Category: illustrator

Posted in authors, illustrator, interviews

Kylie Howarth on Kev and Trev: Snot Scary Jungle Stories

Posted on by Alphabet Soup
The cover of Kev and Trev Book 2 by Kylie Howarth
Kylie Howarth with a watery background

Kylie Howarth is an award-winning, internationally published children’s author-illustrator from Western Australia. Kylie has swum with whale sharks, manta rays and humpback whales in Ningaloo, piranha and pink dolphins in the Amazon, braved scuba diving with lionfish in Egypt, marine iguanas and hammerhead sharks in the Galapagos Islands and encountered great white sharks in South Africa. She can also confirm that ice-cream bean trees are real and not fiction! (And the fruit does taste just like vanilla ice-cream.) Today Kylie is visiting to talk about her latest book, the second in her graphic novel series, Kev and Trev: Snot Scary Jungle Stories!

The publisher provided Alphabet Soup with a reader copy of Snot Scary Jungle Stories.

From the publisher:

Join Kev and Trev’s epic jungle adventure – full of roarsome new friends and frightfully fun times! Outswing a scary jaguar, steer clear of hairy spiders, poison frogs and cheeky monkeys, and dance like your life depends on it, all the while searching for mysterious pugorillas … and Kev’s missing shorts! Jump on board Kev and Trev’s popcorn powered houseboat and sail to the jungle for their most tree-mendous journey yet.

How long does it take you to create a Kev and Trev book?

The first book took three to four years! Developing a new concept and new characters can take a lot of time, but it’s also my favourite part of the process. At the same time, I was studying how graphic novels work as I had not made one before. Now that I’ve finished Book One and know the main characters well, each new book will become faster to make. I’ll be creating one Kev and Trev book every year.

Book 2 (like Book 1) is laugh-out-loud funny and full of puns. Do you brainstorm a bunch of themed jokes before you start writing the plot? Or do you find the jokes pop up as you get into the story?

Ha ha, thanks! I love humour in books and my family thrives on jokes and banter too. So, the funny bits just pop up naturally once I start writing the dialogue. I’ll then read my rough draft to my kids, who’ll suggest more jokes (usually funnier than mine) and I’ll add those in too.

Which of the characters is your favourite to draw? (We promise not to tell the others.)

My Happy is the easiest to draw and I kind of wish I’d made the other characters just as simple. Then perhaps I could make two graphic novels in a year instead of one! Mr Happy is also my favourite as I draw him with school kids at my author visits. I love seeing him drawn in all the different kids’ styles and enjoy reading the funny speech bubbles they write for him.

Graphic novels and comics feature a lot of speech bubbles. Do you draw the speech bubbles first and then fill in the text? Or put the text in first and then draw the speech bubble around it?

It is always easier to write or type the text first and then draw the bubble around it. That way you ensure the text fits nicely inside and won’t get too squishy. I am passionate about creating books that are inclusive of struggling readers, so making sure the text is clear and easy to read is important.

A spread from Kev and Trev Book 2: Snot Scary Jungle Stories by Kylie Howarth.
Excerpt from Snot Scary Jungle Stories by Kylie Howarth

Can you tell us a bit about what you’re working on next?

I’m excited to be working on Kev and Trev Book 3!!! I’ve plotted a draft outline with another unexpected twist (like Book 2). I am now starting to plan each page by roughing out loose sketches. I still have a long way to go yet, though. The next steps after that will be to write and refine all the dialogue and short stories then research and design the new characters. The research stage will be fun as Kev and Trev are off to the snow in Book 3 and so am I! There will be some very COOL snow animal characters.

One last thing, thank you to all the kids who’ve read Kev and Trev! You are EPIC!!

Kev and Trev: Snot Scary Jungle Stories is out now! Ask for it at your favourite bookshop or local library.

AWESOME EXTRAS:

Read an interview with Kylie Howarth about Book 1 in the series

Kylie’s blog post for teachers on how to encourage kids to create graphic novels

Visit Kylie Howarth’s website for more about her and her books

The cover of Kev and Trev Book 2 by Kylie Howarth
Posted in authors, illustrator, interviews

Renée Treml on The Thylacine and the Time Machine

Posted on by Alphabet Soup
A children's book: The Thylacine and the Time Machine by Renée Treml.
René Treml standing in an art studio holding a book for children.

Renée Treml is an award-winning writer and illustrator based in Fremantle, WA. She has written and illustrated several picture books including the award-winning Once I Heard a Little Wombat, and Wombat Big, Puggle Small, which was read on ABC’s Play School. Renée is also the creator of the hilarious graphic novels featuring Sherlock Bones and Ollie and Bea. Today we’re thrilled to be chatting with Renée about her latest graphic novel: The Thylacine and the Time Machine.

From the publisher:

Buckle up! The time-machine awaits! Join twelve-year-old Violet, her dog Tassie and her new friend Thyla – the ghost of the last Tasmanian tiger – on a wild ride to learn all about the legendary, elusive and extinct thylacines. Packed full of fascinating facts about the terrible past and (potentially) exciting future of the Tassie tiger.

What brought you to create a graphic novel about the de-extinction of the thylacine?

I am fascinated by the idea that scientists can bring an animal that no longer exists back to life. It’s like science-fiction except in real life!

Do you have a favourite thylacine fact?

Is it okay if I include a few? Thylacines are fascinating (and very misunderstood) creatures.

Until about 4,000 years ago, thylacines roamed all of Australia … so calling them a ‘Tasmanian tiger’ is a bit limiting. Plus, they are a marsupial, and we humans are more closely related to tigers than thylacines are.

European colonists on Tasmania believed the thylacines were killing their sheep, so they hunted the thylacine to extinction. It turns out bad farming practices, wild dogs, and other humans (thieves!) were to blame. Now we know that thylacines hunted alone and were not big or strong enough to take down an adult sheep.

How do you approach the first draft of a graphic novel? (Do you write the text as prose or a playscript?)

For this graphic novel, I first wrote a summary of what would happen in each chapter, then I drafted the story as a script. My next step was to create the sketches that would accompany the words.

What is the editing process like for a graphic novel? Is the artwork edited as well as the text?

For a graphic novel, we edit both the text and the artwork – and the process is very intertwined (and sometimes messy!) because the words influence the pictures, and the pictures influence the words. We edited The Thylacine and the Time Machine at several stages. Our goal was to catch any major problems in the scripting or sketching stages because that’s when it’s easiest to make changes. We saved the nit-picky grammar and punctuation edits until the very end because I often change and edit the text while I’m drawing.

Can you tell us a bit about what you’re working on next?

I am working on my first collaborative graphic novel mystery series with author Nova Weetman titled Mystery Beach. (Aside note: it is so much fun to co-write with another person!) We were inspired by our beloved childhood series Trixie Belden, Girl Detective, and our stories are set in current-day Australia. The first book will be out in 2026.

The Thylacine and the Time Machine is out now! Ask for it at your favourite bookshop or local library.

AWESOME EXTRAS

Take a sneak peek inside the book

Download the Teachers’ Notes from the publisher’s site (look for the grey button)

Visit Renée Treml’s website for more about her and her books

A children's book: The Thylacine and the Time Machine by Renée Treml.
Posted in authors, illustrator, interviews

Tull Suwannakit on Higher Ground

Posted on by Alphabet Soup
Tull Suwannakit holds up a copy of Higher Ground

Tull Suwannakit is an award-winning illustrator and author with a background in animation and fine art. When Tull is not writing and illustrating, he runs art classes and workshops for children and adults at his art school in Melbourne. Today we’re excited to hear from Tull about his latest book: Higher Ground.

The publisher provided Alphabet Soup with a reading copy of Higher Ground.

From the publisher:

After a great flood, a grandmother, her two grandchildren and their pet rabbit must learn to survive living on their rooftop garden, relying on scarce resources and limited space. Days turn into weeks, and weeks into months, but through life lessons and words of wisdom, hope emerges.

Higher Ground is illustrated with watercolour, graphite powder, gouache and acrylic paints. Can you tell us a bit about your approach to illustrating the book?

After I am happy with how the storyboard looks, I transfer each rough sketch onto a final piece of watercolour paper. Multiple layers of transparent sepia-toned washes are applied to give the illustration a base tint of light and dark. Additional mediums are used in order for me to capture a particular mood and tone of each scene. For instance, soluble graphite powder helps with muting down the scene, and giving it a dystopian feel. For dynamic scenes, I will add in a thick application of gouache and acrylic paints.  In contrast, luscious and lively scenes are injected with a dab of bright coloured pigments using a combination of watercolour, gouache and/ or ink. 

A double page spread: pages from inside Higher Ground by Tull Suwannakit.
From Higher Ground by Tull Suwannakit.

Higher Ground is a dystopian tale, with a small family – Grandma and her two grandchildren –  isolated following a natural disaster. Thanks to Grandma’s wise, calm guidance, the characters maintain hope and a focus on doing what they can do to survive and thrive in this new challenging environment. The book in our hands becomes a sort of stand-in for Grandma when we come to the end of the story – we can hold onto her instructions for survival skills, food preserving and preparation, and seasonal information. Is the Grandma character based on someone in your life – did you have someone who hands on life skills, family recipes and other knowledge?

Although the time spent with my grandma was brief, her teachings left an everlasting imprint on me. I learned a thing or two from her about how to go about preserving fruits and vegetables, and how to take care of the garden. Growing up and living away from home at the young age of nine to attend boarding school, I learned early on valuable life lessons and skills from the wonderful people that I met along the way. I learned to cook for myself and others, I mastered a handful of essential skills and gained many words of wisdom, all of which manifested into the character of Grandma in Higher Ground. 

The main characters aren’t named. Was there a reason you decided not to share their names with readers?

This has always been my debate right from the start – whether or not they should be given names. In the end, by not giving the characters names, I think it allows readers to be a part of the journey in a more immersive and  empathetic way. 

The younger sister sketches and take notes about their everyday activities. Were you also a diary or journal-keeper when you were growing up?

I was more of a visual oriented child, and expressed much of my feelings through pictures. So, when I first moved from Thailand to Singapore, there were huge cultural and language barriers. I found journaling, through simple writing to accompany my pictures, helped me understand and connect with myself and the world around me.  This practice continues to this day. 

Can you tell us a bit about what’s next for you?

I have just wrapped up an anthology of Australian Poems, which I did the illustrations for.  It is a collaboration with The National Library of Australia with Libby Hathorn and Jude Fell and will be out later in 2025.

Higher Ground is out now! Ask for it at your favourite bookshop or local library!

AWESOME EXTRAS

Download activities and Teachers’ Notes for Higher Ground

Visit Tull Suwannakit’s website for more about him and his books

The cover of Higher Ground, a children's hardback book.
Posted in authors, illustrator, interviews

James Foley on Bigfoot vs Yeti

Posted on by Alphabet Soup
James Foley sitting alongside his desk and wacom. Photo by Jessica Wyld Photography.
The cover of a picture book: Bigfoot vs Yeti by James Foley

James Foley makes picture books, novels and graphic novels for kids. He creates with pen and ink, pencil, charcoal, and watercolour and also uses digital tools for his work. Today we’re excited to be chatting with James about his latest picture book: Bigfoot vs Yeti.

The publisher provided Alphabet Soup with a reading copy of Bigfoot vs Yeti.

From the publisher:

The Bigfoots say it started when a Yeti threw a snowball across the rift. The Yetis say it started when a Bigfoot threw some fruit across the rift. Who could say for sure? One night, a young Bigfoot and a young Yeti decide to find the end of the rift so they can finish the feud – once and for all. Things are about to get hairy …

You used a digital linocut technique for the illustrations – can you tell us a bit about how you created them?

At first I tried real linocut, which is a printmaking technique – you basically take a piece of lino (flat rubbery plastic) and you carve little bits out of it to make the picture. Then you add ink to it, and then you press it on paper. You’re basically making a giant stamp! But I quickly realised it would take a lot more time than I had, and I would need a lot of supplies (and practice) to do it properly. I also wouldn’t have the luxury of an undo key if things went wrong; I would just have to start a picture again. 

So rather than doing proper linocut, I used the same techniques digitally: I opened Procreate on my Ipad, downloaded some ‘linocut’ brushes that some much cleverer people had designed, and I created my images that way: digitally ‘carving’ out the images bit by bit. 

It was still a challenge, because linocut is the opposite way of thinking to normal drawing. If I want to draw a black line on white paper, then I just get a black pen and draw the line. But if I want to make a black line using linocut, then I need to start with black and add the white around the space where I want the black line to be. I’m carving out all the spaces around where I want the lines to go. It takes a bit of getting used to!

Bigfoot vs Yeti has a touch of Romeo and Juliet (spoiler: with a happier ending). How did you come to choose bigfoots and yetis for the characters in this feud-busting love story?

I didn’t set out to make a story about the ancient feud between Bigfoots and Yetis; that was a surprise! It all started with a character idea. Without giving away too much about the book, there’s a character at the very end that was the first thing I came up with. Then I worked backwards – where would this character come from? And how could I make their backstory full of drama and conflict? That’s where the story came from. 

The rift is a metaphor as well as a physical presence in the story. Were the rift illustrations inspired by a place you’ve visited?

The rift wasn’t inspired by an actual place, but I found photos of forests and snowy mountains and lakes, sometimes all together – particularly around the Pacific Northwest of North America. I’d love to visit in person one day. 

The story is fun to read aloud, how do you go about drafting a tale like this?

This picture book took a while to marinate – just like Stellarphant did. Both stories are very important to me and I wanted them to be the best they could be. So I wrote many, many versions. Early versions of this didn’t work, so I left it for a long while, brainstormed lots of possibilities, and let the best ideas rise to the top. Then when it came to writing the story, I often read it aloud as I went. I always want to make sure that when the book is bought and taken home, that it’s going to be pleasing for the person who’s reading it as well as the child who’s listening. 

Can you tell us a bit about what you’re working on next?

I’m working on four books this year – a capybara sequel, a funny picture book about onomatopoeia, a junior fiction novel written by Nathan Luff, and [drum roll] a non-fiction follow-up to Stellarphant. I can’t wait to share these with everyone! The capybara sequel should be out later this year and the others will be 2026-ish. 

Also out this year are the colour editions of Dungzilla (April) and Chickensaurus (June). Exciting times!

Bigfoot vs Yeti is out now! Ask for it at your favourite bookshop or local library.

AWESOME EXTRAS

How James created the digital linocut for the illustrations [YouTube]

Spot a Bigfoot in the wild with James Foley [YouTube]

Take a sneak peek inside the book

Download the Teachers’ Notes for Bigfoot vs Yeti

The cover of a picture book: Bigfoot vs Yeti by James Foley
Posted in authors, illustrator, teachers' resources

2024 Young Readers Day Out at State Library of WA!

Posted on by Alphabet Soup
A flyer for the Event

If you live near Perth, WA, make sure you’re at the State Library of WA on 17 November for the 2024 Young Readers Day Out!

Meet some of WA’s most well-known children’s book authors and illustrators for a morning packed with activities, including:
• Helping illustrators compete in an interactive illustration duel
• Learning how to draw your favourite book characters
• Peeking behind-the-scenes to find out how these stories come to life
• Meeting and chatting with twelve children’s book authors and illustrators.

This event is suitable for book-lovers of all ages, but perfect for ages 0-12. All children must be accompanied by an adult.

Meet these amazing book creators:
Rebecca M. Newman
Kelly Canby
Sharon Giltrow
Ash Harrier
Steve Heron
Laura Holloway
Lorraine Horsley
Kylie Howarth
Chenée Marrapodi
Jevita Nilson
Kristy Nita Brown
Renae Hayward

Cost: $20 + booking fee

Each ticket includes:
• Entry for up to 6 people
• 1 x $20 voucher at the Boffins Books pop-up shop on the day
• Gift bag with bookmarks, colouring-in sheets and more

Date:
Sunday, 17 November 2024, 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM

Venue:
State Library of WA @statelibrarywa

Bookings essential via Trybooking.

A poster showing four of the presenters
A poster showing four of the presenters
A poster showing four of the presenters
Posted in authors, illustrator, interviews

Kylie Howarth on Kev and Trev: Snot Funny Sea Stories

Posted on by Alphabet Soup
the cover of a children's graphic novel: Kev and Trev, Snot Funny Sea Stories by Kylie Howarth

Kylie Howarth is an award-winning, internationally published children’s author-illustrator from Western Australia. Kylie has swum with whale sharks, manta rays and humpback whales in Ningaloo, piranha and pink dolphins in the Amazon, braved scuba diving with lionfish in Egypt, marine iguanas and hammerhead sharks in the Galapagos Islands and encountered great white sharks in South Africa! Today Kylie is visiting to talk about her latest book, the first in her graphic novel series, Kev and Trev: Snot Funny Sea Stories!

The publisher provided Alphabet Soup with a reader copy of Snot Funny Sea Stories.

From the publisher:

Join Kev and Trev’s epic deep-sea adventure – full of kraken laughs and comic commocean! Dodge flying coconut cannonballs, outrun ghost pirates, escape big sharks, pig sharks, and a punch-throwing pelican, all while hunting for mysterious merpugs and the missing emergency boat snacks! Water you waiting for? Jump on board Kev and Trev’s popcorn powered houseboat … and cross-your-claws it doesn’t sink!

You have published picture books and junior fiction novels and this is your first graphic novel. What brought you to create the Kev and Trev series?

I once made rhyming mini-books for my kids which I’d pop in their school lunchboxes. The kids loved these short, funny stories and often shared them with their friends and teachers. This inspired me to create a graphic novel series, that included lots of short funny stories written by the characters, Kev and Trev.

What tools do you prefer to use to create your graphic novels?

I use sketch books and a pencil for my initial ideas and story planning. I then use a program called Procreate (on my iPad) to illustrate my books. I also use anything from seaweed to broccoli dipped in paint and pressed on paper, to create interesting textures for my illustrations.

Your characters Kev and Trev write and illustrate their own rhyming short stories inside the book. Do you have a tip for kids wanting to experiment with rhyme?

Keeping a consistent rhythm and beat for each line of rhyming text really helps the story flow for your reader. To hear if your rhythm is working, try clapping along as you read your story out loud.

How does your editor feel about being turned into a squid? 😆

Ha ha! Kev and Trev’s editor is a grumpy squid named Mr Happy. Luckily my editor is never grumpy. She is also my publisher so identifies more with the lovely character of Tess the pug-lisher.

The book is stuffed full of puns and hilarious play-on-words conversations. What’s your favourite pun from Snot Funny Sea Stories?

I love the mixed-up book titles like THE BUFFALO (instead of The Gruffalo) and POSSUM TRAGIC (instead of Possum Magic.)

What’s next for Kylie Howarth?

I’m now working on the second graphic novel in this series – Kev and Trev: Snot Scary Jungle Stories.

Kev and Trev: Snot Funny Sea Stories is out now! Ask for it at your favourite bookshop or local library.

AWESOME EXTRAS:

See a short video of Kylie designing a character in the book [Instagram]

Download Kylie’s rhyming books/zines printables

Visit Kylie Howarth’s website for more about her and her books

the cover of a children's graphic novel: Kev and Trev, Snot Funny Sea Stories by Kylie Howarth
Posted in authors, illustrator, interviews

Kelly Canby on Timeless

Posted on by Alphabet Soup
Kelly Canby, author-illustrator, and the cover of her new picture book: Timeless. The cover illustration shows a boy with a net trying to catch 'time'.

Kelly Canby is an award-winning, internationally published, illustrator and author of over two dozen books for children. Kelly was born in London, England, but has lived in Australia since the age of three. She says this is probably around the same age she started playing with pencils and crayons, and it was probably only a few years after that that she decided playing with pencils and crayons was something she wanted to do for the rest of her life. Kelly applies her quirky style to the pages of everything from picture books, to chapter books, to early reader books, to colouring books and beyond!

Today we’re talking to her about her new picture book, Timeless.

From the publisher:

Emit (whose parents turned back time to name him) is surrounded by busyness. Dad is too busy to read stories, Mum is too busy to play games and Emit’s brother and sister are simply too busy doing nothing to do anything, at all. Emit tries everything he can think of to get more time, he tries to catch it, wait for it, but it’s not until Emit tries to buy some time that he learns the secret …

Did you already have a stack of time-themed puns just begging to be turned into this book? Or did the idea for the book send you off in search of puns? 

The idea for the book came first and that then sent me down into a deep, deep, pun dive. In the end I had so many puns and idioms I couldn’t use them all! A couple of favourites that didn’t make it to the final book were Emit’s street address: 5 Oak Lock Lane, and a part where Emit told his family he’d like to be a time traveller when he grew up only they ‘didn’t think there was much future in it …’ Also there was a part in the first draft where Emit sticky taped two toy ducks together to create … A time pair o’ ducks. Genius ideas, I think, but in the end they didn’t suit the story so I had to leave them out.

What is your relationship with time? (Are you usually running out of it or always ‘on time’?)

I am that person who is always horribly … early! For appointments especially. And often times 30 or 40 minutes early too because I’m so afraid of being late. But it’s not always a bad thing because it gives me some thinking time in the car, or a chance to get familiar with where I need to be, or have a cup of tea, or reply to emails or ALL of those things. It’s amazing what I can squeeze into that half hour!

Your bright illustrations in Timeless almost seem to glow. Can you tell us about how you create your illustrations? 

The brightness all comes from the inks. I chose the most vibrant colours I could find and then got my fan brush (a brush shaped like a fan, of course) and splattered and flicked ink all over the page until it started to look like how I saw it in my head. I wanted the illustrations to have a lot of energy and movement, to echo how busy everyone was, and the fan brush was perfect for that. I didn’t mind at all if ink fell in odd places either because I thought it added to the chaos of being so busy. I also didn’t sketch any of the illustrations with pencil first, I just went straight in and created havoc! That’s right, this book is one great big happy accident!

Do you have a tip for kids who would like to write/illustrate their own picture book?

I definitely have a tip for illustrating and that is to not be afraid of the blank page. Ever! The important thing is to get down on that paper whatever is in your head and when you’re done, when its down, then you can edit or add to it or … throw it out if you wish! But just get something down. Usually I find not thinking about my work too much takes the pressure off and as a result my work looks alive and fresh and full of energy. Actually, that advice works for writing too.

Can you tell us a bit about what you’re working on next?

Right now I am trying to come up with a new idea for a picture book AND I’m working on illustrations for the fifth book in Jaclyn Moriarty’s Kingdoms & Empires series. One of those things is much harder than the other and I’ll leave you to guess which one it is (Hint: it’s the one where were I have to come up with a new idea) !!

Timeless is out now! Ask for it at your favourite bookshop or local library.

AWESOME EXTRAS

Image shows the cover of a picture book: Timeless by Kelly Canby. The cover illustration shows a boy waving a net behind him while colours and flowers and birds swirl around him.

Take a sneak peek inside Timeless

Download free activity sheets from the publisher’s website

Download the Teachers’ Notes

Visit Kelly Canby’s website for more about her and her books

Posted in authors, illustrator, interviews

James Foley on Secret Agent Mole: Book 1

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

MEET THE AUTHOR- ILLUSTRATOR

James Foley (author-illustrator). James has pale skin and a dark beard. He's wearing a black jacket over a tshirt and standing in front of a white wooden door.
Image shows the cover of a graphic novel for young readers: Secret Agent Mole (book 1) - Goldfish-Finger by James Foley. The cover is predominantly yellow and features an illustration of ahippo in a brown vest with her arms crossed, a purple mole in a white tuxedo and wearing square glasses and holding a toy rubber-dart gun, and a tiny green flying bug wearing a hat. The typeface of the font suggests this is a spy-themed book.

James Foley is the author-illustrator of a stack of picture books and graphic novels. His work has been published as books, in anthologies, and in magazines and newspapers. Today we’re excited to chat to James about the first book in his brand new graphic novel series, Secret Agent Mole: Goldfish-Finger.

From the publisher:

Max is a mole on a mission. With Helen Hippo and June Bug by his side, Max must stop the evil Goldfish-Finger from stealing a priceless, solid gold fishfinger. This dangerous, top-secret mission will involve explosions, a naked mole rat, and being flushed down a giant toilet. Will Max and the team defeat the fiendish fish? Time to rock and mole!

This is book 1 of a new series. How did you decide on the main characters for this series?

The whole idea came about from a conversation with fellow author/illustrator Matt Cosgrove. His publisher Scholastic had asked me to pitch them an idea for a book series, so I called Matt for some advice. I told him, ‘you can be my mole in the organisation‘. And that’s when the idea of Max Mole popped into my head. From there it was a pretty simple task to find his friends; all teams should have a variety of skills and personalities, plus when you’re drawing them it’s good to have a variety of sizes and shapes. So I picked a bigger, tougher animal (a hippo called Helena) and a much smaller, more fragile creature (a bug called Bug) to round out Max’s team. The main villain is a naked mole rat called Dr Nude, because naked mole rats are extremely funny. 

What’s your favourite graphic novel/comic book sound effect and why?

Good question. Probably any of the big, loud action ones (e.g. CRASH, SMASH, THUD, KABOOM). It usually means there’s something big and silly to draw.

Can you tell us about how you create your graphic novels?

First I write the events of the book as a series of bullet points. I put all my ideas down in order until I have enough ideas for a book. Then I write the book as a script – just like you would for a play or a film. It’s just the dialogue plus descriptions of the action. Then I lay out all the pages into a program called InDesign. This lets me see how much room the words need and how much space I have left to do the drawings. I figure out where all the panels are going to go and I start drawing the book as rough sketches straight into the program. Once all that is approved by my editor, I get started on the final artwork. I do all the black outlines in Procreate on my iPad, then I finish off all the shades of grey using Photoshop on my big Wacom Cintiq drawing tablet and my laptop. After about 6 months, I’ve got a 200 page graphic novel.

Do you have a tip for kids who want to write a graphic novel or their own comic book?

You don’t have to be a great at drawing to make a comic book; if you can draw stick figures then you can make a comic. 

The most important thing when making comics is to keep the reader in mind. Comics are meant to be shared, so you need to make sure that your reader will be able to understand the story you’re trying to tell. Every piece of information the reader will need must be on the page; you won’t be able to stand over their shoulder and help them if they get lost or confused. So you have to make sure every picture is large enough and clear enough; you have to make sure all the words are neat and readable; and you need to include enough pictures in the correct order to show what’s happening. It’s as simple and as complicated as that: make sure you have clear pictures and clear words in a clear order. If you can make those three things happen, then your reader will be able to understand and enjoy your comic. 

Can you tell us a bit about what you’re working on next?

I’ve just finished all the artwork for Secret Agent Mole book 2: The Boar Identity. That was a heap of fun! It will be out in August/September 2023.

Next up, I have to start writing the script for Secret Agent Mole book 3. Wish me luck!

Secret Agent Mole: Goldfish-Finger is out now! Ask for it at your favourite bookshop or local library.

Image shows the cover of a graphic novel for young readers: Secret Agent Mole (book 1) - Goldfish-Finger by James Foley. The cover is predominantly yellow and features an illustration of ahippo in a brown vest with her arms crossed, a purple mole in a white tuxedo and wearing square glasses and holding a toy rubber-dart gun, and a tiny green flying bug wearing a hat. The typeface of the font suggests this is a spy-themed book.

AWESOME EXTRAS:

Watch the book trailer on YouTube

Meet the VILLAINS of the Secret Agent Mole series on the author’s blog

Visit James Foley’s website for more about James and his books

Posted in authors, illustrator, interviews

Sean E Avery on Frank’s Red Hat

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

Sean E Avery is a teacher, sculptor, designer, and the author-illustrator of Harold and Grace, All Monkeys Love Bananas, and Happy as a Hog Out of Mud. Today we’re pleased to chat to him about his latest picture book, Frank’s Red Hat, which is out in Australia, Korea, France and Denmark!

Image shows the cover of a picture book: Frank's Red Hat by Sean E Avery. The illustration is of a flock of penguins and only one penguin is wearing a tiny red beanie.
A photo of author and illustrator Sean E Avery. Sean is wearing a blue checked blazer, a white business shirt and a dark tie.

From the publisher:

Frank is a penguin with ideas. Mostly terrible ones. That’s why his fellow penguins are nervous when he shows them his strange new creation. Something they’d never seen or expected to see in their cold and colourless Antarctic world — a red hat.

How did you come to set a book in Antarctica?

I wanted a black-and-white setting that I could slowly introduce colour to! Antartica fit the description perfectly. 

Do you know how to knit?

I do not. My boss (the principal at the school I work at) tried to teach me once but I gave up in a huff. I may have had a small tantrum and thrown my knitting needles over my head in frustration.

Can you tell us a bit about the illustration process for Frank’s Red Hat?

I use lots of different media – paint, crayons, pencils etc – to create textures that I scan into my computer. From there, I can cut the shapes I need from the scanned textures and arrange them to make, rocks, snow, water, seals, and penguins of course! 

Do you have a writing tip for kids who’d like to write their own books?

Write a little bit every day for a few months. It’s very hard (and not much fun) to try finish a whole book quickly in a week. If you work on something slowly, but consistently over a long period of time; the result will be better.

Can you tell us a bit about what you’re working on next?

I have three books coming out next year. Two of those are out next year. One is called Friendly Bee and Friends – a graphic novel about an annoyingly friendly bee who tries to make friends with every bug he meets. The other is a picture book called Mr Clownfish, Miss Anemone and The Hermit Crab which is an underwater adventure. 

Frank’s Red Hat is out now! Ask for it at your favourite bookshop or local library.

Image shows the cover of a picture book: Frank's Red Hat by Sean E Avery. The illustration is of a flock of penguins and only one penguin is wearing a tiny red beanie.

AWESOME EXTRAS

Take a look inside the book!

Visit Sean E Avery’s website for more about him and his books

Posted in authors, illustrator, interviews

Frané Lessac on A is for Australian Reefs

Posted on by Alphabet Soup
Frané Lessac, author and illustrator. Frané has pale skin and shoulder length blonde hair, she is smiling at the camera.
Image shows the cover of a non-fiction picture book: A is for Australian Reefs by Frané Lessac. The cover illustration shows a coral reef with a whale shark swimming and the additional words: a fact-astic tour.

Frané Lessac is an author and illustrator and has created beautiful illustrations for more than fifty books. She was born in New Jersey and lived on the Caribbean Island of Montserrat and later London before moving to Australia. Travelling is a major source of inspiration for her work. Frané visits schools, libraries and festivals around the world sharing the process of writing and illustrating books. Today we’re thrilled to chat to Frané about her latest picture book, A is for Australian Reefs.

From the publisher:

Along the Australian coastline, underwater reefs are bustling with the most amazing sea creatures living on the planet. What can blow bubble rings and swim through them? What has teeth on its eyeballs? What creature makes itself nearly invisible to predators by using camouflage? What poops out sand? More than 25 percent of all sea creatures live in coral reefs, also called “rain forests of the sea.” This book introduces readers to everything from playful dolphins to deadly Irukandji jellyfish, leafy sea dragons to brainy octopuses, and walking sharks to whimsical-looking zebra seahorses. With gorgeous patterns and colours and substantial entries exploring each creature’s anatomy, diet, threats to survival, and more, Frané Lessac brings us a truly fascinating undersea exploration of the awe-inspiring Australian reefs.

A is for Australian Reefs is a non-fiction picture book full of fascinating facts. How did you go about your research for the book?

I love animals and especially ones that live in the ocean. I’ve been lucky to have lived close to the sea all my life. From the Atlantic to the Pacific to the Caribbean Sea, and now, the Indian Ocean. Snorkelling is one of my favourite hobbies. To research A Is for Australian Reefs, I travelled up to Ningaloo Reef and visited the Great Barrier Reef. Closer to home, I snorkelled on Rottnest Island and got up close and personal with sea creatures at AQWA (Aquarium of Western Australia) –especially rare animals like the elusive leafy sea dragon. Alongside swimming on underwater reefs, I read many books and researched online. Every page in A Is for Australian Reefs is full of facts. My publishers required that I find official proof for each fact from three reputable sources. To do this, I contacted coral reef and marine experts from all over Australia.

You create picture books about different places and creatures around Australia. Have you been to all the places featured in your books?

I’ve been fortunate to have visited many of the locations in my books. When I travel, I take lots of photos and gather information to take home. If I cannot travel to a place, I call local experts, visit websites, watch documentaries, and read as many books as possible. Once back in my studio, I sort through the enormous range of photographs, research books and online sources of information that I’ve collected. 

Everywhere I’ve travelled, there’s always something amazing to discover – maybe it’s the scenic beauty, the food, or meeting the best people!

You’re the writer and illustrator of so many picture books. When you have the idea for a book what comes first for you, writing or artwork?

The idea for the book comes first. I need to write all the words first because the artwork might change if one word changes – especially in the case of adjectives. It is helpful that I know what I’d like to paint, which will influence what I’m writing. After a polished draft, I decide which words appear on each page. Then I’m ready to create ‘sloppy copies’ sketches of the art.

Do you have a tip for kids who’d like to create their own picture book?

You have the best possible place nearby to help you create your own picture book – the school library! It’s a wealth of knowledge with a gazillion ideas to inspire you further. In the non-fiction section, every possible subject to learn and write and/or illustrate can be found. These books are full of images and words that are easy to understand. And in the picture book section, take a close look and see all the different materials and design ideas used to make books! Everyone writes and paints differently. Believe in your words and art, and don’t compare yourself to anyone else. How YOU do it is unique.

Can you tell us a bit about what you’re working on next?

Currently, I’m working on a super-fun project called, The Big Book of Australian Nursery Rhymes. I’ve chosen lots of well-known traditional English nursery rhymes and adapted them to feature Australian animals. There are quite a few laugh-out-loud rhymes and some work better than the originals! The art is bright and colourful and designed for a young audience. After I finish all the rhymes and art, it will still be an entire year before it’s out in the world. Books take a loooong time.

A is for Australian Reefs is out now! Ask for it at your local library or favourite bookshop.

AWESOME EXTRAS

Image shows the cover of a non-fiction picture book: A is for Australian Reefs by Frané Lessac. The cover illustration shows a coral reef with a whale shark swimming and the additional words: a fact-astic tour.

Take a sneak peek inside the book

Watch Frané Lessac talking about how she creates her picture books (YouTube)

Visit Frané Lessac’s website to find out more about her and her books