by Pat Zietlow Miller
Illustrated by Eliza Wheeler
Little, Brown and Company, 2015
Themes: adventures and choices
Summary
“Join
an adventurous rabbit and his animal friends as they journey over steep
mountain peaks, through bustling cityscapes, and down long, winding roads to
discover the magical worlds that await them just outside their doors. This book
celebrates the possibilities that lie beyond the next bend in the road – the
same road that will always lead you home again.”
The Story begins
When it’s
time for a journey, to learn and to grow,
roads
guide your footsteps wherever you go.
Resources for Teachers:
* Have a class discussion
on urban vs. rural environments, or geography.
* Wherever You Go:
Graduation Event Kit for ages K - 12
I love the positive vibe
of WHEREVER YOU GO. So I was curious about the creative process.
Illustrator Eliza Wheeler’s posted “The WHEREVER YOU GO Illustration Journey” (http://picturebookbuilders.com/2015/04/the-wherever-you-go-illustration-journey). Great post!
It appeared the author/illustrator roles were kept separate. I reached out to Author Pat Zietlow Miller to learn more.
It appeared the author/illustrator roles were kept separate. I reached out to Author Pat Zietlow Miller to learn more.
Manju:
Did
you include any illustration notes in your manuscript? If not, when do you use
illustration notes?
Pat Zietlow Miller:
Thank you
for your question. You are right that Eliza Wheeler and I did not interact at
all while she was working on the art for the story. So I was thrilled to read
her blog post about the process, as well. I am not artistic, so I was
fascinated to see exactly how she created something so beautiful.
I did not
include any illustration notes in the text for WHEREVER YOU GO when my agent
submitted it to editors. I purposefully wanted to leave it open to
interpretation, and I knew it could be illustrated several ways.
So when
Connie Hsu was interested in acquiring the manuscript, we talked on the phone
about different directions the art could possibly take. Then, she and Little,
Brown art director Patti Ann Harris put their heads together and found Eliza
Wheeler and I had no further involvement until I saw her lovely sketches.
Sometimes,
people hear that and are concerned. “But weren’t you worried the art wouldn’t
be what you wanted?” they ask. And my answer is honestly, “No.”
I usually
don’t see pictures in my head when I write, and I am more than willing to let a
professional illustrator and art director take my story and make it even better
by applying all the knowledge and expertise they have that I do not.
I have, on
rare occasions, used an illustration note with my original story. But only when
reading the text alone makes a plot point in the story unclear. And then, it’s
more of a clarification like: (“The father is now hopping, too.”) rather than
specifics about how the art should look.
Pictures
books are collaborations, with each person bringing very specific skills to the
project. So I trust what the other folks involved are doing just like they
trust me. I wouldn’t want the illustrator to tell me how to write the story, so
I wouldn’t tell him or her or her how the art should be.
Thank you for sharing, Pat!
Thank you for sharing, Pat!
Enjoy the WHEREVER YOU GO Book
trailer!
Visit
Susanna Leonard Hill's blog for a complete list of today's Perfect
Picture: HERE!
