"Behind the book"
A behind-the-scenes video detailing the process of writing and illustrating Home in the Woods.
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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Downloadable coloring sheets for you and your kids or students to color! (Click on the following download links to print quality PDF files): This page is my encouragement to create a family portrait of your own: Buy a copy of ‘Home in the Woods’ here:
When drawing certain things over and over, I’ve found it helpful to make a crude model that I can capture at different angles and light it to show where shadows will fall. I made this little paper model of the shack for my story ‘Home In The Woods’: For the scene marking the arrival of autumn, I was able to find the right lighting and angle for that composition. I pulled the photo that I took using the iPad right into the thumbnail sketch and refined the perspective in Procreate. Also in Procreate, I made a quick rough color study.…
I’m inviting kids and readers of ‘HOME IN THE WOODS’ to send a letter or drawing to the real Marvel! Marvel is 94 years old at the time of this writing in 2020. She was a 5th grade school teacher for many years, and she had a big influence on instilling in me a love for picture books as a child. She would love to hear from you if you liked her story! Send digital copies of letters and drawings to Home In The Woods Book @gmail.com. Your letter or drawing will be printed and sent to her by snail…
What heart-breaking times. I pass these murals daily in my Minneapolis neighborhood (on plywood coverings on local businesses lost during the Covid19 shutdown): As a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, I join them in putting out the call: “The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators stands together with the African-American community in our unequivocal stance against racial inequity and prejudice. We deplore the legacy of tragedy, pain, cruelty, and fear that have resulted from long-standing explicit and implicit racism. We must examine and dismantle racism. Our members create books that will influence what kind…