Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast

Anyone else seen Frank W. Dormer’s newest picture book, The Obstinate Pen (Henry Holt, April 2010)? It’s funny stuff, and I’ve been meaning to post about it for a while now. Fortunately, Frank is visiting today, and also, as you can see here, the Pen got hold of an illustration Frank did of me and … well … whaddya know, it’s my first moustache. (That pen. You gotta keep your eye on it.)

But let me back up first and summarize this one for you — before Frank tells us a bit, via images, how this book came to be.

Horace’s Uncle Flood — band name! I call it … Uh, sorry. Where was I? Right. … A young boy, named Horace, watches as his Uncle Flood revels in his new pen, which he has just unwrapped with glee and laid on his desk. Clearly, Uncle Flood gets really excited about his writing utensils.

Problem is, though, that every time Uncle Flood tries to write with the pen, which the Horn Book review describes as “insulting, subversive, and anarchic,” it won’t record his actual thoughts — but instead disses him. “You have a BIG nose” is the pen’s first notation.

Uncle Flood will have none of that and chucks the pen out the window. Officer Wonkle tries to write a ticket to Miss Glenda Weeble with the pen, which has landed near his feet, and the pen tells him to kiss her already. Mrs. Norkham Pigeon-Smythe eventually gets a hold of it and has a blast, as the pen calls her “Mrs. Floofy Pants” while she tries to write her memoir. After she puts it under a glass in a room of her house no one ever visits, the pen escapes and eventually makes its way back to Horace, for whom the pen draws exactly the pictures he has in mind. “At last,” wrote Nell Casey in an early April New York Times write-up about new picture books that harness creativity (calling Dormer’s book “the most original” of the bunch), “when the opinionated pen meets its match — a child who, unlike the adults before him, both knows and is not afraid of his true creative impulses — it surrenders with grace.”

As I said, Frank’s here today to tell us how the story came to be, and I thank him. Without further ado, I turn it over to him (as I wrestle the blog back from the Pen) for…

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You all know I’m a ginormous picture book addict, and I tell you what: Author/illustrator Philip C. Stead knows how to send just the right content to make this blogger happy. I’ve been trying to convince him to come have one of my standard breakfast interviews for years now, but (lucky for me and my imp readers) he likes to do things differently at pretty much all times and sends me the kind of words and images you see in today’s post (and the goodness he sent last year) instead.

I am very good with this.

And why is that? Well, take today’s post: Phil gets very detailed about the story behind his new picture book, A Home for Bird, to be released in June by Neal Porter/Roaring Brook — the story’s history and how it got to where it is today. He also shares lots of sketches and even pictures of specifically what he uses to make his art. And this time he’s done something different from collage (but he tells you more about that below). Yes, if you’re a fellow picture book fan, his thoughtful words and images will make you happy today, so grab a cup of coffee and won’t you sit for a spell? Read the rest of this entry �

I’m afraid that, if I try to count the number of picture book creators who have visited this site in the past six years, I’ll be here all day. I’ve done quite a few Q&As, to say the least. But today is a “first” for 7-Imp. Unless you count the photographs Chris Raschka used to answer some of his questions or Deborah Freedman’s illustrated responses to the Pivot Questionnaire (hi, chicken), this is the first time an interviewee has sent illustrated responses to his answers. Well, most of them. “Although some of them are in written form,” Chilean-born illustrator Claudio Muñoz told me, “I have given most of my answers the way I communicate best — that is, with my drawings.”

And that makes this illustration junkie very happy. In fact, here’s what happened when I asked if he could tell me what he likes to have for breakfast daily:

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I’ve written about author/illustrator John Hendrix previously at 7-Imp. Today, though, he’s joining me at the breakfast table, his breakfast-of-choice being only “about five gallons of coffee.” (I can go for that. I’m sturdy with my coffee intake. I feel confident I can handle it.)

And I believe I’ve previously used the word “galvanic” when describing his art.

Well, it is. Have you seen his artwork?

His sweeping spreads are indicative of an artist who started out in editorial illustration — with spreads, Kirkus once wrote, that “combine the iconic and the realistic to compress the visual storytelling into one heightened image.” Or “larger-than-life,” if you’re School Library Journal. And it’s true: John knows how to get your attention, as you can see below in the mixed-media illustrations featured today. There’s an edgy, sometimes darker side to his art, too, that makes you look twice. (And, I must mention, he often hand-draws his text, as you can see in some examples below.)

Most recently, John has brought readers the illustrations for Deborah Hopkinson’s A Boy Called Dickens. That was published by Schwartz & Wade in January, and back then I invited John over for a breakfast chat. I may just now be getting to it, but better late than never. He shares art and early sketches below from Hopkinson’s book, as well his other three previously illustrated titles and other art from here and from there.

So, let’s get right to it, and I thank him for visiting. Read the rest of this entry �

This morning over at Kirkus, I’ve got a short Q & A up with author, historian, and critic Leonard S. Marcus. We’re discussing his (wonderful) new Candlewick title, Show Me a Story! Why Picture Books Matter: Conversations with 21 of the World’s Most Celebrated Illustrators. This will be released in early May. And picture book fans won’t want to miss it. Not if you can help it at all.

I interview a lot of people here at 7-Imp, but I have to say I was a bit nervous talking to Marcus. He’s only insanely talented in about seven hundred different directions (to be not-dramatic-at-all about it), and he writes so well about our special, beloved picture books. (“Our” meaning me and my dear impish blog readers, given that we’re all picture book junkies.)

So. Right. That’s all to say that I am a huge fan of his books and writings in general — and everything he has contributed to children’s literature.

The link is here this morning. Come join the fun. I ask him about surprises, contemporary picture books, e-books, whether or not he thinks Don Draper is really ready to settle down, and what he’s researching now. I may not have asked him about one of those. You’ll have to read the Q & A to find out.

Author/illustrator Laura Vaccaro Seeger has been called the “the Queen of the Concept Book” (the Horn Book), a title she’s earned with a slew of unique and exceedingly clever picture books, ones that make the ordinary extraordinary on many levels. For her 2007 title, First the Egg—which earned her a 2008 Caldecott Honor, as well as a Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor—Sara London in the New York Times wrote that the “playground of perception seems to be Seeger’s most natural arena,” calling that book “a feat of ingenuity.” And you could say that ingenuity has driven many of her other beautifully-designed picture books as well (many using die-cuts), all pictured below, books in which children naturally delight in learning. “I have always been fascinated with concepts,” Seeger stated in her 2007 Boston Globe–Horn Book Award acceptance speech for Dog and Bear: Two Friends, Three Stories, “and making books is a way for me to share with children new ways to learn and conceptualize. It is my wish that my books will help children discover concepts, not just learn them — from the alphabet to colors to opposites; and on to the idea of negative space and the power of seeing, guessing and anticipating, and finding answers.”

But smart concept books aside, Seeger has also brought readers one of children’s literature’s most unforgettable and lovable duos, Dog and Bear. “What do a frisky dachshund and a slightly timid stuffed bear have in common?” she writes at her site. “They are best friends.” Dog and Bear appeared in 2007—winning many honors, including the Boston Globe/Horn Book Award for Best Picture Book—in three short and endearing stories, perfect for early readers. That book was followed by two more volumes of Dog and Bear tales, stories that emanate warmth and humor.

Laura’s newest title, Green (Neal Porter/Roaring Brook Press, March 2012), also including die-cuts, has been met with rave reviews all-around and has even generated Caldecott buzz this early in the year. It’s just that good. Pamela Paul describes it as “one of those deceptively simple picture books that to the casual bookstore browser can seem to be about nothing much at all. But the reader who settles down and slowly pages through its gorgeous acrylic paintings or, better yet, reads it aloud to a young child, will find rich rewards.” In this one, Laura explores the color green, and I boldly say that you really must get a copy of this in your very own hands and read for yourself. Laura also says a bit more about it below.

I’m so glad Laura’s at the 7-Imp breakfast table this morning. Turns out that breakfast is her favorite meal of the day. (That makes two of us.) “Usually,” she told me, “I have two eggs over easy, half a grapefruit, a hollowed-out bagel with a little butter, and tea or coffee. Then I’m pretty much set for the day, unless, of course, there’s sushi on the menu later!”

I’ll set the table, while I get the basics from her before our breakfast chat. I thank her for visiting. Read the rest of this entry �

At Kirkus today, I’ve got a Q & A with the reigning Children’s Poet Laureate, J. Patrick Lewis, who—as you can see here—enjoys a little bubble gum with his breakfast.

“Though the evidence seems convincing—the numbers don’t lie—that children’s poetry has seen more robust days,” Pat told me, “it is difficult to credit that when one is met at every venue with such overwhelming affection and rapt attention. Young children can’t spell ‘laureate,’ much less know what it means, but somehow they imagine they are shaking hands with some sort of Pied Piper, as every children’s poet who makes school visits can confirm.”

You can read the rest here.

Photo re-posted from my November 2010 interview with Pat.

Next to author/illustrator Matthew Cordell, Tammi Sauer may very well be the busiest picture book author of 2012.

I wanted to chat with the very punny Tammi here at 7-Imp about her upcoming books—she sees five of her picture books released this year—and then she up and announced she was doing one of those newfangled, so-called blog tours for her picture book Bawk & Roll, being released today by Sterling and illustrated by the one and only Dan Santat. (How do you like their back-flap photos for this book, pictured right and below?) So, I said, Tams, sign me up for that blog tour thingy. (I don’t really call her “Tams,” but she’s visiting for coffee this morning, so why not?) But in true 7-Imp style, seeing as how I have an excessively overactive work ethic, not to mention I love me some picture books, I also secured some art from the other picture books Tammi will be releasing this year, so this is a long, art-filled post but also with some words from Tammi, of course.

Whew.

In fact, as you can see at the top of this post, I’ve got a wonderful image from Bawk & Roll—the back cover image, to be exact—but above that is an early sketch from Joe Berger for Tammi’s Princess in Training. I just really like that sketch, that bad-ass princess on her skateboard. More images from that book (which won’t be released from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt till October) are below.

In March of this year, we were already treated to one of Tammi’s books. (See art from Me Want Pet! below.) Bawk & Roll (the sequel to 2009’s Chicken Dance) is out today, as mentioned, and it’s mighty fun. “Sauer dispenses her many puns with an appealingly deft touch,” writes Kirkus, “offering a genuine lesson on friendship. Santat’s illustrations are similarly droll, featuring several clever and surprising page designs, making the most of the opportunity offered by the contrast between stage and audience. This flock rocks.” And, as mentioned, more Sauer picture books are to come this year.

So, let’s hear from Tammi, and as she talks I’ll show you some more of Dan’s entertaining illustrations from Bawk & Roll, as well as from all the other 2012 titles.

I thank her for visiting — and I thank all the illustrators sharing art today. Read the rest of this entry �

Illustrator Adam Gustavson is visiting for breakfast this morning. It may be a cyber-breakfast and we may not actually be face-to-face over the breakfast table with either the coffee or wine mentioned in my 7-Imp interviews, but he tells me he “answered these questions over a few cups of coffee, actually, whereupon I proofread it all over a glass of red wine. I think we’ve had the full experience here.”

Adam states at his site that at first, he was going to be a cowboy. I’m glad he turned to children’s book illustration instead, though I do believe in the power of his two-pint ten-gallon hat of childhood. As you can see below, Adam’s had a relatively long and prolific career in illustrating children’s books, and he also teaches. His teaching is something he also discusses below. (Can I just say that I’d like to clone him as an interviewee? I really enjoyed formatting this interview and appreciate how detailed he is in his responses, as well as the thought he put into answering the questions.)

Adam works in oils, rendering lush, detailed illustrations with rich colors. He often plays with perspective and captures many a text’s atmosphere with precision and spot-on pacing. “Gustavson creates a festive mood with his oil illustrations, so luxurious and ample they feel like bundles of winter clothing, topped with bright scarves,” wrote Kirkus about his illustrations for Lester Laminack’s Snow Day (Peachtree Publishers, 2010).

Looks like he and I are eating well this morning. “When I can, I’m a bagel-with-cream-cheese-and-lox breakfaster,” he tells me. “If I’m planning ahead, I make my own lox using my Finnish grandmother’s time-tested technique.”

Sounds good to me. I’ll set the table while I get the basics before our seven questions over breakfast. I thank Adam for stopping by. Read the rest of this entry �

Yes, I pulled out my very favorite mugs this morning (the blue ones) and my cow-shaped dish for pouring cream for one of my favorite author/illustrators—as in, her books made me want to study children’s literature, no kidding—Maira Kalman, pictured right with Pete. Joining me in the chat this morning is the one and only Jama Kim Rattigan, whom I adore and whose blog, Jama’s Alphabet Soup, brings cheer to this world. In my world, Jama is “Mrs. B.” (She’s Mrs. Blueteaberrry—that’s with three “r”s, to be precise—and I’m “Mrs. Bottlecap.” Long story.)

Jama and I have wanted to have a cyber-chat with Ms. Kalman for a long time now and actually tried years ago — but to no avail. So, stubborn as we are and being that we are huge fans of her work, we tried again. And here we are today. Jama tells me that Maira’s books made her want to write, and as I already noted, I fell in love with her books so hard and fast (starting with the first Max book) that it led me to other picture books by other folks and more of her books, of course, and her previous books and so on and so on, and before I knew it, I was getting a Master’s in Library Science just so I could take those children’s lit courses and learn more about picture books.

So, yes. Jama and I both have Maira Kalman to thank for bringing those particular joys to our lives. We thank her for taking the time to visit today and for answering the questions we composed together. (Mrs. B. came up with all the good questions.) Jama has the same interview responses (but, most likely, different images) up at her site today. (You really want to go read Jama’s introduction to the interview—I’m waving my hypno-spiral in your face—given that she perfectly nails the charms of Maira’s books.) Read the rest of this entry �