So this is my first time blogging-- so please be gentle. Met this week with Tom Slaughter. He called to say he was on his way to the office and would be here in 15 minutes. When I told him that we had just received advance copies of his new book, BOAT WORKS (available Spring 2012), he said, "I'll be there in 5 minutes!" And he was. He was absolutely blown away seeing the book assembled and printed. I got him to sign a copy of "Do You Know Which Ones Will Grow?" for my own personal library. I always try to get our authors and illustrators to sign a copy of the books we've created together. Each book we do always feels so unique, and my relationship with each artist feels very personal, so that I love to have a signed copy as a memento of that process. --Elliot, Blue Apple associate publisher/creative director