Eric Zelz
Eric Zelz is an illustrator, designer, educator, and journalist whose work has been recognized with international, national and regional awards from organizations including the Society of Environmental Journalists and the Society of News Design. His children and YA projects have received starred reviews from Kirkus and Publishers Weekly.
BIG LIES: FROM SOCRATES TO SOCIAL MEDIA
By Mark Kurlansky, Illustrated by Eric Zelz
In his new book for young readers Mark Kurlansky’s lens is the art of the “big lie,” a term coined by Adolf Hitler. Kurlansky has written Big Lies: From Socrates to Social Media for the next stewards of our world. It is not only a history-of, but a how-to manual for seeing through Big Lies and thinking critically.
NAMED A KIRKUS' SELECTION FOR BEST TEEN & YA NONFICTION 2022
NAMED ONE OF KIRKUS' BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR 2022
INCLUDED IN THE PUBLISHERS WEEKLY STARRED REVIEW ANNUAL
INCLUDED IN THE PUBLISHERS WEEKLY HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE 2022
REVIEWS:
”Impassioned, thorough, and brilliant.”
― KIRKUS REVIEWS (starred)
”A nation awash in misinformation, cloudy thinking and suspect news desperately needs to read “Big Lies.” And Kurlansky and Zelz have made sure that people will want to.”
― RON CHARLES, The Washington Post
”In this noteworthy guide to media literacy, Kurlansky breaks down the “big lies” that permeate global history and explores how they affect the current US media landscape.”
― PUBLISHERS WEEKLY (starred)
”Offers a particularly broad view of how and why hucksters lie, how technological changes have magnified the lies’ effectiveness, and how critical thinking skills enable people to recognize the big lies that can threaten a free society.”
― BOOKLIST
“A tremendous asset to a classroom or library.”
― JEWISH BOOK COUNCIL
”Informative and compelling.”
― SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL
”A sweeping and essential book."
― BOOKS TO BORROW…BOOKS TO BUY
MY MONSTER MOOFY
By Annie Watson, Illustrated by Eric Zelz
In this book, “There’s a monster under my bed who changes like a chameleon. He can be motionless like a rock with a tail, or he can strike with blinding speed, like a lightning bolt with claws. My monster’s name is Moofy. His ears are as pointy as tortilla chips. His tongue is as pink as bubblegum, and his teeth are as sharp as swords. By day, Moofy is a fur rug in the sunshine. By night, he’s a pair of glowing headlights in the darkness.”
With those opening lines, we’ve already encountered similes using like, similes using as, and metaphors.
REVIEWS:
”Moofy, the monster who lives under the unnamed protagonist’s bed, is a complex creature of many, many talents.He has quick reflexes and is a master of disguise. Despite his fearsome, sword-sharp teeth, he can also be silly, resembling a rug more than a monster. Moofy also has a softer side. He loves to help make muffins, to read books, and to gaze at the moon. Moofy’s tendency to create chaos does not deter his adoring fans, who shower him with attention and high-fives. Moofy, it turns out, is not just any monster: He is the protagonist’s cat―and their best friend. The cleverly over-the-top text utilizes a variety of literary devices to describe Moofy’s colorful life and personality, organically and effectively introducing young children to concepts like metaphor, simile, alliteration, allusion, hyperbole, and rhyme. The protagonist is endearing, and their affectionate perspective renders Moofy’s antics delightful to behold. The watercolor illustrations, which utilize a gentle pastel palette, perfectly complement the text: Each picture shows a few more details about Moofy, helping readers realize that Moofy is actually a cat. The protagonist is depicted with beige skin and dark, straight hair. The examples of each device are clear, accurate, and child friendly, making this book an excellent resource for an elementary language-arts classroom or an ideal gift for a young, budding writer. A delightful picture-book introduction to poetic devices. (glossary) (Picture book. 4-8)"
― KIRKUS REVIEWS (starred)
"The lists and definitions of figures of speech (alliteration, metaphor, allusion, onomatopoeia, etc.) traditionally distributed in English classrooms have felt burdensome for generations, so one appreciates Watson’s desire to enliven the lesson. Third or fourth graders, already deep into writing, may appreciate this book most."
― NAOMI SHIHAB NYE, New York Times Book Review
"Humor and instruction are the watchwords with “My Monster Moofy,” an illustrated primer. Comic scenes show a girl and her fluffy pet monster exemplifying 17 literary devices. The pace is swift. As an adjunct to other reading, the book should help children develop some sensitivity to linguistic devices and be better able to notice them in the wild."
― MEGHAN COX GURDON, Wall Street Journal
"If I gave out stars, this savvy picture book would get many stars. Besides being a humorously illustrated mystery about what sort of monster Moofy might be, it illustrates 17 literary devices ― figures of speech ― from simile and metaphor to paradox and pun. It's effectively a junior high grammar cheat sheet translated for first-graders and really quite deftly done."
― CELIA STOREY, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
READ THIS BOOK IF YOU DON’T WANT A STORY
By Richard Phillips, Illustrated by Eric Zelz
Mr. Book With No Story wants his pages uncluttered by pictures and plot lines, but images, questions, and ideas keep invading the unruly pages he is trying to police, ignoring his efforts to chase them away.
Mr. Book is determined to share nothing with readers, but his pages have other ideas.
SELECTED A 2019 ”YEARS MOST ESSENTIAL BOOK” BY THE U.K.s DAILY MAIL
(https://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/event/article-7759659/Event-brings-best-books-2019.html)
REVIEWS:
”The fourth wall comes tumbling down in a laugh-out-loud tale about a book that doesn’t want to tell a story. But his pages have other ideas so they band together and persuade him that everyone has something worthwhile to say. Eric Zelz’s pictures of the grumpy book (complete with elaborate moustache and a sombrero) are a hoot.”
― DAILY MAIL
“This book was so much fun to read -- it would be excellent to read aloud for a story time, especially with animated voices. The “story” in the book is basically a book (called Book) that does not want a story. Book explains that there will be no rockets, dogs, pirates, elves, or any other things typically associated with children’s stories. This rant goes on…you can see where this is going -- eventually a story is created. It is such a fun book to share with young children, especially because they can be involved.
― KRISTIN GUAY, YOUTH SERVICES BOOK REVIEW (starred)
"...’The Book With No Story’ opens with a scenery-chewing tally of what not to expect: "I'll show you no pictures, no scares and no thrills, / no cows on trapezes, no fish with big gills, / no polar bears on snowboards, no quacking duck bills…." This list is interrupted at, literally, every turn by argumentative page numbers and a burgeoning cast of characters…led by a huge polar bear. Book's stubborn refusal to cooperate only lasts until the chorus invites a diverse squad of young readers to join in a group bear hug, then a hearty shake that gets the creative juices flowing. [Phillips] does have a way with quick, galloping rhyme. He also strews this meta-tale with enticing story starters ("Once upon a time, Prince Pork Chop Lover discovered that Princess Leaping Pickle had been kidnapped by a Giant Woolly Tundra Snail") and closes with words of encouragement to all young storysmiths: "Imagine a poem. / Imagine a play. / But don't ever imagine / you have nothing to say.""
― KIRKUS REVIEWS
“A red book dressed in cowboy attire is trying his hardest not to tell a story. He struggles to keep his pages in line, while they continue to pester him and offer suggestions. Even with their creative ideas and characters, he does not want to fill his pages with anything. But the book’s real problem is a lack of confidence in himself, and with a little help from the pages, characters, and reader, this book is finally able to gain the courage he needs to tell his own tale.
The creative illustrations do a good job of adding extra, fun details to the story with bold, bright colors that add to both the energetic and gloomy moods throughout the book. Interactive pages allow the reader to help the self-doubting book by giving him a hug, followed by a shake, further integrating the reader as a part of the solution. One major theme of this book is that everyone has a story to share. Elementary-aged children could read this book to encourage them to use their creativity to write their own stories.”
― CHILDREN’S BOOK & MEDIA REVIEW
PASS THE PANDOWDY, PLEASE: CHEWING ON HISTORY WITH FAMOUS FOLKS AND THEIR FABULOUS FOODS
By Abigail Ewing Zelz, Illustrated by Eric Zelz
What do Napoleon, Cleopatra, George Washington, Gandhi, Queen Victoria, Columbus, Neil Armstrong, Montezuma, Paul Revere, Babe Ruth, Abraham Lincoln, Sacagawea, and Katsushika Hokusai have in common? They are all among the historical figures portrayed in this delightful book. Just like us, the great movers and shakers of history had to eat, and their favorite foods turn out to be a highly entertaining thread to follow through the history of our small planet. History and biography have never been this tasty!
NAMED A NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR THE SOCIAL STUDIES/CHILDREN’S BOOK COUNCIL NOTABLE SOCIAL STUDIES BOOK
REVIEWS:
”A tempting tasting platter of foods and eating customs in diverse times and places...Along with observations that Cleopatra would have been served stork, that Napoleon was a messy eater, and like tidbits, readers will come away with some significant morsels of history, such as the role Columbus played in introducing avocados, corn, and beans to Europe and oranges, coffee, and sugar cane to North and South America. Along with a generous dollop of further reading (for adults), the final section dishes up more detail about each of the distinguished diners plus a timeline strewn with factual croutons from the publication of the first printed cookbook (1465) to the introduction of Lunchables. Not so much a history of food as history with food―a way of adding a bit of spice to general studies of the past.”
― KIRKUS REVIEWS
"This charming and ambitious selection unites unlikely figures such as Babe Ruth, Queen Victoria, Cleopatra, and Neil Armstrong through the food they enjoyed. Each chapter consists of a spread made up of an amusing watercolor caricature and two blocks of text. Sixteen figures from different time periods are profiled in this slim volume. "Dining with da Vinci" and "A Napkin for Napoleon" are two examples of the alliterative chapter headings. Humor and historical information abound in this impressively researched work that contains substantial back matter for those still hungry for more facts, including even a pandowdy recipe. VERDICT Savor this approach to food history―it's a real treat!"
― GLORIA KOSTER, WEST SCHOOL, NEW CANAAN, CT, SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL
"Here’s an upbeat look at 16 significant historical figures through a colorful thematic lens: food. Yes, they all ate, but each had a different diet depending on available ingredients, customs of their times, and personal needs and preferences. Readers will learn that Cleopatra regarded pickles as a beauty enhancer, that Lincoln was very fond of apples in pandowdy and other dishes, and that Gandhi used fasting as a means of protesting injustice and bringing about change. Each individual is presented on a double-page spread including a few paragraphs of biographical and food-related information as well as a small-print, first-person section written from the biographee’s point of view. About half the space is devoted to colorful and often humorous line-and-wash caricatures. The back matter includes a recipe for “A Nice Pandowdy.”
An entertaining addition to history collections."
― CAROLYN PHELAN, BOOKLIST
”This book is about sixteen famous people and what they ate and how they ate. George Washington only had one tooth left by the time he was president. Babe Ruth ate a lot of hot dogs. Napoleon ate sloppily. Paul Revere ate lots of pudding. Hokusai ate a lot of rice. Neil Armstrong squirted water into food pouches when he was in space.
I don’t like Christopher Columbus. He enslaved people. He brought corn, avocados, and guavas to Europe.
Tasters in Europe made sure the foods he brought weren’t poison. (They must have had a lot of tasters.) In the back of the book, there is a timeline and more information about the famous people. There is a recipe in the book for pandowdy. Abe Lincoln liked pandowdy. It has apples.
I like the drawings. I learned a lot. I didn’t know Napoleon ate messily. I didn’t know who Moctezuma was. I didn’t know George Washington cracked walnuts open with his teeth. Cleopatra made her own lipstick by crushing ants and beetles. Queen Victoria’s underwear sold for $18,000 at an auction. (I wonder who bought it.) I’ll read this book again in the future.”
― REVIEWED BY NISHAANT, AGE 8, KID’S BOOK BUZZ
"...a thoroughly entertaining, informative, and down right delightful book ... Just like us, the great movers and shakers of history had to eat, and their favorite foods turn out to be a highly entertaining thread to follow through the history of our small planet. History and biography have never been this tasty! ... Especially appropriate for young readers ages 8 to 11, "Pass The Pandowdy, Please" is enthusiastically recommended for family, elementary school and community library collections."
― DIANE DONOVAN, EDITOR, THE MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW
For inquiries, contact Eric at zelzeric@gmail.com