Snowman's Story Blog Tour & Giveaway - Interview with Will Hillenbrand

Since I am a huge picture book fan, I am always excited to participate in a blog tour for a favorite author/illustrator. Today, I am excited to have Will Hillenbrand stop by and talk about his new book, Snowman's Story and share with us about his creative process. Thanks Will for stopping by.

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SNOWMAN'S STORY has some similar elements to other well-known snowman stories. Was this something that you intentionally decided as you created this story?

I think that what you are referring to as “similar elements” is the visual context of the story’s setting. Snowman’s Story draws from our collective memory/context. This context would obviously include experiences and books that have accumulated in the reader’s life and it is the world where stories begin. Picture books rely on what is familiar and then move to what’s beyond. Another example would be our dream world. My dreams begin with the familiar… things, people and places I know… then move to the unpredictable. In Snowman’s Story the familiar collides with the unfamiliar. In a picture book, that translates into the page turn. The familiar is a kind of a launching pad for the drama that is about to take place. It is a street corner and the street signs there are EVERYDAY ROAD and ADVENTURE AVENUE.

I am a huge fan of wordless picture books. Did you know it was going to be a wordless book or did that just reveal itself as you worked on the story?

I am a huge fan of wordless picture books, too. With Snowman’s Story I started out with a book dummy that included words. With each revision I adjusted the pictures and removed words. At some point during this process I noticed that there were no words left in the book. “Okay,” I thought, “this is the kind of book you want to be.” My editors agreed, and that is what we have- a wordless picture book. It had kind of been in the back of my mind to do a wordless picture book but I did not set out to do that with Snowman’s Story.

Though there is a short video on your website, can you share with readers a little more about your creative process?

I am a big believer in the “process work.” My short videos give my audience snapshots of what the creative process is like for specific books. It is my hope that showing the actual process will allow viewers to become excited enough to make something for themselves.

During school visits I often show off my “magic pencil.” My pencil is tucked away in my jacket pocket. The children are kind of desperate; they want to see the “magic pencil.” What I reveal to them is an ordinary No. 2 pencil. Some of them are a little disappointed but then I remind them that there is no magic in the pencil. The magic is inside of them and if they believe in that magic they can make magic with their drawings and writing. No one has seen the world the way that they have and if they want others to see it they will have to make it happen. Anyone can do nothing; it takes someone special to do something. I believe they are that someone.

Do you work on one book at a time or do you juggle a couple of projects? Do you sketch everything out and then turn it into the actual artwork? 

I usually prefer to work on one story at a time when I’m working on the final art of a book. That allows me to give that world my full attention. I always keep a notebook/journal nearby because I often find inspiration in action. By “doing,” the molecules collide and the oxygen for new ideas is fresh.

I use both traditional and nontraditional media in my work. I would like to think that my illustrations reflect both classical and modern traditions. There has never been a medium that I haven’t liked—that includes the mud I played with in the side yard of my house when I was a child.

Do you listen to music when you work? 

When I’m writing I prefer not to have music playing but when I am painting I like to listen to classical, folk and indie music.

And finally, can we get a picture of the view from your studio window?

Are there certain authors/illustrators/artists that have influenced your work?

My favorite illustrator is Ernest Shepherd. I have stopped trying to figure out why. I just love his work; it touches me so deeply. The first illustrator/storyteller that I remember from my childhood is Beatrix Potter. My grandmother read The Tale of Peter Rabbit to me and that was that. That book was my welcome mat to the world of children’s books. Now I have met and known so many talented and wonderful picture book people that my list would be longer than Santa’s Christmas list, being too long to share with you here.

Are there any other projects that you are currently working on that you can share with us?

I most recently completed All for a Dime!, the fourth book in the Bear and Mole series and it’s due to be published in fall 2015. On my studio table, I am working on the final art for Bear and Bunny written by Daniel Pinkwater; it’s the companion book to Bear in Love which was published two years ago.

Can you share something that was funny or touching from a school visit or a letter from a student who wrote to you about your work?

No two school visits are ever the same; that is what I love about them. The raw energy of children has a powerful pull on me. We attract each other like the polar opposite sides of a magnet. I always feel so privileged to be able to spend time with my readers. Together we motivate and inspire each other; it is one of the most fantastic feelings I know. As an author, I know I only have two times to make a first impression: the first with my books and the second when we meet. I hope that impression sends my readers into the greater world of books and great literature that is out there waiting for them.

After a day full of school visits I’m so exhausted that I think I fall asleep before my head ever hits the pillow!

Check out the book trailer for Snowman's Story:

About Will Hillenbrand:
Will Hillenbrand has illustrated many beloved picture books, including Kiss the Cow by Phyllis Root; and Sleep, Big Bear, Sleep!, and Sneeze, Big Bear, Sneeze! by Maureen Wright. He has also written and illustrated a number of picture books, including Down by the Barn, the Bear and Mole series, and Mother Goose Picture Puzzles. Will enjoys visiting schools to talk about the creative process involved in making a picture book. He lives with his wife, Jane, and their son, Ian, in Terrace Park, Ohio. For more information, visit his website

For additional book resources:

Snowman Finds His Story (downloadable game)

Coloring Page:

Don't forget to check out the other stops on the blog tour:

Mon, Nov 3       As they Grow Up

Tues, Nov 4       Cracking the Cover

Wed, Nov 5     Geo Librarian

Thurs, Nov 6     5  Minutes for Books

Fri, Nov 7         Momma Drama

Sat, Nov 8        Booking Mama

Mon, Nov 10     Just a Little Creativity

Tues, Nov 11     Kid Lit Frenzy

Wed, Nov 12    Children's Book Review

Thurs, Nov 13   Displaced Yinzer

Fri, Nov 14       Once Upon a Story
                        Unleashing Readers

Giveaway!
Two Lions/Amazon is pleased to offer a copy of SNOWMAN’S STORY by Will Hillenbrand to one lucky winner! (U.S. addresses only.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

It's Monday! What are you reading? From Picture Books to YA - 11/10/14

It's Monday! What are you reading? is hosted by Sheila of Book Journey.  Jen from Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee and Ricki from Unleashing Readers have adapted it to focus on Picture Books to Young Adult Books.

In addition to it being a "What Are You Reading?" post, I am also celebrating Picture Book Month.  Below you will find some book adventures from last week and some upcoming reviews.

Did you see my post on John Rocco and his new book Blizzard? If not, check out the interview here? 

I mentioned last Wednesday that Jeanette Winter has a new picture book biography out. Actually a 2-in-1.  It features Malala Yousafzai on one side and Iqbal Masih on the other side.  The story tells about the bravery about these young people and the stances they took. Though they had different outcomes for each one, the stories are powerful.

Malala A Brave Girl From Pakistan/Iqbal A Brave Boy From Pakistan by Jeanette Winter (Beach Lane Books, November 2014)

This book would pair up nicely with Dear Malala, We Stand With You by Rosemary McCarney (Note: The book also has the other name of Every Day is Malala Day)

Last Wednesday, I was at Once Upon a Time bookstore and picked up three new books. The one by Jeanette Winter, but also Beetle Busters by Loree Griffin Burns and Winter Bees & Other Poems of the Cold by Joyce Sidman. I will be reviewing both of these on Wednesday. 

On Friday, I had the honor of hosting and introducing author, Julie Berry at her West Coast Book Launch for The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place.

Check out the book trailer for the book:

Finally, I received a copy of A Christmas Wish for Corduroy by B.G. Hennessy (Viking Juvenile, October 2014).  Corduroy came to a school with me on Friday so I could tell the kids about him and his newest book.

So, what are you reading?

Blizzard Blog Tour and Interview with author/illustrator John Rocco

I am a huge fan of John Rocco's artwork, and I am thrilled to be part of this blog tour. It was also fun to ask John some questions about his work and favorite bookstores. Thank you John for stopping by. 

Even 36 years later, I remember the blizzard of 1978. However, other than being home from school all week and my mom getting a ride to the hospital (she was an ER nurse) by an emergency vehicle, I do not have any great stories. After reading the note about the Blizzard of '78, I realize that authors tend to have a much more creative memory about events. How do stories develop for you?

Yes, I didn’t think I had any great stories about that time either, but my daughter has actually been great in helping me dredge up these memories. Ever since she was about 4 years old (she’s 8 now) she has been asking my wife and I to tell her stories about when we were little. It became part of our nighttime ritual; 3 books, sing a song, tell a story about when I was little.  She hardly ever wanted to hear the same story twice, so we were really forced to go deeper into the memory banks. It’s a great exercise, and I’m sure you’d be surprised at what comes back to you. Once I remembered that experience I was fortunate enough to be able to talk with my parents about it, both of whom remembered it vividly. My father had actually saved all the newspapers from that week, (Providence Journal, Boston Globe) and immediately sent them to me when I told him I was thinking of turning it into a book.

As I developed the story, I realized the best way to treat it would be like a diary of the week that we were snowed in.

In Southern California, students do not really understand snow or a blizzard. The illustrations really bring so much of the story to life for children who may not have experienced snow before.  I have noticed that your illustrations in both BLACKOUT and in BLIZZARD really provide the reader with a sense of being there. Do you have a particular technique or way of bringing things to life visually?

First off, thank you for that. I do strive to get across a sense of being there. I think it BLACKOUT, the color choices and lighting was key. I love to render light, and that was the perfect story to do that with. The shadows, the candlelight, the flashlights, were all great opportunities to give a sense of mood.

With BLIZZARD I wanted to play with the ideas of cool and warm, having the exterior images very cool using lots of blues and whites, and the interiors by the woodstove having a very warm feel. I also like the solitary quiet pictures, the ones that give you the sense of that almost deafening silence when the ground is covered in snow, and there is a stillness in the air, right before the first footsteps disturb the perfect blanket of snow.

Do you have any special creative (writing/drawing) routines, and what is your creative space/studio like? 

My studio is in the backyard of our house, formerly a three-car garage that was converted into two studios for my wife and I. I sit near a window that looks out onto a bamboo filled section of our yard. It’s a great space filled with lots of light and bookshelves, I’m very fortunate to have it. I usually try to do my writing in the early morning, sometimes before my wife and daughter are awake. That is the best time for my head to be clear. With creating pictures for my books, I don’t have any special routines, I just sit down, whenever I can, and get to work.  Sometimes I like to play documentaries while I am drawing. I feel like I am learning something while I draw, and it also seems to free up that part of my brain.

Are you working on any new books/projects that you can share with us?

Right this minute I am hard at work on the sequel to Percy Jackson’s Greek Gods. It’s all about the heroes this time, Percy Jackson’s Greek Heroes.  It will make a very nice set! I also just finished illustrating a picture book called Beep Beep, Go To Sleep written by Todd Tarpley and published by Little Brown. It’s a very sweet book about a boy struggling to put his three robots to bed.

What has been your favorite question or letter from a reader (either at a school visit or in a letter/email form)?

My favorite question is always “Where do you get your ideas from?” I think because it seems to some people that it’s some magical gift, and I like to show them that it really isn’t. Anybody can come up with great ideas, it’s all a matter of asking yourself the right questions. My favorite one is “What if?” because you can put anything after that, and start on a path to creating. For example, when I am on a school visit I will ask the kids “What if?” questions like this:  What if your school was at the bottom of the ocean? And what if you had to take a submarine to school? And what if your teacher was an octopus?  You see, one question leads to another and pretty soon you have an original little story. Plus they ALWAYS laugh when I ask them about their teacher being an octopus.

What is your favorite Independent Bookstore and where is it located?

Oh, that’s a hard one. I love them all!  It seems like every state has at least one really great independent that goes above and beyond in their efforts to connect readers to books. Here are some that stick out for me. 

Hicklebees in Palo Alto, CA

Books of Wonder in NYC

Point Reyes Books in Point Reyes Station, CA

Children’s Book World in Los Angeles, CA (Note: John will be here for an author visit on November 15, 2014 at 10:30 a.m.)

And in Brooklyn, there are three, Powerhouse Arena in DUMBO, Greenlight Books and BookCourt.

Blizzard
By John Rocco
Disney-Hyperion; ISBN: 978-1-4231-7865-1
Price: $17.99; Ages: 3–5; On-sale: October 30, 2014

Description:
Based on John Rocco’s childhood experience during the Blizzard of 1978, when forty inches of snow fell on his Rhode Island town, BLIZZARD (Disney-Hyperion; On-sale: October 30, 2014) tells the story of how one intrepid explorer helps his family and neighbors. It is a worthy companion to his Caldecott Honor-winning picture book, Blackout, about a neighborhood power outage during the summer.

BLIZZARD opens with a boy’s excitement upon seeing the first snowflake fall outside his classroom window. It ends with the neighborhood’s immense relief upon seeing the first snowplow finally break through on their street many days later. In between the boy watches his familiar landscape transform into something alien, and readers watch him transform into a hero who puts the needs of others first. John cleverly uses increasing amounts of white space in his playful and nostalgic images, which include full-bleeds, comic panels, and a glorious gatefold spread of the boy's circuitous expedition to the store.

Whether readers are all-too-familiar with blizzards or have never experienced the wonder of a winter storm, John Rocco’s BLIZZARD is as delicious as a mug of hot cocoa by the fire on a snowy day.

Official Trailer for BLIZZARD:

About John Rocco:
ohn Rocco (www.roccoart.com) studied illustration at Rhode Island School of Design and The School of Visual Arts. In addition to writing and illustrating his own picture books, including the New York Times best-selling and Caldecott Honor-winning Blackout, he has created all of the cover art for Rick Riordan's best-selling Percy Jackson, Kane Chronicles, and Heroes of Olympus series. He also illustrated the New York Times #1 best-selling Percy Jackson's Greek Gods. Before becoming a full-time children's book creator, he worked as an art director on "Shrek" for Dreamworks, and for Disney Imagineering. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and daughter.

Don’t forget to check out the rest of the Blizzard Blog Tour! There are fantastic author interviews, sneak peeks at the artwork inside the book, and giveaways.

Thursday, November 6                  Mundie Kids

Friday, November 7                       Kid Lit Frenzy (you're here)                                                        

Monday, November 10                 The Children’s Book Review       

Tuesday, November 11                 The Kids Did It                  

Wednesday, November 12          OC Mom Media                               

Thursday, November 13               As They Grow Up

Friday, November 14                   Curling Up With a Good Book    

Monday, November 17                 Ben Spark                                           

Tuesday, November 18                 Mr. Schu Reads                                

Thursday, November 20               Elizabeth Dulemba    

Picture Book Month: DRAW! by Raúl Colón

Draw!
by Raúl Colón
Simon & Schuster (September 2014)
Audience: Ages 4 to 8 (and older)
IndieBound | WorldCat

Description from GoodReads:
Based on his own childhood, beloved and award-winning artist Raúl Colón's wordless book is about the limitless nature of creativity and imagination.

A boy alone in his room.
Pencils.
Sketchbook in hand.
What would it be like to on safari?
Imagine.
Draw!

A boy named Leonardo begins to imagine and then draw a world afar - first a rhinoceros, and then he meets some monkeys, and he always has a friendly elephant at his side. Soon he finds himself in the jungle and carried away by the sheer power of his imagination, seeing the world through his own eyes and making friends along the way.

Raúl Colón talks about his art style:

Using DRAW! with kids:

Since I first saw DRAW! by Raúl Colón, I have wanted to share it with students and see how they respond. This week I had an opportunity to read it with a group of second graders. Several of the students in this class were ones that I worked with last year so it was extra special to watch how they have grown as writers. 

Initially, I explained what a wordless picture book was and how they would read this book. I loved watching them come up with the words to describe the pictures and how they put it all together as a story.  When we finished, I was curious to see what they thought about the book and asked them to write about it. 

They worked hard as they looked back through the book identifying their favorite parts and the parts that made them laugh and the parts that were just a bit scary. 

Check out some of the drafts completed by the students:

I love the drawing in this one...

I knew exactly, which page was this student's favorite part of the book...

I loved the enthusiasm students had for making up the story.

Another one who loved that they got to "make up the book".

"It was a no word book. It was good!" - Love this student endorsement.

I can't wait to share more wordless picture books with this group of students and see what new stories they come up with.

November is Picture Book Month and I am excited to share a different picture book each day this month. Do you have a special picture book or author/illustrator that you love? If so, share it in the comments.

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday - November Releases

Thank you everyone for all of the great posts each week for the Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge 2014.  

At the beginning of each month, I like to try to do a post to spread the word about recent releases or upcoming nonfiction/informational titles.  It is not comprehensive, but I do try to include a variety of books that might be of interest to readers.  Some of them I have read and some I have yet to read.  Often I include reviews in later posts.

Here are some November titles and a few that I missed posting earlier in the year.  If you missed the posts from the past ten months, I have included links to them below.

January Post | February Post | March Post | April Post | May Post | June Post | July Part 1 | July Part II | August Post | September Post | October Post

Some new releases:

November 4, 2014

Winter Bees & Other Poems of the Cold by Joyce Sidman; Illustrated by Rick Allen (HMH Books for Young Readers)

November 11, 2014

Malala, A Brave Girl From Pakistan/Iqbal, A Brave Boy from Pakistan by Jeanette Winter (Beach Lane Books)

Strongheart: The World's First Movie Star Dog by Emily Arnold McCully (Henry Holt & Co.)

October 14, 2014

The Next Wave: The Quest to Harness the Powers of the Ocean by Elizabeth Rusch (HMH Books for Young Readers)

September 1, 2014

PB&J Hooray!: Your Sandwich's Amazing Journey from Farm to Table by Janet Nolan; Illustrated by Julia Patton (Albert Whitman & Company)

Don't forget to link up your nonfiction reviews: