The Story that Wouldn’t End

Usually a picture book takes longer for me to illustrate than to write. But this story began years ago and never seemed to let me finish it. I nearly gave up on it, because the ending never worked—until it did. Looking at the printed book now, the ending seems like a real no-brainer, and I wonder why it took me so long. Ideas don’t always behave. Or maybe it’s the other way around; maybe ideas wish we would listen better.

Even after the book was written and illustrated, it still needed some tweaking. It was several pages—you guessed it—too long! Maria, the editor, was very patient, walking me through it to see what we could do to make the world’s longest picture book a bit shorter, and better. See the video link below for more on that process.

This is by far the simplest style of illustration in any of my books. It had to be, given the absurdity of a red rope that ignores the law of gravity!

Click on any image to enlarge it.