Any Questions?
by Marie-Louise Gay (Author)
Many children want to know where stories come from and how a book is made. Marie-Louise Gay's new picture book provides them with some delightfully inspiring answers though a fictional encounter between an author and some very curious children -- together they collaborate on writing and illustrating a story.
Marie-Louise Gay has scribbled, sketched, scrawled, doodled, penciled, collaged, and painted the words and pictures of a story-within-a-story that show how brilliant ideas creep up on you when you least expect it and how words sometimes float out of nowhere, asking to be written.
Any Questions? presents a world inhabited by lost polar bears, soaring pterodactyls, talking trees, and spotted snails, with cameo appearances by some of the author's favorite characters -- a world where kids become part of the story and let their imaginations run wild, becoming inspired to create tales of their own.
At the end of the book, she provides answers to many of the questions children have asked her over the years, such as "Are you Stella?," "How did you learn to draw?," "Can your cat fly?," and "How many books do you make in one day?"
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School Library Journal
K-Gr 2--Authors are asked many questions at school and library visits, such as "How many books have you written?" and "Where do your ideas come from?" In answering the question "Where does a story start?" the author/illustrator in this charming picture book demonstrates the method she uses for inspiration. Explaining that a thought can travel in many directions or go nowhere at all, Gay shows how opening up her mind can trigger an idea for a story. She begins by composing and illustrating a tale entitled "The Shy Young Giant" and midway through invites three children to assist her in continuing the fiction. The story-within-a-story technique makes the writing process clear, informative and fun. The kids have such a good time writing and drawing that when the story ends, they're excited to begin another. Engaging illustrations, in watercolor, pencil, pastels, and collage, feature speech bubbles, handwritten notes, and childlike sketches. Gay's delightful creation reveals how the combination of children's natural curiosity and imagination can be the perfect springboard for a story.--Maryann H. Owen, Children's Literature Specialist, Mt. Pleasant, WI
Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.Publishers Weekly
Gay (the Stella and Sam series) playfully uses a story-within-a-story conceit to talk about her own creative process. As a child, "I always had a million questions about everything," she writes, adding that, based on her school visits, "I see that nothing has changed." Gay portrays a diverse group of kids shouting out questions, one of which ("Where does a story start?") she tackles by explaining sometimes she is inspired by color or "words or ideas floating out of nowhere," followed by "little scribbles and doodles appear here and there." After showing how sometimes her ideas don't fly, Gay settles on one about a shy young giant who protects the forest. But she brings her tale to an abrupt halt, asking, "What do you think happens next?" Three precocious children jump in to continue the story before Gay returns to complete it--with a twist. Running commentary from children and animals in the background of Gay's mixed-media spreads provides comedic moments as Gay encourages readers to push their own creative boundaries. Ages 6-9. (Sept.)
Copyright 2014 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.Review quotes
Finalist for the Governor General's Literary Award for Children's Illustration
Finalist for the TD Canadian Children's Literature Award
Finalist for the Quebec Writers' Federation Prize for Children's and Young Adult Literature
Finalist for the Vancouver Children's Roundtable Information Book Award
A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year
A Cooperative Children's Book Center Choice
A White Ravens Selection
A Globe 100 Best Book
Notable Children's Books in the Language Arts "The whimsical mixed-media illustrations invite exploration, and they include what appear to be handwritten, even cursive passages . . . A delightful and interactive step into the world of creating engaging picture books for children." — Kirkus Reviews, starred review "Running commentary from children and animals in the background of Gay's mixed-media spreads provides comedic moments as Gay encourages readers to push their own creative boundaries." — Publishers Weekly "The sideline commentary from some talkative cats and opinionated children contribute a light touch of humor, and the overall message—that creativity is messy and fun!—is empowering." — Booklist
JUV051000 - Juvenile Fiction | Imagination & Play
JUV003000 - Juvenile Fiction | Art & Architecture
