The Perfect Picture Book Buzz - Eric, Terry, and Devin Fan + Giveaway

I am so excited and honored to be able to spend some more time with all three of the amazingly talented, award-winning Fan Brothers!

(Devin, Eric, and Terry)

Terry Fan received his formal art training at Ontario College of Art and Design in Toronto, Canada. His work is a blend of traditional and contemporary techniques, using ink or graphite mixed with digital. He spends his days (and nights) creating magical paintings, portraits, and prints. Born in Illinois, he now lives in Toronto.

Eric Fan is an artist and writer who also lives in Toronto, Canada. Born in Hawaii and raised in Toronto, he attended the Ontario College of Art and Design, where he studied illustration, sculpture, and film. He has a passion for vintage bikes, clockwork contraptions, and impossible dreams.

Devin Fan is an artist, poet and community worker who has a passion for nature, adventures, and kung fu from Meaford, Ontario.

Book cover - mouse-sized elephant inside a glass bell jar.

Their first picture book collaboration, The Barnabus Project (2020), won the $50,000 2024 TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award and is the 2020 Governor General’s Literary Award Winner.

Terry and Eric are Sendak Fellows and Kate Greenaway Medal nominees. Their work is a blend of traditional and contemporary techniques, using ink or graphite mixed with digital. They are the co-authors/illustrators of the widely acclaimed The Night Gardener (2016), as well as Lizzy and the Cloud (2022), It Fell From the Sky (2021), and Ocean Meets Sky (2018). They are also the illustrators of The Scarecrow by Beth Ferry (2019), The Antlered Ship by Dashka Slater (2017), and The Darkest Dark by Chris Hadfield (2016).

Book cover - Giant Owl's face in the sky behind a city skyline.

And Eric is the author of Night Lunch, illustrated by Dena Seiferling (2022).

For additional information, see our earlier interview (here), (here), and (here).

Their newest picture book collaboration, Barnaby Unboxed!, releases on September 3rd.

Welcome back, Terry, Eric, and Devin! It’s great to visit with you all again.

Thank you, Maria! It’s lovely to talk with you again.

Hi Maria, I’m so happy to catch up with you!

Let's get started. In general, what helps you each to be inspired?

Terry – That’s always a tricky question because inspiration can spring from so many different sources. But, when I think about it, many of our books were inspired by stand-alone illustrations done long before we ever got into picture books. Eric and I got our start doing t-shirt designs, and a successful t-shirt design is like a miniature narrative. It needs to convey an idea at a glance, so in a funny way, it was excellent preparation for writing picture books. An image with a solid conceptual “hook” and that kind of narrative density is always a great springboard for a story. As far as activities that help with inspiration or problem-solving, I’ve always found walking to be helpful for some reason. I suspect it’s due to increased blood-flow to the brain. For example, Eric and I came up with the basic story and structure for Lizzy and the Cloud while we were out on a walk. It makes me wonder – if we hadn’t gone out for a walk that evening, would the book exist today?

Eric – Inspiration is one of those funny things where you never know quite where it comes from or what might have prompted it. I’ve found that it’s not a passive thing, and usually comes during the process of working on something. When you’ve hit a wall or have writer’s block, forging ahead through that difficulty is often the only way to shake loose new ideas. That’s not to say you can’t occasionally get an unprompted idea – the proverbial lightning bolt – but generally, the old adage about inspiration is true: that work doesn’t come from inspiration; inspiration comes from work (or something like that).

Devin – I’m often inspired by my dreams. Even more so lately because I’ve been paying much closer attention to them and recording them. I’m so intrigued by dream worlds and the images that spring out of the subconscious. I think that dreams are our gateway into the Spirit World, and there’s so much you can learn from them. There are so many things I’d love to share – visions and landscapes that I’ve seen in my dreams, but I often don’t feel I have the skill to do them justice!

You guys made some great t-shirts! We should never underestimate the power of fresh air, dreams, and doing the work! So, tell me, what was your specific inspiration for Barnaby Unboxed!?

Book cover - fuzzy,mouse-sized, pink elephant stands on his box.

Eric – When we were writing The Barnabus Project, Barnaby wasn’t even a character in the original book until Terry suggested that we needed the perfect version of Barnabus so that he could come face-to-face with his own nemesis at some point. When the idea for a sequel came up, we wanted to do something completely different yet still related to the first book.

Terry – We landed on the idea of a sequel that would start and end with almost the same two spreads as The Barnabus Project, but from a different and unique perspective. I think we pitched the book as kind of an homage to the fallen star trope – All About Eve, Sunset Boulevard. It seemed like a funny way to approach the story and slip in some of the themes we wanted to explore.

Internal spread - park scene with all the escaped experimental critters and Barnabus peeks from the base of the tree at the girl walking Barnaby on a leash.

[Barnabus peeks from the base of the tree at the girl walking a pink Barnaby on a leash.]

Devin – I love the idea that you can take one element from a picture and follow it, like following a cat on its adventures for the day. In this case, at the end of The Barnabus Project, we see this little Barnaby going on his own adventure with the little girl in the park. How did he get there? What is his story? Is life really so perfect for a perfect pet? It’s cool to me how, with any picture you look at, you could create a whole world around what at first appears to be a side character.

I agree it's really cool to imagine stories for side characters! I also love that you start Barnaby Unboxed! with the repairs to the "Perfect Pets" store. And as you noted in our earlier interview (about the The Barnabus Project), your father's cameo in the park, makes this spread an extra special part of both stories. Selfishly, I'd love to see more books exploring the amazing characters you've created in these books! Was there any difference in the style or method of your collaboration for Barnaby Unboxed! versus the first book, The Barnabus Project? Did you divide the work specifically, or did you all work, brainstorm, and create together?

Devin – I think we have worked together for so long on different projects, including failed projects, that we have developed our own rhythm! Eric, Terry, and I wrote screenplays together for many years and even had an agent in Hollywood for a while. Our brainstorming sessions remind me of how we still approach writing stories together, with everyone contributing ideas. There’s a Darwinian survival of the best ideas at play, and we’ve learned to put our individual egos aside in service of that. [😊]

Terry – The work wasn’t specifically divided up; it was more of a free-flowing, organic process. And, yes, there is always a lot of brainstorming! It comes naturally to us, because as Devin said, we’ve worked on many projects together before getting into picture books. Eric and I made our first book together before we even knew how to read or write. It was called Many Years Ago, a book about dinosaurs that we drew in crayons. Our mom helped us write out the text and bind the book together. By some miracle, the book survived all these years intact. Over the years, we have collaborated on various other projects together.

Eric – It was similar to how we developed The Barnabus Project. Most of the ideas and story were derived from similar brainstorming sessions and blocking things out in the dummy. It’s usually during the process of creating a visual dummy that we start to see how the text and images are working together.

What a privilege to have such a great collaboration. And really fun to be able to look back at that first book. I wonder if your mom had any inkling where it would lead? How many revisions did it take to get for the illustrations and/or the text of Barnaby Unboxed! to go from first draft to publication?

Eric – There were two significant story edits and a lot of smaller changes from the first draft to publication. In the original dummy, the girl who first purchases Barnaby is a different girl than the one who finds him at the end. In the second draft, we decided to make that a single character so that she and Barnaby go through their own character arcs that dovetail together at the end.

Terry – When we’re working on the finished art, there were innumerable revisions as we went along. What I’ve learned over the years is that it’s crucial to remain flexible throughout the entire process. This can be painful because it often involves discarding something that took a lot of time and effort. But sometimes starting from scratch is the best way to go because it frees one up to approach a problem from a whole new angle. There were a few tough spreads in Barnaby Unboxed! where it became necessary. [😊]

Devin – Although Barnaby Unboxed! changed significantly along the way, it kept its original spirit. There were lots of changes, though. In the original, Barnaby meets a Green Barnaby on his way to being recycled into a Rainbow Barnaby! [Oh no!]

Revisions are hard enough for "beloved" lines of text, I can't begin to imagine the anguish of redoing an entire image. What was the hardest thing for each of you about writing and/or illustrating Barnaby Unboxed!?

Terry – It was challenging to ensure stylistic consistency with the first book. It’s years between books, and our styles and techniques naturally evolve. We wanted people to be able to read both books seamlessly. I think we were mostly successful, and it’s surprising how well they go together considering the time between them. Also, just the sheer number of illustrations was daunting because, like The Barnabus Project, Barnaby Unboxed! is double the length of a typical picture book.

Eric – Yes, I think the hardest part was keeping the book consistent with the first book. It’s tricky to go back to the original book and be true to its specific mood and aesthetic. The story was a challenge, too, in the sense that we wanted to distinguish it from the first book while also being true to the themes and ideas.

Devin – It’s going to sound silly, but I was stuck on the idea of it ending up with the spread of Barnaby going for a walk in the park with the little girl and referencing that scene in Barnabus. It might sound easy to get there, but it wasn’t.

You all certainly created quite the challenge for yourselves. But you pulled it off spectacularly! Do you each have a favorite spread or one you are particularly proud of in Barnaby Unboxed!? Which one?

Internal spread - small mouse-elephant standing on a tree branch with leaves tucked between his ears and on his feet.

Eric – For me, it’s his Robinson Crusoe moment where he’s standing on the tree branch, surveying his realm. It was an image we had early on in the writing process, and helped shape the direction of the story. Growing up, I loved adventure stories like Robinson Crusoe and My Side of the Mountain, where a character has to survive in the wild, so it was appealing to me in that way. It also made me laugh because there’s something funny about a little character like Barnaby roughing it in the wild.

Internal spread - small mouse-elephant peers from the safety of a hole in a brick wall.

Devin – Eric’s choice is hard to beat. But another one I love is where Barnaby is peeking out from his hiding place in the wall. It feels to me like he’s looking out into a whole new, very imperfect world, and I think we can feel his trepidation there.

Internal spread - silhouette of the mouse-elephant sitting on a tree branch looking at the full moon and starry sky.

Terry – Those are both great choices. It’s hard to choose one, but one of my favorite spreads is the night scene of Barnaby sitting on a tree branch, looking out at the stars and Moon (and yes, a shooting star). Visually, I love the atmosphere and the composition. It is a quiet, reflective moment that is quite pivotal because this is when Barnaby begins to realize what’s important in life.

I love the images you've all chosen. They all beautifully capture parts of Barnaby's emotional and physical journey. And, as always, they are all stunning! You have previously mentioned leaving treasures or weaving a secondary story throughout the illustrations. Did any of you do this in Barnaby Unboxed!? If so, could you share one or more with us?

Eric – Some of that we did in the form of callbacks. As I mentioned earlier, both books start and end with similar spreads, so there’s some fun in comparing how much they’re the same or different. The secondary story of Barnaby Unboxed! is about the little girl trying to get him back, so throughout the story, we hide her Lost posters that she’s hung around the city. I think that’s a detail that kids will pick up on easily, and there’s something entertaining from a reader’s perspective about knowing something that the main character is oblivious to. [Kids will enjoy finding the signs and knowing she hasn't given up!]

Terry – We often sneak in characters who are friends or family members, or sometimes references to our other books. In Barnaby Unboxed! A fun little Easter egg is that one of the new Perfect Pets is named “Catbird,” which is the name of the agency that Eric and I are represented by - Catbird Productions. Another thing we always include in our books is a shooting star in one of the night scenes. [That's so cool!]

Devin – Well, one treasure for me is that Bubbalo was actually invented by my daughter Juliette when I had a contest between the kids to come up with their own Perfect Pet. My two sons, Napoleon and Ronin, are so mad to this day that we didn’t use their Sea Monkey, who is an actual Sea Monkey. This is a great idea, but they didn’t understand the copyright infringement issues! [Poor guys!]

Thank your sharing these special parts of your illustrations. Now, I can't wait to go back and see if I can find the shooting stars! What's something you want your readers to know about or take away from Barnaby Unboxed!?

Devin – I hope kids reading this story realize that you don’t have to be perfect to find fulfillment and meaning; you just have to become yourself. I feel like Barnaby didn’t become himself until he had lost everything and had to find out who he was without his celebrity and everything that was attached to that. Who are you when you only have yourself to rely on? Who are your friends when there is no benefit to being your friend other than what you have to offer as a person (or pink elephant mouse)? Lots of questions there! [😊- Lots of important questions!]

Eric – Both The Barnabus Project and Barnaby Unboxed! are about shedding the labels that society places on you. For Barnabus, it’s about shedding the label of failure; for Barnaby, it’s about transcending the label of “perfect” and learning about what really matters in life. By their nature, labels are self-limiting because they define the parameters of your potential. It’s not only the labels that society gives you but also the labels we give ourselves, which can be equally difficult to overcome. Even though Barnaby is deemed perfect, he’s still stuck in a box and defined by that box, as much as Barnabus is stuck in his bell jar. His unboxing is about him escaping those defined parameters and finding himself. So, the narrative heart of both stories is about escaping and discovery. [😊- a wonderfully poignant narrative heart!]

Terry – Another underlying theme of the story is its critical exploration of our disposable culture. We tried to present it in a humorous way that hopefully isn’t overly didactic. It takes a theme hinted at in The Barnabus Project and expands upon it – the commodification of the Perfect Pets and the endless consumerism of “the next best thing.” Barnaby is presented as almost a villain in the first book, but we realize in Barnaby Unboxed! that the Perfect Pets are victims of the same oppressive system. It can also be seen as a critique of celebrity culture because Barnaby is a star at the beginning of the book but is quickly supplanted by the new and improved “Rainbow Barnaby.”

One of the things I most appreciate about Barnaby Unboxed! is how both Barnaby and the girl start off as flawed characters. There’s an honesty to it that I think a lot of readers will be able to relate to. When Barnaby escapes, he embarks on a hero’s journey, and it forces him to change. Living out in the wild symbolizes a return to his primal self. He’s broken down before he can rebuild. In his absence, the girl also changes when she realizes how irreplaceable he is, and how much she misses him. They both discover what truly matters, and when they are finally reunited it’s even more poignant because of where they started. [😊- two very important things to thing about!]

The three of you have not only masterfully created a science fiction picture book "sequel," but you have given us all lots to think about and perhaps some changes to make in our own lives. Are there any projects you are working on now that you can share a tidbit with us?

Terry – Eric and I are working on chapter illustrations for a middle-grade book, Growing Home, written by Beth Ferry.

Eric – We’re also in the process of working on our next picture book, which should be published in 2026.

Devin – I’m so excited to be illustrating a beautiful story written by a writer I love, but unfortunately, that’s all I can say about it right now!

Oh my gosh! Congrats to you all! Devin, how exciting! I can't wait to see all of these books. 2026 seems sooo far away. Best of luck to you all with the projects. Last question, is there a plant or flower you love growing or wish you could grow in your yard or garden?

Eric – I love my snake plant because it’s tough and resilient despite my lack of a green thumb. I’ve had some heartbreaking experiences with other house plants, but the snake plant has never let me down. In a perfect world, I always dreamed of having an herb and vegetable garden because I love to cook, but I live in a small studio apartment with very little natural light. [I am glad you have one!]

Devin – Well, I just love plants. I have many growing up in my office, and they are like my little friends. I have my garden, which is full of surprises, monster Hydrangeas and Hostas and all kinds of little wildflowers. But the ones I’m obsessed with right now are wild orchids. Did you know that Grey-Bruce, where I live now, is home to 49 species of orchids, some found nowhere else? They are so mysterious and captivating that I can spend an entire day hiking in the woods and marshes looking for them! [Wow! I did not and I can just imagine how fun it is try and find them!]

Terry – I live in a one-bedroom condominium, so unfortunately, there is no yard or garden. However, I have a snake plant, some air plants, several cactuses, and a bonsai by the window. I would love to have a proper garden and grow some fruits, herbs, and vegetables, as our dad did on his property in Taiwan. That type of self-sufficiency has always appealed to me. I recently watched a YouTube video about a fantastic house in Norway, found near the outskirts of Oslo, which had a huge greenhouse built around it. Fruit trees, vegetables and herb gardens were growing inside the greenhouse year-round. That is my dream home! [Wouldn't that be so fun!]

Thank you so much, Eric, Terry, and Devin for stopping by and sharing a peek at your amazing new book with us. It was wonderful to chat with the three of you.

Be sure to come back on Friday for the #PPBF post on Barnaby Unboxed!

To find out more about Eric and Terry Fan, or get in touch with them:

Fan Brother’s Website: http://www.thefanbrothers.com/

Terry Fan

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/terryfanart/?fref=nf

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/terryfanillustration/

Society6: https://society6.com/igo2cairo

BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/terryfan.bsky.social

Eric Fan

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EricFanIllustration/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ericfanillustration/

Society 6: https://society6.com/opifan64