More Interviews With Authors and Illustrators

I am excited to offer fans this page. This is Part 2 in my series of author and illustrator interviews. On this page you will find two special interviews. One is with Shirley Parenteau, author of Bears On Chairs, One Frog Sang, and more. And the other interviewee is David Walker. He illustrated Bears On Chairs, Flip Flap Fly, Crocodaddy, and more. He also very generously sent some of his illustrations to post here. I hope you enjoy the interviews with these two extremely talented people as much as I do. And don’t forget to check out my original Interviews With Authors and Illustrators page for more awesome interviews!

 

Interview With Author Shirley Parenteau (2/7/2010) 

 

Q. When did you begin your career as a children’s picture book author?

SP. This is my second time around as a children’s book author. When my three were young, I wrote eight books for children. Later, I wrote women’s fiction. Now that I have six granddaughters, I’m seeing the world through their eyes.  

I didn’t expect to return to children’s books, but one spring evening, while standing on the porch of our 100-year-old farmhouse, listening to a passing car interrupt frogs singing, I suddenly thought, “Counting book.”  To my delight, Candlewick Press bought One Frog Sang. Artist Cyntha Jabar created beautiful illustrations and I was launched into writing for children again—and loving it! 

Q. Why do you like to write for children?

SP. I love the way everything is new to children. Their enthusiasm and often uniquely insightful way of looking at the world inspire lots of ideas. When I talk to children in schools, their questions always surprise and intrigue me. 

Q. How did you come up with the idea for your picture book Bears On Chairs?

SP. My granddaughter Elizabeth, then about three, was playing with small chairs and stuffed animals in a corner of a bookstore while her mother shopped. When I watched Elizabeth place a toy on every chair, the phrase, “Bears on chairs,” came to mind. She had to make do with a ball for the final chair, but  I wondered what she would do if she had more bears than chairs. The idea stayed with me. I had never written in rhyme, but this book demanded it. Candlewick found David Walker who created incredibly sweet bears to illustrate the story. The book has been a joy to share with children in classes. The love I’ve seen for the book across the internet has been heartwarming!  

Q. What other books have you written?

SP. Recently I sold three English language toddler board books to a publisher in Korea for use in a home school program there. I found it a challenge to tell a story in a few short lines. As with any new experience, I’ve learned a lot through these apparently simple stories. 

I’m working on a sequel to Bears on Chairs. This will be a bedtime book. 

Q. Who are the picture book authors that you most admire?

SP. There are so many! I love reading picture books to my granddaughters and browsing through picture books in bookstores. I find new favorites with every visit! Dr. Seuss is a longtime favorite, of course. Jane Yolen has some wonderful books. And I especially enjoy Sandra Boynton’s joyful board books. 

Q.  Where can fans go to learn more about you and your books?

SP. I hope everyone will visit my website: www.shirleyparenteau.com. It’s meant to be fun for young visitors and includes coloring pages to download. Candlewick Press has a page with biographical info for each author and illustrator published there. 

Q. Is there anything else you’d like to tell picture book fans?

SP. I enjoy visiting blogs written by librarians, teachers, bookstore staff and parents describing books they’ve discovered. I’m humbled and thrilled if I happen to see my books mentioned, as on your blog, Lauri. Thank you so much for inviting me for an interview!

Interview With Illustrator David Walker (2/7/2010) 

Q. When did you begin your career as a children’s picture book illustrator?

DW. I “accidently” became a children’s book artist about 8 years ago I guess.  While I’d always hoped to do children’s books at some point in my life, I was  busily working away on greeting cards, calendars, gift bags, etc. when I got a call from an Editor at Farrar, Straus & Giroux asking if I would like to do a kid’s book with her.  I guess there are certain events in your life that can take you down an unexpected path, and that phone call has definitely turned out to be one of those.  I still do a lot of other kinds of work, but books are becoming more and more the focus of my studio time… who knew!? 

Q. Why do you like to create books for children?

DW. Like most artists, I have drawn and painted all my life.  I never knew exactly what form my art would take in my adult life, but I think I was in college when I realized I just didn’t have enough angst  to go down the tortured artist path, and I found myself leaning more and more toward whimsical illustration styles.  Kid’s books turned out to be great fit for me.  There are so many challenges when designing a  children’s book, from establishing the overall look and tone, developing a character,  to visually pacing the book so it doesn’t lose a child’s interest half way through. I like the whole process.   

Q. Iknow that you have illustrated several picture books. Do you have any favorites?

DW. I have been fortunate enough to get to illustrate the stories of some very talented writers, so I wouldn’t dare pick a favorite!  As far as my illustrations go, I was really pleased with the look of  ”Crocodaddy”, “Before You Were Mine”,  ”Bears On Chairs”, and ” No More Por Favor” (which releases late this Spring), even though they are all really different from one another. 

I don’t know if this is just me or if all artists are like this, but I generally find “the next book I’m working on” to be the one I’m most excited about.  I think that may be a symptom of a little attention deficit disorder though!

One of these days I hope to take a shot at writing and illustrating my own book, so hopefully that one will be my clear favorite! 

Q. What materials do you like to work with when creating your illustrations? 

DW. I start my illustrations with pencil sketches (which may actually be my favorite part of the process), but I paint them in acrylic paint on 3 ply paper.  It dries quickly, doesn’t smear, and is pretty forgiving if I decide to go back and make changes to the painting. 

Q. Who are the picture book artists that you most admire? 

DW. Way too many to mention, as there is an intimidating amount of talent working in this field.  I can say I consistently like the work of William Joyce,  Lauren Child, Polly Dunbar, Oliver Jeffers….  the list goes on and on and frankly, is  making me re-think this career choice of mine… maybe I should move on to the next question! 

Q. Where can fans go to learn more about you and your books?

DW. One of my many New Year’s resolutions is to  add updates to my web site  a little more often!  Hopefully this resolution will stick, as opposed to a few of the others that have already slipped away.   I’m at www.davidwalkerstudios.com , and should have a bunch of new images, studio photos and announcements a little later this spring to coincide with some product releases, so please keep checking in. 

Q. Is there anything else you’d like to tell picture book fans?

DW. Mostly, I would just say “thanks”.  I realize I am ridiculously fortunate to have a career that allows me to paint all day, and it’s no small thing to me when a parent tells me they shared my books with their child.  Pretty cool to have a job like this–  guess I need to thank my parents again for the endless stream of sketch books I filled up as a kid too! 

 

 

All of the illustrations below are the property of David Walker. Please do not reproduce them without his permission.