Yevgenia Nayberg is the author and illustrator of the new children's picture book Typewriter, which focuses on a Russian language typewriter brought to the United States. Her other books include Anya's Secret Society. She grew up in Kiev, and lives in New York City.
Q: When you were creating Typewriter, did you work on the pictures or the text first, or
both simultaneously?
A: The idea for the story usually comes first, but I
begin to imagine the art right after. I try to envision the whole book before I
finalize the text, not just the illustrations, but also page design and the relationship
between the text and the image.
Q: What do you hope kids take away from the story?
A: Life could get tough, but it might have a happy
surprise for you when you least expect it.
Q: The book's Kirkus review calls it "A gentle,
unusual take on the immigration story." What do you think of that
assessment?
A: The story is told from the point of view of the
Russian Typewriter, which, I guess, qualifies it as unusual.
Gentle is a very broad term, so, perhaps, this is how
my love for the characters manifests itself. I emphasize with all of them,
human and mechanical alike.
Q: What are you working on now?
A: I am illustrating a graphic novel and two picture
books. I have also just completed my new picture book. It’s a humorous story
about changing relationships to heritage, identity, and oneself. I hope it
finds its home soon.
Q: Anything else we should know?
A: My new picture book, Mona Lisa in New York, a
love story between a snobbish Renaissance beauty and a New York graffiti man,
is coming out in March from Prestel Jr. It is my love letter to New York City, the
Renaissance, and street art.
--Interview with Deborah Kalb
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