Penny Klostermann writes a story that's "out of this world"

by Sue Heavenrich

 If you’ve ever wondered what celebrating Christmas on Mars might be like, Penny Parker Klostermann has a book for you! Her newest picture book, Merry Christmas, Dear Mars (Godwin Books/Henry Holt) is an “out-of-this-world” story about the night before. Christmas, that is. And it hit the shelves with plenty of time to find its way under trees on Earth and beyond…

I’ve been wanting to chat with Penny about her newest picture book ever since I learned that her first draft was an entry to Susanna Leonard Hill’s Very First Holiday Contest! Way back in 2011. That’s like … a long time ago in human years, but not so long ago in book-creating years. So I had to know more. And Penny graciously answered her phone when I called.

Me: What inspired you to come up with the idea of Christmas on Mars?

Penny: I came up with the idea while participating in PiBoIdMo – Picture Book Idea Month – back when Tara Lazar hosted that in November. It was actually my twenty-fifth idea. I jotted down “outer space night before Christmas.” And then, in December Susanna Leonard Hill challenged folks to do a rewrite of the Night Before Christmas for her holiday story contest.

Me: I remember PiBoIdMo. It eventually morphed into StoryStorm and moved to January. It’s so much easier to focus on ideas when you’re not distracted by turkeys and pies… you can find out more about StoryStorm at Tara’s blog here. Susanna Leonard Hill’s winter holiday story contest is usually announced around this time of year – check her blog here.

I confess: this is possibly my favorite spread!

Penny: I started getting serious about my writing in 2011, and that’s one reason I wanted to enter the story contest. Also, I really like writing in rhyme, so a parody of Night Before Christmas seemed like a good way to start. I began with a question: what if that night happened on Mars? I wrote a draft, but the only “hook” was that the story took place in space. And it followed the original story pretty closely. So I created some word lists to help me find creative language. My story won second place. What a boost of confidence that gave me! I thought, hey, maybe I could get this published. I sent it to five publishers in 2012 and heard back from only one. They declined.

My next submission was to the SCBWI Barbara Karlin WIP grant, where I was a runner-up. I also got involved in a critique group which really helped me in the revision process.

Me: Submitting manuscripts is a long game. Did you have an agent? 

Penny: I got an agent in 2013 – Tricia Lawrence at the Erin Murphy Literary Agency. She sent the book out on submission, and boy did we rack up rejections. But Trish always believed in it. Later, I got some feedback from an editor at a SCBWI event suggesting that I give the narrator and Santa more agency. When I revised with that in mind, it took my story to a new level. Trish sent it out again in 2019 – and then the pandemic hit. Then, in 2021 it was acquired and the editors, Laura Godwin and Courtney Nash, brought wonderful energy to this book. I think we had 55 rejections before they acquired it. It’s all about the right editor seeing your book at the right time. And believing in your story.

Me: Do you still participate in StoryStorm and story contests?

Penny: I never miss a year of StoryStorm. I love the excitement and the inspiration behind it. But contests? No, I don’t submit to them anymore, though I do donate prizes.

I really believe in the value of contests. Back when I first started writing, I would enter anything to get words on paper. With contests, you’re given inspiration (prompts/words), parameters (word limits), and a deadline. It forces you to get that first draft down. It may not be good, but the goal of having a contest entry really makes you write. I would never have written Merry Christmas, Dear Mars without the push from a contest.

Me: I love the idea of creating Word Banks, and earlier you mentioned creating word lists. Can you talk about that a bit more?

 

Penny: The word lists reflect the project I’m working on. Because Merry Christmas, Dear Mars happens in space – or at least on a different planet – I needed a “space words” bank. And the sled had technical problems, so I needed a “mechanical words” bank. Plus there are the challenges related to solving problems, so I needed a list of strong verbs. And then there’s the holiday… so obviously I had a list of Christmas-related words. I taped my wordlists to the bottom of my manuscript so I had them right in front of me while I worked!

Me: Thank you so much, Penny. What a fun book – and folks, seriously, go find a copy to read. It’s a wonderful read-aloud and the rhythm and rhyme are spot-on!

Penny has been previously featured on the GROG in this post celebrating her book, There Was an Old Dragon Who Swallowed a Knight, and in this post where she talks about rhyme and her book, A Cooked-Up Fairy Tale

She has a new book coming out in 2025 from Calkins Creek called Spider Lady: Nan Songer and Her Arachnid WWII Army, illustrated by Anne Lambelet. You can find out more about Penny and her books at her website, where you can also subscribe to her newsletter and find her social media links.

Part 2 of The Other Side of Tomorrow: WHEN YOU WANT TO GIVE UP ON YOUR STORY--DON'T by Tina Cho

 Last week I interviewed the illustrator of The Other Side of Tomorrow, Deb JJ Lee. If you missed it, you can find it here. 

Today I interview myself. Giving myself a pep-talk and walk down memory lane, letting Grog Blog readers listen in. Perhaps, you're in a frustrated state with your manuscripts and want to give up. This is for you.

Tina,

You had a great story idea, wanting to share with readers about North Korean children who escape along the Asian Underground Railroad. You did lots of research and even interviewed two North Korean boys and several adults along with a pastor who helped with escapes. Remember, back in 2012 when you thought this could be a picture book story? You put your critique group through the wringer, revising and sending it to them over a two-year span, 16 drafts, until some of them said, it should be something bigger--a chapter book. Listen to your critique partners, especially, if they are wiser than you, in this publishing business!

The DMZ between North & South Korea

                            

But you didn't know how to write a chapter book or middle grade novel. But I'm glad you didn't let that get you down. You sought help. Thankfully, a writing mentor, Nancy I. Sanders, had a self-paced class on writing chapter books & MG novels in one month. While you homeschooled your two children in Korea, you applied what you learned and transformed this picture book story into a middle grade novel. You sent it out to some beta readers and revised 4x accordingly. Then, you were bold to take a chance on sending it to a contest! The Scholastic Asia Book Award at Singapore's Asian Festival of Children's Content. What a surprise when it was shortlisted! At this time, you were teaching at an international school in Uijongbu (S.Korea) & flew to Singapore. Your novel, titled Chasing Freedom: The Asian Underground Railroad won 1st Runner Up (2nd place)! And Leonard Marcus, the American picture book historian, author, & critic, was one of the judges! Scholastic Asia wanted to publish it. But in consulting other professionals, you decided to wait.

In 2016, you signed with an agent. Adria Goetz revised the novel with you, sent it out, and it received 11 rejections. You were wondering if it'd ever be published in the U.S. Listen to the editorial rejection comments. They might give clues how to fix the story. In July 2018, based on an editor's comments, Adria asked you to rewrite it as a novel-in-verse. But once again, you didn't know how to write a novel-in-verse. You were proactive and learned. You didn't let being overseas and not having access to an English library distress you. You took advantage of SCBWI novel-in-verse webinars. When you visited family in the states in summer, you read as many verse novels as you could. And you rewrote. Again. and Again. Adria even asked you to change the title (since there was another book by the former title). So you worked on The Tune Without Words until March 2019 when you hit a brick wall. Or maybe that brick wall should be the Korean mountains. Whatever it was, you got stuck. Afraid. Self-doubt. Who were you to be writing IN VERSE? You weren't even a poet. And you quit. There was silence between you and your agent. You quit revising. Adria heard nothing. And 5000 miles between Seoul and Seattle, she felt something was amiss. So she CALLED you! 

Tina with her agent, Adria Goetz

You remember sitting on your bed, listening to her pep talk, her encouraging words. And you picked your pen back up and got to work. Everyone needs an encouraging agent! You did 5 revisions as a novel-in-verse. And then...

Five months later you received the contract. More rounds of revisions with your editor. The book was to publish in 2022.

On June 19, 2019, an email arrived from editor Carolina Oritz of Harper Alley, Harper Collins new graphic novel imprint. Would you be interested in turning this into a graphic novel? You were amazed and flabbergasted. You had never read a graphic novel before. Would you be up to it? Carolina had the perfect illustrator, a Korean American, living in CA at the time who drew comics. You were flexible. You considered something outside your comfort zone. You went to the library and checked out Hidden: A Child's Story of the Holocaust. It was lovely! And beautiful! Nothing like comics from the Sunday newspapers you read growing up. After seeing a sample sketch of one of your novel-in-verse poems, you fell in love. 

However, illustrating a graphic novel takes a LONG, LONG time. More time was needed. More revisions. How about another title change? So the third and final title is The Other Side of Tomorrow. To publish November 12, 2024, about 12 years from the date you first interviewed those two North Korean boys. 

What did you learn? Never give up on your manuscript. You might need to find the right format in telling your story. Listen to your critique partners, agent, editor. Be open to change. Be flexible. When you don't know, find out. Take classes. Go to the library and study books. 

Because in the end, you now have a shiny work of art that has garnered 4 starred reviews (Kirkus, SLJ, PW, Booklist) is a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection, with a French edition coming in March 2025, and many other great things that are still secret...

*Starred review from Kirkus: Told from their alternating perspectives in welcoming, conversational verse, Yunho’s and Myunghee’s suspenseful, harrowing journeys provide readers with a realistic and devastating portrayal of life under one of the most oppressive regimes in the world.

​*Starred review from ALA Booklist: Yes, Cho’s graphic novel in verse is an extraordinary dual-voiced narrative, but what makes this title unforgettable is phenomenal, Ignatz-winning artist Lee’s (In Limbo, 2023) breathtaking artwork...masterpiece.

*Starred review from School Library Journal: Cho’s vibrant, elegant writing style beautifully captures the pain, fear, courage, and resilience of the characters featured in this text. Lee’s illustrations greatly enhance the text’s mood and capture both the courageous adventure of a lifetime and the spirit of a community willing to risk their lives to give those seeking freedom a fighting chance.VERDICT This gut-wrenching story of hope and resilience needs to find its way to all readers’ hands.

*Starred review from Publisher's Weekly: This gripping graphic novel by Cho (God’s Little Astronomer) and Lee (In Limbo) about childhood under dictator Kim Jong Un balances horror and wonder in both its poetic language and vibrant imagery. Lee’s dynamic Procreate illustrations emphasize light and shadow to brilliantly illuminate the tweens’ harrowing situations in this intimate, cohesive collaboration.

Please read The Other Side of Tomorrow, leave a review, and request it at your library. For more information about the story, read this post on Harper Stacks which I wrote! And check out the Educator's Guide I wrote. Thank you! 

How did I celebrate the book birthday? At school til 8pm for parent teacher conferences! Thank you, everyone, for cheering this book on!

Tina Cho is the author of Rice from Heaven: The Secret Mission to Feed North Koreans (Little Bee Books), Korean Celebrations (Tuttle), My Breakfast with Jesus: Worshipping God around the World (Harvest House), The Ocean Calls: A Haenyeo Mermaid Story (Kokila/Penguin Random House), God’s Little Astronomer (Waterbrook), God’s Little Oceanographer June 2025, & The Princess & the Grain of Rice (FSG Fall 2025). Her lyrical middle grade graphic novel, The Other Side of Tomorrow, published from Harper Alley 11/12/2024. After living in South Korea for ten years, Tina, her husband, and two kids reside in Iowa where Tina also teaches kindergarten. 

 

Interview with Illustrator Deb JJ Lee of THE OTHER SIDE OF TOMORROW by Tina Cho

Today we welcome a new face to the Grog Blog--Deb JJ Lee. Deb is the illustrator for our middle grade graphic novel debuting November 12th from Harper Alley, The Other Side of Tomorrow. Each spread is a work of art! That's why the reviewer from ALA Booklist gave it a star and said, "Yes, Cho’s graphic novel in verse is an extraordinary dual-voiced narrative, but what makes this title unforgettable is phenomenal, Ignatz-winning artist Lee’s (In Limbo, 2023) breathtaking artwork."

This interview is part 1 in sharing about The Other Side of Tomorrow. This graphic novel is about two North Korean kids who escape along the Asian Underground Railroad to freedom. I thought it would be fun to interview Deb.

4 starred reviews so far!

                                                 

1. Tell us a little about yourself.

          Hi! I’m Deb. I’m a trans nonbinary Korean-American illustrator based in Brooklyn NY. I’m most well-known for my intricate illustrations and my graphic memoir titled IN LIMBO (2023), which have won and been nominated by multiple awards, including the APALA honor, Eisner (nominated), Harvey (nominated) and Ignatz (winner). 

2. What/who inspired you to be an illustrator? What steps did you take for your career?

          I always wanted to be an illustrator, but never really took action on it until I was a senior in undergrad late 2017. I’ve been drawing for about twenty years at this point, but took a two year hiatus during school. The summer after my junior year I purchased an iPad with the money I made from my tech internship and haven’t stopped drawing since. Luckily I had a job lined up post-grad, so I spent my senior year making my own illustration curriculum. I managed to be in the right place at the right time when I got a literary agent and an illustration internship at NPR the spring of my senior year.

 

3. What made you want to take on this book project?

          North Korea, Korean author, why wouldn’t I? Harper Collins, I was at the beginning of my career! Ironically the offer came in while I was in Seoul visiting family.

 

4. Please share with readers how you created the illustrations. (tools/medium)

I worked primarily in Procreate on my iPad!

 

5. How long did it take to illustrate The Other Side of Tomorrow?

          If we started in 2019, then it would have been five years. But one year was spent promoting and publicizing the book, and another 8-10 months or so was spent being at the ready for the manuscript and/or finishing my own graphic novel (IN LIMBO, 2023). So really, it took about 3 years to finish all the pages. 

6. How long does it take for one spread?

          I would say about 20 hours per spread. Which is crazy to think, because I could only realistically do 1.5 spreads (3 pages) a week to keep up with my other obligations to maintain an income! Illustrating a comic is so intense, especially when you have to keep it up for years at a time. 

 

7. What research did you have to do to illustrate this book?

          I had to rely on Google and what I could find on You Tube!

8. What is your favorite illustration/spread?

          Probably the moment they’re escaping the Chinese prison. I’m really happy with that color palette, as it is me becoming comfortable working in a more desaturated scheme. Normally I tend to rely on very bright colors, but here I didn’t even use those as accents. Since then I’ve been working in those more muted tones even in my freelance illustration work.

 

9. What was most challenging for this book?

Honestly just getting through it. It was the same with IN LIMBO too. Drawing comics takes a while and it’s a commitment–you have to be the director, the character designer, the storyboarder, the renderer!

10. Was there anything surprising that came about during your process?

          I was surprised that I can work with colors even in a graphic novel so consistently! A limited palette doesn’t come naturally to me at all, so I was apprehensive about how I can keep work in several colors in a way that is consistent through the book. But turns out, changing the palette throughout the story to depict night and day, calm and turbulence, comes in handy to subconsciously signal to readers what is going on.

11. What do you hope readers take away from reading and admiring this book?

         Aside from how excruciating it is to escape the country and that everyone is legally bound to be against you, the biggest thing that I would want the audience to walk away with is how there are multiple ways to deal with trauma. Religion and spirituality are two comforting places to feel at home but there are other methods of coming to peace with the humanitarian horrors one would deal with in such a restrictive country.

12. What advice do you have for writers? For illustrators?

          Hmm as someone who’s done both, I always advocate for illustrators to be given as much time and money as they need to complete their projects. Especially through the AI age that we’ve entered, it’s crucial for editors and writers to know that art is hard physical labor! A paragraph that can be written in a few hours might take a whole working week to illustrate. Always communicate early on if time is more needed, and please be patient with us!

13. What’s next for you?

          I’m currently working on my own picture books! They’re unannounced for now so you’ll have to keep an eye on this space :)

Deb JJ Lee (they/them) is a trans nonbinary artist based in Brooklyn, New York. They have appeared in the New Yorker, the New York Times, NPR, Google, Radiolab, and more. They are known for their award-winning graphic memoir, In Limbo, about mental illness and difficult relationships with trauma. Their cat, Marlie, has three teeth.

Portfolio / Instagram / Twitter 

 The Other Side of Tomorrow is available for preorders here.

Writing the Right Way

by Fran Hodgkins

 

 

Everyone hopes to give their manuscript the best possible chance at being published. We check and doublecheck our grammar and spelling, search bookstores for comps, and scour the internet for agents or editors who might fall in love with our creations. Sometimes it can be stressful, and a lot of the time it can be discouraging. Perhaps you’ve thought, “If only I knew the right way to write.”

If only you had the magic formula. The “open sesame” that would unlock the door to your dreams.

But I will tell you a secret: there’s no one way to write. And because there’s no one way, that means there’s no right way.

Am I dismissing all the books about writing that are out there? Of course not. Not every book’s method will be a good fit for you. Writing is very individual, very personal. No two writers work exactly the same way because no two writers are identical.

What you need is to find what works for you.

Photo by Helena Lopes: https://www.pexels.com/photo/two-women-sitting-on-chairs-in-front-of-each-other-887723/Photo by Helena Lopes: https://www.pexels.com/photo/two-women-sitting-on-chairs-in-front-of-each-other-887723/Photo by Helena Lopes, via Pexels
 

For example, your writing environment can be a major factor.

·               Some people prefer to work in silence, or as close as they can get to it. For these folks, the library and noise-cancelling headphones are great choices.

·               Others prefer music, or just the normal sounds of life around them. Working at home may suit you, or writing in a café or coffee shop.

·               Some people prefer to write alone, while others enjoy getting together either in person or online for a quiet group writing session.

How do you find out what works for you? Try them all! You may find that the library is too quiet, and the local coffee shop is a bit too loud. Maybe it’s not the place, but the time. I just Googled my local coffee shop and checked the “popular times” chart. It’s quite busy on Sundays between 10 and noon, but on Monday afternoons, it’s not too bad. So it might be worth checking out on those less-busy days.

For me, writing is best done at home. I’m fortunate enough to have an office (which right at this moment is also occupied by two cats and a dog). I can close the door to cut down interruptions, but everyone in the house is old enough to be busy doing their own thing without Mom to entertain them. And just in case things get noisy, I have noise-cancelling headphones.

 

“How much should I write every day?” writers ask. We’ve all heard the advice:

You must do morning pages.

You must carry a notebook at all times.

You must stay at the keyboard until you’ve written X number of words.

You must sit in front of your screen until X minutes or hours have passed.

Nonsense.

Each of these rules has those writers who adhere to it. Some swear by morning pages, which is fantastic. But what if you’re a single parent trying to get your kids out the door to school and then get to work? Not everyone’s life accommodates these rules. I used to write on the train, in longhand, going in to work; it was great. But what if I had been driving to work? Not so productive!

 

If you can write every day, great. If you can’t, don’t beat yourself up. But even if you can’t write five or seven days a week, do your best to make time for your writing. Maybe it will be just a paragraph or two before you fall asleep with a cat in your lap after a long day. Maybe it will be a chapter every time you escape to the library or coffee shop, or when you have a chance to have your home to yourself. (Note: When family members/roommates are absent, please please please don’t spend your time doing laundry or cleaning out the fridge! These opportunities are gifts and they must be seized!)

And guess what? Thinking counts! That time in the shower when you’re puzzling about the best name for your character, or the time standing in line at the DMV thinking about your main character’s favorite color — it all counts. Writing is as much an effort of the mind as it is an effort of the fingers tapping across the keyboard. And as a result, sometimes you may find that 500 or 1000 to 2000 word-goal that you had for your writing that day stays frustratingly out of reach. To me, that means that you need to do more thinking. Shut off the computer or close the notebook. Do something else – take the dog for a walk, dig in the garden, go food shopping. Try different things. Try different tools, environments, genres. Try getting up early or staying up late. You need to give your mind time to lay the groundwork while you explore. When the groundwork is ready, the words will come. And then you can decide on what goal works for you – the number of words, the number of hours. Because you will have found your own right way to write.

And don’t forget – have fun.

Sarah Kurpiel and A LITTLE LIKE MAGIC: Review and Craft chat by Kathy Halsey

 

A LITTLE LIKE MAGIC BOOK REVIEW

Author-illustrator Sarah Kurpiel weaves spare text with a limited color palette to share a heartfelt story of a young girl overcoming her fears to find the everyday magic our world holds, if we give it a chance. 

We’ve all been in our young main character’s shoes: a bit grumpy, a bit whiny, and we just don’t want to go where we are supposed to go. But, after she dons her scratchy coat, and pockets her trusty plastic horse, she and Mom join a group of people to witness ice carving until it gets too cold, even with hot chocolate. 

On the way home, our main character wonders about all the fuss over ice. But when she discovers her toy horse is gone, she and Mom go back to the exhibit. It’s colder, more crowded, but NOW she’s OK. This time there’s “only light and ice and stars” as she sees the glowing magic of ice animals and ventures out to find an ice foal, and at its feet, her tiny horse. Yes, the ice melts, the seasons change, but the memory of that special night stays with her.

Writers will appreciate the weight and care that simple words and perfect pacing deliver to create a poignant story. Educators and librarians can dive into the SEL themes of perseverance and seeing things with a different point of view with their students.They could even go on a wonder walk to look at ordinary things and see the extraordinary. While the main character is in a wheel-chair, it is noteworthy that being differently-abled is not the story's focus. We can all walk in wonder with this picture book.  

Craft Chat with Sarah Kurpiel

Kathy: Tell me more about how your real-life experience as a child watching ice sculpting competitions and how inspired this book. Did you have a toy horse? 

Sarah: Hi there! Thanks so much for welcoming me onto the GROG! A Little Like Magic is about a young girl who visits an ice festival with her mother. It’s a story about art, memory, and the way venturing outside our comfort zone can sometimes lead to special experiences. The book is loosely based on an experience I had as a kid. When I was a few years older than the main character, my hometown hosted a professional ice sculpting competition. It was the only time I ever saw ice carving in-person, and it’s always stuck with me. 

One of the most memorable moments (which I didn’t include in the book) is when an unfinished sculpture collapsed. At competitions, sculptors often take risks with the ice, and then there’s the weather to contend with. For us onlookers, it was surprising and sad to see so much work come crashing down. I also remember the sculptures melting, which is something that worries the young girl in A Little Like Magic. She tends to worry and feel nervous, which is why she carries a familiar toy horse with her when she goes out. I didn’t have a favorite toy horse as a child, but I did have a favorite stuffed animal–a little bison that I got as a souvenir on a family vacation–which I certainly thought about as I wrote the story.

Kathy: As an author-illustrator what comes first for you - images or story? What informed your choices for the color palette? The color feels cold, until it feels cozy blue, and then “lit” up with white light as you illuminate the sculptures.

Sarah: Great question! Usually, I start with a loose concept and then thumbnail the story before working out the final words. Then, revise, revise, revise. In this case, however, the words and pictures emerged at the same time. It felt like the story was fully formed from the start. (I sure hope that happens to me again one day!) 

As for the color palette, at first I wanted to make the whole book monochromatic in blue, which seemed fitting for a wintery book about the power of memories. I love books that use a minimal limited palette, and I thought it might work well with this story. But, in the end, the story called for more colors, especially to show seasonal change and the difference between inside and outside. So, I changed course. But as you’ve noticed, the book still has a lot of blue. Even as her outfits change, the main character is always wearing blue, and the base of her wheelchair is a shade of blue as well. 

Kathy: I love the simplicity and pacing of the story. For writers only, like me, how can we play with pacing? I admire how two sentences can fill a whole spread! Example:  

“It's not there when I wake up

or while I'm playing and with my friends.

 It's not sitting on my knee 

or getting ready to go out.”

Sarah: Thank you. I think thumbnailing is one of the best ways to feel the pacing–even if you’re not the illustrator. It helps me find the natural page turns–like a setting change or a small cliffhanger–and helps me see where I want readers to speed up or slow down. There’s a particular moment in A Little Like Magic where I wanted readers to really slow down and linger for a while. On that page, I still kept the sentences short to retain a childlike voice, but I wrote them in a way that allowed me to insert several commas to create extra pauses. 

It’s a tiny, sentence-level thing, but I think all those tiny things, once added up, can make a difference. This was my first time writing a story in first-person using a childlike lyrical voice. I tried as much as possible to stay true to that voice throughout. If, during revision, a sentence became too long or too poetic, I’d ask myself, “Would a kid ever really say anything like this?” If the answer was, “Definitely not,” I looked for another way.

Kathy: How long have you been drawing? What are your favorite mediums? how would you suggest interested readers begin teaching themselves art?

Sarah: I’ve been drawing as a hobby for as a long as I can remember, but I didn’t start drawing digitally until 2016. I often sketch in pencil or pen, but I create my final illustrations digitally using a Wacom tablet connected to my computer. I tend to use digital dry media brushes because I like the rough textures they offer. Lately, though, I’ve been playing with some new techniques and digital brushes, which I’m enjoying quite a bit. 

Doodling for fun is one of my favorite things to do. Sometimes it leads me to new characters and potential story ideas. I try to carve out time for doodling regularly because it both relaxes and re-energizes me, especially when I’m feeling discouraged. I know I’m not a highly skilled artist, but I love creating and learning new things, and that’s what I try to focus on–the enjoyment of it all. 

For readers interested in teaching themselves art, I suggest asking yourself what kind of art you enjoy looking at most and what specifically you like about it. Then, dive right in! Don’t wait for permission to start. Just start. Get a sketchbook or notebook (if you’re like me, the cheaper the better so you don’t get too worried about “wasting” pages) and keep it handy. 

If you’re not sure what to draw or paint or collage, try a fun art prompt list–October has some of the best, like Artober, Calmtober, and Peachtober. Pour over your favorite picture book illustrations, explore portfolios of your favorite illustrators, watch free art tutorials online, check out art handbooks from the library–whatever helps and inspires you most. But mostly, play around. Experiment. 

Make the art you want to see. And if, like me, you have a disability or limitation that makes it difficult to use a certain medium, tool, or technique, try a different one. Find what works for you. Sometimes it’s our limitations that help us find our unique style.

Kathy: Did you consciously think of the SEL aspect of the main character's personality, or am I reading that into the story?  I'm noticing phrases like “heavy coats, itchy hats, cold winds, the sounds of whirrings and  brr-ings.” (Great language by the way!) 

Sarah: While I didn’t consciously think about SEL as I wrote A Little Like Magic, I did think about the main character’s emotional arc. She starts off nervous and worried. Everything feels uncomfortable–possibly because she’s nervous or possibly because she’s sensitive to certain clothing, temperatures, and sounds. Either way, going to new places isn’t an easy thing for her. To help, she brings along her favorite toy horse, a little piece of home in her pocket. Without giving away too much of the story, suffice it to say, by the end, she’s different–not miraculously different, but different enough to see the value of pushing through those challenging feelings.

Kathy: From your website, I see that you are a librarian and a self-taught artist. Tell us how being a librarian helps you write for children. 

Sarah: My background is in academic libraries, so I don’t (usually) get to work with children’s books. However, my first library job involved cataloging children’s books used by college students studying to become teachers. That’s how I came to read A Sick Day for Amos McGee, which is the book that set me on a path toward making books myself. 

Later, I worked as a librarian at a small college that had a fairly large picture book collection–which I made ample use of as I was learning to write and illustrate books. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, since I work in the library field, I’m engaged in conversations on topics like information literacy, intellectual property, universal design, accessible design, and the freedom to read, all very relevant in the world of children’s publishing.

Kathy: What are you working on now and do you have any events where we can find you in person or online?

Sarah: Thanks for asking! I’m working on final art for my next picture book, which is about a kid struggling to say goodbye to a beloved old oak tree. It’s currently scheduled to come out next year from Rocky Pond Books. I’m also always working on personal art, which I share on Instagram and Bluesky. If you’re interested in learning more, consider subscribing to my monthly email newsletter.

More about Sarah

 Sarah Kurpiel is a self-taught picture book author and illustrator. Her debut book, Lone Wolf, received a starred review from the School Library Journal, while her books Original Cat, Copy Cat and Snake's Big Mistake were Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selections. Her latest book, A Little Like Magic, was published in Fall 2024.

A librarian by day, Sarah lives in the Midwest. Her stories are inspired by animals, nature, and moments of wonder in everyday life. She hopes her work brings a bit of happiness into the world—and a bit of disability representation too. Sarah uses a power wheelchair and considers her disability an important part of her identity.

Learn more at sarahkurpiel.com