The Hallelujah Flight...My Next Picture Book...Coming Soon!
So my next picture book comes out a year from now. It's called "The Hallelujah Flight." It's a fictionalized account ("faction" -- part fact, part fiction) of the first African-American to fly a plane across the United States.
This week, I had the pleasure of seeing the original art. It looks amazing! I went to the Penguin offices, and my incredible editor John and his assistant, Shaunna, had displayed the art for me in the conference room.
Then we went to work! We made full color copies of the art (when I say "we," I mean, "they"... I'm not TOUCHING the originals) and placed them next to the original paintings. Then we placed the text on the copies, matching words to art. In some places, the art told the story, so we were able to delete words. We also made lots of edits.
This is the image we're hoping to use for the cover. It's one of my favorites. Then again, I think I said that about a half dozen of the paintings.
The amazing artist who painted these images is John Holyfied. A few years back, he painted a book about Bessie Coleman. It should've been considered for the Coretta Scot King Award, but it wasn't because the author was white. That's one rule/policy that NEEDS to change. I'm hoping it does by 2010. I hope the Hallelujah Flight gets to change the game!
This week, I had the pleasure of seeing the original art. It looks amazing! I went to the Penguin offices, and my incredible editor John and his assistant, Shaunna, had displayed the art for me in the conference room.
Then we went to work! We made full color copies of the art (when I say "we," I mean, "they"... I'm not TOUCHING the originals) and placed them next to the original paintings. Then we placed the text on the copies, matching words to art. In some places, the art told the story, so we were able to delete words. We also made lots of edits.
This is the image we're hoping to use for the cover. It's one of my favorites. Then again, I think I said that about a half dozen of the paintings.
The amazing artist who painted these images is John Holyfied. A few years back, he painted a book about Bessie Coleman. It should've been considered for the Coretta Scot King Award, but it wasn't because the author was white. That's one rule/policy that NEEDS to change. I'm hoping it does by 2010. I hope the Hallelujah Flight gets to change the game!