Chris Soentpiet (pronounced: soon-peet) is the recipient of a gold medal awarded by the Society of Illustrators; has received accolades from the International Reading Association, PARENTS magazine, the American Library Association, SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL, the Chicago TRIBUNE, the San Francisco CHRONICLE, and THE SMITHSONIAN; and has been recognized by the American Society of Portrait Artists Foundation. When not painting, Chris enjoys visiting schools across the country promoting the love of children’s literature and the arts. An honor graduate from the Pratt Institute of Art, he lives in New York City with his wife and kids. To learn more about Chris, visit his Web site at www.soentpiet.com.

Your most recent work is AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL: TOGETHER WE STAND. Can you tell us a little about the project and your involvement in it?

Ken Geist, an editor from Scholastic, approached me with a great concept. He wanted ten diverse and distinguished groups of children's book artists from different ethnic backgrounds and different art style to interpret the famous song "America the Beautiful." He believed using inspiring presidential quotes paired with the artwork deepens our experience of this beloved patriotic song.

I was delighted when he asked me to be a part of this project because I firmly believe America is truly a melting pot. I also knew a group of diverse artists would be able to capture the spirit of the song in our own unique artistic ways.

When you were eight, you and your sister were adopted by an American family, and the two of you relocated from your birthplace (South Korea) to your new home in Hawaii. Did growing up in such gorgeous, lush landscapes influence your art?

Seoul, Korea was basically a large city. However, when I was adopted to live in Hawaii, I was amazed at the luscious Hawaiian tropical landscape, especially the ocean with its vibrant colors. It must have subliminally stayed in the back of my mind because I try to replicate those crisp bright colors in my illustrations, even when painting people.

Your style pays homage to that of your idol, Norman Rockwell, and you describe your artistic process as being similar to his. What exactly is that process?

My idol Norman Rockwell and I have many similarities in our artwork:

ONE: We both love to paint people, especially faces of all races, genders, and ages.

TWO: To capture the realism, we both photograph real people to use as reference for our illustrations. We also use many different props, which we often make ourselves.

Also in many occasions, we paint our close friends, family, neighbors and even ourselves in the illustrations. I often dress them up in period costumes. This can be lots of fun.

THREE: Whenever possible, we both love going to the location where the actual story in the illustration takes place. For example, for my book MY BROTHER MARTIN I traveled to Atlanta, Georgia where the author Christine King-Farris, the older sister of Dr. Martin Luther King, showed me her childhood home where they grew up.

For SILVER PACKAGES I traveled to Malden West Virginia where the author Cynthia Rylant grew up. I sketched and took plenty of photographs of the beautiful Appalachian Mountains. I also interviewed and photographed many of the local town’s people. They even graciously invited me in to their homes (some I even used them as models in the book.)

By traveling to the locations, I get a real sense of the place, through sight, smell and even sound. In the end, the painting becomes that much more authentic.

FOUR: We both use colors and luminous lighting to create a believable atmosphere and mood. We want our viewers to be transported right into the illustrations and to feel the emotion of each character.

The only difference would be our actual medium. Norman Rockwell used oil paints, while I prefer using watercolor.

Nevertheless, our goal in end is the same. We both want to create a beautiful realistic work of art.

We’re honored that you’ll be presenting at this year’s Book and Author Luncheon, at IRA’s 58th Annual Convention in San Antonio, Texas. What can attendees expect from this event?

I am honored to be this year’s luncheon speaker! I hope to present an exciting and informative as well as entertaining presentation on my approach to creating picture books from concept to completion. I will also touch upon my personal stories, such as being adopted, and how it influenced me to become a children’s books artist. And I will also talk about the wonderful people especially teachers , who have guided me along the way to becoming an artist.

The theme of this year’s conference is “Celebrating Teachers Making a Difference.” Can you tell us about a teacher who made a difference in your life?

Many wonderful teachers along the way guided my path to becoming an artist. One is Mr. Ron Jansen, my high school teacher who I will talk about in my luncheon program.

The other teacher/mentor/friend is Ted Lewin. During my senior year at Pratt Institute, he and his wife Betsy Lewin gave a wonderful presentation about their artwork as guest lecturers. I was amazed at his illustrations. He did something unique with watercolors that I loved. Most realistic artists use only watercolors to paint landscapes, but he was able to paint people beautifully using watercolors and it fascinated me.

After his presentation, I nervously showed him my paintings. Upon reviewing my portfolio, he said, “Chris, through your pictures, you have a natural story telling ability—it conveys your skill as a children’s book illustrator.”

His words encouraged me to pursue a career as a full-time children’s books artist. He invited me to his home (ironically he lived across the street from me for years and I never knew that), and during my senior year he worked very closely with me to develop a solid portfolio of paintings which I presented to the publishers. He always told me I had “a fire in my belly”—a strong motivation. I will never forget his generosity and all that I have learned from him

Join Chris Soentpiet at IRA 2013 for this year’s Book and Author Luncheon on Monday, April 22, 2013, from 12 PM to 1:30 PM. Tickets can be purchased here.



5 Questions With... Salina Yoon (PENGUIN AND PINECONE)

In Other Words: Paneling with Susan Beth Pfeffer

Salina Yoon is the award-winning author and illustrator of the Penguin picture book series, featuring PENGUIN AND PINECONE, and the forthcoming PENGUIN ON VACATION and PENGUIN IN LOVE from Walker Books. She has also created nearly 200 novelty and board books for young children. She lives with her family in Southern California, but you can visit her online at www.salinayoon.com.

You’ve chronicled Penguin’s adventures on the Penguin and Pinecone blog. Do you always flesh out your characters beyond the pages of the book, or does Penguin hold a special place in your writerly heart?

Penguin is my first of many firsts. He is my first series character to star in my first story-based picture book, and first to be sculpted with clay and star in my first blog ever. He holds a very special place in my heart because of the stories Penguin inspires, and for challenging me to write them.

Lots of other “firsts” are happening in my career because of Penguin, like my participation at IRA next month!

You’ve written many novelty books for children, and you’ve cited interactivity and “play appeal” as important elements in this genre. How do those fun elements translate or get altered when writing a picture book like PENGUIN AND PINECONE?

In a novelty, I design the physical book to make them interactive with lift-flaps, soft things to touch, shiny accents, or a wheel to spin, which add to its play value.

For Penguin, my focus on play appeal changed to character appeal. I want my readers to fall in love with Penguin, the character, and follow him on his heartfelt adventures.

On your website you briefly chronicle some differences between your early childhood in Korea and that of your children in the US. How does your experience of young life in Korea and the United States inform your writing?

I strive to create books that appeal to all children on a universal level—not limited to certain cultures, generations or lifestyles. Penguin’s natural curiosity, his compassion, his joy, his sadness, his longing, [and] his wonderment, are universal emotions that can resonate with children everywhere.

You’ve said that you switch between illustration styles and between digital and hand drawing. How do you make the decision as to how you’ll tackle each project?

In my former life, I was an art director. It was my job to match in-house book projects with the right illustration style. I considered how well the style would work with the content of the book as well as its intended audience.

When I went off to write/illustrate my own books, my process stayed the same except that my pool of illustration styles were now limited to the ones I could create and the books were limited to the ones I could write.

You're appearing at IRA's 58th Annual Convention, where the theme is "Celebrating Teachers Making a Difference." Can you tell us about a teacher who made a difference in your life?

Mrs. Cook, my third grade teacher at Rosewood Elementary. I remember her with fondness for so many reasons, one of which is that she was pregnant. I had never seen a pregnant woman up close in my life at the time, and was mesmerized by her big round belly. She let curious students put our hands over her big baby bump so we could feel the baby kick. But it wasn’t just for that reason!

She expressed to me that I had a talent for art. I knew I liked art… but… talent? Mrs. Cook encouraged me to enter a bookmark drawing contest and helped me write up a slogan for it. I won first place in this contest, my first ever ART contest. This planted a seed in me—a desire to make art that grew and grew.

Thank you, Mrs. Cook, and all the other Mrs. Cook’s out there, planting the seeds!

Come see Salina Yoon co-present the symposium IRA Teachers' Choices Committee Presents: Making a Difference for Readers, Writers, and Artists by Connecting them with Authors and Illustrators who Create Books that Inspire, Motivate, and Delight, at IRA’s 58th Annual Convention on Monday, April 22, 2013.



5 Questions With... Jill Robinson (JASPER'S STORY)

5 Questions With... Melissa Sweet (BALLOONS OVER BROADWAY: THE TRUE STORY OF THE PUPPETEER OF THE MACY'S PARADE)

Jill Robinson MBE, Dr.med.vet. h.c. has been a pioneer of animal welfare in Asia since 1985 and is widely recognised as the world’s leading expert on the cruel bear bile industry, having campaigned against it since 1993. In 1998, she founded Animals Asia, an organisation that is devoted to ending the barbaric practice of bear bile farming and improving the welfare of animals in China and Vietnam by promoting compassion and respect for all animals, and working to bring about long-term change. From starting Animals Asia out of her front room, Jill has built the organisation into a respected international NGO with over 300 staff, an annual turnover of more than US$9 million, award-winning bear sanctuaries in China and Vietnam, headquarters in Hong Kong, and offices in Australia, China, Germany, Italy, the UK, US and Vietnam.

The sad practice of bear bile farming is central to JASPER’S STORY: SAVING MOON BEARS. Can you tell us about the origins of and efforts to stop this tradition?

More than 10,000 bears—mainly moon bears, but also sun bears and brown bears—are kept on bile farms in China, and around 2,400 in Vietnam. The bears are milked regularly for their bile, which is used in traditional medicine.

Bile is extracted using various painful, invasive techniques, all of which cause massive infection in the bears. This cruel practice continues despite the availability of a large number of effective and affordable herbal and synthetic alternatives.

My personal journey with the bears began following my first visit to a bear farm in 1993. On that memorable day, I joined a group of tourists and went "undercover" to investigate a practice I'd heard about, but never seen. There, in this horrible dark room, staring at row after row of caged and tortured bears…I had never seen such treatment of animals, or felt such shame of being a human being.

Walking past the cages, I suddenly felt something touch my shoulder. There was a female moon bear with her paw stretched through the bars of the cage. Without thinking of the consequences, I somewhat stupidly held her paw. Rather than hurting me, she gently squeezed my fingers and her beautiful brown eyes blinked sorrowfully into mine—with a message that was clear. I never saw her again, but that one bear, Hong, began the dream of the moon bear rescue campaign we now have today.

In 1998 I founded Animals Asia and today, we have rescued 285 bears in China and 112 bears in Vietnam. I love their quiet intelligence, their charismatic natures, and their forgiveness. They have a sense of fun out here in our grassy enclosures that defies their years of torture and suffering on the farms.

Animals Asia's strategy to end bear farming includes constructing and managing sanctuaries in China and Vietnam, reducing demand through working with the traditional medicine community, monitoring the legal and illegal trade in bear bile, running extensive public awareness campaigns highlighting the cruelty of the industry, and engaging with governments and policy makers in Asia and across the world.

You’ve dedicated your life to rescuing moon bears through the Animals Asia foundation. What makes the story of Jasper remarkable and in what ways does it represent the plight of other moon bears in Asia?

Jasper’s story is remarkable in that it simply and effectively exposes the reality of the bear farming industry. I will never forget the shock of seeing Jasper’s mutilated abdomen for the first time as he lay there helpless, vulnerable, and unable to move in his cage. Part of a group of 63 very sick bears, Jasper represented the gruesome truth of the trade which sees thousands of bears suffering on the farms.

As remarkable as Jasper is, we have come to learn that he is really no different to the nearly four hundred equally remarkable bears that we have rescued so far. It is hard to believe that they are crushed and abused on these hideous farms, but ultimately grow to forgive the same species that has caused them so much physical and psychological pain.

Jasper’s forgiveness especially is legendary and he is an extraordinary character. He welcomes new arrivals with the friendliness of an old patriarch and still finds time to rough and tumble with the juveniles in what we affectionately term a “bear bundle.” Almost every time I walk past where he sleeps out in the enclosure, I call his name and see his big Mickey Mouse ears prick up before he lifts his head and glances my way. It’s not long before he wanders over for some treats, and gently licks peanut butter from my fingers.

Jasper suffers from physical and emotional scars as a result of his treatment. How did you and your co-authors balance the severity of the abuse with enough hope that the story is appealing to young readers?

Co-author Marc Bekoff and I are great believers in the “individual,” and that one’s own compassion starts with being kind and respectful to every person or every animal you meet. In this way, whole species themselves can be protected by those influenced by just one bear, one dog, one tiger, or one bee. Every species has a role to play in the ecosystem and, as the species responsible for so much of the earth’s destruction, it is our moral duty to change and encourage others to change.

Jasper was given a second chance after being so badly abused on the farm and, through his forgiveness and charismatic nature, he now reaches out and influences the hearts and minds of everyone who reads his story. On a personal level, Jasper makes us realize why we are here—and I often say that he rescues us every bit as much as we rescued him.

What reaction do you hope for from readers who may have never seen a moon bear or been exposed to the practice of bear farming?

I hope that readers will connect with a beautiful, majestic bear who turns a life of misery into one of pleasure and hope, and whose story shows that every single one of us can make a difference. I hope that readers will reflect on the smallest things we can all do each and every day, which can help literally millions of animals across the world.

What are some of the best books and resources available for our members to educate their students about fighting animal cruelty and helping moon bears specifically?

The best resource is our website, which also contains a great kids’ page. Please visit www.animalsasia.org.

We also have a great Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/AnimalsAsia

There is a wonderful film about our rescue of bears: CAGES OF SHAME. It’s the revelatory account of Animals Asia’s rescue of 10 bears from a bile farm in China. Directed by Martin Guinness and featuring narration by Emmy Award-winning actor Peter Coyote, the emotional tale of success against all odds was the winner of the Humane Society of the United States 2011 ACE Documentary Film Grant. More on the film is available at the website www.cagesofshame.com.

For younger children, the books I would unhesitatingly recommend are:

KIDS & ANIMALS by Marc Bekoff, with a foreword by Jane Goodall
JASPER'S STORY: SAVING MOON BEARS by Jill Robinson and Marc Bekoff

For older students:

IGNORING NATURE NO MORE: THE CASE FOR COMPASSIONATE CONSERVATION, edited by Marc Bekoff
THE EMOTIONAL LIVES of Animals by Marc Bekoff
THE EXULTANT ARK by Jonathan Balcombe
Any of the books by Dr. Dame Jane Goodall!

Finally, our USA office can send more information to all inquiries. Email info@animalsasia.org or call (415) 677-9601.



5 Questions With... Wendy Henrichs (WHEN ANJU LOVED BEING AN ELEPHANT)

5 Questions With... Denise Brennan-Nelson (MAESTRO STU SAVES THE ZOO)