Making Picture Books: Lauren Child's New Book; One Thing, Featuring Charlie and Lola

YAY! The first Charlie & Lola book in five years is here. If you're interested in making picture books, Lauren Child is someone you'll want to study.


HERE'S WHAT I LOVE ABOUT LAUREN CHILD'S PICTURE BOOKS

• The dialog in the Charlie and Lola series is as timeless as A. A. Milne's Winnie The Pooh, filled with friendship, vulnerability, creativity and kindness.
• Her sophisticated use of typography, color and collage illustration perfectly compliment the modern tone of the story.
• I enjoy being swept up into Charlie and Lola's eccentric story world through Child's quirky honest humor and sophisticated visual rhythm. Before I know it, I'm hooked. I want to hang out &  be Charlie & Lola's friends. I'm emotionally connected & I want more. This is no easy feat. Child says, "it takes a lot of time to get it just right." Brand extensions include: activity books, an animated TV series beautifully adapted by Tiger Aspect, licensed toys & much more.
• I find Lola's humongous and also BIG #GIRLPOWER refreshing! Her best friend is a brown girl with black curly hair named Lotta Zehybe - awesome. We need to see more of this in the picture book world - especially if it depicts girls of all colors.

Watch this interesting BBC video of Lauren Child in her studio sharing her picture book making process.  I absolutely love seeing how other picture book artists work.

HERE'S A FEW STILLS FROM THE BBC VIDEO

1. An Annotated / paginated manuscript from One Thing, Featuring Charlie and Lola, written and illustrated by Lauren Child and published by Orchard Books.

2. Visual Experiments. In the BBC interview, Child says she started to use collage because she likes to move things around on the page and "it takes a lot of time to get it just right." For sure!

3. A storyboard from One Thing, Featuring Charlie and Lola

Listen to this insightful 2015 Bologna Book Fair interview from children's book writer Lucy Coats about Lauren Child's new book, One Thing, featuring Charlie and Lola.

READ MORE
 Charlie & Lola website here.
Charlie & Lola animated series on Cbeebies.
Charlie & Lola on Amazon.
Lauren Child's interactive website; Milk Monitor.
2015 is the 15th anniversary of I Will Not Ever Never Eat A Tomato which won the Kate Greenaway Medal in 2000.
Writer Lucy Coats interviews Lauren Child about One Thing at the Bologna Book Fair 2015.
Lucy Coats website. 

If you enjoyed my MAKING PICTURE BOOK NOTES,  join me on Twitter @cynthiajabar for more transmedia publishing + picture book + MakerEd stuff to fuel your making process.

Making Picture Books: Christian Robinson's Joy

I absolutely adore this animated piece, What Is Music? from picture book artist & animator Christian Robinson. The timing of the children's voices paired with vibrant illustration stills, questions, simple animated Gif-like movements & photographs is a grand lesson in the value of LESS IS MORE. So much heart & depth packed into this deceptively simple piece. WOW. BRAVO.

What is Music? from Christian Robinson on Vimeo.

His award winning picture books are filled with the joy and curiosity of childhood. A few of my favorites include:

Harlem's Little Blackbird Story by Renee Watson & Illustrated by Christian Robinson

Cover Illustration, Harlem's Little Blackbird c. 2015 Christian Robinson

Interior Illustration, Harlem's Little Blackbird c 2015 Christian Robinson

Rain! Story by Linda Ashman & Illustrated by Christian Robinson

Cover Illustration, Rain! c. 2015 Christian Robinson

 Last Stop On Market Street Story by Matt DePena & Illustrated by Christian Robinson

Cover Illustration, Last Stop On Market Street c. 2015 Christian Robinson

Read more about award winning picture book author & illustrator Christian Robinson here.

I hope you enjoyed reading my #PictureBookNotes, join me on twitter: @cynthiajabar & instagram: @NycBookNerd for more bookish inspiration & goodness.