MO Day #22 Dea Lenihan Fills the Space

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Registration Post Hello March On With Mentor Texts!

Leaving Room for the Illustrator

by Dea Lenihan

When I illustrated Lynne Marie’s book AMERICAN PIE I did my own version of a mentor text search, although mine was more of a mentor illustration search. The book THE MOST MAGNIFICENT THING by Ashley Spires has nothing to do textually with Lynne Marie’s book, but the illustrations keep the reader moving in a specific direction. I wanted to depict the characters in Lynne Marie’s book moving forward together, so this became a helpful mentor text for me.

Lynne’s story didn’t need a storyline in the art, and the art did not have to contrast the text, as some stories do. This would add a layer of complexity to the story, and more art notes would have been necessary to depict the secondary story or action that is not depicted in the words. There were art notes in AMERICAN PIE for clarification, but they allowed my own interpretation. I do think there was enough space left to the effect that the book would look different if another illustrator was chosen.

Also, it allowed me to try several

renditions before choosing the final version. For instance, one of the spreads showed the main character Watson in an orchard. My original art showed him grimacing at a worm in an apple. The final art was completely different.

On the other side of the art coin, Linda Joy Singleton’s book CRANE & CRANE is an example of a book where the art tells the story, and the text is sparse but poignant. There might be less space for visual interpretation here, and understanding art notes that Linda Joy or the art director included might be very important to the illustrator to make the story come together as a picture book.

Another kind of mentor text might not follow the story line exactly, but possibly a thread`or portion of your story. For instance, if your tale is about a feisty little boy whose anger drives the story forward in the form of a journey, you might consider WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE by Maurice Sendak because the main character gets mad at mom and is a bit defiant.

But maybe your book isn’t about an adventure, so NO, DAVID! by David Shannon might seem a more appropriate choice. Both books could end up being mentor texts for your story in different ways…one by showing the emotions young children may experience when they are told what to do and disagree as with WILD THINGS. The images in this book could have gone in so many different directions…happily they went the way they did. And a bit of a side note—there are only ten sentences in the entire book, so it is safe to say the illustrations were very important. NO, DAVID! shows the pure energy and challenges of having a young boy—and how it effects the world and those around them. Both boys in these books are sent to their rooms, both are defiant. Sendak draws a magical and mystical escape as the boy comes to terms with his anger. Shannon uses stylized realism to show David’s everyday shenanigans. The books are very different, but each of the texts and illustrations could be useful as you write your story.

Mentor texts are important to every writer, new or seasoned. Although you may not be an illustrator, it is important to keep them in mind because the words you are writing will eventually be part of a picture book. Studying picture books and how the images work with the text can help elevate your stories because they show the magic that happens when wonderful words get paired with beautiful art.

BIO: Dea Lenihan is an artist and writer who loves to illustrate wonderful stories, like this one! She creates characters for her coloring books and collects spooky tales to tell around the campfire. Her artwork has been featured at The Eric Carle Museum of Storybook Art. She can usually be found drawing with Buddy the conure perched on her shoulder. Although she loves pie, her idea of happiness is a pencil in one hand and a cookie in the other. She is represented by Elisa Houot of www.theseymouragency.com. Visit her at www.dealenihan.com.

PRIZE: Dea is giving away a one half-hour illustration consultation and a PDF of the coloring book to American Pie!