Bill Canterbury
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billcanterbury.bsky.social
Bill Canterbury
@billcanterbury.bsky.social
Kidlit author, 6-time lumberjack world champion.
Wrote Simpsons/Pinky&Brain/Clone Wars.
STRANDED PANDAS ('27 Simon Spotlight)
FARM SHARK (June '26 DBYR)
MY TEACHER IS A DINOSAUR! ('25 DBYR)
"Roaring good comedic inspiration." - Kirkus
billcanterbury.com
📖Cover reveal for Farm Shark, upcoming in June 2026!

Words by me, illustrated by Maddie Frost, published by Doubleday Books for Young Readers.
October 20, 2025 at 5:32 PM
If you're at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books on Sunday 4/27, stop by the Mysterious Galaxy booth #368 and say hello! I'll be signing books from the "My Life is Weird" series at 10:15. Your choice of Sharpie color -- wow! Act fast!
#kidlit
April 22, 2025 at 6:58 PM
First time "My Mom is a Mermaid!" was spotted in the wild, at Children's Book World in Los Angeles. Written by me, illustrated by @jeffharter.bsky.social. Thanks so much to CBW, on insta @cbwchildrensbooks.
April 20, 2025 at 3:34 PM
🎉 2 books #GIVEAWAY 🎉

MY DAD IS A UNICORN! 🦄
MY MOM IS A MERMAID! 🧜‍♀️

The My Life is Weird! series from Random House,
✍️by me, 🎨by Jeff Harter, debuting 4/1/25.
"Roaring good comedic inspiration!" - Kirkus Reviews

Like, follow and repost to enter!
Winner randomly picked Mon 3/24/25 6pm PDT 🎈
#kidlit
March 20, 2025 at 3:22 AM
A roaring good review from Kirkus for the My Life is Weird! series, debuting on April 1st. Written by me and illustrated by Jeff Harter (insta @jeffbharter).
@randomhousekids.bsky.social
#kidlit #picturebook
March 10, 2025 at 3:04 PM
What 10,000 picture books looks like. Los Angeles Central Library 1/19/25.
#kidlit
January 20, 2025 at 12:38 AM
Loved this poorly translated French comic book
January 4, 2025 at 9:54 PM
Gorey made a creepy pop-up version in 1982 of The Dwindling Party. 😱 I just some pics from it.
December 7, 2024 at 5:54 PM
Found this weird Edward Gorey pop-up book version of The Dwindling Party from 1982. I dorked out and added some lighting. The book's ingenious tabs make a rowboat sink and winged monsters soar off clutching parents.

What other dark stories would make great pop-ups?

#kidlit #edwardgorey
December 7, 2024 at 5:37 PM
When you buy your dog the wrong size coat 🤦‍♂️
#dogs #dogsofbluesky
December 1, 2024 at 6:07 AM
Someone gave me a painting of my dog and I could not be happier
#dogsofbluesky
November 30, 2024 at 2:18 AM
Lol it was the only reason I saw the movie and they had Javier Bardem wear a bowler hat (sigh)
November 24, 2024 at 5:56 PM
November 24, 2024 at 12:57 AM
Most people don't know that SAM AND DAVE DIG A HOLE by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen almost ended up with a different title. I wrote down a transcript of the editorial call. #kidlit #picturebooks
November 23, 2024 at 10:02 PM
I was always less fascinated by the character of Lyle the crocodile than I was by "Signor Hector P. Valenti, Star of stage and screen." What was with the odd hat? Why did he keep it in his fridge?

The House on 88th Street, by Bernard Waber, 1962
November 21, 2024 at 8:57 PM
Oyvind Torseter's THE HOLE (2013, Enchanted Lion) is a wonderfully odd picture book #kidlit #picturebooks
November 20, 2024 at 1:22 PM
Here's the next entry in my daily Guess the 1960s/70s Picture Book Illustrator & Book challenge. 3/10 in difficulty. Thanks for any reposts so other Blueskyers can join the fun! #picturebooks #kidlit #kidlitart #1960s #1970s
November 14, 2024 at 3:34 PM
Nice! That really was too easy. CARROT NOSE, 1978, by Jan Wahl, illustrated by James Marshall. I'll post a harder one tomorrow.
November 13, 2024 at 8:20 PM
I occasionally post illustrations from 60s and 70s picture books to see if anyone can guess the artist. This one's easy.
November 13, 2024 at 7:05 PM
For dreary days, here's a hypnotic little vid of a drive I did down California's PCH. Bossa nova by Serge Quadrado.
November 11, 2024 at 10:43 PM
June 13, 2024 at 10:46 PM
June 13, 2024 at 10:46 PM
On one side of my garden: a productive Jalapeño plant, whose peppers have a 5,000 Scoville heat rating. On the other side, a plant with a single Red Ghost pepper, rated at 1,000,000 Scovilles, 400 times hotter than Tabasco sauce. The lone ghost sneers when I tiptoe past. 🌶🔥🚑
October 15, 2023 at 12:55 AM