A Bowl Full of Peace: An Illustration Timeline

Picture books aren’t that quick to make. Sure, there can be exceptions, but mostly they involve a lot of time and love and work. It can be years from start of a project to the book release, when you hope that thing you worked on for so long gets a good reception when it finally makes out into the world. I took a look back at events in the timeline of one of our new Fall picture books; A Bowl Full of Peace by Caren Stelson, illustrated by Akira Kusaka. Here now is a little window into one picture book’s timeline (from the Art Director’s perspective, of course):

by Danielle Carnito, Trade Art Director

In our Millbrook imprint, we recently started publishing highly visual expository nonfiction specifically geared toward young readers in grades K-3. Anytime we start a new type of book, working through the design aspects to figure out what we really need to communicate visually is always a fun exercise.

by Danielle Carnito, Trade Art Director

It isn’t every book where the creators and the publishing team all visit the site of a book’s events. It isn’t every book where you happen to check your social media on a holiday weekend and notice pictures the illustrator is posting from her trip to the site. Read More

The Art of Dictionary for a Better World

by Danielle Carnito, Trade Art Director

Every book has its own mix of creators bringing their voices to the process, making the project the best it can be. With Dictionary for a Better World , we had an amazing team. Read More

Pets In Books: A Lerner Retrospective

by Danielle Carnito, Trade Art Director

Hello readers! I was originally asked to do a post on design trends in Lerner books over the years… which, having been here for a while and being an Art Director, totally makes sense. But somehow I got the Blog powers that be to agree to, instead, a post about how some of our pets over the years have made it into the books we publish. Read More