Ella's Night Lights - Q&A with Lucy Fleming

We are delighted to invite Lucy Fleming onto Picture Book Party to tell us all about her truly gorgeous new picture book, Ella's Night Lights! 

 

If you look very carefully at the night sky, you might spot a teeny-tiny sparkle out of the corner of your eye, a whisper of a tinkling trail… That’s Ella.

Ella has always dreamed of seeing the sunrise. But with her delicate gossamer wings, she can only come out at night. So, when the moon is high, she collects as many shimmering beams of light she can find – a twinkle from a star, the glow from a lamp post. With her light, she guides lost and lonely animals and finds friendship in Fox and Owl. And, together, Ella’s animal friends know just how to return her kindness... A gentle, tender storybook about friendship and the power of kindness.

Click here to download Lucy Fleming's Ella's Night Lights activity sheet. 

What was the inspiration behind Ella’s Night Lights?

I really wanted to create a book that celebrated hope, kindness, and friendship, light was the perfect metaphor, that warm, glowing feeling we have when we’re happy. I had sketched a little moth girl and I just knew she had a story waiting to be told. To me, Ella represents kindness during difficult times, and I had no idea how poignant that message would be for 2020. 

I don’t think I’m alone in being drawn to glittering lights in winter when the days are short, just like Ella does. We hang fairy lights in our homes and on trees and we light bonfires and sparklers. There's a child-like joy to our enjoyment of glittering and glowing things that I've tried to capture in the picture book. Ella collects light and shares it with others in a magical way that I hope families will really enjoy. 

Which came easier, the illustrations or the words?

I’m certain that illustrations will always come more organically to me, it’s just a road well travelled for me so it’s natural for me to think visually first. The artwork is always on my mind as I’m winding through the words. I’ve always loved writing and telling stories and I’ve always got my nose in a book and am constantly trilling around with stories in my mind, but I am always drawn to drawing!

Tell us a little bit more about your process.

I work from my home studio in Greater Manchester, where I can see the hills from my window if it’s not too cloudy. On sunny days I really enjoy having my lunch or a cup of tea in the garden, getting some air, and watching the birds and squirrels. Adjusting my work-life balance and connecting with nature helps me to stay creative.

When writing the story, I started by outlining a brief concept first, a paragraph or so that sums it up. Then I’ll see what works visually, doing character sketches, and thumbnails of scenes, this often springs up new ideas and helps the story develop. More often than not there’ll be a sticking point or something that isn’t quite clear yet and allowing time for things to grow and develop organically is crucial. 

Ella is absolutely adorable, was she inspired by anyone you know?

Ella isn’t inspired by anyone in particular. Although, she does remind me a lot of my sister when we were young, very kind and giving, and far more selfless than I was. She is mainly inspired by moths and fairies. When I was very young and visited my Grandparent’s house, my Nan loved fairies and had lots of pretty porcelain fairies and I think she nurtured a love for fairies in me as well. I really enjoyed films like Thumbelina and The Borrowers when I was small, so wanting to develop a story about a teeny tiny moth girl came very naturally to me.

What was your favourite spread to illustrate?

I adored painting the first spread where Ella is sleeping in the hollow of a tree, it’s a really gentle opening to the story that really comes full circle in the end. I also enjoyed designing the village spreads with all the little windows and details. I really like illustrations to have plenty to look at and secrets to find. Picture books are often read over and over again, so it’s really sweet if there are new things to see each time.

What was your favourite picture book when you were a child?

As a child, I really enjoyed Meg & Mog, The Rainbow Fish and Owl Babies. My reception class at Primary School had a big classroom copy of The Rainbow Fish and I was obsessed with the glittery foil fish scales, I thought it was so special.

 

A special thank you to our guest author-illustrator this week, Lucy Fleming!

Ella's Night Lights is now available to buy from all good booksellers.

November Book of the Month - Where Snow Angels Go by Maggie O'Farrell and Daniela Jaglenka Terrazzini (illus.)

Have you ever woken up suddenly, in the middle of the night, without knowing why?

Where Snow Angels Go is the extraordinary and compelling modern fairy tale from award-winning storyteller Maggie O'Farrell, with gorgeous illustrations by Daniela Jaglenka Terrazzini. Read more about this perfectly wintery tale below, and make sure to watch our snowy trailer, and try our snowflake-filled activity sheets.  

Sylvie wakes one night, suddenly, without knowing why. Then she sees the most spectacular sight – a pair of wings, enormous in size, made of the softest snow-white feathers imaginable. An angel in her bedroom … a snow angel. 

He tells her that he is here to look after her, for Sylvie is not as well as she seems... Many months later, as Sylvie recovers from her illness, she longs to see her snow angel again. He saved her life, after all. There is so much she wants to tell him, so much she wants to know. Will he ever come back to her? And how can Sylvie make sure that everyone she loves has their own snow angel, to keep them safe, too?

Praise for Where Snow Angels Go:

Where Snow Angels Go has been chosen as the Independent Bookshops' Children's Book of the Month for November. Read more here. 

 “Daniela Jaglenka's shimmering watercolours bring an extra layer of magic to O'Farrell's comforting fable, as Sylvie's snow angel wraps his soft wings around her like a blanket when she is ill, or appears as feathery sea foam when the sea overcomes her. This is O'Farrell's first book for children but it is an assured classic.” – ‘Childrens Books’, The Irish Times (Weekend)

“Maggie O’Farrell’s first children’s venture, a long-read picture book, is a meditation on risk and resilience with beautiful, timeless illustrations from Daniela Jaglenka Terrazzini … The perfect winter story.” – The Times (Saturday Review)& The Times Ireland

“a gorgeous, modern-day fairytale picture book” - ‘Top Reads for Children this Christmas’, The Irish Independent

“the perfect embodiment of a Christmas story with soul” - Stylist

Click here to download our Where Snow Angels Go activity sheets. 

Watch our snowy trailer for Where Snow Angels Go, now available from all good booksellers!

Wintery Tales

Keep warm cuddled up inside whilst reading one of our wintery tales below!

Where Snow Angels Go

by Maggie O'Farrell and illustrated by Daniela Jaglenka Terrazzini

Sylvie wakes one night, suddenly, without knowing why. Then she sees the most spectacular sight – a pair of wings, enormous in size, made of the softest snow-white feathers imaginable. An angel in her bedroom … a snow angel. He tells her that he is here to look after her, for Sylvie is not as well as she seems... Many months later, as Sylvie recovers from her illness, she longs to see her snow angel again. He saved her life, after all. There is so much she wants to tell him, so much she wants to know. Will he ever come back to her? And how can Sylvie make sure that everyone she loves has their own snow angel, to keep them safe, too?

Click here to download our Where Snow Angels Go activity sheets and watch our trailer below! 

Santa Post

by Emma Yarlett

Santa receives letters of Christmas wishes from children all over the world. But this year there's one that just doesn't make sense. What does this child want for Christmas? Santa is determined to find out! An irresistible festive follow-up to the internationally bestselling Dragon Post and Beast Feast. This joyous novelty book sparkles with Emma Yarlett’s vibrant illustrations and quirky humour, and is full of lots more hilarious letters to open. Click here to download our Santa Post activity sheets and watch our trailer below! A Polar Bear in the Snow  by Mac Barnett and illustrated by Shawn Harris Follow a magnificent polar bear through a fantastic world of snow and shockingly blue sea. Over the ice, through the water, past Arctic animals and even a human ... where is he going? What does he want? Acclaimed author Mac Barnett’s narration deftly balances suspense and emotion, as well as poignant, subtle themes, compelling us to follow the bear with each page turn. Artist Shawn Harris’s striking torn-paper illustrations layer white-on-white hues, with bolts of blue and an interplay of shadow and light, for a bear’s-eye view of a stark yet beautiful landscape. Simple and thought-provoking, illuminating, and intriguing, this gorgeous story will have readers pondering the answer to its final question long after the polar bear has continued on his way.

Dasher

by Matt Tavares

Dasher is a little doe with a wish in her heart. She spends her days with her family under the hot sun in a traveling circus, but she longs for a different life – one where there is snow beneath her hooves and the North Star above her head. One day, when the opportunity arises, Dasher seizes her destiny and takes off in pursuit of the life she wants to live. It’s not long before she meets a nice man in a red suit with a horse-drawn sleigh, a man named Santa. And soon, with the help of a powerful Christmas wish, nothing will be the same... Matt Tavares’ beautifully illustrated and evocatively told story bristles with all the magic of the festive season.

Now out in paperback.

The Shortest Day

by Susan Cooper and illustrated by Carson Ellis

As the sun set on the shortest day of the year, early people would gather to prepare for the long night ahead. They built fires and lit candles. They played music, bringing their own light to the darkness while wondering if the sun would ever rise again...

Written for a theatrical production that has become a ritual in itself, Susan Cooper’s poem The Shortest Day captures the magic behind the returning of the light, the yearning for traditions that connect us with generations that have gone before – and the hope for peace that we carry into the future. Richly illuminated by Carson Ellis, this beautiful book evokes the joy and community found in the ongoing mystery of life when we celebrate light, thankfulness, and festivity at a time of rebirth. Welcome Yule!

Now out in paperback.

All of these wintery tales are available from all good booksellers!

Top Picks of the Month for November!

As the cold nights draw in, curl up in a cosy corner with one of our November picture books below. Make sure to keep an eye out for our wintery picture books piece, coming soon! 

Time for Tea: A First Cookbook

by Shirley Hughes

This classic collection of easy-to-follow recipes, inspired by everyday family adventures, is the perfect introduction to cookery for first readers. From making pancakes with Dad, baking apples after the Saturday shopping or even icing a birthday cake for Mum, this sumptuously illustrated recipe book gives a gentle insight into the joy of cooking together.

The Song of the Nightingale

by Tanya Landman and illustrated by Laura Carlin

The earth was young and full of colour. But the animals were dull and drab. The painter decided: something must be done! With dabs and sweeps, the painter's brush creates the stripes on the zebra, the sharp suit of the penguin, and the bright splashes on parrots. But what can he give the nightingale when his paintbox has run dry? A beautiful and gently moving tale from the award-winning Tanya Landman and Laura Carlin.

A World of Art

by Helena Hunt and illustrated by James Brown

What is art, and how have we used it to express ourselves throughout history? From cave painting right up to pop art; the Renaissance to twentieth-century sculpture, discover the stories behind great movements, processes and artists – both the household names and the perhaps not-so-familiar. Covering thirty topics, including printing, pigment, ceramics and pattern and photography, as well as Impressionism, Romanticism and Surrealism, this is a thoughtful and easily digestible approach to a huge subject.

Ella's Night Lights

by Lucy Fleming

Ella has always dreamed of seeing the sunrise. But with her delicate gossamer wings, she can only come out at night. So, when the moon is high, she collects as many shimmering beams of light she can find – a twinkle from a star, the glow from a lamp post. With her light, she guides lost and lonely animals and finds friendship in Fox and Owl. And, together, Ella’s animal friends know just how to return her kindness...

Just Because

by Mac Barnett and illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault

It might be time for bed, but one child is too full of questions about the world to go to sleep just yet. Little ones and their parents will be charmed and delighted as a patient father offers up increasingly creative responses to his child’s night-time wonderings. Any child who has ever asked “Why?” – and any parent who has attempted an explanation – will recognize themselves in this sweet storybook for dreamers who are looking for answers beyond “just because”.

Now out in paperback!

All of our top picks of the month are now available from all good booksellers!

The Midnight Fair - Guest Author Post

We're thrilled to invite Gideon Sterer onto the Picture Book Party blog to tell us all about the making of his new book, The Midnight Fair, illustrated by Mariachiara Di Giorgio.

Far from the city, but not quite in the countryside, lies a fairground. When night falls, and the fair is empty, something unexpected happens. Wild animals emerge from the trees, a brave raccoon pulls a lever, and the rollercoasters and rides explode back into bright, neon life. Now it’s time for the woodland creatures to have some fun…

Guest Author Post - Gideon Sterer

For as long as I can remember I have been fascinated by where human civilization bumps up against the natural world and the liminal boundary both share. The edge of a cornfield against the woods. A shed overtaken by vines.  An old stone staircase disappeared by time. Many people share a fondness for this sort of thing but growing up in the last house on a dead-end road at the edge of legitimate wilderness, something about this dynamic really stuck with me.

 

Couple that with the fact that my parents owned a “wildlife discovery centre” and had all sorts of peculiar animals living with us inside our house and the traditional borders of man and wild were particularly skewed.

Once a year, like so many rural places in the United States, a County Fair came to town. Our fairgrounds more or less did nothing the rest of year, lying dormant until the big spectacle rolled in. I remember always wondering as a kid what the animals thought about this disruption. For them, I imagined, it must have been incomprehensibly bizarre. Naturally, I began wondering if they ever came in at night and checked it out and some 20 years later this book seems the logical conclusion of that curiosity.

It’s important for me to depict animals as curious, loving, intelligent and noble creatures deserving our utmost respect. In both the wild and captivity, animals of all stripes and sizes seek out play, deriving from it the same joys we do. There's no reason to believe their experiences are any less valuable. My dream is that children experiencing this story can empathize with and feel kindred to the animals as they seek wonder, share love, and chase their noses in search of a grand old time. Multiple character storylines and an incredibly virtuous wolf pup will hopefully abet that hope!

To me, what Marichiara Di Gorgio has done with the concept is literally breathtaking. I am legitimately floored every time I open the book and the degree of emotional detail and overall watercolour wizardry is something to truly behold. I am so massively lucky to work with her and I can’t wait for readers to share her world!

- Gideon Sterer

A special thanks to our guest author this week, Gideon Sterer!

The Midnight Fair is now available to buy from all good booksellers.

Rain Before Rainbows - Guest Illustrator Post

 It is a real treat to invite David Litchfield onto the Picture Book Party blog to tell us all about the making of his new book, Rain Before Rainbows, written by Smriti Halls.

Rain before rainbows. Clouds before sun.
Night before daybreak. A new day’s begun.

A girl and her companion fox travel together from a place of loss and despair, through uncertain times, towards the hope of colour, light and life. Along the way, they find friends to guide and support them. Together, they build a glorious future and discover there is a way out of the darkness, into the light of the rainbow. A book with immense hope at its heart, this is a positive message for anyone who’s ever gone through a tough time.

Guest Illustrator Post - David Litchfield

How did you decide on the look of the book?

 Myself, Smriti and the Walker Books team discussed the idea that the book should start out very dark with very little colour. As you turn the page and the story progresses we wanted to add more colour and light until the last spread is an explosion of colourful hues and joy.

I also wanted to keep the characters quite small on the page throughout the book. I felt that the locations and landscapes The Girl & The Fox are passing through were a very important part of the narrative so I wanted to give them as much space as possible.

All of the textures that make up the backgrounds came about from experimenting with watercolours and acrylic paints. I spent a messy few hours just covering pages and pages of paper in different colours and letting them bleed into each other. I then scanned these into my computer and overlayed them on Photoshop. So a lot of the textures came about by chance really. It’s a fun way of working and it’s exciting to sort of not know exactly how it is going to look and not be 100% in control of the outcome.

 Tell us a little bit more about your illustration process.

I mainly work in my studio in Bedford. I share it with a chap called Sam Gilbey who is also an illustrator. We have very different styles and work on very different projects, but it's great to have someone to run ideas past and discuss work with.

For most projects I produce a new set of these textured pages. I like to have a new set for each new book so that each story looks and feels fresh and unique. So for the first part of a project, I will spend time just having fun with paint and other materials.

At the same time I will be sketching out ideas in my sketchbook based on the text of the book. This is where the characters start to form and the imagery for each page starts to develop. I love working in sketchbooks as there are no rules at that stage. Those drawings are just for you and can be as scruffy and as messy as you like. These are important stages as you can freely get the ideas in your head onto the paper without fear of any criticism or judgement.

Once the idea started to hone itself through these sketches I start to put together a slightly less scruffy ‘rough’ version of the whole book. I then speak to the author, the Editorial team and art director and go through what I have done and take on board their suggestions too.

Once everyone is happy with the rough I then make a start on the final art for the book.

That’s a general rundown of how it usually works. Each project is always slightly different but always along those general lines. On average a book will take 3 to 4 months to create from the first sketch to the final piece of design. 

What is your favourite thing to draw?

I loved drawing The Fox in Rain Before Rainbows. In the story, The Fox is a calming presence throughout and gives the girl confidence and hope. I actually found The Fox quite a calming thing to draw as well. His expression doesn’t change too much throughout the book and he just seems incredibly chilled indeed (apart from in 1 or 2 highly dramatic scenes in the book). I love the texture on his fur. Again, this came about through experimenting with overlaying textures and I think might have even been a bit of an accident. I was seeing what he looked like with different painty textures that looked a bit like fur and I accidentally overlayed the pencil drawing of plants. I discovered that he looked really cool with these plants almost tattooed on him, so I kept it.

A happy accident definitely.   

What was your favourite spread to illustrate?

Oh I have a few actually. The misty dragons spread was incredibly fun to draw. It is just so dramatic and action-packed. The Girl and The Fox look incredibly tough in this spread. Like two warriors fighting off evil.

I also like the sea spread for similar reasons. It’s really action-packed.

But, my favourite spread is towards the end and is the image that is split into 4 sections. The girl is sowing seeds and The Fox is just sitting peacefully watching the sunrise and the seasons changing.

There’s a real calmness and quiet contentment to them both that we haven’t seen in the story up to this point.

I can imagine them being in that scene for a long time not saying a word to each other but just feeling happy enjoying those quiet moments together. 

  

What was your favourite picture book when you were a child?

I remember the exact moment I first saw Where The Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak. I was 6 years old in my Primary School and our teacher Mrs Bunnage gathered us all together on the mat to read a story. She held up Where The Wild Things Are and I was instantly transfixed. The drawings were like looking into a brand new world and were something totally new and exciting to me.

Sendak’s very unique etched style of drawing but also these crazy characters and colourful locations were - and still 100% are - completely mesmerising to me. I was totally taken out of school, out of my little town and transported into that magic world that Maurice Sendak invented.

I think that was the moment I saw how powerful drawings can be and also how books and stories can transport you to a completely different place.

My mum bought me a copy of Where The Wild Things Are soon after that first reading. I still have that copy too. It’s very old now and mainly held together by sellotape but it is still a very treasured possession of mine.

- David Litchfield

A special thanks to our guest illustrator this week, David Litchfield!

Rain Before Rainbows is now available to buy from all good booksellers.

Pick a Pumpkin by Patricia Toht, illustrated by Jarvis

Pick a Pumpkin by Patricia Toht, illustrated by Jarvis, available in paperback where all good books are sold! 

It’s Halloween! Which means it's time to dangle cobwebs and bats from the windows, put on costumes, and – most important of all – visit the pumpkin patch and pick out that perfect pumpkin! 

Then cart it home, scoop out the insides, carve a scary face, and finally light a candle inside, transforming it into a one-of-a-kind, glowing jack-o’-lantern...

With warm, autumnal art, this is the perfect book to share by flickering candlelight on the spookiest night of the year.

Reviews:

“[…] perfectly captures that sense of misty autumnal days […] Warm autumnal colours and a rhythmic rhyming text capture the fun and excitement of Halloween.” - The Bookseller, Children's Previews

"Sumptuous production... this feels like a real treat of a book – as sweet as a toffee apple and as warm as hot chocolate. It's one to share on a crisp October night and to treasure, year after year." - BookTrust

Click here to download our Pick a Pumpkin activity sheets!

Watch our trailer pumpkin-filled trailer below: