Children's Book Review: Paper Moon, Written by RM Hedgcoth, Illustrated by Tony Tibbits

Storyline: 5.0 Stars
Illustrations: 5.0 Stars

Cover: 5.0 

Total: 5.0 Stars

Book Review: Paper Moon presents the phases of the moon in successful rhyme (which is difficult to do!), with a parable about a moon who slowly tires and then wakes.

Storyline: Moon falls asleep to the lullaby of the Milky Way, and we see him wax and wane according to his sleepiness. Fun parable to introduce the concepts of the phases of the moon. Simple text suitable for young children, such lush illustrations that all ages will enjoy this book. 5 stars

Illustrations: Wow! These illustrations are gorgeous. Full of color, with a little mystery and adding so much to the simple story. 5 stars

Total: An enthusiastic 5 stars

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Rachel Hedgcoth and Tony Tibbits are actually brother and sister! They agreed to an interview, see below.

AUTHOR: RACHAEL HEDGCOTH, Midlothian, TX

VH: How did you come up with this book idea?
RH: I actually wrote Paper Moon years ago for a bedtime story contest. In hindsight, it is fortunate I did not win (or even place!) in the contest because eventually my brother and I joined forces to create this eBook ourselves! This book is a gift I will always treasure, and I am so grateful to my brother for adding such visual dimension to my little story.


VH: Is astronomy an interest of yours?
RH: I have always been fascinated by the moon. I love the sea, weather and animals. I am part Native American, and sometimes I wonder if that is why I am inspired by the natural world on so many levels.


VH: If you were a planet, which would you be?
RH: Actually, I would not be a planet. I would have to be the moon … because I am continually mesmerized by its ever-changing hypnotic charm.


VH: What are three favorite children's books?
RH: It is crazy impossible for me to choose only three, but I love Arnold Lobel’s “Frog and Toad” books, Maurice Sendak’s classic tales and anything by Mo Willems.

   

VH: What are three favorite books?
RH: I love anything by Stephen King. But at the other end of that spectrum, I am a forever fan of Judy Blume and Beverly Cleary.

  

Currently, I am reading a book by Liane Moriarty. My love of the written word spans a diverse range. I pretty much am addicted to books of all breeds. 

VH: Who is an author that has influenced you?
RH: I draw inspiration from children’s writers of yesterday and today. I love the silliness and simplicity of Dr. Seuss, the gentle honesty of Arnold Lobel, R.L. Stine’s ability to thrill and humor simultaneously, and of course Maurice Sendak’s brilliant imagination. I strive to soak up wisdom from these and other phenomenal authors and aspire to create stories of my own that children will enjoy.

VH: What advice do you have for budding children's authors?
RH: As someone who is still navigating that journey myself, my advice is to read, read and write from the heart! You’ll feel it in your soul when you have created something special.

ILLUSTRATOR: TONY TIBBITTS, Kansas City, MO

VH: What is your medium for this book?
TT: Illustrations for this book were all created with Photoshop using brushes, filters and layering effects. Some original textures were created by scanning torn paper and layering.

VH: How did you get your colors so brilliant?
TT: Really just experimenting. I wanted the colors to evoke the mood of the words and change as the moon slowly fell asleep! Magic happens when words and images blend to create something beautiful.

VH: Who are artists who've influenced your work?
TT: I’ve been doing commercial graphic design for nearly 20 years. I’ve designed just about every printed and digital item there is! If I had to name my top influences, they would be Paul Rand, Storm Thorgerson and Stefan Sagmeister. Although my work is nothing like or even close to the level of work they have done. I admire them greatly for their ability to distill complex concepts into pure and simple communication. These designers are true artists in my eyes.  


VH: How did you get started in illustration?
TT: I wouldn’t even call myself a proper illustrator. My passion is graphic design and I tend to like a bold graphic style. I try not to put too much pressure on myself in comparing my work to “real” illustrators. When the opportunity arises and I feel like it’s something I can accomplish and be proud of, I do it. I’ve really enjoyed the freedom of interpreting Rachael’s words and having complete freedom to put it together. We speak the same language.

VH: What advice do you have for budding illustrators?
TT: My advice is the commercial creative world can be a tough career. Budgets can be low, deadlines are short and you are expected to work miracles at every turn. I would recommend using your talents to create products that you can sell yourself. I’m a huge entrepreneur and love the freedom and reward of working for yourself. The less people between your vision and the customer, the better! It’s never been easier to start your own business.

VH: Who are three favorite children's book illustrators?
TT: I really like Mo Willems, Clement Hurd (who illustrated Goodnight Moon) and recently found Frank Viva, who has a great flat graphical illustration style and is incredibly talented.

For more information on Paper Moon and author RM Hedgcoth and illustrator Tony Tibbitts, check them out on this author page, iTunes, and Facebook.

~Valerie Harmon, Children Book Reviewer

Children's Author and Illustrator Interview: El Perro Con Sombrero, Written by Derek Taylor Kent, Illustrated by Jed Henry

Storyline: 5.0 Stars
Illustrations: 5.0 Stars

Cover: 5.0 
Total: 5.0 Stars

Summary: Pepe is a lonely dog whose life changes drastically when a sombrero lands on his head. But what he really wants is a family. Would he trade his sombrero wealth for a real family?

Storyline: This story is adorable and speaks to the heart. A rags to riches story, however the story ends emphasizing the importance of a loving family over the kind of life wealth alone can bring. Just what a parent wants to read to their children! Plus, it's written in both English and Spanish! 5 stars

Illustrations: The illustrations are bright and as peppy as Pepe. They add a lot to the story and are very enjoyable. Read all the way to the end for more details on Jed Henry, the talented illustrator. 5 stars

Author Interview with Derek Taylor Kent, followed by an Illustrator interview with Jed Henry:

Author Derek Taylor Kent

Illustrator Jed Henry

Author Interview:

Valerie Harmon: Why did you choose to write a bilingual book?

Derek Taylor Kent: In my travels around California promoting my middle-grade series Scary School, I found that there are many schools out there that are becoming officially dual immersion in both English and Spanish, and a huge portion of my Scary School audience were Latino kids, yet they had very little representation in the children's book market. With that in mind, I happened to be dating a Nicaraguan girl named Gabriela a few years back who also had a wonderful dog, and somehow the phrase "El Perro con Sombrero" popped into my head and it became a running joke with us. Well, we broke up, but afterward I got my own dog whose hilarious antics had me laughing all day. Inspired by my new pup, I turned the El Perro con Sombrero idea into a reality and Gabriela was kind enough to translate it into Spanish. Plus I finally had a book that I felt was very badly needed in the Spanish-speaking community so prevalent in California and elsewhere.

VH: What are three of your favorite children's books?

DTK: Among picture Books: If I Ran the Circus by Dr. Suess, Animal House by Candace Ryan,   and The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein.

                

As for Chapter Books: The Harry Potter series, Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar, and Shark Wars by EJ Altbacker.

           

VH: How did you connect with your illustrator?

DTK: I didn't have to! The publisher hires the illustrator and works with their art director in creating the illustrations. Luckily, they did a fantastic job!

VH: What are three of your favorite books over all?

DTK: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Ready Player One by Ernest Cline, and Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut.

  

What advice do you have for people who want to write children's books?


Do tons and tons of research. Read all the reference guides on not only how to write for children but how to pitch it to agent and publishers and eventually how to market them. If possible, try to have an original concept and make it funny!

VH: How did you get published with Holt/MacMillan?

DTK: I have a great agent named Eric Myers, who discovered me back from my first middle-grade novels and got those rolling, but we had been unable to sell my first few picture books. I sent him El Perro con Sombrero and it just seemed to connect right away. There were offers from several publishers, all of whom had different ideas on how they would create and market it. Holt seemed like the best fit. I've also been a fan of everything Holt has done and my author friends have had great experiences with them, so I was thrilled to be able to work with them.

VH: What do you do to market your books?

DTK: I do a crazy amount of marketing, which seems to astonish all the other authors out there.

When my first book came out I hired a book publicist. That was VERY expensive, but I learned what they did and realized if I was willing to put in the time and effort, I could do most of what they did myself.

I contacted all the best online book bloggers, all the local bookstores, and even many of the local schools. The book blogger features and reviews got the viral side of the campaign going, but most of the sales were coming from grass roots marketing. That includes creating a show/presentation, so schools will have me do a visit and perform at an assembly.

Then I will usually do a signing afterward or go to their book fair. The bookstores like Barnes and Noble and Books Inc do many book fairs with local schools, so I get to know the Community Relations Managers (CRMs) and then they'll pitch me to schools that they work with.

Once book fair season starts up, I'll be doing two or three school visits per week all over California and sometimes I'll travel to New York and Chicago as well. I've even done shows in Minnesota when a very enthusiastic school invited me to visit and created a whole Scary School day where the teachers and students dressed up as the characters. That came from just communicating with my fans who wrote to me and responding to visit requests.

VH: What's your favorite breed of dog and why?

DTK: Of course my own dog, Zander, who's an Italian Greyhound. I think he's the perfect dog for me. He's high energy, so he keeps me active. Friendly as can be. Never barks. Doesn't shed much. Doesn't smell. Never needs grooming. And is cute as can be. I also like  , Labrodors, and I had a great Bedlington Terrier growing up. But all dogs are special in their own way.

VH: If you were a dog, what breed would it be?

DTK: Maybe a whippet, the bigger version of the Italian Greyhound. They're some of the best at winning Frisbee catching competitions and I think I'd like that.

Illustrator Interview:

Illustrator Jed Henry

Valerie Harmon: What medium did you use to illustrate El Perro Con Sombrero?

Jed Henry: This book is 100% digital watercolor. No pigments were harmed in the making of this book - but billions of electrons were sacrificed.

VH: How did you become an illustrator?

JH: I studied animation in college, and after graduating, decided to do books instead. I put together a portfolio, found an agent, and the rest is history.

VH: Who are three of your favorite artists?

JH: Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, John Singer Sargent, and Takeuchi Seiho.

Tsukioka Yoshitoshi

John Singer Sargent

Takeuchi Seiho

VH: What is your preferred medium?

JH: Watercolor or Photoshop, or a combination of the two.

VH: What advice do you have for people who want to illustrate children's books?

JH: Don't go to the library for inspiration - go to the book store. Look at the New York Time's bestseller's list. That is your competition. Vanquish them.

VH: What are three of your favorite children's books?

JH: Anything by John. J. Muth. He's a delight.

VH: What are the most important art classes for an illustrator?

JH: In the end, artists need to educate themselves. Teachers can only give you 10% of your knowledge. The rest is experience, observation and practice.

To buy the full-color eBook version (softcover also available) click here for Amazon.

Go here for Derek Taylor Kent's website, here for his book website (with select book pages), here to see him on Facebook, and here to follow him on Twitter.

Go here for Jed Henry's website, here for his blog, and here to follow him on Twitter.

Thank you Derek Taylor Kent and Jed Henry.

~Valerie Harmon