What I’m Doing at Kirkus This Week,
Plus What I Did Last Week, Featuring Katherine Roy
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Today over at Kirkus, I’m reading between the lines, so to speak. That is here.
Last week, I talked here with author-illustrator Katherine Roy about her newest picture book, How to Be an Elephant: Growing Up in the African Wild (David Macaulay Studio/Roaring Brook Press, September 2017). Today, she follows up with some beautiful sketches from her research trip to Kenya, a bit of a peek into her process, and some final art from the book. (Pictured above is an early sketch.)
Enjoy!
![](http://blaine.org/7pics/2017/09/ROY_Elephants_Sketches1small.jpg)
![](http://blaine.org/7pics/2017/09/ROY_Elephants_Sketches2small.jpg)
![](http://blaine.org/7pics/2017/09/ROY_Elephants_Sketches3small.jpg)
![](http://blaine.org/7pics/2017/09/ROY_Elephants_Sketches4small.jpg)
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![](http://blaine.org/7pics/2017/09/ROY_Elephants_Sketches6small.jpg)
A few of these tiny pieces later became the basis for final art in the book.”
(Click each sketch to enlarge)
![](http://blaine.org/7pics/2017/09/ROY_KenyaSketchbook1small.jpg)
![](http://blaine.org/7pics/2017/09/ROY_KenyaSketchbook2small.jpg)
![](http://blaine.org/7pics/2017/09/ROY_RoughDraft_Birth1small.jpg)
![](http://blaine.org/7pics/2017/09/ROY_RoughDraft_Birth2small.jpg)
(Click each to enlarge)
![](http://blaine.org/7pics/2017/09/ROY_RoughDraft_Hyenassmall.jpg)
![](http://blaine.org/7pics/2017/09/ROY_RoughDraft_Hyenas2small.jpg)
(Click each to enlarge)
![](http://blaine.org/7pics/2017/09/ROY_RoughDraft_GrowingUpsmall.jpg)
(Click to enlarge)
![](http://blaine.org/7pics/2017/09/ROY_RoughDraft_LionChargesmall.jpg)
(Click to enlarge)
![](http://blaine.org/7pics/2017/09/ROY_RoughDraft_LionDefensesmall.jpg)
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![](http://blaine.org/7pics/2017/09/ROY_RoughDraft_MakingSpacesmall.jpg)
(Click to enlarge)
![](http://blaine.org/7pics/2017/09/ROY_RoughDraft_Newbornsmall.jpg)
(Click to enlarge)
![](http://blaine.org/7pics/2017/09/ROY_Workspace1small.jpg)
![](http://blaine.org/7pics/2017/09/ROY_Workspace2small.jpg)
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Later, it moves to my wall, and the pieces get slightly bigger.”
(Click each image to enlarge)
![](http://blaine.org/7pics/2017/09/ROY_Workspace4small.jpg)
(Click to enlarge)
![](http://blaine.org/7pics/2017/09/ROY_Elephants_LGArt_Birthsmall.jpg)
the herd quickly spreads the news. …”
(Click to enlarge and see full text)
![](http://blaine.org/7pics/2017/09/ROY_Elephants_LGArt_FamilyMattersleft.jpg)
live in permanent social groups. …”
(Click to enlarge and see full spread with text)
![](http://blaine.org/7pics/2017/09/ROY_Elephants_LGArt_SoundOffsmall.jpg)
call her family’s attention to her most basic needs. …”
(Click to enlarge and see full spread with text)
![](http://blaine.org/7pics/2017/09/ROY_Elephants_LGArt_GrowingUpsmall.jpg)
a baby elephant has years of education ahead ….”
(Click to enlarge and see full spread with text)
![](http://blaine.org/7pics/2017/09/ROY_ElephantCover_LGuse.jpg)
HOW TO BE AN ELEPHANT; GROWING UP IN THE AFRICAN WILD. Copyright © 2017 by Katherine Roy. Published by David Macaulay Studio/Roaring Brook Press, New York. All images here reproduced by permission of Katherine Roy.