Gillian Sze is the author of the new children's picture book I Drew a Heart. Her other books include the picture book The Night Is Deep and Wide. Also a poet, she teaches creative writing and literature at Concordia University. She lives in Montreal.
Q: What inspired you to write I Drew a Heart?
A: I’m an avid drawer of hearts. I add them to my letters, to the fronts and backs of envelopes, and at the ends of names. I scribble them on napkins and in the margins of my books. In the winter, I’ll trace hearts in the snow while taking my kids to school.
When I taught my son to draw a heart, I loved how perfectly imperfect his hearts were, each heart coming out differently and yet all recognizably the same.
Q: What do you think Naoko Stoop’s illustrations add to the story?
A: I am a longtime fan of Naoko Stoop and have been reading her books to my kids for a while now. I love the softness in her art and the quiet magic of her colours.
While writing this manuscript, I could only picture everything in line drawings, but Naoko’s art gives each scene this gorgeous depth of hues and emotions.
Q: The Kirkus Review of the book called it a “tender story that feels like a cozy hug.” What do you think of that description?
A: I’m so touched by that reading. I wanted to write a book about love and creativity and family. The book is a celebration of all of that, so I’m glad it came through.
Q: What do you hope kids take away from the story?
A: I hope young readers can see how love is a wide range of sensations and experiences. I also hope that the story encourages them to make mistakes, embrace imperfections, and use their imaginations.
Q: What are you working on now?
A: I usually have a picture book and a poetry manuscript on the go. I just finished writing a poem about crabapple trees.
Q: Anything else we should know?
A: My next picture book comes out in 2025 with Groundwood Books. I look forward to sharing that with you soon.
--Interview with Deborah Kalb. Here's a previous Q&A with Gillian Sze.
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