The Picture Book Buzz - Interview w/Elena Arevalo Melville, Tonka Uzu, Review of Elki is Not My Dog
Elena Arevalo Melville is a Latin American award-winning author and illustrator born in Guatemala, who came to children’s publishing rather the long way, via architecture, migrating, painting, and parenting. Elena has an MA (with distinction) in Children's book illustration from Cambridge School of Art.
Her internationally published work as an author deals with themes of belonging, community, empathy, identity, and resilience. Her picture book Umbrella (Scallywag Press 2019) won the inaugural Queen’s Knickers Award, is endorsed by Amnesty International UK, was nominated for the Kate Greenaway Medal, and is a White Raven book. Elena is also a ceramic artist.
Elena’s main aesthetic concern as an illustrator is the drafting of emotional and inner worlds through expressive and experimental mark making and colour. Elena loves sharing her love of books and drawing with audiences of all ages in events in schools, libraries and festivals. She lives in Cambridge with her family.
Elena’s the author/illustrator of Umbrella (2024) and Niente Principe Ranocchio (2014) and the illustrator of Los Nombres Secretos by Yolanda Reyes (2024).
Tonka Uzu grew up in Sofia, Bulgaria. She has always loved observing and drawing people and animals, especially children.
© Sarah Dawson McClean
She studied Art History at the University of Bologna and at the MA in Children's Book Illustration at the Cambridge School of Art, where she teaches as an Associate Lecturer.
Tonka’s the author/illustrator of a forthcoming series of four books with CameloZampa in Italy. The first two: Peggy fa giardinaggio (finalist at the Nati per Leggere 2024 prize) and Peggy fa una passeggiata were published in 2024. Prior to that she has written and illustrated Olga and Olaf (2014) Bacchilega (highly commended at the Macmillan Prize in 2011) and Olga and Olaf in Spiaggia (2020), also finalist at the Nati per Leggere prize. Tonka is the illustrator of Finding our Story by Imogen Alexander (2021) and I Love My Family A Lot, Lot, Lot! by Liza Charlesworth (2019).
Their most recent picture book in the USA, Elki is Not My Dog, released on October 1st.
Welcome Elena and Tonka,
Hello Maria! Lovely to meet you!
Tell us a little about yourselves. (Where/when do you write or illustrate? How long have you been writing or illustrating? What is your favorite type of book to write or illustrate?
ELENA - I am writing to you from Cambridge England where I have lived the second part of my life so far. My childhood was very different, in another language, another culture and another continent, pursuing another future. I have been telling stories with pictures since I can remember, but it took me a few decades and some living to realise author/illustrator was something I could be.
I create free range, but I do all my final book work in my studio. When I look up from my work I sometimes get lost in the drama of wildlife visiting our garden, drama mostly started by our cat, who is deadly despite his sweet and lazy demeanor.
I love picture books, I love that they operate in two different languages interacting with each other, and reading decodes them in different time frames and with different skills sets.
TONKA – Hello, I have been a freelance illustrator for the last 13 years and work from a home studio (which is currently the smallest room in the house). I do most of my illustrations there unless I am travelling, drawing from observation, or thinking about a story, which can happen anywhere. I enjoy drawing characters, especially their emotions and movement. The projects I am proud of and cherish the most are those which have been challenging in some ways and have forced me to grow.
Elena - Wow, I love that description of PBs. It is so great to get to know a little bit about both of you. What is one of the most fun or unusual places where you’ve written or illustrated a manuscript?
ELENA - All of my initial drafts exist spread across different bits of unconnected paper, voice notes, proper computer files, notebooks, and clay models. I work out visual narratives with unreadable squiggles, yet I know precisely what they mean. I clearly see composition colour and intention on marks that look like coffee stains with legs, but it’s not until much later that anyone else needs to understand them. In terms of finishing or finessing those for an audience, that is always done in my studio at home.
TONKA – I once did some watercolour illustrations from a mobile home in a campsite in Sardinia, Italy and would not mind repeating the experience. Recently, I have been using any time spent on a plane or train to develop storyboards and edit stories.
That must have been amazing Tonka! Elena, what was your inspiration or spark of interest for Elki is Not My Dog?
ELENA - There are concerns that you hold from childhood and others that are more of a response to present events, or that you develop after transitions or critical moments in your world or in the world. This one was a funny one, because at a surface level, the plot follows most of a memory of Tonka’s from her childhood in Sofia. She told me about this dog, that befriended her little gang of friends, and this stray dog was injured and then cared for. The thing that struck me about Tonka’s story was that this dog was nobody’s and yet everybody’s and this hit a nerve because when we parted I started composing the story. I literally dictated it into my voice recorder on my mobile in the car on the way home. Given global and local events, I yearned for affirmative belonging and inclusivity. I tinkered with the text for a week before sending it to Tonka.
Definitely was a story needing to be told which touched you strongly. Tonka, what about the Elki is Not My Dog manuscript appealed to you as an illustrator?
TONKA – The book stems from my childhood memory and from the start both for me and Elena there was no question that I would be illustrating it. The first time I read the text, it made me cry as Elena had captured so many important themes. Furthermore, in the process of making the book, we realised that we share similar views on children, especially in terms of agency and freedom.
I'm glad you both were able to work on this beautiful book together. What is the hardest or most challenging thing for each of you about writing or illustrating Elki is Not My Dog?
ELENA - Not my dog was there from the first version before we got Elki’s name, and for me it is the heart of the book, but it instantly presents itself with the need to answer the inevitable question: Who’s then? A big challenge was to come up with an ending that held together the threads and themes in the book: belonging, which is not the same as owning, and community and how we can see ourselves as part of something that is wider than us. At the end, the sentence challenges that question and suggests a completely different way to see the issue, or at least that is what I hope it does.
TONKA – The making of the book was a long process which involved working remotely with the editor Janice Thompson and art director Goldy Broad. Everyone in the team was amazing and supportive, however there were some nerve-wracking waits and a frantic deadline chasing or two. The most challenging thing ended up being the most rewarding aspect too (as mentioned above) and it was the need I felt to create a setting which was authentic and true to my childhood memory yet fitting for the characters Elena created and in tune with the vision we shared of the book. Keeping track of all the clothing and accessories for the characters was also a lot of work.
I think you both rose to the challenges! How many revisions did Elki is Not My Dog take for the text or illustrations - from first draft to publication?
ELENA - We went through at least 5 drafts that I can remember. Already in book form (with the sentences laid out in pages by the designer Goldy Broad and the expectation set by positioning and page turns at first and with more developed illustrations later on), and a lot of text was trimmed before it got to that. Janice Thomson our editor is razor sharp and focused and we had hour long conversation about a single sentence. I adore her. We wanted to leave enough space for the reader to inhabit the book but scaffold it enough so that there was solidity to the very diverse things we would like you to read in it. Because picture books have so few sentences, each sentence has a lot of work to do, and how you read each one carries enormous narrative weight.
TONKA – I didn’t count them. Most finished illustrations did not change much from the initial sketches but there were a few which took a little more work and brainstorming. There was also a lot of fine tuning as changing a small detail on one page involved further changes throughout the book.
Thank you for sharing this. Elena, how did the experience of writing Elki is Not My Dog differ from writing and illustrating Umbrella ?
ELENA - The themes in Elki had been marinating in my head and Tonka’s childhood memory brought them into focus immediately. The book poured out of me with urgency, and I knew exactly what I needed it to do. With Umbrella, it was more of a playful and time-consuming process from a very literal open-closed, open-closed umbrella that took a few years to acquire its magic, its characters and its purpose.
Also, I had to let Tonka breathe life into Elki is not my Dog and shape it as she saw it. How I saw it in my head was never going to play a part, for as an illustrator, I knew that Tonka needed freedom from my visual expectations and space and time to own the book and give to it deeply. That didn’t stop the images from coming to my head, I just had to be disciplined and keep them to myself. I realised I actually quite enjoy “just” writing, and this has allowed me to pursue other kinds of projects.
Elena, that's an excellent bit of insight and advice for all writers. Thank you. Tonka, many illustrators leave treasures or weave their own story (or elements) throughout the illustrations. Did you do this in Elki is Not My Dog? If so, could you share one or more with us?
TONKA – Absolutely. The apartment block and the neighbourhood are based on where my grandmother lived when I was a child, so I enjoyed including as many references to the streets of Sofia as possible. Each apartment is inhabited by a character and their family, so there are a lot of details to discover. Also, you may want to pay attention to Elki’s bowl and blanket.
Tonka, thank you for sharing these treasures with us! Elena, when you first saw Tonka’s illustrations in Elki is Not My Dog, did anything surprise, amaze, or delight you? Which is your favorite spread?
ELENA - Everything in Tonka’s illustration was not only a delight the first time as work in progress but the finished artwork allows me to keep discovering new sources of joy. Especially when I see it through the eyes of others during events.
Text © Elena Arevalo Melville, 2024. Image © Tonka Uzu, 2024.
My favourite spreads are the two where Elki is outside the building whilst the children are inside in their apartments. I love how Tonka’s illustration gives us glimpses of the inner family lives of the residents of the building in contrast with Elki: alone, outside. The contrast between the summer and winter versions of this same scene gave the text enormous emphasis of Elki’s lone and vulnerable position. And of course, Ms Potts knickers drying in the summer breeze are a sight to behold!
Visually, the apartment scenes are stunning and so fun to flip between. Tonka, is there a spread that you were especially excited about or proud of? Or perhaps one which is your favorite spread?
Text © Elena Arevalo Melville, 2024. Image © Tonka Uzu, 2024.
TONKA - I like the energy of the spread where everyone plays outside and the one of the bored children on the steps.
I love this one, too. What a massive snowball! What's something each of you want your readers to know about Elki is Not My Dog?
ELENA - Gestures of kindness come in all sizes and they are all essential, from an open welcoming gaze when the characters meet, to challenging the rules in order to care for Elki when she needs it the most. I am grateful to you for allowing our book in, and thank you Maria for shining a light on it. Thank you for your welcoming gaze.
TONKA - That’s a difficult question. On one hand I never tire of sharing all the minute details about the making of the book and all the visual references and ideas. On the other, I am very interested in seeing what children make of it if we trust them to find their own personal meaning.
It is certainly my pleasure to add this book to my reviews and I hope you both experience amazing insights from the kids. Are there any upcoming books or new projects you are working on now that you can share a tidbit with us?
ELENA - My next book, with Mexican publisher Castillo, will be my very first publishing project in Latin America, which I am thrilled about. I am illustrating a chapter book called Los Nombres Secretos (The Secret Names) and it is written by Yolanda Reyes, a lovely author and education scholar from Colombia. The book deals with identity, migration, family dynamics and the awesomeness of dogs. Ambar, has to suddenly become Manuela, leave behind her friends and beloved dog and dad and start a new life in a new country. She doesn’t want to let go of the past, but she must let the present in. I believe this book project found me at just the right moment.
TONKA - I am working on the fourth story of the Peggy series for CameloZampa and am looking forward to seeing Elki in Spanish, Catalan, and Turkish language very soon.
Elena that story sounds really poignant. Good luck with your endeavors. Last question, what is your favorite National Park or Forest, regional park, or city park? Or the one you’re longing to visit. Why?
© Lionel Lalaité
ELENA - I love Tikal, both a Unesco World Heritage Site and an astounding natural park in the tropical rainforests of Petén in Guatemala. The best moment is closing time when you are walking out having seen the ruins of this ancient Maya city, and as visitors start to leave, the animals return. You walk out under the darkening canopy and the deep howls of the monkeys. It’s magical.
© AV Group, Bulgaria
TONKA – I have one in each city, but the one I have cherished most is the South Park in Sofia, where I grew up and which is a stone throw from the tall block you see in the illustrations of Elki is Not My Dog.
Thank you Elena & Tonka for sharing with us a bit about yourselves and your new picture book.
To find out more about Elena Arevalo Melville. or to contact her:
X(Twitter): https://x.com/sketch_booking
To find out more about Tonka Uzu, or to contact her:
Website: https://www.tonkauzu.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tonkauzu
X(Twitter): https://x.com/tonkauzu
Review of Elki is Not My Dog
We didn't have a community dog;, we had a community cat. An unusual male calico (veterinarian confirmed) cat with the sweetest personality. Every day it made its rounds. In many ways, it was a bit like Elki. Belonging to none and caring for all. This is a sweet picture book about the changes which occur in a community when four kids and a dog develop a special friendship.
Elki is Not My Dog
Author: Elena Arevalo Melville
Illustrator: Tonka Uzu
Publisher: Scallywag Press (2024)
Ages: 4-9
Fiction
Themes:
Community, caring, home, kindness, dog, and love.
Synopsis:
Elki does not have a home―she is a stray dog who finds kindness in the company of a little group of children.
They play together during the day, but Elki must stay alone outside every night because dogs are not allowed in their block of flats. One day Elki disappears and is later found injured. Who will look after her and how?
Elena Arevalo Melville wrote this story for her fellow artist and friend Tonka Uzu, whose childhood memory this is.
Opening Lines:
Elki is not my dog.
In fact I don’t know for sure
that her name is Elki.
What I LOVED about this book:
First off, I adore the end papers Tonka Uzu created to book end the book! Beginning with a trail of dog prints roaming across the book and ending with (oops. spoilers....but do be sure to check out this extra treasure at the end). And just look at this poignant image to that tantalizing opening. I love how the image doesn't quite "fit," doesn't quite reach the edge of the page. There's a visceral connection between the narrator and Elki. Both a little sad, looking for a companion. It's really a powerful opening.
Text © Elena Arevalo Melville, 2024. Image © Tonka Uzu, 2024.
I love how Elena Arevalo Melville gorgeously captures the child's logic, spirit, and voice, "She must have had a name when we met her, but we couldn’t ask her because none of us speaks ‘Dog’." Joined by the other three kids, the narrator offers Elki water, food, and company. There's a great image of the kids making daisy chain crowns (and a necklace for Elki) and enjoying ice cream, as Elki talks to them with "with a smile, and a wag of her tail." Then, each child is named going home. But . . .
Text © Elena Arevalo Melville, 2024. Image © Tonka Uzu, 2024.
but Elki did not have a home to go to.
So she could stay out in the warm evenings.
Oh, how we wished we could all
stay out in the night with Elki!
Instead of wishing Elki could stay inside with them, the children wish they could enjoy the warm night with Elki. There is so much personality and social context expressed for each child in this image (and the matching winter one). Peeking through the windows we learn a lot about the kids' families, nationalities, and holidays. And it's hard not to feel sympathy and heartbreak for the little dog looking into the apartment windows, especially in the winter scene. I adore Tonka Uzu's use of muted colors, ingenious white space, select illustrations, with jagged edges, which don't quite cover the whole page, and wonderfully placed spot images. And Elena Arevalo Melville's spare text resides perfectly in the voice, experience, and knowledge of the young narrator.
When the seasons change, the reader enjoys the kid's snowy adventures (see Tonka's image above) and repeated refrain of each kid going home and, this time, Elki sitting alone in the snow, staring into the festive windows. But now, the kids wish Elki had a warm home. For Elki, the neighborhood was her home. She'd meet the kids after school and play in the park, until they had to go home. Until one day, Elki wasn't there. When the kids finally found her, she was "hurt and scared." With a touching twist, the kids care for Elki. Hoping she will get better, moping as it seems to take f o r e v e r, Elki had become such a part of their lives, no one felt like playing without her. Then . . . you will have to check out this amazing ending, with yet another twist and the biggest heartfelt and inspirational ending. This is a great picture book where the text and illustrations blend so beautifully together to create a superbly poignant, thought-provoking, heart-warming, and fun story. One that will be enjoyed again and again.
Resources:
make a dog hand puppet, paper bag puppet, origami, or toilet paper roll.
If you have a shelter or humane society near you, check to see if they can use no sew fleece blankets (or clean blankets or towels your folks are ready to get rid of), or braided toys for dogs or cats.
do you have a pet? How do you help take care of it? How did the kids care for Elki? What would you do if your pet ever got sick or hurt?
for an extra special treat, listen to Tonka Uzu read Elki is Not My Dog.
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