{"id":1609,"date":"2009-03-23T00:01:14","date_gmt":"2009-03-23T06:01:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/?p=1609"},"modified":"2009-04-20T08:53:58","modified_gmt":"2009-04-20T14:53:58","slug":"seven-questions-over-breakfast-withthe-devishly-magnetic-don-brown","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/?p=1609","title":{"rendered":"Seven Questions Over Breakfast with
the Devishly Magnetic Don Brown"},"content":{"rendered":"

Here is the celebrated and award-winning author and illustrator of many picture book biographies, Don Brown<\/strong><\/a>. He is having A Moment with what he refers to below in our chat as his wondrous, yet flat-out evil, printer. I’m happy to welcome Don this morning for seven questions over breakfast — not only to distract him from his printer woes, but also because his books are ones I’ve followed and enjoyed for years. <\/p>\n

If you’re a children’s librarian—whether a public librarian or school librarian—and\/or a parent who keeps up with children’s lit, particularly nonfiction titles, you may wonder, as I do, where we’d be without his engaging picture book biographies, particularly since he often, but certainly not always, brings us the lives of lesser-known figures (Ruth Law<\/strong><\/a>, Mary Kingsley<\/strong><\/a>, Alice Ramsey<\/strong><\/a> — to name a few). And even when he’s telling us the story of more celebrated figures of history—Mark Twain<\/strong><\/a>, Albert Einstein<\/strong><\/a>, Dolley Madison<\/strong><\/a>—he manages to stand apart from the crowd: Kirkus<\/em> wrote about One Giant Leap: The Story of Neil Armstrong<\/strong><\/a><\/em>, “{t}he story has been told many times, but perhaps never with so much heart and spirit.” I think the common denominator in his picture book biographies, no matter the subject matter, is that he’s bringing us the stories of those people who followed their bliss and lived with passion. <\/p>\n

And if you enjoy his books as much as I do, you’re probably nodding as I say: Doesn’t that seem like what he’s doing, too? I’ve never read a Don Brown story in which it didn’t seem as if he was having great<\/em> fun sharing with us. And, in the words of School Library Journal<\/em>, he’s “a current pacesetter who has put the finishing touches on the standards for storyographies.” <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

I also have always been a fan of his illustration work — his delicate and quirky soft-focused pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations, full of subtle humor and energy and an understated eloquence. In Parenting Magazine<\/em>, Leonard Marcus once wrote about Uncommon Traveler: Mary Kingsley in Africa<\/strong><\/a><\/em>, “the pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations are lush and deliciously wry.” (Speaking of…I had too<\/em> much fun formatting this interview, since Don’s humor is about as wry as it comes. I enjoy and appreciate humor in all shapes and sizes and types, but a Good Wry makes me happy.)<\/p>\n

But, wait! He’s done more than picture book biographies, my friends (though he’s still going strong at those — his latest is the wonderful Teedie: The Story of Young Teddy Roosevelt<\/strong><\/a><\/em>, to be released by Houghton Mifflin in April). Two of his most recent titles—Let It Begin Here!: April 19, 1775: The Day the American Revolution Began<\/strong><\/a><\/em> (Roaring Brook, December 2008) and All Stations! Distress!: April 15, 1912: The Day the Titanic Sank<\/strong><\/a><\/em> (also published by Roaring Brook last December)—are aimed at readers slightly older than what’s normally considered the “picture book crowd.” The Bulletin of the Center for Children\u2019s Books<\/em> wrote “…any kids who fondly recall Brown’s picture books from their ‘younger days’ will be pleased to see he hasn’t left older readers adrift.” He’s also written historical fiction novels for children and teens, including The Notorious Izzy Fink<\/strong><\/a><\/em> and The Train Jumper<\/strong><\/a><\/em>, both published by Roaring Brook (2006 and 2007, respectively). <\/p>\n

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So, let’s get the basics from Don while we set the table for our breakfast chat. He’s going to be having tea and toast<\/font> this morning. (“Yikes, that sounds lame,” he adds, “but heavier breakfasts make me sleepy.”) I thank him kindly for stopping by. <\/p>\n

* * * * * * *<\/font><\/center><\/p>\n

7-Imp<\/font><\/strong>: Are you an illustrator or author\/illustrator?<\/font><\/p>\n

Don<\/font><\/strong>: Both. <\/p>\n

7-Imp<\/font><\/strong>: Can you list your books-to-date?<\/font><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Don<\/font><\/strong>: Latest Books:<\/p>\n