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…
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…
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…
When I was finishing the art for ‘Home In The Woods’, I had this idea to make a “little” book video to help share some behind-the-book stories. When my husband Adam agreed to make it, I had no idea it would become something so beautiful in and of itself (I should have known). It’s 13 minutes long, good for a lunch break. I hope you enjoy it! A million massive…