Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast

7-Imp readers know I like to ask Seven Questions Over Breakfast with creators of picture books here in 7-Imp Land, but today I’m having a late-afternoon/almost-evening snack with illustrators Ben and Sean Hilts, a.k.a. The Brothers Hilts. Now, I failed to ask them about their favorite late-afternoon snack, though for the record, their breakfasts-of-choice are French Toast with a side of bacon (Ben) and eggs over medium with hash browns, not home fries, please (Sean). I’m ever-so good, though, with snacking on these tonight, while we chat and look at their artwork.

Why is this a late-afternoon snack? What did poor breakfast ever do to get snubbed by us three? Well, did you see the picture book The Brothers Hilts illustrated this year, written by Karina Wolf? The Insomniacs is a delicious, late-night tale, if there ever was one, so I think it’s only fitting I post this chat with them as the sun’s slipping away and the moon is sneaking up on us.

Back in July, I wrote over at the Kirkus Book Blog Network about The Insomniacs, so you can head over there (here’s the link) if you want to read more about it. I was happy when the Society of Illustrators awarded Ben and Sean the 2012 Founder’s Award this Fall for their illustrations in this book, which Kirkus called a “quietly magnificent paean to the wonder of nighttime and the solidity of a family unit.” With their shadowy art within, Ben and Sean manage to show how darkness can be “full of life,” which is what the Insomniac family comes to realize in their entertaining, offbeat tale.

Let’s get right to it. I thank Ben and Sean for visiting today and sharing their artwork so generously. Read the rest of this entry �

I’m slowly inching my way toward the holidays. I have to ease my way in, given the rampant commercialism. (Am I just a grinch for letting it wear me out? I guess that’s a question for another day.) But I do gladly share above this work-in-progress image from Steve Light’s The Christmas Giant, released by Candlewick in 2010. (I covered it here at 7-Imp a couple years ago, if you’d like to see some final art from it.)

Steve is visiting this morning in what is—triumphantly (to me anyway, since I’ve missed them)—the return of the 7-Imp breakfast interview! I got really super swamped with manuscript revisions for a bit there, so I haven’t done a breakfast interview in a while, but for now I’m back to a normal (for me) schedule. For this, I roll out the red carpet for Steve.

Steve tells me way more about his career below over breakfast (“truck-stop” eggs), and he shares lots of art, for which I thank him. His very latest picture book, also released by Candlewick (October), is the charming story of a young girl, named Zephyr, who loved airplanes and one day hoped to fly one of her own. (Yes, it makes me happy that this little girl is into planes, and guess what? Her dad also wears an apron and cooks, and her mama is the one in the shop—or maybe it’s a garage—with tools repairing things. Take that, gender sterotypes.) I couldn’t sleep at night if I gave away the entire story of Zephyr Takes Flight, in case you want to read it for yourself, but it’s an entertaining story that tips its hat to more than one kind of flight (actual flight, as well as flights of the imagination) and brings us an irrepressible picture book protagonist in the free-spirited Zephyr.

And Steve’s swirly, elongated lines and playful perspectives and proportions are perfect for this tale of flight. Let’s get right to it so that we can see more artwork. Read the rest of this entry �

…today at the Kirkus Book Blog Network, I chat with her about her illustrations for Ellen Bryan Obed’s Twelve Kinds of Ice, as well as the new picture book adaptation of Natalie Merchant’s CD Project, Leave Your Sleep.

The Q&A is here, and next week at 7-Imp I’ll have more art from McClintock.

Enjoy.

Last week at the Kirkus Book Blog Network, I chatted briefly with author/illustrator Matthew Cordell, pictured above, about his latest picture book, hello! hello! (Hyperion, October 2012). I’ve got the interview in its entirety today, and Matt’s also here to share some early jacket covers, studies, early illustrations, and a bit of final art.

If you read 7-Imp at all or even occasionally just visit, you know that I fell hard for this book this past summer, when I was lucky enough to see an early copy. I still love it fiercely. What I wrote at Kirkus last week is this:

This is picture book-making at its best. Using masterful pacing, economical yet robust lines, and a satisfying explosion of color, Cordell tells a story that could be the story of most 21st-century American families, frequently plugged into the online world no matter their socioeconomic stratum. A young girl, trying to connect with family members more connected to their hand-held, electronic devices, heads outside and gets rapturously lost in nature and the world of her imagination. Cordell pulls it off with delicacy, a sophisticated restraint and a satisfying elegance. Oh, and humor to boot.

By all means, if you haven’t seen a copy yet, I highly recommend it. (And if you really do want to read it, I should add, you can even get free art from Matt right now. You can head over to this post at his blog to find out more. Signed bookplates! Signed postcards! Signed proofs! And signed prints! Can’t get much better than that.)

Here’s the full interview with Matt, along with lots of images. I thank him for visiting
7-Imp again … Read the rest of this entry �

Last week at the Kirkus Book Blog Network, I chatted with picture book author Lauren Thompson about her latest book, The Forgiveness Garden, which will be released later this month from Feiwel & Friends and which was illustrated by Christy Hale. You can see that Q & A here.

What I didn’t have room for over there last week were a few additional questions I had asked her about writing picture books in general, as well as one more particular question about this latest picture book. Below are those questions and responses, as well as some of Christy’s spreads from the book.

Enjoy.

Jules: My daughters and I have enjoyed so many of your books over the years. What do you love about writing picture books? Why write them (which I’m glad you do) and not, say, adult fiction? Read the rest of this entry �

This morning over in Kirkus’ Book Blog Network, I chat with author Lauren Thompson, pictured here, about her latest picture book.

Lauren has written many picture books over the years that I’ve enjoyed — and shared with my own children. Her forthcoming book is called The Forgiveness Garden, and it’s illustrated by Christy Hale.

The Q&A is here this morning, and next week here at 7-Imp I’ll follow up with a few more questions and responses from Lauren, as well as some more art from Christy.

Enjoy.

Photo credit: Carol Stevens.

 

This morning over at Kirkus, I chat with author Judith Viorst about her very funny new chapter book for children, Lulu Walks the Dogs, the follow-up to Lulu and the Brontosaurus; the enduring popularity of Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day; and her upcoming visit to Nashville’s Southern Festival of Books in October. When asked about her plan for the Festival, she said:

I’ll be reading from my second Lulu book, Lulu Walks the Dogs, and talking a bit about my vast admiration for writers like Sendak and Silverstein, who appreciate and give voice to children’s non-sweetie-pie selves — to their wicked thoughts, wild dreams, and untamed feelings. I, too, like to write about fresh, fierce kids, who maybe, probably, bear some resemblance to my own three sons and seven grandchildren—and to the little girl I once was.

I really like that.

The rest of the Q&A is here — and it includes (a tiny version of) Lane Smith’s wonderful illustration of Fleischman from the new Lulu book. Next week here at 7-Imp, I’ll have even more art and some sketches from Lane.

Have you read both Lulu books? So funny, these chapter books.

Enjoy.

I do. I think, that is, that even the early versions—the sketches, the doodles, the brainstorms—of author/illustrator David Small’s illustrations are splendid. Above is one from his latest illustrated title, Sarah Stewart’s The Quiet Place, to be released next week by Margaret Ferguson Books/Farrar Straus Giroux.

Last week, I chatted with David and Sarah over at Kirkus. We talked about their new book and what’s next for them. They also discussed how they collaborate (or, more accurately, don’t collaborate). “David Small and I have a great marriage,” Sarah told me, “because we do not collaborate as artist and writer. I write every day. Occasionally, a story emerges –- sometimes, excerpts. I read it to him. If he likes it, I send the manuscript to my editor. If she likes it, she buys it. And then the words go to my sweetheart, who with his magic pens and paints deepens and broadens the story. I’m the luckiest picture book author on earth!”

Here is that Q&A, as well as more about The Quiet Place, if you missed it last week.

I’m here today at 7-Imp with a bit more art from the book, as well as some of David’s early sketches, since—as my readers know—I get twitchy until I’ve the chance to feature some artwork from the books about which I write.

Let us take a moment to appreciate one of my top-five favorite picture book spreads of 2012 — straight from Sarah’s and David’s book. You’ll see in the Q&A that I asked David specifically about this beautiful creation: Read the rest of this entry �

I’m happy to be having late-night coffee with author/illustrator Jane Breskin Zalben, who has created in her career more than fifty books for children. Most of those are picture books, but she’s also written YA novels, chapter books, and even cookbooks. She has also worked as an art director, as you can read below.

Jane’s latest book, released in August by Neal Porter/Roaring Brook, is called Mousterpiece and centers around a young mouse, named Janson. She lives in a museum and loves exploring it each night after dark. When she finally explores the famous paintings hanging in the museum, giving readers a glimpse of the world of contemporary art, “her little world opened.” She emulates the iconic paintings she sees, meeting some acclaim of her own — but eventually comes to understand that the artwork that expresses her own style, her own voice, is her favorite. Booklist calls this a “charming introduction to modern art and an inspiring starting point for young art students.”

“The book,” Jane tells me, “is dedicated to my mom. She was a children’s book librarian in Manhattan in a private school for children with learning disabilities and put together their first library. Years and years ago!”

I thank Jane for visiting today. I enjoyed the opportunity to ask her not only about this book, but also—given her lengthy career in this field—about children’s literature today and how it’s changed over the years, as well as what’s next for her. Read the rest of this entry �

Yes, I’m chatting with Sarah Stewart and David Small today about their latest picture book, The Quiet Place.

But we’re chatting with coffee mugs in hand over at Kirkus, instead of at the 7-Imp table. Good thing, ’cause I didn’t clean the table up after last night’s heavy partying. (That is so totally just a lame joke. There will be no partying in my future until I get my manuscript edits done. Giving me the ‘ol skunk eye, that manuscript is.)

Here is the Q&A.

David and Sarah discuss the new book; how they collaborate (or, rather, don’t collaborate) together; what spawned this beautiful story; and more.

Next week, I’ll have some spreads from the book, as well as some early sketches from the book from David.

I’m looking forward to that post. Even David’s sketches blow me away.

Until tomorrow …

p.s. I composed this post before my own coffee intake today, and the post title was originally “Sarah Stewart and David Small for Breakfast.” I’m glad I caught that mistake. I think we all need them to stick around—no seven impossible acts of cannibalism before breakfast, please—so that we can experience more of their future books.