Sunday, July 4, 2021

Q&A with Amalia Hoffman

 

 


Amalia Hoffman is the author and illustrator of the new children's picture book My Monsterpiece. Her other books include All Colors. She is based in New York.

 

Q: Did you work on the text or the illustrations first for My Monsterpiece--or both simultaneously?

 

A: Both simultaneously because in this book, the visuals are an integral part of the text.

 

Q: How did you first get interested in creating children's picture books, and how did you develop your artistic style?

 

A: When I was a kid, I slept in the same room with my two sisters. At night, my father would read us a bedtime story but he was so tired that he fell asleep in the middle, so we never knew what happened at the end. One day, I got the idea of writing my own story.

 

I actually don’t have one style. I use different techniques, depending what I want to write about, so I experimented with pencil, crayons, acrylics, finger paints, chalk, you name it. But whatever the media is, I always aim to make my art personal and original.


Q: The Kirkus Review of the book says, "The monster-creation plot is fun, but this is more an invitation to make art." Do you hope kids are inspired by this book to create their own art?

 

A: Yes, in fact many librarians and parents wrote to me that My Monsterpiece inspired their kids to get out the art supplies and create their own Monsterpiece.

 

Q: What are you working on now?

 

A: Another book, coming out by Yeehoo Press, March 1, 2022, and two PJ Library books, coming up in 2022.

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb

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