tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-830699095788530282024-03-26T23:38:11.798-07:00Mat Tobin: English and Children's LiteratureMat Tobinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03409658334620463763noreply@blogger.comBlogger53125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83069909578853028.post-71435178013792648762023-09-01T14:26:00.003-07:002023-09-02T09:00:18.098-07:00An Interview with Gill Smith on Saving the Butterfly<p class="MsoNormal">In this captivating interview with illustrator Gill
Smith, as part of the Klaus Flugge 2023 shortlist, we delve into the intricate world of picture book creation, with a focus on her debut, "Saving the Butterfly" written by Helen Cooper. Here, Gill
shares her perspective on collaborating with writer Helen, the joys and
challenges of translating words into visuals, and the importance of addressing
sensitive topics, such as the refugee crisis, in children's literature. </p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5_28ShF_H6D9q_C_7btxlsUi3DhDuv0rLKojHKQmEHEx9v49PnyX_kFRg6NXZC3VxycViSRUFPbsAWvi22OvC4V4FM2HBsgwI7ccDNt7txbAk0mkrsYZ2gBQFRd8SnAygvBP3lU14G7mKT9BONbtJDHgxvLG9i1ZfTioreK2emqF-z2yEchyIgeV0wP4/s792/G.Smith_.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Image from Hikari Press" border="0" data-original-height="792" data-original-width="736" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5_28ShF_H6D9q_C_7btxlsUi3DhDuv0rLKojHKQmEHEx9v49PnyX_kFRg6NXZC3VxycViSRUFPbsAWvi22OvC4V4FM2HBsgwI7ccDNt7txbAk0mkrsYZ2gBQFRd8SnAygvBP3lU14G7mKT9BONbtJDHgxvLG9i1ZfTioreK2emqF-z2yEchyIgeV0wP4/w297-h320/G.Smith_.webp" title="Gill Smith: Image from Hikari Press" width="297" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A special thank you to Gill for spending much time answering my questions and providing such a wonderful range of visuals and insights. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg61_5OJWoF8Sm6WC0lHiHLDdAKnxbTd5AUroGbGFpUbet13F8zSEFz6BuEzs-A5X0k4-79ulJCaatPfdoGcuVzpHRGi2BVbc8ePZamds6ZVrKr6Z9gNFV9bORTkuou1cgtMMK2Se__43QyvJ-2yWjmL4TUxzjjXGNitb4Ep9Zd3Zyt_Ra7nBV6CilJzWc/s500/9781406397666.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="462" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg61_5OJWoF8Sm6WC0lHiHLDdAKnxbTd5AUroGbGFpUbet13F8zSEFz6BuEzs-A5X0k4-79ulJCaatPfdoGcuVzpHRGi2BVbc8ePZamds6ZVrKr6Z9gNFV9bORTkuou1cgtMMK2Se__43QyvJ-2yWjmL4TUxzjjXGNitb4Ep9Zd3Zyt_Ra7nBV6CilJzWc/s320/9781406397666.jpg" width="296" /></a></div><b>Yours is the only picturebook shortlisted in which the
writer and artist are different people. Could you tell us about your
collaboration with Helen, who is an accomplished illustrator herself, and the
joys and challenges of bringing her words to life in the picture book?</b><p></p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhACVQARyZcwSrmq4GPJ39az-Ggqxh0RJq3b4Z7ds9wY30_mfFrF06CPSKr3VJ4Wtt7MrtZBXT2nxVCq0lHz5FtGTRLve7zO0c8TtSsYakXZ_ptZGWeQWu4lEd7nXHmM9uATCkpkUd8xVtCeKYS1xDASQsYqrZQMxmpZenQ9zznMWaWcWUC-j3SGOyrYPU/s2048/kXlA3b0z.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhACVQARyZcwSrmq4GPJ39az-Ggqxh0RJq3b4Z7ds9wY30_mfFrF06CPSKr3VJ4Wtt7MrtZBXT2nxVCq0lHz5FtGTRLve7zO0c8TtSsYakXZ_ptZGWeQWu4lEd7nXHmM9uATCkpkUd8xVtCeKYS1xDASQsYqrZQMxmpZenQ9zznMWaWcWUC-j3SGOyrYPU/s320/kXlA3b0z.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Helen Cooper (Credit: Ella Pallett)</td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkWtSV6165Wr60FNk2CyirTQTXf0S2d01oxaopTTHXbQ9ZD7CrD5UKNMHYN_dVuKzA3nrkHeeP5rGLukkvkD5wipMWVLndtnZsdL1X6bZY-pvsBAOSbOVomx_l2MYgwVmIEZIj5J4NER-Rt7EYRiiQjtG5dor6SgiuoRAO_ge8V6KxNIwCdCVA1QMqEL8/s2166/savingthebutterfly_spread.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1170" data-original-width="2166" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkWtSV6165Wr60FNk2CyirTQTXf0S2d01oxaopTTHXbQ9ZD7CrD5UKNMHYN_dVuKzA3nrkHeeP5rGLukkvkD5wipMWVLndtnZsdL1X6bZY-pvsBAOSbOVomx_l2MYgwVmIEZIj5J4NER-Rt7EYRiiQjtG5dor6SgiuoRAO_ge8V6KxNIwCdCVA1QMqEL8/s320/savingthebutterfly_spread.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i>The first reading of Helen’s text really moved me. It is
both poetic and powerful and it doesn’t patronise young readers. It sparked
many questions and initial ideas flowed quickly in my sketchbook. Helen’s
feedback was always insightful. She generously encouraged my own interpretation
and it felt like an experienced illustrator was offering me a hand. The
collaboration with Helen and the Walker Books team was incredibly supportive,
enabling me space to trust my own instincts and take risks. It felt very
important to tell this story sensitively at a
time when the media was filled with shocking images showing the
unfolding human tragedy of the refugee crisis. It seemed more important than
ever to tell the children’s story and to support teachers and parents, through
the teaching notes to begin conversations with children about this difficult
subject.</i></p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Can you share your journey into illustration and how the
works of Charles Keeping and Ezra Keats have influenced your style and
thinking? Did their work inform your approach to illustrating Saving
the Butterfly? </b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Rediscovering the work of
Charles Keeping and Ezra J Keats during my MA helped me to think about
the kinds of stories I wanted to illustrate. I love the authenticity of the
characters in books such as Charlie and The Carthorse and A Snowy Day and how urban environments are
made beautiful and atmospheric through colour and texture.</i></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9GX3xYpZjrK6HkrA2mWIikkFPOFnjcil13tJrDpkEqN1pq3KROWw5sTHtp2i56L--G1sNkG6uW36niUD7NoFsL9yfHvwc71ptPeRkQkcuJN0Eidnq0QH7hmVAqkMyk0XV9qkSeQBP9HGQ30UOqxOg8zyVP4alH-H6jC6uotk2j4bOfbFG37PGBfBhNEw/s835/Charles%20Keeping.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="835" data-original-width="831" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9GX3xYpZjrK6HkrA2mWIikkFPOFnjcil13tJrDpkEqN1pq3KROWw5sTHtp2i56L--G1sNkG6uW36niUD7NoFsL9yfHvwc71ptPeRkQkcuJN0Eidnq0QH7hmVAqkMyk0XV9qkSeQBP9HGQ30UOqxOg8zyVP4alH-H6jC6uotk2j4bOfbFG37PGBfBhNEw/s320/Charles%20Keeping.jpg" width="318" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: start;">Charles Keeping, Shaun And The Cart Horse, 1966, Oxford Press</p><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXypAmP2s8coUz0-ElgEn6vjvufYk6oNv9zRqg70paoQCZve_nUcAcuIunBHRN5rbKzPqAbGSPue4CJt4EqHDg5XuCbtdvArB3lE0Y8tnKJr17B7T_8xWL-NsXwg2lgJLsrVqhdRUkONFExpE-3V0B0jqV-PXEBD0Kx9RAqFzwVGZo-AvHiII7NMwyNrQ/s275/Whistle.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="235" data-original-width="275" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXypAmP2s8coUz0-ElgEn6vjvufYk6oNv9zRqg70paoQCZve_nUcAcuIunBHRN5rbKzPqAbGSPue4CJt4EqHDg5XuCbtdvArB3lE0Y8tnKJr17B7T_8xWL-NsXwg2lgJLsrVqhdRUkONFExpE-3V0B0jqV-PXEBD0Kx9RAqFzwVGZo-AvHiII7NMwyNrQ/w200-h171/Whistle.png" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2otXwa0GNSzoJhv4IrRkEGRI6EUsOYGKqAoOPHDkNmYpTPXE_0Ehefw9MxfGeKH4ahUijBkw3olbkM1FVXIUDUlpi3ksLefVRow-P-70aREmtvb3BCRQwvoGZi05A275Ci7BWZ9JfPgGfBAXQF4tW1b7Nky2z08w63GiKUjY2olVGRvxy2brls87zKtM/s360/Snowy.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="302" data-original-width="360" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2otXwa0GNSzoJhv4IrRkEGRI6EUsOYGKqAoOPHDkNmYpTPXE_0Ehefw9MxfGeKH4ahUijBkw3olbkM1FVXIUDUlpi3ksLefVRow-P-70aREmtvb3BCRQwvoGZi05A275Ci7BWZ9JfPgGfBAXQF4tW1b7Nky2z08w63GiKUjY2olVGRvxy2brls87zKtM/w200-h168/Snowy.png" width="200" /></a></div></td></tr></tbody></table>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>During my MA, I had a
breakthrough with my work when I connected with the worlds I knew, such as my
own community, childhood and inherited family stories. Keeping was a native of
inner city London and used the East End as the backdrop for his books. Many of
his picture books make credible narratives out of the daily lives of back
street children. I refer to this quote often:</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>‘They've been about what I know and what I see and what I
have enjoyed, and probably what I have been frightened of….and when it comes to
my own actual work later in life, I tend to keep within what I could see as a
child. That was mainly a small garden, a fence, and a large back wall. Against
that back wall many things took place.…This was an exciting, tiny world to live
in.’ (Keeping, 1983)</i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>In </i>Saving The Butterfly<i>, I drew on memories of growing up
with my little sister and how protective that bond can be. I am inspired by the
simplicity and freshness of Keats compositions and how his books are grounded
in a child’s emotion and sensory experience rather than plot. This influenced
my approach for Saving the Butterfly in showing
the interiority of the little girl.
I wanted to communicate her fears in the details around her such as the
blanket and big bed.</i></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAEPeDG3c6FoPv5wQUz59hEejvOksx3zKrc7WDvkEIjTYygk68_AYKN19zGSvjzlAZfv6PqkZbOPFqnnPn-dMs4vTl_4YPECyAAy49HJrJ50zVrmKDHpAolQUaCdKs6oM6yQ3qutOAp94npjiAZUi7ffAQOQvj0vcxO9DNTv1e_py7Q60tmqPEcBJ45A8/s910/Snowy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="414" data-original-width="910" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAEPeDG3c6FoPv5wQUz59hEejvOksx3zKrc7WDvkEIjTYygk68_AYKN19zGSvjzlAZfv6PqkZbOPFqnnPn-dMs4vTl_4YPECyAAy49HJrJ50zVrmKDHpAolQUaCdKs6oM6yQ3qutOAp94npjiAZUi7ffAQOQvj0vcxO9DNTv1e_py7Q60tmqPEcBJ45A8/w400-h183/Snowy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #666666;">The
Snowy Day EJ Keats<o:p></o:p></span></span></p></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz7MiDk5c8SgGcax8nbRtKZx7qA5Pq4Q7NfsG-TDrfD4Nj5frIv6rWhS1XmtFVnpBLkKHzHLeTND8NUo29ebO-s84zMnEEYA5d-5Ap9Bgh4r2WrhrEghd99adEBdKzuc-jNFSHxLVpk7cecV_VGGaAELLjwnjT51qRj-UjshPHkg8Tpvfrx_zXhEqMoeA/s1614/Butterfly.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="870" data-original-width="1614" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz7MiDk5c8SgGcax8nbRtKZx7qA5Pq4Q7NfsG-TDrfD4Nj5frIv6rWhS1XmtFVnpBLkKHzHLeTND8NUo29ebO-s84zMnEEYA5d-5Ap9Bgh4r2WrhrEghd99adEBdKzuc-jNFSHxLVpk7cecV_VGGaAELLjwnjT51qRj-UjshPHkg8Tpvfrx_zXhEqMoeA/w320-h172/Butterfly.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><b>You have mentioned doing research for the book. Could you
tell us more about your sources of inspiration and perhaps share any sketches
you made during the process?</b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>'Some of the first sketches show my attempts to find the characters, the little one and the bigger one and their world.
Initially, I drew from photographs and documentaries about the experiences of
refugees. The film Capernaum (2018) directed by Nadine Labaki, about a Beirut
Street kid had a huge effect on me.' </i></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCflgJ_GNFEarFkSFxsEMv0n0GUETMN3a1-SJsaKrnE4frLuzykH0gO4M3ZwqgQ51i11eeIWPLNGIhLw66NTxjZkYMMN1BILLX_UiWV8ibxQA-Cw0lihR4uuOmA4eiViuS6fd5feI1EJWbAQwRMzPhZ9FGNSq2umTEL0sTrEWf3nCQxx6ojBqYN0BTArI/s927/Cap.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="927" data-original-width="650" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCflgJ_GNFEarFkSFxsEMv0n0GUETMN3a1-SJsaKrnE4frLuzykH0gO4M3ZwqgQ51i11eeIWPLNGIhLw66NTxjZkYMMN1BILLX_UiWV8ibxQA-Cw0lihR4uuOmA4eiViuS6fd5feI1EJWbAQwRMzPhZ9FGNSq2umTEL0sTrEWf3nCQxx6ojBqYN0BTArI/s320/Cap.png" width="224" /></a></div><i><br /></i><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Helen Cooper’s poignant words: ‘Somebody helped, someone else
found them shelter. A broken house’ inspired me to explore all kinds of houses
and shelters such as the favelas in Brazil, the slums in Mumbai, refugee camps
and caravan parks for ideas. The architecture of such places is emotional in
that it is fragile, chaotic and
insecure, all adding to a sense of rootlessness and not at all what a home
should be.</i></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhphWhsK3p_DyvBQpDKdwAuTNBr5AOKF2jKVn840syPdjcX9vUG6mcfbh-ZF4hc88oe9jgW_A0HxZqkNUiPHTnMe2JvXUdbVxt0MLNdnXdgTsEqcPU08lLyyyLJ_BDK80HhYm4Yrv5tyIJPVdv7uT6fnAGk2MESMhTsk--xALZf0J89WTux7edf2QRpVx4/s2048/Home1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhphWhsK3p_DyvBQpDKdwAuTNBr5AOKF2jKVn840syPdjcX9vUG6mcfbh-ZF4hc88oe9jgW_A0HxZqkNUiPHTnMe2JvXUdbVxt0MLNdnXdgTsEqcPU08lLyyyLJ_BDK80HhYm4Yrv5tyIJPVdv7uT6fnAGk2MESMhTsk--xALZf0J89WTux7edf2QRpVx4/w400-h300/Home1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD2aRV4XlpT2uSNHylNtnxzqkmbtB4xO6WcVBJLr4UIgB-Wz3wqx9SxleTbxHRWhBuc_cyhoWBwi2q9sPTOkVgoT1Cp-HOMFaaQanWMUeADUnAeu8DudmUFeehWjo-FkMfNwebUEYeGaKHWKgD_ZxlXLmm13M1g3lAAcPQ4QT_AsO0fGUBcE1YENdzZEw/s2048/Home2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD2aRV4XlpT2uSNHylNtnxzqkmbtB4xO6WcVBJLr4UIgB-Wz3wqx9SxleTbxHRWhBuc_cyhoWBwi2q9sPTOkVgoT1Cp-HOMFaaQanWMUeADUnAeu8DudmUFeehWjo-FkMfNwebUEYeGaKHWKgD_ZxlXLmm13M1g3lAAcPQ4QT_AsO0fGUBcE1YENdzZEw/w400-h300/Home2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic59OSAVulUsbX4MtyZ5E8zpAocEi1tWRcQlzReXzC21udpTbl_xhovWyfpRiWvjwf0xPwu9TiF9j9zSJcdV636BWiIAivZNU2Jq6nZtVunWQ7nCAwSGmFRpuS-My6lE9p80BTrvhX1bKX2J097dEdm8wCBkOiBXHYTmTkca0KPaciT-AUUU4BWECzTHk/s2048/Home3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1344" data-original-width="2048" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic59OSAVulUsbX4MtyZ5E8zpAocEi1tWRcQlzReXzC21udpTbl_xhovWyfpRiWvjwf0xPwu9TiF9j9zSJcdV636BWiIAivZNU2Jq6nZtVunWQ7nCAwSGmFRpuS-My6lE9p80BTrvhX1bKX2J097dEdm8wCBkOiBXHYTmTkca0KPaciT-AUUU4BWECzTHk/w400-h263/Home3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4jc3RhnoCfqHixCcjMAf6CffBPucgyq6tSeyEt7ZpesNuov6VGzlmVnipn7gd6mmcuSnxU0quNfe38RoTwG5FpsLW2V1FLn4xqdJ6OXt7gZqTVwRasoOYXDUIyrRuBSYJ-9ue9ROqU9Dk0gI5jVas7j4xTkhQBTgTVKOJgKU5B7u0D889I2UGTdXGPZM/s2048/Home4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1483" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4jc3RhnoCfqHixCcjMAf6CffBPucgyq6tSeyEt7ZpesNuov6VGzlmVnipn7gd6mmcuSnxU0quNfe38RoTwG5FpsLW2V1FLn4xqdJ6OXt7gZqTVwRasoOYXDUIyrRuBSYJ-9ue9ROqU9Dk0gI5jVas7j4xTkhQBTgTVKOJgKU5B7u0D889I2UGTdXGPZM/w290-h400/Home4.jpg" width="290" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh53UxpIqsjC5Y6n4_6kiK9CO3528Yi_eCKGHyF9AEHaZdZkmKGobrMCeYOTGx8FLQU4i4XQdCMfGgpPvHov53A40hxi6wNCU6B5C61IBkU1D0IQdBQ5_gU2ZzfV8zldC6Cb74ogufnWljp0VtVZT68MHxCF1vXc7JARPXnKfF5_yYsp5r9QykGu8qpA8s/s2048/Home%208.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh53UxpIqsjC5Y6n4_6kiK9CO3528Yi_eCKGHyF9AEHaZdZkmKGobrMCeYOTGx8FLQU4i4XQdCMfGgpPvHov53A40hxi6wNCU6B5C61IBkU1D0IQdBQ5_gU2ZzfV8zldC6Cb74ogufnWljp0VtVZT68MHxCF1vXc7JARPXnKfF5_yYsp5r9QykGu8qpA8s/w400-h300/Home%208.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCNCD6zlOEyQzg1qA5-z_msOXW6Z6RE0g2JD1-PWaFMIhtfRKlMJhg_vDWBgfGQGfq8CDsTe0pP--LVx75y1rwC4uu37cZ3zCf_3CH5pcFf7Gxh3qymLRyZ-zLqZeMfHNmKOg5Tul_EPTBN0v2IF6NLVwBEwUj_y1GrHeknnJ93wchTQqbqs9wMCaUJy8/s2048/Home%209.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1483" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCNCD6zlOEyQzg1qA5-z_msOXW6Z6RE0g2JD1-PWaFMIhtfRKlMJhg_vDWBgfGQGfq8CDsTe0pP--LVx75y1rwC4uu37cZ3zCf_3CH5pcFf7Gxh3qymLRyZ-zLqZeMfHNmKOg5Tul_EPTBN0v2IF6NLVwBEwUj_y1GrHeknnJ93wchTQqbqs9wMCaUJy8/w290-h400/Home%209.jpg" width="290" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Could you talk us through your working relationship with
Denise Johnstone-Burt and Louise Jackson, the Editor and Designer,
respectively? How did they collaborate with you to reach the final draft? </b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>I am in awe of how Louise and Denise instinctively know how
to strengthen the structure and pace of a picture book story, and how to emphasise
big moments such as the wordless spread depicting the siblings' embrace. We established a brilliant Zoom relationship
throughout the pandemic. Our dialogue was a welcome constant in those strange
and isolated months while I developed characters, created thumbnails, rough black and whites and then
final colour artwork.</i></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIiY_CKag2miUnTZJG27CwnJiba7oEC5-isAzEzepVxayk9WgPJaym5YOzR0Se6Ayni9jQjc4eBeGz5oVWSVJIUYFbzzn-PbifEcCKnf0g703YuZYHPP4OwM-9SxmrKH-HWargFApPnmhNVTWvthwIgBfKK0MXUYDJkuTjVVLeVAKF9OYqk69Kxh941p8/s2048/Edit1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1483" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIiY_CKag2miUnTZJG27CwnJiba7oEC5-isAzEzepVxayk9WgPJaym5YOzR0Se6Ayni9jQjc4eBeGz5oVWSVJIUYFbzzn-PbifEcCKnf0g703YuZYHPP4OwM-9SxmrKH-HWargFApPnmhNVTWvthwIgBfKK0MXUYDJkuTjVVLeVAKF9OYqk69Kxh941p8/w290-h400/Edit1.jpg" width="290" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj-QDT6U8BwXu00QggWHR7bGw4bEQlI1jNsuXS3y3Se27ckvyjTUoCIAddhD3Hysq32682lp-8YEKZCM6DR4WpZuyoam6CV_8fNkC_8WZPjwFIrrRvqDsHkhFjIl540Aa-rzSJC9FlVH7ZqMszGkqyYIzSt0wdfOqlKmNu6Jof5wTWmfknpQts4QfoV_Q/s2048/Edit2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj-QDT6U8BwXu00QggWHR7bGw4bEQlI1jNsuXS3y3Se27ckvyjTUoCIAddhD3Hysq32682lp-8YEKZCM6DR4WpZuyoam6CV_8fNkC_8WZPjwFIrrRvqDsHkhFjIl540Aa-rzSJC9FlVH7ZqMszGkqyYIzSt0wdfOqlKmNu6Jof5wTWmfknpQts4QfoV_Q/s320/Edit2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4USh5e0QrQ8pJUvljWxo0focQNkJ3mKuz_0xP5VjB_ZCSWzGnBYg6J3VkZYFwCtSOC6ixuMH81I3eHbe9HzjKvdttNUT3h42RILWjnZHHLiVeAOqp4mk8iqstdJfTj56WhOIM3fKTPPl7S8oUMqgdPYAMKxZCJxRGycpvJ_soXPmVWJdEbG-fs4EEF0g/s767/Edit4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="767" data-original-width="763" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4USh5e0QrQ8pJUvljWxo0focQNkJ3mKuz_0xP5VjB_ZCSWzGnBYg6J3VkZYFwCtSOC6ixuMH81I3eHbe9HzjKvdttNUT3h42RILWjnZHHLiVeAOqp4mk8iqstdJfTj56WhOIM3fKTPPl7S8oUMqgdPYAMKxZCJxRGycpvJ_soXPmVWJdEbG-fs4EEF0g/w199-h200/Edit4.jpg" width="199" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVWF1ZlsTjSVV2FgAPkoKNqo0Uc_QZ2mUKDXZdF7WL4ppCJR_642JaABbEqv5-pS7l7h-LB-QDcfOy6UqMj7Bx2tRI5bcDsNEzhg61FtJENCTtukJmuvQAMXP-5c5j3BhrC_rXaCsDUe8BPqyhg6njjlB547v23KfQzo2emKZhDptTxoP02UF_Au3MUJA/s1870/Edit6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="933" data-original-width="1870" height="100" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVWF1ZlsTjSVV2FgAPkoKNqo0Uc_QZ2mUKDXZdF7WL4ppCJR_642JaABbEqv5-pS7l7h-LB-QDcfOy6UqMj7Bx2tRI5bcDsNEzhg61FtJENCTtukJmuvQAMXP-5c5j3BhrC_rXaCsDUe8BPqyhg6njjlB547v23KfQzo2emKZhDptTxoP02UF_Au3MUJA/w200-h100/Edit6.jpg" width="200" /></a><br /><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicLEXqjly79UPj6MOo4nuBQQbukS8Vx30mgWuhCZhrLZQr7VDmNWau-4EPcFO08MpkMjGIUXoasX_cYF5RfVJW6CKfqKwuqbuHFY9qAm-F1Dg-qE98DZ4fPeMtPfrhUW0GWsyBrWJJSSfl_JFMand90g815D5LkLXJR6L6-a5piSBwrwbwmE54sH3jjzU/s2048/Edit5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1483" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicLEXqjly79UPj6MOo4nuBQQbukS8Vx30mgWuhCZhrLZQr7VDmNWau-4EPcFO08MpkMjGIUXoasX_cYF5RfVJW6CKfqKwuqbuHFY9qAm-F1Dg-qE98DZ4fPeMtPfrhUW0GWsyBrWJJSSfl_JFMand90g815D5LkLXJR6L6-a5piSBwrwbwmE54sH3jjzU/s320/Edit5.jpg" width="232" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>I really enjoyed the peritextual elements in the picture
book and how you utilized the cover, endpapers, and title pages to enhance the
storytelling. How were illustrating these parts different, and why were they
still important to you?</b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i>I enjoy using these opportunities to add to the story and
create a reading experience as soon as the book is opened. The title page
offered the opportunity to show what had happened to the characters prior to
the story, and their journey across the dark sea. I wanted to spark an immediate
reaction so that a reader wanted to turn the page and find out more. Louise
suggested using the barbed wire and dandelions from a previous spread for the
endpapers. It seemed to get to the heart of the dichotomy of darkness and
hope. The cover went through a process of trial and error and I have to thank
Louise for the guidance and her wonderful design.</i></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_8ezRkixt5xBsK_l_vK5My4VuiaCoEizT_F4d-zKIAnC-gdraS4e7MTs1fx1hkn6n8-F5uAYYjsRUCpNlN59ek97gBVBgNFj8SYOYSC8PPluXmI4ooUoPYEZR9ti15882X2azgpu3z1PfIIzb-6Gzuc7VMMwprYsxx1AocreEMTAyPTTn8pmhQXIQS7g/s2048/Endpaper1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_8ezRkixt5xBsK_l_vK5My4VuiaCoEizT_F4d-zKIAnC-gdraS4e7MTs1fx1hkn6n8-F5uAYYjsRUCpNlN59ek97gBVBgNFj8SYOYSC8PPluXmI4ooUoPYEZR9ti15882X2azgpu3z1PfIIzb-6Gzuc7VMMwprYsxx1AocreEMTAyPTTn8pmhQXIQS7g/s320/Endpaper1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beginning Endpaper</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWxIsUzY1UaKlci6IaBdWvL_Wt3g48aT4BhpAxCFZXZOZGrfM-f7FEKdO2eVcCepJWvpYkRvSkSB4ruJhvlcZbPSEZa7MloKkeMnFzgzlz0Sc9ZzB72pRsd0VNARaIoI9__WraxyHgLo5sQWxgA-M_lj1dba0w070XCiDuMZdEqOqOQwiuwx3I-z6K96U/s2048/Endpaper2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWxIsUzY1UaKlci6IaBdWvL_Wt3g48aT4BhpAxCFZXZOZGrfM-f7FEKdO2eVcCepJWvpYkRvSkSB4ruJhvlcZbPSEZa7MloKkeMnFzgzlz0Sc9ZzB72pRsd0VNARaIoI9__WraxyHgLo5sQWxgA-M_lj1dba0w070XCiDuMZdEqOqOQwiuwx3I-z6K96U/s320/Endpaper2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Final Endpaper</td></tr></tbody></table><i><br /></i><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2K4yfG5p7DxTbZDci0aPoV4i3xlK3p30EScoq7F978cgpVVwsrhME5K_CV7neZ7OI2wTFgrin-bRQ_sR4vRRK_ni3ieHxSwrqCmZCn83Yf6FVShK6jhY-Q9XWA9fOagZxv0Jhhd2NRJq_WvwYftV3IocaFxVH3rp_qk82YrjgeHIMPgBLtryfn8VweTg/s767/Cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="767" data-original-width="763" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2K4yfG5p7DxTbZDci0aPoV4i3xlK3p30EScoq7F978cgpVVwsrhME5K_CV7neZ7OI2wTFgrin-bRQ_sR4vRRK_ni3ieHxSwrqCmZCn83Yf6FVShK6jhY-Q9XWA9fOagZxv0Jhhd2NRJq_WvwYftV3IocaFxVH3rp_qk82YrjgeHIMPgBLtryfn8VweTg/w398-h400/Cover.jpg" width="398" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN2-wOoPlXLZx_LCiLz80T6eC66wBuf3RKWTdv6TsKq2nb2uaU2UlBgwj6QsnyfDWyRzV1fBiAiaVDVDNgt9kIT9eKxbefUVMOw0IsjTyF1ALkdNo_KXf0lX3VqGvsRBNQq4FpDi4JN-IecJdwNnjXta1IuNZ_UpUguUdRibY58WCjvK0tkkKqawAsse0/s2048/Cover2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1893" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN2-wOoPlXLZx_LCiLz80T6eC66wBuf3RKWTdv6TsKq2nb2uaU2UlBgwj6QsnyfDWyRzV1fBiAiaVDVDNgt9kIT9eKxbefUVMOw0IsjTyF1ALkdNo_KXf0lX3VqGvsRBNQq4FpDi4JN-IecJdwNnjXta1IuNZ_UpUguUdRibY58WCjvK0tkkKqawAsse0/w370-h400/Cover2.jpg" width="370" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Can we talk a little
about your use of colour throughout the book; the greys in contrast to the
quilt and the butterfly? How did you go about using colour to help tell the
story? </b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Colour is so integral to this story. There is the bright
butterfly, the dark sea and the sudden
rainbow, so it felt instinctive to include brighter colours as a way of showing tiny incremental signs of
hope despite the terrible circumstances. I found that my initial colour
attempts had less emotional impact than my black and white roughs so I had a
rethink and started to limit the
palette so that the spreads gradually move from monochrome to more hopeful
colours towards the conclusion. I felt I could say more with less.</i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>It was a challenge to retain continuity with the colour
palette at times when using mixed media. I began to remove some of the neutrals
and green from the palette and I think the spreads benefit from white space.</i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Here are a few of my attempts. Often using Photoshop for
quick colour experiments helps before moving on to paint and pastels.</i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzwvQgUZwps2S5L8v1HEE6QIILY6_ykzW_SfrownNc_uLirJ1uFi82eEQ8gFi_8CRqnrNiXNLMmI6KFpI4wPcCt5KJu6zBF9KRHbeclCATD-NCewYBueiQ52bkQly05CkhIMh66B9NvJtUP_8z6mzLKDoQIDFfqfRVb_6itA8YGu29fEx7vPQPj6KDIGI/s2048/Colour1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1417" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzwvQgUZwps2S5L8v1HEE6QIILY6_ykzW_SfrownNc_uLirJ1uFi82eEQ8gFi_8CRqnrNiXNLMmI6KFpI4wPcCt5KJu6zBF9KRHbeclCATD-NCewYBueiQ52bkQly05CkhIMh66B9NvJtUP_8z6mzLKDoQIDFfqfRVb_6itA8YGu29fEx7vPQPj6KDIGI/w276-h400/Colour1.jpg" width="276" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp9b52elWMvDyy-HVu8xpWpiZCdaPrW3M7_vTzASCtw_PsiO3j3q6f261w3XGdE6UUfdijLWRqdH2kYGBoTI_F8bilG00NLOJaEehrfjWNANlLTAGJhhudApmxfAoujN8nSrbQXJB8V50Ejs5AIzDAOABc0vlSpWZDoPQ5XLpvKvVNxVMJtQY0EJMKwQ4/s2048/Colour2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1106" data-original-width="2048" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp9b52elWMvDyy-HVu8xpWpiZCdaPrW3M7_vTzASCtw_PsiO3j3q6f261w3XGdE6UUfdijLWRqdH2kYGBoTI_F8bilG00NLOJaEehrfjWNANlLTAGJhhudApmxfAoujN8nSrbQXJB8V50Ejs5AIzDAOABc0vlSpWZDoPQ5XLpvKvVNxVMJtQY0EJMKwQ4/s320/Colour2.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg81yCmDy43bqy7JdVHjdpk-7R3od2NEshHH4LXtMToidjioXmO9jQrMtgTCTVWW4Z1_NX3fUbBwJtQzleVUp2Xka0HDLOcEg56f_U0dF25NN1zlrNMxz6tuNM-EFjDjolT3khhBe0ZB9q6m3qQJAj5_KrHq9butZsnLngoN0gMkcYV0U36CfXbAGcL0hg/s2048/Colour3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1144" data-original-width="2048" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg81yCmDy43bqy7JdVHjdpk-7R3od2NEshHH4LXtMToidjioXmO9jQrMtgTCTVWW4Z1_NX3fUbBwJtQzleVUp2Xka0HDLOcEg56f_U0dF25NN1zlrNMxz6tuNM-EFjDjolT3khhBe0ZB9q6m3qQJAj5_KrHq9butZsnLngoN0gMkcYV0U36CfXbAGcL0hg/s320/Colour3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhikrjKI_kkOJ7kDrBlX5gsakkdcVXqHOuh9zdPM4uyvRWTnjVfZ5KmrcvzTiA1hTWDTdBJlAYTrVnZiGM_FxAb6stpobMS3AUouvQgIhapmYpXzCH0T6ZARro9eY8YqksbQZwDr2-GvGs-wkW4ZLxzji0j9sa5uWAKHookCZBl9i1V-chHoxDJ8OhBIMM/s2048/Colour4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1140" data-original-width="2048" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhikrjKI_kkOJ7kDrBlX5gsakkdcVXqHOuh9zdPM4uyvRWTnjVfZ5KmrcvzTiA1hTWDTdBJlAYTrVnZiGM_FxAb6stpobMS3AUouvQgIhapmYpXzCH0T6ZARro9eY8YqksbQZwDr2-GvGs-wkW4ZLxzji0j9sa5uWAKHookCZBl9i1V-chHoxDJ8OhBIMM/s320/Colour4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Besides the illustrators we've discussed, are there any
current illustrators whose work you love to explore and enjoy? <o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>My favourites include those wonderful illustrators of books
I grew up with. Shirley Hughes, Helen Oxenbury and Raymond Briggs feel like old friends. I love
the graphic quality of mid-century illustrators such as Eveline Ness and Alice
and Martin Provensen.<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>I am a huge fan of Laura Carlin’s beautiful work. It is
never predictable and retains such simplicity and playfulness. Beatrice Alemagna’s
exhibition in Bologna this year was fascinating. It blew me away. Recently, I
have discovered Benjamin Phillips amazing drawings. I loved his illustrations
in the graphic novel Alte Zachen. I always look forward to books by Julie
Morstad and Julia Sarda for their fantastic girl characters and attention to
detail.</i></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW_AyzgkJq1uwj--9kUN4Yp9egy1qfTeszQttTP37qioRYl4kUfDGcvCaeygNU3vzA_qcNBsokVpNXWvh3MR3xlSqs4GfVqCnfjmKyi23B9nGjXAihAVFHsXX_T-TCN8ET-2g8ARwK_BEUFH7DsZjUN6is7THL43s9ObgVCNccyR9CMHRTbjWeWsqL9zI/s4370/5161OCGjORL._AC_UF894,1000_QL80_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2030" data-original-width="4370" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW_AyzgkJq1uwj--9kUN4Yp9egy1qfTeszQttTP37qioRYl4kUfDGcvCaeygNU3vzA_qcNBsokVpNXWvh3MR3xlSqs4GfVqCnfjmKyi23B9nGjXAihAVFHsXX_T-TCN8ET-2g8ARwK_BEUFH7DsZjUN6is7THL43s9ObgVCNccyR9CMHRTbjWeWsqL9zI/w400-h186/5161OCGjORL._AC_UF894,1000_QL80_.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Lastly, could you share some information about your current
and future projects? What can we look forward to hearing from you in the
future?</b></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>It was a real thrill to illustrate Victoria Hislop’s Maria's
Island. There is a picturebook written by the wonderful David Almond, with
Walker Books coming out later this year. I can’t wait to share more of this! <o:p></o:p></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNAWjn9MioKEhyf_7c0ISArxscIXGAIK77_ia-t23OUgqgmm6USQ6SsCoe9vqlhucztSzr7jVTqiY6gq49c_1C-rffPhH9yEXyODv7uYvoZLw9jYLIVf2MJoleazF2_AXStLP-XounNxvGONIBcztPrpcrMcr-jzcUHhmhOY14sMyG5725WqlkKp4esY8/s868/Victoria%20Hislop%E2%80%99s%20Marias%20Island.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="642" data-original-width="868" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNAWjn9MioKEhyf_7c0ISArxscIXGAIK77_ia-t23OUgqgmm6USQ6SsCoe9vqlhucztSzr7jVTqiY6gq49c_1C-rffPhH9yEXyODv7uYvoZLw9jYLIVf2MJoleazF2_AXStLP-XounNxvGONIBcztPrpcrMcr-jzcUHhmhOY14sMyG5725WqlkKp4esY8/w400-h296/Victoria%20Hislop%E2%80%99s%20Marias%20Island.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Currently, I am illustrating a beautiful story written by
author Katya Balen. I feel very lucky that I get to illustrate the words of
these gifted writers. My challenge is to write a picture book of my own in the
near future.</i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><br /></i></p><p class="MsoNormal">Thank you so much for answering these questions, Gill. </p><p class="MsoNormal">Find the Interview between myself and Gill over on the Klaus Flugge website <a href="https://www.klausfluggeprize.co.uk/2023/saving-the-butterfly-gill-smith/" target="_blank">here </a>and a wonderful video of her speaking about the book below: </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ygelrejpQm0" width="320" youtube-src-id="ygelrejpQm0"></iframe></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><br /><br />Mat Tobinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03409658334620463763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83069909578853028.post-91064447234162150542022-11-04T06:57:00.002-07:002022-11-04T06:57:33.105-07:00Whose Worlds are we Sharing with Children? <h1 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Whose worlds are we sharing with children? </span></span></h1><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigAlj-LRArXEhjWdFTyQyNT5pblAqcj8n-uc_E3yx7kkOhAdxCX5buiBxkM8ARvH8v0XXTrdNNMgBpjWkyp15wUy9Jrw3N4NDR8Mo3h9ZjdXvM54lvLlo_dIRlBtuDkQHjZMaYZeYeDvpL40w9Emql3BDC47EqrKvzkGjuLXp0Amq1bk4pgMSYvZWf/s1024/34ecc37b7554ce70286cb5c90508620f720213d07e01994c64c597831973919f-rimg-w1024-h576-gmir.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1024" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigAlj-LRArXEhjWdFTyQyNT5pblAqcj8n-uc_E3yx7kkOhAdxCX5buiBxkM8ARvH8v0XXTrdNNMgBpjWkyp15wUy9Jrw3N4NDR8Mo3h9ZjdXvM54lvLlo_dIRlBtuDkQHjZMaYZeYeDvpL40w9Emql3BDC47EqrKvzkGjuLXp0Amq1bk4pgMSYvZWf/w400-h225/34ecc37b7554ce70286cb5c90508620f720213d07e01994c64c597831973919f-rimg-w1024-h576-gmir.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-43018042-7fff-c94d-8935-27c3de61af7c"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When I began my first year at Oxford Brookes University, working alongside trainee/pre-service primary teachers, two events occurred that radically challenged my concepts around multicultural literature. Before investigating these experiences, I think it important to share the following definitions collated by Dudley-Marling (2003: 305):</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt 0pt;"><i><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘Literature by and about people who are members of groups considered to be</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> outside the socio-political mainstream</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ </span></i></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt 0pt; text-align: right;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Professor Emeritus, Rudine Sims Bishop, 1992: 39)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt 0pt;"><i><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘Literature that represents any distinct cultural group through </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">accurate </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">portrayal and rich detail.’ </span></i></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt 0pt; text-align: right;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Professor Emeritus, Junko Yokota, 1993: 157) </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The words and phrases underlined were key in challenging those entrenched precepts that had informed my teaching, learning and ideological beliefs with regard to multiculturalism. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In 2015, Darren Chetty presented his paper, ‘<a href="https://www.thephilosophyman.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Chetty-2014-THE-ELEPHANT-IN-THE-ROOM-PICTURE-BOOKS-PHILOSOPHY-FOR-CHILDREN-AND-RACISM.pdf" target="_blank">The Elephant in the Room: Picturebooks, Philosophy for Children and Racism</a>’ at Oxford Brookes and, inspired, I went on to read<a href="https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/product/You-Me-and-Diversity-by-Anne-M-Dolan-University-of-London/9781858565224" target="_blank"> Anne Dolan’s </a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/product/You-Me-and-Diversity-by-Anne-M-Dolan-University-of-London/9781858565224" target="_blank">You, Me and Diversity</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (2014). Both of these experiences had a profound effect on my concepts around race, representation, authenticity, privilege and multiculturalism. Together, they became a catalyst for a revolutionary change in how I looked at my place in the world, my duty as an educator of children and trainee teachers and my still-shifting understanding of what is meant by multicultural literature. They invited me to reconsider my perceptions of society and culture and, through an informed, critical lens, highlighted the many ignorances and subjective biases I had accumulated over the past 17 years as a primary school teacher. I realised that I needed to be more critical about the books I was reading and sharing since I had only been: </span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="color: #222222; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Presenting a euro-centric view of different people and their cultures</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="color: #222222; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sharing a representation of the dominant white culture that was imitating and simulating a people from an outsider’s perspective (Reimer, 1992 cited in Fang, Fu & Lamme: 285)</span></p></li></ul><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Whilst Darren’s paper opened my eyes to the ‘gated-community’ that I had comfortably inhabited and inherited all my life, both his paper and Anne’s book also encouraged me to read children’s literature, especially that which represented an identity or racial, ethnic, linguistic or cultural group, with a ‘questioning and wondering stance’ (Fang, Fu & Lamme: 299). </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQJIM1CWqreKAWikCwLBg92QC-Whoq4ZG003nfWFXfcUlh61O8x8aaPWqeBAO2QUVPvl5O1qdgJ8V1MC-mx3X0bbxm5UQlv1UhCdrgdoJ9PK0qEPw11WIHRV50w5NAtcgeDQyPm6KXyWG0Y6vMHGS2BSzH1XlzR_weiWQZlrJJPt_XnRba6LyQyn5b/s581/61S483M4YBL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="581" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQJIM1CWqreKAWikCwLBg92QC-Whoq4ZG003nfWFXfcUlh61O8x8aaPWqeBAO2QUVPvl5O1qdgJ8V1MC-mx3X0bbxm5UQlv1UhCdrgdoJ9PK0qEPw11WIHRV50w5NAtcgeDQyPm6KXyWG0Y6vMHGS2BSzH1XlzR_weiWQZlrJJPt_XnRba6LyQyn5b/w400-h328/61S483M4YBL.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Having been that teacher who had read and shared Eileen Browne’s</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Handa’s Surprise</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (1994) with children, I became uncomfortably aware that I had both reinforced and perpetuated a potentially inaccurate, white euro-centric perspective of southwest Kenya. As fortune would have it, within that year’s cohort was an Early Years PGCE student who had recently moved to the U.K. after growing up in Accra, Ghana (her father was a tribal leader) and had spent time in Kenya. I presented her with </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Handa’s Surprise </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and asked if she wouldn’t mind sharing her thoughts:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">----</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #674ea7; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘My view on </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #674ea7; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Handa's Surprise</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #674ea7; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #674ea7; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1. The setting is definitely a Kenyan village, not a city.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #674ea7; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2. What about the Kenyan city girl...can she balance a basket on her head? Some of them can successfully balance baskets on their heads but mainly to sell the contents in their basket for money...they may be selling fruits, pastries, water etc.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #674ea7; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3. There is some perception that children in Africa have the privilege of seeing all kinds of animals. I was born in Accra...the Capital of Ghana...The first time I saw an Ostrich was in London Zoo. I like the fact that two of the characters are girls. In some cultures in Africa...women/girls are considered inferior.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #674ea7; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4. Personally, I believe that children, especially those in the Foundation Stage, who cannot read and so depend on pictures, will form their perceptions about a group of people/place based on these pictures. It is therefore important that these 'pictures' are not one-sided so that children can form their opinions about other children or places from other countries, that are devoid of prejudice/bias.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #674ea7; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Personal Experience (shared by the student)</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #674ea7; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Before I travelled to England...my perception of the country (England) was that...everyone was rich, all the streets were clean and everyone was happy (All the stories I read ended with "and they all lived happily ever after')</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #674ea7; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Well.....this was not the case!!!’</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">----</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 421px; overflow: hidden; width: 602px;"><img height="421" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/Br7ay4BvYEB85mL9eC-ecmFN-u38h4Y---MKcwTHwbGr7GMXcQarG6kO8THF4Ct8BQGl_aK7ZHoSw3WaFE1gMnZ9I_DsUHOmHJtDLT52tlOIgYteobhBwnKSs9D0OmJQUkrWARBkiPdIwRiLQFKXI1GCQhx_b4EqfxIkyhowtnUpzeMtPtmvz7-jswYb" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="602" /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘Image from </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tomorrow (2018) </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">by Nadine Kaadan. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Originally published by Box of Tales Publishing House, Syria and then published by Lantana. Translation by the original author. It tells the story of a young Syrian boy, Yazan who faces ‘the reality of war’ on a daily basis. Nadine based this story on the experiences she saw take place in her hometown of Damascus.’ </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;">----</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The more I read about representation and authenticity in children’s literature, the more I keep returning to what this student shared. As readers, our perceptions of others are based on what we encounter in mass media. I knew that I had to change my own reading and teaching practice by becoming critical of the literature I encountered with regard to my inherited bias. In doing so, I, along with those future teachers I taught and worked alongside, would make that journey to become ‘culturally responsive teachers’ (Villegas and Lucas cited in Dolan: 50). </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Whilst finding an authentic voice to represent another’s experience or culture is complex and is it not beyond outsiders to write sympathetically, historically and accurate fiction, I would agree with Yokota when she states that the further you are from that group, the harder it is to ‘attain cultural authenticity’ (Yokota, 1993). </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Along with a small handful of U.K. publishers, Lantana Press are working hard to counter this, offering a platform for authors and illustrators from underrepresented and misrepresented races and cultures to publish and counter the overwhelmingly monocultural setting in children’s literature. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In reading any books that represent a people or culture that is not my own, I will become more critical of accuracy and authenticity by: </span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="color: #222222; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Researching the background of the author and illustrator to see what experience they have of that culture or group and whether they present an authentic, lived experience (#ownvoices)</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="color: #222222; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If not, then is there any evidence of research to show how far they went to explore those people/places that they are representing? (Author/illustrator biographies - publisher’s websites - interviews)</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="color: #222222; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I will no longer buy or share books that I consider inauthentic or inaccurate and will continue to follow authors, illustrators educators, librarians, publishers and scholars who are passionate and dedicated to celebrating authentic, responsible multicultural literature. </span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="color: #222222; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I will ensure that most of the books I purchase with regards to authentic voices and experiences are purchased from U.K. publishers whose ‘About Us’ pages make it clear that inclusivity, authenticity and the accommodation of ‘</span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">a wide range of people and experiences - so ALL children can enjoy them’ (@AlannaMax) will be central. Currently, @Tiny_Owl, @KnightsOf_ , @AlannaMax and, of course, @LantanaPress are who I turn to but I continue to look for more in our local context. </span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="color: #222222; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Supporting students by providing them with the strategies to critique multicultural texts in order to question and assess their accuracies/inaccuracies too. I would rather educate the children and students about these problems rather than shield them from inaccuracies</span></p></li></ul><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt 0pt;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 339px; overflow: hidden; width: 602px;"><img height="339" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/BpiKuL5N0dXhXs56rUO0m7miHlM7ZBn3PYejQxTksPYKIF4q21uwxpWK9xIopLSwUz5WDX37PkoUFZL2cH2JFZSaHVcEjnorwPYGMj5nNiQh2xDQCgJcLgeY8sXa6OCAW4BnlEh0GFKt2LnXPZkyQECRvb8epP7Z196sHl3q7vyuJdDx5QsoF77Y3-EF" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="602" /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘Image from </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Phoenix Song</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (2015)</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">by Tutu Dutta and Martina Peluso. Tutu’s previous children’s books had been published in Malaysia where she grew up. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Phoenix Song</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> tells the story of Arohan who must save his brothers. Although set in Malaysia it calls upon Chinese myth and legend. She read many books on Chinese folklore that had themselves been well researched. Martina lives in Naples but has exhibited around Europe. She organises cultural events for the young with the Kolibri Cultural Association.’</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; text-align: center;">----</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For the last few years, the CLPE #ReflectingRealities report has provided evidence of the woefully disproportionate presentation of ethnic minority groups in the UK publishing industry - even if, recently we have seen that percentage rise. We still need to consider who is telling whose story. Such inequality shows us that much work still needs to be done in the publishing world yet publishers also need to see that these stories matter and that we want them.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you are a librarian, a publisher, a teacher or a parent and have shelves with children’s picturebooks, consider whose worlds you are sharing. Does it represent the ‘colourful and diverse’ world that we live in (Bishop: 2015) or it is mostly monocultural? When we begin to think about whose worlds sit upon our bookshelves we are better placed to consider what this says about ourselves and our attitudes towards a global citizenship. It is then that we can begin to question whether we are empowering ourselves and our readers to read the world multiculturally or not. </span><span style="color: #38444d; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With the above checklist in hand and an eye on the books that you are placing in the hands of children, ask yourself: whose voices do you need to give space to; whose voices need lifting up onto your own shelves and how authentic are those voices? </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt 0pt;"><span style="color: #38444d; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 325px; overflow: hidden; width: 602px;"><img height="325" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/dxqs1QQX0X6Iq8YX3ITD-eARyNYjmJ5YUSrKyrmt0rTHdq4YfSPFJe8DNItWtIsmA-pifkbEgvMnWCLe67yH35cREWlP2U8jU23ncuYd7YchhUWKkrCD1bdMuIbnHV0EP6LW9_QRs5AAbVnczjsyYhWsabw3UIiADVOO7FbjTA-7OXfDrdfnu8SzkeOf" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="602" /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt 0pt;"><span style="color: #38444d; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Images from </span><span style="color: #38444d; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Nimesh the Adventurer</span><span style="color: #38444d; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (2018) by Ranjit Singh and Mehrdokht Amini. A book that celebrates one boy’s vivid imagination as he makes his way to and from school. ‘Ranjit is a British children’s book author of East Asian heritage. He uses words to reach out and inspire people in his community.’ Mehrdokht is an Iranian-born, U.K. based illustrator. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">References: </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bishop, R.S. (1995) </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mirrors, Windows and Sliding Doors</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">30 January. Available at: </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AAu58SNSyc" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AAu58SNSyc</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 1pt 0pt 11pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Browne, E. (1997) </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Handa's surprise</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. London: Walker.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 11pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chaudhri, A. (2017) </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Multiracial identity in children's literature. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">New York: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group (Routledge research in education, 185).</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 11pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chetty, D. (2014) “The Elephant in the Room: Picturebooks, Philosophy for Children and Racism,” </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Childhood & Philosophy</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, 10(19), pp. 11–31.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 11pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dolan, A. M. (2014) </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You, me, and diversity : picturebooks for teaching development and intercultural education. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">London: Institute of Education Press.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 11pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fox, D. L. and Short, K. G. (2003) S</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">tories matter : the complexity of cultural authenticity in children's literature. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Urbana, Illinois: National Council of Teachers of English.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yokota, J. (1993)</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Issues in selecting multicultural children’s literature</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Language Arts, 70(3) 156-67</span></p><br /></span>Mat Tobinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03409658334620463763noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83069909578853028.post-35030394772196896602021-05-28T11:51:00.000-07:002021-05-28T11:51:31.844-07:00An Interview with Emily Haworth-Booth on The Last Tree<p>When I first read, <i>The King Who Banned the Dark</i>, Emily's debut picturebook, I knew that I had encountered a sophisticated, insightful storyteller who knew how to subtly weave deep, topical issues into a picturebook without being overly didactic. I also knew that I had found a picturebook creator who spoke up to children and not down (thank you, E.B. White). <i>The Last Tree</i> is Emily's second picturebook. It carries strong, ecocritical messages that are inextricably tied to a sense of community. Emily's pace, style and message are perfectly and powerfully pitched. I love both the story and its telling and I feel extremely fortunate to have Emily answer some questions I had about the book, her ideas and values. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--l9SK7uiGQg/YLEMu8-7RqI/AAAAAAAATnc/uz7qh7xyGDQt2dwHxzvJzsgG3o8kYjWfwCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/Photo%252Bon%252B2014-01-16%252Bat%252B11%252B51%252B%25232%252B%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--l9SK7uiGQg/YLEMu8-7RqI/AAAAAAAATnc/uz7qh7xyGDQt2dwHxzvJzsgG3o8kYjWfwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/Photo%252Bon%252B2014-01-16%252Bat%252B11%252B51%252B%25232%252B%25282%2529.jpg" title="Image from Johnson & Alcock agency (without permission)" width="400" /></a></div><p>Thank you, Emily, for spending the time answering my questions about #TheLastTree</p><p style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WVABZhjwy0Y/YLE5fo6curI/AAAAAAAATqM/3n37fuOJm6QyG-11JbuG4hVSMMUJEq1WwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/56.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1305" data-original-width="2048" height="255" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WVABZhjwy0Y/YLE5fo6curI/AAAAAAAATqM/3n37fuOJm6QyG-11JbuG4hVSMMUJEq1WwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h255/56.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Emily's first two picturebooks</i></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><b>Can you tell us a little about your time at Anglia Ruskin University where you completed your Masters in Children's Book Illustration? What did you take away from the modules?</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The </span><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Children’s Book Illustration MA at Anglia Ruskin is a
magical course, run by some of the most brilliant tutors I’ve ever met,
including the wonderful <b>Pam Smy </b>and <b>Martin Salisbury</b>. I still have to
pinch myself at the memory of being taught by them. </span></p><p><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">What a dream... did it
really happen?! </span></p><p><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Funnily enough, when I enrolled I actually wasn’t that
interested in making children’s books. Rather I wanted to develop the
artwork for my graphic novel in progress, but as far as I could see there
was no equivalent course in graphic novel making, accessible from London,
that was putting out this quality of work. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-csw9yvNuE4s/YLEO70WsewI/AAAAAAAATnk/r8FsN51mggA_T1KRNLm7Zi2bkn9Yph35QCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/observational-drawing-sketchbook-from-the-MA-at-Anglia-Ruskin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1624" data-original-width="2048" height="318" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-csw9yvNuE4s/YLEO70WsewI/AAAAAAAATnk/r8FsN51mggA_T1KRNLm7Zi2bkn9Yph35QCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h318/observational-drawing-sketchbook-from-the-MA-at-Anglia-Ruskin.jpg" title="One of Emily's observational drawings while at Anglia Ruskin" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>One of Emily's observational drawings while at Anglia Ruskin</i></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">By this point I had been
teaching sequential art for a few years and wanted to find somewhere, far
away from my own classroom, where I could focus on developing myself as an
artist, fail freely, and come back to teaching nourished and full of ideas
to share. To experiment, try out new ways of thinking with pictures, and
receive the kind of regular feedback that I had become used to providing
for others. </span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8Sy_sPLoJUc/YLEimrMtkjI/AAAAAAAATow/Ixu3P3o74KoaXUuU_krKldtXfyQ8C4nEwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/drawing-trees-on-the-MA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1617" data-original-width="2048" height="316" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8Sy_sPLoJUc/YLEimrMtkjI/AAAAAAAATow/Ixu3P3o74KoaXUuU_krKldtXfyQ8C4nEwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h316/drawing-trees-on-the-MA.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Drawing Trees on the MA</i></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">The MA delivered on all that, and my drawings became
significantly richer and more confident. One of the most important things
the course gave me was understanding the huge role observational drawing can
play in the generation and development of ideas, as well as the discovery
of how much I simply enjoyed it. The other was the emotional support
provided by my peers. I made some extremely special friends on the course,
who are still part of my personal and professional life.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b8aEEuHFJ1w/YLEPebymz1I/AAAAAAAATns/pf84xGZw5DoJYC0rtXj1s_N2V0XRKebFgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2051/more-observational-drawing-made-on-the-MA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="2051" height="159" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b8aEEuHFJ1w/YLEPebymz1I/AAAAAAAATns/pf84xGZw5DoJYC0rtXj1s_N2V0XRKebFgCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h159/more-observational-drawing-made-on-the-MA.jpg" title="More observational drawing from Emily's time at Anglia Ruskin" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>More observational drawing from Emily's time at Anglia Ruskin</i></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>Can you share with us how the first seeds of the concept behind <i>The Last
Tree </i>came about and how it changed over time. What hurdles did you encounter
and which parts remained the same from the original concept? (if possible, it
would be lovely to see an overall plan of the pages in any form)</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The seed </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">(or
acorn?) of <i>The Last Tree</i> came from a BBC podcast I listened to when I was
finishing the illustrations for my previous book, <i><a href="https://www.pavilionbooks.com/book/the-king-who-banned-the-dark/#:~:text=Most%20children%20are%20afraid%20of,seems%20like%20a%20good%20idea." target="_blank">The King Who Banned the Dark</a></i>.
The podcast was about ‘the village who couldn’t collaborate’, and was based on
the landmark book ‘The Moral Basis of a Backward Society’ by Edward Banfield
(1955). </span></p><p><span></span></p><a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/b09v642m" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="80" data-original-width="648" height="50" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tOX8Swdxm7U/YLES6oe2shI/AAAAAAAATn0/qTBXm_l-eeIhUui6EVc30Ae7bvOjL-8HQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h50/2.png" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/b09v642m" target="_blank"><i>You can listen to the 15-minute podcast by clicking here</i></a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><span><!--more--></span><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Banfield and his wife moved from the USA to the Italian village they
called ‘Montegrano’, to study its society. They were fascinated by the
village’s lack of community – no one read newspapers or pinned notices on the
noticeboard, and no one gave a pig to the orphanage, for example, even though
children from the village lived there. The village’s poverty, he theorised, was
a direct result of what he described as ‘amoral familism’, already predicting
Thatcher’s famous saying about how ‘there is no society, there are individual
men and women, and there are families.’ The Montegranesi, Banfield wrote, lived
according to this rule: ‘Maximise the material, short-run advantage of the
nuclear family; assume that all others will do likewise.’ </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SDpJIscB51s/YLET7JNx_PI/AAAAAAAAToE/Yhi9IAHwiloI8gmwlutskPwOpSY2zzvrgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1677/3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1063" data-original-width="1677" height="254" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SDpJIscB51s/YLET7JNx_PI/AAAAAAAAToE/Yhi9IAHwiloI8gmwlutskPwOpSY2zzvrgCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h254/3.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Spread from The Last Tree showing the building of a great wall</i></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">I
immediately got an image of locked-in, paranoid families hiding behind fences
and inside armoured houses. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I think, were the
American suburbs where my in-laws live, where there are no sidewalks and
instead people move from there air-conditioned houses straight into their
air-conditioned cars and from there into parking lots of shopping malls, and
back again, without having to interact with nature at all. And so I wanted this
to be a story about humans who are disconnected from nature as much as from
each other.</span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1rcZ3qRUVVA/YLEeWXMLbbI/AAAAAAAAToM/1VlyGdDUaAYKPj6_64VHzae8NogFoiATACLcBGAsYHQ/s1663/4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1057" data-original-width="1663" height="254" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1rcZ3qRUVVA/YLEeWXMLbbI/AAAAAAAAToM/1VlyGdDUaAYKPj6_64VHzae8NogFoiATACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h254/4.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Frictions between different families rise as resources dwindle</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">The
third ‘seed’ was Rebecca Solnit’s marvellous book ‘<i>A Paradise Built in Hell</i>’,
about ‘the extraordinary communities that arise in disasters’. After reading
her book around this time, I really wanted to do a story that celebrated
community and showed how resilient it can be. And as a climate-anxious writer
with a head full of dystopian images, I thought it might be ‘fun’ to bring this
community together with some kind of climate disaster.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QA6Be_qDZI8/YLEfeuCxPfI/AAAAAAAAToU/EJM8jw6Bpu8K3RDxeS0f1RavLKf7prJXQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1573/4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1013" data-original-width="1573" height="258" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QA6Be_qDZI8/YLEfeuCxPfI/AAAAAAAAToU/EJM8jw6Bpu8K3RDxeS0f1RavLKf7prJXQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h258/4.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>'The Wall' in The Last Tree. Blocking out any future horizon with the resources that saved the people.</i></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">It
took a long time to weave all these ideas together in a way that made sense and
wasn’t too bleak, too preachy or on the other hand, where a happy ending was
too easily won. I had known for a while that I wanted there to be a big wall in
the book, and I thought that this wall would be destroyed by the natural
disaster that would eventually reunite the community. But it was only when I
took time away from working on the book to spend time at the School Strikes and
XR protests in the spring of 2019 that I realised the answer needed to lie with
the children, and that I needed to make trees a more prominent part of the
story. When I started to think about how the wall was resourced (wood!) and who
would see how problematic this was (the children!) I began to solve the problem
of the story. Crazily for such a short book, it took at least six months to
write and another three or four after the story was finalised, to finish the
illustrations.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rR-gjNdcfCY/YLEgYVRBm0I/AAAAAAAAToc/bsQs6Ol6NaYKs560RQ1KXnOKg8Ox2D3pwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/on-waterloo-bridge-with-xr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rR-gjNdcfCY/YLEgYVRBm0I/AAAAAAAAToc/bsQs6Ol6NaYKs560RQ1KXnOKg8Ox2D3pwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h400/on-waterloo-bridge-with-xr.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Emily on Waterloo Bridge with XR</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><b>In my review, I refer to ‘the friends’ in the story as ‘custodians of the
forest’. What message do <i>you</i> hope the
reader takes away from The Last Tree?</b></span></p>I’m not sure if there is one message I had in mind when creating the book, though of course, I will be very happy if the book inspires conversation and action on things like <b>custodianship</b>, <b>interdependence</b>, and of course, <b>rebellion</b>! One of the things I love about books is that they aren’t just carrier-pigeons for messages, but places where we can feel things and think about possible lives or outcomes that might be different from those we have experienced ourselves, and consider what we might do if we were in the place of the characters. <div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7icakidTzVY/YLEh_dXiz4I/AAAAAAAATok/x8ckDrGF-yom3HIpo9-3E_szQJB3srIsQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1575/5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1015" data-original-width="1575" height="258" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7icakidTzVY/YLEh_dXiz4I/AAAAAAAATok/x8ckDrGF-yom3HIpo9-3E_szQJB3srIsQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h258/5.png" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Something I hope readers might get from the book is a real feeling not only of what happens when we disregard the rest of the living world, or perhaps more accurately, when we conceptualise ‘<b>nature</b>’ as something separate to ourselves – but also, really importantly I think, the joy we can bring alive in ourselves and our communities when we begin to mend that rift.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I always find it fascinating to see where much of the design process
takes place. Is it possible to see some of your working environment and
creative spaces? </span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Unfortunately even after the rare occasions when I do
tidy up my desk, within minutes it’s drowning again in a chaos of books,
papers, mugs, plants, pencils and other indispensable detritus.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ku0Zi7Jcw8o/YLEiYwTXmxI/AAAAAAAATos/BptSSdMXHuYPP-VPpwCaIwejfaMBAQkfwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/my-desk.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1484" data-original-width="2048" height="290" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ku0Zi7Jcw8o/YLEiYwTXmxI/AAAAAAAATos/BptSSdMXHuYPP-VPpwCaIwejfaMBAQkfwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h290/my-desk.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Note the copy of 'Protest', Emily's latest book with her sister, Alice. </i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fTp_dLmDvHs/YLEjyc49SeI/AAAAAAAATo4/xA9eAvx_2MYf6GuXDEc3lapT3bf-58RRgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210528_180812.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fTp_dLmDvHs/YLEjyc49SeI/AAAAAAAATo4/xA9eAvx_2MYf6GuXDEc3lapT3bf-58RRgCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/20210528_180812.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I know you work with <a href="https://extinctionrebellion.uk/" target="_blank">Extinction Rebellion</a> and wondered whether some of
your ideas and beliefs around this work affect your choices in the stories that
you have chosen to write.</span></b><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">I
love Extinction Rebellion, but I think the experience that’s affected my
stories most was my involvement with a Suffragette-inspired environmental
direct action group called <i><a href="https://twitter.com/climaterush?lang=en" target="_blank">Climate Rush</a></i> in the late 2000s and early 2010s. I
was very involved in almost everything, from planning and taking part in
actions to writing press releases, painting banners, screen-printing sashes and
illustrating flyers, and I just loved it. The experience was hugely formative
for me politically, creatively, and personally, and absolutely flows through
all the stories I tell.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LIToOMd0YJk/YLEvWZgMFjI/AAAAAAAATpA/hURH1Lw4wZYBZ9RjnecFy-4qerWJegugwCLcBGAsYHQ/s604/guerrilla-gardening-at-Sipson-village-with-Climate-Rush-to-protest-third-runway.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="453" data-original-width="604" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LIToOMd0YJk/YLEvWZgMFjI/AAAAAAAATpA/hURH1Lw4wZYBZ9RjnecFy-4qerWJegugwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/guerrilla-gardening-at-Sipson-village-with-Climate-Rush-to-protest-third-runway.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Here's Emily guerrilla gardening at Sipson village with Climate Rush to protest a third runway. </i></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">My
experience with XR hasn’t been as intense and all-consuming, but I do like to
participate in their events as often as I can. During the London occupations in
spring 2019, I went to the XR camp on Waterloo Bridge every day and felt so
nourished by the community and creativity there. The timing of that particular
event was important for <i>The Last Tree</i>, as I had been working on the story for a
few months at that point and had got a bit stuck. I didn’t really know how to
resolve it. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ijEBaj2abPU/YLEwvXsHjiI/AAAAAAAATpM/-nO0DWjqHhkeElyn4DEg8sXQrT91qYL3wCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210528_190315.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1357" data-original-width="2048" height="265" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ijEBaj2abPU/YLEwvXsHjiI/AAAAAAAATpM/-nO0DWjqHhkeElyn4DEg8sXQrT91qYL3wCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h265/20210528_190315.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>In Emily & Alice's book, Protest, they explore how gardening & planting are acts of hope for change</i></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">As I’ve mentioned above, re-immersing myself in the world of
protest, taking myself away from my desk completely for those two weeks and
just living the experience of revolt, gave me the answer. Part of that was to
do with the ‘re-wilding’ of the bridge, carrying trees and plants onto it and
seeing it transform before my very eyes from cold tarmacked space into what was
almost a miniature forest, or at least a park. The other very important thing
was seeing the power of young people in action. It became obvious pretty
quickly what I needed to do to make the story work – give the children agency
and let them rebel.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><b>Can
you share a little on the comic and graphic novel courses that you teach
at the Royal Drawing School in London. In what ways do you find the
principles behind both the graphic novel and comic format and that of
picturebooks are both similar and different? </b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
am so lucky to have my job at the Royal Drawing School.<b> Teaching comics and
graphic novels</b> there over the past ten years or so has deepened my
understanding of the form so much and the lively interchange that happens
between us all in the classroom is an essential ingredient of the creative stew
that feeds my work. In the past few years, I have also been teaching a new
course called <i>Where Drawing Meets Words </i>with the amazing artist-poet Sophie
Herxheimer. </span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7nlAL28W4LI/YLExe-2nbyI/AAAAAAAATpU/cn9YSHzAQz0zfF_f18ZhcoYfEV7FPi4AwCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/photo-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="478" data-original-width="640" height="299" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7nlAL28W4LI/YLExe-2nbyI/AAAAAAAATpU/cn9YSHzAQz0zfF_f18ZhcoYfEV7FPi4AwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h299/photo-3.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Co-teacher and artist-poet, Sophie Herxheimer (image from <a href="https://amyvkey.com/tag/sophie-herxheimer/" target="_blank">Amy Key's</a> website)</i></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">This has provided another space in which to explore the ways in
which words and pictures might co-habit. It’s been a great forum for me to
think about the differences and similarities between, for example, picture
books and graphic novels as well as other less defined forms like the artist’s
book, or print sequences, for example, and I think that has helped me become
more open to fusing the forms a bit more within my own work. When I first began
making picturebooks on the MA at Anglia Ruskin, I was a bit overwhelmed by the
huge empty spaces of the double-page spread, in comparison to the tiny panels
I’d been used to drawing when making comics. But I soon learned to love making
these relatively enormous compositions, where I could show lots of things
happening at once, often at a societal scale, mirroring the drawings of public
places I had enjoyed making in my sketchbooks when out and about in London. It
was then exciting to realise that I could in fact bring in much of my graphic
novel ‘language’ – smaller panels, speech bubbles and so on – as a rhythmic and
textural contrast to these big spreads.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t8G5msP26tY/YLEyIEimDbI/AAAAAAAATpc/hWXn3mRgffgR9Xv3a0DueCEHVoPIjvufgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/an-early-storyboard-for-TLT-when-the-story-was-quite-different.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1446" data-original-width="2048" height="283" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t8G5msP26tY/YLEyIEimDbI/AAAAAAAATpc/hWXn3mRgffgR9Xv3a0DueCEHVoPIjvufgCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h283/an-early-storyboard-for-TLT-when-the-story-was-quite-different.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An early storyboard for The Last Tree when the story was quite different</td></tr></tbody></table></p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I later discovered that using those skills was the only way I could make my
first picturebook <i>The King Who Banned the Dark,</i> originally an outrageously long
50-page dummy, into the industry-acceptable 32-page finished book it eventually
became. Using layouts borrowed from graphic novels meant I could smuggle a lot
more story, plot events, and words into what is often a frustratingly short
form – and so I took the same approach from the start when I began <i>The Last
Tree</i>.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x92TDaOh4PY/YLE09BKhzoI/AAAAAAAATp8/VB5eWFq-MtsXejJoKdwgBObFhJxu82MiwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Colouring-the-image-on-the-lightbox.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x92TDaOh4PY/YLE09BKhzoI/AAAAAAAATp8/VB5eWFq-MtsXejJoKdwgBObFhJxu82MiwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h400/Colouring-the-image-on-the-lightbox.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Colouring the image on the lightbox</i></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v0wyVGxNFk0/YLEyivV8UtI/AAAAAAAATpk/NLY_KSX17oI4lrJ4eLZcvu5qr4g5UVShgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/I-got-through-a-lot-of-these.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v0wyVGxNFk0/YLEyivV8UtI/AAAAAAAATpk/NLY_KSX17oI4lrJ4eLZcvu5qr4g5UVShgCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h400/I-got-through-a-lot-of-these.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>It took a lot of these green pencils to get through The Last Tree</i></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>If you could recommend some graphic novels to our readers which would they
be and why?</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">It</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">’s a bit of a
classic, but I’m still always surprised by how many people haven’t read Marjane Satrapi’s <i>Persepolis. </i>I always recommend it<i> </i>to adult readers who haven’t tried graphic novels before. It’s a
beautifully drawn, funny and compelling account of the author’s coming-of-age
in Iran. For younger readers (although adults will also enjoy them), <i>The Arrival</i> by Shaun Tan, <i>Jane the Fox and Me</i> by Isabelle
Arsenault and Fanny Britt, <i>The Bird
Within Me</i> by Sara Lundberg and Pam Smy’s <i>Thornhill</i> are all wonderful, inventive books that make my heart
sing and remind me of the amazing things the form can do.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XuCSpg0zHyo/YLE0LXtCQ6I/AAAAAAAATps/ovvBUgodreQl75WhTE5yDq5G7rBQJ2mMgCLcBGAsYHQ/s3386/6.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="929" data-original-width="3386" height="110" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XuCSpg0zHyo/YLE0LXtCQ6I/AAAAAAAATps/ovvBUgodreQl75WhTE5yDq5G7rBQJ2mMgCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h110/6.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><b>Can you give us a little insight into what your most recent project looks like at all and who you have been working with? </b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Thank
you for asking! My sister Alice and I have a book coming out on 10th June
called </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">Protest!</i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">How People have Come Together to Change the World</i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">. Much as it
sounds, it’s an illustrated history of protest – probably most suitable for
ages 10 and up. It was a joy to work with Alice, who not only makes everything
fun but is an incredibly talented writer of short fiction and has amazing
research skills as well as being a super-cool graphic designer! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DZIK7G9y9Q0/YLE0roQr1xI/AAAAAAAATp0/uj0HvKLaF2EFw22rTzDEb2bwtPAkLBFKwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_6444.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DZIK7G9y9Q0/YLE0roQr1xI/AAAAAAAATp0/uj0HvKLaF2EFw22rTzDEb2bwtPAkLBFKwCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/IMG_6444.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">So we co-wrote
the book, she designed it and I illustrated it. Along the way, it became a bit
encylopaedic as the page count expanded to meet our enthusiasms for all the
stories we were discovering along the way. So we are also indebted to our
friend, the brilliant illustrator Rachel Stubbs, who helped out with the colouring
to make sure we could get everything done on time. It’s a book first and
foremost about ordinary people working together to achieve great things. We
wanted it to be a celebration of friendship, collaboration and community, and
it was definitely created in that spirit.</span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iOmmCezVZII/YLE1Qms_SFI/AAAAAAAATqE/mGwEyV40F3sB6Fe6nfAjzgcWsZLeHcB8ACLcBGAsYHQ/s740/Diane-Nash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="724" data-original-width="740" height="391" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iOmmCezVZII/YLE1Qms_SFI/AAAAAAAATqE/mGwEyV40F3sB6Fe6nfAjzgcWsZLeHcB8ACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h391/Diane-Nash.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>You can find out more about Protest! <a href="https://www.pavilionbooks.com/book/protest/" target="_blank">here</a></i></td></tr></tbody></table></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i>Thank you so much, Emily, for such a generous and open insight into your creative life and principles - all centred around the creation of #TheLastTree. Click on the highlighted link to read<a href="https://mattobin.blogspot.com/2020/10/the-last-tree-by-emily-haworth-booth-in.html" target="_blank"> my own review </a>of The Last Tree.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i>You can find more about Emily and her wonderful publisher, Pavilion, <a href="https://www.pavilionbooks.com/contributor/emily-haworth-booth/" target="_blank">here</a>. </i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></div>Mat Tobinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03409658334620463763noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83069909578853028.post-73701311416214349482021-05-21T03:12:00.000-07:002021-05-28T11:52:14.766-07:00<h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>The Last Tree by Emily Haworth-Booth</b></span></h2><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iN47UkpU8NU/X5ar_xAmB_I/AAAAAAAAP24/XK7Bi_4Sx2glqt1IA0CieFCCiZCLoHY2ACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20201026_105048.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1623" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iN47UkpU8NU/X5ar_xAmB_I/AAAAAAAAP24/XK7Bi_4Sx2glqt1IA0CieFCCiZCLoHY2ACLcBGAsYHQ/w318-h400/20201026_105048.jpg" width="318" /></a></div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />In her second picturebook, following hot on the heels of the
excellent <i>The King Who Banned the Dark</i>, <i>The Last Tree</i> sees Emily Haworth-Booth
shift from the politics of people to the politics of the land. It tells, through a traditional tale narrative, of a ‘group of
friends’ who seek to find a place to live that is not too hot, too wet or too
windy. In their search for shelter they arrive upon a forest. At first they are
quick to notice that this new environment is perfectly cool, perfectly dry and
perfectly calm but when winter arrives and the trees lose their leaves things
change.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0hSrSemtnv0/X5asROmf5mI/AAAAAAAAP3A/_2KBJ5Jzj2gOjzN9NtU63MlnYMau9i2ngCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20201026_105113.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1473" data-original-width="2048" height="288" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0hSrSemtnv0/X5asROmf5mI/AAAAAAAAP3A/_2KBJ5Jzj2gOjzN9NtU63MlnYMau9i2ngCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h288/20201026_105113.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"> The villagers must take ‘a few’ branches for their fires;
then a ‘few whole trees’ for their shelters and then ‘more’ for their cabins.
Soon, our narrator tells us, the more the friends took from the forest, the
more they needed…</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j4RcKtClZq0/X5as4bHcZ7I/AAAAAAAAP3I/ZUIzaJxPXmMJFD7MA-94_yr7QpXV-5azQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20201026_105206.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1429" data-original-width="2048" height="279" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j4RcKtClZq0/X5as4bHcZ7I/AAAAAAAAP3I/ZUIzaJxPXmMJFD7MA-94_yr7QpXV-5azQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h279/20201026_105206.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"> When summer returns, the price for these faux needs becomes
apparent to the reader…but not the friends. With the forest depleted they choose
to build porches to protect them from the sun and the rain and a high
all-encompassing wall to protect them from the high winds. We readers are distanced from the people both physically by the wall and ideologically by their
environmental choices. We realise what the friends seem to have forgotten: that
the forest originally gave them all that they needed until they took too much. Harvested of all its resources, the forest has nothing left to give.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ytOWjVfD9Ac/X5atGDeqz_I/AAAAAAAAP3M/Sgd_JaA5VVsX9o7USuMnk1mr2VFwI5hcQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20201026_105239.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1355" data-original-width="2048" height="265" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ytOWjVfD9Ac/X5atGDeqz_I/AAAAAAAAP3M/Sgd_JaA5VVsX9o7USuMnk1mr2VFwI5hcQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h265/20201026_105239.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"> And what is the cost for the great wall, splendid porches
and quaint fences? In what ways does this shelter differ from the forest of the previous summer? The
forest in which the friends once ‘lived and played’ has been replaced by something
static and lifeless. With ‘nothing to look at but the wall', the people begin to forget their
heritage and their traditions, their songs and their games. Their world becomes ‘cold
and hard’ and with this loss they begin to turn upon each other; friends no
more but suspicious recluses afraid to leave their shelter. They have lost that sense of
community and home.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4qKj_fJ8VXc/X5atOlkT3lI/AAAAAAAAP3U/8QDPMtjO-nAg4iozWNau5dKparoswA6pACLcBGAsYHQ/s1972/20201026_105342.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1972" data-original-width="1718" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4qKj_fJ8VXc/X5atOlkT3lI/AAAAAAAAP3U/8QDPMtjO-nAg4iozWNau5dKparoswA6pACLcBGAsYHQ/w349-h400/20201026_105342.jpg" width="349" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"> Yet when all seems lost, the children act and guide the
villagers towards a more hopeful future. Sent by their parents to chop down the
Last Tree, they decide to rebel against these demands and, in embracing the natural connection with it, they instead choose to care for it. In becoming its
custodians, they carry and plant its seeds and eventually allow the natural
world back into the walled encampment. They bring with them the winds which rush in and topple their shelters. In being forced to leave their false
comforts, the adults join the children beyond the wall and discover,
to their joy, something that they had lost. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Yjxi6av6uCE/X5ataALYSyI/AAAAAAAAP3c/wACwxaN4IyYsgUL1yYT8aOaKu15vdMQFACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20201026_105420.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1463" data-original-width="2048" height="286" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Yjxi6av6uCE/X5ataALYSyI/AAAAAAAAP3c/wACwxaN4IyYsgUL1yYT8aOaKu15vdMQFACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h286/20201026_105420.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Within the swaying of the
branches in the Last Tree they find themselves reminded of life’s own branches
and pathways and the route they once took that led them from ‘few’ to ‘more’ to
‘need’. This time though they realise that a different path must be taken; one
in which they live in harmony alongside the natural world as its custodians. In
doing so, ‘a new forest grows with them’ and within them.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RbZuXsrPQiA/X5atlpLfCPI/AAAAAAAAP3k/dJ5Op5e_x1kz2BxL798jkPoRmDRRtPyLACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20201026_105445.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1397" data-original-width="2048" height="272" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RbZuXsrPQiA/X5atlpLfCPI/AAAAAAAAP3k/dJ5Op5e_x1kz2BxL798jkPoRmDRRtPyLACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h272/20201026_105445.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"> Many children’s books that touch on environmental or ecological
issues can be heavy handed but not this. As with <i>The King Who Banned the Dark</i>,
Emily treads perfectly between showing and not quite telling; inviting rather
than instructing and <i>The Last Tree </i>is far richer because of it. All literature
holds the gift to ‘make the natural world present to the reader and to prompt
an emotional connection’ (Morton, 2018) and I love what Emily has created here.
This might be a story about preserving what little we have left and letting it thrive
once more but it also suggests why.
Without acknowledging and spending time in these natural spaces, no matter how
small, we have steadily become insular, virtual and untrusting: all of which has
led to a degradation of our mental and environmental health. In support, Morton says:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /> ‘<span style="color: black;">Maybe
mental health and ecological health are interlinked. I believe that humans are
traumatised by having suffered their connections with non human beings.</span>’</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f7bPhqDlJ4g/X5auGd20ZoI/AAAAAAAAP3w/-YvAsvBXO5syGHGiZeQD891qEgnJogXHACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20201026_105519.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1414" data-original-width="2048" height="276" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f7bPhqDlJ4g/X5auGd20ZoI/AAAAAAAAP3w/-YvAsvBXO5syGHGiZeQD891qEgnJogXHACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h276/20201026_105519.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">In Emily’s story, the children inherently see and know this. No
matter how small any wild space is around your home, invite children to see it and
explore it, know it and invest in it. It will make a change and it could guide
them in seeing that these spaces as valuable, fascinating and beautiful. If
they recognise and acknowledge its existence then they are far better placed to
understand its worth too and that’s a very powerful lesson for anyone to learn.</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7BA9PMlIfcw/X5auPp2aDtI/AAAAAAAAP30/FijQ7baKEoMemla2k_6JvBz3jWilFa9uwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1416/20201026_105545.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1416" data-original-width="1249" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7BA9PMlIfcw/X5auPp2aDtI/AAAAAAAAP30/FijQ7baKEoMemla2k_6JvBz3jWilFa9uwCLcBGAsYHQ/w353-h400/20201026_105545.jpg" width="353" /></a></div><div><br /></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><b><u>References: </u></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Haworth-Booth,
E. (2020)<i> The Last Tree</i>. London: Pavilion Children’s Books. </span><br /></span><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Morton, T.
(2018) <i>Being ecological</i>. UK: Pelican, an imprint of Penguin Books
(A Pelican book, 17).<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><br /></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p></p>Mat Tobinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03409658334620463763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83069909578853028.post-72871084333969526232021-05-07T06:47:00.001-07:002021-05-07T06:49:21.200-07:00The Quilt by Valériane Leblond<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The Quilt</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RZH6fyDi93A/YJVFDSuGjFI/AAAAAAAATSA/idjIXik2f603S-7hPrX5EAgwMdOfPOj5wCLcBGAsYHQ/s500/9781784618087.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="498" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RZH6fyDi93A/YJVFDSuGjFI/AAAAAAAATSA/idjIXik2f603S-7hPrX5EAgwMdOfPOj5wCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/9781784618087.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Amid the pandemic, 'home' has played an unusual and unique role. It has provided us with shelter and warmth but it may also have stifled and constricted, leaving us with a curious sense of detachment from aspects of ourselves that is difficult to put into words. I suspect that, as the restrictions cautiously lift and borders are opened, it will take many of us some time to acclimatise and reattach to the new normal.</div><div><br /></div><div>During this last year and a bit, I have found myself contemplating these shifting dynamics in our relationship with 'house' and 'home' and what they mean to me. I also discovered a heightened, deep longing for my first home, that of my childhood and youthhood, in North Wales' Conwy valley. That longing is always there and always will be but during Covid, the need to be there grew stronger than ever. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S8QEppi3WLE/YJJVopD4gLI/AAAAAAAATPA/zLT2AWO3pqwryaFkwqSEmwyIHPJ-aqFswCLcBGAsYHQ/s1847/33.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="913" data-original-width="1847" height="198" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S8QEppi3WLE/YJJVopD4gLI/AAAAAAAATPA/zLT2AWO3pqwryaFkwqSEmwyIHPJ-aqFswCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h198/33.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crossing the 'flyover' to Conwy town (GoogleEarth). </td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>The house I grew up in with my three siblings remains the place where my parents live to this day with my sisters and brother living with their own families close by. There's something about the town and its surroundings that means moving away is rare and for those few who have left, the return often feels inevitable: like the pulling of the tides. </div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Hiraeth: [hi</b>- (as in ‘<i>hi</i>’ccup); <b>rae- </b>(as in ‘<i>ri</i>’ ce) <b>th- </b>(as in ‘<i>th</i>’ ink)]</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div>The Welsh have a term for this 'calling', that augmentation of memories and feelings that leads to a heightened sense of longing for home: <b><i>hiraeth</i></b>. It is as if a cord between yourself and your homeland has been stretched so thinly - through distance and time away - that if you do not return, something will snap within you. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9tldfBEp8GY/YJTzWUUc7TI/AAAAAAAATPo/siXZU0durDgixeYsbVH2jMlyinM8cR78wCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210430_164022.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1078" data-original-width="2048" height="210" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9tldfBEp8GY/YJTzWUUc7TI/AAAAAAAATPo/siXZU0durDgixeYsbVH2jMlyinM8cR78wCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h210/20210430_164022.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>It is timely then that I should pick up <a href="https://www.valeriane-leblond.eu/home.html" target="_blank">Valériane Leblond'</a>s 'T<i>he Quilt</i>'. Shortlisted for the English-Language, 2021 <a href="https://llyfrau.cymru/en/tnno-2021-english-shortlist/" target="_blank">Tir an n-Og Children's Literature Award</a>, it is a picture book that explores our deep connection to a place (homeland) and that painful, poetic longing for it when it is so far away. As we follow one family's journey from rural Wales to America at the turn of the 20th century, it reveals itself to be a picture book whose words weave as much magic as the pictures. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4gA6K6NyPtI/YJT1PJHpVjI/AAAAAAAATPw/wafyhh6FO5Q3Ajkj5wy3wy0OUeltnZ2QACLcBGAsYHQ/s500/9781784618087.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="498" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4gA6K6NyPtI/YJT1PJHpVjI/AAAAAAAATPw/wafyhh6FO5Q3Ajkj5wy3wy0OUeltnZ2QACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/9781784618087.jpg" /></a></div><div>The cover introduces us to a family looking up, perhaps waiting to board the ship. Look closely & you’ll see a mixture of feelings: a sense of opportunity, apprehension and uncertainty, perhaps. All three family members are connected through touch and colour and the great, knotted ball of fabric that both parents hold together like some familial lodestone. What might its significance be? Can you see its colours mirrored elsewhere on the page? </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-reqN7SbpEUQ/YJT2pqHGEjI/AAAAAAAATP4/IuP9Zc4VsxwEvu-Sjw0YbdrRbz9w307VwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210430_163958.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1088" data-original-width="2048" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-reqN7SbpEUQ/YJT2pqHGEjI/AAAAAAAATP4/IuP9Zc4VsxwEvu-Sjw0YbdrRbz9w307VwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h213/20210430_163958.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lGEdBJKhVwA/YJT2_1AgLqI/AAAAAAAATQE/mLtAwSe91xsGZdv85lJzna2C6Ty9x6cDgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210430_163939.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2048" height="225" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lGEdBJKhVwA/YJT2_1AgLqI/AAAAAAAATQE/mLtAwSe91xsGZdv85lJzna2C6Ty9x6cDgCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h225/20210430_163939.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div>Past the patterning of the endpapers (do you spot this on the cover?), a double-page spread greets us as our narrative journey begins. A stream guides our eye down to the shore. Birds fly from left to right & wind-bent hawthorns lean onwards. We step back in time from the cover and we find the family living 'amongst' the harsh elements of a rural, unforgiving Welsh landscape (no hedges, no walls, no fences). Hold onto the last line on the spread for it will echo later:</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>'We inhabited the moor and the moor inhabited us' </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Kb6nhaA_r78/YJT4YZnQbjI/AAAAAAAATQQ/Rd96Jj-eMLooYoDO5bcezre1i5iEb7mzwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210430_163926.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1130" data-original-width="2048" height="221" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Kb6nhaA_r78/YJT4YZnQbjI/AAAAAAAATQQ/Rd96Jj-eMLooYoDO5bcezre1i5iEb7mzwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h221/20210430_163926.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div>From wind-swept rich colours to a tonal subduing of the landscape, winter arrives & the family tire. A pair of swallows leave for warmer climes. As we move to the right (recto), we’re asked to look down on the home, powerless & hidden in the snow - a thin 'golden whirl' in the smoke of the peat fire remains the only sign that our family lives within. There’s little pause between grey sea & sky here as winter presses down on our struggling family. </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lIotuSRh2Bk/YJT6OtBGNrI/AAAAAAAATQY/SFbOdv39i6creLPr57AXZ1E3z2ZG9RPawCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210430_163910.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="2048" height="234" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lIotuSRh2Bk/YJT6OtBGNrI/AAAAAAAATQY/SFbOdv39i6creLPr57AXZ1E3z2ZG9RPawCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h234/20210430_163910.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The palette darkens and, as rain drives us onwards, the land’s barrenness truly reveals itself. ‘Rough’,’shrunk’,’hungry’,’rarely’ mirror the hardships of living off & on the land. A shrinking, dreamy frame distances us from the family just as their world and opportunities shrink too. Could those two swallows we spotted earlier hint that there is something better over the horizon?<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BjMi-9ffitE/YJT8wtFfczI/AAAAAAAATQg/JFKD8TAN4ZMJAJzyTmqjQEiTVxKFts3XACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210430_163852.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1088" data-original-width="2048" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BjMi-9ffitE/YJT8wtFfczI/AAAAAAAATQg/JFKD8TAN4ZMJAJzyTmqjQEiTVxKFts3XACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h213/20210430_163852.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Finally, we are invited into this tiny cottage. With a range of soft browns and creamy beige colouring the walls, the little family gather around the tiny peat-fire. Clothes and cloths hang draped over the fireplace whilst a lone letter sits upon a table. What might it tell us if we could read it? As the child plays with her peg figures, her parents' craft. Mam is singing as she sowing, threading into the quilt ballads of her family and home.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Pa54BVz13wA/YJUl42siojI/AAAAAAAATQw/z_gPfZDHmAwANiMYXQpXGUL4WxfXvIO2QCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210430_163752.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1114" data-original-width="2048" height="217" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Pa54BVz13wA/YJUl42siojI/AAAAAAAATQw/z_gPfZDHmAwANiMYXQpXGUL4WxfXvIO2QCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h217/20210430_163752.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Time in the cottage passes and the quilt balloons in size, globe-like & pregnant with ripples of red thread woven throughout. It carries dreams and song and hopes. As it grows, so the furniture in the cottage disappears (I love the fact that the child is sheltered from 'why' this happens). As the family sets off onto the next chapter of their life, three swallows return where there had been two.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eDUCLKxGr8Q/YJUsLipyJaI/AAAAAAAATQ4/kZqavhZBXA0fEnzQUJ1DT3bnIDcQphQ1wCLcBGAsYHQ/s590/CITY-722184.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="590" height="238" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eDUCLKxGr8Q/YJUsLipyJaI/AAAAAAAATQ4/kZqavhZBXA0fEnzQUJ1DT3bnIDcQphQ1wCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h238/CITY-722184.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Royal Liver Building, Liverpool. <a href="https://www.express.co.uk/finance/city/722184/City-news-Royal-Liver-Building-Good-Hair-Day-SSE-UK-fashion-sales" target="_blank">Source</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mo6cyuYl_fY/YJUsjemCv2I/AAAAAAAATRA/Xi7KC4y3CGQrhdAprQmB0IlYTloEpLoGACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210430_163734.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1141" data-original-width="2048" height="223" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mo6cyuYl_fY/YJUsjemCv2I/AAAAAAAATRA/Xi7KC4y3CGQrhdAprQmB0IlYTloEpLoGACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h223/20210430_163734.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Their journey takes them to a Lowry-esque rendition of the docks - Liverpool's Royal Albert Dock perhaps; not too far away from my hometown. Great liners cut through the pale yet colourful waters and buildings, grand and lofty against the skyline, lend a sense of wonder and excitement for our little family far down on the recto (right) who await their voyage which has cost them so much. </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dAhC0TBsUX0/YJUtMvD_MXI/AAAAAAAATRI/F0dUqjlZZ8Mp9RE1XCkToNNJOLHjttMZwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210430_163542.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1101" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dAhC0TBsUX0/YJUtMvD_MXI/AAAAAAAATRI/F0dUqjlZZ8Mp9RE1XCkToNNJOLHjttMZwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/20210430_163542.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />A few pages on, we find the family at sea. On the recto, their tiny ship cuts through a deep ocean. This is the only wordless spread in the book - Leblond lets the drama of the moment sweep us away. We continue to look down upon this powerless family and I find myself reminded of the scene with their home lost to the snow. The journey may seem endless (emphasised by lack of horizon & double-page bleed) but I feel hopeful; we’re closer to reaching that next page and the next step of their journey.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_uhjM5qg7ok/YJUuOwBF_wI/AAAAAAAATRQ/0sW6D6Hm9Tkg7SuXujOri1x6u3a-_1i3wCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210430_163504.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1103" data-original-width="2048" height="215" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_uhjM5qg7ok/YJUuOwBF_wI/AAAAAAAATRQ/0sW6D6Hm9Tkg7SuXujOri1x6u3a-_1i3wCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h215/20210430_163504.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>On the voyage, the child is sick with hiraeth (that longing for home) and unsure of the 'loud voices and unknown language' that fills up the cramped ship. Mam wraps her in the quilt. Each piece, each thread carries in it the curve of a valley, a twist of a stream, the ripple of water over stone. Its warmth soothes her & she realises that home is quilt-woven and that it will always serve as a reminder. Here, a patch breaks off in her sea-dreams and flies onwards in swallow-form towards their next adventure.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VIpqUe4Azos/YJUvBDo745I/AAAAAAAATRY/LGgqlluz0csHxGw0SNytAq1C1thAFzzowCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210430_163449.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1101" data-original-width="2048" height="215" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VIpqUe4Azos/YJUvBDo745I/AAAAAAAATRY/LGgqlluz0csHxGw0SNytAq1C1thAFzzowCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h215/20210430_163449.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WkitywCFjJ4/YJUvMHUBG7I/AAAAAAAATRc/lsQkpnXq_3ARtrEd5feYmh_lZgq1i3XMwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210430_163432.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="1165" data-original-width="2048" height="228" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WkitywCFjJ4/YJUvMHUBG7I/AAAAAAAATRc/lsQkpnXq_3ARtrEd5feYmh_lZgq1i3XMwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h228/20210430_163432.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>At last, the sea voyage is over. Exhausted, the family take their first steps in this foreign land. Dad looks on with purpose, Mam happy yet tired and their daughter looks up for affirmation - was the right thing to do? Soon, great plains make way for rolling hills and mountains. Tirelessly, the parents work to build a new home here. Will it feel the same? </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k2LKhROnrro/YJUwOhg-4EI/AAAAAAAATRo/dzLkBQyYAfcDDmtf5_hKzDnGOYAWQ2voQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210430_163411.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1140" data-original-width="2048" height="223" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k2LKhROnrro/YJUwOhg-4EI/AAAAAAAATRo/dzLkBQyYAfcDDmtf5_hKzDnGOYAWQ2voQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h223/20210430_163411.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>A smaller spread inside the home here than the earlier one indicates that the girl is adjusting; still feeling enclosed, not wanting to embrace this unfamiliar landscape. Instead, she <i>cwtches </i>up (cuddles) into her quilt. And that is enough. The rain tumbles down on the window-pane but this land is rich in the things that they need. Seeds grow in the rich soil just as they grow in the girl's mind too - new roots are beginning to settle. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K6VKZ6hIF4M/YJUxds8ZWMI/AAAAAAAATRw/xtsXBZb7ZIQkg25aeLzpU1uBSXDzQyEegCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210430_163357.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1119" data-original-width="2048" height="219" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K6VKZ6hIF4M/YJUxds8ZWMI/AAAAAAAATRw/xtsXBZb7ZIQkg25aeLzpU1uBSXDzQyEegCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h219/20210430_163357.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div>Spring comes once more and it brings with it new beginnings. As the young girl smells her mam's food (<i>cawl </i>- like a soup/stew), she is reminded of her first home. The quilt hangs on a line as a reminder of the threads of song and place that tie her to both homes now. A sickle-winged trio of swallows head back towards the story's start their own child joining them on a journey back. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H3p--2Z1MDg/YJVDRr5gOEI/AAAAAAAATR4/K7RjHGLqTLsF2N541IhZVoECU0gCfQdvgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210430_163339.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1952" data-original-width="2048" height="381" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H3p--2Z1MDg/YJVDRr5gOEI/AAAAAAAATR4/K7RjHGLqTLsF2N541IhZVoECU0gCfQdvgCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h381/20210430_163339.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Finally, a single spread closes our story. A trio of musicians play a song. Perhaps they are descendants of the very family we have joined on this journey. What music they play under the barn, under the quilt, we'll never know but I did find a wonderful <a href="https://www.100daysinappalachia.com/2020/07/old-time-music-connects-wales-and-appalachia-despite-thousands-of-miles/" target="_blank">Virginia bluegrass song being played in Wales and I thought I would share it</a>. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6lgvkrZuHnQ" width="320" youtube-src-id="6lgvkrZuHnQ"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><i>The Quilt</i> is a beautiful story of journeys and of home and of longing for home. Thank you Valériane Leblond, Y Lolfa and all those involved in bringing this beautiful story together. To find more about the Tir na n-Og Children’s Literature Award the follow the #TNNO2021 tag <br /></div><br /></div>Mat Tobinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03409658334620463763noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83069909578853028.post-65807955867266377642021-04-13T11:50:00.000-07:002021-04-13T11:50:27.148-07:00An Interview with Sophie Anderson on The Girl Who Speaks Bear and her life as a writerEver since I read <i>The House With Chicken Legs,</i> I knew I had encountered a writer who understood the truth within fairy tales and their potential to bring joy and excitement to the reading community - both young and old. She understood them, deep down and respected their cultural origins as well as the playfulness of their structure and form. Not only that, Sophie had a deeply touching way of exploring themes around community and family which are also at the heart of many of these stories but managed to envelop them in a sense of our time and place. Here then was a narrative weaver who perfectly brought the old and the new together and created from it something magical. <br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c3DTzijaIm4/YHW98DoUfgI/AAAAAAAAS7o/-ZGFBIzT2tUHADTqPUYkQ9Z0zzT64U27ACLcBGAsYHQ/s271/Sophie.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c3DTzijaIm4/YHW98DoUfgI/AAAAAAAAS7o/-ZGFBIzT2tUHADTqPUYkQ9Z0zzT64U27ACLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/Sophie.jpg" /></a></div><div>Having recently read #TheGirlWhoSpeaksBear I thought it a good time to ask Sophie and her writing life.</div><div><br /></div><b>I am fascinated by the influence of Russian/Slavic folklore and literature in your stories. Can you share with us a little about how you became attached to them?<br /></b><br />My love for Slavic folklore comes from my grandmother. She told stories orally, from memory, and no two tellings were ever quite the same, which is of course part of the magic of oral storytelling.<br /><br />From an early age, I understood my grandmother’s stories had been passed down from her parents and grandparents, so they were a link to my ancestors. I also understood that some versions of her tales were deeply personal, peppered with motifs and memories from her own life:<span><a name='more'></a></span><div><br /><i>on one particularly memorable occasion Baba Yaga’s horseman, Midnight, was replaced by a tank rumbling in from her memories of WW2</i><div><i><br /></i></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sUWRkeEg2ws/YHW-YBi-NCI/AAAAAAAAS7w/22sQHFEecRIwgfLvAp5Dqyt58nYtlbxUQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1418/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="443" data-original-width="1418" height="125" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sUWRkeEg2ws/YHW-YBi-NCI/AAAAAAAAS7w/22sQHFEecRIwgfLvAp5Dqyt58nYtlbxUQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h125/2.jpg" title="Test" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Natalya Akimova's illustration for 'Vasilisa the Beautiful' (left). The three knights represent morning, day and night. Image of Soviet IS-2 in East Prussia (<a href="https://bit.ly/3g8Jexw" target="_blank">source</a>)</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span><!--more--></span><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div>When I had children of my own, in my thirties, I decided to continue the tradition of passing on these Slavic tales. I remembered many of the stories, as they had been told to me, but I also began collecting books so that I could read different versions of the tales, and discover new stories from this familiar folklore.<br /><br /><h4 style="text-align: center;">This shelf contains many of my favourite books</h4></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XbimSw8MuV0/YHXDKaUAP_I/AAAAAAAAS74/EJzQIfnoxCQEvR2cw1PPcG8fyV8vpBMsQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1374/Sophie1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="553" data-original-width="1374" height="161" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XbimSw8MuV0/YHXDKaUAP_I/AAAAAAAAS74/EJzQIfnoxCQEvR2cw1PPcG8fyV8vpBMsQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h161/Sophie1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div>And if I were to pick two to share, today it would be <i>Russian Magic Tales from Pushkin to Platonov</i>, edited by Robert Chandler, which is the perfect place for someone looking to begin a journey of discovery with these tales. It’s a treasure trove of Russian folk stories, with brilliant, clear accompanying notes. <br /><br />For those interested in Russian folklore and folk traditions beyond the stories, then <i>Russian Magic </i>by Cherry Gilchrist is a readable and fascinating guide.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xCyF7S4R7pY/YHXDgbl_wJI/AAAAAAAAS8A/hF9QnGXr9-I-rxLCJKP99ouYwXmDbRubwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1378/Sophie2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1032" data-original-width="1378" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xCyF7S4R7pY/YHXDgbl_wJI/AAAAAAAAS8A/hF9QnGXr9-I-rxLCJKP99ouYwXmDbRubwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/Sophie2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br />I always find the paths writers take to getting started down that route fascinating. In what ways do you think your mother, as a writer, and your grandmother, as a storyteller, shaped you as the writer/storyteller you are today?</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FacP2CaS_rI/YHXPzdqT-hI/AAAAAAAAS8g/TX_dN__N594xdCLWcx66e57-XaFnno7gACLcBGAsYHQ/s1479/Sophie3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1109" data-original-width="1479" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FacP2CaS_rI/YHXPzdqT-hI/AAAAAAAAS8g/TX_dN__N594xdCLWcx66e57-XaFnno7gACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/Sophie3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>My mother and maternal grandmother showed me the incredible magic and power of stories. The tales they told always came from a place where imagination, truth, emotions and memories, all wove together to create something that not only entertained, but provided new ways of thinking about, and understanding, the world.<br /><br />People so often talk about the magic and power of stories, that it can sound trite, but I truly believe that a good story, well told, comes from a place of inexplicable wonder, and can, on occasion, be truly life-changing.<br /><br />My mother, in addition to being a storyteller, is a prolific published author, with at least three pseudonyms (<b><a href="https://www.fantasticfiction.com/c/catrin-collier/" target="_blank">Catrin Collier</a></b> is perhaps the best known) and over fifty published books. During my childhood, I watched her career grow and bloom, so that has given me a useful, practical insight into the publishing industry, and her advice when I began writing my own stories has been wide-ranging and absolutely invaluable. I have a great deal to be thankful for.*<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-46QJRcAgon8/YHXN2hW6XkI/AAAAAAAAS8U/esBysnFhvZIul3QhOl2fcb8TX-1IYJAFwCLcBGAsYHQ/s479/61t1jWOIpvL._SX331_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="479" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-46QJRcAgon8/YHXN2hW6XkI/AAAAAAAAS8U/esBysnFhvZIul3QhOl2fcb8TX-1IYJAFwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/61t1jWOIpvL._SX331_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div>*Diolch, mam!<br /><br /><b>And in building on this, how does your family influence and affect your writing today? I know we’re beginning to see some collaborative efforts. Can you share a little about how they have touched on or informed your writing?<br /></b><br />All my family are hugely supportive and inspire me in a million ways. My eldest two children in particular give me masses of practical writing assistance: they are my first readers and wonderful critics. They push me to make my stories pacier, more imaginative and truthful. They often make suggestions, which can range from small tweaks of wording to big changes relating to character motivations and behaviours, to including whole new characters and events.<br /><br />My eldest is an incredibly insightful and thorough editor, and my second eldest often helps me by creating artwork, either to inspire me or to share with my publisher, who occasionally asks for rough art to share with my illustrators. He has even helped me out by live drawing at a few events too.<br /><br />This is one of my eldest son’s character sketches for Feliks, from <i>The Castle of Tangled Magic</i>. He drew this for me after being unsatisfied with the way I described Feliks in the first draft:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QXZfh0BlLOE/YHXQ9OV1nvI/AAAAAAAAS8o/0wT6VNnoqP0UxD7YUxu2A0BKx_IWPqglgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Sophie4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1364" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QXZfh0BlLOE/YHXQ9OV1nvI/AAAAAAAAS8o/0wT6VNnoqP0UxD7YUxu2A0BKx_IWPqglgCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h266/Sophie4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br />And this is the map for <i>The Castle of Tangled Magic</i> that my son drew for me to pass on to Usborne:<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ekhklMJ9Fpk/YHXRlYqYdSI/AAAAAAAAS8w/RwsaSSpGVfkHsjihiFbqJyywhE6X_b1wwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1374/Sophie5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1033" data-original-width="1374" height="301" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ekhklMJ9Fpk/YHXRlYqYdSI/AAAAAAAAS8w/RwsaSSpGVfkHsjihiFbqJyywhE6X_b1wwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h301/Sophie5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">You can see how close it is to the final version in the book, which is drawn by Saara Katariina Söderlund:<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j2SnTp1yWdE/YHXTrc0s5nI/AAAAAAAAS9A/RLaqz6wAA3AhdPkQy3lEmU_L7X3wDmk_gCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210413_182047.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1640" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j2SnTp1yWdE/YHXTrc0s5nI/AAAAAAAAS9A/RLaqz6wAA3AhdPkQy3lEmU_L7X3wDmk_gCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h320/20210413_182047.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><b>Your stories are built upon the foundations of other stories or images that you find which, being a fan of Alan Garner, I love. Were there any key images or texts which helped you shape The Girl Who Speaks Bear?<br /></b><br /><i>The Girl Who Speaks Bear</i> is very much built from other stories. Russian folk tales involving bears were a huge inspiration, especially <i>Why Bears Paws are Like Hands</i> (this tale is sometimes called The Lime Tree), and <i>Ivanko the Bear’s Son</i>.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L0e3A3dTiF0/YHXUY9h8l7I/AAAAAAAAS9I/SPCCDMAUz2sAYpXaHgkuch2JPbXQPrFEACLcBGAsYHQ/s630/Sophie8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="416" data-original-width="630" height="264" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L0e3A3dTiF0/YHXUY9h8l7I/AAAAAAAAS9I/SPCCDMAUz2sAYpXaHgkuch2JPbXQPrFEACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h264/Sophie8.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Ivanko was a boy who was a bear from the waist down. Illustration dated 1494, artist unknown:<br /><br />Legends of female bogatyrs (warriors), such as Nastasya Korolevichna, who is said to have shot an arrow through a ring balanced on the head of her betrothed, also inspired me. Illustration of Nastasya Korolevichna by Sergey Solomko:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8NxTTDkNi5A/YHXVHR8NUvI/AAAAAAAAS9Q/QRTCGPe5yyUq6n2fjEPWi9ECZ0KPpDR7gCLcBGAsYHQ/s700/Sophie9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="451" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8NxTTDkNi5A/YHXVHR8NUvI/AAAAAAAAS9Q/QRTCGPe5yyUq6n2fjEPWi9ECZ0KPpDR7gCLcBGAsYHQ/w258-h400/Sophie9.jpg" width="258" /></a></div>I included many characters from Russian folk tales, especially in the between-chapter-stories that break up the main narrative in <i>The Girl Who Speaks Bear</i>:<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m6kGkCGYapg/YHXZbtbBogI/AAAAAAAAS9Y/EQdElD-ACIw0I3bzRHglDtak3oXsmPm2wCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210413_183140.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1366" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m6kGkCGYapg/YHXZbtbBogI/AAAAAAAAS9Y/EQdElD-ACIw0I3bzRHglDtak3oXsmPm2wCLcBGAsYHQ/w266-h400/20210413_183140.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Sophie's between-chapter stories are all framed by Kathrin Honestra's illustrations.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>The three-headed dragon,<b> Zmey Gorynych</b> from Slavic Folklore, appears as Smey the Fire Dragon. Illustration by Ivan Bilibin,1912. <b>Koschei the Deathless</b> appears as The Giant Deathless. Illustration by A. Alexeieff.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CdRlFLxo2Do/YHXbNp1m2HI/AAAAAAAAS9g/G6pYvn5338IX-evqihMLeoqB5cswVRPCQCLcBGAsYHQ/s481/Sophieac.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="366" data-original-width="481" height="304" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CdRlFLxo2Do/YHXbNp1m2HI/AAAAAAAAS9g/G6pYvn5338IX-evqihMLeoqB5cswVRPCQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h304/Sophieac.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><b>Morozko </b>appears as Father Frost. Illustration by Nicholas Roerich and the <b>Flying Ship</b> from <i>The Fool of the World</i> and the Flying Ship makes an appearance. Illustration by Uri Shulevitz.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EP73oWx1vzw/YHXcIwPyKyI/AAAAAAAAS9o/F2o5dwLaIXYaxiWgfq1kDGZSFMFVlcclwCLcBGAsYHQ/s518/Sophief.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="376" data-original-width="518" height="290" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EP73oWx1vzw/YHXcIwPyKyI/AAAAAAAAS9o/F2o5dwLaIXYaxiWgfq1kDGZSFMFVlcclwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h290/Sophief.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Not a folk story, but a book called <i>Russian Folk Medicine</i> by Kourennoff inspired the character of Mamochka (Yanka’s foster mother).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y42LpY7X3ZE/YHXct6DlrKI/AAAAAAAAS9w/u1QxUdCjqpczAl2pWVR1RKfEGKA9zs3wQCLcBGAsYHQ/s680/Sophieg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="426" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y42LpY7X3ZE/YHXct6DlrKI/AAAAAAAAS9w/u1QxUdCjqpczAl2pWVR1RKfEGKA9zs3wQCLcBGAsYHQ/w250-h400/Sophieg.jpg" width="250" /></a></div><b>Within <i>The Girl Who Speaks Bear</i>, there is a strong sense of the landscape and the wild as we travel through The Snow Forest. I know you live up by the Lake District and I wondered how these real spaces, and your time in them, shape your writing and imagination.<br /></b><br />I am very lucky to live in The Lakes and I take huge inspiration from the landscapes and wildlife around our home. Our garden looked like The Snow Forest in <i>The Girl Who Speaks Bear</i> quite recently. Additionally, the character of Mousetrap was inspired by this real-life, valiant, under-floorboard hunter. The following photos were taken by my husband, who is a photographer (<a href="https://www.seenicksphotography.co.uk/" target="_blank">Website here</a>) <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3BAvYrWwQiU/YHXeY8BNDzI/AAAAAAAAS94/oZEIihroLJMQ6bSOaBgiRJGryvR5thLGwCLcBGAsYHQ/s815/Sophiek.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="409" data-original-width="815" height="201" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3BAvYrWwQiU/YHXeY8BNDzI/AAAAAAAAS94/oZEIihroLJMQ6bSOaBgiRJGryvR5thLGwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h201/Sophiek.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PfapiVas8Eo/YHXe7BTKKpI/AAAAAAAAS-A/eRApDyk-rwMrZ6XRQgfwBuzDlnOjfwLkgCLcBGAsYHQ/s960/Sophiem.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="225" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PfapiVas8Eo/YHXe7BTKKpI/AAAAAAAAS-A/eRApDyk-rwMrZ6XRQgfwBuzDlnOjfwLkgCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h225/Sophiem.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b>You have a real gift for bringing to life a host of deeply memorable characters in all your stories and, as readers, we become attached to them for different reasons. For me, there was something deep and powerful in Ivan, the lone wolf that I was attracted to but did you find yourself attached to any in the company more than you thought you would or have any of your characters ever surprised you?</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b>I find all my characters, at some point, come alive, start making their own decisions and inevitably surprise me. Mousetrap has a hugely strong personality and often talks to me. He has been demanding his own series of books for quite some time now, and I am actually on the verge of giving in and am thinking about perhaps experimenting with writing something for younger readers with him as a main character.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DTuYQUEQKU0/YHXfUWic91I/AAAAAAAAS-I/B-GQC3H69IIqJnHMQFsVX_tBwqL1bggyQCLcBGAsYHQ/s481/Sophien.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="481" data-original-width="456" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DTuYQUEQKU0/YHXfUWic91I/AAAAAAAAS-I/B-GQC3H69IIqJnHMQFsVX_tBwqL1bggyQCLcBGAsYHQ/w379-h400/Sophien.jpg" width="379" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="text-align: left;">Mousetrap on Yanka’s shoulder, by Kathrin Honesta.</span><br style="text-align: left;" /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Marinka, Baba, and The House, from my first published book, <i>The House with Chicken Legs</i>, keep returning to my stories too, of their own volition and always unannounced. I have often wondered why, and I think it’s a combination of several reasons, but perhaps most strongly because they are deeply connected to my own grandmother, so it’s my way of drawing her closer.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1D0fKIqz958/YHXgKtoqr0I/AAAAAAAAS-U/yhdU1h0AywMCLk1tXSYW-Si3jU4y2XdPACLcBGAsYHQ/s1146/Sophieo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="872" data-original-width="1146" height="304" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1D0fKIqz958/YHXgKtoqr0I/AAAAAAAAS-U/yhdU1h0AywMCLk1tXSYW-Si3jU4y2XdPACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h304/Sophieo.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="text-align: left;">Marinka and the House by Elisa Paganelli</span><br style="text-align: left;" /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AyfxeMQNV4k/YHXgSfQ7qJI/AAAAAAAAS-Y/xIcgA3RsAugqvM2X-ncVmoPU12Spgkn9wCLcBGAsYHQ/s1380/Sophiep.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="481" data-original-width="1380" height="140" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AyfxeMQNV4k/YHXgSfQ7qJI/AAAAAAAAS-Y/xIcgA3RsAugqvM2X-ncVmoPU12Spgkn9wCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h140/Sophiep.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="text-align: left;">The House with Chicken Legs by Elisa Paganelli</span><br style="text-align: left;" /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><b>One key message that seems to lie at the heart of your stories is what makes a family and how the strongest bonds needn’t be of blood but of love and understanding. In your stories, although the protagonists suffer hardships, what is it about companionships in fairy tales and reality that you find powerful?<br /></b><br />I think meeting people and becoming friends – whether with characters in stories or in real life – can help us understand both others and ourselves. We all have shared experiences; hopes, dreams, and fears.<br /><br />It can be hugely comforting to realize we are not alone, and that there are others who are walking similar paths, and who can guide, help and support us.<br /><br />And through our own efforts to help and support others, we can often find inner wisdom and strength that perhaps we didn’t know we had.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W2nXAMMogDo/YHXhNB6qlVI/AAAAAAAAS-o/6Jr6BspIVf49JqVvVN5gqpdzFY-h0hn6QCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210413_192001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1625" data-original-width="2048" height="318" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W2nXAMMogDo/YHXhNB6qlVI/AAAAAAAAS-o/6Jr6BspIVf49JqVvVN5gqpdzFY-h0hn6QCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h318/20210413_192001.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="text-align: left;">The Herd, by Kathrin Honesta.</span><br style="text-align: left;" /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><b>I am always fascinated by where and how people work. Is it possible to see where you spend your days writing and talk a little about this space and what it means to you?<br /></b><br />Up until about a year ago, I mostly worked in a corner of our living room, at a small standing desk (so that my youngest children couldn’t reach my laptop and papers). But since then we have moved into a bigger home and have been able to dedicate one room purely to books, which is an absolute dream. We call it the library of course, and it holds the vast majority of our family books, a comfy reading chair, and I have a small desk in one corner.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QQQ2ieBvgNk/YHXhqnwuvHI/AAAAAAAAS-w/ba4zpFfOTUsGnWV56w1WDT8ChlhIsUQjwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1374/Sophier.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1030" data-original-width="1374" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QQQ2ieBvgNk/YHXhqnwuvHI/AAAAAAAAS-w/ba4zpFfOTUsGnWV56w1WDT8ChlhIsUQjwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/Sophier.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vJg1edKhLaQ/YHXhvIOZlGI/AAAAAAAAS-0/zbmzPXdCgDs7STuPXSl6XVJ_pl_cI0_iQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1378/Sophies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1032" data-original-width="1378" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vJg1edKhLaQ/YHXhvIOZlGI/AAAAAAAAS-0/zbmzPXdCgDs7STuPXSl6XVJ_pl_cI0_iQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/Sophies.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zRfz8H4v6iQ/YHXh0H01rFI/AAAAAAAAS-4/pROEdtmzN1Ix8kvh2oQalb__RuFoGdXkwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1378/Sophiet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1032" data-original-width="1378" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zRfz8H4v6iQ/YHXh0H01rFI/AAAAAAAAS-4/pROEdtmzN1Ix8kvh2oQalb__RuFoGdXkwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/Sophiet.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_pnREBy2FnM/YHXh39lLGWI/AAAAAAAAS-8/Yt-bRo_YCBI65PBHr4EvsQqqMi9C4n44gCLcBGAsYHQ/s1378/Sophieu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1032" data-original-width="1378" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_pnREBy2FnM/YHXh39lLGWI/AAAAAAAAS-8/Yt-bRo_YCBI65PBHr4EvsQqqMi9C4n44gCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/Sophieu.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>I do often like to spread out books and papers however, so frequently find myself working on the floor beside my desk. The library room feels like ‘my’ space, but it is also absolutely a family space; I love that my children will come to visit me to play a board game, do a puzzle, or read while I work.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OzbNxytheWA/YHXiOWG0PKI/AAAAAAAAS_I/4rjcrxgc_k0oyDtOT-1CYhPGBInY7r3dwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1088/Sophiev.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1088" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OzbNxytheWA/YHXiOWG0PKI/AAAAAAAAS_I/4rjcrxgc_k0oyDtOT-1CYhPGBInY7r3dwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/Sophiev.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><b>On to our penultimate question.If you could put one book of traditional tales in the hands of an adult reader and one in the hands of a younger reader, which would they be and why would you choose them in particular?<br /></b><br />You’d get a different answer every day from me with this question! Today, it shall be the same book for both older and younger readers:<i> Gender Swapped Fairy Tales</i> by Karrie Fransman and Jonathan Plackett. The book uses Andrew Lang’s text of traditional tales, but all gendered language has been switched.<br /><br />I think it’s a wonderful way of introducing the magic of traditional tales while making readers think about how stereotypes in old (and new) tales can be problematic. In the true tradition of oral storytelling, it is playful, showing how these tales are our heritage, but they are not, nor should be, set in stone, and we should feel free to adapt and reimagine them to better portray the world we live in today and enable a wider audience to connect with the wisdom in these tales.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EZ7ju3hz570/YHXkg9yonNI/AAAAAAAAS_Q/lWx3aZnEbLoNXxI740Dl08NgkVinBhh7wCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/91qjbiI4vDL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1335" data-original-width="2048" height="261" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EZ7ju3hz570/YHXkg9yonNI/AAAAAAAAS_Q/lWx3aZnEbLoNXxI740Dl08NgkVinBhh7wCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h261/91qjbiI4vDL.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6OHl8jqw1-8/YHXk35lYVwI/AAAAAAAAS_Y/liNHKfmExSI8SYsKuPVylJYuP_6L0ks4QCLcBGAsYHQ/s719/Sophiex.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="269" data-original-width="719" height="150" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6OHl8jqw1-8/YHXk35lYVwI/AAAAAAAAS_Y/liNHKfmExSI8SYsKuPVylJYuP_6L0ks4QCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h150/Sophiex.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><b>This seems a lovely time to raise the collaboration project that you are a part of around <i>The Mab</i>. Can you give us a little insight into how you became a part of this project, what the stories mean to you and a little on the retelling you are working on?<br /></b><br />I am hugely excited about The Mab. The stories of The Mabinogion are so important to me. I grew up with these stories and heard them from my mother and my maternal grandfather many times. We had several books with the tales in too.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://unbound.com/books/the-mab/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="1500" height="134" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fHBk9TaPhT4/YHXlMmPhoNI/AAAAAAAAS_g/tgB1Xk0DxKkeWOZP_5oo1HPj_V4W-c1uACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h134/157739593_363060398443008_6135271251190773115_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://unbound.com/books/the-mab/" target="_blank">Click here to go to the pledge page</a></i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />For years I’ve wanted to write something inspired by the stories of <i>The Mabinogion</i>. But I’ve been busy with my Russian-inspired books, so have always pushed the thought away into ‘maybe one day’.<br /><br />Then Matt Brown got in touch with me about <i>The Mab</i>, an idea he had to retell all the stories of The Mabinogion for young readers. He wanted to involve lots of Welsh writers, and I jumped at the opportunity. I think it’s so important these tales are passed on to the next generation, and there is a definite need for child-friendly retellings, that will appeal to, and excite, the readers of today.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--1BTMHX91MA/YHXl7Xl1VDI/AAAAAAAAS_o/lfucoHdJWTwzYsFTdNkLbGSyoYiqs0iWACLcBGAsYHQ/s640/22673538886_8531d27a81_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="280" data-original-width="640" height="175" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--1BTMHX91MA/YHXl7Xl1VDI/AAAAAAAAS_o/lfucoHdJWTwzYsFTdNkLbGSyoYiqs0iWACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h175/22673538886_8531d27a81_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Source: Unknown</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />I chose to rewrite the story of Branwen, Daughter of Llŷr, which involves a magical cauldron of rebirth, a girl who can talk to birds, and a giant who wades across an ocean to help his sister. It’s a beautiful, bittersweet story about holding on to love and kindness, even through cruelty and war and surviving to be reborn anew.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Am4VphCXXbU/YHXmR0qQZMI/AAAAAAAAS_w/n2NjQVv-Dasx9jR9pq-n5oga1-SZ5UUoQCLcBGAsYHQ/s418/1275023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="418" data-original-width="318" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Am4VphCXXbU/YHXmR0qQZMI/AAAAAAAAS_w/n2NjQVv-Dasx9jR9pq-n5oga1-SZ5UUoQCLcBGAsYHQ/w304-h400/1275023.jpg" width="304" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It was quite daunting to write, as <i>The Mabinogion</i> is so important to Welsh culture and heritage. I wanted to stay fairly close to the original, but tone down the violence and return some of Branwen’s agency and power that I believe has been diminished by Christian, patriarchal retellings. I massively enjoyed the challenge however, am proud of my story, and can’t wait to read everyone else’s. The Mab is going to be something very special.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i>Thank you so much, Sophie for such a rich and fascinating overview of your writing life and your writing of #TheGirlWhoSpeaksBear. To read <a href="https://mattobin.blogspot.com/2021/04/the-girl-who-speaks-bear-yankas-past-is.html" target="_blank">my own review</a> of the book read here and click on the link at the end to watch an insightful video that Sophie took part in for the <a href="https://carnegiegreenaway.org.uk/books/the-girl-who-speaks-bear/" target="_blank">CILIP Carnegie Medal</a></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br />Mat Tobinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03409658334620463763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83069909578853028.post-34990188414685759442021-04-07T07:29:00.000-07:002021-04-07T08:56:44.600-07:00<h2 style="text-align: center;">The Girl Who Speaks Bear</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vXcnwLemDvY/YGsWrCZH9EI/AAAAAAAASlM/yYvQyi82pfEt5SyCqej5Rb8CQzplT6pvgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210330_085430.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vXcnwLemDvY/YGsWrCZH9EI/AAAAAAAASlM/yYvQyi82pfEt5SyCqej5Rb8CQzplT6pvgCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/20210330_085430.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>Yanka’s past is steeped in folkloric mystery. From bear kings and queens to wish-granting trees and fiery three-headed dragons, her story stands upon the borders of reality and fantasy. When Yanka wakes up one day to find that her legs are no longer the normal legs of a twelve-year-old but those of a bear, she realises that she must leave one realm for another in order to uncover her past and reclaim her future. <i>The Girl Who Speaks Bear </i>is Sophie Anderson at her finest once more: fantasy and folktale are threaded into a story that explores what it means to belong and what we truly mean when we talk about family.<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fVjuJwajLtE/YGsXr-EB80I/AAAAAAAASlc/ET5Zspq0iTELUDr_E-C_VkIpSRkAhvOHACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210405_145543.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fVjuJwajLtE/YGsXr-EB80I/AAAAAAAASlc/ET5Zspq0iTELUDr_E-C_VkIpSRkAhvOHACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/20210405_145543.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The tale begins in a snow-capped village that rests at the edge of a forest. Here, the residents are preparing for the start of The Big Melt. Whilst the community has hibernated within their homes for the past six months, the Great Frozen River begins to thaw and the Snow Forest opens up for exploration. For many, this is a chance of a new beginning and harvesting of the land but for Yanka's Mamochka, her foster mother, it is also a time of concern for she knows that the forest is calling to her daughter and she is worried that if Yanka goes, she might never come back. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TTUYe3LV5mA/YGsYNnpnOKI/AAAAAAAASlk/3efkPfznv98FR8aCXzX74or0IOGz8npfACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210405_145621.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TTUYe3LV5mA/YGsYNnpnOKI/AAAAAAAASlk/3efkPfznv98FR8aCXzX74or0IOGz8npfACLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/20210405_145621.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eSfpBIwjKfg/YGsYYQn6K-I/AAAAAAAASlo/e2F_b0wnoko-KyfI2tLxtU8vugr7NymmQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210405_145634.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eSfpBIwjKfg/YGsYYQn6K-I/AAAAAAAASlo/e2F_b0wnoko-KyfI2tLxtU8vugr7NymmQCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/20210405_145634.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div><div>The community has always been kind to Yanka, ever since her foster mother found her seemingly abandoned in the forest when she was a toddler. But as she has grown, she has not only felt like an outsider but has looked like one too. Bigger, broader, taller and stronger than most of the community, Yanka feels the burden of not fitting in and whilst her best friend, Sasha, sees past these differences, some mock her. </div><div><br /></div><div>One person who seems to understand the changes Yanka is going through is Anatoly, a hunter who lives throughout the forest and whose stories Yanka adores. Through his tales, beautifully presented throughout the novel, Yanka begins to slowly piece together the threads of her history and understands that the answers to the questions of who she is and where she is meant to be lies deep within the heart of the Snow Forest. <br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zufw8wsqwmQ/YGsZMPA-7mI/AAAAAAAASlw/3pLRJvIebBAUaEXigS9m2pOXiQ2YfRL6gCLcBGAsYHQ/s2789/20210405_150327.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1128" data-original-width="2789" height="161" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zufw8wsqwmQ/YGsZMPA-7mI/AAAAAAAASlw/3pLRJvIebBAUaEXigS9m2pOXiQ2YfRL6gCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h161/20210405_150327.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div>When Yanka wakes up one day to find that her legs have transformed into those of a bear she is left with an ultimatum: follow her Mamochka on a plane and head to the nearest hospital for treatment or find the truth in Anatoly's fairy tales and discover her past. She does what any child who believes in the power of stories would do and heads off into the Snow Forest. </div><div><br /></div><div>As Yanka journeys, her magical legs provide a connection to the land she had never contemplated: she finds she can hear and understand the forest and its denizens. In true traditional tale form, Yanka is joined by a host of creatures to support her on her way and on her voyage to discover her past, Yanka also finds out what is meant by family and how no path ever has to be walked alone.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WkBY_PzX2D0/YGsa4s45hmI/AAAAAAAASl8/EXjNndZVxQMVgAgvIpS7MPMeldgCeZLNACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210405_150842.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1555" data-original-width="2048" height="304" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WkBY_PzX2D0/YGsa4s45hmI/AAAAAAAASl8/EXjNndZVxQMVgAgvIpS7MPMeldgCeZLNACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h304/20210405_150842.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><i>The Girl Who Speaks Bear</i>, Sophie’s second book but the third novel of hers that I have read, cements what we already knew: here is a writer who is not only a fine storyteller but one who understands how stories can invite us to value and love ourselves for who we are and not what others make of us.</div><div><br /></div><div>Sophie’s characters are often caught in that liminal space between the private, adult world - where knowledge is hidden or withheld - and the child’s world from which they are steadily growing out of. Her stories then are between worlds in more ways than one and a central message throughout all her transitional journeys is that you never have to travel them alone. There is always someone there to support you; you just have to have to be brave and wise enough to accept it. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MV00RwjnAiI/YGsbY30NfpI/AAAAAAAASmE/GuWTE-2rSjwgn0QuAHeEEZ1duYCo7dI3gCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210405_151017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1201" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MV00RwjnAiI/YGsbY30NfpI/AAAAAAAASmE/GuWTE-2rSjwgn0QuAHeEEZ1duYCo7dI3gCLcBGAsYHQ/w235-h400/20210405_151017.jpg" width="235" /></a></div><div>To say <i>The Girl Who Speaks Bear </i>is ‘charming’, ‘exciting’ or 'fun' is doing it a great disservice. It affirms, it guides and it welcomes all readers into a world full of adventure and secrets whilst assuring them that whenever we are on any quest, we never have to go it alone. A journey shared is a far richer and less formidable one. This is a beautiful message for any reader to take away because as we traverse these landscapes: from the childhood fantastic – to the realities of adolescence then the terrain can become treacherous and oblique. Growing up, I would have felt much better knowing that I never had to make that trip alone.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DWfPMNF-Zg8/YGseiiswz9I/AAAAAAAASmM/Mbpj7r8bceQMewWAE4HxrEIwjkIwKZbdACLcBGAsYHQ/s1440/bullfinch-on-branch-wtml-00071-john-bridges.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="1440" height="225" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DWfPMNF-Zg8/YGseiiswz9I/AAAAAAAASmM/Mbpj7r8bceQMewWAE4HxrEIwjkIwKZbdACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h225/bullfinch-on-branch-wtml-00071-john-bridges.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bullfinch photo was taken from the Woodand Trust website. Credit: John Bridges</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The illustrations throughout this blog can be found in #TheGirlWhoSpeaksBear and are the work of the highly talented Kathrin Honesta (Insta: @kathrinhonestaa)<br /><br /></div></div>Mat Tobinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03409658334620463763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83069909578853028.post-86053557655495867912021-04-03T08:43:00.000-07:002021-04-07T08:57:04.122-07:00An Interview with Kereen Getten on writing When Life Gives You Mangoes<div class="separator">When I began reading <i>When Life Gives You Mangoes</i>, I knew I had encountered a special voice with a gift for weaving character and place together to the point where they became inseparable. Clara and Gaynah have a love/hate relationship in the sleepy village of Sycamore, Jamaica and when an outsider, Rudy, arrives on the island, a dark, hidden secret slowly waits to be unravelled. As with all great books, <i>When Life Gives You Mangoes</i> stays with you long after your first reading and invites you to return again and again.</div> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kNBDyasBy9w/YG3Mr2AX8-I/AAAAAAAASpE/0-zP0KizVnkTs1VzvzYfrU2dxbZCtXnqQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1024/Kereen-Getten-2-1024x1024.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kNBDyasBy9w/YG3Mr2AX8-I/AAAAAAAASpE/0-zP0KizVnkTs1VzvzYfrU2dxbZCtXnqQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h400/Kereen-Getten-2-1024x1024.jpeg" title="Photo of Kereen taken from Madeline Milburn Literary Agency" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="text-align: start;">Photo of Kereen taken from Madeline Milburn Literary Agency</span><br style="text-align: start;" /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>I have been very fortunate in being able to ask Kereen some questions about the creation of the story and her approach to the writing process:<br /><br /><b>Can you share with us a little about Clara’s character, how she came to be, and why you chose to tell the story through a first-person narrative?<br /></b><br />Clara’s voice was always meant to be told in first person. I rarely write any other way. I find first person more personal, and I am able to really delve into the mind of the character and give the reader the same access. Clara came about because I wanted to write a story about my home town in Jamaica. I also wanted to write about childhood friendships. But it took some time before I actually found Clara’s voice. Even after I wrote the story, I still hadn’t found her voice. It was while editing that the voice came to me. I was reading the beginning where she and Gaynah were talking on the hill, and this really cross voice came into my head. It just said ‘I don’t care if her hair is on fire.’ And that was the beginning of Clara’s voice.<br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xI_KOcvonr0/YG3OGI-_1SI/AAAAAAAASpg/kNLYhy9y9RwaQsUs-HlqvdJoPsp5gS9fgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1840/Image%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1840" data-original-width="1380" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xI_KOcvonr0/YG3OGI-_1SI/AAAAAAAASpg/kNLYhy9y9RwaQsUs-HlqvdJoPsp5gS9fgCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/Image%2B1.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div><b>I know the fishing village is based upon your childhood community in Jamaica. When you look back to your childhood there what sounds and sights spring to mind?<br /></b><br />When I think about my childhood home, I see the view of the sea in the distance, the curve of the island to the right and maybe a ship coming into to port. I hear birds chirping in the afternoon breeze, the odd dog barking and maybe someone playing music in the distance. Sometimes that music comes from our house. I hear the cock crowing; I see blue skies and feel the hot sun on my skin.<br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MGgedIcATlk/YG3Obu-RpfI/AAAAAAAASpo/xgGYr7TU9t4eRjT62CvFnC-uDiRTG-SxACLcBGAsYHQ/s720/Image%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MGgedIcATlk/YG3Obu-RpfI/AAAAAAAASpo/xgGYr7TU9t4eRjT62CvFnC-uDiRTG-SxACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/Image%2B2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><b>I loved how Eldorath and Rudy just ‘got’ each other. In what ways do you find they are similar and/or different?<br /></b><br />I felt that Rudy and Eldorath were similar in that they were ostracised for being different in both their communities, but they both remained happy, positive people who didn’t allow the negative thoughts of others to change them. They were both true to themselves and unapologetically so. They were different in that Rudy had a sense of naivety about her, while Eldorath didn’t. Eldorath was very aware of how the world worked and very aware of how he was perceived by society and why. This affected where he went and what he did. Rudy didn’t have that awareness. She had been protected by her mother and so believed everything her mother told her about the world.<br /><br /><b>I especially loved how the community would gather at Clara’s parents’ house during the evenings to eat, drink, sing and dance. Was this something that you experienced during your childhood too? If you had the opportunity to invite your readers to listen to the same music you did growing up, what would it be?<br /></b><br />Yes, this was very much what happened. Our house was at the highest point and we had the biggest front yard. People were always at our house sitting on the veranda way into the evening eating, drinking and catching up while music played in the background.<br /><br />I would invite readers to listen to Peter Tosh, Beres Hammond, Marcia Griffiths, Bunny Wailer, Freddie Mcgregor and Tarrus Riley. Those are the artists the adults often played around us.<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6jV8FWoaytM" width="320" youtube-src-id="6jV8FWoaytM"></iframe></div><div><b>I felt that Sycamore and its surroundings were characters in themselves. How important was it that these settings carried their own sense of place?<br /></b><br />I really wanted to give a sense of place. I wanted the reader to be able to see the place in their mind. I wanted them to feel the emotion of the place because I felt Clara had strong emotions when she was in these places. I think that’s how they became characters in themselves. By giving the places emotions, and their own story, they became their own character.<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B_tRYtcU8eM/YG3QNzJeG3I/AAAAAAAASpw/ovZJnon0qwE3fO7tl_QAMqAV6DqiCpBWACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/EkwrBCTWAAAtfPT.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B_tRYtcU8eM/YG3QNzJeG3I/AAAAAAAASpw/ovZJnon0qwE3fO7tl_QAMqAV6DqiCpBWACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/EkwrBCTWAAAtfPT.jpeg" /></a></div><b>Before writing the story itself, did you have an overall structure to the plot, and did any events /characters end up taking the story down a route you had not anticipated?<br /></b><br />Before I started writing, all I knew was it was going to be about friendship in my home town. I hadn’t made an outline, I just went with it and followed the story wherever it took me. I think when I thought of the character Eldorath, the story really took a different tone. Eldorath came to me clear as day. How I saw him in my head in that moment is exactly how he stayed in the story. He really changed the course of the story.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NueuaQ6ld00/YG3Q3rLUl6I/AAAAAAAASp4/842LBdRuo5IkNTq30bR6oE58JVJU9PVEQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/EkwrA_pXEAAQgwZ.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NueuaQ6ld00/YG3Q3rLUl6I/AAAAAAAASp4/842LBdRuo5IkNTq30bR6oE58JVJU9PVEQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/EkwrA_pXEAAQgwZ.jpeg" /></a></div><b>There is a beautiful moment in your acknowledgements in which your son, Tristan, encouraged you to send your manuscript (thank goodness he did!). As a writer, who are your most trusted critics, and were there any challenges when it came to editing the book?<br /></b><br />I honestly don’t have anyone I regularly send my work to look at which sometimes I wish I did. For Mangoes, I sent it to a writer friend and a friend’s child, but normally I write it, then send it to my agent so I guess she is my trusted critic. She tells me what works and what doesn’t.<br /><br /><b>Can we expect to have more stories set in Jamaica in the future?<br /></b><br />Yes, my next few MG books will still be set in Jamaica. I wrote a historic MG for Scholastic as part of their Voices series called <i>Two Sisters</i>, and I am currently editing my next contemporary set in Jamaica. This one is about a young girl who receives letters from her mother who passed, and the letters take her on an emotional and physical journey that help shape who she becomes.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w-hqPBUncvI/YG3RYOjvGLI/AAAAAAAASqA/G6l0pcNlinwFT438l-hUX9L4c8OVPLiowCLcBGAsYHQ/s500/9780702301841.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="326" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w-hqPBUncvI/YG3RYOjvGLI/AAAAAAAASqA/G6l0pcNlinwFT438l-hUX9L4c8OVPLiowCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/9780702301841.jpg" /></a></div><b>I always find it inspiring to see where authors and illustrators work. Do you have a certain area in which the writing process takes place?<br /></b><br />I’ve always had a desk to write on but rarely use it. Most of my writing has been in bed, or on my phone somewhere but rarely ever at my desk.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bJ2Sn34UUaA/YG3Rp7slXuI/AAAAAAAASqI/QlZ3v1x5MC0rsVEkOEGrUiw-W5VxJ2H2QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1840/Image%2B3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1840" data-original-width="1380" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bJ2Sn34UUaA/YG3Rp7slXuI/AAAAAAAASqI/QlZ3v1x5MC0rsVEkOEGrUiw-W5VxJ2H2QCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Image%2B3.jpg" /></a></div><b>If there was a sensation, place, or moment from Jamaica that you could bring to your home in Birmingham and share with your family, what would it be?<br /></b><br />There is this feeling you get when the sun is warming your skin but it's not too hot, early morning or late afternoon. It's quiet all around you except for a slight breeze in the trees, or the sound of the waves lapping on to the shore. It’s a moment of complete contentment. You feel at peace. I would bring that feeling here.<br /><br /><b>Finally, Afoma asks some great questions<a href="https://readingmiddlegrade.com/kereen-getten-author-interview/"> here</a> so why don’t I end with what ‘is’ your favourite chocolate?<br /></b><br />Thank you, I’ve been waiting for my moment! This could be quite controversial but <b><i>Bounty</i></b>. Hands down. The only other chocolate to compete with <b><i>Bounty </i></b>is <b><i>Aeros</i></b>.<br /><br />Thank you SO much for answering my questions, Kereen. It’s so kind of you and I wish you the very best with your future writing.<div><br /></div><div><br /><div><br /></div><div><b>When Life Gives you Mangoes</b> is published by <a href="https://pushkinpress.com/books/when-life-gives-you-mangoes/" target="_blank">Pushkin Children's Books </a>and has been Longlisted for the <a href="https://www.jhalakprize.com/childrens-ya" target="_blank">Jhalak Prize</a>, 2021. </div></div>Mat Tobinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03409658334620463763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83069909578853028.post-85557784444190822182021-03-23T08:50:00.003-07:002021-03-23T08:50:51.702-07:00<h2 style="text-align: center;">When Life Gives You Mangoes</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-POB3MFTBopU/YFnw-5K3WGI/AAAAAAAASZQ/wHdm3Vs1-JAMjJ1YS91ZIZMWBgd34oq5gCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210323_134356.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-POB3MFTBopU/YFnw-5K3WGI/AAAAAAAASZQ/wHdm3Vs1-JAMjJ1YS91ZIZMWBgd34oq5gCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/20210323_134356.jpg" /></a></div>Clara lives in Sycamore, a small village set within Hanover, Jamaica. It is a place where everyone knows your name, in which nothing exciting happens and no one new ever appears. So when Rudy, a girl Clara’s age, moves in with her mother from London, it ushers in a fresh sense of excitement into the whole community. However, whilst Rudy’s arrival and bubbly nature breathes new life into Sycamore, it also unearths a dark past that lies beneath the hot tarmac of its roads and cool sea surf. <div><br /></div><div>Memories, long buried in landscape and mindscapes begin to surface and Clara’s quest to discover the secrets hidden at the top of Sycamore hill involuntarily threaten to expose those she had entombed in recesses of her memories from last summer. A storm is brewing in Sycamore: it comes in sea and wind and torrential rains but it also whirls in a community's memory-collective too.<i> When Life Gives You Mangoes </i>is as multi-layered and as rich as the parishes of Jamaica itself and Getten masterfully threads a complex narrative of recollection and loss within a landscape that is as beguiling as it is secretive.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wSMTZ0WDdKo/YFnxkqRUc7I/AAAAAAAASZY/Fv3RzK5IOSM0LDL5QPxnvNiE52IjBhF4ACLcBGAsYHQ/s1261/Mangoes%2B1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="777" data-original-width="1261" height="246" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wSMTZ0WDdKo/YFnxkqRUc7I/AAAAAAAASZY/Fv3RzK5IOSM0LDL5QPxnvNiE52IjBhF4ACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h246/Mangoes%2B1.png" title="Image from Fort Charlotte - taken by B. DC. & shared on Google Earth" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Image of <a href="https://earth.google.com/web/search/fort+charlotte+Hanover,+Jamaica/@18.45269598,-78.16564199,4.74820785a,220.86870805d,35y,-90.35676012h,44.99014097t,0r/data=CooBGmASWgolMHg4ZWQ5OWQ5YTBkYTBiY2NkOjB4NjczMzkxYTg4NjdiYjM4ZhkVeUjnsnMyQCFlxttKr4pTwCofZm9ydCBjaGFybG90dGUgSGFub3ZlciwgSmFtYWljYRgBIAEiJgokCd-zE7EtdDJAEaQ_WSOWcDJAGR7qtOUoilPAIbIVHjWSi1PA" target="_blank">Fort Charlotte </a>taken from Google Earth and uploaded by B. DC.</div><div><br />Set across twenty-six short chapters, the story opens with Clara’s first-person narrative presenting us with an overview of Sycamore, the small group of friends she plays with and other key residents in the community. From fashion-conscious Gaynah to the friendly surf-boarder, Calvin, these are a tight group whose friendship is tested with the arrival of Rudy and her mother who move in with the elderly, cantankerous Ms. Gee. In parallel, a different kind of tension rubs cumbrously between Pastor Brown and Clara’s uncle, Eldorath who lives at the top of the hill in the old plantation house. </div><div><br /></div><div>How these older tensions connect to the friction within the dynamics of friendship is one of the main narrative threads within <i>When Life Gives You Mangoes.</i> The first person narrative approach only heightens this tension and mystery since we’re only invited to see and hear the world from Clara’s perspective which remains complex and troubled. Why? Because whilst she might be willing to explore her uncle's past she is subconsciously desperate to keep her own memories from last summer buried.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_FRbJVBHy9c/YFnylBnAq1I/AAAAAAAASZg/ywKvyckDSAMjTg4huwKOn1I2jfkhumPPgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1310/Mangoes%2B2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="826" data-original-width="1310" height="253" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_FRbJVBHy9c/YFnylBnAq1I/AAAAAAAASZg/ywKvyckDSAMjTg4huwKOn1I2jfkhumPPgCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h253/Mangoes%2B2.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Image taken from <a href="https://earth.google.com/web/search/fort+charlotte+Hanover,+Jamaica/@18.45318864,-78.16975449,6.17411088a,653.10669234d,35y,-90.35951361h,44.99288909t,0r/data=CooBGmASWgolMHg4ZWQ5OWQ5YTBkYTBiY2NkOjB4NjczMzkxYTg4NjdiYjM4ZhkVeUjnsnMyQCFlxttKr4pTwCofZm9ydCBjaGFybG90dGUgSGFub3ZlciwgSmFtYWljYRgBIAEiJgokCd-zE7EtdDJAEaQ_WSOWcDJAGR7qtOUoilPAIbIVHjWSi1PA" target="_blank">Lucea, Hanover</a>. The story is full of doorways and secret places. Image by Dave Campbell taken from Google Earth</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>What Getten has created here is a complex, perfectly-tempered story on the allusiveness of memory and how a community's history is irrevocably tied to its sense of place. Having spent her own childhood in Jamaica and around the different parish settings in the story, Getten’s landscape is as vivid and alive as one could hope for. In fact it felt so real that I spent countless hours on <a href="https://earth.google.com/web/search/fort+charlotte+Hanover,+Jamaica/@18.45440587,-78.1653172,0.4060812a,1673.14343006d,35y,-117.73067623h,15.87777448t,0r/data=CooBGmASWgolMHg4ZWQ5OWQ5YTBkYTBiY2NkOjB4NjczMzkxYTg4NjdiYjM4ZhkVeUjnsnMyQCFlxttKr4pTwCofZm9ydCBjaGFybG90dGUgSGFub3ZlciwgSmFtYWljYRgBIAEiJgokCd-zE7EtdDJAEaQ_WSOWcDJAGR7qtOUoilPAIbIVHjWSi1PA" target="_blank">Google Earth</a> exploring the surroundings. With thanks to Sophie Anderson, I also found that the author had shared <a href="https://twitter.com/kereengetten/status/1311599158466314240?s=20" target="_blank">some images </a>from the area too – bringing me one step closer to Clara’s world.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B-oCnNbrEds/YFnzc9UqxcI/AAAAAAAASZo/E3JOxyl161weGZB7Spl3oBCw7qf7X4WTACLcBGAsYHQ/s1551/Mangoes%2B3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="1551" height="204" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B-oCnNbrEds/YFnzc9UqxcI/AAAAAAAASZo/E3JOxyl161weGZB7Spl3oBCw7qf7X4WTACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h204/Mangoes%2B3.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Image taken from the coast of <a href="https://earth.google.com/web/search/fort+charlotte+Hanover,+Jamaica/@18.4534571,-78.1863367,6.09679192a,1422.11797664d,35y,165.74665616h,26.11332173t,-0r/data=CooBGmASWgolMHg4ZWQ5OWQ5YTBkYTBiY2NkOjB4NjczMzkxYTg4NjdiYjM4ZhkVeUjnsnMyQCFlxttKr4pTwCofZm9ydCBjaGFybG90dGUgSGFub3ZlciwgSmFtYWljYRgBIAEiJgokCd-zE7EtdDJAEaQ_WSOWcDJAGR7qtOUoilPAIbIVHjWSi1PA" target="_blank">Lucea, Hanover</a>. Photo by Rhonda Roseonda taken from Google Earth</div><div><br />Whilst many of us might consider home as safe and secure, in Clara’s mind it is convoluted with hidden memories, problematic histories and meanings. <i>When Life Gives You Mangoes</i> is a story that examines the complexity of home and community, of revealing hidden histories and the power to change and challenge the stories upon whose foundations they are built. It is an exploration of what has been lost and hidden but also what we have yet to be discovered. Whether Clara’s family and friends can help her come to terms with these revelations is something you will have to find out but I promise you that her journey is unforgettable and one that will stay with you for a very long time.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bEpPhrgxFGY/YFn0JpcU5PI/AAAAAAAASZw/EEuf7KuPZewuOFUVKdHcCEBFMM-HfRa6ACLcBGAsYHQ/s1678/charlotte3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="789" data-original-width="1678" height="188" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bEpPhrgxFGY/YFn0JpcU5PI/AAAAAAAASZw/EEuf7KuPZewuOFUVKdHcCEBFMM-HfRa6ACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h188/charlotte3.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">You will end up finding where this is in the book...</div><br /><div>When Life Gives You Mangoes is published by <a href="https://pushkinpress.com/books/when-life-gives-you-mangoes/" target="_blank">Pushkin Press</a> and has been shortlisted for the <a href="https://www.jhalakprize.com/childrens-ya" target="_blank">Jhalak Children's and YA Prize</a></div></div>Mat Tobinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03409658334620463763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83069909578853028.post-70864871013702614102021-03-07T07:28:00.004-08:002021-03-07T07:28:46.250-08:00The Tale of the Whale<h2 style="text-align: center;"><b>The Tale of the Whale</b></h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mv90yI-ISaM/YEToFkjZgUI/AAAAAAAASIk/GBZaIVrNhaIjjlrflUNIfncBZ08fdFvjACPcBGAsYHg/s4032/20210306_145644.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2476" data-original-width="4032" height="246" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mv90yI-ISaM/YEToFkjZgUI/AAAAAAAASIk/GBZaIVrNhaIjjlrflUNIfncBZ08fdFvjACPcBGAsYHg/w400-h246/20210306_145644.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Literature has a gift for making the vague, clear and that which is distant (culturally, geographically, historically and emotionally), present. It invites us to connect emotionally with words and worlds we may have forgotten or never knew existed. It also invites us look afresh at who and where we are and affirm or reconsider through reflection. Often though, and this is where it can be at its most potent, it shows us a world which has been in front of us all the time but we could not see because of where and how we were looking. <div><br />In Swann and Padmacandra’s #TheTaleoftheWhale, ‘<i>Where land becomes sky and the sky becomes sea</i>’ a young child is invited, by a visiting whale, to journey through the seas and oceans in order to discover its hidden treasures. What these are and how we imagine these treasures to look is, perhaps, central to the tale's message. This is a story of a voyage and a return; a poetic narrative picturebook with rolling rhymes & lush mixed-media illustrations.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>A treat for both the eye, the ear and the mind, #TheTaleoftheWhale opens with a beautiful wrap-around cover of a child (whose gender is never disclosed) riding upon the back of a baleen whale (check out those bumpy, hair follicles). On the back spread, a polar bear and their cub seem content but the ice they stand on looks perilously small leaving them with a sense of isolation...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1odZzv90C3Q/YETo9b-NzBI/AAAAAAAASIs/0EDJ3cWtdocg79lMgrTqPNhw1Ae2b49oQCPcBGAsYHg/s3460/20210306_145634.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3460" data-original-width="2969" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1odZzv90C3Q/YETo9b-NzBI/AAAAAAAASIs/0EDJ3cWtdocg79lMgrTqPNhw1Ae2b49oQCPcBGAsYHg/w344-h400/20210306_145634.jpg" width="344" /></a></div><div>Past a beautiful endpaper we arrive at the half title page. I want to stop here because it shows us how these additional extras in a picturebook can play an integral part of the story. Here, we spot a lone gull flying towards to following page. This bird is the reader's guide through the narrative - seek it out as we sail through the story; it draws our eye with purpose more than the child does. The 'why' of this is something to consider at the end.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4fR_LJ_xp0o/YETpUk8AfGI/AAAAAAAASI0/m_qdI8wa5wk_Ba5swbNaXxuJxvNvQAHBgCPcBGAsYHg/s4032/20210304_195045.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2630" data-original-width="4032" height="261" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4fR_LJ_xp0o/YETpUk8AfGI/AAAAAAAASI0/m_qdI8wa5wk_Ba5swbNaXxuJxvNvQAHBgCPcBGAsYHg/w400-h261/20210304_195045.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></div><div>The main title page, alongside the dedication and copyright elements, share one of the most creative title page spreads I have encountered in a picturebook. An urban spread sits on the left - buildings loom against the backdrop. Some are dark and empty and a few have lights on. A large shop, selling local produce perhaps, is nestled at he front whilst outside, a recycling lorry is fed waste.</div><div> <br />On the right side we spy a child sprinting up a curved path towards a lighthouse. Below, people play upon the beach – but what are the odd white flecks dotted upon the sand? Never mind, we’re too distracted with the child’s journey and that unusual, chalk-faced cliff-side. Does it remind of anything? What sedimentary creature is cresting this sandy surface? Is this a subtle invitation for the illustrator to look twice and check the landscape for hidden secrets before moving on? </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JwvS46E3upA/YETpusRKhDI/AAAAAAAASI8/CkjLv0CC47sq0wn-r6VPYIuom00OegKBQCPcBGAsYHg/s3931/20210306_145623.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2476" data-original-width="3931" height="253" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JwvS46E3upA/YETpusRKhDI/AAAAAAAASI8/CkjLv0CC47sq0wn-r6VPYIuom00OegKBQCPcBGAsYHg/w400-h253/20210306_145623.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div>On the first narrative spread, our two protagonists meet. The whale’s ‘sweet-sounding’ song bubbles through the air as the child joyously watches on. There’s our gull companion too, flying off over the sea’s expanse towards an open horizon. Why has the whale come and what does he want to take the child to see? Below, he wears a look of nervous contemplation. Is he worried they will say no? Or are other things on his mind?</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F0tKhnfdKoY/YETp1tpsigI/AAAAAAAASJA/RzSna2AKMnkOdoKaGTinX2Gfw6Pkt4gVgCPcBGAsYHg/s3804/20210306_145609.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2485" data-original-width="3804" height="261" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F0tKhnfdKoY/YETp1tpsigI/AAAAAAAASJA/RzSna2AKMnkOdoKaGTinX2Gfw6Pkt4gVgCPcBGAsYHg/w400-h261/20210306_145609.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0NKRHQ06JnA/YETqKfReshI/AAAAAAAASJI/bqRpUfzKK_s3cyX_zVVsG7oYkzyYENyrQCPcBGAsYHg/s3706/20210306_145555.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2352" data-original-width="3706" height="254" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0NKRHQ06JnA/YETqKfReshI/AAAAAAAASJI/bqRpUfzKK_s3cyX_zVVsG7oYkzyYENyrQCPcBGAsYHg/w400-h254/20210306_145555.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Whatever the case, the child hops aboard and, waving goodbye to onlookers, both set off upon ‘the rocking-horse sea’ (beautifully complemented by a trio of sea-gulls bobbing on rolling waves). The whale seems less pensive now as we journey past a crescent moon that reminds me of Max's own in <i>Where the Wild Things Are</i>. Perhaps this is a dream-journey too.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jxKgMWRkXxw/YETqcOcgVMI/AAAAAAAASJU/tFJLFuvh1kQOAsKundSFZMvUWsosDmyrgCPcBGAsYHg/s3905/20210306_145539.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2392" data-original-width="3905" height="245" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jxKgMWRkXxw/YETqcOcgVMI/AAAAAAAASJU/tFJLFuvh1kQOAsKundSFZMvUWsosDmyrgCPcBGAsYHg/w400-h245/20210306_145539.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>For now the voyage is full of joy with a great Dharma wheel of a sun blazing on the horizon. Alliterative lines dance across the pages and a symbiotic rhythm between whale and child/child and whale grows. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B03sSUTm1bw/YETqqA6WiqI/AAAAAAAASJY/Sw258vK-7NEH15GdsNdTihEhkbk3y-_xQCPcBGAsYHg/s3804/20210306_145525.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2382" data-original-width="3804" height="250" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B03sSUTm1bw/YETqqA6WiqI/AAAAAAAASJY/Sw258vK-7NEH15GdsNdTihEhkbk3y-_xQCPcBGAsYHg/w400-h250/20210306_145525.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div>We swim from the ocean’s surface down to its bottom and discover a shipwreck: what treasures will it hold? Golden galleons? Lost treasure maps perhaps? We're so drawn to the child and the whale that we fail to see, at first glance, that something more ominous litters the seabed. What do you see to the far left?<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lenRUStaJb8/YETqwKOakqI/AAAAAAAASJc/AjNT7SkUaEc9i-mlsuWqwDh8yJlq4b40ACPcBGAsYHg/s3735/20210306_145508.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2252" data-original-width="3735" height="241" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lenRUStaJb8/YETqwKOakqI/AAAAAAAASJc/AjNT7SkUaEc9i-mlsuWqwDh8yJlq4b40ACPcBGAsYHg/w400-h241/20210306_145508.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div>Turn the page and a we find ourselves greeted by a beautiful technicolour collage of sea-fronds and grasses, starfish and crustaceans. For me this is treasure enough but to our young protagonist there is '<i>no treasure to see</i>'. There is a chest but it overflows with something other than gold...<br /><br />This doesn't seem to concern the child who simply shrugs. The whale is left to play along and shrug too...he can peer down at the 'treasure' with a look of distress but cannot voice his concerns. How can he get the child to really look and see? Are these items connected to the shop we found on the title page?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U0j_PdPzJV4/YETrFyyQwoI/AAAAAAAASJo/HE7WPlFugC883xIfQS3p2rhC0o5d1qs_QCPcBGAsYHg/s3902/20210306_145454.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2490" data-original-width="3902" height="255" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U0j_PdPzJV4/YETrFyyQwoI/AAAAAAAASJo/HE7WPlFugC883xIfQS3p2rhC0o5d1qs_QCPcBGAsYHg/w400-h255/20210306_145454.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eTyFeWNJJmI/YETrSj8bEzI/AAAAAAAASJs/F3eg_Lfbo5AjuX_AH-WW3zdWr3RvsExuQCPcBGAsYHg/s3893/20210306_145442.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2483" data-original-width="3893" height="255" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eTyFeWNJJmI/YETrSj8bEzI/AAAAAAAASJs/F3eg_Lfbo5AjuX_AH-WW3zdWr3RvsExuQCPcBGAsYHg/w400-h255/20210306_145442.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Enough for now, the whale continues, sharing news landscapes: valleys and mountains, carpets of many colours and an underwater highway - a 'bright busy land' that rekindles joy in the child. Together, both fly and frolic in the sky and ice-waters (not as icy-looking as I would expect) until the whale gets hungry. A diet of krill, algae and planktons as well as small fish should suffice…<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8ebLY9k7d_s/YETrXam3Q4I/AAAAAAAASJw/clBAwdVM-1EK0bblNZhOZHhHldqtLqCVQCPcBGAsYHg/s4032/20210306_145428.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2530" data-original-width="4032" height="251" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8ebLY9k7d_s/YETrXam3Q4I/AAAAAAAASJw/clBAwdVM-1EK0bblNZhOZHhHldqtLqCVQCPcBGAsYHg/w400-h251/20210306_145428.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div>But what is this? Both gull and child (and reader!) watch on in horror as the whale takes in ‘half of an ocean’ of plastics and netting. Did the whale ‘know’ this would happen? Did it take a sacrifice to finally get the child to see beyond the voyage's surface?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Yiw1KRElpEM/YETreslu18I/AAAAAAAASJ0/gd6aRaVAdl03SONn2tF7-m1anbsmSSVfACPcBGAsYHg/s3922/20210306_145417.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2451" data-original-width="3922" height="250" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Yiw1KRElpEM/YETreslu18I/AAAAAAAASJ0/gd6aRaVAdl03SONn2tF7-m1anbsmSSVfACPcBGAsYHg/w400-h250/20210306_145417.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>‘I stared at the whale</i></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>As he stared at me –</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>I understood now what</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>He’d brought me to see’</i></div></i><br />The whale’s huge, grey form consumes the spread; both the child’s eye finally find level with the whale's as the revelation of the voyage's dual meaning dawns on them: there <i>is </i>beauty here, something worth conserving and tending to, but there is also a darker secret. A teardrop rests upon the whale's eyelid. Does he cry in pain or does he cry because in sharing the beauty of the ocean, he also had to reveal a truth yet to be faced?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-erZi7uWRx2w/YETrpdwuvZI/AAAAAAAASJ4/IE9gvkWASyAFqfTBSN3vMwdURWp4axFEgCPcBGAsYHg/s3796/20210306_145406.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2388" data-original-width="3796" height="251" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-erZi7uWRx2w/YETrpdwuvZI/AAAAAAAASJ4/IE9gvkWASyAFqfTBSN3vMwdURWp4axFEgCPcBGAsYHg/w400-h251/20210306_145406.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div>Rain falls, washing away the romantic view that ocean life once held for our young protagonist. The presence of fish and ocean plants make way for new inhabitants in this ocean ‘soup’: plastics.<br /><br /><i>‘an old water bottle, a toothbrush, a straw, a crisp packet, fishing nets, ten bags or more…’<br /></i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TWhgyIml2vk/YETrw7-bcAI/AAAAAAAASJ8/1yP34cDNXA4wnwZhi6L1SGeapHXQP1mfwCPcBGAsYHg/s3905/20210306_145352.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2466" data-original-width="3905" height="253" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TWhgyIml2vk/YETrw7-bcAI/AAAAAAAASJ8/1yP34cDNXA4wnwZhi6L1SGeapHXQP1mfwCPcBGAsYHg/w400-h253/20210306_145352.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">The voyage is over and, with heavy heart, it is time to return home. The child has a new understanding of the oceans and seas now and they are looking far closer than when they set off: as does the reader. Together we spot ‘<i>a turtle in trouble, a gull in distress, a tightening collar, a shopping bag mess</i>’. From day to night and to day again, it would seem that this ocean’s soup is not as pure and radiant as we first thought.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u5FYzqjIGMI/YETr7rP_1DI/AAAAAAAASKA/wr6FpVpnVlcf6yz3WXbKkcobnDRDWBVrACPcBGAsYHg/s3905/20210306_145337.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2360" data-original-width="3905" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u5FYzqjIGMI/YETr7rP_1DI/AAAAAAAASKA/wr6FpVpnVlcf6yz3WXbKkcobnDRDWBVrACPcBGAsYHg/s320/20210306_145337.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div>And so we close in on home, unsure of whether the schools of white objects in the water are the glistening backs of fish or the reflective sides of plastic waste. Whatever the case, one child’s eye view of the seas and ocean has changed forever. Will they turn away from what they love knowing that it is tainted or will they do something different?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5K7xqJN3QB0/YETsBVvVDtI/AAAAAAAASKE/9v7mOcxBrBkD9WcG5ZjohrMhmeIf4QNOgCPcBGAsYHg/s3856/20210306_145324.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2405" data-original-width="3856" height="250" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5K7xqJN3QB0/YETsBVvVDtI/AAAAAAAASKE/9v7mOcxBrBkD9WcG5ZjohrMhmeIf4QNOgCPcBGAsYHg/w400-h250/20210306_145324.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div>Well, children are doers: many seem to innately want to protect and care for the natural world and locality so they make a promise to the whale to share this knowledge and <b>act</b>. #TheTaleoftheWhale is not a story about wallowing in guilt; it is an invitation to actively making a change. </div><div><br /></div><div>Both gull and child share their story and in doing so they not only address the same people who were playing on the beach before our story began (see main title page) but also the reader too. A clever, powerful switch. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1yl_l-xjm3c/YETsJIyYjVI/AAAAAAAASKI/wS7f48cJoCYfbSlx9NOBAuV7a_WBMyVfwCPcBGAsYHg/s3541/20210306_145307.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3541" data-original-width="2761" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1yl_l-xjm3c/YETsJIyYjVI/AAAAAAAASKI/wS7f48cJoCYfbSlx9NOBAuV7a_WBMyVfwCPcBGAsYHg/w313-h400/20210306_145307.jpg" width="313" /></a></div><div>The image at the close then is a powerful one inviting each one of us to make a change and ‘Clean Up!’ (as Nathan Bryon and Dapo Adeola would say). This is not about feeling bad but about being active. It’s time to take charge and become ambassadors for a change in which we preserve and maintain the treasure that is the natural world.<br /><br />Picturebooks are the best medium through which to ask a reader to look closer and this suits the dual message of #TheTaleoftheWhale perfectly. Yes the natural world is beautiful but if it is to remain so then it needs us all to embrace the environmentalist in each of us and act. Just because you don't live near the sea does not mean you can't clean up and care for the places close to you. It's all connected.<br /><br />#TheTaleoftheWhale is not just about environmentalism, it's about reconnecting; about becoming aware of our place on this planet and making a stand for change. It's about not saying 'this problem is whale-sized and there is no way I can make a difference', it is inviting you to consider the fact that you are the <i>very </i>person who can make a difference through those little acts of looking closely, seeing, spotting and changing. It's a true story of a voyage and return.<br /><br /></div><div>With special thanks to Scallywag Press for the copy. </div>Mat Tobinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03409658334620463763noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83069909578853028.post-40333253273135656462021-02-11T14:19:00.000-08:002021-02-11T14:19:05.781-08:00The Old Truck <h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">The Old Truck</span></h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ccCHNYrnHh0/YCWn9UgD6GI/AAAAAAAAR2I/9-HybrBXUeQEAOdIgB2kK2sN1G3a7lhEwCPcBGAsYHg/s4032/20210210_102232.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ccCHNYrnHh0/YCWn9UgD6GI/AAAAAAAAR2I/9-HybrBXUeQEAOdIgB2kK2sN1G3a7lhEwCPcBGAsYHg/w300-h400/20210210_102232.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">There have been some beautiful picturebooks to come out of 2020 & I feel lucky to have read them. One special picturebook which I adore on so many levels is the brothers Jarrett and Jerome Pumphrey’s The Old Truck. I thought I'd walk through the book and share why I think it’s so special.</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--lQ8lEfNSJU/YCWoZGcDbCI/AAAAAAAAR2Q/PLiLbuHH0z4YHyDSpuIZ49_vzBjCBfiywCPcBGAsYHg/s3770/20210210_194910.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1642" data-original-width="3770" height="174" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--lQ8lEfNSJU/YCWoZGcDbCI/AAAAAAAAR2Q/PLiLbuHH0z4YHyDSpuIZ49_vzBjCBfiywCPcBGAsYHg/w400-h174/20210210_194910.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">The jacket hints at the book’s central theme & celebrates what makes picturebooks work so well. Its design may seem simple yet it carries a deep message. We see a girl & a truck in a field of flowers. First she looks to us the reader & on the back she looks back. Under the Dust Jacket we find a silvery-grey and green cover with the truck embossed upon the front – a sense of anchoring permanence and presence here before we begin our story. Or perhaps the story began already on the front cover? </span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-svCSXKZvGJI/YCWovD-otjI/AAAAAAAAR2g/T6VQdVHdkLcOoS2TqybWE2t8dBdl5f3EwCPcBGAsYHg/s4032/20210210_101846.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-svCSXKZvGJI/YCWovD-otjI/AAAAAAAAR2g/T6VQdVHdkLcOoS2TqybWE2t8dBdl5f3EwCPcBGAsYHg/w400-h300/20210210_101846.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Before the title page, a wordless rolling camera follows a yellow road towards a timber-frame of a building. Turn the page & we find it’s a barn under construction. The Old Truck still in the same ‘position’ holds the wood as a pregnant woman gathers a basket of familiar flowers. Here I have joined both pre-title pages together to illustrate how the path runs us through the narrative.</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s_1AfKhIS70/YCWp3DP0NlI/AAAAAAAAR24/JkByuIbXKZ0XjZkDv_X1UeXRiL_bNFzgQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2768/20210210_101908.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1136" data-original-width="2768" height="164" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s_1AfKhIS70/YCWp3DP0NlI/AAAAAAAAR24/JkByuIbXKZ0XjZkDv_X1UeXRiL_bNFzgQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h164/20210210_101908.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Past the title page, we find our Old Truck again. Perhaps not old yet. It’s helping a family build a new life on the farm. What's this? A new family member & the skyline makes way, in part, for the written narrative. The girl & the truck that balance the path at either end.</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uTEwUlXBXrk/YCWqJbrAtjI/AAAAAAAAR3E/gT1Gphl-SHU4Xg-K4ZYL4ZfrYidzdNQ6QCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210210_101939.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="2048" height="250" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uTEwUlXBXrk/YCWqJbrAtjI/AAAAAAAAR3E/gT1Gphl-SHU4Xg-K4ZYL4ZfrYidzdNQ6QCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h250/20210210_101939.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">There's a clever, thoughtful play here between the written narrative (this is the Old Truck 's tale) & the mirroring of the family's actions to that of the truck. I wonder why? The seasons are changing, time is passing but everyone works together. The trucks stands anchor-fast.</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FVoBdmeciL0/YCWqXZkC7vI/AAAAAAAAR3I/LhafL2WsCr4JiPPKN0bv5MseH-JHheYgQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210210_101948.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1427" data-original-width="2048" height="279" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FVoBdmeciL0/YCWqXZkC7vI/AAAAAAAAR3I/LhafL2WsCr4JiPPKN0bv5MseH-JHheYgQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h279/20210210_101948.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Perspectives change (literally and metaphorically) as time passes. Just as the truck is ‘weary and tired’ so is the girl. Now though, only the girl continues to mirror the truck’s feelings whilst her parents remaining smiling & working. Is she reflecting on permanence & time?</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ScDKB2h2FuA/YCWq1L07fTI/AAAAAAAAR3U/uGEDsDTUcJ84nNOad6O323FkPiRbtNBRQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210210_101955.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1305" data-original-width="2048" height="255" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ScDKB2h2FuA/YCWq1L07fTI/AAAAAAAAR3U/uGEDsDTUcJ84nNOad6O323FkPiRbtNBRQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h255/20210210_101955.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />As the Old Truck rests, it dreams and so does the little girl whose physical presence is now much closer to us. Outside in the stars, the truck continues to remains steadfast and grounded even as it becomes weighed lost in the snow.<br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xgAU0vaA6EI/YCWrAZt_wYI/AAAAAAAAR3Y/DYictrtTwnETdnNlsXHVViK86bfj1YP-ACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210210_102003.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1299" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xgAU0vaA6EI/YCWrAZt_wYI/AAAAAAAAR3Y/DYictrtTwnETdnNlsXHVViK86bfj1YP-ACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/20210210_102003.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">In its dreams (how unusual to have a truck dreaming!), it takes the girl on a series of fantastical adventures. From the depths of the ocean, to the highest peaks & even to the moon. The Old Truck is always there for the girl, watching over her.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WPSxwXI9aaU/YCWrSDppSgI/AAAAAAAAR3k/ySyRdVGkpyoS9xhTrjLcKyyc1IrLbp2dACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210210_102012.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1332" data-original-width="2048" height="260" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WPSxwXI9aaU/YCWrSDppSgI/AAAAAAAAR3k/ySyRdVGkpyoS9xhTrjLcKyyc1IrLbp2dACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h260/20210210_102012.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4qR_jzktIag/YCWrSUhRtmI/AAAAAAAAR3o/bocTjCHgOrod01BL-D9HTcnBWzfhPk62QCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210210_102021.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1303" data-original-width="2048" height="255" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4qR_jzktIag/YCWrSUhRtmI/AAAAAAAAR3o/bocTjCHgOrod01BL-D9HTcnBWzfhPk62QCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h255/20210210_102021.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-svwQChw28JY/YCWrSavQ34I/AAAAAAAAR3s/03kcVfI_3ZM2Dk3Lbg4A07Vc90ibtSD-wCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210210_102028.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="2048" height="250" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-svwQChw28JY/YCWrSavQ34I/AAAAAAAAR3s/03kcVfI_3ZM2Dk3Lbg4A07Vc90ibtSD-wCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h250/20210210_102028.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">A new, modern tractor takes our attention now and the Old Truck is shelved next to the barn, gradually carpeted in flowers. And the girl? She’s copying what her dad is doing and happily fixing her own machine. She seems more than capable; what inspires her to fix and mend I wonder?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GikWnvFxNIM/YCWrgOVSDwI/AAAAAAAAR3w/A3_CKVVwaN0s7kP9ijV8tFvtpKYNARRmwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210210_102036.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1317" data-original-width="2048" height="258" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GikWnvFxNIM/YCWrgOVSDwI/AAAAAAAAR3w/A3_CKVVwaN0s7kP9ijV8tFvtpKYNARRmwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h258/20210210_102036.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">‘And Older’ From bikes to tractors, we see a transition of responsibility. Father & daughter are together but as the grasses & weeds grow around the Old Truck it seems as if the family has gone from three to two. A cloud sits heavier than usual where mother used to stand.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IkqWmFjfiJ4/YCWr9Tg0cFI/AAAAAAAAR4E/5u7Mar91OesNi63cz7kqnSn8MI8VhrVhwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210210_102044.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1315" data-original-width="2048" height="256" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IkqWmFjfiJ4/YCWr9Tg0cFI/AAAAAAAAR4E/5u7Mar91OesNi63cz7kqnSn8MI8VhrVhwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h256/20210210_102044.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">As both truck & daughter get older, our family becomes just one (or is it two?) Yet the girl seems happy on her farm; perfectly mimicking her father’s stance & smile. Comfortable in the knowledge, perhaps, that she can maintain the family business.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AHaENKQgXMg/YCWsF10rJNI/AAAAAAAAR4I/Hy3e_uBzKqI7NmoYL6ESbcyA3hlxWFzxACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210210_102056.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1321" data-original-width="2048" height="258" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AHaENKQgXMg/YCWsF10rJNI/AAAAAAAAR4I/Hy3e_uBzKqI7NmoYL6ESbcyA3hlxWFzxACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h258/20210210_102056.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Time passes. Stars shine bright as they did that first night we watched the girl & the Old Truck dream. Now though, the truck seems forgotten; weighed down in a mix of memories: some happy & some sad. It may seem lost in the snow & in the past but <i>we </i>know it's there.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0kFSCpiPciE/YCWsUvhUguI/AAAAAAAAR4Q/CpNlpawydTUkc5aqfT8MMpLdiAsbkSgTQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210210_102103.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1302" data-original-width="2048" height="254" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0kFSCpiPciE/YCWsUvhUguI/AAAAAAAAR4Q/CpNlpawydTUkc5aqfT8MMpLdiAsbkSgTQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h254/20210210_102103.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Using the tractor, which she & her father had worked on, the young woman is ready to heal & remember. We see her towing the Old Truck from its slumber. In many ways, she is finally ready to carry both the truck & the narrative. Her voice drives the story.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OgChC2b_gtE/YCWsdR_GP9I/AAAAAAAAR4Y/YSFMkpbf1OYE9zgQo7EmmVG6oI6XWibuACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210210_102110.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1300" data-original-width="2048" height="254" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OgChC2b_gtE/YCWsdR_GP9I/AAAAAAAAR4Y/YSFMkpbf1OYE9zgQo7EmmVG6oI6XWibuACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h254/20210210_102110.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Instead of a bed and a window, we find 'girl' (now a young woman) and Truck separated by a barn, a workbench and doorframe. The stars are out once more and the girl is working hard on restoring the heart of her old companion. Restoring that which she had never truly forgotten.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s6JBSOw-ZIU/YCWsnNl_F4I/AAAAAAAAR4g/a_xJ0R9mAQ4G1QaW6MqR7MQpCcBep3FBwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210210_102117.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1335" data-original-width="2048" height="261" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s6JBSOw-ZIU/YCWsnNl_F4I/AAAAAAAAR4g/a_xJ0R9mAQ4G1QaW6MqR7MQpCcBep3FBwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h261/20210210_102117.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The tractor is back where it began. The barn, blanched over the years, melds with the Old Truck which has rusted over time's claiming. Note the beautiful repetition in ‘weary and tired’ here. This time though, the hard work is restorative.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j0IeGaQJww0/YCWs3P4suPI/AAAAAAAAR4s/9JXLKzSR0tU6c1Gg7MW3fseiXJsS9HAaACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210210_102124.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1321" data-original-width="2048" height="258" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j0IeGaQJww0/YCWs3P4suPI/AAAAAAAAR4s/9JXLKzSR0tU6c1Gg7MW3fseiXJsS9HAaACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h258/20210210_102124.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Four panels here show the girl happily working. An old car door here, a new tyre there. She returns to the Old Truck its newly-restored beating-engine-heart which her father had removed years earlier. She persisted. She healed. She restored.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QL8Cv85Q0no/YCWs-Cwu86I/AAAAAAAAR4w/wXoHFj_4aC88en7yrUcpOGd2__MHfjoHACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210210_102133.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1317" data-original-width="2048" height="258" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QL8Cv85Q0no/YCWs-Cwu86I/AAAAAAAAR4w/wXoHFj_4aC88en7yrUcpOGd2__MHfjoHACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h258/20210210_102133.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">And who is this resting on the back of the Old Truck ? A young girl with eye-lashes just like her mummy has always had. Where will these new memories of her time with the old truck take her? That’s another story but the new path invites us to imagine right at the close.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bzQULmLPcAU/YCWtLkRsNPI/AAAAAAAAR48/Dp6KNmVijO4ndtf0tM272iVJTQaynQw4gCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210210_102151.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1311" data-original-width="2048" height="256" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bzQULmLPcAU/YCWtLkRsNPI/AAAAAAAAR48/Dp6KNmVijO4ndtf0tM272iVJTQaynQw4gCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h256/20210210_102151.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O8WI3ntVTdc/YCWtLuimj8I/AAAAAAAAR44/1FpDLG5gpFEo47CDkdapbY47xqFayA3JwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210210_102159.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1315" data-original-width="2048" height="256" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O8WI3ntVTdc/YCWtLuimj8I/AAAAAAAAR44/1FpDLG5gpFEo47CDkdapbY47xqFayA3JwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h256/20210210_102159.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I think The Old Truck is a modern masterpiece. Painstakingly planned and crafted it carries with it a rhythm and beauty that is so difficult to achieve with such a simple design and so few words. I love it and I hope you enjoyed the journey with me.</span></div>Mat Tobinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03409658334620463763noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83069909578853028.post-38655772790720758292021-01-02T02:07:00.001-08:002021-01-02T02:07:23.677-08:00<h2 style="text-align: center;">The Humiliations of Welton Blake</h2><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6Nx2o-SBb6k/X_BFOI1yxYI/AAAAAAAAQ8k/7Ryj6bgozMMhok8tWP3Ti8_tzJUsxhhBQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/81j75CzkRDL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1344" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6Nx2o-SBb6k/X_BFOI1yxYI/AAAAAAAAQ8k/7Ryj6bgozMMhok8tWP3Ti8_tzJUsxhhBQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/81j75CzkRDL.jpg" /></a></div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>To Welton Blake, Carmella McKenzie is easily the best looking girl at Monks Orchard High so when he suddenly builds up the courage to ask her out and she agrees, his whole world seems as joyous as when Luke Skywalker destroys the Death Star in Star Wars. But for all the internal celebrations, Welton’s day is destined to take an Icarusian dive. From his classroom window later on he espies Carmella with a bruv twice his size and when she kisses him on the cheek, Welton feels as betrayed as The Jedi council does by Anakin in Revenge of the Sith. His immediate reaction? To puke up on the girl sat at the desk in front of him. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SWO0O9fQp_s/X_BFjl0eWKI/AAAAAAAAQ8s/oOqT7R55BJAtDgyCP0jMbhM6NHBnAQefQCLcBGAsYHQ/s600/e0c247a4c00b289c88943d2b4a573e214093288d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="600" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SWO0O9fQp_s/X_BFjl0eWKI/AAAAAAAAQ8s/oOqT7R55BJAtDgyCP0jMbhM6NHBnAQefQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/e0c247a4c00b289c88943d2b4a573e214093288d.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>So begins the humiliation of Welton Blake as he moves from one bad life choice to another in order to work out whether Carmella genuinely likes him or is just playing. Told from the first-person perspective of the aforementioned protagonist, <i>The Humiliations of Welton Blake </i>covers, with a knowing warmth and sharp wit, those initial, awkwardly paranoid steps that many of us take when exploring those tentative first-love relationships at secondary school. Laugh-out-loud funny from the get-go, Wheatle displays a mastery in both voice and style when it comes to depicting current teenage society and culture. The author E.B. White has spoken about writing ‘up’ not ‘down’ to children but what happens when you write ‘to’ them? That’s what Wheatle has achieved here, finding both a voice and narrative for his readers that is ‘fresh’, ‘engaging’ and ‘entertaining’*. </div><div><br /></div><div>In a little over 130 pages, <i>The Humiliations of Welton Blake</i> is awash with cultural references that will humorously resonate with its readership. From Star Wars to Fast & Furious, Lord of the Rings to Call of Duty, Welton reimagines his successes and failures, solutions and problems through popular cultural icons and his internal ‘Yoda be merciful!’, ‘Are you a mouse or a Jedi’ are as funny as the insults his peers pay him for at school. Presented in Barrington Stoke’s ever-welcome and accessible dyslexia-friendly format, <i>The Humiliations of Welton Blake</i> will appeal to its 12+ readers on so many levels. Its humorously astute insight into secondary school life alongside the dazed and confused experiences that come with falling hard for that first relationship make for a highly entertaining read. It is easy to see why Wheatle was awarded an MBE for his services to literature. There is no meandering prose here: it’s a sharp-beat of a voice that is as fresh and as hip as is it awash with pop-cultural charm. </div><div><br /></div><div><i>The Humiliations of Welton Blake</i> not only riffs with a cultural and lexical discourse of today’s youth but it also speaks for and an audience who will have long been crying out for more voices like theirs for a very long time. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>*Alex Wheatle reveals some of his writing research and process in this interview.</div><br /></div>Mat Tobinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03409658334620463763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83069909578853028.post-75623048912911189842020-11-17T06:33:00.002-08:002020-11-17T06:33:20.577-08:00<br /><br /><h2 style="text-align: center;"> The Longest Night of Charlie Noon</h2><div style="text-align: center;">‘For anyone who’s ever felt lost in the woods’ (Christopher Edge, 2019)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_9MUiD5Cs6M/X7PU9H5KIPI/AAAAAAAAQgE/GvdQ513tB7Ym_-CZC_MHqDX-vDb5Fsv_QCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20201117_134659.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_9MUiD5Cs6M/X7PU9H5KIPI/AAAAAAAAQgE/GvdQ513tB7Ym_-CZC_MHqDX-vDb5Fsv_QCLcBGAsYHQ/w268-h400/20201117_134659.jpg" /></a></div>Forests and woods have long been places of magic, risk and danger: liminal spaces between safety and the unknown; landscapes you traverse with caution and stay clear of when night descends. In exploring these intersections of memory, story and place, Christopher Edge opens his own tale with a blended phrase long associated with the fey and the folkloric yet daubed with a splash of the modern urban myth: <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3vk9gjxKfuU/X7PYE-8xnxI/AAAAAAAAQgg/RAdk2j0IG5oHmKgbU7G9ze2gZ8jWT-7bQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20201117_135210.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1136" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3vk9gjxKfuU/X7PYE-8xnxI/AAAAAAAAQgg/RAdk2j0IG5oHmKgbU7G9ze2gZ8jWT-7bQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/20201117_135210.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Page 1 of <i>The Longest Night of Charlie Noon</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This story then may play with the tangled roots of the older stories and memories but it is clear that there is a sense of the present here too. And in typical Edge fashion, moulds are broken. Not content with placing his story in the narrative present, it interweaves pasts and futures too. <i>The Longest Night of Charlie Noon </i>is about three children getting lost - not just in the woods - but in reality, where space and time is folded, twisted and unfurled like the submerged network of roots beneath the setting's woodland ground. </div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VwEKqEYTvzQ/X7PW0sfgfDI/AAAAAAAAQgQ/UdOTfJ-PnLEzGPxaMeSz3LfmMaOEdut9QCLcBGAsYHQ/s710/behind-the-inn-19-22.jpg%2521Large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="710" height="338" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VwEKqEYTvzQ/X7PW0sfgfDI/AAAAAAAAQgQ/UdOTfJ-PnLEzGPxaMeSz3LfmMaOEdut9QCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h338/behind-the-inn-19-22.jpg%2521Large.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'Behind the Inn' Paul Nash, 1919-1922</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div>In <i>The Longest Night of Charlie Noon</i>, Edge, ambitiously weaves together a complex yet deeply rewarding narrative around three eleven-year-old children. Each of them hide within them future fears and frustrations and the wood is the place in which they are drawn to confront them: an embarkation of bildungsroman proportions. </div><div><br /></div><div>Our main protagonist is Charlie, whose gender remains subtly and purposefully guarded throughout most of the book with real deftness. Then there’s Dylan (Dizzy), Charlie’s only friend, budding ornithologist and guide with ‘a headful of sky’ and a ‘hiccuping walk’ having caught polio when he was younger (I always thought he’d fit snugly in with the Brendon Chase boys). Then there is the school misfit, Johnny Baines: a loose cannon and the toughest kid around whose father happens to be the local butcher. He might come across as bullish and aggressive but this is a boy who just doesn’t know how to fit in and make friends. </div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WAJ9k8b3tXc/X7PZDu1qwoI/AAAAAAAAQgo/iftz4pt-nPE39IGQU8gUQTemvr2VZcjMwCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/image.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="401" data-original-width="640" height="250" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WAJ9k8b3tXc/X7PZDu1qwoI/AAAAAAAAQgo/iftz4pt-nPE39IGQU8gUQTemvr2VZcjMwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h250/image.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'Interior of a Wood' Paul Nash, 1922<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>When the story begins with Charlie and Dizzy sat with the wood behind them, we find that Charlie has only recently moved to this suburban London setting. With Charlie’s grandfather having died, dad has inherited his family home and the fractious family move for a new start. At home all is not well. Charlie’s parents are constantly arguing and dad may have been drawn to drink having lost his job. </div><div><br /></div><div>Whatever the case, Charlie is frustrated with life. With little control over their future, Charlie is seeking a change or a sign: an answer to how they can break free from being told what they can and cannot do. Perhaps Charlie’s natural gift for deciphering messages and codes will help them navigate a future path that will lead to happiness, a sense of self-worth and freedom</div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jd8CfO2lejs/X7PaBGz-isI/AAAAAAAAQg0/q0HY-8sAuuoK4RhOXEvuriJmK50eODDUgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Saturne-d%25C3%25A9vorant-un-de-ses-enfants-Goya.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jd8CfO2lejs/X7PaBGz-isI/AAAAAAAAQg0/q0HY-8sAuuoK4RhOXEvuriJmK50eODDUgCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/Saturne-d%25C3%25A9vorant-un-de-ses-enfants-Goya.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'Saturn devouring his son' William Blake, 1819-1823</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When Charlie hears of Old Crony, a mysterious child-eating figure that haunts the heart of woods, all three are drawn in to investigate but what they discover is far greater than some urban myth. Instead, they begin a journey in which time, memory and space are warped beyond assumed parameters. Can Charlie’s knowledge and love of codes and hidden messages help them escape the wildness of the wood or will the three of them remain lost within its rooted network of deep time forever? </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JyVDGmXgHG0/X7PbCigWwGI/AAAAAAAAQg8/3wtokWnW4EI8zb6K1s6yeb3vfqPPps6YQCLcBGAsYHQ/s570/8f8c5ba7-ca6a-4ff1-b6e2-8fa9dc6147cf_570.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="570" data-original-width="416" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JyVDGmXgHG0/X7PbCigWwGI/AAAAAAAAQg8/3wtokWnW4EI8zb6K1s6yeb3vfqPPps6YQCLcBGAsYHQ/w293-h400/8f8c5ba7-ca6a-4ff1-b6e2-8fa9dc6147cf_570.jpeg" width="293" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'Winter Wood' Paul Nash, 1922<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><i>The Longest Night of Charlie Noon</i> plays with many concepts but the chief one is time. Subtle clues as to when <i><b>in </b></i>time the book is set is left for the astute reader to discover and, just as trail signs in the woodland are left for Charlie and Dizzy to follow in their quest to escape, so signs and clues are left for the reader to unearth too. From polio, to leather-strapped watches, old sweet-wrappers and past copies of Scouting for Boys, Edge drops his own breadcrumb trail; inviting the reader to consider their own place in this time maze alongside Charlie's. Each crumb plays a role in leading you down that thematic path which is time: past, present and future. <br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O8H2_Wyav8A/X7PcAskqU5I/AAAAAAAAQhM/yC8tSWTKRNYzRk4N50VTe75s8PLSZrK5gCLcBGAsYHQ/s530/Untitled.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="464" data-original-width="530" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O8H2_Wyav8A/X7PcAskqU5I/AAAAAAAAQhM/yC8tSWTKRNYzRk4N50VTe75s8PLSZrK5gCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Untitled.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div><div>The deeper Charlie and other others delve off the woodland path, the more they unearth their own pasts...and futures. The woods become a site in which deep-rooted networks ignore time’s linearity. Soon echoes of warfare thrum throughout the trees’ canopies and Edge plays beautifully with language here blending woodland sounds with those of a very real war which is perhaps yet to come...The woods become a neural network into Charlie’s mind like a fragmented window into all-time - a realm, as Paul Nash would say, between dream and nightmare.<br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WoQk0xZepAw/X7PcUKHfVII/AAAAAAAAQhY/jxCBfnyI57YxYXSh9fQL3jVwZEzElQDLQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1536/Totes_Meer_%2528Dead_Sea%2529_1940-1_Paul_Nash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1036" data-original-width="1536" height="270" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WoQk0xZepAw/X7PcUKHfVII/AAAAAAAAQhY/jxCBfnyI57YxYXSh9fQL3jVwZEzElQDLQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h270/Totes_Meer_%2528Dead_Sea%2529_1940-1_Paul_Nash.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'Totes Meer' (Dead Sea) Paul Nash, 1940-1</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">If all this sounds deliciously complicated then that's because it is. Edge has always played with science and big themes in his stories for children and in <i>The Longest Night of Charlie Noon</i> he goes the furthest he’s ever been. It is a book full of stratas of meaning that invite multiple interpretations and plenty of booktalk in order to help connect the pieces and follow the roots towards those half-submerged answers. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As with Garner’s <i>The Owl Service</i>, this is a book in which ‘the world is in two places at once.’ (Edge, 2019: p132). More than one story is being told here and it will take all the reader’s faculties to connect the patterns: just as Charlie must do to escape the woods. To describe <i>The Longest Night of Charlie Noon</i> as ‘a war story’ is to describe <i>The Owl Service</i> as a simple retelling of <i>Math Son of Mathonwy</i> from the <i>Mabinogion</i>. It is more complex and richly rewarding than that. </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jkyF7F2lwd4/X7Pdndvj0ZI/AAAAAAAAQhk/bXau7-YXO0M4TeB7pzZhukGf4uy4zcH6gCLcBGAsYHQ/s725/paul-nash-we-are-making-a-new-world-1918.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="566" data-original-width="725" height="313" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jkyF7F2lwd4/X7Pdndvj0ZI/AAAAAAAAQhk/bXau7-YXO0M4TeB7pzZhukGf4uy4zcH6gCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h313/paul-nash-we-are-making-a-new-world-1918.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'We Are Making A New World' Paul Nash, 1918</td></tr></tbody></table><br />In being provided with a glimpse into a war-torn future, Charlie sees that no matter how constricted they feel at the moment by their home-life or gender, there is a future in which they matter and in which the choices they make here in the woods will affect the lives of millions in the future. They just have to find themselves and stop being 'lost in the woods'. <div><br /></div><div>Stories and Landscapes are alive. They breathe and pulsate with vitality (Roberts, 2018) and <i>The Longest night of Charlie Noon</i> positively thrums with both elements. This is a book in which space, time and the human spirit are all part of some great nervous system. In pursuing and exploring that system, Charlie comes out stronger, wiser and with a electric sense of agency. And so do we.<br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o3NRneAtyPI/X7Pes2M7rdI/AAAAAAAAQhw/_M3anbpLkmIhsb_XGgFqCOAucOi1pAegwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1273/VE-Day-Huts-3-6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="877" data-original-width="1273" height="275" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o3NRneAtyPI/X7Pes2M7rdI/AAAAAAAAQhw/_M3anbpLkmIhsb_XGgFqCOAucOi1pAegwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h275/VE-Day-Huts-3-6.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image from Bletchley Park website <br />(https://bletchleypark.org.uk/our-story/bletchley-park-people/who-were-the-codebreakers)</td></tr></tbody></table>Mat Tobinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03409658334620463763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83069909578853028.post-83874816226477430182020-09-14T14:05:00.000-07:002020-09-14T14:05:03.398-07:00An Interview with Seaerra Miller on creating 'Mason Mooney' and more<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pwQYJI1rYZQ/X1_CW8Dxm6I/AAAAAAAAPA8/6e3sJfe3b-IAfWwbsBtoRQ5AOE4t68zLgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1025/Seaerra%2527s%252Bface.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1025" data-original-width="500" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pwQYJI1rYZQ/X1_CW8Dxm6I/AAAAAAAAPA8/6e3sJfe3b-IAfWwbsBtoRQ5AOE4t68zLgCLcBGAsYHQ/w195-h400/Seaerra%2527s%252Bface.jpg" width="195" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Seaerra, congratulations on the publication
of Mason Mooney: Paramornal Investigator! Not only was it great fun with super riffs on 80s cult-spookiness and the like but you’ve
the world of children's literature quite a unique lead and a much-welcomed sidekick. Thank you for agreeing to answer my questions. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal">Dear reader, if you are interested, my own review of Seaerra's graphic novel can be found on the blog <a href="https://mattobin.blogspot.com/2020/09/mason-mooney-paranormal-investigator-by.html" target="_blank">here</a>. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><b>Can you begin by telling us a little about your
time in Portland studying art at the Pacific Northwest College of Art and
Design and what you took away from that experience? <o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">My time at PNCA was great. It’s a pretty
small school so the sense of community I found there was amazing. I’m still
really good friends with many of the students and teachers I met. I transferred
in at the end of my sophomore year, ( I had been attending college in my home
state of Wyoming) and it was a really big life change. I don’t think I’d be
where I am in my career if I hadn’t studied there. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l_O65Zh_E6U/X1_HOJ42zhI/AAAAAAAAPBY/VSZUOSHNsak84-35Ff8H5IDrWROMAvKkgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Mason%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l_O65Zh_E6U/X1_HOJ42zhI/AAAAAAAAPBY/VSZUOSHNsak84-35Ff8H5IDrWROMAvKkgCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/Mason%2B2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #444444;">Picnicking with my friends looking deeply uncomfortable and awkward which honestly is my natural state of being. <br /></span></i></td></tr></tbody></table>Art school isn’t for
everyone, but it helped me to develop technical skills like <b>working digitally</b>,
which I don’t think I would have discovered on my own. I was also able to
connect with professors who have helped me build my career outside of school.
<a href="http://www.byrilla.com/" style="font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Rilla Alexander</a>, who is an amazing children’s book illustrator, took me under her
wing and helped me develop not only as a visual artist but as a storyteller. I
think I really found my voice in <a href="https://www.oneofthejohns.com/about" target="_blank"><b>Jonathan Hill</b></a>’s graphic novel class. I was
very self-conscious about my writing and for the final assignment in the class
I did a really silly comic about some bards who come across a dragon who
totally love Led Zeppelin and just want to jam.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qXJDB7iL2Ac/X1_ImLGrtXI/AAAAAAAAPBk/MMB4djTlo0cVg_l70WWpduC6YsmKEtzlQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Mason%2B3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qXJDB7iL2Ac/X1_ImLGrtXI/AAAAAAAAPBk/MMB4djTlo0cVg_l70WWpduC6YsmKEtzlQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/Mason%2B3.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picture of my Advanced Graphic Novel class<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P7-NPrNc3ac/X1_I3qnDwJI/AAAAAAAAPBs/Uo5C6Um7fGUxiIoCvZkXnuL-ot-vv2ivQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1202/Mason%2B4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1202" height="399" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P7-NPrNc3ac/X1_I3qnDwJI/AAAAAAAAPBs/Uo5C6Um7fGUxiIoCvZkXnuL-ot-vv2ivQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h399/Mason%2B4.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #444444;">My friends and me at Short Run in Seattle trying to sell some of our comics. <br /></span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><span lang="EN-US"><br />Looking back on it, the comic
isn’t super great but it was definitely the best comic I’d made. Jonathan read
it and was like, “<i>Yes, this is your voice. Go with it!</i>” I love the ability to
be silly and tell fun stories while still exploring the serious side of
something. <b>I think my comics class gave me a way to be vulnerable and honest in
a way that my other illustration classes didn’t allow.</b> Most of my classes up to
that point had been really focused on editorial illustration, something that I
am not very good at. I had been interested in comics since I was a kid but it
never seemed like a realistic career path. Finding that class and discovering
that I wasn’t terrible at it was really validating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pZNQrg5rWjU/X1_GLeTTl6I/AAAAAAAAPBQ/Hgi6zeBm9E8VQRfpJB8f61ZpGC6h68AFQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Mason%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1597" data-original-width="2048" height="313" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pZNQrg5rWjU/X1_GLeTTl6I/AAAAAAAAPBQ/Hgi6zeBm9E8VQRfpJB8f61ZpGC6h68AFQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h313/Mason%2B1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666;"><span style="text-align: left;">This a photo of me looking very uncomfortable </span><span style="text-align: left;">at my thesis presentation for <i>Mason Mooney Tells Terrible Tales</i></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><b>Can you share with us
a little of how those initial seeds of an idea for Mason Mooney began? </b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Mason Mooney started
off as a character I drew for an assignment in a children’s book class. I can’t
remember the exact details but we were essentially supposed to design a
character that could star in a book and I doodled Mason. At the same time, I
was working on my year-long thesis project which was a series of illustrated
spooky stories for kids. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">At the halfway point in the project, I got some
feedback that there needed to be something to link the stories together. I put
Mason in there as a sort of narrator who thought of himself as the very
best teller of scary stories, which of course later turned into thinking he was
the best <b>paranormal investigator</b>. He was still grumpy and argued with his
heart. After college, when Flying Eye received my thesis book, they decided that
they really liked that character and asked if I’d be interested in doing a
story focused on him. Iris, Tanglewood Mansion, and </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Trent all came after
that.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Usjq1JpxHWE/X1_JgUIpEcI/AAAAAAAAPB0/u5ZnypmJ-0stv5qkUADCeSj_mkf_6V9XACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Mason%2B5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1535" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Usjq1JpxHWE/X1_JgUIpEcI/AAAAAAAAPB0/u5ZnypmJ-0stv5qkUADCeSj_mkf_6V9XACLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/Mason%2B5.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">This was Mason’s original design that I came up with
in my Children’s book class. At that point, I envisioned him as a boy who had
come from a strict home and ran off into the forest<b> after his mother had removed
his heart</b> because she thought he was too spirited. I never really fleshed out
that story, and it was just something that lived in my head. He really became
<b>Paranormal Investigator Mason</b> once I put him into my thesis book.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wJWEpm6UDv4/X1_Keilj72I/AAAAAAAAPCA/pIkqu2LA5oIMFd5woD4dGQ05IWKM1Jw1gCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Mason%2B6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1272" data-original-width="2048" height="249" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wJWEpm6UDv4/X1_Keilj72I/AAAAAAAAPCA/pIkqu2LA5oIMFd5woD4dGQ05IWKM1Jw1gCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h249/Mason%2B6.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #444444;">Both of these images come from my thesis book. </span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gi3Saq7uXcs/X1_Kjx3OkgI/AAAAAAAAPCE/mZbqn37cBiQpZHHiGf7aAsT6fXI20YaDgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Mason%2B7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1535" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gi3Saq7uXcs/X1_Kjx3OkgI/AAAAAAAAPCE/mZbqn37cBiQpZHHiGf7aAsT6fXI20YaDgCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/Mason%2B7.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #444444;">At one point Mason's heart gets so scared it escapes but Mason isn't having it. <br /></span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Mason Mooney is
oozing with paranormal paraphernalia, folklore and extra-terrestrial titbits what sources inspired you?</span></b><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">I’ve always loved spooky stuff. My mom
worked at my school when I was a kid and I remember <b>hanging out in the library</b>
when she worked late looking up pictures of ghosts and UFOs. I was also really
into the old <b>Unsolved Mysteries</b> show, but just the paranormal segments. I think
my mom rented one particular UFO special at Blockbuster Videos so many times that
they should have just let us keep it at some point. Mason was definitely
inspired by that version of my younger self.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YQqwemaYFM8/X1_Q5AnRi1I/AAAAAAAAPCU/Nw3rCTPN9MAU2_I95y3TyLmGfySXe3JWwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1906/Mason%2B26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1430" data-original-width="1906" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YQqwemaYFM8/X1_Q5AnRi1I/AAAAAAAAPCU/Nw3rCTPN9MAU2_I95y3TyLmGfySXe3JWwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/Mason%2B26.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">I was also really inspired by the terribly,
wonderfully bad show <b>Ghost Adventures</b>. Trent is definitely some version of Zac
Baggin, the silly, trying so hard to be cool but not really cool at all, host
of the show. Admittedly I’ve seen most of the episodes and I think Zac is
actually a pretty nice person, but I love the kind of the character that he
presents on the show and how </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">he bosses around his
team and how the ghosts seem particularly interested in possessing him,
seemingly because he is the star. He’s trying so hard to be tough but at the
slightest noise he losses his mind. I also kind of love the idea of competing
ghost hunters. The whole world of Ghost Hunting is so strange and insular and I
find it really weird and fascinating.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><img border="0" data-original-height="498" data-original-width="1038" height="193" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Mx1ufw0rOs4/X1_SLEML9cI/AAAAAAAAPCc/gWK2yrLNPIQQcWSd9mzDlyp592gya1GpACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h193/Mason%2B27.jpg" width="400" /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">The other biggest influence I would say, are
movies like <b>Gremlins</b>, <b>The Lost Boys</b>, and <b>The Gate</b>, scary movies that really
aren’t that scary and have a great sense of humor. I think watching those as a
kid, I was always interested in the idea of being scared but not actually
wanting to be scared. Those do a great job of mixing comedy and horror and hold
up as some of my favorite movies. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><b>Can you share with us your own creative working environment.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--YJRpagbAnE/X1_S_yI58WI/AAAAAAAAPCk/i0X0n2BGORss70Ph3iYN79cpVIxqa3u7wCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Mason%2B13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--YJRpagbAnE/X1_S_yI58WI/AAAAAAAAPCk/i0X0n2BGORss70Ph3iYN79cpVIxqa3u7wCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/Mason%2B13.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #444444;">Seaerra's workspace. She says it's 'cluttered and cozy'. Note the jar on the left...<br /></span></i></td></tr></tbody></table></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><b>Throughout the story you make wonderful use
of perspective and angle to build tension and excitement. Were there films or
other graphic novels that inspired these moments? </b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">This is something I’ve never really thought
about strangely. I think it’s something that I’ve probably picked up from
watching tons and tons of movies. Like, I really like movies. While telling a
story through comics is really different than film, there is some crossover.
Tilted angles and things will always make your audience feel uneasy, and
closeups during a dramatic part of the story can help build tension.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">
</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">I think <a href="http://www.emcarroll.com/" target="_blank">Emily Carroll</a>’s <i><b><a href="https://www.simonandschuster.ca/books/Through-the-Woods/Emily-Carroll/9781442465954" target="_blank">Through The Woods</a></b></i>
was really important to me as I was working on Mason Mooney. It was kind of a
how-to guide on how to make a horror comic. She knows exactly how to lead a
reader through a scary story. She’s amazing at being subtle until the exact
right moment to reveal something over the top horrifying.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><b>Can
you share with us a little of how you went about planning the framing elements
and what dictated your choices? Was it as complicated as it looks or did some
moments come easier than others? <o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Mason was conceived as a straight forward
comic. When my original editor left, and I met with my new editor she had the
idea of mixing elements of children’s book illustrations with a comic. I was
really excited about this idea because I loved the idea of doing more big,
detailed illustrations with the in-depth storytelling a comic provides. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Kind of
like my thesis project, it turned out that a narrator was needed to bridge the
two styles of storytelling. That allowed the story to slow down and let someone
beside Mason or Iris talk for these big illustration spreads. It also was
really fun to be able to talk in the story as myself. It did take a while to
figure out the pacing and rhythm of the story but once we did, it really
worked. I started with just a written script, then a color-coded page plan
before sketching anything, so we were visually able to see how we wanted to
break the story up and give us a visual idea of how the pacing would work.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y2iXeLyLMlQ/X1_UwhCi3RI/AAAAAAAAPCw/lrNigPiYWpEnHBcrGCec7DlgqWzre_TtwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1563/Mason%2BMooney%2BPlan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1563" data-original-width="1241" height="500" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y2iXeLyLMlQ/X1_UwhCi3RI/AAAAAAAAPCw/lrNigPiYWpEnHBcrGCec7DlgqWzre_TtwCLcBGAsYHQ/w398-h500/Mason%2BMooney%2BPlan.jpg" width="398" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Seaerra's colour-coded plan for Mason Mooney - wow! </i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span lang="EN-US"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><b>In using a moment from the story that you particularly enjoyed composing, could you guide us through the
process from its creation to its completion and what tools you
used? </b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">The first step was writing a detailed story
synopsis. After I had the plot figured out I began writing the script. Once I
had that finished and broken down by what dialogue and narration should go on
which page, I sketched the whole book out.<b> I worked digitally from the get-go</b>.
Honestly, at this point, I’m not even sure I could draw on paper. I think the
most challenging spread but one of the most fun to work on was <b>the cutaway of
the house where Iris and Mason are walking through it discussing the ghosts
they’ve just seen.</b> As I worked on the sketches for the book this one stayed
really rough for a long time. I had an idea that I thought would be cool but I
wasn’t sure how to conquer it so I decided not to deal with it for as long as
possible.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xVnyk8yXqU8/X1_VgTQBJbI/AAAAAAAAPC4/TlFjRHnJpwkcFGBufJOsjKmPZVekHcM6ACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Mason%2B14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1392" data-original-width="2048" height="273" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xVnyk8yXqU8/X1_VgTQBJbI/AAAAAAAAPC4/TlFjRHnJpwkcFGBufJOsjKmPZVekHcM6ACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h273/Mason%2B14.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Eventually, it turns out I did have to
actually draw it for real. <b>I ended up looking at lots of pictures of dollhouses</b>
to understand the perspective of the rooms. I also had to think about how the
dialogue would flow since there’s a lot of talking but there aren’t panels to
definitive tell you what to read first. This meant I had to think about things
like where the staircases were and what rooms had doors they could be walking
through. As you can see the narration in the top left didn’t really have
anywhere it naturally fit. I decided to ignore this and move on to the final
art for some reason. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ur7ZP-IV5e4/X1_VzEOW-zI/AAAAAAAAPDA/txqz8jpDTq4enLz9MgbpUw3zrfD7mNW3ACLcBGAsYHQ/s1814/Mason%2B15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1258" data-original-width="1814" height="278" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ur7ZP-IV5e4/X1_VzEOW-zI/AAAAAAAAPDA/txqz8jpDTq4enLz9MgbpUw3zrfD7mNW3ACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h278/Mason%2B15.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span lang="EN-US"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Next I went ahead and
finished the illustration. I rendered it without word balloons so that I could
put them in later and change their size if the dialogue changed without messing
up the art. This is one of the last spreads I finished so that I could go in
and put the details in the rooms you see in other parts of the book. </span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gYrvZbd2sAU/X1_V_9oJJDI/AAAAAAAAPDE/JOAWeECv8YgqpKBjhQ6aHlChPg1MJw3AwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Mason%2B16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1392" data-original-width="2048" height="273" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gYrvZbd2sAU/X1_V_9oJJDI/AAAAAAAAPDE/JOAWeECv8YgqpKBjhQ6aHlChPg1MJw3AwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h273/Mason%2B16.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">So I placed the text
onto one of the illustrations and I did indeed have to change the word
balloons. Eventually, my editor was like “Okay, Seaerra. Figure out how to deal
with this narration already!"</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B4Htd5Q9d5U/X1_WV44pu0I/AAAAAAAAPDU/W5pCt3AvjJ8DZBIZsZx5BqoOzyMu0JWewCLcBGAsYHQ/s1946/Mason%2B17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1354" data-original-width="1946" height="279" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B4Htd5Q9d5U/X1_WV44pu0I/AAAAAAAAPDU/W5pCt3AvjJ8DZBIZsZx5BqoOzyMu0JWewCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h279/Mason%2B17.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">My
first solution was terrible as you can see from the scribble she made circling
it. I also tried a white text on a black bar and having the text sit against
the roof but it just wasn't working. It was a good lesson in planning ahead and
not just thinking, “Eh that’s future-Seaerra’s problem.” Future-Seaerra quickly
becomes present Seaerra who has to figure this out without totally changing
everything because she’s on a very tight deadline. Never again. <o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1PBmxXlXh-A/X1_WsnkARaI/AAAAAAAAPDg/9FEDgJ-cRY08nskg99LA1KknVLTZ4p2vgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1824/Mason%2B18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1260" data-original-width="1824" height="276" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1PBmxXlXh-A/X1_WsnkARaI/AAAAAAAAPDg/9FEDgJ-cRY08nskg99LA1KknVLTZ4p2vgCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h276/Mason%2B18.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span lang="EN-US">Then somehow my brain realized there’s a
whole empty room at the top doing nothing but being empty! Placing it there
made it easy to read and led you into Iris’s and Mason’s conversation.</span><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-axMUjgsaiKk/X1_W3E5t9jI/AAAAAAAAPDk/IGp_omo0p80-v4gw6rbzArdx7wydmfAkwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Mason%2B19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1428" data-original-width="2048" height="279" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-axMUjgsaiKk/X1_W3E5t9jI/AAAAAAAAPDk/IGp_omo0p80-v4gw6rbzArdx7wydmfAkwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h279/Mason%2B19.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div><i>**I think you'll agree, Reader, that this was an informative and fascinating walkthrough. Thank you Seaerra!**</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><b>Let’s talk about Mason and his heart in a
jar and the wonderful Iris with her sharp intellect.They make for a great team.
Did they go through any changes when you were writing the graphic novel and how
do you see them growing in the future.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><i><span lang="EN-US"><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></i><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">I had a clear vision of who Mason was when
I started writing the book <b>since he had been living in my head for almost two
years at that point</b>. I knew that he was grumpy and self-centered but underneath
that, he was really just a lonely insecure kid. I wanted the other lead
character to be someone who could see that and would help him realize that
having friends and love in your life is really important. Iris grew out of that
idea. I think when the book was first conceived, I knew it would be series but
I envisioned Mason visiting lots of different people as he set out to find a
way to put his heart back in his chest, but <b>I ended up really falling in love
with Iris</b>, so much so that she really become the hero and the heart of the
story. I think her bond with Mason is really special and it was a no-brainer
that she had to be in the other books. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KOZH5ZH9VKM/X1_XnrLXKDI/AAAAAAAAPD0/OiEGt_x3t8kjA8f0L3wIGvjQYJKyD-DbwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Mason%2B20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1535" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KOZH5ZH9VKM/X1_XnrLXKDI/AAAAAAAAPD0/OiEGt_x3t8kjA8f0L3wIGvjQYJKyD-DbwCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/Mason%2B20.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #444444;">An early concept sketch of Iris for the Flying Eye pitch. <br /></span></i></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Moving forward I think you continue to see
their friendship grow. Mason has found someone he can be a little more
vulnerable with. She’s who he's willing to listen to and almost admit he cares
about. Iris continues to become more confident and isn’t afraid to call Mason
out when he’s being a butt. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vFWcTPJmfUM/X1_X3YspnxI/AAAAAAAAPD8/ueQfqe0IOLk1ChLoK3LYUj4pbXAec0YFQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Mason%2B21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vFWcTPJmfUM/X1_X3YspnxI/AAAAAAAAPD8/ueQfqe0IOLk1ChLoK3LYUj4pbXAec0YFQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h400/Mason%2B21.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #444444;">An early sketch of Iris and her sister, June. <br /></span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span lang="EN-US"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><b>There are other Paranormal investigators
throughout Mason Mooney can you tell us a little about how important it was for
you to present a diverse cast and what your thinking was behind them. Will we
be lucky enough to encounter them in the future? </b><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Character design is my favorite thing ever
so I was really excited to get to draw this group of teens. <b>I love the idea
that our appearance can tell a whole story about who we are. </b>In many ghost
hunting shows the group usually has a tech person and psychic, etc. It was fun
to place teens into those rolls and think about their individual styles and
aesthetics. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GmLNYpA9c_I/X1_YUk06r9I/AAAAAAAAPEE/5Mv8xAM-KBMQ8ZZkjxCfXQTKmLJxngLKQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Mason%2B22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1392" data-original-width="2048" height="273" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GmLNYpA9c_I/X1_YUk06r9I/AAAAAAAAPEE/5Mv8xAM-KBMQ8ZZkjxCfXQTKmLJxngLKQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h273/Mason%2B22.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #444444;">An early unfinished sketch of the Paranormal Society. They really didn't change much.<br /></span></i></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">I knew I wanted them to reflect the teens I see every day in the
city, which is eclectic and diverse. First and foremost though, I wanted them
to be angsty teens who are happy to revel in their internet fame! We get to see
more of them in the second book. Trent takes on a much larger role and really
propels the story forward in a pretty absurd way.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mMQk5S17KRg/X1_Zys98W5I/AAAAAAAAPEk/9x8LtQccKcApYrUcx3dOE6e2Hd0UhpZzQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Mason%2B28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1405" data-original-width="2048" height="275" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mMQk5S17KRg/X1_Zys98W5I/AAAAAAAAPEk/9x8LtQccKcApYrUcx3dOE6e2Hd0UhpZzQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h275/Mason%2B28.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Trent was definitely harder to design. I
wanted him to be someone who was sort of nerdy, doing his best to pass himself
off as cool. In the end, I made him pretty handsome with some of that
inescapable teen awkwardness like acne and braces. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><b>Finally, where can expect Mason and Iris’ next
adventure to take us?</b><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">The next book takes place at Iris’s school
on Halloween night. I won’t say too much except I think it’s a funnier story
that expands that world of Mason Mooney, and there’s a lot more of Iris older
sister who is without a doubt my favorite character! <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AahiRquCDQo/X1_aTsPBT0I/AAAAAAAAPEs/Q9g16lHtt-8a8yV0KhZfkBGVSX0McnKVQCLcBGAsYHQ/s554/Mason%2B25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="554" data-original-width="552" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AahiRquCDQo/X1_aTsPBT0I/AAAAAAAAPEs/Q9g16lHtt-8a8yV0KhZfkBGVSX0McnKVQCLcBGAsYHQ/w399-h400/Mason%2B25.jpg" width="399" /></a></div><br /><span lang="EN-US">Seaerra, thank you SO much for these fun, insightful comments and images. You have been so generous with your time and we all looked forward to the next episode in...<b>Mason Mooney: Paranormal Investigator! </b></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><b><a href="https://flyingeyebooks.com/shop/mason-mooney-paranormal-investigator/" target="_blank">Mason Mooney: Paranormal Investigator</a> is available from Flying Eye and all good bookshops. </b></span></p><p></p></div>Mat Tobinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03409658334620463763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83069909578853028.post-9745299976683758542020-09-14T11:53:00.003-07:002020-09-14T11:53:45.826-07:00Mason Mooney: Paranormal Investigator by Seaerra Miller<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KW5ok0pt3XI/X1-pWDkgFDI/AAAAAAAAO-8/zoEf_q13_FcIdSJh6QSPKccmpTAFlSa4gCLcBGAsYHQ/s1933/81LxWsssRTL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1933" data-original-width="1400" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KW5ok0pt3XI/X1-pWDkgFDI/AAAAAAAAO-8/zoEf_q13_FcIdSJh6QSPKccmpTAFlSa4gCLcBGAsYHQ/w290-h400/81LxWsssRTL.jpg" width="290" /></a></div>It’s difficult to like the protagonist of this graphic novel and there’s a good reason behind that. He’s heartless – quite literally! Miller’s graphic novel debut casts our blond-haired, foul-tempered paranormal investigator as a young boy whose heart he transports carried in a bell-jar. Exactly why this is the case and why he’s so darned grumpy is revealed in this first of a series of graphic novels but not until he manages to solve the creepy conundrum of who is haunting Tanglewood Mansion.<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KftPK17bJzA/X1-5OH-mryI/AAAAAAAAO_Q/6AWocviU0j0AZV9qGvVSzJdMh0i8I1LRACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20200914_193345.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1462" data-original-width="2048" height="285" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KftPK17bJzA/X1-5OH-mryI/AAAAAAAAO_Q/6AWocviU0j0AZV9qGvVSzJdMh0i8I1LRACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h285/20200914_193345.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div>Set within the small community of Grimbrook (which looks and feels like welcome riff on Buffy’s Sunnydale) Mason Mooney first mission involves supporting Iris, a highly intelligent girl whose family have just moved into the area. Her residence seems to be plagued by ghostly activity intent upon making her older sister’s life a misery. Once there, Mason must not only tackle ghosts and witches but also fierce competition from The Paranormal Society a Blyton-meets-Breakfast Club group of teenage investigators led by heart-throb Trent Reilly. Can Mason beat his rivals in solving the riddle behind the hauntings before it’s too late?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-agrQJWjOkiY/X1-7FUqtK8I/AAAAAAAAO_k/wEQ3oFis6Yc_h6YNGNODcHbPzJcsT6-pACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20200914_194702.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1445" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-agrQJWjOkiY/X1-7FUqtK8I/AAAAAAAAO_k/wEQ3oFis6Yc_h6YNGNODcHbPzJcsT6-pACLcBGAsYHQ/w283-h400/20200914_194702.jpg" width="283" /></a></div><div>The first in a series of paranormal graphic novels, possibly aimed at KS3 and up but perfectly suitable for 9+ readers, Miller’s debut packs a punch with its illustrative quality and humorous glimpse into the awkwardness of transitioning-into-teen life. She has a wonderful eye for perspective, colour and pace and I particularly loved the interjecting wit of the narrator throughout. Full, double-page spreads pack the exhilarating punch just at the right moment whilst smaller panels to draw attention to the more important details: it’s clear that Miller enjoys playing with the form and the story benefits from it greatly.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uZqyMy6rC-E/X1-5fnVqc_I/AAAAAAAAO_Y/fVATO5w_G3I6dNqxhPjd56VU2G3-hfvbACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20200914_193318.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1399" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uZqyMy6rC-E/X1-5fnVqc_I/AAAAAAAAO_Y/fVATO5w_G3I6dNqxhPjd56VU2G3-hfvbACLcBGAsYHQ/w274-h400/20200914_193318.jpg" width="274" /></a></div><div>Having a lead character that is difficult to like with a dark past was a welcome and Iris, Mason’s soon-to-be trusty ally makes for a smart, welcome companion. With Mason Mooney, Miller sets out the template for further adventures and it’s clear that there is room for growth here in further spooky adventures with regards to character and world. This is a beautifully presented debut, rich in humour and with a diverse cast. It’s a story that will enthral any reader who enjoys quirky, tongue-in-cheek humour served with slice of the supernatural.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ub28HNwO6d4/X1-8CzZFhtI/AAAAAAAAO_w/H1005Dvx5E8pB1LKzzuPA_TxnfXEAKA7QCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20200914_195135.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1429" data-original-width="2048" height="279" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ub28HNwO6d4/X1-8CzZFhtI/AAAAAAAAO_w/H1005Dvx5E8pB1LKzzuPA_TxnfXEAKA7QCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h279/20200914_195135.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br />**Special thanks to Flying Eye for sending me a review copy.<br /><table border="0" cellspacing="1" class="myActivity" style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; table-layout: fixed; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr></tr></tbody></table></div></div>Mat Tobinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03409658334620463763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83069909578853028.post-79606289858154624732020-09-11T12:50:00.001-07:002020-09-11T12:50:24.511-07:00Zombierella by Joseph Coelho and Freya Hartas<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f1Ht9nfmxak/X1vQ9pRssnI/AAAAAAAAO5c/SjS9P9DXYwIfBgUZrwmeTOFWnNHkcrLLgCLcBGAsYHQ/s574/Coelho-Zombierella-Carousel-1024x575.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="574" data-original-width="375" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f1Ht9nfmxak/X1vQ9pRssnI/AAAAAAAAO5c/SjS9P9DXYwIfBgUZrwmeTOFWnNHkcrLLgCLcBGAsYHQ/w261-h400/Coelho-Zombierella-Carousel-1024x575.jpg" width="261" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;">As</span><span style="background: white; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> part of the 'Fairy Tales
Gone Bad' series, Coelho and Hartas join up for a deliciously dark (yet sprinkled
with plenty of tongue-in-cheek humour) retelling of the Grimm variant.
Cinderella, in this version, inherits her name from carrying her mother's ashes
around with her in a locket. We find Cinders living at home with her FAKE beautiful
sisters and step-mother who treat her as badly as the original. With both her biological parents dead, Cinderella's only companion is
her faithful steed, Lumpkin who is on his last legs...</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PS_z3RYrHZ0/X1vSvOR3FYI/AAAAAAAAO6U/q3zHRGNt8ZgkjQhYIWkWqjGvTPBKI3R3QCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20200911_203412.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PS_z3RYrHZ0/X1vSvOR3FYI/AAAAAAAAO6U/q3zHRGNt8ZgkjQhYIWkWqjGvTPBKI3R3QCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/20200911_203412.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
<span style="background: white;">When the town receives an unusual visitor in the
guise of a prince whose culinary tastes are on the bloody side and whose bed is
more wood and dirt than cushions and frame, Cinderella's life is about to take
a dark turn. Yet whether life as a Zombie is as bad as it sounds is something
that can only be discovered in the reading. </span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K8BZIywaaWc/X1vS6v7hE_I/AAAAAAAAO6Y/lJbBdESv5PUbwe5AhGYZteI9XU9MuEFkwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20200911_203521.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K8BZIywaaWc/X1vS6v7hE_I/AAAAAAAAO6Y/lJbBdESv5PUbwe5AhGYZteI9XU9MuEFkwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/20200911_203521.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
<span style="background: white;">There are many things to love about this
fractured fairytale. The immediate appeal for me was Coelho's cold-yet-welcome embrace of
those gorier elements that we associate with the earlier Grimm tellings. Zombie
aside, here we have a vampire, guts, brains on show and hacked feet as the
prince goes upon his quest to find his true bride. All of which is penned in
a free verse that drips with cunningly dark imagery and design whilst managing, somehow, to include a lightness of touch and humour that will leave readers grinning.</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fWJz5AwkKb0/X1vTf8VDroI/AAAAAAAAO6s/5cZw-TVV5vUxBc7Dgx3vfCbv1cgJKLQvQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20200911_203743.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1818" data-original-width="2048" height="355" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fWJz5AwkKb0/X1vTf8VDroI/AAAAAAAAO6s/5cZw-TVV5vUxBc7Dgx3vfCbv1cgJKLQvQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h355/20200911_203743.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
<span style="background: white;">Huge praise must also go both to the talents of
Freya Hartas and the book's editorial team. The illustrations make those gory
moments even funnier and there is a warmth and lightness to a cast who are
mostly dead - quite an achievement! The balance too, between text and
image, is perfect. Sometimes the verse commands the page leaving space for
single, soft vignettes but at other times smashing double-page spreads blast
off the page with space for a punchy, single word of prose.</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6-c1Dz-PJ90/X1vTn7FatdI/AAAAAAAAO60/TbBDZ_JAtMUZkbZPhE0twaFq5pCn7kVoACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20200911_203601.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1634" data-original-width="2048" height="319" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6-c1Dz-PJ90/X1vTn7FatdI/AAAAAAAAO60/TbBDZ_JAtMUZkbZPhE0twaFq5pCn7kVoACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h319/20200911_203601.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: medium;">
<span style="background: white;">Zombierella is not all about the gory details
(and let's face it, neither were the originals). This story carries both moral
and message about kindness and love - and unlike the original - a dose of
forgiveness. This is a joyful achievement and I hope to see
more 'Fairy Tales Gone Bad' in the future.</span></span><p></p><p></p>Mat Tobinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03409658334620463763noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83069909578853028.post-86281487217019171932020-09-03T13:52:00.002-07:002020-09-04T06:10:21.591-07:00The Wanderer by Peter Van Den Ende<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PBBU7XFVjVs/X1FX6q7Ne_I/AAAAAAAAOv4/5wJgfBZE9zs3rbd4I_pCuqYS1evuHNF3gCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/9781782692867.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="313" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PBBU7XFVjVs/X1FX6q7Ne_I/AAAAAAAAOv4/5wJgfBZE9zs3rbd4I_pCuqYS1evuHNF3gCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/9781782692867.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">In his Forward to <i>Visual Journeys Through Wordless Narrative</i>
(Arizpe et al., 2014), Shaun Tan shares the story of how he is often asked who
his books are for. His answer is something along the lines of: it’s not
something that I am consciously aware of. Instead he tells us that stories and
images constantly vie for his attention and he <i>‘often has no idea how a book
might travel or into whose hands it might fall</i>.’ Thinking about the reader is
too great a task because each reader will come to the text with experiences
that are ‘<i>quite removed</i>’ from his own. Instead, Tan’s stories are more
concerned with how ‘<i>we </i>[each] <i>make sense of the world, how we ask questions, how we
make connections</i>’ and this, he concludes, ‘<i>is more important than knowledge</i>.’<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LOfp7FGTF7A/X1FSRpJ_2xI/AAAAAAAAOtM/lD21TGgs38cAeDf3K5TB7zWzO42_4PgaQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_2530.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1320" data-original-width="2048" height="258" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LOfp7FGTF7A/X1FSRpJ_2xI/AAAAAAAAOtM/lD21TGgs38cAeDf3K5TB7zWzO42_4PgaQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h258/IMG_2530.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i>The Wanderer </i></b>by Peter Van Den Ende is a wordless picturebook
(or as close to wordless as you can get) that slides onto Tan’s own mantra like
acetate. It takes the reader on a journey through realms unimagined, or perhaps
reimagined but as a mirror to our own. Its nautical narrative leylines allude
to a tale which invites us to reconsider our place on this blue planet and,
subtly, our impact upon it. It shares with us a sumptuous glimpse into its wondrously
alien, watery realm that flourishes beneath the ocean’s skin. <o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZCAScBK32LM/X1FTBjYvWoI/AAAAAAAAOtY/PjNK9mo-CJA9TLjTwhaUtPO9BDVSCU9qACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_rqp4ru.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1463" data-original-width="2048" height="286" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZCAScBK32LM/X1FTBjYvWoI/AAAAAAAAOtY/PjNK9mo-CJA9TLjTwhaUtPO9BDVSCU9qACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h286/IMG_rqp4ru.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<p class="MsoNormal">Upon the first endpaper (above) we find ourselves greeted with a map
of the world which mirrors our own yet with tiny differences; amorphously rearranged
with deft subtlety. In the top left, a mysterious vessel – part Victorian
workhouse and part ethereal water-craft nestles next a boat seemingly constructed from folded
paper. Is this story about a journey then? And if so, where or whom are we
wandering to? <o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cIKL57D_zmw/X1FXO2hBcnI/AAAAAAAAOvc/UyrQk-YM6jA-NRwWXymtmKhlVgDaQnGPwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20200903_214747.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1407" data-original-width="2048" height="275" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cIKL57D_zmw/X1FXO2hBcnI/AAAAAAAAOvc/UyrQk-YM6jA-NRwWXymtmKhlVgDaQnGPwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h275/20200903_214747.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<p class="MsoNormal">Mirroring the sense of this world being ours and yet not
ours, the story opens with two humanoids, one of tassels, helmed with a
crescent moon and the other perhaps a little more human-like. Together they craft
a vessel: our little paper boat, and set it on its way. How can something so
frail survive the vastness of the Pacific Ocean? They bid it farewell and be
follow its voyage as it sails across oceans, encountering life which may at
first seem alien yet oddly familiar (or vice-versa). Giant sunfish festooned
with sunspots, chequered seahorses with paper hats and mangroves alive with
hydra-like lizards and lobster-riding sea-cucumbers.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1389" data-original-width="2048" height="271" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iBzl2K2ATRg/X1FUPnkZSBI/AAAAAAAAOuY/TtcMfKiDd_YBAWYX4ObpWfq_wQVWUHZ-ACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h271/20200903_213419.jpg" style="text-align: left;" width="400" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--lomMo-kh5M/X1FWUwOQxZI/AAAAAAAAOvA/LygHIsXYh3QeKUG6iiPbbzX2qKKFLh2sACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20200903_213605.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1413" data-original-width="2048" height="276" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--lomMo-kh5M/X1FWUwOQxZI/AAAAAAAAOvA/LygHIsXYh3QeKUG6iiPbbzX2qKKFLh2sACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h276/20200903_213605.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<p class="MsoNormal">And just when you think the ship may have sailed through wonders
enough, a darker more ominous presence consumes the picture-plane. Hulking
trawlers, nets bulging with aquatic lifelessness and a noxious oil platform that
belches suffocating toxins into the ocean air unremittingly choke the life from
this rich world. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1442" data-original-width="2048" height="281" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tsXwtMMxDYs/X1FUlxlwSyI/AAAAAAAAOug/8TNQ5yKzqM0dLKCqNlbDHkmQH0C8hyKeQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h281/20200903_213552.jpg" width="400" /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Yet do not despair because even in these dark depths, there
are ideas and hopes fizzing to escape with the hope of finding solutions to
these problems and the boat is there to carry on this endless, timeless
narrative.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><o:p></o:p><img border="0" data-original-height="1464" data-original-width="2048" height="286" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L2dh7CeRO9I/X1FU38qGVOI/AAAAAAAAOuw/cI6O8bAryCgRPeQKG-QJOGgpouqV_h8vQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h286/20200903_213540.jpg" width="400" /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">A ‘visual delight’ would be selling Peter Van Den Ende’s
creation short. How he has accomplished so much with black and white (and
perhaps a hint of grey) is simply astonishing. The masterfully tempered
contrast in colour highlights that sense of contrast and connection between one
reality and another. What you take away from this story is entirely in your
hands – there are no concrete messages here only symbols and implications. What
one frame might mean to one reader may mean something different to another.
This is what is so powerful about these wordless narratives. For me, the story
left me with a the sense that our creative spirit must weather any storm and
that it is vital if we are to protect that ecological spirit that is undeniably
a part of who and what we are. The Wanderer defies categorisation with both
regards to the age of the reader and with regards to its message and because of
this, it remains timeless.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TbndACIORM0/X1FXZ1hFcPI/AAAAAAAAOvk/jIh8q8A5CygSvPOG_NVK75ZqtDTtYA1TwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20200903_214959.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1423" data-original-width="2048" height="278" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TbndACIORM0/X1FXZ1hFcPI/AAAAAAAAOvk/jIh8q8A5CygSvPOG_NVK75ZqtDTtYA1TwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h278/20200903_214959.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">Huge thanks to @pushkinpress for this review copy</p>Mat Tobinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03409658334620463763noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83069909578853028.post-12995132818850112782020-06-19T06:32:00.002-07:002020-06-19T06:32:58.998-07:00Child of St. Kilda<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Over the past few years I have had the pleasure of reading a
rich range of information picture books whose words and images flow far more
like a narrative than something detached and formal in style. William Grill’s
<a href="https://flyingeyebooks.com/shop/shackletons-journey/" target="_blank"><i>Shackleton’s Journey</i> </a>and Hayley Barrett and Diana Sudyka’s beautiful biography <i><a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/What-Miss-Mitchell-Saw/Hayley-Barrett/9781481487597" target="_blank">What Miss Mitchell Saw</a></i> both spring to mind. They present us with true stories of
real people through richly presented illustration and lyrical narratives – a
pairing which often makes you feel as if you are right there with them. Needless
to say, Beth Waters’ Child of St Kilda stands up just as confidently alongside
these. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--vZS5akBvaI/Xuy9e32YkMI/AAAAAAAAN00/YF5NjRKVHxoyr0Icu-W4e93wezAqbhVHgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/20200619_142219.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1227" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--vZS5akBvaI/Xuy9e32YkMI/AAAAAAAAN00/YF5NjRKVHxoyr0Icu-W4e93wezAqbhVHgCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/20200619_142219.jpg" width="306" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Prior to picking up Child of St Kilda, I knew nothing about
this remote Outer Hebridean group of islands to be found off the north-west coast
of Scotland nor the residents who saw it as home. Waters’ gorgeous prints
aside, I found myself drawn to the contrast of the island’s harsh living
conditions and the solidarity and warm nature of its inhabitants.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The anchor point for the narrative is one Norman John
Gillies, a five-year-old island resident through which we witness those final months
in before St. Kilda is abandoned. Casting an enquiring eye over Norman John’s
young shoulders, Waters invites us to explore the island and piece together how
this small group of residents, during the 1920s and the dawn of the 30s, cohabited.
To some, such remoteness may carry romantic connotations but this author’s
narrative does not shy away from any truths: it is clear that the residents worked
tirelessly to survive under such challenging conditions. I was surprised to
read that Atlantic storms raged so fiercely upon the island that there were
times when the residents were left ‘deaf for weeks afterwards’.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FNW3MDE8nHU/Xuy9tpJjg8I/AAAAAAAAN04/6L31yyYWOjg4bZU-np6u4lNkkd_EGv2oACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/20200619_142149.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1166" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FNW3MDE8nHU/Xuy9tpJjg8I/AAAAAAAAN04/6L31yyYWOjg4bZU-np6u4lNkkd_EGv2oACLcBGAsYHQ/s400/20200619_142149.jpg" width="291" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Presented in portrait format, Gillies’ story is interspersed
with double-page spreads that provide insights into the busy, communal life on
St. Kilda. From its unique, resident wildlife to the families who lived there during
Norman John’s time (36 people all living on one street!), Waters presents us
with an island story that reads like a journal, recording those pivotal moments
before the evacuation in the 1930. She invites us to watch, arms resting upon a
dry stone wall, as this small close-knit group of families get on with their daily
life, hunting for birds and their eggs alongside the cliff-side or cutting peat
for fires.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UZuVHBeBPEA/Xuy95tXIS3I/AAAAAAAAN1A/UNeZfe6K-Ecz5-PsbKxhCSC0HEzSN-3zwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/20200619_142206.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1151" data-original-width="1600" height="287" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UZuVHBeBPEA/Xuy95tXIS3I/AAAAAAAAN1A/UNeZfe6K-Ecz5-PsbKxhCSC0HEzSN-3zwCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/20200619_142206.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The island has its own narrative too. At its peak, it provided
shelter for 110 people and has been a settlement for over 4000 years. Although
it houses no permanent residents today, it thankfully remains a dual World Heritage
Site in which both the island culture and wildlife is preserved. A useful
snippet of Waters’ sketchbook at the back touches on this. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UUElHZqInPs/Xuy-HrtW6pI/AAAAAAAAN1I/IBfn26hUhWwro6y8-oPK6UR2mbXfQ86yACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/20200619_142120.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1158" data-original-width="1600" height="288" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UUElHZqInPs/Xuy-HrtW6pI/AAAAAAAAN1I/IBfn26hUhWwro6y8-oPK6UR2mbXfQ86yACLcBGAsYHQ/s400/20200619_142120.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What will attract many readers though are Waters’ exquisite
monoprints: a technique in which layers of colour are added to create a unique,
irreplaceable image; one which cannot be replicated. As I found myself
exploring these images something poetic struck me – the process of monoprinting
perfectly mirrors the life of the residents of St. Kilda. Like an old Polaroid
photo, each print is unique – a moment captured that cannot be altered - and
the same can be said of the St. Kilda’s past residents. Their life upon the
island is as distinctive and as exclusive as a monoprint and their story is one
I will take pleasure in preserving and sharing. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9T-tjL7Utbk/Xuy-SEKYCQI/AAAAAAAAN1U/ZvzqH-At1jM0DtPem4xUK1SmBniNXreVQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/20200619_142135.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9T-tjL7Utbk/Xuy-SEKYCQI/AAAAAAAAN1U/ZvzqH-At1jM0DtPem4xUK1SmBniNXreVQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/20200619_142135.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Child of St Kilda is written and illustrated by Beth Waters and published by Child's Play (2019). </div>
<br />Mat Tobinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03409658334620463763noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83069909578853028.post-54485486207555683692020-06-09T15:01:00.000-07:002020-06-11T11:17:47.732-07:00Exploring Pictures in Picturebooks<br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>**First, let me apologise for the length of this post. It is
definitely a ‘dip in’ read in which you might want to stop and return to in
manageable chunks. The codes and principles mentioned below can be a lot to
take in and reflect upon at first. It might help seeing this as an extended
workshop for you to return to when you need to refresh your memory.**<o:p></o:p></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There is a deliciously complex relationship between pictures
and words in picturebooks and between the book and the reader and the book and
its creator. Pictures in picturebooks, Nodelman tells us, ‘<i>carry the weight of
the narrative</i>’ (1988) and in order to do so, employ a range of strategies to
get that meaning across to the reader. How they communicate this sense of
meaning has always interested me from when I was a frightened three year old
first encountering a Wild Thing in preschool to when I was a training teacher
struck by the empty chair in John Burningham’s <i>Granpa</i>. If the role of
pictures in picturebooks is to communicate a message then how do they do this
and why is it that pictures affect me in different ways? <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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Illustrators, when trying to convey their own message in a picturebook, will be
calling upon all the skills of their known craft. At the other end, we readers
are there as receivers of this information but we too bring all our skills and
knowledge to that reading process and these will, doubtlessly, be different
from what the illustrator brings. This meaning making then is, in part, a
multifaceted process and just as the writer can use certain words or grammar to
affect the way we feel about someone or something, so too can illustrators use
a visual grammar to do the same. Knowing how this grammar works can be a powerful
tool in developing richer readings of pictures in picturebooks and this is what
this blog is about.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In her seminal book on the subject of how we are emotionally
affected by the ‘arrangement and placement of shapes and their colours’ in
pictures, Molly Bang sought to understand ‘picture structure’. <i>Picture This
</i>comprehensively explores how and why we respond to images the way we do and
what this might say about us and the way we interpret visual information. What
she ended up finding out through her project was that art follows certain
principles; what Rudolf Arnheim, in the introduction to her book, refers to as
‘<i>a kind of grammar for the eyes</i>’.<br />
<br />
Several years before the publication of Bang’s <i>Picture This</i>, a short article on
‘An Introduction to Picturebook Codes’ was published in the journal <i>Word &
Image </i>by Moebius. Moebius, a pseudonym for Jean Giraud, was a much-lauded
French artist, cartoonist and writer. His work remains held in the highest
regard by people like George Lucas, Neil Gaiman, Stan Lee and Hayao Miyazaki
and Paulo Coelho: he was the best of the best of them. He too was searching for
something but from a different perspective. Having researched Reader Response
Theory, citing Meek, Warlow and Barton's <i>The Cool Web</i> as instrumental, he was interested
in what we bring to a picture when we read it.</span></div>
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Both artists were interested in the question of how we interpret pictures and
both set out to present us with a visual grammar in which to read them. Moebius
broke down the reading pictures process into <b>five codes</b> and Bang’s <b>principles
</b>were categorised into <b>ten sections</b>. Because they very much complement each
other, I decided to amalgamate some of Molly Bang’s observations under Moebius’
headings. What I present now are the Codes and an extended, practical
exploration of how both artists apply these.<br /><br /><b>
Disclaimer: </b><br />
</span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>
Both artists are quick to state that by no means are these codes/principles
meant to be used as a way of killing the joy of reading but as a way of
inviting new, richer, deeper interpretations;</i></span></span></li>
</ul>
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<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>
These ‘codes’ and ‘principles’ are a toolkit for interpreting pictures. Both
artists make it clear, however, that using them does not provide an answer
sheet to what the illustrator was trying to say;</i></span></span></li>
</ul>
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<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>
The ‘codes’ and ‘principles’ invite us to look closer at pictures. I would
argue strongly that this enhanced and enriching reading experience will only help
improve comprehension.</i></span></span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>** You might want a break at this point and I might suggest a
break after each 'code' has been explored so that you have the time and space
to reflect on what each one is doing**<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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***</div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><u>The Codes of Position, Size and Diminishing Returns <o:p></o:p></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Position and Size</b></span></h2>
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Where objects are positioned on the page is important and affects how we
interpret them especially with regards to power and energy or the lack of it.</span><br />
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In both images from Becker’s <i>Journey</i>, our protagonist is safely on the left
hand side of the spread. Being on the left (in Western picturebooks) can mean
being secure and safe but it can also lend a sense of confinement; it is often
the place where characters are seen to begin their quest - they’re starting
off. As humans, we take comfort in knowing what’s behind us and are cautious
about what lies ahead. Picturebooks are the same - we know what happened on the
previous page and there is always a sense of anticipation and excitement when
we turn over the next one.</span></div>
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Here we see it again with Max in <i>Where the Wild Things Are</i>.</span><br />
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Max is also on the far left of the spread but we get the feeling that his
progress is going to be a little more troublesome than for the young girl above
since his road blocked by monstrous obstacles.</span></div>
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In Francesca Sanna’s <i>The Journey</i> we have a family so small that they almost
appear invisible. Like Max, they have a lot of obstacles to overcome before
they can move on (and before we feel we can turn the page!). Trees and walls
block their way as they try to escape their war-ravaged country. We sense their
fragility because they are shown as small (we associate smallness with
weakness/powerlessness and a difficulty in overcoming danger) and we are
‘looking down’ on them: another technique used for disempowering characters.<br /><br />
How do we feel then when main characters are on the opposite side? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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In Anthony Browne’s <i>The Tunnel,</i> Rose looks like she has been running from the
left to the right hand side of the page and is in a hurry. She’s looking back
with great concern at what might be behind her and she’s so close to the edge
of the page that we also feel the need to turn it over quickly and help save
her (or see what has to face next). We are often nervous opening doors to
unfamiliar places and the experience can be similar when turning a page in a
tense picturebook. Being on the right hand side of a page can indicate a sense
of risk and adventure but also danger - we’re far away from the safety on the
left hand side of the page now - there’s no going back!</span></div>
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<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The same is happening here in <i>Blown Away </i>by Rob Biddulph. It
might feel less frightening but Penguin Blue and his friends are on the right
hand side and in a risky, adventurous space. Would it feel different, perhaps,
if the solid weight of the polar bear wasn't there on the left hand side?
Certainly, both Moebius and Bang would suggest that the journey and risk would
feel very different if the characters were lower down on the page and safely
back on the left side.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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What about if we’re in the centre? Well, Bang argues that the phrase ‘the
centre of attention’ is worth reflecting on here. Characters in the centre are
in charge of the stage (or picture plane) and when looking at any picture, we
are always drawn to the middle whether there is something there worth our
attention or not.</span><br />
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In <i>The Flower</i> by John Light and Lisa Evans, the young boy commands our
attention because he’s in the middle. He is in line with us and quite small so
although he may not appear particularly powerful (he’s possibly the smallest
character in the scene) the use of colour and position means that we are drawn
to him. Look at where he is looking too - he’s inviting us to turn to the next
page.</span></div>
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Dad in Anthony Browne’s <i>Zoo </i>offers a very different ‘centre of attention’
feeling here. Dead centre, he dominates the page and our attention in many
ways. We’ll come back to this picture shortly but for now it is worth noting
that his central placement means there is little we can do but look at him.
Even the clouds seem magnetically drawn to him. It’s as if his presence in this
picture is warping gravity itself. It is worth considering as well though that
the bigger they are, the harder they fall and that size in pictures doesn’t
always mean power but can mean, as Moebius points out, ‘an overblown ego’.<br />
<br />
In closing this section I have talked about going on journeys and how we read
from left to right. Characters in picturebooks tend to present the illusion of
moving left to right so the opposite can be said when the adventure is over. We
read pictures moving right to left as a way of going back to the safety of what
we already know (or have already read).<br />
<br />
Again we turn to Max for this example. Here he is heading back from his quest
to perhaps understand or conquer his frustrations whilst he takes the boat.
Penguin Blue and his companions take a wind-powered dinghy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
And just to prove the point about direction and how characters progress from
left to right across the picture plane, below is the final picture of Max in
his bedroom.</span><br />
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The Return<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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And here, I have flipped the picture and text to show you how different it
feels and how the latter image makes it seem as if he is beginning the quest.</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VIrLtSWr_Z0/Xt_msygP4HI/AAAAAAAANPs/Nhy3wUohUzsOI9CLcjTv9qnHHkwinL5HACK4BGAsYHg/s3548/6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1629" data-original-width="3548" height="294" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VIrLtSWr_Z0/Xt_msygP4HI/AAAAAAAANPs/Nhy3wUohUzsOI9CLcjTv9qnHHkwinL5HACK4BGAsYHg/w640-h294/6.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The Voyage</b></span></div>
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Diminishing Returns</span></h2>
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This term refers to the frequency in which a character appears on the spread;
the more they appear, the more energy they are using. This can suggest a
greater loss of control. I tend to have the image in my head of a cut-out of
the side of our house and my two boys playing around the different rooms,
charging about and then finally collapsing on the sofa. The more they expend
their energy playing, the less energy they are left with and therefore the less
control.<br />
<br />
In both <i>The Marvellous Fluffy Squishy Itty Bitty </i>by Beatrice Alemagna, we see
Eddie scurrying around French streets searching for a present for her mother.
You can sense (and probably relate to) the growing despair that she cannot find
anything. Later on we find her forlorn and dejected - all energy 'seemingly'
wasted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TRqfpL22dbo/XuAL91nCMaI/AAAAAAAANf8/gJF1pxFozywyrSZ-JqBAli9KCckD0UMbACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/20200609_204644.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1090" data-original-width="1600" height="434" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TRqfpL22dbo/XuAL91nCMaI/AAAAAAAANf8/gJF1pxFozywyrSZ-JqBAli9KCckD0UMbACLcBGAsYHQ/s640/20200609_204644.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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In <i>Arthur and the Golden Rope</i> by Joe Todd-Stanton, Arthur’s problems are of a
different nature and he uses all his energy to escape the clutches of a giant
cat. He ends up on his hands and knees - all energy expelled and much lower
down than he was a few frames earlier. Consider in both images how often these
characters appear before they hit their lowest point.</span><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UcbGYjPxslI/XuAMG5-LHmI/AAAAAAAANgA/MFn-8d8L8QYhlBqY221pj-YIXMXobh2pgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Untitled.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1026" data-original-width="732" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UcbGYjPxslI/XuAMG5-LHmI/AAAAAAAANgA/MFn-8d8L8QYhlBqY221pj-YIXMXobh2pgCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/Untitled.png" width="456" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>**This ends the section Codes of Position, Size and
Diminishing Returns. You might want to take a break or revisit this section
before moving on.**</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><u>The Codes of Perspective (and Viewpoint) </u></span><br />
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Perspective</span></h2>
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With our next code, Moebius talks about Perspective alone but personally, I
have often included the term Viewpoint because of what I learned from reading
Jane Doonan’s <i>Looking at Pictures in Picturebooks</i>. They attend to the same
areas but ‘Viewpoint’ asks something different from the reader/viewer that I
like and will come on to.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Horizons play an important part in how we interpret pictures. Both Bang and
Moebius talk about the presence or absence of horizons and how missing a
horizon can lead to a sense of losing perspective or present us with a state of
suspense. If we have no horizon in a picture then Moebius sees this as
characters being presented with less options or closed-minded.</span><br />
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In this picture from <i>The Journey,</i> Francesca Sanna’s family are trapped in many
ways, not only by the frame of the car window but also by the absence of a
horizon. This lends to a sense of confinement and the book makes the most of
absent horizons throughout. See how differently we feel for the family when
they finally reach the coast.</span><br />
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With the horizon line drawing our eye towards the next page, we suddenly feel
liberated, open and free.<br />
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Something similar is happening here in <i>War and Peas</i> by Michael Foreman. King
Lion and the Grocer are escaping the Fat Army. Where do they cycle to? Towards
the horizon of course! Seeing or heading to new horizons shows the opportunity
to begin anew and escape. Think back to that image of the family in <i>The Journey
</i>when they were on the outskirts of the woods. Was there any horizon line there?
Any hope of escape?</span><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dqQfAjuNbAY/XuAKesY_ADI/AAAAAAAANfc/lL3TlFNqDLIbkI7NVBch1izF-CFmTsWPgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/20200607_115039.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1136" data-original-width="1600" height="454" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dqQfAjuNbAY/XuAKesY_ADI/AAAAAAAANfc/lL3TlFNqDLIbkI7NVBch1izF-CFmTsWPgCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/20200607_115039.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />
Finally, it is worth mentioning height here as well. Bing high up can mean
feeling elated and being in a position of power whereas being low-down can mean
the opposite. Bang uses common phrases to elucidate this point: ‘Down in the
dumps’ or ‘As high as a kite’ and you'll see these elements of position used
throughout this blog.</span></div>
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Viewpoint </span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Interestingly, neither Moebius nor Bang focus explicitly on
where we as the reader. I remember my lecturer at University once asking us
when we were exploring <i>Where the Wild Things Are</i>, where ‘we’ are positioned in
the text. This concept knocked me sideways. I hadn’t really considered this
before and its importance. Doonan explores this in her text; here is a brief
summary and some notes:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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When the character is in line with you then you are being invited on the
journey with them; to experience all its ups and downs as they do. In <i>Where the
Wild Things Are</i>, Max often stays at our eye-level and even acknowledges our
presence as we head off on the boat with him.</span><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Leu_otQ83cA/XuALYx71fbI/AAAAAAAANfs/x-4cxFhh-ZMxos6YhOaJBNQ1KGBRjeZsACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/20200609_231929.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="701" data-original-width="1600" height="280" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Leu_otQ83cA/XuALYx71fbI/AAAAAAAANfs/x-4cxFhh-ZMxos6YhOaJBNQ1KGBRjeZsACLcBGAsYHQ/s640/20200609_231929.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Here is Shirley doing the same thing in <i>Come Away from the
Water, Shirley</i> by John Burningham. I’m hoping when you look at the pages from
Burningham you’re taking a little delight in seeing the connection between both
texts here. There is a very good reason why <i>Where the Wild Things Are </i>is
considered THE best picturebook ever made.</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XM0oyw9UhqI/Xt_rjrsaCjI/AAAAAAAANR0/1H8LLWCweVknD-1aN-dKNxXH6psUO1hRACK4BGAsYHg/s3940/20200609_210214.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2800" data-original-width="3940" height="454" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XM0oyw9UhqI/Xt_rjrsaCjI/AAAAAAAANR0/1H8LLWCweVknD-1aN-dKNxXH6psUO1hRACK4BGAsYHg/w640-h454/20200609_210214.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-de5_2TC2FVU/Xt_r5JeX9mI/AAAAAAAANSM/yHcSg_bdCm0Lw45vbGUc656OQiXHZXZGQCK4BGAsYHg/s3729/20200609_210158.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2797" data-original-width="3729" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-de5_2TC2FVU/Xt_r5JeX9mI/AAAAAAAANSM/yHcSg_bdCm0Lw45vbGUc656OQiXHZXZGQCK4BGAsYHg/w640-h480/20200609_210158.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And how about if the character is not in line with us? What if they are higher?
We touched on this with Dad in </span><i style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Zoo </i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">by Anthony Browne. Looking up to someone can
mean looking up to them in admiration but if they’re ‘looking down’ upon you
then it’s a different matter altogether. Here, Dad dominates and Browne, in
positioning us much lower, forces us to submit to his power. No matter what you
think, you feel as if he is in charge.</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u0fjQAFfcxQ/Xt_vdW4WKcI/AAAAAAAANTM/VmPzBcueLNcfj3g0b_YkPQFE5Jno3Wt8QCK4BGAsYHg/s1077/Dad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1057" data-original-width="1077" height="628" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u0fjQAFfcxQ/Xt_vdW4WKcI/AAAAAAAANTM/VmPzBcueLNcfj3g0b_YkPQFE5Jno3Wt8QCK4BGAsYHg/w640-h628/Dad.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And if they are lower than us? It’s the opposite, we have power over them or at least, we feel that they have less power than us. Consider poor Peter here in The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats. He’s ‘downcast’ or ‘down in the dumps’ or of ‘low spirits’ here as he loses a snowball fight to the big boys. The curve of the snowdrifts accentuates that sense of being down too - the dip and sink, cradling Peter.</span><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rXjN3BrebVs/XuAMgpZHlzI/AAAAAAAANgM/UKi7J-tSnwI7I00yrykWBQ3GEVrrBQ_dgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/20200607_122141.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="751" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rXjN3BrebVs/XuAMgpZHlzI/AAAAAAAANgM/UKi7J-tSnwI7I00yrykWBQ3GEVrrBQ_dgCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/20200607_122141.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Don’t worry too much about Peter though. Here he is later on in a nice warm
bath. He is looking back (or facing) towards the journey that led him to this
point. He is reflecting on his day. And how about us? Where are we positioned?
We’re on the bathroom floor looking up at him. Peter is back in control;
comfortable in his thoughts and feelings.</span><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kmcXRQ1JNSw/XuAGoiJDKRI/AAAAAAAANeY/0iAPkbLGc2AfCaHatqVKIPWmV4-yD3aHQCEwYBhgLKs0DAL1OcqzQdLHhcVj3H7jIpg9Ztyk9mWTJCs-7sfTOnvH2JiknTKBy9Wnf7P6Ga_omR4LkMsSgUKOzgbo5lL7tuz8PR6iggcO9sTQVf63CzOgbVwhl-bPXaO41LmGe0hmbcl303s5tk2BQ6Sn6rLnYXGTatLOjVYeUjnXqYXeuUmdGY8Cc2X4u_0tTXnae2Tx9-U87VzWD1CtEbX6Qd3-9k1uMtzhGQI7csVwgCOZxlG-IuC2I99_V5e9ofF8vDS9CR3xtG3GZFf7-Y_f9DMLX_9edEJ5NyvfTwbxKFBnh0L37kGyy5L-aH0_VV8I1oSsGe0EW0rOIRajVm7mrLPUrtlWk-ffNO0uz4x0ZkOiGAqkflKleAkXnMjFnDlymI_NwRwupY4-5thVmTb_m8ZMv0tsTelO1qbslB-PK53lfjo0YrBQuc341ReYw9epWgMJdUfKQf0mWrLPFmUmEqrVM-eM8fWqW8LhFd5oI2FoBdLgPSmb0NpIfQJI5NMLM6Dfn_A6_ecaCj6TLF8kGFglNrf4C6zpTAn1h8aXiEHrHBb5wDT_gVTzI3ueAfY72fV6Y5e2PmRVBZm5uqxPgCn1EMaBjH6ZRAAbkcSwSsvow752A9wU/s1600/20200607_124048.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="723" data-original-width="1600" height="288" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kmcXRQ1JNSw/XuAGoiJDKRI/AAAAAAAANeY/0iAPkbLGc2AfCaHatqVKIPWmV4-yD3aHQCEwYBhgLKs0DAL1OcqzQdLHhcVj3H7jIpg9Ztyk9mWTJCs-7sfTOnvH2JiknTKBy9Wnf7P6Ga_omR4LkMsSgUKOzgbo5lL7tuz8PR6iggcO9sTQVf63CzOgbVwhl-bPXaO41LmGe0hmbcl303s5tk2BQ6Sn6rLnYXGTatLOjVYeUjnXqYXeuUmdGY8Cc2X4u_0tTXnae2Tx9-U87VzWD1CtEbX6Qd3-9k1uMtzhGQI7csVwgCOZxlG-IuC2I99_V5e9ofF8vDS9CR3xtG3GZFf7-Y_f9DMLX_9edEJ5NyvfTwbxKFBnh0L37kGyy5L-aH0_VV8I1oSsGe0EW0rOIRajVm7mrLPUrtlWk-ffNO0uz4x0ZkOiGAqkflKleAkXnMjFnDlymI_NwRwupY4-5thVmTb_m8ZMv0tsTelO1qbslB-PK53lfjo0YrBQuc341ReYw9epWgMJdUfKQf0mWrLPFmUmEqrVM-eM8fWqW8LhFd5oI2FoBdLgPSmb0NpIfQJI5NMLM6Dfn_A6_ecaCj6TLF8kGFglNrf4C6zpTAn1h8aXiEHrHBb5wDT_gVTzI3ueAfY72fV6Y5e2PmRVBZm5uqxPgCn1EMaBjH6ZRAAbkcSwSsvow752A9wU/s640/20200607_124048.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Finally, Doonan speaks about the importance of faces or lack of them in
pictures. When we see someone’s face in a picturebook we usually fall on this
to gauge emotion. A frown or a smile can tell us much as can hands covering a
face.</span></div>
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In <i>Beegu </i>by Alexis Deacon, diminishing returns show a sweet little rabbit-like
alien continually being ignored by the busy adults around her. Much is
expressed through action - the pricking of ears or the spreading out of hands
waiting to be picked up and comforted.</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LFN66WvFumk/Xt_vwUsLXtI/AAAAAAAANTg/7kcx-PYUSBc8OB3rVBBrk8ZMRvRuMLmewCK4BGAsYHg/s3079/20200609_105753.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2957" data-original-width="3079" height="614" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LFN66WvFumk/Xt_vwUsLXtI/AAAAAAAANTg/7kcx-PYUSBc8OB3rVBBrk8ZMRvRuMLmewCK4BGAsYHg/w640-h614/20200609_105753.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
But what happens when we see no face and emotions are masked? Here we are
invited to project our own emotional response upon the character. With no face
to infer any emotion we must place ourselves in their shoes instead. What do
you think the young boy here is feeling or thinking in <i>The Sound of Silence </i>by
Katrina Goldsaito and Julia Kuo.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-On2rIx0hyFY/XuANCIa1K6I/AAAAAAAANgU/qmyeH74SBr4AWX0SIIGF7r8Ct_Qk1L3NQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Sound.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="569" data-original-width="1437" height="252" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-On2rIx0hyFY/XuANCIa1K6I/AAAAAAAANgU/qmyeH74SBr4AWX0SIIGF7r8Ct_Qk1L3NQCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/Sound.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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How about here in <i>Gorilla </i>by Anthony Browne? There is a lot of tension to be
found between the girl and her father and much of this comes from the fact that
we cannot ‘read’ their faces. Instead, it is for us to deduce.</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GWHhNRxdkCU/Xt_wLTEnz8I/AAAAAAAANT0/NjS680qbMM8zhNlhEQh3zGXhb3dGbI4EQCK4BGAsYHg/s1323/Dad2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1039" data-original-width="1323" height="502" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GWHhNRxdkCU/Xt_wLTEnz8I/AAAAAAAANT0/NjS680qbMM8zhNlhEQh3zGXhb3dGbI4EQCK4BGAsYHg/w640-h502/Dad2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>**This ends the section Codes of Perspective and Viewpoint. Thank you for staying
with me! Much like the previous section, you might want to stop and revisit or
grab a drink!** </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
<u><br /><span style="font-size: large;">
The Codes of Frame and of the Right and Round </span></u><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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In my handouts, I have often referred to this code as just ‘Framing’ since I
felt that the ‘right and round’ element sat snugly under the term itself. Yet,
it is worth exploring what Moebius means here by ‘Right and Round’ and applying
Bang’s thoughts on this aspect too:</span></div>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Frame </span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
Framing in picturebooks plays a large part in telling us whether we are merely
an observer or whether, as if donning virtual reality goggles, we are invited
to be in their world. If the image has a visible frame then this lends the
feeling of being allowed a ‘glimpse’ into the world. I think of it as a little
like watching <i>Lord of the Rings</i> on a TV set: we're spectators.</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QgkC8At2fSg/XuANmXx_YNI/AAAAAAAANgg/cE72Wn1yGcI9dGYXtR2veFTA68xeD4o1QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Tunnel4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="881" data-original-width="1157" height="486" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QgkC8At2fSg/XuANmXx_YNI/AAAAAAAANgg/cE72Wn1yGcI9dGYXtR2veFTA68xeD4o1QCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/Tunnel4.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In this scene from Browne’s </span><i style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">The Tunnel</i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">, we have a picture that almost dominates
the whole page but not quite. The black frame around the picture means that we
are observers here pondering over what the brother and sister might be thinking
or doing. A long metal pole divides them both here and remember what I
mentioned about height and position here. Lots going on!</span></div>
</div>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
Smaller frames</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
Heading back to Max again, here we find him preparing a den of some sort. This
time the frame takes up about a quarter of a page and we feel distanced from
him. We’re not invited to this private world instead we can only watch on.
Being so far removed, do we find ourselves making judgements as to his
character and behaviour if a way we might not if we were there with him?</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V8KGy4L27wE/XuAN3yRFVCI/AAAAAAAANgo/UFfd4NxX0rkeHFc8HL3153sRN0inEEq-wCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/20200608_085543.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1428" data-original-width="1600" height="570" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V8KGy4L27wE/XuAN3yRFVCI/AAAAAAAANgo/UFfd4NxX0rkeHFc8HL3153sRN0inEEq-wCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/20200608_085543.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">
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Full Page Bleeds </span></h2>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>Pictures that take up a whole page or both pages</i></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
Doonan tells us that ‘bleeds’ refers to the moment when a picture extends to
the edge of the paper. A full-page bleed then runs to all four edges and a
double-page does so over both pages. See below.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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In comparison, consider how all-encompassing the expanse of Max’s Wild Rumpus
feels, or how we feel when Jabari is about to jump off the springboard (<i>Jabari
Jumps </i>by Gaia Cornwall) or when Father is off to war (<i>Farther </i>by Grahame
Baker-Smith). I like to think of them as a sort of Imax experience although
Moebius refers to it as ‘a total experience’ which is far closer to the mark.
Doonan sees this as the reader becoming ‘more of a participant than a
spectator’: we are invited to plunge into the world itself and experience the
emotions alongside the characters:</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eH7vt2ODyXs/XuAOERnGqyI/AAAAAAAANgs/TiG0bpBxKt883lHoXhIrFv22WgQ-MCrvwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/20200608_090248.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="737" data-original-width="1600" height="294" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eH7vt2ODyXs/XuAOERnGqyI/AAAAAAAANgs/TiG0bpBxKt883lHoXhIrFv22WgQ-MCrvwCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/20200608_090248.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">With Max, it is a sense of unbridled mischief and joy</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h-noIN3RSys/Xt_wpWw-bjI/AAAAAAAANUQ/eabmBJRa4I0--KlEEYSYaMzRrpFu3N8JwCK4BGAsYHg/s3495/20200608_090225.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1966" data-original-width="3495" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h-noIN3RSys/Xt_wpWw-bjI/AAAAAAAANUQ/eabmBJRa4I0--KlEEYSYaMzRrpFu3N8JwCK4BGAsYHg/w640-h360/20200608_090225.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Jabari presents us with a sense of heightened anticipation</span></div>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img alt="File_000.jpeg" height="374" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/NT1ilw3Agxnrk90LtxyZVmUPKGlaYe5sqH4ybjNsCAf-7bHHfBkUpHe2SoibuQM0kREBZviKlM4EUOohVI4U2JfBePjzuVUcOxCqPKcUSA6PcMMdr5avgoCbBnyYnokCQDJKsDH3_3Y=w640-h374" width="640" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And this moment from Farther is fraught with nervous energy.</span></div>
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Breaking Frames</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
If those smaller frames indicate a sense of us glimpsing into a world it can
also be read as a way of constricting characters too. They can feel trapped and
limited by where they can move. The thicker the black frame, the more trapped a
character might seem. A black frame around the border might heighten that sense
and no border at all might limit that feeling of being trapped. Both of the
following images from <i>Voices in the Park </i>by Anthony Browne play with the
concept beautifully.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HTFWOikvOi8/Xt_yfELKPHI/AAAAAAAANVM/DevsM-hAyEgkrNMoyowP6LonAl8P1gesgCK4BGAsYHg/s3063/20200609_213108.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3063" data-original-width="2585" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HTFWOikvOi8/Xt_yfELKPHI/AAAAAAAANVM/DevsM-hAyEgkrNMoyowP6LonAl8P1gesgCK4BGAsYHg/w540-h640/20200609_213108.jpg" width="540" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
Look carefully at the image above, when Charles first meets Smudge they are
divided by a lamppost but something subtler is going on here too. Does the
black frame go around the whole picture or not? What then might it be showing
us? Take the time to see what Browne is doing with the frame. How is Smudge’s
half different to Charles’?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ghm2wouI2qo/Xt_yv1Y_mnI/AAAAAAAANVg/tVCGEEZdQJUjoUP2rH2a1EYlqoaiANzJwCK4BGAsYHg/s3500/20200609_213128.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3500" data-original-width="2796" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ghm2wouI2qo/Xt_yv1Y_mnI/AAAAAAAANVg/tVCGEEZdQJUjoUP2rH2a1EYlqoaiANzJwCK4BGAsYHg/w512-h640/20200609_213128.jpg" width="512" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
And how about on this following page? A thick black frame all around except for
where the slide ‘breaks free’ from the frame. Do you notice that the black
edging has disappeared? Why might that be? How does it feel different?<br /><br />
The concept of ‘breaking free’ can indicate moving beyond the limits of your
known world: something ‘forbidden’ as Moebius says. Characters can escape from
the confines of the narrative or from pursuit. Here we see it in <i>Up and Up</i> by
Shirley Hughes. In the first frame we see the girl (who has the ability to fly)
looking down on a frustrated professor who wishes to catch her in his net. In
the top right of that first frame a few branches hint at a frame break and what
is to come. In the second panel, just as the professor closes in, the girl
swooshes free and breaks out of the frame safe from the confined clutches of an
adult-heavy world. Good for her!</span><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aKN7lyM9ONM/XuAOmhmRbvI/AAAAAAAANg4/4J0Ed7Ls_IU0ybMVOEv2wvJr95SXlwaSwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/UpandUp.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1009" data-original-width="861" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aKN7lyM9ONM/XuAOmhmRbvI/AAAAAAAANg4/4J0Ed7Ls_IU0ybMVOEv2wvJr95SXlwaSwCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/UpandUp.png" width="546" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The master of breaking frames though has to be David Weisner whose unnervingly hyper-real pigs (<i>The Three Pigs</i>) get blown out of the story and then learn to bend the picturebook format to their own will.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OY804d47diI/XuAPMsqQ_RI/AAAAAAAANhI/MpjgrCwpffI3aHI9TicQbZhYWwDmcRoxQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/3Pigs1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1077" data-original-width="1295" height="532" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OY804d47diI/XuAPMsqQ_RI/AAAAAAAANhI/MpjgrCwpffI3aHI9TicQbZhYWwDmcRoxQCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/3Pigs1.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bBYM5CAb_Ok/XuAPMTQStFI/AAAAAAAANhE/IqQPk6NG8HgEYXc_7ZiYq9YSZAxreY7KACEwYBhgLKtMDAL1OcqywZFLsEP4tJK8SFNpp6TFKJ_hAwy7bzZyBhsNWcNuOoL9RVMhw1HX_0jqBfSmjznM3rsJw_4bKX4GtjuSLKquazfaP8XutUuC9rZmtQ1CTHRlBINVSdU5eRvKHeIqYrsdiy4ac6UaZsc1EspsXcx4Lfw5K4WoCUKeaIl0jDARbNaT7sB_JVpGEgd38bH44JoU4-mZDDsw4Y-FJxBlCW8kveMcCfVkF4BuRz1NI0NQyvZ4bKmaQBal3CIWddlubxAHagevLiq-cL7VnkH1hn6Wa2fqZwgvZuyNlCxRW1WE9cHAEkpdbwMnhHh6luYZZS5vOwChKXv1HDT8b6TjnYqQ66-GNBW4tvt6Ml1MSulitq5UcLSyunOeSgzZkpG7T-IBLS-ZcxgTf8SPFQn4WRXsWkCPgwaqNzZrgGjcZlrRaBvazrowbiMkxhZXqdMprDRrmWo61thHJdMbahofw2doiuw_filikP4huSOI-QbDBE2RXCgNC1w_IpcDTG5Smx65wP7tVeWv4WcGyvhJYDr3a1vFR_iy2O0jjoiD6ZTijEnYcx9ouTDPp3O_8lKjSm_XcXjVdpM8h-vv6PaY-LTImNwQFQ8yZEijGv_7c5NMwnaOA9wU/s1600/3Pigs2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="631" data-original-width="1435" height="280" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bBYM5CAb_Ok/XuAPMTQStFI/AAAAAAAANhE/IqQPk6NG8HgEYXc_7ZiYq9YSZAxreY7KACEwYBhgLKtMDAL1OcqywZFLsEP4tJK8SFNpp6TFKJ_hAwy7bzZyBhsNWcNuOoL9RVMhw1HX_0jqBfSmjznM3rsJw_4bKX4GtjuSLKquazfaP8XutUuC9rZmtQ1CTHRlBINVSdU5eRvKHeIqYrsdiy4ac6UaZsc1EspsXcx4Lfw5K4WoCUKeaIl0jDARbNaT7sB_JVpGEgd38bH44JoU4-mZDDsw4Y-FJxBlCW8kveMcCfVkF4BuRz1NI0NQyvZ4bKmaQBal3CIWddlubxAHagevLiq-cL7VnkH1hn6Wa2fqZwgvZuyNlCxRW1WE9cHAEkpdbwMnhHh6luYZZS5vOwChKXv1HDT8b6TjnYqQ66-GNBW4tvt6Ml1MSulitq5UcLSyunOeSgzZkpG7T-IBLS-ZcxgTf8SPFQn4WRXsWkCPgwaqNzZrgGjcZlrRaBvazrowbiMkxhZXqdMprDRrmWo61thHJdMbahofw2doiuw_filikP4huSOI-QbDBE2RXCgNC1w_IpcDTG5Smx65wP7tVeWv4WcGyvhJYDr3a1vFR_iy2O0jjoiD6ZTijEnYcx9ouTDPp3O_8lKjSm_XcXjVdpM8h-vv6PaY-LTImNwQFQ8yZEijGv_7c5NMwnaOA9wU/s640/3Pigs2.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Gates, Doors, Roads and Windows</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
...can also be seen as frames in and of themselves. Sendak was known for saying
that windows were seen as possibilities for escape, a sense of adventure and a
new beginning. If closed, they can also denote lost chances or a refusal to
move on.</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QFaz5TV_ajk/Xt_z43i6jCI/AAAAAAAANWA/s2Yl2F_WoHIdJfjr-Vtodt7PV-txMyKLwCK4BGAsYHg/s3602/20200609_150906.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1635" data-original-width="3602" height="290" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QFaz5TV_ajk/Xt_z43i6jCI/AAAAAAAANWA/s2Yl2F_WoHIdJfjr-Vtodt7PV-txMyKLwCK4BGAsYHg/w640-h290/20200609_150906.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Max’s window in <i>Where the Wild Things Are </i>is a sign of his escape into a
different realm completely.</span></div>
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And so is the colourful, open door in Yoshio’s Tokyo.</span></div>
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In the outstanding <i>John Brown, Rose and the Midnight Cat</i>, we can see the use of
open and closed spaces as a powerful indicator for wanting to move on...or not.
Closed doors and open windows offer a multiplicity of interpretations here.<br />
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The Right and Round</span></h2>
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When Moebius is talking about the code of right and round he is, in part,
referring to shape. In my earlier workshops I labelled this as ‘Shape’ alone
but it makes sense here to use Moebius’ term. He makes the point that framing
scenes in rectangles can feel more restrictive than in circular ones which can
feel more ‘secure and content’. We can think of this in terms of comparing life
‘boxed in’ to one in which we have a sense of freedom.</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PNxOaxTQfao/Xt_0c9aA1eI/AAAAAAAANWY/3Fgfh_Pv-x4gnmOoayhkCuI8ePt7vyBwwCK4BGAsYHg/s3195/20200608_115624.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2562" data-original-width="3195" height="514" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PNxOaxTQfao/Xt_0c9aA1eI/AAAAAAAANWY/3Fgfh_Pv-x4gnmOoayhkCuI8ePt7vyBwwCK4BGAsYHg/w640-h514/20200608_115624.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Here in <i>Beegu </i>by Alexis Deacon, our little alien has had an awful time being
ignored and unloved in the adult world but here, suddenly, she thinks she may
have found ‘the perfect place’. From having spent pages being boxed in, here is
a chance for her to experience something different. The soft, warm framing
mirrors Beegu’s own colour and could signify how she is feeling about this
hopeful encounter.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br />The Last Wolf </i>by Mini Grey also uses curved and rounded borders throughout. Here it
is probably used to show a fond, dream-like memory (a little like thought
bubbles in comic strips).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Bang describes circular pictures as ‘floating’ and I think we can see that in
these images. In contrast, I have presented Mini’s image with a thick-framed
rectangular border to show how it feels more grounded and how we feel more
detached from the subject.</span></div>
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<br /><i>**This ends the section Codes of Frame and of the Right and Round. I hope you are
still finding this informative. Time for another break or for revisiting. I
know that I am sharing many wonderful picturebooks here but if I were going to
buy anything then it would be Molly Bang's book which I shared at the start.** </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><u>
The Codes of Line (and Shape) and Capillarity </u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Line (and Shape)</b></span></span></div>
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In <i>Looking at Pictures in Picturebooks</i>, Doonan places emphasis on the fact that
when she is reading a picturebook she considers each line the artist has put
down on paper, and Moebius asks us to consider the thickness and thinness of
those lines as well as their shape. In those workshops around the codes, I
decided to ‘add’ the term Shape to them because Bang draws as much on this as
she does line.</span></div>
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Lines can intensify an experience by how thick or thin they are and the
smoothness and jaggedness of lines can also affect us. Bang points out how this
is something that we have just learned as a people. We don’t like sharp pointy
things because they can hurt us and we like curved, rounded things, she adds,
because we associate them with something that is ‘huggable’ and comforting.
Consider the difference in the following environments. The first is from<i> The
Rules of Summer </i>by Shaun Tan and the latter is from <i>Cloudy </i>by Deborah King.
Although other codes/principles are at play here, we cannot deny that those
pointy shapes in Tan’s landscape do not feel welcoming but that the rolling
hills of Cloudy’s world do.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The same rounded and sharp outlines can be affect how we feel about characters
too. As already stated, rounded can mean safe and ‘huggable’ and sharp and
jagged can mean unwelcome, troubled and something/someone to avoid. Let’s
compare a ‘huggable’ and ‘sharp’ character. Think about how you feel about them
and why it is that you might want to spend more time with one than the other.</span></div>
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Beegu </i>by Alexis Deacon </span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q78mXdosurg/Xt_2GXMlvRI/AAAAAAAANX8/GT6R0ZRdewYQUb0yQLyIuLGqmaapOjoHQCK4BGAsYHg/s3000/20200608_135152.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2910" data-original-width="3000" height="620" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q78mXdosurg/Xt_2GXMlvRI/AAAAAAAANX8/GT6R0ZRdewYQUb0yQLyIuLGqmaapOjoHQCK4BGAsYHg/w640-h620/20200608_135152.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The psychiatrists who take in the wild girl from <i>Wild </i>by Emily Hughes </span></div>
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Lines can also be used to block or trap characters too. Browne makes excellent
use of this in both <i>Gorilla </i>and <i>Zoo</i>. The vertical lines of the girl’s bed-frame
lend a sense of being trapped or caged in:</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_mfBr3CSh6c/Xt_226Xi49I/AAAAAAAANYc/XyOo_ljEpAEZ_3PSapCK_Qp4i9-7z3o5QCK4BGAsYHg/s1163/Gorilla.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="977" data-original-width="1163" height="538" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_mfBr3CSh6c/Xt_226Xi49I/AAAAAAAANYc/XyOo_ljEpAEZ_3PSapCK_Qp4i9-7z3o5QCK4BGAsYHg/w640-h538/Gorilla.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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And straight lines in <i>Zoo </i>are also used to heighten this sense of being
trapped. In the elephant enclosure, the only rounded elements are the elephant
(whom we are not allowed to make eye-contact with) and the dung on the floor.
Lines control this environment and restrict it.</span></div>
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Finally, Bang points out that lines can also guide or ‘lead us’, directing our
focus towards a specific point or even leading or blocking progress. I’d argue
that the poor elephant above is blocked not only by the fact that the exit is
too small but also by the fact that the railings themselves ‘feel’ as if they
are stopping it.</span></div>
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In <i>Small in the City</i> by Sydney Smith, lines are used to mirror busy and
fragmented thoughts.</span></div>
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Capillarity</span></h2>
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Capillarity is a reference to the amount of lines or squiggles that appear on a
page together. Lines clustered together can lend a sense of pent-up energy and
make the moment feel busy. Going back to <i>Wild </i>by Emily Hughes, the gradual
build-up of scratchy, busy lines increases when she feels trapped and cornered by
living a suffocated life in the psychiatrists’ home. Look closely at the rug -
all that pent-up energy waiting to burst free. This is not a calm household.</span></div>
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Sydney Smith uses the technique here of sorts with brush strokes in this image
from <i>Town is by the Sea</i> (written by Joanne Schwartz). Everything might appear
fine at the table with people smiling, but look underneath. There is a lot of
unspoken tension depicted in those heavy brushstrokes.</span></div>
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We see this energy in the cross-hatching (a technique which has parallel lines
overlaying across each other) used in Max’s home when he is angry/devilish too.
Note the dog escaping back into the previous page where the colour in the
doorframe is clear and calm. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><i>** This ends the section Codes of Line(and Shape) and Capillarity. We have one
more code to go. Thank you for continuing to read this. Another book that
complements Molly's is Jane Doonan's 'Looking at Pictures in Picturebooks' and
it also well worth purchasing from Thimble Press.**</i></span></div>
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The Codes of Colour</u></span></span></div>
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Previously, when I have delivered talks on Picturebook Codes and Principles, I
usually say ‘we all know what we associate with colour’ and move on but having
re-read Moebius and Bang I know it deserves more attention as I draw to a
close.</span></div>
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We associate certain colours with symbolic meaning: ‘red rag to a bull’ and
‘red in tooth and claw’ are images we connect to anger, danger and violence but
it also has connotations of romance and love (it's all that blood pumping
around). I think it’s pretty clear which emotion is being associated in <i>I Want
My Hat Back</i> by Jon Klassen and I wouldn't want to be around to find out.</span></div>
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In <i>A Place to Call Home </i>by Alexis Deacon and Viviane Schwarz this shock of a
red bleed mirrors the danger our intrepid furry friends (peeking out of a
yellow lampshade) feel on encountering ‘the beast’.</span></div>
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And how about blue? We can talk about ‘feeling blue’ and blue is often thought
upon as a cold colour too. Here we see it being used as both a way of emanating
a sense of cool distance and lack of emotion in Gorilla by Anthony Browne and
in his<i> The Night Shimmy </i>written by Gwen Strauss.</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mXH78ltLB5o/Xt_6sjfi9zI/AAAAAAAANbo/1LrULgagcx0ibb2ogaTI1Q7Qzk7yC58GgCK4BGAsYHg/s1363/Gorilla3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1069" data-original-width="1363" height="502" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mXH78ltLB5o/Xt_6sjfi9zI/AAAAAAAANbo/1LrULgagcx0ibb2ogaTI1Q7Qzk7yC58GgCK4BGAsYHg/w640-h502/Gorilla3.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n7xVcLZFIqI/Xt_5sMWUp3I/AAAAAAAANbM/zN8WfJgRPMoLfqm6_LP205Uw6-KtozF-wCK4BGAsYHg/s4032/20200608_143459.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n7xVcLZFIqI/Xt_5sMWUp3I/AAAAAAAANbM/zN8WfJgRPMoLfqm6_LP205Uw6-KtozF-wCK4BGAsYHg/w640-h480/20200608_143459.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Bright colours might be associated with exhilaration and discovery and softer
colours a sense of warmth and comfort. Darker shades can lend a sense of
dullness of experience or confusion. This contrast in colour is displayed
brilliantly in Fortunately by Remi Charlip.</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PIO2Sz5JIlM/Xt_7poK6kUI/AAAAAAAANcI/cURCVzqr_qIPeBedywKfaW7WQv0-Vi3xQCK4BGAsYHg/s905/Remy1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="671" data-original-width="905" height="474" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PIO2Sz5JIlM/Xt_7poK6kUI/AAAAAAAANcI/cURCVzqr_qIPeBedywKfaW7WQv0-Vi3xQCK4BGAsYHg/w640-h474/Remy1.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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What really struck me about Moebius and Bang’s observations about colour though
was how we might consider how colour connects. Using the same colour repeatedly
throughout a book might ask us to draw attention to the patterning here and why
the artist might be repeating this association. Consider how natural colours
connect in Footpath Flowers by Jon Arno Lawson and Sydney Smith. Smith takes
great care to pattern the colour and draw our attention to moments throughout
the young girl’s journey. It is doing more here than merely saying ‘find the
plants’.</span></div>
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This ends the section Codes of Colour. Thank you for staying with me throughout
this. Below you can find some sheets I made to support this reading and I also
thought it might be helpful to turn the blog into a booklet as well so that's
accessible below too. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">***</span></div>
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‘Children are able to ask questions so penetrating that we grownups have to
mobilise all our intelligence and experience to answer them.’ So says Molly
Bang at the opening of her book. What I hope is clear is that this blog and the
attached sheets support you in providing children with fresh insights and a
richer visual language around accessing pictures in picturebooks but this is intended
as a critical toolkit: please don’t use the handouts or this blog as some cold
checklist for dissecting picturebooks with children. Whenever we look at the
very best picturebooks have to offer, we find something new with each
re-reading. I hope that this blog means that those repeated visits offer even
richer readings.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">***</span></div>
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Thank you for walking alongside me as I share my passion of pictures in
picturebooks, and a special thank you to Moebius and Molly Bang for proving to
be the most incredible guides. I discovered both texts whilst I was completing
a module at Roehampton in Visual Texts but really much of the knowledge was
there from what I was taught as an undergraduate at Westminster College (now
Oxford Brookes) when part of our reading was Jane Doonan’s <i>Looking at Pictures
in Picturebooks.</i></span></div>
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I first delivered this talk at a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/gnmeducationcentre/gallery/2016/apr/01/reading-for-pleasure-conference-17-march-2016-in-pictures" target="_blank">Guardian Education Conference</a> and the
inaugural <a href="https://slgtalkingbooks.com/2016/11/14/reading-rocks-event-october-2016/" target="_blank">Reading Rocks </a>back in 2016. Really, I should have written this
then but it has been a welcome catharsis to get it all down and be able to
share it in this way. Attached is my original guide for reading picturebooks
using the Codes and Principles but I intend to update it soon after revisiting
Doonan. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://app.box.com/s/6cjjy19l0569g70pfh25jnx1s1u2ika0" target="_blank">Picturebook Codes and Bang's Principles Handout</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>**This post is part of a longer piece of work to be published
in the future. The right of Mat Tobin to be identified as the Author of the
Work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Design and
Patents Act 1988.**<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Citing this work: <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In Text Citation:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Mat Tobin (2020) explores the use of…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Reference List: <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Tobin, M. (2020) ‘Exploring Pictures in Picturebooks’, <i>Mat
Tobin’s Blogspot</i>, 11 June. Available at: <a href="https://mattobin.blogspot.com/2020/06/exploring-pictures-in-picturebooks.html">https://mattobin.blogspot.com/2020/06/exploring-pictures-in-picturebooks.html</a>/
(Accessed: Insert Date, Month, Year).</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /><br /><b>
References</b>: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
Alemagna, Béatrice (2015) <i>The Marvellous Fluffy Squishy Itty Bitty</i>.
London: Thames & Hudson.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
Baker-Smith, G. (2010) <i>Farther</i>. 1st edn. Dorking: Templar Publishing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
Bang, M. (2016) <i>Picture this : how pictures work.</i> Revised and Expanded
25th Anniversary edn. San Francisco: Chronicle Books.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
Becker, A. (2013) <i>Journey</i>. London: Walker Books.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
Biddulph, R. (2014)<i> Blown Away.</i> London: HarperCollins Children's
Books.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
Browne, A. (1992) <i>Zoo</i>. MacRae.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
Browne, A. (1995) <i>Gorilla</i>. London: Walker.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
Browne, A. (2008) <i>The Tunnel</i>. London: Walker.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
Burningham, J. (1983) <i>Come Away From the Water, Shirley.</i> London:
Fontana (Picture lions).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
Burningham, J. (2003) <i>Granpa</i>. London: Red Fox.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
Charlip, R. (2017) <i>Fortunately</i>. First Little Simon board book edn. New
York: Little Simon (A classic board book).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
Cornwall, G. (2019) <i>Jabari Jumps.</i> First paperback edn. Somerville,
Mass.: Candlewick Press.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
Deacon, A. (2004) <i>Beegu</i>. London: Red Fox.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
Deacon, A. and Schwarz, V. (2012) <i>A Place to Call Home</i>. London:
Walker.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
Doonan, J. (1993)<i> Looking at Pictures in Picture Books</i>. Stroud,
England: Thimble Press.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
Foreman, M. (1978) <i>War and Peas. </i>Harmondsworth: Puffin Books (Picture
Puffins).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
Goldsaito, K. and Kuo, J. (2016) <i>The Sound of Silence.</i> First edn. New York:
Little, Brown and Company.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
Grey, M. (2019) <i>The Last Wolf.</i> London: Random House.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
Hughes, E. (2013) <i>Wild</i>. London: Flying Eye.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
Hughes, S. (1991) <i>Up and Up.</i> London: Red Fox (Red fox picture books).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
Keats, E. J. (1962) <i>The Snowy Day. </i>New York: Viking Press (Caldecott
medal book, 1963).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
King, D. (1989) <i>Cloudy</i>. Hutchinson Children's.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
Klassen, J. (2011) <i>I Want My Hat Back.</i> London: Walker.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
Lawson, J. A. and Smith, S. (2015)<i> Footpath Flowers.</i> London: Walker
Books.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
Light, J. and Evans, L. (2006) <i>The Flower. </i>Swindon: Child's Play.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
Moebius, W (1986). ‘Introduction to Picture Codes’, Word & Image, 2
(2), pp. 141 - 151.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
Nodelman, P. (1988) <i>Words about pictures : the narrative art of children's
picture books.</i> Athens: University of Georgia Press.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
Sanna, F. (2016)<i> The Journey.</i> London: Flying Eye Books.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
Sendak, M. (2000) <i>Where the Wild Things Are. </i>London: Red Fox.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
Smith, S. (2019) <i>Small in the City.</i> First edn. New York: Holiday
House.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
Spencer, M. M., Warlow, A. and Barton, G. (1977) <i>The Cool Web : the Pattern of Children's Reading.</i> London: Bodley Head.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
Schwartz, J. and Smith, S. (2018) <i>Town is by the Sea.</i> London: Walker
Books.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
Strauss, G. and Browne, A. (1993) <i>The Night Shimmy.</i> London: Red Fox
(A Red Fox picture book).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
Tan, S. (2013) <i>Rules of Summer. </i>Sydney, NSW: Lothian Children's
Books.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
Todd-Stanton, J. (2018) <i>Arthur and the Golden Rope.</i> Paperback edn.
London: Flying Eye Books (Brownstone's mythical collection).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
Wagner, J. (1979) <i>John Brown, Rose, and the Midnight Cat. </i>Harmondsworth:
Puffin Books (Picture puffin).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
Wiesner, D. (2012) <i>The Three Pigs.</i> London?: Andersen (Caldecott Medal).</span></div>
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Mat Tobinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03409658334620463763noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83069909578853028.post-55756314040238954322018-06-09T08:46:00.004-07:002018-06-09T08:48:00.330-07:00An Interview with Sydney Smith about illustrating Town is by the Sea<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Town is by the Sea</i> struck a special cord with me. Here was a story, set in the 50s, about a young boy caught within an inescapable loop of following in his father's and grandfather's profession: a miner. The idea of not having the choice to move away and find a different life chimed closely with my own. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I was very fortunate to be able to ask Sydney some questions about his part in the telling of this story:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><br /><b>Can you talk a little about the position of characters on the page? Did you make any significant changes from your initial sketches? </b><br /><br />I played around with different positioning and even used a separate textured paper as the rock and earth (Ed Young style) but it wasn't consistent with the rest of the book. <br />It was a gift from the text that there was a repeating structure. That way, the illustrations could play with the expectations. I could go back to mine, the workers in the mine and show a separate narrative, one that adds to the existing story and kind of plays the words against themselves. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />The idea that the miners are low on the page won out in my mind the more i played with it. I really wanted the texture of the earth to feel intimidating and the fact that they are cut off at the bottom of the page. They are so deep in the earth that they are deeper than the page adds to the feeling of the weight of the earth.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />It felt right when I finally committed to that choice. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />The boy on the cover. There's a rural mentality where I'm from that rejects attention or spotlight. This character is modest and quiet in that sense. He doesn't like being full centre: 'look at me'. The Sea demands the attention. He tends to be a quiet witness.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><b>I found the framing fascinating. From the broad, landscaped double-page spreads to the almost Lowry-esque framed image of the miners going to work and the framing of the grandfather's grave. Can you share some of your thinking here and whether it was important that some invite us in whilst ask us to watch from distance </b><br /><br />Wow. honestly! I haven't seen the Lowry paintings before. They are so similar to the image of the miners going to work, it's eerie. They are really quite wonderful.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The way that you lay out a book controls the speed of the reader. The illustrator has the power to emphasize a moment in the story or punctuate the words or even go so far as contradict the text and offer an alternative reading. (eg. the last mine spread) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />The large sea spreads had to be big and almost wrap around the reader as did the mine. Other pages could have panels like photos from a family album where they are present and accounted for but the focus is more on the feeling that comes from the light falling a certain way or the wind blowing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>3. How important was our (the reader's) position in the book? For much of the book, we seem to be in line with the young boy, along on his journey but the landscapes of the town and sea have us looking up. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For some reason I feel uncomfortable on the characters' behalf when they are in full display. There a few moments where I showed the faces and the characters front and centre but it was these moments that needed to balance out the heaviness of the rest of the book. The supper page is almost too cheery but there's a mess of a shadow below. Lately, I've been drawing my characters with less facial features and I think it allows the privacy for the character.<br /><br />The grandfather's grave might've been the last couple shaky steps of the marathon before I crossed the finish line. All I could think of was the Bresson quote that came by way of a Lynne Ramsay (Ratcatcher was an inspiration during the sketching stage). 'When sound is doing everything don't have any image and when the image is doing everything don't have any sound'. Although this was spoken in relation to film, the mode of picture books is similar. In this case, the text was quite heavy and I couldn't show the grandfather so having the grave central made sense. I had sketched out an idea of having a portrait of the grandfather but I couldn't make it work.</span></div>
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<b style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. That powerful double-page spread of father returning is so memorable and unforgettable. You play so well with anticipation, some trepidation and time. How important was this scene to the story?</b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-453de9ef-df93-f962-ef7e-e4fffa45172a" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />This was added at the very end. I mentioned this at a conference recently and the audience of editors and publishers almost ran me out of town. I was saying i just added a spread without the consideration of page count. It turns out that there is a weird number of pages and no one knows how Groundwood made it work but it does: a testament to how great Sheila Barry and Michael Solomon are. They completely agreed when I said that there needed to be a moment between a suggestion of tragedy and the father returning like every other day. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Again, as an illustrator there is the power to make the reader pause and process everything. I don't make you sit in an uncomfortable spot for too long, you see the father in the last panel, returning home but it more shows that the boy is waiting. The patch of sun travels across the floor and adds a moment of hesitation in his story he is telling before he continues.<br /><br /><br /><b>5. Can you talk us through your choice of colours in the book? </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Thank you so much, Sydney. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Mat Tobinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03409658334620463763noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83069909578853028.post-68008091383476356812018-06-08T04:57:00.001-07:002018-06-08T05:42:10.970-07:00Town is by the Sea<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When I share a book with a class it goes like this - first I hide the book’s cover on the whiteboard, then I invite children to rub and reveal sections, they are then invited to share their thoughts and pose questions, I write them down and, when the time is right, we open the pages and enter the story*. This is my review of '</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Town is by the Sea'</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and I invite you to dig deep down beneath the surface with me*. </span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Seagulls call out on the shore wind and the fine mist spray of the restless sea hits us: white breakers captured in an endless wash against the cliff-slide of a small mining town in 1950s' Nova Scotia. So begins Schwartz’s and Smith’s ballad <i>Town is by the Sea</i> a mesmerising, dream-like ballad to a place enslaved to time and a dangerous history lost beneath the strata. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I have read and shared this book many times now, ever since it was pointed out to me by Nikki Gamble. Having grown up in the coastal market town of <a href="http://www.conwy.com/">Conwy</a>, the picturebook evoked strong memories and sounds. The cry of the gulls (which, strangely, I now miss), the ceaseless lapping of the waves against jetty walls and the distant calling of the town’s hubbub only a short walk away. My story of Conwy was one of eventual escape - a desire for change and new opportunities. Small, tight communities have a way of holding on to you and not letting go. Their comforting sense of familiarity, of friends and their families, homes and play spaces or shops, sea fronts and country lanes beguile you in believing you cannot live without them. In time, you become used to the creak of a door as you enter a shop or the same old swing which has been tied up around the frame (we always used to call on someone’s older brother to come and untie it). It was a world of constants; it was, in the eyes of someone who leaves, an insular world with very little change. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In <i>Town is by the Sea</i>, the young boy’s story called to me and did his conflicting association with the great sea at his doorstep. Trapped in a small mining village, his is a family whose ties to the land and the earth beneath the sea has been generational. This sense of confinement, of claustrophobic space and place is a powerful one and something I think of every time I look at the front cover: a boy looking backwards, not forwards, down to the town rather than out beyond the rim of the sea’s horizon. Surrounded and webbed in a world beyond his escape and, perhaps, his imagining.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Small places are very good at lulling. There is a rhythm to them that can be calming, a comforting familiarity in the language of its landscape and in the pace of those that populate it. This is captured so beautifully by both Schwartz and Smith with their repeating phrases and images. One particular moment that was special for me was when the boy was on the swing, both text and image work seamlessly together to hit home the point that no matter how high he goes, how far he looks beyond the ‘white tips’ of his known world, his past and place will always call him back.</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">‘I don't care. I stand in a baby one, and my friend swings on the big one. We go so high butterflies rush through my stomach. <br />We go so high I can see far out to sea. <br />Far out at sea, the waves have white tips. <br />And deep down under the sea, my father is digging for coal.’ </span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I was very lucky as a young man. I had options and friends who wanted to explore the world beyond their comforting borders. University called us. And although my leaving deeply affected my mother and, to some extent, my younger sisters, I am glad that I went. Not only did it make going back a richly rewarding experience on a spiritual level but it made me appreciate how finite that world is and how infinite my possibilities had become. <br /><br />In <i>Town is by the Sea</i>, the boy has no such choice. Each day he must live with the fear that his father may never come back and that the same fate of digging deep beneath the sea will be bestowed on him too:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>‘I think about the bright days of summer and the dark tunnels underground. One day, it will be my turn. <br />I'm a miner’s son. In my town, that's the way it goes.’</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The echo of the boy’s inherited past lies both in the heavy, repressive presence of the sea and the tunnels deep beneath the surface. It lurks, unspoken, beneath the family table and looms like a long grey finger beyond the kitchen window, patterned with mining buildings and machinery. How do you break not just the habit of a lifetime but of several generations? Should you? If you left, could you live with the knowledge that it comes at a price for it could leave a hole in the hearts and memories of those you leave behind? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Town is by the Sea</i> is a ballad that sings of not one story but many. It invites us to imprint our own stories on to its pages in order to make sense of it and ourselves. It invites us to dig beneath and beyond the surface knowing that we will never unearth all the little gems that it holds and that is why reading <a href="https://quietfireworks.blog/2018/05/17/mansions-in-the-head-images-words-and-the-memories-they-conjure/">Martin Galway’s</a> and <a href="https://smithsmm.wordpress.com/2018/05/29/book-blog-no-5-town-is-by-the-sea-by-joanne-schwartz-and-sydney-smith/">Simon Smith’s</a> literary responses on this little modern masterpiece is equally rewarding and revealing. I encourage you to do the same. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>A consideration when using <i>Town is by the Sea</i> in the classroom: </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b>Being able to hear and see the elements that go into creating these landscapes helps the reader build a stronger mental model. When I was in Year 6, we took the kids to Weymouth as our residential and I was always shocked by the fact that at least one child had never seen or heard the sea before. Consider then, asking a child to imagine a place like 1950s Nova Scotia. I found a wonderful <a href="http://www.soundsofchanges.eu/category/mine-pits-minerals/">site </a>which provides some of the sounds associated with mining and thought it worth sharing. <br /><br /><i>* The idea for this came from the original trailer for the book by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pecQ_j36uIY">House of Anansi</a> </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br />** Sipe, L. R. (1998). First- and second-grade literary critics: Understanding children’s rich responses to literature. In T. E. Raphael & K. H. Au (Eds.), Literature-based instruction: Reshaping the curriculum. (pp. 39–69). Norwood, MA: Christopher-Gordon Publishers, Inc</i></span></div>
Mat Tobinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03409658334620463763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83069909578853028.post-74043940759958559762017-08-29T09:09:00.002-07:002017-08-29T09:16:31.930-07:00Thornhill <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Pam Smy is very good at world building. As a Senior Lecturer in Illustration at the Cambridge School of Art at Anglia Ruskin University, exploring that balance between character and place is something I expect she understands incredibly well. So when I state that Thornhill is a masterclass in narrative drawing, I feel I’m standing on solid ground. Mary and Ella, two young girls who live a stone’s throw away from each other yet thirty-five years apart, find themselves bound by unspoken parallels and an inescapable similitude of the heart. Part diary, part wordless illustration, this is an intelligent dual-narrative, gothic graphic novel whose characters and landscape burn tangibly with life. </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As the title would suggest, Thornhill itself is central. For Mary, in 1982, it is a slowly decaying, neglected care-home for girls; for Ella, who we meet having just moved in with her father in 2017, it is a shell: dangerous, overgrown; an ugly thorn in the residents’ side. With parallels to Jane Eyre’s Thornfield, a connection Adele Geras also <a href="http://awfullybigreviews.blogspot.co.uk/2017/08/thornhill-by-pam-smy-reviewed-by-adele.html">highlights</a>, it is a place of bitter secrets that pulse with a threatening physical and psychological unease. It is the lodestone that binds both girls together. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Mary, a selective mute whose story is told through diary entries, has never found a family to accommodate her and spends most of her free time cocooned in her room at the very top of Thornhill, creating dolls and puppets from those literary worlds that have parented her since the start. Ella, whose narrative is told through wordless double-page spreads, is just as alone in many respects. With her father often away, she is left to clean and feed for herself. She too finds solace in her bedroom amongst a world of books and artistry. Although we hear Mary’s thoughts in her diary and see Ella’s feelings through her actions, their lives are silent ones. These are lost girls who remain neglected, unseen and fearful of being forgotten. </span><br />
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Smy’s orchestration of these two narratives is an outstanding feat of storytelling. Ella’s dip pen and ink world of black, greys and white layers encourage the reader to focus more on the relationship between place and person. The use of light, shadow and the dark to draw us to particular focal points adds to the tension and Smy’s use of shape and line contrasts the formidable imposition of Thornhill and the undulating wilderness that envelops it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In contrast, Mary’s diary invites us into her innermost thoughts. They heighten our own sense of fear and isolation, obscure facts, play with our opinions and allow the author to control pace and time. Using black double-page spreads and thudding breaks between both stories brought a sense of tension to growing drama of the story and was one of my favourite devices in the book. Pay close attention to calendars and diary entries too - all work together to act as a slowly descending, moveable bridge between these two different times and places. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />I have tried hard to reveal little about the story itself, going into detail about the mosaic of literary references and analysis of other characters (especially ‘she’) would mar much of the story’s mystery and allure. Yet the allusions to The Secret Garden and Jane Eyre, especially, made for a far richer reading and reinforced particular motifs and themes. Whether the reader makes these connections or not does not detract from the power of the story but such intertexts invite multiple meanings and readings: piecing together the patterns and puzzles is something that will repeatedly draw me back and I know that in doing so, I will continue to appreciate the complex web that Smy has woven here. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />I opened with stating that Thornhill is a masterclass on narrative drawing but will close on it also being a masterclass on a study of human nature. It sheds light in those dark places with which children can go unseen, unheard and uncared for, sometimes in those places we presume and, worryingly, often in the places we would not, but should. It is a story of passion and love as much as it is one of courage and strength. The secret of Thornhill is there for the taking but only if you’re brave enough to look up to the solitary light in the highest room of an abandoned house. <br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Thornhill is published by </span><a href="https://www.davidficklingbooks.com/shop/ItemDetails.php?pubID=185" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">David Fickling</a><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">.</span><br />
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Mat Tobinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03409658334620463763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83069909578853028.post-5508236923175948862017-08-10T05:46:00.000-07:002017-08-10T05:46:10.551-07:00An Interview with Emma Carroll about Letters from the Lighthouse and the writing process<div class="MsoNormal">
When Emma shared the cover of Letters to the Lighthouse on social media, I knew I had to read it. There was something alluring about the lighthouse sat upon its rocky outcrop; bright, white beams forking out into a honeyed sunset. This novel felt as if the place had a story to tell as much as the people in: a theme in children’s literature that I am interested in. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />Most covers of books demand a careful study – especially children’s books. Time is taken on a good cover to leave the reader guessing, speculating as to what the story would be about. I often spend my first booktalk with children just discussing the cover and exploring it with care. It lends a sense of anticipation and excitement and gets the children thinking and Letters to the Lighthouse is full of questions not only within the title and the cover but also within its pages too. <o:p></o:p></div>
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It is a story set in the past and yet, as with many great historical fiction stories, it is a story of our time too. I was very fortunate to be able to ask Emma some questions about her wonderful book and the writing process: <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Can you share with us a little about the inspiration behind Letters from the Lighthouse? <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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‘Letters From The Lighthouse’ is a wartime mystery exploring displacement, acceptance, bravery, secret codes and how to make a banana sandwich out of parsnips. The inspiration came initially from my mother-in-law who was evacuated from London’s East End to Somerset. She shared some great stories about fitting into village life, and what revolting things they ate to substitute foods they couldn’t get hold of because of rationing. Also, a neighbour told me about a surplus German bomb being dropped in woods just outside our village. You can still see the exact spot where it fell.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">These stories got me thinking about how WW2 is living history, and how hearing people talk about their experiences of the past is endlessly fascinating. Most of us probably know someone who lived through WW2. I wrote the first draft of Letters in the year of Brexit and Trump’s election win, both of which really made me think about empathy, and how we perceive outsiders.</span></div>
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The Kindertransport statue stands in Liverpool Street Station, London as is a reminder of the thousands of unaccompanied, Jewish children who were transported from Austria and Germany to Britain, in order to escape persecution. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>How did you decide where to set your book and how did you go about finding that sense of place which is so apparent in your work?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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I’m West Country through and through, so it feels natural for me to set my stories here. One night on the local BBC news I heard a story about a lady from Devon celebrating her 100th birthday, whose family had just discovered her ‘secret life’ during WW2. She’d helped Jewish refugees land boats on the Devon coast and supplied them with fake papers to enable them to travel on to America. This idea of everyday people doing what they could to help others stuck with me. I live near the Devon coast so that part was fairly straight forward, though Budmouth Point itself is purely fictional. The lighthouse was based on Start Point, and became a really important emblem of hope in the story.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Start Point Lighthouse: Original Source <a href="http://www.southhams.com/images/explore/attractions/start-point-lighthouse/start-point-lighthouse-shadow.jpg" target="_blank">here</a></td></tr>
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<b>I really enjoyed the play on the propaganda posters as chapter headings and felt that each one signified a theme or event within the chapter. Can you talk us through the chapter headings and the choices behind this?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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The idea came to me as I researched WW2. Looking at propaganda posters I wrote a list of all the headings/messages, and saw that they fitted with what my story was trying to achieve. They also added a nice bit of historical flavour because they give us an insight into the mood of the era.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’ phrase has been adopted for modern usage, and will probably be familiar to readers- that’s why it comes first in the book.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-size: 12.8px;">Reserved for the use in the event of a German Invasion, the Keep Calm posters were never used and, instead, sent back for recycling. Very few originals remain. </i>Photo of Poster: Original Source <a href="https://www.theawl.com/2011/10/the-vicious-trademark-battle-over-keep-calm-and-carry-on/" target="_blank">here</a>. </td></tr>
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<b><br />For me, Olive and Esther were central to the theme within your story. Can you tell us a little about their characters and what they meant to you?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Whilst writing, I grew very attached to both girls. Olive, for me, is the sensible, inquisitive type who wants to do the right thing but is often conflicted. She’s grieving for her dad throughout the story- her emotional reactions very loosely follow stages of the grief process. Esther was one of the hardest characters I’ve ever had to write. I found her story extremely painful, but I didn’t want her to be a victim, either. She’s full of distress at what’s happened to her. It’s through understanding her past that Olive learns empathy and to come to terms with her own loss.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>How do you control the balance between research and story? Were there facts and information that you wanted to put in but chose not to?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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I like to capture a flavour of the era without laying it on with a trowel, so to speak. I read a lot, make pinterest boards etc, and create a ‘world’, much like a fantasy writer would. Everyday details like clothes, food, transport, routines, phrases people used etc. help with that. I’m also drawn to the little nuggets of story that history often gives you, the things that are intriguing or funny and that you know kids will love. There’s plenty that doesn’t make it to the story, yes. What goes in is the tip of the iceberg, but it’s all needed to make that iceberg float. It’s always the story first for me.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A photo of Emma's Writing Room. </td></tr>
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<b>Are there scenes that you struggle to write more than others and, equally, are there scenes you look forward to getting to when writing?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Oooh interesting question. Generally I think it depends on how I’m feeling or how the story is going at that time. Certainly there are scenes that change very little from first draft to final draft in each of my books – the air raid scene at the start and when the boat comes in are examples of this in Letters. I do enjoy writing awkward conversations because that’s often when my characters behave in ways I can’t predict.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>You’ve been a secondary English teacher, a reporter, backpacker and now an author! Are there experiences here which you felt drove you to write for children or inform your writing?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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I think being a teacher meant I never lost contact with young people, or with the child in me. Certainly ‘Strange Star’ was influenced heavily by my love of Frankenstein, which I used to relish teaching at GCSE. The idea for ‘In Darkling Wood’ came to me whilst I was talking to A level students one day about the Cottingley Fairies. Interestingly, one reviewer said the school scenes in it were some of the most realistic she’d ever read- surprise! Really, the fact I became an English teacher at all was due to my passion for books and writing. My dream job was always to be an author: teaching was by default!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>You’ve completed an MA in Writing for Young People at Bath Spa University. Could you share with us a little on what you took from this?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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This was a brilliant experience from start to finish for me. I’ve always loved studying, so the thought of going back to Uni. was very exciting. In 2009, when I enrolled, I’d only just started writing again, so the course helped me discover if I was actually any good at it. It also helped me take writing seriously, understand that it’s a process, that its hard work and that not all good writers find the success they deserve. The course also was brilliant in bringing us into contact with agents and editors; I found my agent as a direct result of doing the course.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Finally, can you tell us about any future projects?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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I’ve just finished a book for Chicken House called Sky Chasers, which is based on the concept that won their Big Idea competition. It’s set in 1783 in France and recreates an imagined backstory to the first balloon flight over Versailles. The book publishes in Jan 2018.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kzI_ZX9a_Vc/WYxTZ7-QoSI/AAAAAAAAB6k/apWuMkFZbwYSlHJIKAE7AtgMbltrMilVQCEwYBhgL/s1600/5127K5thJaL._SX321_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="323" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kzI_ZX9a_Vc/WYxTZ7-QoSI/AAAAAAAAB6k/apWuMkFZbwYSlHJIKAE7AtgMbltrMilVQCEwYBhgL/s400/5127K5thJaL._SX321_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="258" /></a></div>
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My next project for Faber is ‘The Lost Boy’, set in 1922 and is a story of a family tragedy based around the discovery of Tutankamen’s tomb. I cannot WAIT to get stuck into this story. It’s been bubbling in my head for ages! This one will be published in July 2018.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Thank you so much, Emma. <o:p></o:p></div>
Mat Tobinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03409658334620463763noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83069909578853028.post-69871570850639549092017-06-27T09:15:00.002-07:002017-06-27T09:15:46.198-07:00Letters from the Lighthouse <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8jSndQ5ecQk/WVKCVf1hC7I/AAAAAAAAB4s/vH1lgFBxE7II6oW0-ZpLGvF5fqG7rx-swCLcBGAs/s1600/519Ps3OmrnL._SY344_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="222" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8jSndQ5ecQk/WVKCVf1hC7I/AAAAAAAAB4s/vH1lgFBxE7II6oW0-ZpLGvF5fqG7rx-swCLcBGAs/s400/519Ps3OmrnL._SY344_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">In the midst of World War Two, a bombing in London becomes the explosive catalyst that sees two sisters separated. Along with her younger brother, Cliff, Olive is evacuated to the Devonshire town of Budmouth Point with no answer as to what happened to her older sister. Yet amongst this close-knit community, she discovers a mystery which ties Sukie to a plot as dangerous as it is mysterious. In Letters from the Lighthouse, Carroll not only captures the past with an engaging and affecting narrative but shows herself to be a leading historical novelist for children.</span></i></span></h2>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kindertransport: used without permission from the Telegraph . Link provided below.</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When authors set stories in the past they tread a fine line between a historical responsibility to pen the past with accuracy and truth whilst maintaining an engaging narrative that celebrates their writing fidelity. Words are powerful, stories are powerful and illuminating the past in order to cast a light on the present involves some deft juggling. Not only must the social, cultural and philosophical ideals of the time stand true but their messages must also call to the reader in the present. In Letters from the Lighthouse, Carroll manages this with great dexterity, using the past as a context for exploring topical, current contemporary issues one of which involves attitudes to asylum seekers. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The story begins in London where, having ventured out to the local cinema, three siblings find themselves caught in a bombing. When the dust has settled and order restored, the two youngest, Olive and her younger brother Cliff, are evacuated to the coastal town of Budmouth Point by their mother whilst Sukie remains missing - the only trace of her is a coded message. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In Budmouth Point, Carroll evokes a very real sense of place with its steep, narrow streets and shadowed shops yet it is the residents, who play out as a macrocosm of wartime Britain’s values and attitudes, that have stayed with me. Through them, we see the impact of the war since Carroll carefully paints a story for each of the residents what we have is a far truer and more empathetic reading of the past. Within the community, Olive discovers ambivalence, acceptance and prejudice towards political refugees and for this reason, Letters from the Lighthouse shows us how great historical fiction can be used to cast a light on present ideologies. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Eventually housed in the local lighthouse, Olive begins to find answers to the riddle of her sister’s disappearance and the more she pieces together to puzzle, the more she uncovers the brutal truth of the world that the grownups have tried to protect her from. Yet when confronted with the hidden truths of the war, Olive tackles it with wisdom, empathy and a clarity of thought which I have found inherent in most children. There is a message here about seeing the historical novel as a way of connecting with the past so that the reader has the knowledge and empathy to read and question the present. </span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ipeNhSEkXpU/WVKDV_0q2zI/AAAAAAAAB44/vi_7a1-yl9gt4fLY-DsmAKudsv7toLL-wCLcBGAs/s1600/INF3_0318.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="876" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ipeNhSEkXpU/WVKDV_0q2zI/AAAAAAAAB44/vi_7a1-yl9gt4fLY-DsmAKudsv7toLL-wCLcBGAs/s400/INF3_0318.jpg" width="273" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With this in mind, it was another evacuee, Esther, whose story I was most drawn to. A child of the kindertransport, her story is one beyond our imagining yet wholly applicable and increasingly recurrent with that of modern-day child refugees. Universally detested by everyone around her and with our own opinions tainted through Olive’s first person narrative, Esther is a foil for all political refugees who gain our empathy only when the tragedy of their story is realised. Letters from the Lighthouse casts its light upon those stories in the past that may have gone unseen and in doing so, it asks us to give serious consideration and support to those in the present who have been persecuted yet whose stories remain in the shadows. </span></div>
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Mat Tobinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03409658334620463763noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83069909578853028.post-89216818843319861312017-06-16T12:37:00.002-07:002017-06-16T12:37:13.064-07:00An Interview with Kieran Larwood, the creator of The Legend of Podkin One-Ear<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was visiting family in Burford when I happened to stumble across The Legend of Podkin One-Ear. David Wyatt's pale, yet beautiful front cover is what attracted me and having recently read Watership Down for the first time I knew that I had more time for rabbits in my life. It also had a review from nine year old Mariyya who said 'The best book I have ever read' - I like kids' reviews. </span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><br />The story begins with a hooded rabbit, making his way through a thick blanket of snow. He is a wanderer, a storyteller and what a great story he has to tell. My review for Podkin One-Ear can be found <a href="http://mattobin.blogspot.com/2017/05/the-legend-of-podkin-one-ear-review.html" target="_blank">here</a>. <br /><br />Even though Kieran is an incredibly busy Reception teacher, he kindly found the time to answer some questions about his story and how he created it. How does a Blue Peter Book Award-winning teacher find the time to write? Find out below: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><b>Tell us a little about the story in your own words and the seed from which it grew. </b><br />Podkin is a fantasy story for readers 8 and up, set in a world populated by rabbits. My previous book had ended up, after editing, being at an upper-Key Stage 2 level, which I wasn’t comfortable with. I wanted to write something for younger readers that captured some of the essence of the books I had loved as a child, such as <i>The Hobbit</i> and <i>The Box of Delights</i>. I also wanted to create an epic fantasy for children along the lines of the series I enjoy reading as an adult. Writers such as <i>Robin Hobb</i> and <i>George R.R.Martin</i>, for example.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Original concept sketch by Kieran Larwood</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><b>Why did you decide to write a book about rabbits rather than any other creature? </b><br />The publishers of my first book had told me they didn’t want any more stories about the characters I had created, and I was trying to come up with something new. After several ideas that didn’t really go anywhere, I was flicking through some of my sketchbooks. For several years I had been doodling and drawing fantasy-style rabbits (I have no idea why- I think it’s because I like drawing their ears, or perhaps it’s the amusing contrast between fluffy cuteness and blunt weaponry). It made me begin to think about the characters behind the pictures and what sort of world they would live in. I grew up in the countryside, and was always fascinated by large rabbit warrens, wondering what went on inside, hidden beneath the ground. Once I thought of tribes of warrior rabbits living in warrens rather than forts or castles, the whole thing started to fall into place.<br /><br /><b>Could you show us where you write? </b><br />Sorry about the clutter! There’s not much spare room in our house, so this is a tiny desk, crammed into the corner of our bedroom. At least it has room for lego and the copious amounts of notebooks I get through.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><b>Tell us more about the iron fangs and where their twitching, swirling, sinister insides originated from? </b><br />I had already had the idea of giving the Gorm iron armour, but I didn’t feel it was sinister enough on its own. Making it actually possess them was the next step, and then I started thinking about what could be controlling it. I’m a big fan of <i>H.P.Lovecraft</i>, so making the living iron have a hint of tentacles and eyeballs and things was a little tribute. Also, I think it makes Gormalech, the god controlling the Gorm, seem more tangible and sinister if he moves within the metal.<br /><br /><b>What event or place are you particularly happy with and was there an event that happened which you hadn’t planned for? </b><br />The scene where Podkin plays Foxpaw was one of the first ideas I had, but I didn’t have any idea where he would play it. Boneroot grew around that idea, and I was very happy with how it turned out. The extra scenes with the fire and the battle were suggested by my editors, and I think they added to it really well. And of course, when David Wyatt illustrated it so beautifully, it was the icing on the cake. Kind of wish I hadn’t destroyed the place now…</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All illustrations in the book by David Wyatt.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><br /><b>Is there a particular character that you’re taken with, in the book? </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b>It’s very difficult to choose one particular character, as I have a soft spot for all of them. I do like writing scenes with Podkin and Paz, because I enjoy the dynamic of the relationship between them. I just have to put them together, and they start talking (or arguing) so naturally it’s a struggle typing fast enough to keep up with them.<br /><br /><b>There is a rich sense of history and myth in your book which I particularly loved. How much time did you spend building the five kingdoms? </b><br />The worldbuilding is pretty much a non-stop thing. I put a bit in place before I started writing, but most of it grew along with the story. If something is needed for the plot, then I spend a little time working on it. I also jot down ideas whenever they come to me, and have a ‘bible’ of the world on the go. A lot of it might never get used, but I think it all helps to create a convincing backdrop. If I think something works particularly well, then I can work it in to the narrative, or save it for using further on down the line.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Original concept sketch by Kieran Larwood<br /></td></tr>
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<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Was there anything that ended up being cut out of the final copy of Podkin? </b><br style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The first draft was very different, and a lot less sinister. The Gorm were normal rabbits that had invaded from the sea (inspired by Vikings) and </span>Podkin’s<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> magic dagger spoke (it was very sarcastic and </span>unpleasant,<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> because it had been hidden in a sack under </span>Podkin’s<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> parents’ bed for fifty years). I was worried about making it too dark for younger readers, but my agent told me to go for it, so I did. I don’t think she realised quite how dark my mind actually is. </span><br style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" /><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You’re currently a Reception teacher. What advice would you give a fellow teacher who thinks they might have a children’s book in them? </b><br style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Teaching is already a very labour-intensive job, so you have to be very disciplined if you want to write as well. Make the most of your holidays, and try and get as much planning and prep done at odd times during the school day so you have at least an hour or so to write at night. Staff meetings are great for sneaking in some plot notes and planning. It is great to have </span>first hand<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> access to your audience, though, so make the most of it by talking to them about what they enjoy reading (and what they don’t).</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">All illustrations in the book by David Wyatt.<br /></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br />What approaches to reading for pleasure to you see having the greatest impact in the classroom? </b><br />I work with four and five year olds, so in my classroom it is mostly about sharing books and stories. I am very aware that many children don’t get read to, so I try and read at least one story a day to the whole class, sometimes more in smaller groups. I think it’s very important to share stories simply for pleasure- not just as a basis for work. If they get really excited by a book, we might develop it into a roleplay area, puppets etc.<br /><br />I also try and have a range of good quality books available and a nice book corner/reading area for them to be read in (inside and outside). This is very difficult on limited school budgets, however. Schemes like Booktrust are great, as they give children in deprived areas access to books.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Can you tell us a little more about future instalments set in the five kingdoms? </b></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The next two books continue the story of Podkin’s struggle with the Gorm, as well as developing the bard’s storyline. Book 2 sees Podkin go on a quest to rescue a magic Gift that might help turn the tide against his enemy, and also tells what happens to the bard when he leaves Thornwood warren. Book 3 is going to be the climax of the trilogy, and I am hoping to be able to explore some of the other Realms in future stories.</span></div>
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<br />The Legend of Podkin One-Ear is published by <a href="https://www.faber.co.uk/9780571328406-podkin-one-ear.html">Faber and Faber</a> . Thank you for your time, Kieran Mat Tobinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03409658334620463763noreply@blogger.com1