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"Behind the book"

A behind-the-scenes video detailing the process of writing and illustrating Home in the Woods.

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Eliza Wheeler is an illustrator and author of books for kids, teens, and the young at heart. Her book Miss Maple’s Seeds was a NYT bestseller, and her book Home in the Woods was dubbed “Gorgeous” by the New York Times book review. Eliza is based in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

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Making the “ROSA” Art – Character Design

March 14, 2024

Some ‘Behind-the-scenes’ art-making for ‘What Rosa Brought’ (releasing in UK bookstores March 2024)… In the earliest stages of making art for books I tend to focus on characters first (especially in the case of non-fiction books). Rosa is based on author Jacob Sager Weinstein’s mother as a child, and her parents and grandma are 3 other key characters in the book. Jacob shared these beautiful family photographs below, which lived pinned over my drawing table for the full year that I worked on the book, watching over the project. I looked into their eyes on a daily basis. On the right…

Shepherd’s Book List: Top 3 of 2023

January 26, 2024

I was invited back by Shepherd to share a list of 3 books that I read and loved in 2023 (not necessarily published in 2023). I chose: To read my summaries of and why I loved these books, visit: Eliza Wheeler’s 3 favorite reads in 2023(I was thrilled to learn of Vashti Harrison’s Caldecott win for BIG! Go Vashti!) To see the top 100 books read and chosen by authors in 2023, visit: Shepherd’s Top 100 Books Read in 2023

A Special Book Dedication

November 22, 2023

Dedicating a book to someone is usually meant to be an honor for that person, but in the case of ‘What Rosa Brought’, it felt more like the reverse. For me, it felt like I was the one who was honored to be able to make the dedication:   “For my bookmaking ally, Jen Rofé–and for the memory of hers who lived it.” Jen is my literary agent. Jen’s paternal grandparents and Jewish family members were in Poland when Hitler established the ghettos and concentration camps. In this photo, the circled family members of her grandmother’s side survived the Holocaust,…

WHAT ROSA BROUGHT

November 13, 2023

I’m thrilled to be able to share this beautiful story written by Jacob Sager Weinstein about his mother’s childhood and which I had the honor to illustrate. This is a picture book about family, identity, immigration, and love. It can also serve as a gentle introduction to the Holocaust for readers aged 4-8. About the book: Vienna, Austria, is the only home Rosa knows. While her parents work at their store, she plays with her grandmother, reads her favorite books, and climbs trees. But when the Nazis arrive in 1938, everything changes. Rosa’s family is Jewish, and the Nazis’ new…