Monday, April 25, 2011
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Evolution of LIKE PICKLE JUICE ON A COOKIE cover
I had a bad August.
A very bad August.
As bad as pickle juice on a cookie.
As bad as a spider web on your leg.
As bad as the black parts on a banana.
I hope your August was better.
I really do.
As bad as pickle juice on a cookie.
As bad as a spider web on your leg.
As bad as the black parts on a banana.
I hope your August was better.
I really do.
When Eleanor's beloved babysitter, Bibi, has to move away to take care of her ailing father, Eleanor must try to bear the summer without Bibi and prepare for the upcoming school year. Her new, less-than-perfect babysitter just isn't up to snuff, and she doesn't take care of things like Bibi used to. But as the school year looms, it's time for new beginnings. Eleanor soon realizes that she will always have Bibi, no matter how far away she is.
Written in a lyrical style with thoughtful and charming illustrations throughout by Matthew Cordell.
Here are a few of Matthew Cordell's first round sketches.
Written in a lyrical style with thoughtful and charming illustrations throughout by Matthew Cordell.
Here are a few of Matthew Cordell's first round sketches.
As you might have guessed the title wasn't working for us.It worked for the story but was just to "quiet."
A list of new possible title was drawn up.
A Letter from Bibi
Waiting for Bibi (she is waiting for the letter after all)
Missing Bibi
Bibi and Me and Our Very Bad August
A Letter from My Bibi
My Life Without My Bibi
Where Old Babysitters Go to Retire
when they Get Sick of Brats, and Why
Kids and the Babysitters that Leave Them
Dealing with an Absent Babysitter
Home Alone
and finally
Like Pickle Juice on a Cookie
Pickle Juice on a Cookie was just odd enough to be enticing. I love it!
Our designer Melissa Arnst rang up Matthew to tell him the new title news.
He then began sketching.
Yet still nothing was clicking.
Melissa start working up other ideas with Matthew's interior art. Our goal was to up the cuteness factor as well as remaining true to the story. Yet this cover seemed to close to another book design. So we took another look.
We combed through the interior art looking for answers. I was sure they were there somewhere.
We combed through the interior art looking for answers. I was sure they were there somewhere.
We replayed the title over and over in our heads. Like Pickle Juice on a Cookie was so attention getting we needed an image that would be able to hold its own.
Closer. But still to quiet
Too much scenery.
The answer presented its self on a very small illustration hiding out on the title page art.
Too much scenery.The answer presented its self on a very small illustration hiding out on the title page art.
Melissa and I then combined her previous sketch with the pickle jar idea and KABLAM!
We had ourselves a sweet cover idea!
Next step: Add type and tweak. (Like many other covers on both the Abrams Books for Young Readers and Amulet Books imprints we asked Matthew for to hand draw the type on the cover. I feel it gives a cover that extra push to being unique. Plus it helps the art and the type look like the belong together.)
Matthews final inked art
Now with color!
And the final!
Front Jacket
Back Jacket
Julie Sternberg, formerly a public-interest lawyer, is a graduate of the New School's MFA program in writing for children. This is her first novel. She lives in Brooklyn. Matthew Cordell is the illustrator of Trouble Gum. He lives in Chicago.
Here is a sneak peek a Julie and Matt's next book
On sale SPRING 2013!!
Praise for Like Pickle Juice on a Cookie
“Eleanor’s ingenuous free-verse monologue should strike a chord with readers, especially those who may have had to cope with the loss of a loved one. Cordell’s halftone cartoons convey the story’s pathos and humor, as well as Eleanor’s changeable moods.” –Publishers Weekly
“Cordell’s winsome cartoon drawings complement the text without overcrowding the verse. It tells a simple, poignant story that will resonate with any child who has ever had to say good-bye.” –Booklist
“This first novel is a promising debut. Eleanor’s concerns, not only about her babysitter, but also about playmates, friends and a new school year will be familiar to readers, who will look forward to hearing more about her life.” –Kirkus Reviews
“Sternberg hits all the right notes here, capturing a sensitive kid’s first experience of loss with tender respectfulness and full acknowledgment that separation is a bereavement too. Sprightly line drawings, with the same perky homeyness as the story, add visual energy.” –Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
“Heartfelt, accessible, and energetic…” –Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
"This heartwarming novel and its winsome cartoon-like illustrations draw readers right into the story. Children would enjoy this short chapter book as an independent read, but it would also be a particularly good choice for parents to read to or with their children." –BookPage
“Cordell’s winsome cartoon drawings complement the text without overcrowding the verse. It tells a simple, poignant story that will resonate with any child who has ever had to say good-bye.” –Booklist
“This first novel is a promising debut. Eleanor’s concerns, not only about her babysitter, but also about playmates, friends and a new school year will be familiar to readers, who will look forward to hearing more about her life.” –Kirkus Reviews
“Sternberg hits all the right notes here, capturing a sensitive kid’s first experience of loss with tender respectfulness and full acknowledgment that separation is a bereavement too. Sprightly line drawings, with the same perky homeyness as the story, add visual energy.” –Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
“Heartfelt, accessible, and energetic…” –Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
"This heartwarming novel and its winsome cartoon-like illustrations draw readers right into the story. Children would enjoy this short chapter book as an independent read, but it would also be a particularly good choice for parents to read to or with their children." –BookPage
Authors: By Julie Sternberg, illustrated by Matthew Cordell
Imprint: Amulet Books
ISBN: 0-8109-8424-5
EAN: 9780810984240
Availability: In Stock
Publishing Date: 3/1/2011
Trim Size: 5 1/2 x 7 1/2
Page Count: 128
Cover: Hardcover with jacket
Illustrations: 50 B&W illustrations
Be sure to follow @abramskids on Twitter and Instagram!
Imprint: Amulet Books
ISBN: 0-8109-8424-5
EAN: 9780810984240
Availability: In Stock
Publishing Date: 3/1/2011
Trim Size: 5 1/2 x 7 1/2
Page Count: 128
Cover: Hardcover with jacket
Illustrations: 50 B&W illustrations
Be sure to follow @abramskids on Twitter and Instagram!
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Evolution of the SIDEKICKS Jacket
Batman has Robin, Wonder Woman has Wonder Girl, and Phantom Justice has Bright Boy, a.k.a. Scott Hutchinson, an ordinary schoolkid by day and a superfast, superstrong sidekick by night, fighting loyally next to his hero.
But after an embarrassing incident involving his too-tight spandex costume, plus some signs that Phantom Justice may not be the good guy he pretends to be, Scott begins to question his role. With the help of a fellow sidekick, once his nemesis, Scott must decide if growing up means being loyal or stepping boldly to the center of things.
But after an embarrassing incident involving his too-tight spandex costume, plus some signs that Phantom Justice may not be the good guy he pretends to be, Scott begins to question his role. With the help of a fellow sidekick, once his nemesis, Scott must decide if growing up means being loyal or stepping boldly to the center of things.
Sidekicks, here is a project that I thought would be easy. After all its comics related and I spent a good portion of my high school career face down in them (nerd!). So this should be a no brainer! Wrong. The problem turned out to be I was thinking to much. Stupid me. Here is a little tale of the Sidekicks cover.
After seeing Kick-Ass I really wanted this book to have a similar design approach. If not just totally ripping off the branding. Horrible to admit but true. My admiration would be followed soon with problems.
After seeing Kick-Ass I really wanted this book to have a similar design approach. If not just totally ripping off the branding. Horrible to admit but true. My admiration would be followed soon with problems.
Only difference we didn't have actors so I enlisted Greg Horn to start work on sketches of our hero. Greg had just finished work on Jack's other book The Big Splash which was now in paperback. ( For more on the evolution of The Big Splash in hard cover by Nathan Fox click here)
Below are the samples of Greg's work that won me over.
In Greg's first sketches we wanted to show a close up like the Kick-Ass posters but show be able to show the idea of puberty which our characters are battling through out the story.
With more detail . . .
. . . angrier . . . more braces!
A quick type sample for a sales meeting
After several meeting we were approved to go to final.
However, something was working. Was the Kick-Ass idea not translating? Yep! Just goes to show you when something works it might not work again in another context.In a desperate attempt to save Greg Horn's fantastic painting. I started playing around with out compositions and type placements. As you can see the type is very rough. At this stage I will place rough type in to just get a since of composition. Later I will go in a finalize the look of the type.
A comment kept coming up that seeing the both Sidekicks was desired. But now what was this cover about? There seemed to be to much going on.
I moved the character in black (Monkeywrench) to the back cover and concentrated on making the cover work with just Bright Boy. The idea here is secret identity revealed.
But turns out this idea was also to busy. Even though I was really into the type layout.
Here are simpler composition, yet none really say anything about the book
Here are simpler composition, yet none really say anything about the book
Galley cover design
At this point we decide to start from scratch and enlist our old friend Joshua Middleton ( who illustrated the Jacket of the Unknowns) for help. Our new approach was how to show that he was a sidekick. Joshua immediately sent us sketches.
In the hero's shadow.
This approach like everything before was to conceptual. And in the end we just wanted a cover that was action packed. Like I do on many covers I wanted the type to be part of the illustration.
I asked Josh to have Bright Boy kicking the type. These are his takes on that suggestion.
Nice, but too much crotch.
Like every good superhero you need good branding. What to do with a lightning bolt symbol that Shazam and the Flash won't send there crack pot team of copyright layers after us. below is what we came up with
At this point we started going back to the idea of both Sidekicks on the cover. After all the title is SIDEKICKS plural.
Still to0 much crotch!
Now with less crotch!
Here is Joshua's color sketch
At this stage everything is coming together. Except the type.
Better but missing the author's name Do'h!
Full jacket design
Now with less crotch!
Here is Joshua's color sketch
At this stage everything is coming together. Except the type.
Better but missing the author's name Do'h!
Full jacket design
Spot Gloss layer ( all the areas in black are gloss)
Case design
About the book
Batman has Robin, Wonder Woman has Wonder Girl, and Phantom Justice has Bright Boy, a.k.a. Scott Hutchinson, an ordinary schoolkid by day and a superfast, superstrong sidekick by night, fighting loyally next to his hero.
But after an embarrassing incident involving his too-tight spandex costume, plus some signs that Phantom Justice may not be the good guy he pretends to be, Scott begins to question his role. With the help of a fellow sidekick, once his nemesis, Scott must decide if growing up means being loyal or stepping boldly to the center of things.
But after an embarrassing incident involving his too-tight spandex costume, plus some signs that Phantom Justice may not be the good guy he pretends to be, Scott begins to question his role. With the help of a fellow sidekick, once his nemesis, Scott must decide if growing up means being loyal or stepping boldly to the center of things.
Praise for Sidekicks
*STARRED REIVEW*
“Scott’s present-tense narration keeps pedal to the metal from start to finish, and readers will be quickly won over as the two super-strong, super-fast, super-likable protagonists face both inner conflicts and a Dark Knight–ish villain as deeply psychotic and scary as he is super powerful. Look for more twists than a pretzel factory and a possible sequel.” –Kirkus Reviews, starred review
*STARRED REVIEW*
“A delightfully clever take on superheroes with this unpredictable adventure. Engaging territory as Ferraiolo reveals the story’s true depths.” –Publishers Weekly, starred review
“An exciting, lightning-paced superhero plot that is also a thoughtful examination of superheroism.”
–The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
“Ferraiolo starts the cape-flying action right from the opening pages. Ferraiolo is delightfully unafraid to inject irreverence into the superhero formula, adding plenty of humor to the high adventure high jinks.”
–Booklist
Jack D. Ferraiolo is the author of The Big Splash. He grew up in southern Connecticut and lives in northern Massachusetts. As the head of development at a children’s animation production company, he has developed and writes for WordGirl on PBS, for which he won an Emmy. Visit him online at www.jackferraiolo.com.
Authors: By Jack D. Ferraiolo
Imprint: Amulet Books
ISBN: 0-8109-9803-3
EAN: 9780810998032
Availability: In Stock
Publishing Date: 5/1/2011
Trim Size: 5 1/2 x 8 1/4
Page Count: 320
Cover: Hardcover with jacket
Imprint: Amulet Books
ISBN: 0-8109-9803-3
EAN: 9780810998032
Availability: In Stock
Publishing Date: 5/1/2011
Trim Size: 5 1/2 x 8 1/4
Page Count: 320
Cover: Hardcover with jacket