A gust of wind sends a paper princess flying. ?Wait! I didn?t finish you,? cries the little girl who made her. ?I?ll finish myself,? calls the princess, and the wind carries her away, over a meadow and a river, to a carnival and a town, until finally she finds her way home. Elisa Kleven?s ?mixed-media collages are a kaleidoscope of color and activity, encompassing a vast, multiracial cast of happy people? (Publishers Weekly). ?The best book yet from this talented author/illustrator, and one that children will love.? -- School Library Journal, starred review Elisa Kleven?s award-winning picture books include her own Ernst and The Lion and the Little Red Bird, the illustrations for Abuela, by Arthur Dorros, and her most recent book for Dutton, The Puddle Pail. She lives near San Francisco, California.Biography of Author/Illustrator Elisa Kleven
Children’s book author and illustrator Elisa Kleven has touched the
lives of thousands of kids and their parents over the past two decades
with stunning storytelling accompanied by gorgeous drawings in her
more than 30 published books.
Kleven grew up in Los Angeles and has lived in the San Francisco Bay area since moving there to study at the University of
California,
Berkeley.
Kleven’s latest book “Glasswings: A Butterfly’s Story” released Spring
2013 from Dial Press, and her forthcoming title this September, “Cozy Light, Cozy Night,” is one of four featured titles of the debut children’s press Creston Books.
Other favorites among readers include “Welcome Home, Mouse,” “The Paper Princess,” “The Lion and the Little Red Bird” and “Sun Bread.” She has provided illustrations for Arthur Dorros’ “Abuela,” Jose Luis Orozco’s “De Colores” and Thacher Hurd’s “The Weaver, among others.
Kleven is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. She has been recognized nationally with awards and honors from the American Library Association, the New York Times, the Junior Library Guild, School Library Journal and the American Institute of Graphic Arts.
Author Website: http://www.elisakleven.com/
Amazon:
The Carousel Tale: http://www.amazon.com/Carousel-Tale-Elisa-Kleven/dp/1582462399/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1373479610&sr=1-1&keywords=The+Carousel+Tale
Q and A with Elisa Kleven
Had you always wanted to write children’s books?
It was a childhood dream of mine, which I think began with my love for Hans Christian Andersen’s transporting fairy tales, and the joy I felt looking at the marvelous pictures in my favorite books.
Why did you choose to feature the glasswings butterfly in your latest release?
I was intrigued by the creature’s transparency and delicacy. I loved the idea that they could take on the colors of whatever surrounded them (they’re known as “Espejitos,” Little Mirrors, in the Latin American countries where they’re found), and I marveled at their fluid identity. I was also impressed that this incredibly fragile creature could accomplish so much as a pollinator.
Can you tell us a little about your forthcoming title “Cozy Light, Cozy Night” from Creston Books?
The book presents a year of everyday wonders, giving children an opportunity to snuggle up with a parent and enter into a warm, cozy world, where even the planets are tucked cozily into bed along with the shining stars.
I was inspired by my appreciation for how the small things in life give us comfort and make us happy. I, for instance, enjoy taking a hike with my dog in the incredibly beautiful landscape we live in. I find extreme pleasure in sharing a meal with family and friends, curling up at the end of the day with a good book, or the quiet magic of creating art in my studio. Life would be a cold, hard struggle without access to coziness. I hope my book will provide children, who are often so stressed, over scheduled and steeped, for better and for worse, in technology, with a little piece of coziness, too.
“Cozy Light, Cozy Night” brings the simplest yet most magical details of each season to life.
You have done both the poetic text and luminous illustrations for than 30 picture books in your career. As you write, are you picturing the scenes in your mind, and do they end up looking the same once you start drawing?
I picture the scenes in my mind, then try my best to translate them to paper. Sometimes I’m disappointed with how they come out, and sometimes pleasantly surprised. Creativity is not always controllable!
Do the words always come to you first for a book, or do you visualize something and decide to write a story around that sometimes?
Sometimes the words come first, and sometimes the pictures. In the case of “Cozy Light, Cozy Night,” they came together. I thought of the things that bring me the most joy (warm sand, soft snow, summer light, autumn leaves, snuggling with my family and animals), and suddenly words began clustering – in rhyme, no less – around the images. Of course I rework many drafts of a story, including this one, until it feels as finished as it can be.
This one was so cute! Its about a girl who creates a paper princess only to have her fly away before she can do her hair. The rest of the book is a tale of the adventures that the paper princess goes on as she tries to get back to the little girl who drew her. This one was a wonderful little story that my girls made me read them for the past week before they go to bed! They loved it that much.
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