This unique picture book biography provides a mesmerizing look at the life of children’s writer Ruth Krauss (1901–1993), best known for books such as The Carrot Seed, A Hole is to Dig, and A Very Special House.
Max's Boat Pick:
A STORY IS TO SHARE: How Ruth Krauss Found Another Way to Tell a Tale
Written by Carter Higgins and illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault
Publisher: Abrams Books for Young Readers (October 11, 2022)
Carter, you’ve previously shared that A Hole is to Dig is one of your all-time favorite picture books. How did you come to Ruth Krauss’s work? Were they read to you when you were a child? Or did you discover them in adulthood?
CH: "The Happy Day and The Carrot Seed feel like solid, tangible memories from my childhood as a reader, though I doubt I knew they were from the same hand. It definitely wasn’t until my first years as a school librarian that I connected all of these books I loved to her, which is one of the most magical things about writers whose books are illustrated by many other people. Finding the patterns in an author’s voice, both mine and as a reader, is so satisfying."
Carter, can you tell me what kind of influence Ruth Krauss has had on your books? There’s a clear thread line with Big and Small and In-Between, but how has she influenced your other work?
CH: "I am a writer who can easily get caught in the cycle of trying way too hard. Too often I’ll squeeze the guts out of a story just because I like a certain turn of phrase or the way one syllable sounds. Ruth’s work has always felt effortless, but well-crafted. Strange, but logical. Always authentic in sound. The idea that a book can be an experience rather than a sequence of events has really stuck with me, and Circle Under Berry doesn’t exist without the visual thinking of A Moon or a Button. I think I’ll always favor vignettes and loose collections of small moments rather than straightforward narratives in my own picture books."
Isabelle, your body of work is so impressive! (I absolutely adore your other new book, The Mouse Who Carried a House on His Back, written by Jonathan Stutzman, too.) You must get so many manuscripts thrown at you. How do you choose what you work on?
IA: "Mostly intuition. When I’m surprised, either by a style of writing or a subject, when it feels new, or when I perceive an interesting concept to the book (like the die-cuts in The Mouse Who Carried a House on His Back) or a potential graphical approach that I’m excited to try, I jump into it. I like stories that allow some freedom, that are not too rooted in reality. I also like exploring, not repeating myself from book to book. And there are subjects that I simply cannot turn down, like the bio of Louise Bourgeois, a collaboration with Mac Barnett (Just Because), or even this book about Ruth Krauss."
Isabelle, can you tell me how you became involved with A Story is to Share? What was it about the text that most drew you in?
IA: "I was puzzled by Carter’s manuscript and uncertain of my understanding, as I was not so familiar with Ruth’s work and poetry. So, I did some research. I took the time to read a biography about Ruth Krauss, in order to know who she was and get more familiar with her journey. I found her life exciting and inspiring. I was able then to realize the impact she had on American children’s books and seize the references featured in Carter's text."
Isabelle Arsenault's research for A Story is to Share:
Isabelle, what kind of influence has Ruth Krauss had on you?
IA: "Ruth Krauss was an inventive artist who followed her instincts and enjoyed exploring new ways of doing things. I can relate to that and admire the accomplishments she made while ignoring rules and conventions or trends."
Isabelle, I’m curious how your approach differs between a biographical picture book and a work of fiction?
IA: "Research increases when it comes to non-fiction, since above all I would not want to make a mistake about a person who has really existed. Once the subject is thoroughly understood, I can put myself more easily in one’s shoes, in order to interpret his or her story. I also like to make graphic references to their works through mine. The idea is not to copy but to be consistent with the subject. For example, I wanted to refer to Ruth Krauss’s innovative way of doing things by being conceptual in my own work and drawing certain elements digitally to contrast with more traditional mediums featured elsewhere in the book."
Isabelle Arsenault's early renderings (above and below):
A color test from Isabelle Arsenault:
Carter, what do you think Isabelle brought to the book that perhaps originally wasn’t there?
CH: "I have such immense gratitude for the way Isabelle took a very fluid, abstracted text and wrapped reality around it in a way that’s accurate and episodic but also playful and unconventional–just like Ruth’s books. Writing any picture book text is a tricky task, but in this case I hadn’t really considered how it might work in an actual book. One summer I’d immersed myself in Philip Nel’s fascinating biography (and improbable beach read) of Ruth and her husband Dave: Crockett Johnson and Ruth Krauss: How an Unlikely Couple Found Love, Dodged the FBI, and Transformed Children's Literature.
The early drafts were just my response to that book as a reader, paired with a longtime appreciation for Ruth and the undeniable influence she has on my own work. They were nothing more than scribbles and phrases that tiptoed into poetry but weren’t meant to be a book.
Years later when I began working on the text with our editor, I wanted to maintain that spontaneous and accidental quality–both because I liked it that way and thought it was a fitting tribute to Ruth herself. Isabelle’s art wrapped context around it all, making it both grounded and utterly beautiful.
There’s a moment where Ruth comes face to face with the boy who inspired The Carrot Seed, and while we’ve both reimagined this moment, it feels like such a clear representation of how she became a giant."
Interior spreads of A Story is to Share:
For those who love A Story is to Share, can you recommend one or two other titles that you think they might also enjoy?
IA: "Of course, for those who haven't yet, I would recommend reading The Carrot Seed and A Hole Is To Dig. And for those who like biography books about children’s books creators, I would also highly recommend The Important Thing About Margaret Wise Brown by Mac Barnett and Sarah Jacoby, and It Began With A Page: How Gyo Fujikawa Drew The Way by Kyo Maclear and Julie Morstad."
CH: "Something our book shares with Ruth’s work is a meandering approach to narrative, maybe even just shy of fragmented. Books that play with structure are endlessly fascinating to me. I’d check out The Real Dada Mother Goose: A Treasury of Complete Nonsense by Jon Scieszka and Julia Rothman–what a bunch of twists there! Another recent favorite is Like by Annie Barrows and Leo Espinosa. Its language is both exquisite and accessible, and visually? An absolute treat."
Isabelle, SO many illustrators have said they admire you. Who do YOU most admire?
IA: "Ohhh SO many illustrators, too… for many different reasons. And not just picture book illustrators, but graphic novel/comics artists as well. Hard to mention just one… Beatrice Alemagna, Marc Boutavant, Frédérique Bertrand, Dominique Goblet, Kitty Crowther, Manuele Fior are some of them."
What would be on your list of 100 best picture books of all time?
IA: "In no particular order:
The Lost House by B.B. Cronin
Dillweed’s Revenge by Florence Parry Heide and Carson Ellis
On a Magical Do-Nothing Day by Beatrice Alemagna
Who Owns the Clouds? by Mario Brassard and Gérard DuBois (published in French last year here in Québec, and coming out in English January 2023 from Penguin Random House)
At the Drop of a Cat by Élise Fontenaille and Violeta Lópiz (originally published in French in 2011, and coming out in January 2023, too, from Enchanted Lion. Keep an eye out for these!"
CH: "I can’t make a list like that without Fish is Fish by Leo Lionni, A Tree is Nice by Janice May Udry and Marc Simont, Fortunately by Remy Charlip, and Clocks and More Clocks by Pat Hutchins."
What forthcoming books are you most looking forward to reading?
IA: "My Baba’s Garden by Jordan Scott and Sydney Smith, and The Three Billy Goats Gruff by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen."
CH: "I’m really looking forward to Just One Flake by Travis Jonker and Nell Plants a Tree by Anne Wynter and Daniel Miyares."
Inside the Night Owl, a feathery cook works the grill, serving up tasty dishes for shift-workers and operagoers alike. Mouse, a poor street sweeper, watches as the line of customers swells, ever hopeful that someone will drop a morsel of food — but Owl’s cooking is far too delicious for more than a crumb to be found. As the evening’s service winds down, weary Owl spots trembling Mouse. Has he found his own night lunch, or will he invite this small sweeper inside for a midnight feast for two?
Max's Boat Pick:
NIGHT LUNCH
Written by Eric Fan and illustrated by Dena Seiferling
Published by Tunda Books (September 27, 2022)
Eric, can you tell me the origin story behind Night Lunch? EF: "Thanks for interviewing us, Ratha! I started writing Night Lunch while attending the Bologna Book Fair. I’ve always wanted to write a story about food, since I love to cook and I love going to restaurants. While attending the Book Fair - and enjoying a lot of amazing food - I happened to read about the horse-drawn predecessors of diners and food trucks, which were called night lunch carts. They served very simple food, and catered mostly to the working class. It struck me how opulent the carts themselves were. There was a kind of aesthetic generosity to them. That got me thinking about other kinds of generosity, which ultimately became the main theme of the story."
Eric, as an author/illustrator, I’m curious how the idea of having someone else illustrate Night Lunch came about? Is this an idea you’ve always wanted to explore? EF: "It’s definitely something I’ve thought about. I always felt a little envious of authors who get to see their story brought to life through the vision of an artist. I like the transformational aspect of that, from word to image. Maybe it’s because for a long time I used to write screenplays and I always dreamed about seeing one of them turned into a movie. I didn’t want to direct the movie myself, per se, I wanted to see someone else bring it to life. There’s just something magical about that."
Eric, you’re known as one-half of The (legendary) Fan Brothers. How did the idea for collaborating with someone other than Terry (or Devin) come about? EF: "When I was writing Night Lunch I realized that the images I was seeing play out in my mind’s eye were all kind of in Dena’s style - luminous and mysterious, but also with a bit of shivery spookiness. It just seemed like a fun idea to collaborate with another artist I admired, and I was very fortunate that she wanted to illustrate it as well."
Dena, at what point did you come onboard? What was your initial reaction upon reading the text? What most drew you in? DS: "I had just started working with Tara Walker (Tundra/Penguin Random House Canada) on Bear Wants to Sing, written by Cary Fagan, when she asked if I would be interested in illustrating for Eric’s story. It was exciting for me because of how much I admire Eric’s work and also because, being fairly new to children’s books, this was subject matter I hadn’t had an opportunity to illustrate yet. I loved the combination of so many different animals being part of the story. It was my dream cast – all nocturnal animals. And throughout the process it ended up being a lot of fun to balance realism with fantasy in regards to the characters and their environment. I also really loved how Eric came up with the story idea, what inspired him, the fact that it had a twist and that it had this subtle message about paying it forward /generosity."
Dena, can you share how the illustration process unfolded? Did you discuss your vision with Eric beforehand? How did it feel like to show your illustrations to another illustrator? And to Eric, no
less?! DS: "To be honest, I was feeling a little intimidated at first. I greatly respect Eric’s opinion as he is a master of narrative, character and environment. I was basically just really hoping that he would be happy with it, of course. I never spoke with him directly until a little later in the process but the feedback I received through our editor was so positive that the fear quickly disappeared. This was great and I think essential in providing me with the freedom to explore my ideas with confidence. Eric is such a professional and I’m not surprised that he has a wonderfully open minded philosophy on being an author collaborating with an illustrator.
It began with Tara Walker, our editor, handing me the manuscript along with some of the articles that Eric had found while developing the story so we shared some of the same initial inspiration. I also knew that he wanted the cart to be very Rococo-esque and lavish so I had a great jumping off point overall.
In regards to my process, I sat with the manuscript for a little bit. I had just finished The Language of Flowers, a book project of my own with Tara Walker and I basically began Night Lunch right after finishing that. Researching differing eras and décor helped with creating some studies of what the characters and food cart might look like. There were a few objects I knew Eric wanted to see in the illustrations, like the accurate representation of the late 1800’s espresso machine that we see inside the food cart. That was interesting to research as they are pretty epic looking! I drew environment studies and colour studies to get a feel for the world and then a storyboard of rough thumbnails to show how the images would work together and pace out. I added detail to the next round of roughs that were translated into the final full colour drawings. This is the first time my artwork in a book was fully digital and I had a really fun time exploring how to draw in a different way and see how things might change - be easier/harder etc. compared to doing the drawings all with a traditional pencil first. The act of drawing is extremely important to me. I feel like this is where I can communicate a great deal of emotion in the characters, etc."
Eric, I know you were already a huge fan of Dena’s work. At what point did you first see Dena’s illustrations for Night Lunch? Did you already envision the art in your own head? And if so, what
was it like seeing someone else’s take on it? EF: "Like I said, when I wrote the story I had already been envisioning it in her style, so when I saw the final art it was a wonderful fulfillment of that initial vision. It was almost a magical feeling - like something purely ephemeral had crossed over from the land of imagination and taken on a tangible physical form."
Eric, what most surprised you about Dena’s illustrations? Did you provide any feedback? EF: "As someone who has illustrated other author’s stories, I was happy to take a backseat and not interfere with that process at all. An illustrator is an equal collaborator who is bringing their own sensibility and imagination to the story, and I don’t think it’s the author’s place to intrude on that process."
Eric, what do you think Dena brought to the book that perhaps originally wasn't there? EF: "Early on she made the decision to make the owl a barn owl, which surprised me. I had always imagined a more clichéd picture book owl, like a great horned owl. I think it was a wonderful choice, since there’s something so mysterious and dignified about barn owls. It’s decisions like that that helped elevate the story. As much as I tried to suggest the mood and atmosphere of the story through the writing, I think Dena manifested that in her art beyond what I could have ever hoped for."
Eric and Dena, for those who love Night Lunch, are there any other titles that you think they might also enjoy ? EF: "What comes to mind for me are the quiet, mysterious picture books of Akiko Miyakoshi like The Way Home in the Night, I Dream of a Journey, or The Tea Party in the Woods. I love the dreamlike quality of her books, and I think that mood would resonate with anyone who enjoys Night Lunch. Another book I can think of is The Midnight Fair by Gideon Sterer and Mariachiara Di Giorgio. It’s gorgeous and magical, and also has a cast of animals."
DS: "I think readers might like the moody and conceptual vibe of Emilia Dziubak’s illustrated books. She is very unique. I have recently ordered a book that she illustrated called, Horror, written by Madlena Szeliga, about vegetables which are framed in a humanistic light. It’s a picture book… but maybe not for very young children. I also think the surreal atmosphere of The Queen of the Cave, written and illustrated by Júlia Sardà , might appeal to Night Lunch readers. It’s a lovely book that is slightly abstract and could be translated in different ways. I see it as a coming of age story of a girl who, through an adventure with her sisters, finds her wild and authentic self."
Eric and Dena, what are some forthcoming books you’re most looking to getting your hands on? EF: "I confess I’m not completely on top of all the books that are publishing this year, but from what I’ve seen on social media, and books coming out from some of my friends, I’m excited to read Mina by Matthew Forsythe, Walter Had a Best Friend by Deborah Underwood and Sergio Ruzzier, My Self, Your Self by Esmé Shapiro, Strum & Drum: A Merry Little Quest by Jashar Awan, Patchwork by Matt de la Peña and Corinna Luyken, Big Truck, Little Island by Chris Van Dussen, The Three Billy Goats Gruff by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen, and Kumo: The Bashful Cloud by Kyo Maclear and Nathalie Dion."
DS: "Shaun Tan has a new picture book coming out in November called Creature (he illustrates picture books but this one is a book of his paintings). I love his sensibilities and storytelling. He’s very cross-disciplinary and it’s inspiring to see how his voice and imagination are expressed in different mediums. I’d like to get a copy of Still This Love Goes On by the incredible Buffy Sainte-Marie and Julie Flett. This is their second collaboration together. I’m also really wanting to read Kumo: The Bashful Cloud by Kyo Maclear and Nathalie Dion. Natalie’s cloud world and characters look stunning and Kyo’s stories are always magic."
What would be on your list of 100 best picture books of all time? DS: "I have many favourite picture books of all time and most are woven into my childhood memories: Little Fur Family, by Margaret Wise Brown and Garth Williams, is about a little fur character exploring the world outside its home as if for the first time (it even has a tiny fur jacket cover), and Bedtime for Frances by Russell Hoban and Garth Williams. Williams is one of my all time favourite illustrators and this book is precious. Lastly, Lizzy’s Lion, by Dennis Lee and Marie-Louise Gay, a rhyming story about a girl with a lion who eats a robber that breaks into her room one night. It’s a little dark but also charming and funny."
EF: "I’ll just name my two of my favorite picture books: Where the Wild Things Are, by Maurice Sendak, which my parents read to me a hundred times when I was little, maybe a thousand times, at my insistence. Then there’s Sylvester and the Magic Pebble, and basically anything by William Steig. He’s such a brilliant writer, and Sylvester and the Magic Pebble goes to some unexpectedly dark places for a picture book; there’s genuine existential dread in the story, which gives it a lot of punch and emotional resonance."
It's the first day of school and Little Tortoise is ready with a backpack filled with new school supplies. Little Tortoise can't wait to get to school and tries very hard not to be the last student there. But soon Cheetah, Llama, and even a snail on a scooter, overtake her.
Max's Boat Pick:
HURRY, LITTLE TORTOISE, TIME FOR SCHOOL!
Written by Carrie Finison and illustrated by Erin Kraan
Publisher: Random House Studio (July 19, 2022)
Can you tell me the origin story behind Hurry, Little Tortoise, Time for School! I'm curious if you meant it as a sly wink to parents? (I'm always trying to hurry my girls out the door so they're not late to school, while they have no concept of time nor sense of urgency!) CF: "Yes! As a parent, I felt like I was (and still am) constantly telling my kids, 'Hurry!' especially on school mornings. Even on mornings when I’d really like to slow down and relax, it’s hard to manage that anxiety around being on time. When they were in elementary school it was especially difficult because our walk was completely uphill, so speeding up if we were late wasn’t all that easy. In the book, all the different characters that tell Little Tortoise to hurry are really me, telling my kids to hurry! Of course, the fact that they were slower than tortoises crossed my mind frequently, and that’s how the character got started."
For those who love Hurry, Little Tortoise, Time for School! can you recommend some titles that you think they might also enjoy? "I think fans of Little Tortoise would also like Sloth and Squirrel in a Pickle by Cathy Ballou Mealey and Kelly Collier, because of the funny dynamic between speedy Squirrel and the much slower-paced Sloth.
Readers might also like another recent release that was illustrated by Erin Kraan — Mouse Calls, written by Anne Marie Pace, about a mouse warning her neighbors about a coming storm. Erin’s style is so distinctive and she has a fascinating woodcut printing process that you can see more of by following her Instagram account @erin_kraan."
The back-to-school book is its own behemoth genre. Are there any back-to-school books that you think are done particularly well? "I was always a little hesitant to read my kids books about kids who are nervous for the first day of school, because I didn’t want to compound their feelings and/or make them feel like they should be nervous when they weren’t feeling that way. Why borrow trouble? But one that we loved reading was Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten by Joseph Slate and Ashley Wolff. It’s fun, and also good perspective-taking, to imagine what the teacher and all the other kids in the class are doing to get ready for school, just like you are.
Another one that came out just as my son was starting school was Is Your Buffalo Ready for Kindergarten? by Audrey Vernick, illustrated by Daniel Jennewein. I think a good laugh is called for in anxious situations, and that book delivers tons of humor in both the text and illustrations.
Among newer titles, I really love Your Name Is a Song by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow and Luisa Uribe. I’m someone who has a different legal first name than the name I go by, and so the first day of school was always hard for me because I had to speak up and explain my name to teachers. Some teachers never seemed to remember and needed to be reminded often in the first few weeks. So I can empathize with kids who are in a similar position. It’s hard when you have to correct a teacher!
And, for a different story of tortoises and the first day of school, I absolutely love Truman by Jean Reidy and Lucy Ruth Cummins, which features a little tortoise trying to cope with his emotions as his beloved owner heads off to school."
Who are some other writers that you admire? "There are so many picture book creators I admire, it’s hard to pick just a few, but there are some whose body of work stands out to me and I get excited every time I hear they have a new book coming out. I love Ame Dyckman’s books for their humor and simplicity of language. Most recently Dandy, illustrated by Charles Santoso had me laughing out loud in the bookstore aisle.
Oge Mora is another creator whose work stands out to me. Her writing style feels classic and elegant, and
straightforward in a way that doesn’t talk down to the reader. And I love her vibrant, collage-style illustrations. Her book Thank You, Omu! came out around the same time as my book Dozens of Doughnuts and has a similar storyline and theme, but the two are very different. I love using that as an example of how book creators can do quite different things with the same basic idea.
Other titles I’ve loved recently are Your Mama by NoNieqa Ramos and Jacqueline Alcántara – the inventive language and wordplay is incredible; Amah Faraway by Margaret Chiu Greanias and Tracy Subisak – the author makes use of a mirror structure that will blow your mind; and in non-fiction, A True Wonder: The Comic Book Hero Who Changed Everything by Kirsten W. Larson and Katy Wu – I love how the book uses the language and format of comics to tell the story of how Wonder Woman came to be.
And, two books that made me laugh out loud – Bathe the Cat by Alice B. McGinty and David Roberts, and Chester Van Chime Who Forgot How to Rhyme by Avery Monson and Abby Hanlon."
Are there any upcoming books that you're most looking forward to reading? "I’m excited about a few books coming in 2023! I love Beth Ferry’s books which range from laugh-out-loud funny (Land Shark) to poignant (The Scarecrow), so I’m looking forward to seeing her new one, The Umbrella, illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld, which is written in very short rhyming verse.
I’m also excited about B Is for Bananas, by Carrie Tillotson and Estrela Lourenço, the sequel to Counting to Bananas, which came out this year. That book cracked me up with its silly main character, Banana, who just wants to be in the spotlight.
In nonfiction, I’m looking forward to Make Way: The Story of Robert McCloskey, Nancy Schon, and Some Very Famous Ducklings by Angela Burke Kunkel and Claire Keane. I loved Robert McCloskey’s books growing up, and since I live in the Boston area, I remember when Nancy Schon’s statue was installed and love how it has grown to be a landmark for Bostonians.
I’m also very much looking forward to just browsing in bookstores in 2023. We went through such a long period of stores being mostly closed for browsing, although they did a terrific job of helping customers,making deliveries, setting up curbside pickups, and so much more during the heart of the pandemic. But there’s something about the serendipity of browsing the shelves that can’t be replicated online. I’m excited for the new book discoveries I’ll make!"