The Picture Book Buzz - Interview with Sarah Kurpiel and Book Giveaway

Sarah Kurpiel is a self-taught picture book author and illustrator. Her debut book, Lone Wolf, received a starred review from the School Library Journal.

Author/illustrator photo of Sarah Kurpiel.

A librarian by day, Sarah lives in the Midwest. Her stories are inspired by animals, nature, and moments of wonder in everyday life. She hopes her work brings a bit of happiness into the world—and a bit of disability representation too. Sarah uses a power wheelchair and considers her disability an important part of her identity.

A few of her favorite things include libraries, elephants, the sea, flannel shirts, iced coffee, miniature books, summer, whales, pretty notebooks, sci-fi stories, and the color green.

Sarah is the author/illustrator of Snake's Big Mistake (2023), Original Cat, Copy Cat (2021), and Lone Wolf (2020).

Her newest picture book, A Little Like Magic, releases October 15th.

Welcome Sarah, thank you so much for stopping by to talk about your newest book and your writing and illustration.

Hi there! Thank you so much for welcoming me onto the blog!

Tell us a little about yourself. (Where/when do you write and illustrate? How long have you been writing and illustrating? What is your favorite type of book to write or illustrate?)

I’ve been drawing for as long as I can remember, but I didn’t start thinking about illustrating picture books until after college. I had recently finished library school and was working at my first professional library job when the picture book A Sick Day for Amos McGee passed my desk. Erin Stead’s gentle illustrations stopped me in my tracks and reminded me how much I loved picture books growing up. It was a little “light bulb” moment. I remember thinking to myself, “This is what I want to do.” Being self-taught, however, I wasn’t sure if that was a realistic goal. Still, I decided to give it a try.

In 2016, I started drawing digitally. After about a year and half, I fell into a style that felt like me. That’s when I connected with my agents and wrote my first picture book, which eventually became Lone Wolf, published by Greenwillow Books in 2020. Four years and four books later, I’m still learning new things all the time–about writing, about publishing, about my art process. You’ll often find me drawing outside (weather permitting) or at my desk with a trusty tumbler of iced coffee by my side. I enjoy illustrating books that are either gentle and lyrical or cute-funny and whimsical. My work tends to oscillate between those two. One day I’ll be drawing a peaceful seascape; the next day, a snake in a sweater vest.

It's really nice to meet you. What is something no one (or few) knows about you?

I once interned at a zoo library. The library was located right next to the feeding area for the free-roaming peacocks. So, we had the pleasure of listening to their unique (by which I mean super loud) calls throughout the day. One time, a squirrel snuck into the library, which apparently isn’t all that unusual. My fellow intern and I were advised to create a trail of crumbs, Hansel-and-Gretel-style, to lure it out the door. You know, typical library work. Honestly, though, it was a great experience. I have a lot of good memories from that summer.

That sounds like an amazing summer. I personally don't mind the peacock's calls - unless it's at 5 am outside your B&B window! Maybe there's a PB book there - from the squirrel's POV (just looking for a book on nuts!) What was your inspiration or spark of interest for A Little Like Magic?

Book cover - a child in a wheelchair looking up at a whale ice sculpture.

When I was a kid, my hometown hosted a professional ice sculpting competition. It was amazing to see the ice sculptors carve huge blocks of ice with chisels and chainsaws and later smooth them out with surprising tools, like steam irons (yes, the same sort of irons we use to press our clothes!). Inspired by memories of the ice festival, in late 2019 I made a personal drawing of a kid looking up at an ice sculpture. Then, I made another one. And another. I started to wonder if maybe there was a story here. In summer 2021, I was sitting outside, doodling in my notebook, thinking about the ice festival idea for the umpteenth time, when I wrote the words “Won’t it all melt?” That question felt so real to me. I had finally made the connection between melting ice, transience, and memory. With that, I knew the story. I wrote the first draft right then and there.

Text & Image © Sarah Kurpiel, 2024.

From the very beginning, I envisioned the main character as a power wheelchair user, like me. Winter is a challenging time for many people who use power wheelchairs and scooters. But when the weather is clear, the parking lots are plowed, and the paths are shoveled, more of us have the opportunity to get out there and enjoy winter events. I wanted that experience for the young girl in this story.

I had wondered if there was a 'story' behind the main character and her chair. Thank you for sharing that with us. What is the most fun or unusual place where you’ve written or illustrated a manuscript?

Oh, I’m sad to say I write and illustrate in utterly normal places: my desk, the living room, or outside on the patio. I wish I had a fun answer, like…on a sailboat or…in the Alps. Alas, nope. That said, I regularly jot down story ideas on my phone–and that can happen anywhere!

Nothing to be sad about, I think writing on a patio sounds heavenly. How long did it take from the first draft to publication for A Little Like Magic? Do you normally start with the text or the illustrations? Which was easiest for this book?

In 2020, I tried many times to build a story around the ice festival. But it wasn’t until the summer of 2021 that the heart of the story became clear enough to me that I put pencil to paper to write the first draft and thumbnail the story. Normally, I start with a loose plot or concept, thumbnail the story to see where it leads, and then go back to work out the words.

But this time, the words and pictures emerged simultaneously from the start. (I hope that happens to me again one day!) After applying feedback from my critique partners, I sent the thumbnail draft off to my agents, who offered much encouragement. With their notes in hand, I crafted the full dummy and sample pages. Then came the exciting parts: the book went on submission, found a home at Rocky Pond Books, and will be published Oct 15, 2024. All in all, from first draft to publication, it took about 3 years.

Interesting. I hope it does, too. Is there a spread of which you are especially proud? Which is your favorite spread?

Internal image - child reaching out to touch a horse ice sculpture.

Text & Image © Sarah Kurpiel, 2024.

My favorite spread is one of the simplest: a close-up of the main character reaching out to touch an ice sculpture. Of course, technically, you shouldn’t touch an ice sculpture. But it’s something kids naturally want to do. And, in this case, it’s a special moment for the young narrator. From thumbnail to final art, the layout of this spread changed very little.

This is such a precious spread - and not just because I love horses. What was the hardest, or most challenging, part of writing or illustrating A Little Like Magic? Why?

I spent a good long time laying out the spread that shows all the ice sculptures. First, I needed to decide which sculptures to draw. To do this, I read local newspaper stories on microfilm about the actual event from my childhood, browsed the web for photos of contemporary ice sculptures, and brainstormed my own ideas. From there, I drew the ones that felt the most magical to me. Then came the tricky part: arranging and rearranging and then rearranging some more until the spread felt balanced. It was time-consuming but enjoyable work.

With fifteen sculptures of varying heights and widths, I can imagine you went through a bit of jockeying to organize them, so they all got a little attention. Many illustrators leave treasures or weave their own story (or elements) throughout the illustrations. Did you do this in A Little Like Magic? If so, could you share one or more with us?

Text & Image © Sarah Kurpiel, 2024.

Yes! I tucked a few personal details into the pictures. Hidden amid the crowd are a few family members and a kid inspired by Peter from Ezra Jack Keats’ classic The Snowy Day. Also, photos and articles from the local newspaper archives helped inspire a few details in the illustrations, such as a kid pretending to lick an ice cream cone ice sculpture.

Thank you for sharing these special treasures with us! What was the most rewarding part of the publishing process for A Little Like Magic?

It felt rewarding to write in first-person using a childlike lyrical voice and then to hear how the words resonated with critique partners, agents, and editors. I hope the story resonates with readers in a similar way. It was very satisfying to find the right rhythm, the right word, the right metaphor needed to set the tone or elevate a theme or emotion.

You did a wonderful job of connecting the reader to the child. Is there something you want your readers to know or hope they discover about A Little Like Magic?

A Little Like Magic is quite layered. On the surface level, I hope readers simply take away how cool ice sculpting is as an art form. On a deeper level, I hope readers of all ages–especially those who, like me, tend to be shy, nervous, or anxious–find encouragement to venture beyond their comfort zone. Deeper still, as our young narrator comes to realize over the course of the story, some things are worth the effort even if they only last a moment. It feels almost paradoxical that ephemeral art, like sculptures made of ice or sand, can have such a lasting impact. You can’t go back to see them again; they can only live on in photos and shared memories.

This is a wonderfully poignant and tender story! Are there any projects you are working on now that you can share a tidbit with us?

I’m working on final art for my next picture book, which is about a young child struggling to say goodbye to a beloved oak tree that must be removed. It’s loosely inspired by a tree from my childhood. The book is scheduled to be published by Rocky Pond Books sometime next year.

Sounds intriguing...we'll have to keep our eyes open for it. Last question, what is your favorite National Park or Forest, regional park, or city park? Or the one you’re longing to visit. Why?

What a great question! For me, the answer is easy: Grand Canyon National Park. In 2017, I visited the Grand Canyon for the first time with my family. Having arrived in the late afternoon, we dropped our stuff off at our cabin and ventured out, hoping to catch a glimpse of the canyon before dark. We thought we had further to go, but after just a few minutes, we crossed the train tracks and, bam, there it was! I wasn’t prepared for how powerful that first experience of seeing the canyon would be, or how sad I would feel a few days later when it was time to leave. Once, while we were along the canyon rim, it started to snow. It was late May. Everyone was so excited to see the unexpected snow flurry over the canyon, even the park employees. The snow was light and only lasted a short time, but wow, it sure felt special.

I visited the south rim in June 2016 and the north rim last September. Even seeing it a second time, it was super powerful and amazing. That snowfall sounds amazing!

One last note before I go: If you preorder A Little Like Magic from Anderson's Bookshop by October 14, 2024, you’ll receive a free signed art print! (U.S. only). If you’re interested, here is the preorder link: https://www.andersonsbookshop.com/book/9780593697658

Thanks so much, Sarah for stopping by and sharing with us. It was wonderful to chat with you.

To find out more about Sarah Kurpiel, or contact her:

Website: https://sarahkurpiel.com

X (Twitter): https://x.com/SarahKurpiel

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarah.kurpiel/