The Excellence in Children’s and Young Adult Science Fiction Notable Lists are designed to encourage good science fiction literature for children. Science fiction books use (future) science and technology rather than fantasy or magic. The purpose of the Excellence in Children’s and Young Adult Science Fiction Notable Lists is to identify Science Fiction books that have the most interest and appeal to three age groups: picture books for preschool and early readers, ages up to 6 years old (Golden Duck List); illustrated chapter books or short novels for grade school students, ages 7-11 (Eleanor Cameron List); YA books for teens, ages 12-18 (Hal Clement List).
We would like to congratulate Christine D.U. Chung, Salwa Majoka, and X. Fang whose books have been selected as 2025 Golden Duck Notable Picture Books.
Viewfinder By Christine D.U. Chung and Salwa Majoka 144 Pages | Ages 6-9 | Hardcover ISBN 9780735268753 | Tundra Books A young space traveler visits Earth on a whim and finds a planet empty of people. She happens upon a strange contraption that contains images of what the planet used to be like, and using this viewfinder, she sees Earth as it was, juxtaposed against Earth as it is: abandoned, but still full of amazing things. Her adventure takes her to a museum full of hints about the planet’s past and the strange glowing mushrooms that grow everywhere, a library that has become home to a variety of zoo animals, and a beautiful but crumbling space station from which she makes a daring escape. As she wanders, though, she sees signs that perhaps there is still someone here. A time capsule, a friendly cat and a makeshift railcar all add to the mystery . . . is she really alone? The lush and captivating art and subtle nod to stewardship in this wordless graphic novel will draw readers in and leave them with a renewed sense of wonder for the resilient and extraordinary place we call home.
We Are Definitely Human By X. Fang 48 Pages | Ages 4-8 | Hardcover ISBN 9781774882023 | Tundra Books When three mysterious visitors from “Europe” crash-land in Mr. Li’s field, he does what any good host would: he invites them back to his farmhouse and offers to help fix up their “car”. No, there’s nothing strange about these guests at all. Just like other humans, they “make business”, “play sportsball” and “wear hat”. As the townsfolk also come to the aid of the visitors and the gathering turns into a little party, interplanetary relations reach an all-time high. A sweetly funny extraterrestrial offering that explores surprising acts of kindness and acceptance, X. Fang’s second picture book is truly out of this world.
At Tundra Book Group, we think all our books are brilliant, and it’s nice when others think so too! Congratulations to our authors and illustrators; these are our starred books of 2024!
FIVE STARS:
We Are Definitely Human By X. Fang 48 Pages | Ages 4-8 | Hardcover ISBN 9781774882023 | Tundra Books “What starts out as a fish-out-of-water comedy becomes a close encounter of straightforward acceptance.” – Starred Review, Publishers Weekly “DEFINITELY a good book.” – Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews “Laugh-out-loud lovely.” – Starred Review, Booklist “A fabulously illustrated, rib-tickling, and affecting picture book in which Mr. Li and his neighbors demonstrate the potential of kindness and cooperative spirit.” – Starred Review, Shelf Awareness “This warm and giggle-worthy tale will please young readers – whether human or definitely human.” – Starred Review, BookPage
THREE STARS:
Barnaby Unboxed! By The Fan Brothers 80 Pages | Ages 5-9 | Hardcover ISBN 9781774882436 | Tundra Books “In this delightful take on the classic toys-come-to-life story, the text and art – and Barnaby – will surely charm while conveying a reassuring message of the value of being appreciated for who you are.” – Starred Review, Booklist “A heartfelt and emotional commentary on love and the limits of the human attention span.” – Starred Review, School Library Journal “The story is a poignant delight that seamlessly incorporates striking lessons about pets, responsibility, and furever commitment.” – Starred Review, Shelf Awareness
Boy vs. Shark By Paul Gilligan 240 Pages | Ages 10+ | Hardcover ISBN 9781774880449 | Tundra Books “An authentic and funny look at masculinity and growing pains that resonates across the decades.” – Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews “Gilligan powerfully explores shifting middle-grade friendship, exquisitely illustrating feelings of fear, anxiety, and joy in simple but expressive cartoon artwork.” – Starred Review, Booklist “This hilarious look into life as a kid in the summer of 1975 is a must-have for any and all middle grade libraries.” – Starred Review, School Library Journal
I’m From Written by Gary R. Gray, Jr. Illustrated by Oge Mora 40 Pages | Ages 4-8 | Hardcover ISBN 9781774886168 | Puffin Canada “Poet Gray, making a picture book debut, models the process of, and the power in, learning that “I come from/ somewhere.” – Starred Review, Publishers Weekly “A beautiful, simple look into one child’s typical experience that all readers can learn from and relate to.” – Starred Review, School Library Journal “This beautifully rendered picture book serves as a reminder of the importance of familial and cultural identity and the grounding that it offers in the wider world.” – Starred Review, The Horn Book
Tove and the Island with No Address By Lauren Soloy 48 Pages | Ages 4-7 | Hardcover ISBN 9781774883150 | Tundra Books “The adventure channels the darkly mischievous tone for which Jansson’s works are beloved and re-creates the strange, wild atmosphere of the island in this windblown tribute to the creator’s artistry and sensibility.” – Starred Review, Publishers Weekly “The best part of art is how and what it makes us feel, and a picture book about an artist that skips past the facts of biography and manages to successfully cultivate the feeling of experiencing that artist’s work is a bit of magic worth treasuring.” – Starred Review, Booklist “This pairing of a strange escapade in the wild with a warm and a cozy welcome home epitomizes the appeal of Jansson’s Moomin books; Moomin fans of all ages will especially enjoy this tale.” – Starred Review, The Horn Book
Viewfinder By Christine D.U. Chung and Salwa Majoka 144 Pages | Ages 6-9 | Hardcover ISBN 9780735268753 | Tundra Books “Beautiful and precisely depicted, a gentle, generous reflection on civilization and community life.” – Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews “Striking a balance between whimsical adventure and wistful contemplation, this title underscores the beauty and fragility of life on our planet. A first purchase for youth graphic novel collections.” – Starred Review, School Library Journal “A gorgeous, digitally sketched and painted picture book debut that welcomes the deeply curious to piece together a surprising and touching tale of what it means to find home.” – Starred Review, Shelf Awareness
TWO STARS:
Benji Zeb Is a Ravenous Werewolf By Deke Moulton 304 Pages | Ages 10-14 | Hardcover ISBN 9781774880524 | Tundra Books “Moulton explores relevant issues surrounding anxiety, faith, prejudice, sexuality, and prioritizing others’ safety over personal comfort in this allegorical creature feature.” – Starred Review, Publishers Weekly “Highly recommended for readers looking for a unique take on the werewolf trope. Readers will root for the gentle and introspective protagonist.” – Starred Review, School Library Journal
Boy Here, Boy There By Chuck Groenink 56 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover ISBN 9781774881064 | Tundra Books “A contemplative telling that seeds rich conversations about connection across species and time, and about what it means to make art.” – Starred Review, Publishers Weekly “A lyrical and beautifully imagined prehistoric encounter.” – Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews
Frostfire By Elly MacKay 44 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover ISBN 9780735266988 | Tundra Books “This tale is magical anytime, but it’s a top choice when seeking a winter story that doesn’t center on a holiday.” – Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews “An enchanting outing that will have readers longing to wander a winter wonderland.” – Starred Review, Booklist
Lockjaw By Matteo L. Cerilli 328 Pages | Ages 14+ | Hardcover ISBN 9781774882306 | Tundra Books “Cerilli delivers a stunning debut in this gripping paranormal horror novel about queer teens growing up in a community that doesn’t accept them and the insidious danger of apathy.” – Starred Review, Publishers Weekly “A horrifyingly honest tale with a hopeful ending, this engrossing novel is sure to get hearts racing and leave readers reflecting upon their own place in their communities.” – Starred Review, BookPage
Métis Like Me Written by Tasha Hilderman Illustrated by Risa Hugo 40 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover ISBN 9781774881125 | Tundra Books “A joyful story that encourages empathy and affirms identity.” – Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews “Despite the specificity implied in the title, this is a book for everyone. A first purchase for libraries looking to expand Indigenous representation in collections.” – Starred Review, School Library Journal
The Lightning Circle Written by Vikki VanSickle Illustrated by Laura K. Watson 224 Pages | Ages 12+ | Hardcover ISBN 9781774882498 | Tundra Books “This journal-like free-verse novel expertly conjures the essence of the summer camp experience while exploring self-identity and highlighting the importance of friendships.” – Starred Review, Shelf Awareness “A richly imagined and deeply felt story that speaks to the power of female friendship, the gift of reinvention, and the perspective-shifting joy of being outdoors.” – Starred Review, Quill & Quire
Tig By Heather Smith 160 Pages | Ages 10+ | Hardcover ISBN 9780735267497 | Tundra Books “A devastatingly honest novel about foster care, neurodivergence, family, and resilience.” – Starred Review, School Library Journal “In the complex, unforgettable Tig, Heather Smith explores the stunning (and sometimes self-sabotaging) resourcefulness children can muster in the face of adversity.” – Starred Review, Shelf Awareness
A Garden Called Home Written by Jessica J. Lee Illustrated by Elaine Chen 48 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover ISBN 9781774880470 | Tundra Books “This heartfelt story beautifully depicts the sorrow that can be felt during the cold winter months, especially when one has come from a completely different environment.” – Starred Review, School Library Journal
An Anishinaabe Christmas Written by Wab Kinew Illustrated by Erin Hill 48 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover ISBN 9781774883570 | Tundra Books “A heartwarming and beautifully crafted book that shares the joy of Christmas through the lens of Anishinaabe culture.” – Starred Review, School Library Journal
Honk Honk, Beep Beep, Putter Putt! Written by Rukhsana Khan Illustrated by Chaaya Prabhat 32 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover ISBN 9781774882641 | Tundra Books “The pairing of the rhythmic text and the vibrant pictures is sure to intrigue readers of all ages to explore a culture and way of life that they may not be as familiar with, or revisit a place where they or relatives have lived.” – Starred Review, School Library Journal
I Am Wind Written by Rachel Poliquin Illustrated by Rachel Wada 80 Pages | Ages 8-12 | Hardcover ISBN 9780735272187 | Tundra Books “While the soft yet dynamic and detailed illustrations are the stars of this book, the lyrical writing combined with solid scientific information make it a must-have for upper elementary and middle school library collections” – Starred Review, School Library Journal
I’m Afraid, Said the Leaf Written by Danielle Daniel Illustrated by Matt James 64 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover ISBN 9781774880708 | Tundra Books “Every worry is addressed and every need is met in this eloquent portrait of the interconnectedness of the living world.” – Starred Review, Publishers Weekly
Into the Goblin Market Written by Vikki VanSickle Illustrated by Jensine Eckwall 48 Pages | Ages 4-8 | Hardcover “In this bravura picture book – a mischief-rich, rhyming fairy tale with modern touches – a girl contends with enchanted adversaries and something almost as fearsome: her sister’s terrible judgment.” – Starred Review, Shelf Awareness
Once Upon a Sari Written by Zenia Wadhwani Illustrated by Avani Dwivedi 48 Pages | Ages 4-8 | Hardcover “Wadhwani shows the young, and reminds the older reader that saris are heirlooms of memory and stories are not just found in books, but also within the walls of our wardrobes.” – Starred Review, Quill & Quire
Rebel Skies By Ann Sei Lin 360 Pages | Ages 12+ | Paperback ISBN 9781774884003 | Tundra Books “This debut, the first in a trilogy, creates a fascinating world based on Japanese mythology and has a unique magic system . . . The uniqueness of the world created in the story makes this a book adventure fantasy lovers will enjoy.” – Starred Review, Booklist
Shine By Bruno Valasse 32 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover ISBN 9781774884287 | Tundra Books “A gentle look at fear, darkness, strength, and light . . . The work’s apt title encompasses both the moth’s journey of self-discovery and the luminous art.” – Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews
The Green Baby Swing Written by Thomas King Illustrated by Yong Ling Kang 40 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover ISBN 9780735269361 | Tundra Books “An affecting, supportive portrayal of navigating loss and the ways love and family connection endure.” – Starred Review, Booklist
The Gulf By Adam de Souza 240 Pages | Ages 14+ | Paperback ISBN 9781774880753 | Tundra Books “An evocative tale reminiscent of Jillian and Mariko Tamaki’s This One Summer, this book is a great match for teens searching for community, purpose, and the possibility of existing just for the sake of it.” – Starred Review, Booklist
The Island Before No Written by Christina Uss Illustrated by Hudson Christie 56 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover ISBN 9780735272415 | Tundra Books “A super fun read, a visual treat and an excellent conversation starter all in one . . . A quirky gem of a tale that’s sure to elicit giggles even as it inspires confidence.” – Starred Review, BookPage
Towed by Toad By Jashar Awan 48 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover ISBN 9781774883488 | Tundra Books “A pitch-perfect picture book with broad appeal, ideal for both truck-obsessed toddlers and emerging readers.” – Starred Review, School Library Journal
Hello graphic novel lovers! The Young Readers team at Penguin Random House Canada is headed to downtown Toronto for TCAF 2024, happening on May 11th and 12th at the Toronto Reference Library. We’ll be showcasing many of our wonderful graphic novels at tables 144/145!
Saturday, May 11th
At 1:00pm in the Novella Room, join creator Adam de Souza for the Coast to Coast to Coast discussion. Moderated by Sal Sawler.
At 3:00pm in the Learning Centre, join creator Eunnie for a panel on Queer Kisses: Love, Romance and Identity.
Saturday, May 11th
At 1:00pm in the Learning Centre, join creator Adam de Souza for a discussion on Teen Titans: Empowering Stories for Young Folks. Moderated by Cole Pauls.
At 3:00pm in the Learning Centre, join creators Christine D.U. Chung and Salwa Majoka for a discussion on Back Pack: Creating Stories for Middle-Graders. Moderated by Sid Sharp.
We will also be hosting signings on both days at tables 144/145! Books will be available for purchase courtesy of The Beguiling.
And don’t forget to follow us online @tundrabooks and @penguinteenca as we post live from the show floors!
Tuesdays with Tundra is an ongoing series featuring our new releases. These titles are now available in stores and online!
Professor Goose Debunks The Three Little Pigs Written by Paulette Bourgeois Illustrated by Alex G. Griffiths 40 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover ISBN 9780735267329 | Tundra Books Mother Goose’s fairy tales are NOT based in science, and her great niece Professor Goose thinks it’s time to share the truth. Join Professor Goose as she – literally – travels through the pages of The Three Little Pigs, fact-checking, exposing the flaws and explaining the science. Did you know that pigs run in a zigzag pattern? And that there’s no way a wolf’s breath would be strong enough to blow down anything, even if he has his whole pack with him? And that hay bales are strong enough to resist most up, down and sideways forces? Sounds like the perfect material for building a house! . . . Or, not. But not to worry – Professor Goose is armed with helpful hints on how to make a structure strong enough to withstand hurricane forces!
Rebel Skies By Ann Sei Lin 352 Pages | Ages 12+ | Hardcover ISBN 9781774883983 | Tundra Books Kurara has never known any other life than being a servant onboard the Midori, a flying ship serving the military elite of the Mikoshiman Empire, a vast realm of floating cities. Kurara also has a secret – she can make folded paper figures come to life with a flick of her finger. But when the Midori is attacked and Kurara’s secret turns out to be a power treasured across the empire, a gut-wrenching escape leads her to the gruff Himura, who takes her under his wing. Under Himura’s tutelage, and with the grudging support and friendship of his crew, Kurara learns to hunt shikigami – wild paper spirits sought after by the Princess of Mikoshima. But what does the princess really want with the shikigami? Are they merely enchanted figures without will or thought, or are they beings with souls and minds of their own? As fractures begin to appear both across the empire and within Kurara’s understanding of herself, Kurara will have to decide who she can trust. Her fate, and the fate of her friends – and even the world – may rest on her choice. And time is running out.
Rebel Skies is also available today in audiobook!
Swimming into Trouble: Julia on the Go! #1 Written by Angela Ahn Illustrated by Julie Kim 176 Pages | Ages 7-10 | Hardcover ISBN 9781774881880 | Tundra Books Release Date: February 13, 2024 As a member of the Vipers Swim Team, Julia Nam’s always in the pool. Mountainview Community Center is like her second home, not only because swimming at the aquatic center is her favorite thing in the world, but also because her parents run the center’s sushi café. Julia would much rather be in the pool than sitting behind the counter of Sushi on the Go! watching other people swim. She’s the youngest swimmer on the team, but definitely not the slowest. Julia can’t wait for Personal Best Day – the most important day for all of the swimmers. If their times are good enough, they can enter a big regional swim meet. But then the worst thing happens. A sharp pain in Julia’s ear reveals an infection and she’s forbidden to swim for ten days. How can she get timed during Personal Best Day when she’s not allowed in the water? Julia is desperate to get back in the pool, even if it means having to go behind her parents’ backs in order to do so. But Julia’s solution lands her in a sticky situation, and it’s going to require the entire community center to come together to help her out of it!
Swimming into Trouble is also available today in audiobook!
Viewfinder By Christine D.U. Chung and Salwa Majoka 144 Pages | Ages 6-9 | Hardcover ISBN 9780735268753 | Tundra Books A young space traveler visits Earth on a whim and finds a planet empty of people. She happens upon a strange contraption that contains images of what the planet used to be like, and using this viewfinder, she sees Earth as it was, juxtaposed against Earth as it is: abandoned, but still full of amazing things. Her adventure takes her to a museum full of hints about the planet’s past and the strange glowing mushrooms that grow everywhere, a library that has become home to a variety of zoo animals, and a beautiful but crumbling space station from which she makes a daring escape. As she wanders, though, she sees signs that perhaps there is still someone here. A time capsule, a friendly cat and a makeshift railcar all add to the mystery . . . is she really alone? The lush and captivating art and subtle nod to stewardship in this wordless graphic novel will draw readers in and leave them with a renewed sense of wonder for the resilient and extraordinary place we call home.
We can’t wait to see you reading/listening to these titles! If you share these books online, remember to use #ReadTundra in your hashtags so that we can re-post.
Tundra is very excited to be publishing Viewfinder on February 13, 2024! Illustrated by Christine D.U. Chung and Salwa Majoka, Viewfinder is a wordless graphic novel that follows a young space traveler who happens upon Earth in the future.
Scroll down for the full cover plus a Q&A with Christine D.U. Chung and Salwa Majoka!
Viewfinder By Christine D.U. Chung and Salwa Majoka 144 Pages | Ages 6-9 | Hardcover ISBN 9780735268753 | Tundra Books Release Date: February 13, 2024 A young space traveler visits Earth on a whim and finds a planet empty of people. She happens upon a strange contraption that contains images of what the planet used to be like, and using this viewfinder, she sees Earth as it was, juxtaposed against Earth as it is: abandoned, but still full of amazing things.
Her adventure takes her to a museum full of hints about the planet’s past and the strange glowing mushrooms that grow everywhere, a library that has become home to a variety of zoo animals, and a beautiful but crumbling space station from which she makes a daring escape. As she wanders, though, she sees signs that perhaps there is still someone here. A time capsule, a friendly cat and a makeshift railcar all add to the mystery . . . is she really alone?
The lush and captivating art and subtle nod to stewardship in this wordless graphic novel will draw readers in and leave them with a renewed sense of wonder for the resilient and extraordinary place we call home.
Q&A with Christine D.U. Chung and Salwa Majoka
Where did the initial inspiration for Viewfinder come from?
Both: Having known each other since middle school and having had a shared love for art, we first started working together on some short, animated film projects in high school. When we entered post-secondary, though, we were excited to try out a new medium with a book as our next collaborative project! The central theme of Viewfinder was something we settled on surprisingly quickly. At the time, we had been seeing many photographs of real-life abandoned places with buildings overgrown with amazing greenery and vegetation on social media. While some locations felt desolate, others were beautiful and mysterious, prompting questions about their past histories and when humans once occupied them. This was the seed that inspired us for Viewfinder’s premise; a desire to show a comparison of past and present, with an emphasis on how living things can occupy a place at different times and in different ways. Building around this central idea about who would explore these abandoned places and how they came about helped us round out the rest of the story.
Why did you choose to do a wordless graphic novel?
Both: When we had decided we wanted to work on a book together, we knew almost immediately (and even before thinking of the story) that we wanted it to be wordless. We had both been such fans of The Arrival by Shaun Tan while we were growing up, with its timeless, gorgeous, and endlessly enchanting illustrations that narrated a powerful story of hope. We fell in love with the wordless format, in how quiet, yet whimsical it could be, and how there was always something new to find or notice even after multiple reads. Wordless pictures books/graphic novels have this quality of not only pulling audiences through the story with the sequential action of each panel, but by enticing readers to look closely at the details and let their eyes play across the page to form their own ideas. With Viewfinder, we wanted our locations to be the highlight of the book and the wordlessness sort of adds to the quiet beauty and vastness of them.
What do you hope readers take away from Viewfinder?
Salwa: I hope the reader can feel the same sense of wonder and curiosity that the little astronaut character feels as she’s exploring the beautiful and fascinating place that is planet Earth. In our day-to-day lives, it’s easy to forget that our world is abundant with marvels to admire and appreciate. Just take a look at the lovely colors of something as simple as a changing sky! We’re so lucky to call Earth our home, and I hope Viewfinder can be a reminder to not only take care of it but take the time to cherish all that it has to offer. After all, every home is special.
Christine: I hope Viewfinder nurtures a fascination with change and encourages a sense of agency to explore it; especially for the changes that may not seemingly be worth our curiosity. I’ve always hoped our book could be a timeless piece that would grow with its young readers and renew their sense of wonder with each revisit. The changes to our planet right now are scary and overwhelming; however, transformation itself is proof that nothing is in a fixed state. I have great optimism in that sense, and I would like for our readers to recognize hope there as well.
How many cover drafts did you have to do before this one was finalized?
Both: Coming up with the cover for Viewfinder was quite a challenge. The book features a lot of different locations, and we weren’t sure at first if we wanted to show any of them specifically on the cover or try to encompass the feeling of them through a different place entirely. We sent around 8 distinct cover ideas (not including additional variations of certain ones sometimes), but the amount of covers that we both brainstormed amongst ourselves before presenting them to the team goes far into the double digits!
How did you create the cover? What tools or programs do you use?
Both: We knew early on that we preferred the cover to have an element of “framing” around the title in some way, and we wanted to integrate some of the recurring aspects of our book, such as the bioluminescent mushrooms, optical toy, and animals, into all of our sketches. Our process involved us coming up with drawings individually first, chatting about them together, and then sharing the files with each other to tinker with. The sketches being digital meant it was easy to move and play around with the elements, so we often piggybacked off of each others’ initial ideas for further revisions and variations. When we both liked the outcomes of certain ones, we would then share them with our editor, Sam, to hear the team’s feedback. There was a lot of back and forth, brainstorming and revisiting to come up with the final, but we’re glad we got there in the end! The final cover was digitally drawn (by Christine) and painted (by Salwa) in Photoshop.
Do you have any advice for aspiring illustrators?
Salwa: Illustrators that are starting out or are early into their careers may grapple with worries about having a notable “personal style” attached to their work (I definitely have), which can make the permanency of a project like a book feel daunting. I’ve personally always felt the desire to continuously learn more and develop myself further, until I’m “ready” to work on something, but that “readiness” is rarely found. Even while midway through an illustration or a bigger project (like a book), you might wonder how it may have looked if you had approached it differently. There are infinite possibilities of what it could have looked like, but you can really only see one of those possibilities through at the end of the day. There truly isn’t a right or wrong way to do it, so let it be what it is! Your style may naturally change and develop with time according to your perception and inclinations, but the important part is how you communicate with images and the story you want to tell with them. That’s the “you-ness” that will shine through in your work.
Christine: My advice isn’t limited to illustrators; more so, it’s general advice for any aspiring artist. Pay extra attention to what draws you in. To me, is more than just looking at art of your preferred field (though it is very important to know the artists and their pieces that you admire because it helps you set a “benchmark”). It’s more about making note of the small and big things that fuel your curiosity, provide joy, or spark new ideas. I think as artists, inspiration cycles through us and meets us through execution. The more we are aware of what is fueling us, the more we can better understand the storytellers we are. Don’t be afraid to dive into your work and play! Experiment lots! Don’t take it so seriously. Take charge, enrich your one life, and let your art be its witness.
What books have you been reading lately?
Salwa: It was very refreshing for me to read lots of other children’s books after working on Viewfinder. I loved going back and reading some titles I had missed out on in the past such as Hot Dog by Doug Salati. The illustrations are full of so much energy and everything is communicated so aptly with such few words. It’s such a fun read! I also enjoyed Pokko and the Drum by Matthew Forsythe. It’s equal parts lovely, humorous, and charming all wrapped into one book.
Christine: I’m so happy to be making the time to read again. Right now, I’m enjoying this book called El Anatsui: Life and Art by Susan Vogel. Anatsui is a Ghanaian sculptor who works on huge installation pieces that appear like shiny drapery at first, but on closer inspection, are made of used bottle caps. Another book I’ve been enjoying is Stages of Rot by Linnea Sterte. It’s a beautiful graphic novel that is reminiscent of the late artist Moebius. The story is centered around a dying whale and highlights the life that grows from the aftermath. I find myself revisiting this comic a lot.
