Sophie Blackall was awarded the prestigious Caldecott Medal in 2016 for Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World’s Most Famous Bear. It is the story of a vet who rescued a real bear who inspired the Winnie-the-Pooh stories we all know, and love.
Ms. Blackall researches, thinks about, and somehow makes the work appear effortless, in both the story telling and the artwork.
Her new picture book, Hello Lighthouse, is another perfect example of her devotion to the topic and her rendering of it for very young children. At Books Are Magic, on April 14th, she began welcoming us to her world of Hello Lighthouse by asking where a lighthouse might be. A very small boy said: ‘In the water.’ Of course! However, I can’t imagine a grown-up saying something so specifically apt.
In this story, Sophie highlights a common landmark that can be wondrous if examined closely enough. Two more fascinating things about Sophie Blackall’s involvement in lighthouses.
1- Using an old architectural drawing of the insides of a lighthouse, she felt confident when placing the kitchen, the bed, the items for storage and the hoist. Then she created a story about a lighthouse keeper and his family.
2- As part of her process in illustrating the books, she made a miniature model of a lighthouse for reference. But, generously, she chose to share this trinket with her readers. Secretly, she added a special note a copy of her book. The lucky reader who finds it can bring it back to Books are Magic to claim the lighthouse model. So thoughtful and kind. And fun! Who knows, the special book with the personal letter from Sophie may still be hidden in the shelves at Books are Magic!
