Everyone knows it: good things come in pairs. Peanut butter and jelly, hugs and kisses, fun and games, Batman and Robin. The same holds true in children’s literature. A strong author/illustrator team is behind many great books for kids. And, quite a few of these creators have teamed up in their personal lives as well as in their work. Enter…Couples Who Collaborate—Children and Libraries’ feature interview with thriving author/illustrator partners. Couples Who Collaborate has been sharing stories and insights from these dynamic duos for several years now. In this CAL Rewind, we present several interviews from 2018.
Team Ransome at Work & Play
Couples Who Collaborate: James Ransome and Lesa Cline-Ransome
by Jennifer Gibson
James Ransome and Lesa Cline-Ransome are a prolific creative team. They have produced numerous award-winning picture books together. Their collaborative titles include Satchel Paige, Quilt Alphabet, Words Set Me Free: The Story of Young Frederick Douglass, and Light in the Darkness, among others. The Ransomes took time to speak with Jennifer Gibson about their creative processes, the impact of their books, and what they like to do in their downtime.
Page Turns, Picture Books, and a Giant Squid
Couples Who Collaborate: Candace Fleming and Eric Rohmann
by Jennifer Gibson
Author Candace’s work ranges from picture books to young adult titles. She has won the Boston Globe Horn Book Award (twice) and a Golden Kite Award, among other honors. Her illustrator husband, Eric, won the 2003 Caldecott Medal and a 1995 Caldecott Honor. Together, they have created numerous books including Giant Squid, a 2017 Sibert Honor Book. In this article, they talk about their favorite collaborations, research processes, and more.
A Match Made in Zines
Couples Who Collaborate: Matthew Cordell and Julie Halpern
by Jennifer Gibson
Before ever meeting in person, Matthew was acquainted with Julie’s work in zines. He began writing to her while working on his own zine release party. Their relationship only grew from there. The married couple has collaborated on one picture book together, Toby and the Snowflakes (2004), and both continue to enjoy successful careers in children’s book publishing. In this interview, they speak on influences, inspirations, and dream projects.
Children and Libraries offers a range of articles, from interviews like these, to stories on successful programming, to scholarly research. Visit the journal online at https://journals.ala.org/index.php/cal. Issues and articles over a year old are open and accessible to all.
This post addresses ALSC Core Competency of Professional Development.