Teach-Reading-and-Writing-Issue-22

6 | www.teachwire.net www.teachwire.net | 7 TRWYour book, Super Goat Girl , came out in July. What was working together on this project like for you? DA My first thought on getting the brief was ‘This is gonna be fun!’. Most of the picture books I’ve worked on have tended to be in a domestic setting, so this was the first time I got to work on something significantly more fantastical in its premise. I got to have full rein on the visual aspects of the entire book, including the title type. Normally I’d be a bit lost without some direction from the publisher or author, but this time I was in my element. TB The art notes I gave for this story were really minimal. I focused on things Dapo needed to know so the story would work, like leaving some of the impossibilium rope behind when the aliens leave, because Super Goat Girl uses it at the end. There’s also a note about how the kids need to move to create the black hole. Other than a couple of notes about Robo Kid’s attachments, there was nothing about what any of the characters should look like. I was really interested in seeing what Dapo would come up with. TRWHave you had any particularly memorable comments about Super Goat Girl from readers? TB Kids are really into sharing their own superpowers and their superhero poses. It’s been amazing to see them connect to the concept of people having different kinds of superpowers and that they’re all important. Absolutely everyone has been happy (and eager) to share what they’re super at. The book has been magic for bringing that out in readers. DA I’ve had a lot of memorable comments on the artwork and how dynamic and action-packed it is. I’m glad the book is connecting with people as intended. TRWWhat does the future hold for Super Goat Girl? TB Now that Super Goat Girl has conquered the first day at her new super school, she definitely needs some fresh challenges. Unfortunately, I think the next challenge will be... a nemesis! But when and how that happens depends on Dapo’s schedule. He’s a very busy illustrator. Super Goat Girl , written by Tracey Baptiste and illustrated by Dapo Adeola, is out now (Puffin, £7.99) Dapo Adeola is an award-winning illustrator, author and character designer who rocketed into the picture book world with his greatly acclaimed illustrator debut, Look Up! , written by Nathan Bryon. Tracey Baptiste is the author of several works of fiction and nonfiction for children including The Jumbie series, and The Totally Gross History of Ancient Egypt . DA I think I’ve always had a pretty solid approach when working with authors. My first book as an author was illustrated by a team of 18 artists, which led to me wearing an art director hat to advise on some of the spreads. This was a huge learning opportunity, and it taught me a lot about trusting my eye and my judgement. TB It’s common to have no communication directly with the artist during the process, so that part was similar to other picture books I’ve worked on. But Dapo shared a few sneak peeks with me, and I was thrilled at every new reveal. I really enjoyed how much language I could cut from the story because Dapo’s illustrations captured my words so well. It’s a skillfully illustrated book on top of being gorgeous. But my favorite has been having an enthusiastic partner to share the book with readers. DA Working on this book was so fun, but also challenging in the best of ways. It’s a significantly different, more energetic style and compositions than people are used to seeing in my work. I had an absolute blast exploring it. I got to work on hand-drawn type and special effects as well, which was a first for me. This was something I normally wouldn’t get to do with other books, but will definitely be pushing for in my work going forward. I hope I get the opportunity to explore this style and this world some more in future books. What’s it like to create a book together? Author Tracy Baptiste and illustrator Dapo Adeola tell all... “I was in my element” MEET THE AUTHOR . . . AND I L LUSTRATOR ! © Tim Lane Penguin Books © Viscose Illusion “Dapo shared a few sneak peeks with me”