected excavation of a giant T. rex bone and the revelation of the finished project: an inviting park whose centerpiece is a display of the prehistoric fossil. Buzzing with activity, Horvath’s crisp, cartoon-styled digital art includes numerous details to pore over (including the delivery of a truckload of ducks for the park’s pond and a cat that darts mischievously around the worksite), giving the book a light comedic punch. 

Ages 4–8. Agent: Brenda Bowen, Sanford J. Greenburger Associates. (May)

Reviewed on: 04/08/2013

Dig, Dogs, Dig hits the Target!

My publisher informed me this morning that Dig, Dogs, Dig is being picked up by Target. 

Target has approximately 1765 stores nationwide. I'm told Target is very selective in which titles they carry so this is a great sign that they like the book and think it will sell well. It's scheduled to be in Target stores by mid-May.

Can't wait till April 30th when the book is finally released. Hopefully, this is only the beginning of great things to come for Duke, and the crew!

Kirkus Review

Another good review for Dig, Dogs, Dig.

Here's the review:

"A dozen dogs and one black cat work hard to build a playground in this amusing story that will please kids who love excavators, cranes and dump trucks.

The dogs wake up in their dormitory as the sun rises, and after breakfast, they're off to the construction site in their heavy-duty trucks. Each type of construction equipment and its function is described in the rhyming text as the dogs dig a huge pit and excavate a dinosaur bone. As the day goes on, the dogs work cooperatively to construct a playground complete with a dinosaur-bone display, landscaping, trails and a duck pond. Computer-generated, cartoon-style illustrations show cheerful canines and lots of activity at the site, but these dogs are pros, as their heavy equipment is carefully researched (and they always wear their hard hats). The entire construction process is conveyed in an energetic manner that is both entertaining and educational. The crew is identified by name on the endpapers, from Duke, the "top dog" boss, to Jinx, the black cat mascot.
No new ground is excavated here, but these cheerful canines build up a charming bond with their intended audience. (Picture book. 3-6)"