Books of the Week: Illustrators
December 17th, 2007 by Sara
I’m constantly delighted by the illustrations in the picture books I’ve been reading. Here are a few illustrators that have really captured my imagination.
Dan Yaccarino
(Every Friday, Trashy Town)
Mark Teague
(How do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight, The Secret Shortcut)
David Shannon
(No, David, Duck on a Bike)
Steve Jenkins
(Move, Actual Size)
David Wiesner
(Tuesday, Flotsam)
These illustrators show a creativity with their subject matter that brings you closer to it. Their pictures invite you into the story and stay in your mind long after. Whether it’s the simplicity of line, the movement within a still image, or the depth of detail, all of these illustrators and their styles are a joy to look at and read.
Wanna see who else I’ve been reading?
Posted in Books of the Week, The Great Picture Book Read, Illustration, I heart this book, Books, Writing
December 22nd, 2007 at 1:34 pm
Hi Sara.
Jude sent me your website and I love keeping up with your writing and reading. Best of luck for 2008 - It will be a special year for you I feel sure.
Congratulations to Tony for his work on Compass. We enjoyed it, especially all the R&H work.
Merry Christmas to you both.
Words VS Pictures
December 10th, 2007 by Sara
My friend, Tonilyn, asked me the other day if I thought illustrations and text were a 50/50 partnership in picture books. Hmmm…. lets find out.
Fight!
Illustrations can make or break a picture book. You cannot have a great book without great pictures.
Mediocre Text + Fantastic Pictures= Good Book
Fantastic Text + Mediocre Pictures= Mediocre Book
Ouch! I’m sure there are exceptions to the ‘Law of Pictures’ that I’ve just totally pulled out of my b… uh… brain. But, 
ultimately, illustrations have the power to bring a book to life. They engage and capture us. If the pictures don’t resonate with us, the reader, if they don’t give us a rich, active world, then the story and characters are never going to win us over.
But wait! Words still have a chance here. I mean, they come first. The words are what inspire the pictures. Without words, there are no books. Right?
But, what about Flotsam by David Wiesner? Or Rainstorm by Barbara Lehman? They don’t have any words.
Okay. Without stories, there are no pictures. I suggest that authors and their stories are what inspire the pictures in the first place. If the words don’t hint at more than just what’s on the page, or if they give too much detail, then the illustrators can’t create wonderful pictures. Words and stories are critical in their ability to fire up the imagination of both the illustrator and the reader.
Ooops. Does that mean, in this fierce battle to the death, that pictures and words really are an even match?
Ummm…
Good question.
Posted in The Great Picture Book Read, Picture books, Illustration, Books, Writing
December 10th, 2007 at 3:16 pm
it is certainly an interesting dance that words and pictures perform. but this article? PERFECT. Player 1 Wins!
December 12th, 2007 at 6:20 pm
Maybe we need to separate out the word half of it - and acknowledge that there are (at least) two components that make up the words: The story, and then the text that tells the story. I’ve definitely read some books where I loved the story but I thought it wasn’t told from the best viewpoint, or in the most exciting way… So I think maybe it’s 40% story, 10% text, and 50% pictures for picturebooks. And yes, those statistics are straight out of my Brain, too. In a novel, I’d go for 50% story and 50% text… how much of that is character, I’m not sure…
hmmm…
who knew math would come in so useful?
One for my baby and one more (page turn) for the road
November 20th, 2007 by Sara
That last page can make or break a story. At the SCBWI Schmooze the other day, someone asked what I was learning from the Great Picture Book Read of ‘07. So here’s the biggest thing. It’s not enough to have a good story. You must have a great ending.
A ’sweet’ last page ends up feeling cheesy if it’s not combined with a giggle. The ‘quiet’ ending leaves you trying to turn one more page, sure that the story isn’t actually over. As a writer, it’s important to ask, is that final page going to deliver a laugh? A twist? A zing? At least a smile? If the reader is going to feel satisfied, it really needs to.
Marla Frazee and her editor, Allyn Johnston, talked a lot about this during the summer conference. Even for a simple book like Everywhere Babies, they sweated over the ending. The last page turn was originally super sweet. I think the picture was a parent hugging a baby and the text went something like this:
“Every day, everywhere, babies are loved…. for trying so hard, for all that they do, for being so wonderful…just like you!”
They wanted a zingier ending, so the text was changed to this and was paired with a baby taking her first steps.
“Every day, everywhere, babies are loved…. for trying so hard, for traveling so far, for being so wonderful…just as they are!”
This was definitely less sweet, but still didn’t give them that final zing they were looking for. So, they kept the new text, but changed the picture. Now, in the published version, the page spread before the final page is a kid’s first birthday party and the final page reads “Just as they are.” With a baby grinning proudly with cake all over her face. This change transformed the final page turn from an ‘ahhhhh….’ to a chuckle. And it makes for a much stronger book.
The perfect ending is definitely tricky to do. Alexander And The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst brings us a laugh at the end by giving a twist to the repeated phase, “I think I’ll move to Australia.” The book ends with “Mom says some days are like that. Even in Australia.”
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs written by Judi Barrett and illustrated by Ron Barrett and Miss Nelson is Missing written by Harry Allard and illustrated by James Marshall both use pictures and text to give us a tantalizing hint that everything is not exactly as it seems.
Often, the final zing is completely in the pictures. Olivia by Ian Falconer is a classic example of the visual last page turn. On the final page of the books, you get to see what grand dreams she is imagining. Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems is the same way. Mo Willems even uses the end papers to show the Pigeon imagining himself driving the big rig. Pssst! by Adam Rex uses a visual twist masterfully, though I won’t ruin the surprise. David Wiesner is also a master at this in Tuesday and Sector 7.
Though this may sound a bit obvious, the entire book is leading up to the ending. The final page turn often determines whether the book will make a lasting impression on the reader. It’s your last chance to win over the reader or get that final smile. So make it a good one.
The End
Posted in Picture books, The Great Picture Book Read, Illustration, SCBWI, Books, Writing
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Max Dare and the fantabulific picture book
October 11th, 2007 by Sara
Adam Rex (aka Max Dare… if you like anagrams) gets a gold star and a gazillionbillion exclamation marks. And maybe, even, a couple of smiley faces.
His picture book, Pssst!, is wonderful, fabulous, and so very, very funny. The style of his pictures, the hilarious details, the 
surprise of the story blow me away.
It has everything a great picture book needs. An engaging story that keeps you reading. Strong characters that you care about and can relate to. Kid (and adult) friendly pictures with a definitive style and a clear focus. And, most importantly, a ‘zing’ at the end that leaves you satisfied.
These elements are much harder to weave together than they sound. It’s even harder to do it brilliantly. As a result, there are very few ‘perfect’ picture books out there. This is one of them
Adam Rex, you’re my hero.
Posted in The Great Picture Book Read, Picture books, Illustration, I heart this book, Books
Books of the Week: Caldecott Books
October 5th, 2007 by Sara
It’s unusual for a book from the 40’s to still be on the bookstore shelves, but Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey is an exception. Not just because of its timeless story, but also because of its Caldecott Medal.
The Caldecott is given each year “to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children.” It’s the illustrator who receives the award, but the book as a whole has to be superior, as well. So this week, I decided to find out what makes a book a Caldecott. It’s been enlightening.
The thing about Caldecotts is that they generally stay in print. So you have a sampling of books from the last 70 years. It’s amazing how much picture books have changed. And how much they haven’t.
Take the 2005 Caldecott Medal winner, Kitten’s First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes. This book has a simple, sweet story about a kitten mistaking the full moon for a bowl of milk. The pictures have a clean and simple style with bold lines and soft, night time colors. This book could’ve been created at anytime, ever since cats have been gazing up at the moon. It has a classic feel with a lovely, traditional picture book story and structure. Picture books haven’t really changed.
But they have. And Smoky Night illustrated by David Diaz and written by Eve Bunting shows this clearly. This magnificent story takes us out of the normally safe and snug domain of picture books and throws us into the middle of a riot. These are not ducklings at stake either, but children, families, and neighborhoods.
Styles change too. This year’s medal book, Flotsam by David Wiesner is a complicated
So, looking at all these picture books, have they changed over the years? Ummmmmm, excellent question. But unfortunately, I have an urgent appointment I just remembered. Gotta go!
Take a look at other Caldecott greats I read this week: Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak, Tuesday by David Wiesner, The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats, Olivia by Ian Falconer, Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig, Jumanji by Chris Van Allsburg, Click, Clack, Moo: Cows that Type and illustrated by Betsy Lewin.
Posted in Books of the Week, The Great Picture Book Read, Picture books, Illustration, I heart this book, Books
October 10th, 2007 at 1:58 am
I am devouring your picture book reading recommendations. Yay!! I love having my PBs hand-picked for me by Sara!!!
Thanks to you, I’m now completely in love with Click, Clack, Moo, among so many others!
Kitten’s First Full Moon looks awesome. Gotta check that out.
:D
r
Evil Genius Husband
August 12th, 2007 by SaraMilitant Slugs. Mutant Giraffes. Amoeba Teachers. This is what Today’s Artists are thinking, dreaming, and drawing about. 
Or at least the unbalanced people at Rhythm and Hues Studios.
Tony’s joined a collection of artists from work who look their creative sides straight in the eye and say, ‘Um…hello?’ Each week, ‘The Drawing Board‘ illustrates a new topic. This week’s topic, your favorite fat superheroes, definitely inspired Tony to take his creative side out to dinner, complete with in-depth discussion. As a result, he created a spectacular, slightly pathetic, and quite likable superhero. Congratulations, Tony. You’re AWESOME! Weight Watcher, Away!
Posted in Illustration, Nifty happenings
August 20th, 2007 at 6:46 am
That kicks Big Patutey!!!Is that a word? That is not only the best superhero I have ever seen…but the best drawn!!
