Chana Stiefel
Chana Stiefel is the author and Susan Gal is the illustrator of the new children's picture book Awe!. Their other books include The Tower of Life.
Q: What inspired you to write Awe!?
CS: Since I was a child, I’ve always loved exploring nature, hiking in the wilderness, kayaking in mangroves, watching sunsets at the beach, and experiencing close encounters with wildlife. But I never could explain why I love those experiences so much.
In 2023, I listened to a podcast with Dr. Dacher Keltner, a professor of psychology at Berkeley who was talking about “the one emotion that might be the key to happiness.” And that’s AWE!
I was immediately drawn to the new research on awe and how it can change the way we think and feel. Experiencing awe can lessen our anxiety, make us more curious and creative, and connect us to other people. Which is exactly what we need right now! Whenever I get excited about a topic like awe, I know it’s time to write a new book.
Susan Gal, photo by Emilee Orton
Q: What do you think Susan Gal’s illustrations add to the book?
CS: I’m in awe of Susan’s stunning illustrations. Every spread is a masterpiece, which I hope will not only inspire awe in our readers, but also have the ripple effects that experiencing awe creates.
For example, take a look at the beautiful spread showing diverse people painting a gorgeous mural together. The swirling colors leap off the page. The text reads: “Awe wakes you, shakes you, calls you to create! In unity, community, so much to celebrate!”
My hope is that after readers see Susan’s AWEsome illustrations, they will be inspired to create their own works of art, maybe even together with friends, new and old.
What’s more, I recently read Awe! as a bedtime story to my very bouncy niece. I asked her how she felt afterward and she said, “Calm.” I can think of no greater compliment to Susan than saying that her artwork has a powerful, calming effect on children.
Q: How did you create the illustrations for the book?
SG: Chana mentioned that she had written a story with my illustrations in mind. When I read her manuscript for Awe! I was immediately taken with her language and the fantastic way she presented awe. When my head starts spinning with images while I’m reading a manuscript I know that that story is special.
I spent several weeks experimenting with paint, ink, and pencils, trying to capture those experiences of awe that Chana describes in the story. I tried to not simply “paint” awe but really struggled to have the reader feel and understand awe.
It is my hope that our book will give a reader the vision and language to search and describe their own moments of awe. As we say in the book—awe is truly all around us.
Q: The Kirkus Review of the book says, “Countless picture books teach children to identify and explore feelings; this title stands out for its focus on one that few other stories have considered: awe.” What do you think of that description?
CS: I’m honored to help fill in this gap on bookshelves. If you’ve ever taken a walk with a toddler, you know that they stop to study every leaf and acorn. Everything is new to them, making them natural repositories of awe.
As they develop language skills, it’s important for children to have words to describe their feelings. So when kids see leaves, acorns, a beautiful butterfly, or rainbow and they say, “Ooh! Ahh! Whoa!” they can now describe that emotion as “awe.”
Also, with our busy lives and so much screen time, it’s important for families to take a break, slow down, and appreciate the awe surrounding us. By introducing the concept of awe in a picture book, we hope that children and their grownups will take “awe walks” or “awe-ventures” and make them part of their regular practice.
Q: What do you hope kids take away from the book?
CS: I hope that children open their minds and hearts to experiencing awe every day, everywhere—in nature, art, music, architecture, spirituality, and most of all, in other people. The sources of awe (and their benefits) are endless.
Q: What are you working on now?
CS: I’m working on a follow-up book to Awe!, and I’m plotting (and plodding) away on my first historical fiction middle grade novel.
SG: I’m working on illustrating a delightful book with a dragon, a clever girl, and pirates—-I love designing zany characters and marvelous adventures.
Q: Anything else we should know?
CS: Susan and I are both so grateful to have worked on this book together. Everyone is invited to celebrate with us at our launch party at Books of Wonder in NYC on Thursday, March 26 at 6 p.m.
Also, I’ve worked with Sari Kopitnikoff, a wonderful educator, to create two educational guides to Awe!, available free for download from my website. They are packed with coloring pages, writing activities, and many additional resources. Click here and scroll down: https://chanastiefel.com/books/awe/
--Interview with Deborah Kalb
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