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ENTRY TYPE: new
WORK TITLE: MY MOTHER’S TONGUES
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: https://www.rahelestudio.com
CITY: Ames
STATE:
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY:
LAST VOLUME:
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born in Mashhad, Iran; immigrated to United States, 2011; married, husband’s name Daniel; children: Darya.
EDUCATION:University of Tehran, B.F.A. (graphic design), 2008, M.F.A. (illustration); Iowa State University, M.F.A. (integrated visual arts), 2015.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Illustrator and educator. Freelance illustrator, including for Cricket Media, 2016–. Kansas City Art Institute, Kansas City, MO, assistant professor of illustration. Exhibitions: contributor to Society of Illustrators shows in New York, NY.
MEMBER:Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), United States Board on Books for Young People.
AWARDS:Illustration Mentorship Award, We Need Diverse Books, 2018; Portfolio Grand Prize, SCBWI Los Angeles National Conference.
WRITINGS
Illustrator of over half a dozen Iranian children’s books published in Tehran, Iran.
Contributor to anthologies, including In the Spirit of a Dream: 13 Stories of American Immigrants of Color, Scholastic Press (New York, NY), 2021.
SIDELIGHTS
[open new]Rahele Jomepour Bell is an illustrator of children’s books in both the United States and her native Iran. She was born and raised in Mashhad, Iran’s second-largest city, which boasts a rich literary history. She was exposed to the harsh realities of war by the age of eight, when Iraq and Iran engaged in a years-long conflict. About this period, she told KidLit411, “I remember as a child, the world around of me was kind of gray, but I learned how to find my happy world; my happy world was when I was reading a book or listening to my grandma’s stories. That was the time I realized that I want to be a part of books!” Jomepour Bell started taking art classes at age eleven. In the background of her childhood were European cartoon series, with Alfie Atkins a favorite, and Western literature. By age fourteen she had read all of Agatha Christie’s novels.
Attending an arts high school, Jomepour Bell gained early professional experience with the children’s comic magazine Gol Agha. After graduating, she was granted an internship with the prestigious Iranian publisher Behnashr, enabling the publication of her first two illustration efforts in 2001. She studied graphic design as an undergraduate at the University of Tehran, where she earned a bachelor of fine arts degree. A former classmate gaining a position as art director of the children’s magazine Tiz-Houshan led to Jomepour Bell’s official professional debut with half a dozen illustrations for the magazine. After earning a master’s in illustration in Iran, she was inspired by the work of Chuck Richards to seek his mentorship at Iowa State University. Moving to the United States in 2011 in hopes of launching an international career–without pressure to self-censor–she earned a master’s in visual arts with a focus on painting. She illustrated five more Iranian books published in 2015 while opening her stateside career with contributions to Faces magazine through Cricket Media. She made her U.S. children’s book debut in 2019 as illustrator of Maryann Macdonald’s Playdate. Jomepour Bell favors colored pencils, crayons, gouache, and collage and incorporates textiles and printmaking. Aside from illustration, she enjoys sculpting with clay, making dolls, and photography.
About her creative and cultural inspiration, Jomepour Bell told Miss Marple’s Musings: “My affinity for decorative style with emphasis on details has roots in traditional Persian works of painters such as Behzad (15th century C.E). I tend to use the bright colors of Iranian miniatures with their geometric compositions in which the color plays a key role. I like to move the eye of the observer throughout the picture using the dynamic gestures of the figures and replication of different elements. I enjoy merging contemporary concepts with those found throughout traditional Iranian work.” Jomepour Bell teaches at the Kansas City Art Institute and works out of her home studio in Iowa, where she lives with her family.
Jomepour Bell’s second children’s book effort, A.E. Ali’s Our Favorite Day of the Year, finds kindergarteners discussing their favorite days of the year. Talk of Muslim, Jewish, and Christian holidays brings out the shared emphasis on family and community. In School Library Journal, Sally James observed that Jomepour Bell’s “colorful, charming illustrations show a diverse classroom where learning is thoughtful but also energetic and filled with music, dancing, and eating.” In Book’s Big Adventure, by Adam Lehrhaupt, Book advances from life as a shiny new favorite at the local library to worn-and-torn solitude on a bottom shelf—until Book finds a new home. A Publishers Weekly reviewer observed that Jomepour Bell’s “softly lit and textured digital illustrations vividly evoke … a strong sense of place,” as with the “real and welcoming” library.
Christina Soontornvat’s To Change a Planet is an optimistic kids’ primer on climate change. Jonah Dragan of School Library Journal noted that Jomepour Bell “provides a compelling mix of scientific illustration … and metaphorical imagery,” as with “a benevolent face in the sun.” In The Treasure Box, by Dave Keane, a girl delights in collecting stray objects with her grandfather for their treasure box. The book portrays the girl’s experiences as Grandpa gets ill and passes away, at which time Grammy gives her special bequests and becomes her new collecting partner. In Booklist, Lucinda Whitehurst of Booklist affirmed that the “handmade textures” produce art that “amplifies the beauty of found objects and highlights the warmth between the girl and her grandparents.”
Angry Me and Peaceful Me are a pair of books by Sandra V. Feder helping children understand their emotions. In Angry Me, a thoughtful child talks about different reasons why she gets angry, what it feels like, and what she does about it. A Kirkus Reviews writer appreciated Jomepour Bell’s “emotive, textured” illustrations in this title, and Peaceful Me led a Kirkus Reviews contributor to declare that her “dynamic” pictures “make peace feel particularly palpable.” With this title’s protagonist describing situations where she feels most peaceful, the reviewer declared that Jomepour Bell’s “depiction of the contented main character, buoyed on the light-webbed surface of a lake, is mesmerizing.” School Library Journal reviewer Jenny Arch called the same illustration “stunning” and affirmed that “the art, created with hand-printed textures, complements and enhances [the narrative] beautifully.”
Generosity and compassion are celebrated in Jen Arena’s Give, a series of two-page vignettes of people helping each other out. Jomepour Bell’s “oil paintings in earthy colors create texture and whimsy,” according to a Kirkus Reviews writer. In My Mother’s Tongues: A Weaving of Languages, by Uma Menon, a child is inspired by her Indian mother’s ability to interweave English and Malayalam in her speech. Sadaf Siddique of Horn Book appreciated how Jomepour Bell’s “tactile mixed-media illustrations incorporate an inventive representation of textiles, fonts, and images” in this “thought-provoking” tale.[close new]
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, December 15, 2021, Lucinda Whitehurst, review of The Treasure Box, p. 101.
Horn Book, September-October, 2023, Maeve Visser Knoth, review of Give, p. 45; January-February, 2024, Sadaf Siddique, review of My Mother’s Tongues: A Weaving of Languages, p. 79.
Kirkus Reviews, December 1, 2020, review of Book’s Big Adventure; March 15, 2022, review of Angry Me; March 15, 2023, review of Peaceful Me; June 1, 2023, review of Give.
Publishers Weekly, December 7, 2020, review of Book’s Big Adventure, p. 130; November 8, 2021, review of The Treasure Box, p. 65; May 8, 2023, review of Peaceful Me, p. 68.
School Library Journal, May, 2020, Sally James, review of Our Favorite Day of the Year, p. 44; December, 2021, Rachel Mulligan, review of The Treasure Box, p. 77; July, 2022, Jonah Dragan, review of To Change a Planet, p. 77; June, 2023. Jenny Arch, review of Peaceful Me, p. 68.
ONLINE
Kansas City Art Institute website, https://www.kcai.edu/ (September 5, 2024), author profile.
KidLitArtists, https://kidlitartists.blogspot.com/ (August 15, 2018), “Speed Interview with Rahele Jomepour Bell.”
KidLit411, https://www.kidlit411.com/ (December 6, 2019), “Illustrator Spotlight: Rahele Jomepour Bell.”
Let’s Talk Picture Books, https://www.letstalkpicturebooks.com/ (May 10, 2022), “Let’s Talk Illustrators #213: Rahele Jomepour Bell.”
Miss Marple’s Musings, https://joannamarple.com/ (March 1, 2016), “Rahele Jomepour Bell—Illustrator Interview.”
Open Book, https://open-book.ca/ (May 19, 2023), “Sandra V. Feder & Rahele Jomepour Bell on Creating a Picture Book That Celebrates Finding Peace Within.”
Rahele Jomepour Bell website, https://www.rahelestudio.com (September 5, 2024).
School Library Journal, https://afuse8production.slj.com/ (June 16, 2020), Betsy Bird, “Our Favorite Day of the Year: A Talk with Iranian Illustrator Rahele Jomepour Bell.”
Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators website, https://www.scbwi.org/ (September 5, 2024), author profile.
We Need Diverse Books website, https://diversebooks.org/ (June 7, 2022), JoAnn Yao, “Q&A with Christina Soontornvat and Rahele Jomepour Bell, To Change a Planet.”
Writing and Illustrating, https://kathytemean.wordpress.com/ (October 14, 2017),Kathy Temean, “Illustrator Saturday—Rahele Jomepour Bell.”
Rahele came to the United States in 2011 to pursue her dream of being a free international artist and graduated with an MFA in Integrated Visual Arts from Iowa State University in 2015. She is now a full- time freelance picture book illustrator, and she teaches as a full-time assistant professor at the Department of Illustration at Kansas city Art Institute.
She has been an active member of SCBWI since 2012 and has worked with Cricket Media, children's magazines, since 2016. Her Illustration work was selected as a finalist for the SCBWI Bologna 2016 and shortlisted for the SCBWI Bologna 2018. She has illustrated seven books published by an Iranian publisher in Tehran. She is the recipient of the 2018 Illustration Mentorship Awards from We Need Diverse Books #WNDB. In August 2018, she won the portfolio showcase grand prize award at the SCBWI LA National Conference. She also was the winner of the 2018 SCBWI Social Media Mentorship for Illustrators at the LA National Conference. Laurent Linn and Debbie Ohi were her excellent mentors.
Screen Shot 2020-05-19 at 11.04.24 PM.png
Rahele is originally from Iran and saw the war in her home country when she was just eight years old. Two things could make her black and white world colorful. One was all-night family gatherings at her Grandma and Grandpa’s house every Friday. Her Grandma would tell Rahele fairy tales told her by her mother that was told to her by her mother. Stories she has never found in any book. The other was traveling through books full of images of life and nature made by illustrators from all around the world, such as Zdeněk Miler, Fyodor Khitruk, Bani Asadi, and Farshid Mesghali. She is happiest creating illustrations that make the imagination travel, take a new look at old ideas, and reaffirm the viewer of their natural place in this world.
Member of:
SCBWI; Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators
USBBY; The United States Board on Books for Young People
Awards/ Honors
2023 Winner of the 57th Bologna Illustrators Exhibition, Italy
2023 Original Art Show,” GIVE ” Picture Book, Society of Illustrators, New York
2022 Original Art Show, “The Tresure Box” Book, Society of Illustrators, New York
2021 Ezra Jack Keat Illustration Award Nominee
2020 Original Art Show, “ Our Favorite Day of the Year” picture Book, Society of Illustrators, New York
Portfolio Grand Prize, SCBWI 2018 Los Angeles National Conference
SCBWI Social Media Mentorship Award for Illustrators
2018 Winner of We Need Diverse Books Illustration Mentorship
2018 SCBWI Bologna Book Fair, shortlisted.
Merit Award, iJUNGLE ILLUSTRATION AWARDS.
2016 Finalists, SCBWI 2016 Bologna Book Fair.
Winner of the Art Spot for SCBWI Bulletin, summer issue
200 Best Illustrators 2018/2019
Creative Quarterly No.39.
Creative Quarterly No.38.
Creative Quarterly No.36.
3x3 Illustration Competition Student Merit Award.
200 Best Illustrators 2008
Rahele Jomepour Bell
Assistant Professor
Bio
Rahele came to the United States in 2011 to pursue her dream of being a free international artist and graduated with an MFA in Integrated Visual Arts from Iowa State University in 2015. As a full-time freelance picture book illustrator, she has been an active member of SCBWI since 2012 and has worked with Cricket Media, children's magazines, since 2016. Her Illustration work was selected as a finalist for the SCBWI Bologna 2016 and shortlisted for the SCBWI Bologna 2018. She has illustrated seven books published by an Iranian publisher in Tehran. She is the recipient of the 2018 Illustration Mentorship Awards from We Need Diverse Books #WNDB. In August 2018, she won the portfolio showcase grand prize award at the SCBWI LA National Conference. She also was the winner of the 2018 SCBWI Social Media Mentorship for Illustrators at the LA National Conference. Laurent Linn and Debbie Ohi were her excellent mentors.
Rahele is originally from Iran and saw the war in her home country when she was just eight years old. Two things could make her black and white world colorful. One was all-night family gatherings at her Grandma and Grandpa’s house every Friday. Her Grandma would tell Rahele fairy tales told her by her mother that was told to her by her mother. Stories she has never found in any book. The other was traveling through books full of images of life and nature made by illustrators from all around the world, such as Zdeněk Miler, Fyodor Khitruk, Bani Asadi, and Farshid Mesghali. She is happiest creating illustrations that make the imagination travel, take a new look at old ideas, and reaffirm the viewer of their natural place in this world.
Website
presenting author/illustrator: r a h e l e J O M E P O U R B E L L
(she/her)
represented by: c h r i s t y E W E R S
Rahele (she/her) came to United States in 2011 to pursue her dream of being a free international artist, and graduated with an MFA in Integrated Visual Arts from Iowa State University in 2015. She now lives in the beautiful tiny city of Ames, Iowa with her husband and her little girl Darya, and works as a freelance illustrator in her home studio.
She has been an active member of SCBWI since 2012 and has worked with Cricket Media, children magazines since 2016. Her Illustration work was selected as a finalist for the SCBWI Bologna 2016 and shortlisted for the SCBWI Bologna 2018. She has illustrated 7 books published by an Iranian publisher in Tehran.
Rahele is originally from Iran, and saw war in her home country when she was just 8 years old. There were two things that could make her black and white world colorful. One was all-night family gatherings at her Grandma and Grandpa’s house every Friday. Her Grandma would tell Rahele fairy tails told to her by her mother, that were told to her by her mother. Stories she has never found in any book. The other was traveling through books full of images of life and nature made by illustrators from all around of the world, such as Zdeněk Miler and Fyodor Khitruk.
She is happiest creating illustrations that make the imagination travel, take a new look at old ideas, and reaffirm the viewer of their natural place in this world.
http://www.rahelestudio.com
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www.rahelestudio.com
www.rahelestudio.com
Rahele came to United States in 2011 to pursue her dream of being a free international artist, and graduated with an MFA in Integrated Visual Arts from Iowa State University in 2015. She now lives in the beautiful tiny city of Ames, Iowa with her husband and her little girl Darya, and works as a freelance illustrator in her home studio.
She has been an active member of SCBWI since 2012, and has been working with Cricket Media, children magazines since 2016. Her Illustration work was selected as a finalist for the SCBWI Bologna 2016 and shortlisted for the SCBWI Bologna 2018. She has illustrated 7 books published by an Iranian publisher in Tehran.
Rahele is originally from Iran, and saw war in her home country when she was just 8 years old. There were two things that could make her black and white world colorful. One was all-night family gatherings at her Grandma and Grandpa’s house every Friday. Her Grandma told fairy tales told to her by her mother, that were told to her by her mother; stories she has never found in any book. The other was traveling through books full of images of life and nature made by illustrators from all around of the world, such as Zdeněk Miler and Fyodor Khitruk.
She is happiest creating illustrations that make the imagination travel, take a new look at old ideas, and reaffirm the viewer of their natural place in this world.
About
Rahele Jomepour Bell is an Iranian/American picture book artist who has an M.F.A degree from Iowa State University. She started her profession in the United state in 2016 by collaborating with Face Magazine's Art Director: John Sandford. Rahele has created pictures for fiction and non-fiction children's books such as "Our Favorite Day of the Year," "The Treasure Box," "To Change A Planet," and "Angry Me / Peaceful Me. " Different prestigious awards recognize her illustrations, including SCBWI National Portfolio Grand Prize and Bologna Illustration Exhibition. www.rahelestudio.
www.rahelestudio.com
Rahele Jomepour Bell – Illustrator Interview
Posted on March 1, 2016 by Joanna
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10450247_10152989684706996_2224583621340497203_oI encountered Rahele’s work through this year’s Tomie de Paola SCBW illustrator competition where the prompt was: to illustrate a moment from a passage from Philip Pullman’s version of “Little Red Riding Hood” from FAIRY TALES FROM THE BROTHERS GRIMM (Viking, 2012). I admired Rahele’s entry, especially the unusual perspective, and I am glad she shared some of the process of creating it below. I am thrilled to have my first Iranian interviewee on Miss Marple’s Musings.
[JM] Illustrator or author/illustrator? If the latter, do you begin with words or pictures?
[RJB] Illustrator. I have been an illustrator for almost 18 years, but I can hardly call myself an author because I am in the very early steps of writing picture books.
[JM] Where are you from/have you lived and how has that influenced your work?
[RJB] I am from Mashhad, Iran, a large city in the north east of the country.
Mashdad, in the NE of Iran not far from the Turkmenistan border
Mashdad, in the NE of Iran not far from the Turkmenistan border (added by Joanna as I love to learn the specifics of geographical locations)
My affinity for decorative style with emphasis on details has roots in traditional Persian works of painters such as Behzad (15th century C.E). I tend to use the bright colors of Iranian miniatures with their geometric compositions in which the color plays a key role. I like to move the eye of the observer throughout the picture using the dynamic gestures of the figures and replication of different elements. I enjoy merging contemporary concepts with those found throughout traditional Iranian work.
[JM] Tell us a little of your beginnings and journey as an artist.
[RJB] After finishing my diploma at an art high school in Iran, I was awarded an internship in one of the most famous publications in Iran ‘Beh-Nashr’, resulting in the publication of my first two books in 2001. After that I knew I wanted to be an illustrator. I did my undergraduate in graphic design and my masters in illustration the University of Tehran.
I later enrolled at Iowa State University to pursue my Master of Fine Arts, focusing on painting. I was fortunate to work with a renowned illustrator, Chuck Richards, as my advisor. Professor Richards encouraged me to be in contact with international artists in order to expand my knowledge and understanding of art. At Iowa State University I was able to develop my artistic freedom and expression in ways I had not previously been able.
[JM] What is your preferred medium to work in?
[RJB] I love drawing with a variety of different pencils such mechanical pencil or Conté Crayon, and on different paper such as Moleskine sketchbook or Stonehenge smooth papers.
[JM] Do you have themes or characters you return to in your art?
[RJB] I have done a lot of biological illustrations for scientists and now it inspires me to bring this knowledge to my art. I grew up with watching cartoons from European countries and a lot of my works borrowed their moods from those animation styles; Like Alfie Atkins series of animated cartoons.
[JM] Can you share a piece or two with us, maybe of a WIP, and the process of creating them?
[RJB] Pencil is my favorite medium. I like its flexibility and organic nature. When I have a story, I do a lot of doodles in a loose style. At first I try to study the characters and find the best one for the story, then I start to work on the composition and slowly I add details to the final drawing. I scan the drawing and textures that I have made, then assemble them and add color in Photoshop.
Here I share my WIP for Little Red Riding Hood:
13
Sketch turned to the final drawing.
Little Red Riding Hood, Final artwork, 2016
[JM] Name at least three artists/illustrators who have particularly influenced you?
[RJB] Kaml ud-Dn Behzd, Sultan Muhammad, Feodor Rojankovsky, Fritz Baumgarten, Hans Arnold, Yuri Vasnetsov, Errol Le Cain, kay Nielsen, Maurice Sendak and Renata Liwska.
moh
By Sultan Muhammad. 1515-1522
[JM] What does your workspace look like?
Here is a photo of my little home studio in Ames, Iowa.
studio
[JM] What artwork do you have hanging in your house?
[RJB] Yes, I have a lot of work from artists who their style completely different of mine. I love particularly the abstract painting of Barbara Walton. I have it hanging in my studio (home studio).
art1
[JM] Have you attended any conferences or workshops that have been particularly helpful to you?
[RJB] Yes, as a member of SCBWI I have attended conferences in New York and Los Angeles, and soon will be attending the Wild, Wild, Midwest Conference in Chicago. In LA conference, I met Marla Freeze for my portfolio consultant. She gave me very good pieces of advice about my work and after that I started to work hard to find my way to the publishing industry. I learned a lot and I made wonderful friends.
Five Fun Ones to Finish? [JM] What’s your favorite park (state/urban..) in the world?
[RJB] Any place that faces the ocean is my favorite place in the world.
[JM] Cats or dogs?
[RJB] Cats!
[JM] Fact that most people don’t know about you?
[RJB] Most people from west do not know how familiar I am with the western literature. For example when I say I have read all Agatha Christie novels, when I was 14 years old, it surprises them!
[JM] I am so happy to know that you are already a Miss Marple fan! And I am ion impressed. I believe the only Iranian ones I have read are Persepolis and Journey from the Land of No. What word best sums you up?
[RJB] Comedic!
[JM] Go to snack/drink to sustain your creative juices?
[RJB] Chocolate and a cup of tea!
I am adding some more examples of Rahele’s work below as well as her social media links:
Website: http://www.rahelestudio.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rahele_studio/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/jomepour/
Rahele Jomepour Bell is an international award-wining artist who right now is focusing on picture book illustration, which is her real love. She also enjoys painting, collage, animation, printmaking and the list goes on. I love telling stories with pictures. Discovering a new medium and exploring a new technique is the most exciting part of my creation. Recently painting with natural mediums such as gouache and pencil is my favorite.
I have graduated with MFA in Integrated Visual Arts from Iowa State University in 2015, I now live and work in my home studio located in a beautiful tiny city of Ames in the state of Iowa. It looks out over a small Iowa yard, with low-speed railroad tracks in the distance. I like watching the train crawl by, especially when I see a rabbit or a squirrel watching. What are they thinking?”
Here is Rahele discussing her process:
I transfer my little thumbnail sketch to a paper drawing. I slowly add details.
Then I add layers of shading and lighting. This is the final drawing.
I scan the final drawing and paint with natural brushes on Photoshop.
How long have you been illustrating?
During high school, I started my first professional experience in the most famous children Caricature Magazine in Iran called “Gol Agha”, and I was 18 years old when I found the chance of doing an internship in one of the most famous publications in Iran ‘Beh-Nashr, resulting in publication of my first two books in 2001.
What and when was the first painting or illustration that you did where someone paid you for your artwork?
My first published illustration that I got paid actually happened when I just graduated from college with B.F.A in Graphic Design. The publisher paid me but never published the artwork. Because I illustrated the groom and bride were dancing in the picture and it was forbidden in that time. I do not have the original piece but I have a picture of the work in progress.
But right after it, one of my classmates who was the art director of a children magazine in that time asked me to do about 6 illustrations for their magazine. The magazine was called “Tiz-Houshan” for kids ages from 9 to 12. Here are some of those illustrations:
What made you choose to attend the Iowa State University for art?
I did research for M.F.A programs in Illustration and there are a few universities that offer this program but most of them are private schools and they consider illustration more as a communication design degree not fine arts. I found the illustrated picture books by Professor Chuck Richards and I could not wait to be his student.
What type of things do you study to get an MFA in Integrated Visual Arts?
At this program, I could have different opportunities to take a variety of classes and studios included of painting studios, textile, drawing, and illustration.
The underground comic art class helped me with my character design, their gestures and facial features, use of visual metaphor and understanding how much storytelling, composition, and point of view can be related to each other. Also working with Professor Chuck Richards, I learned how the marriage of text and image is so important for making a book. I have learned I can use my story telling and narrative style in illustrating a book but still be concerned about the text and follow the story.
Do you think art school influenced your style?
It is not about art school, it is about other artists from other part of planet you meet at school. My reason of coming to the united states and study at ISU was being in contact with international artists from all over the world, in an educational institute and being able to expand my knowledge and understanding of Art. I know the best artists who are self-thought and they are my heroes such as Beatrice Alemagna and Henri Rousseau
What job did you do right after you graduated?
I did a children’s picture book illustration project and have five books that are published in 2016; Tehran, Iran by Balout Books Publishing house ( Faray-e Elm).
How did you come up with the idea for the illustration you did for the 2016 Iowa Conference – Explore Your Storybook World flyer?
Thanks to Dorothia Rohner; Iowa SCBWI art coordinator for choosing me to design this flyer. I had a lot of fun doing this illustration project. I believe each book leads children to new adventures. We as authors or illustrators trying to help children to explore and find their own world by reading our books, but first we need to explore ourselves in our own story that we are telling.
How long did that take you to do?
A week; counting all sketches and playing with the composition.
Do you art exhibits to help promote yourself?
Yes, it does and I also enjoy meeting and talking to people who are interested about my art.
Do you have an artist rep. or an agent? If so, who? If not, would you like to have one?
I do not have an agent yet but YES! I would love to have a right agent to represent me.
What type of things do you do to get illustrations jobs?
Being a member of SCBWI and getting involved in different art events and conferences or even doing some volunteer illustration jobs helps me to get illustration commission.
How did you get the opportunity to paint a bench in a shopping area?
My mother in law who also is an artist knew about this public art opportunity, she gave me the website address and I submitted my artwork, and it was selected. It also won the second jury prize!
How long did that take you to do?
About a week, every day working from morning to the late afternoon.
Did the weather interfere? How did you treat it when done, so it will hold up in the elements?
The weather was very nice, it was May 2016. A little bit windy but not distractive. First, before start painting I sanded the bench very well, this helps the wood absorbs the paint better. At the end, I varnished the bench in three layers, 2 layers right after getting the painting done and one layer a week later.
Do you ever get contacted from people seeing the link to your website on the bench?
Yes! People sent me their pictures with the bench and it was so lovely to see them enjoying their time seating on that bench I painted.
Do you do any artwork other than children’s illustrations?
I am also painting. My paintings subject is mostly about women and their roles in the contemporary era. I make dolls, I sculpt little creatures with clay.
Marker pen and gouache on wood.2015 Romeo and Juliet, Scenic paint on canvas, 2016
When did you decide you wanted to illustrate for children?
One of the biggest influences on my interest in illustration started from my childhood. From the first years of elementary school I was hooked on those books which were illustrated by very best illustrators of the world. I wanted to be that person who draws pictures like those images in picture books.
Have you done any book covers?
I have done book cover artworks but it is just for self-promotion.
Do you have any desire to write and illustrate your own children’s book?
This is my dream! My husband and I are working on the story ideas which have the potential of being children’s book.
Would you be open to illustrating a book for an author who wants to self-publish?
If I love the story, YES! Why not!
Have you worked with educational publishers?
I have done educational illustrations for Iranian publishers but not in the United States yet. For sure, I would love to do the educational illustrations.
Have you done any illustrating for children’s magazines?
Yes, both inside of the U.S and outside. But I got published as an illustrator for the first time in the U.S with illustrating stories from Cricket Media/ Faces Magazine.
Have you tried to illustrate a wordless picture book?
It is under process. In my opinion, it takes more time in compare with other type of picture books.
Have you put together a picture book dummy to show off your talent?
I am working on two picture book dummies. I am not in a hurry, I know it is something that needs time and focus and of course a lot of revising.
What is your favorite medium to use?
Pencil and gouache, paper collage! I love to combine these mediums with digital technique. By this I have the chance of keeping the organic feeling of traditional mediums and also having a good result of printing from digital touch.
Has that changed over time?
Oh yes! I have worked with a lot of different mediums!
Do you have a studio set up in your home?
My studio is in our basement, what I care is having a big table to work and my art supplies.
What is the one thing in your studio that you could not live without?
My favorite picture books I have collected over the years.
Do you try to spend a specific amount of time working on your craft?
I try to spend drawing every day even half an hour! Sometimes I go there to my studio and I might just read about art online (such as your blog) or dig another illustrator’s work. It helps me to get motivated and Jing the bell of creativity in my brain!
Do you take pictures or do any types of research before you start a project?
A lot! I spent more time to do research rather than doing the artwork by itself. I take photos with my smart phone, save some of my favorite artist’s art sample for my inspiration. Oh! Pinterest and Instagram, these two social medias are the best inspiring references for me too!
Do you think the Internet has opened doors for you?
Internet and social medias helped me to find lots of artist friends form other sides of the earth! It is very important to know other artists who share the same thing you love. I cannot be happy without being in contact with other artists and creative people. And social media improved this goal for me.
Do you use Photoshop or Painter with your illustrations?
I use both Photoshop and Illustrator program as a digital tool to create my art work.
Do you own or have you used a Graphic Drawing Tablet in your illustrating?
Yes, I have an Intuos drawing tablet.
Do you have any career dreams that you want to fulfill?
I want my books in hands of children all over the world! Even someday in hands of children living on Mars.
What are you working on now?
Right now, I am being prepared for two upcoming art shows I will have one in December and one in February. I am also getting ready for Iowa SCBWI conference in Cedar Rapids this October. I am going to meet so many talented people, and very special art director from Cricket Media; John Sandford! I am pretty excited about this conference!
Do you have any material type tips you can share with us? Example: Paint or paper that you love – the best place to buy – a new product that you’ve tried – A how to tip, etc.
I always love to draw on very smooth papers and I have tried different kind of papers to find the right one. I love Moleskin sketchbook papers a lot, but they are expensive! Somehow, I could find the same type of paper, but much more affordable. It’s Egg shell colored Mohawk fine paper. It is very soft and smooth and gives you a great surface for using drawing pencils.
Any words of wisdom on how to become a successful writer or illustrator?
I am on my own way to be a good illustrator, I am still learning but one thing that really has helped me is this word from my husband; “Never give up and never get disappointed’! Always be consistent about reaching your goals!
Thank you Rahele for sharing your talent, process, journey, and expertise with us. Please make sure you keep in touch and share your future successes with us. To see more of Rahele’s work, you can visit her at her website: http://www.rahelestudio.com/
If you have a minute, please leave a comment for Rahele. I am sure she’d love it and I enjoy reading them, too. Thanks!
Talk tomorrow,
Kathy
Wednesday, August 15, 2018
Speed Interview with Rahele Jomepour Bell ...
2018 Winner of the SCBWI Summer L.A . Portfolio Showcase and Social Media Mentorship Award
When I heard that my dear friend and fellow Iowa illustrator won the portfolio showcase, it was no surprise.
In fact, I had sent her a text message before she left for L.A that read…
“I think you could win the showcase.”
It couldn’t have happened to a more deserving, talented, hardworking, fun, kind, humble person.
Congratulations again Rahele!
Her work has evolved on so many levels. From the serious subjects created for her MFA exhibition that depicted the harsh realities of women in Iran, to the playful, colorful, heartwarming scenes for children books, Rahele’s art captures the human emotion and spirit.
As you can imagine, she is in a flurry of deadlines but she has agreed to a speed interview.
So… Tick Tock… Let’s get started.
Welcome Rahele to the KidLitartists blog. Congratulations for winning two amazing awards!
Thank you for taking the time to answer a few questions.
Q: Over the years your fine art has shifted from serious dark subjects to what you are doing now in creating children’s books.
Can you describe the evolution and how that shift occurred? What was it that attracted you to illustrating children’s books?
A: My focus has been always on picture book illustration since 2001 to present. But after moving from Iran to the United States, I was faced with the fact of having the freedom of speech, and making art without any self-censoring. And it ended up for me to work in different studios with a variety of choices such as textile, painting, printmaking, I decided to take this advantage of telling my own story as a woman in Iran and what I had experienced; Bad and good!
So basically, I have been doing illustration all these years but not just in the children’s book area, I love exploring the power of narrative and visual storytelling in all versions of the art.
Q: You seem to explore many techniques and media. What is your favorite technique and process?
A: The story by itself will tell me which media or technique is the best fit for it. Recently, simplicity is my favorite technique or style.
Any media that helps me to develop the goal of simplicity regarding illustrating a picture book will be my friend for a while. I love collage with cutting papers I have collected or I have made.
Q: There are many high and low points on any artist’s creative journey. When looking back from where you started out to where you are now, what was the hardest thing for you? What did you do to overcome the obstacles?
A: Reading this question and trying to answer it, gave me goosebumps and teary eyes (AND A BIG SMILE) on my face! When I moved to the United States, it was 7 years ago, my main goal was to be an international children’s book illustrator. I did not know anything about the picture book publishing industry here in the US.
I did some research and I found SCBWI, I got my student membership,
and I met SCBWI people here in Iowa.
That was the start of seeing sparkles in my goal! My first national SCBWI conference in LA was 5 years ago and I remember I had severe headaches after coming back from the workshops and did not even understand half of the speeches as English is my second language!
There were times that I told myself, I would not find my way in the picture book field. But then the next day in my studio I stood up strongly and told this to myself:
“ You Don’t Give Up What You Love!”
I did not give up, I worked with all my heart and fell in love with an organization of people who support diversity. I applied for a mentorship through WNDB (We Need Diverse Books) and I got a chance to be a mentee with four wonderful art directors and artists.
That changed my career life. I signed with an awesome agent and I went to my third national SCBWI conference in LA and I won Portfolio Grand Prize and Social Media Mentorship with Debbie Ohi and Laurent Lin.
Yes!!! Do not give up, show your work to the world, send your work to any opportunity you think it is a way of promoting your work such as participating in art fairs, conferences, free contest submission.
The more you and your work get involved with people, the more friends you find, the more inspiration you get!
Q: Last question. Can you share any news on upcoming books or projects in the near future?
A: Right now, I am making illustrations for a picture book written by Maryann Macdonald (Albert Whitman, April 2019). My agent Christy Tugeau Ewers at the CAT Agency and I are about to sign another book contract with another publisher. (So Excited)!!! I am also working on my PB dummy book with my amazing mentor Pat Cummings from the WNDB mentorship. I hope I can get it done before going to the National SCBWI conference in New York. I am so excited to meet art directors and publishing houses there! HUGE SMILE ☺
Is there anything else that you would like to add or comment on?
A: Please find any opportunity you can submit your work! First, you might think you won’t be selected but you never know! It is the art world and there are different tastes and they might like your work!
Before applying for WNDB, I thought, nah, they won’t select me, this is huge!!! But I did, and I did get selected! I learned and still am learning a lot from that opportunity! Do not miss any opportunity!
Oh! Also join SCBWI, it is the place where every author or illustrator feels at home!
I would love to share what I know to my pals, so please do not hesitate to contact me and ask your questions.
Thank you friend! You and your work are an inspiration to all. Wonderful tips and thoughtful answers.
If you would like to learn more about Rahele and her
art you can find her online at:
Website: rahelestudio.com
IG: instagram.com/rahele_studio
Twitter: twitter.com/RaheleJomepour
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Post by Dorothia Rohner
2104 Portfolio Mentee
DorothiaRohner.com
Author: I Am Goose! (Clarion, 2019)
Posted by dorothia at 8:45 PM
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Illustrator Spotlight
Rahele Jomepour Bell
Illustrator Spotlight: Rahele Jomepour Bell
© Rahele Jomepour Bell
Dec. 6, 2019
We are delighted to feature illustrator Rahele Jomepour Bell and her debut picture book, PLAYDATE, by Maryann McDonald (Albert Whitman April 2019). Enter to win a copy!
Tell us about yourself and how you came to illustrate for children.
My country used to be called Persia, I was born and raised in Mashhad, the second large city in Iran, it is also known as a city with having strong roots in literature. During the time I grew up, the war between of Iran and Iraq happened. I remember as a child, the world around of me was kind of gray, but I learned how to find my happy world; my happy world was when I was reading a book or listening to my grandma’s stories. That was the time I realized that I want to be a part of books! I did not know I could be a book maker until later!
© Rahele Jomepour Bell
I started to take art classes at the age 11. I graduated with a BFA in Graphic Design from the University of Tehran in 2008. Then I started to work with different publishers and magazines in Iran while I was studying MFA in Illustration at the University of Tehran. In 2008 I travelled to Italy for an illustration conference, I met artists from different countries, and I made my first American illustrator friend (that was the best experience in my life).
© Rahele Jomepour Bell
After that trip I wanted to see more and expand my world as an artist, and I ended up in the United States to study Art. I graduated with an MFA in Visual Arts from Iowa State University in 2015 and from the time I arrived in this country, I learned about SCBWI, and I immediately joined this amazing society of people who have the same love as mine. I am so grateful for having friends I made at this amazing committee! Now I work as a full-time picture book illustrator in my home studio in Ames, Iowa.
© Rahele Jomepour Bell
Congrats on your recent book, PLAYDATE by Maryann McDonald. Tell us about the story and how you approached illustrating it.
© Rahele Jomepour Bell
Thank you so much. Right after I signed with my awesome agent Christy at The Cat Agency, I was offered to make pictures for PLAYDATE. I read the story and I fell in love with the text. I was amazed how Maryann could simplify the complicated concept of the story by using minimal words. I am so happy this was my first picture book publication in the United States.
© Rahele Jomepour Bell
Was your road to publication long and winding, short and sweet, or something in between?
Because I LOVE my work, I see the road to publication as an adventure trip. It was a long trip but very exciting with having lots of bumps on the road. Sometimes I fell down and thought I wouldn't make it, but thankfully I have my best friend, my husband Daniel who always told me Do Not Give Up, stay on the road and follow your heart. Again, SCBWI helped me a lot to find the way like a light in a dark road. And We Need Diverse Book by Miranda Paul and my mentors from their mentorship helped me a lot to find my way to publication. Dorothia Rohner who is an amazing author/illustrator always has supported me and my work on this adventure. Chuck Richards; my advisor at ISU also thought me a lot about publication and book making. Here I need to tell them how THANKFUL I am for having them in my artistic life!
© Rahele Jomepour Bell
What is your preferred medium and what is your illustration process?
I like to try different techniques and always keep the doors open for exploring new styles while I am still me in my work. Each book, each story tells me how I need to work and what style will define it on its best way. I love creating textures by using traditional mediums, then I scan them, using them by digital tools to make my illustrations.
For example, in my current project I am going to use the textures I have made by printmaking inks in my digital illustrations. Here are the pictures from my process:
And here is one of the illustration examples I made digitally by using my handmade textures:
© Rahele Jomepour Bell
What projects are you working on now?
Two weeks ago, I submitted the final artwork for my second book; OUR FAVORITE DAY OF THE YEAR, by A.E. Alie, which will be published by Simon and Schuster and it will be out the world by the end of June 2020. Here's the cover of it:
Now I am working on my third book which is about A Book!
What advice would you give to aspiring illustrators?
Join to SCBWI. Go to their conferences. Participate in any illustration opportunity, let your work to be seen. I remember my first-time illustration publication in the U.S. was when I submitted my work to the Art Spot for SCBWI bulletin and I found it was chosen as the winner for that issue. That one was a HUGE encouragement for me in that time. Do Not Give Up.
© Rahele Jomepour Bell
What is one thing most people don't know about you?
I wish I could be half Unicorn, half Human! I did not know about Unicorns before coming to the US! This makes me wish to make pictures for a Unicorn book project!
Where can people find you online?
I will be happy to have you on my Instagram page : https://www.instagram.com/rahele_studio/
And also, my Twitter page: https://twitter.com/RaheleJomepour
Rahele came to United States in 2011 to pursue her dream of being a free international artist, and graduated with an MFA in Integrated Visual Arts from Iowa State University in 2015. She now lives in the beautiful tiny city of Ames, Iowa with her husband and her little girl Darya, and works as a full time freelance illustrator in her home studio.
She has been an active member of SCBWI since 2012 and has worked with Cricket Media, children magazines since 2016. Her illustration work was selected as a finalist for the SCBWI Bologna 2016 and shortlisted for the SCBWI Bologna 2018. She has illustrated 7 books published by an Iranian publisher in Tehran. She is the recipient of 2018 Illustration Mentorship Awards from We Need Diverse Books #WNDB. In August 2018, she won the portfolio showcase grand prize award at the SCBWI LA National Conference. She also was the winner of the 2018 SCBWI Social Media Mentorship for Illustrators at the LA National Conference. Laurent Linn and Debbie Ohi were her awesome mentors.
Our Favorite Day of the Year: A Talk with Iranian Illustrator Rahele Jomepour Bell
June 16, 2020 by Betsy Bird 7 comments
I just know I can’t be the only person to have noticed that there’s been a significant uptick in the number of Iranian authors and illustrators of children’s books published in America in the past five years. To what do we owe this international influx of talent? After all, the sheer variation in these artists is astounding.
Such were my thoughts when I read the picture book Our Favorite Day of the Year by A.E. Ali, illustrated by Iranian artist Rahele Jomepour Bell. Its description reads:
“Musa’s feeling nervous about his first day of school. He’s not used to being away from home and he doesn’t know any of the other kids in his class. And when he meets classmates Moisés, Mo, and Kevin, Musa isn’t sure they’ll have much in common. But over the course of the year, the four boys learn more about each other, the holidays they celebrate, their favorite foods, and what they like about school. The more they share with each other, the closer they become, until Musa can’t imagine any better friends.”
Don’t be fooled by its cover. Behind this innocuous facade rests a rather clever take on holidays, going to school for the first time, friendship, and encountering the new and unexpected in other people. I was intrigued enough by Bell’s style that when the chance came to interview her about the book, I took it as an excuse to learn a bit more about what precisely is going on in the world of publishing both here and overseas.
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Betsy Bird: That you so much for joining me here today? Okay, so here’s that preliminary question I pull out because I’m always intrigued by what an illustrator considers a worthy project. In your case, what drew you to this particular book? What about it, do you like the most?
Rahele Jomepour Bell: The minute I read the story of Our Favorite Day of the Year; I knew there is a voice for me to speak up in this story as an immigrant artist. I could find myself between the characters in this story. I am a person who is open to all messages caring love from all different cultures and religions in this world. I love to know more about people and their beliefs; I think these differences and contrasts bring pure beauty to this world. We do not have to be similar to get accepted in our society; we need to respect each other’s minds. We can be friends with all sorts of cultural backgrounds and spiritual forms. I learned a lot from the characters of this book.
This book had a real challenge, and it was doing a lot of research during the process of making it. It includes a lot of ethnic, racial, and lifestyle referrals, and I needed to be careful not to make a single mistake in order to make the pictures. And I loved it.
BB: This begs the obvious question: What’s your favorite holiday, personally?
RJB: My favorite holiday is Nowruz. I believe all people in the world celebrate coming spring everywhere, but perhaps no one takes the arrival of spring more seriously than Persians. Persian people have celebrated the festival of Nowruz, the Iranian new year, for thousands of years. Nowruz means “A New day.” It’s a holiday admiring rebirth and renewal filled with family, friends, feasting, music, poetry, and hope for a felicitous new year to follow. We set up A Haft-sîn table decorated with symbols of spring and renewal on display. I have included its picture in the endpapers. Can you find it? 🙂
The first thing we do on this day is taking a shower, put on the new clothes, and sitting around the Haft-sîn table, then making wishes wordlessly, purifying our taste by trying the Norouz Persian pastries. Hugging and loving each other and telling this to each other: “Norouz Mubarak.”
Later, it is the most exciting part, and that is getting ready to go to Grandparent’s house and spending the rest of the day with cousins and aunts, uncles. Ahh, it is the happiest day of my life. I am trying my best to keep it alive for my child Darya here as much as I can and let her experience the happiness of celebrating this beautiful day.
BB: Okay. Now I seriously want a Nowruz picture book.
You are originally from Iran, and we’ve been seeing such a fantastic increase in the number of Iranian artists publishing in America today. I know you’ve published in Iran itself. What can you tell me about the picture books you might find there? What are the top topics of interest? How does the business differ from publishing here in America?
RJB: As a child born and grown up in Iran, from the beginning of life, I was exposed to lots of ornamental and detailed Persian patterns, from Persian rugs motives to my grandma’s quilt. There have always been stories behind these images. I remember sitting and playing with my paper cut characters in the garden, knitted and pictured in the Persian rug in our living room. I told all of these to say that Iranian initially are illustrators. If any artist you find from Iran creates any form of art, you can find the origin of the narrative skill and storytelling in their artwork. I think because of that there are lots of great illustrators from Iran.
Iranian love fables and folktales. I found these books are a little bit less bold here in America to compare it in Iran. People in the literature field in Iran are trying their best to keep the roots of this genre active. The taste of children’s books I see published in Iran is more similar to East European books. Publishers and picture bookmakers are more in the act of exchanging their books with Europe through book fairs there such as having book exhibitions in Bologna book fair, Belgrade, and Frankfort book fair.
The big difference I can point to is that there are more independent publisher houses in Iran to compare it with here in America.
But the book marketing here is more organized and very well-delineated.
I LOVE working as a picture book maker here in the US because I have the chance to be alongside many incredible artists and authors from different countries and getting published by the US publishers. I love the diversity here in the publication industry, which we do not have it in Iran. And it feels like a big gap there, I believe. When a country brings different people from different backgrounds and perspectives, it helps any form of industry always refreshed and new.
BB: What would be your dream assignment? What kind of book for kids would you like most to illustrate?
RJB: My dream book project is picture booking my own stories with no boundaries to have the freedom to make both pictures and words.
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I know my readers are astute; children are super smart. I want to make books with less commercial cuteness but more explorative and imaginative concepts, including emotions and deep feelings, poetic.
I want to show children that there is no line to be creative and innovative through my art. I do not see any problem with having a little bit of bitterness and dark concept in picture books. Kids love this stuff. Short answer, just like Maurice Sendak’s books.
BB: Always a good answer. And finally, what are you working on now?
RJB: I am about to finish my third book’s final artwork. I am going to miss working with the one and only Laurent Linn, my art director at Simon and Schuster. This book will be going to be loved by every single reader, I hope. I can’t wait to share the Book’s Big Adventure, with the world; written by Adam Lehrhaupt, publisher: Paula Wiseman Books.
Big time thanks going out to Rahele for going above and beyond the call of duty in answering my questions. Thanks too to Shivani Annirood and the folks at Simon & Schuster for connecting me with her in the first place.
May 10, 2022
Let's Talk Illustrators #213: Rahele Jomepour Bell
Angry Me, written by Sandra V. Feder and illustrated by Rahele Jomepour Bell, helps kids examine ways of communicating strong feelings. I was super lucky to catch Rahele to talk to her about about her illustration processes for the book (and its forthcoming companion Peaceful Me!) and gain some insight into how she visually developed the main character's full range of emotions. Enjoy our chat!
About the book:
"I get angry," says a little girl, looking fiercely in the mirror. Sometimes she gets angry when someone is mean and tries to take her toy away, when it feels unfair that there's not enough time to go swimming, when she's tired and just wants to go home, or when the kids at school leave her out, hurting her feelings.
When she's angry, she tries to remember to use her words –– even though that doesn't always work. Sometimes she can't find the right words, or the words don't come out the way she intends. But sometimes words do help, and when her anger melts away a new feeling can blossom.
Let's talk Rahele Jomepour Bell!
LTPB: How did you become the illustrator of Angry Me? What were the first images that popped into your mind when you saw Sandra V Feder’s text?
RJB: First my wonderful agent Christy at The Cat Agency, forwarded the email from Groundwood Books with the manuscript of Angry Me attached. She said Rahele look at the manuscript and see if you like it. This is that first exciting time of creating pictures for a book. I remember when I first time read the story, I could see the pictures in my mind right away as I have a little daughter who I could see her in a lot of pages of the Angry Me story. And second when I saw the offer is from one my favorite published, who I already knew a lot of my artist friends are so happy working with them, I told Christy yes please, I want to do this book.
LTPB: Can you talk a little bit about the visual evolution of Angry Me? As you got to know the main character and her expressions of anger, how did your illustrations evolve?
RJB: It was very important for me to find the right pose of anger in children and show it in my main character. I was teaching art to kids at the time I was sketching Angry Me book, I tried to capture different feelings in my students, and also my own daughter was very inspiring to me.
In addition of the character design, it was important what colors I use for her, what scenes I am placing her in, all these helped me to express her feelings. These are some of my very first character designs for Angry Me:
LTPB: What were you most excited to illustrate, and what were some of the more challenging moments?
RJB: I was so excited because I knew I am having yet another opportunity to make a book which is going to help children about how to handle their very important emotions, to talk, to know they and their message is important to others. The most challenging moment for me was how to do this and adding another deep layer to text through my illustration that can talk clearly to kids, and I am happy with the result.
My very first sketches.
A revised sketch from one the Angry Me spreads.
LTPB: What did you use to create the illustrations in this book? Is this your preferred medium? How does your process change from book to book?
RJB: The decision of which medium I use in every book is different. It comes from the story, and its concept, the message it is holding. For the art in Angry Me, I tried different textures, I wanted to have textures but not rough and bold textures, I wanted to use a medium which could flow. This way I could show the change of emotion. First I tried noise texture but then I tried water color but again it did not give me what I wanted, I tried gouache paint, and I found it very strong for both textural and fluent. Later I did transfer my gouache textures to my computer and used them to make my own digital gouache brushes for the finals of the book.
I tried the noise texture but I was happier more with the gouache texture.
I tried different brushes I made digitally.
LTPB: What are you working on now? Anything you can show us?
RJB: I am working on the second book with Groundwood Books also written by Sandra V. Feder named Peaceful Me in continue of Angry Me. Both book representing children and how they deal with their emotions in different situations. Here is a spot illustration from Peaceful Me.
LTPB: If you got the chance to write your own picture book autobiography, who (dead or alive!) would you want to illustrate it, and why?
RJB: It is too much to ask for me but at least I can dream about it. Květa Pacovská, I love the world Květa makes, I deeply belong my inner child to her unique artwork.
A million thanks to Rahele for taking time to answer questions for me! Angry Me published last week from Groundwood Books!
Special thanks to Rahele and Groundwood for use of these images!
Q&A With Christina Soontornvat and Rahele Jomepour Bell, To Change a Planet
June 7, 2022 by JoAnn Yao
to change a planet blog header
By Thushanthi Ponweera
Today we’re pleased to welcome Christina Soontornvat and Rahele Jomepour Bell to the WNDB blog to discuss their picture book To Change A Planet, out August 2, 2022!
Through spare, direct, and hopeful text, award-winning author and science educator, Christina Soontornvat illuminates the seemingly small and insignificant things from carbon molecules that become pollutants to one degree on the thermometer to one person’s actions that when multiplied, can have damaging ripple effects, and endanger the lives of all creatures on earth. Fortunately, the choices we make have an impact, and they too can change a planet.
to change a planet cover art
This story is both a beautiful reminder and a powerful plea. How hopeful are you that the next generation will do better by our planet?
Christina: Very hopeful. We see it already in the action taken all around the globe by youth activists who are calling on adults to do better and be better. But while I’m inspired by them, I also don’t think it’s fair to hang our hope on them. After all, they are children. We adults have to do better for them, for all of us.
Rahele: The next generation’s childhood is very different from my own. Children now are learning about this very important subject of our planet being in need. They are lucky to have access to books like To Change a Planet. I am so very hopeful for our next generation. They are smart and talented. They, the children, are the hope for our planet.
If there was one message that you’d want every reader of this book to have, what would it be?
Rahele: Every child and every child’s voice matters to protect our only home; our planet.
Christina: As Rahele said, that one person can make a difference. It’s so easy to get discouraged and feel small because the world’s problems can feel so big. But as we have seen time and again, when it comes to making a change in the world, one person matters. One person can be the spark that starts the fire.
Rahele, as a WNDB mentee myself, I know how life-changing winning a mentorship can be. You have been a WNDB mentee as well as a SCBWI mentee. What are your thoughts on mentorships and the opportunities they present to marginalized creators?
When I learned about the WNDB mentorship program, the voice inside my head that is always fearful told me How could you be chosen from lots of applicants? Do not bother and do not apply. But as always, I told myself, no, I am going to apply for it, and it won’t hurt. So, I did, I got selected, and was super lucky to work with four of the best professionals in the publishing world. My dreams came true: I learned a lot, I found my path, I signed with my dream agent, and with the body of work I made during my mentorship, and with the help of my agent, I won SCBWI Portfolio award!
Take every opportunity to put your work in front of professional eyes. Don’t we call this country the land of opportunities? They are there, so go get ‘em. 🙂
Christina, I relate to being an only child with daydreams and books for company! Did you think that experience played a part in your eventual career as an author?
Oh yes, being an only child was a huge influence on me! As you know, we only children are in our heads a lot. I spent a lot of time being bored, haha. The result was that I became a daydreamer at an early age, which I think is an essential skill for an author.
to change a planet author pull quote
What was your creative process like for this book?
Christina: I wrote my first draft of this book in one big rush of inspiration, on a day when I was hanging out with my kids outside. The main structure and the flow of the book has remained the same from the beginning, but I had to return many times to get the language just right. My editor, Tracy Mack, and I agonized over some of these word choices! Since there are so few overall, each one carried a lot of weight. My favorite part of the process has been seeing Rahele’s illustrations come in through the various stages, and each time gasping with surprise and awe at her talent!
Rahele: In the early stages, I made a small mockup of the book. I drew and painted directly on those tiny book pages, using small amounts of acrylic paint, sand papers, and oil pastels, I also went through my secret box and found some of the leftover painted papers I made years ago. I knew I would use them someday for an important project. So all the textures you see are the combination of old and new textures I hand painted. I wanted to keep the organic feeling of traditional paint. Then I scanned the little illustrations with a high-quality scanner in tiff format. And I used my digital brushes to paint another layer on top of my handmade illustrations using a digital pen.
During the creation of the pictures for this book, all I felt was hope. Christina’s words are so strong, I cried, I smiled with my heart, and on some pages, I was staring at the sky, and trees. Again, the feeling of being hopeful was so strong in me while making art for this book.
Biggest influences—people or experiences—in your work?
Rahele: I would love to mention here that usually while working on a book project, I exercise the visual part of my brain by looking at good art. For this book, it was the work of my favorite artist Květa Pacovská.
In this book you will see a little character wearing a green scarf. I created him inspired by The Little Prince: a messenger for all of us, coming from the past, living today, and being with the next generations in the future.
Christina: My family has been my biggest influence on my life in all ways. They made me who I am, and their stories were the first stories I remember hearing. In every book I write, I see them there.
What other books about climate change do you think every child should read?
Christina: How to Help a Hedgehog and Protect a Polar Bear written by Jess French and illustrated by Angela Keoghan, and Greta and the Giants written by Zoe Tucker and illustrated by Zoe Persico are both wonderful picture books. We Are Water Protectors written by Carole Lindstrom and illustrated by Micheala Goade is essential reading for every human.
Rahele: Is This My Home? is my favorite one illustrated by South Korean illustrator Yeji Yun.
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Christina Soontornvat headshotChristina Soontornvat began this book during a time when she was searching for hope. “As I wrote, I realized that the mechanism behind climate change many small things coming together to make a big impact also gives us a framework for how we can work together to help our planet. Hope is the first step in problem-solving, and I am hopeful we can change our future for the better.” She is the author of two Newbery Honor books A Wish in the Dark and All Thirteen, which also won a Sibert Honor distinction. Christina is the author of Scholastic’s beloved fantasy series Diary of an Ice Princess, and the picture books The Ramble Shamble Children, The Blunders, and Simon at the Art Museum. Christina holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and a master’s degree in Science Education. She spent a decade working in the science museum field, where she designed programs and exhibits to get kids excited about science and STEM. Christina lives in Austin, Texas with her husband, two young children, and one old cat. You can learn more about her work at soontornvat.com.
Rahele Jomepour Bell headshot photoRahele Jomepour Bell is the illustrator of the picture books Our Favorite Day of the Year, Playdate, and Book’s Big Adventure, and also contributed artwork to Scholastic Press’s nonfiction picture book anthology In the Spirit of the Dream. Rahele immigrated to the United States from Iran in 2011 to pursue her dream of studying art at Iowa State University, where she received her MFA in integrated visual arts. You can learn more about her work at RaheleStudio.com.
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Thushanthi Ponweera headshotThushanthi Ponweera is a blog volunteer for We Need Diverse Books and a WNDB 2021 picture book mentee with author David LaRochelle. She was born and raised in Colombo, Sri Lanka where she lives with her husband and two children. She grew up reading and falling in love with stories about children and places that were foreign to her. She believes that someday children from around the world will read and fall in love with stories about children in Sri Lanka. She hopes to write those stories. You can find her on Twitter @thushponweera and on Instagram @bythush.
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Sandra V. Feder & Rahele Jomepour Bell on Creating a Picture Book that Celebrates Finding Peace Within
Date
May 19, 2023
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banner image with photos of artist Rahele Jomepour Bell and writer Sandra Feder. Black background with text reading "creators in conversation: Sandra V. Feder & Rahele Jomepour Bell" and ""Strong feelings come and go and are just part of being human". Sidebar illustrations taken from Peaceful Me by Sandra V. Feder & Rahele Jomepour Bell
Anyone who spends time with children knows that when it comes to kids, the feelings are big. Happiness, sadness, anger – it's all magnified, and it's not always easy to navigate. Writer Sandra V. Feder and artist Rahele Jomepour Bell came together in 2022 to create Angry Me, an authentic and kid-centric picture book that was both beautiful and a smart way to talk respectfully and thoughtfully to kids about feeling really, really darn mad sometimes.
This year, they've followed up with Peaceful Me (Groundwood Books), where a child much like the narrator of Angry Me talks openly about times where he has felt peaceful, and how he manages his feelings when he wants to get back to a peaceful state and has trouble.
With Bell's gorgeous artwork and Feder's keen insight into how to reach kids where they are, it's a spectacular outing, and one parents and caregivers will find themselves relating to as they work through the text with kids, as the story charmingly takes readers through the child's different kinds of peaceful feelings, like the "free peaceful" of outdoor play and "yummy peaceful" of a tasty family dinner.
Recommended strategies for getting "back to peaceful" include kid-friendly techniques like deep breaths, imagining favourite things, taking quiet time, and of course, getting a warm hug.
To celebrate Peaceful Me's publication earlier this month, we're hosting a conversation between its creators, Feder and Bell, in which they interview one another about the process of making Peaceful Me a reality, as part of our KidLit Convos series. From the writer-illustrator relationship to how Dairy Queen and napping cats became part of the creative process, they show the teamwork and joyfulness that makes Peaceful Me work so well.
Rahele Jomepour Bell:
What advice would you give to someone working with a co-creator on a book for the first time?
Rahele Jomepour Bell (illustration by Rahele Jomepour Bell)
Rahele Jomepour Bell (illustration by Rahele Jomepour Bell)
Sandra V. Feder:
My advice is to let go and prepare to be surprised and delighted. When you work on a picture book with an illustrator, it is a huge act of ceding some control. You have to trust your publisher, who has more experience, to have picked a wonderful co-creator for you and then you have to trust that person to bring their own vision to the work, because that’s when something magical happens. I’m always amazed to see what my illustrators add to my text. I would also recommend to authors that they sit with the illustrator’s work for a bit before offering comments. I think sometimes it's not how we pictured our characters in our heads. But the new layers or insights the illustrator has brought to the project is what makes a picture book not just a story but a piece of art.
RJB:
What was the strangest or most memorable part of creating this book for you?
SVF:
One very memorable part was seeing how much nature Rahele included in her illustrations. Certainly, there were places in the text where I mention natural phenomenon that can help a child feel more peaceful. That’s been true for me as a child and as an adult. But she delighted me in taking it to a whole other level with flowers pouring off the page, joyful nature-infused front and back covers, and the child hugging a tree! I didn’t know that I’ve always wanted a book that included a child hugging a tree, but it turns out that I did!
RJB:
What do you hope young readers will take away from our book?
Peaceful Me by Sandra V. Feder, illustrated by Rahele Jomepour Bell
Peaceful Me by Sandra V. Feder, illustrated by Rahele Jomepour Bell
SVF:
I hope that young readers will see themselves and recognize that their lives are full of great moments where they feel in balance and at peace with the world. But that those moments don’t always last. For me, visualizing happy things or places always helps me find my bearings again when I’m feeling less peaceful and deep breathing is an important tool we can all use. Mostly, I hope children will recognize that strong feelings come and go and are just part of being human.
[Editor's note: the creators now swapped roles, with Feder asking questions and Bell responding]
Sandra V. Feder:
How do you view the elements we each contributed as working with each other in the final version?
Sandra V. Feder (illustration by Rahele Jomepour Bell)
Sandra V. Feder (illustration by Rahele Jomepour Bell)
Rahele Jomepour Bell:
I picked up some powerful words in Sandra's story Peaceful Me. And from there, I started to pay closer attention to the children's manners and peaceful moments to the words I focused on in the text, such as river side and sky, during different times of the day with a peaceful mood. I even flashed back to my childhood and those quiet moments I remember when I was reading a book in my room or sitting outside on a spring day.
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In addition, I collected pictures I had taken from the places where I felt peaceful.
I played with Sandra’s words and added a visual language on top of them to transfer the deep meaning of the story's concept.
SVF:
Do you relate to any of the characters in the book? If so, who and in what ways?
RJB:
As an illustrator, I always love to accept the stories in which I can see myself, my inner child. I also get a considerable part of my inspiration for my work from my own child and our daily life experiences together.
In this book, the reader will see, I have illustrated the moon on different pages. I was inspired by my sister-in-law's photos of the moon. She is a great photographer, and I see the peace in every single one of her photos. Together, these are how I could relate the main character in Peaceful Me to me and to my life experiences.
SVF:
What was your workspace like while working on your part of the book? What do you need in order to make a work session successful (food, tools, music, rituals, etc)?
RJB:
For this book, I wanted to experience peace in different places, especially when sketching. So my daughter and I went to Dairy Queen to eat ice cream; we sat outside on a bench in front of a young tree and ate our ice cream quietly and peacefully. Or we went to a park close to our house and watched the sunset. I watched my daughter giving water to the plant with all her love and, of course, our cat Nono and his napping times brought peace to my studio while I was working on the final illustrations for our book.
________________________________________________
Sandra V. Feder is the author of three acclaimed picture books: Angry Me, illustrated by Rahele Jomepour Bell; Bitter and Sweet, illustrated by Kyrsten Brooker, a PJ Library selection; and The Moon Inside, illustrated by Aimée Sicuro, which has been translated into multiple languages. She has also written the Daisy series of early chapter books, illustrated by Susan Mitchell. Sandra lives in California.
Rahele Jomepour Bell’s charming illustrations have appeared in Angry Me by Sandra V. Feder, The Treasure Box by Dave J. Keane and Our Favorite Day of the Year by A. E. Ali (Kirkus Best Picture Books of the Year), among others. She has also published seven picture books in Iran and has received a number of awards and honors for her work.
Call it Home
Posted on May 28, 2024
Recently, we were honored to host author and Princeton University student Uma Menon who is also GRADUATING today! CONGRATULATIONS! Uma brought her gorgeous picture book, My Mother’s Tongues: A Weaving of Languages (Candlewick Press, 2024; illustrated by Rahele Jomepour Bell). In the book, Uma describes the beautiful dynamic of her family and the multiple languages they speak. So we designed this sweet home…
…that opens to reveal the names of everyday household items in all the languages mentioned in her book! Malayalam, Spanish, Hindi, French, and Tamil!
We used some flat boxes we acquired from our library’s upcycling program, but a folded piece of poster board works too! Just color and cut the household furniture template and household words labels, then glue them into your home. We also provided patterned paper for some extra fancy design elements.
After story time, I caught up with Uma to ask her about her experiences writing her picture book, and what’s she’s planning to do next:
Hi Uma! Tell us a little about yourself!
I am a senior at Princeton University majoring in the School of Public and International Affairs with minors in South Asian Studies, American Studies, and Gender & Sexuality Studies. Outside of school, I enjoy writing poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. My first children’s book, My Mother’s Tongues, was published by Candlewick Press in February, and it will be followed by a sequel next year, titled Our Mothers’ Names. Both books tell the story of a young Indian American girl who grows up speaking Malayalam and English, inspired by my own childhood. Previously, I wrote a poetry collection, Hands for Language, which was published by Mawenzi House in 2020, and I have also written essays and poetry for many publications including The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, and The Progressive.
What inspired this book?
I began writing this book around high school graduation, when I was 16 years old. Growing up, I did not encounter any stories of children like me who spoke more than one language, so I wanted to write a book that represented this experience shared by millions of children of immigrants across America. As a child, speaking a different language doesn’t always feel like a superpower—it often feels like a point of difference. Through My Mother’s Tongues, I hope to celebrate the beauty and power of multilingualism while highlighting the wonder and confusion young children may experience.
Do you have any insights or reflections to share, growing up in a bilingual home?
Being bilingual is not easy. As we grow up, attend school, and interact primarily with English speakers, it becomes more difficult to maintain native fluency in our mother tongues. Yet, I realized that there is great value in making an active effort to preserve my knowledge of Malayalam. It has allowed me to connect more deeply with family members, consume diverse media and art, and access more cultural perspectives. Growing up bilingual taught me the value of being able to speak multiple languages and hence inspired me to become a lifelong language learner: inspired by my heritage, I decided to study Hindi while at Princeton. As with Malayalam, learning Hindi has allowed me to access a rich body of literature and film as well as understand more perspectives on the world.
What do you enjoy most about writing?
For me, writing is a valuable tool for personal expression and communication with diverse audiences. Throughout my life, reading and writing have allowed me to better understand my own identity and the perspectives of others. Books have made me a more empathetic and global citizen. As a writer, I hope to reach the hearts and minds of people across the world—those who have both similar and different life experiences as me.
What are you planning to do after you graduate from Princeton University?
In the fall, I will be attending Yale Law School, where I am excited to study international law and human rights. Of course, I will also continue writing across many genres, but I especially hope to begin working on more children’s literature this summer!
ALI, A. E. Our Favorite Day of the Year. illus. by Rahele Jomepour Bell. 40p. Salaam Reads. Jun. 2020. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9781481485630.
PreS-Gr 4--On the first day of kindergarten, Musa is surprised to hear from his new teacher that he will become good friends with the children in his class. She knows what she's talking about, structuring her classroom to embrace the differences among all students. One way the children become closer is by sharing their favorite day of the year. Each child believes his or her favorite day is the most special, but everyone is willing to learn about another culture, the associated foods, and the special traditions--all while sharing in the joy their classmate feels for the day. Musa explains why his favorite day is the Muslim holiday of Eid Mubarak, while Mo shares why he loves Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. Moises celebrates the nine days of Las Posadas for his Christmas tradition, while Kevin talks about his family's love of science and their celebration of Pi Day, when his family learns about scientists and their discoveries. The celebrations profiled in the book are less about religion than family traditions and connections, and the year concludes with the teacher showcasing all these favorite days in calendars she passes out to the class. Colorful, charming illustrations show a diverse classroom where learning is thoughtful but also energetic and filled with music, dancing, and eating. VERDICT A comforting story that will help build bridges among children of different backgrounds and faiths.--Sally James, South Hillsborough Elementary School, Hillsborough, CA
Caption: Our Favorite Day of the Year (All) [c]2020 by Rahele Jomepour Bell
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2020 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
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James, Sally. "ALI, A.E.: Our Favorite Day of the Year." School Library Journal, vol. 66, no. 5, May 2020, p. 44. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A622369254/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=7b94fa96. Accessed 3 Aug. 2024.
Our Favorite Day of the Year
A. E. Ali, author
Rahele Jomepour Bell, illustrator
Salaam Reads
c/o Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
1230 Avenue of the Americas, 4th floor, New York, NY 10020
www.simonandschuster.com/kids
9781481485630, $17.99, HC, 40pp
https://www.amazon.com/Our-Favorite-Day-Year-Ali/dp/1481485636
Musa's feeling nervous about his first day of school. He's not used to being away from home and he doesn't know any of the other kids in his class. And when he meets classmates Moises, Mo, and Kevin, Musa isn't sure they'll have much in common. But over the course of the year, the four boys learn more about each other, the holidays they celebrate, their favorite foods, and what they like about school. The more they share with each other, the closer they become, until Musa can't imagine any better friends.
"Our Favorite Day of the Year" is a wonderfully charming story of friendship and celebrating differences in which children ages 4-8 can discover how entering a new friendship with an open mind and sharing parts of yourself brings people together. And the calendar of holidays at the end of the book will delight children as they identify special events they can celebrate with friends throughout the year. While certain to be an enduringly popular addition to family, daycare center, preschool, elementary school, and community library picture book collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Our Favorite Day of the Year" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.99).
Please Note: Illustration(s) are not available due to copyright restrictions.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2020 Midwest Book Review
http://www.midwestbookreview.com/cbw/index.htm
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"Our Favorite Day of the Year." Children's Bookwatch, Oct. 2020, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A642011112/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=f84672bd. Accessed 3 Aug. 2024.
Our Favorite Day of the Year
A. E. Ali, author
Rahele Jomepour Bell, illustrator
Salaam Reads
c/o Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
1230 Avenue of the Americas, 4th floor, New York, NY 10020
www.simonandschuster.com/kids
9781481485630, $17.99, HC, 40pp
https://www.amazon.com/Our-Favorite-Day-Year-Ali/dp/1481485636
Musa's feeling nervous about his first day of school. He's not used to being away from home and he doesn't know any of the other kids in his class. And when he meets classmates Moises, Mo, and Kevin, Musa isn't sure they'll have much in common. But over the course of the year, the four boys learn more about each other, the holidays they celebrate, their favorite foods, and what they like about school. The more they share with each other, the closer they become, until Musa can't imagine any better friends.
The collaboration of author/storyteller A. E. Ali and artist/illustrator Rahele Jomepour Bell, "Our Favorite Day of the Year" is thoroughly charming and entertaining picture book story of friendship and celebrating differences, young readers ages 4-8 will enjoy discovering how entering a new friendship with an open mind and sharing parts of themselves an bring people together. Of special note is the calendar of holidays at the end of the book which will delight children as they identify special events they can celebrate with friends throughout the year.
While unreservedly recommended for family, daycare center, preschool, elementary school, and community library picture book collections for young readers, it should also be noted that "Our Favorite Day of the Year" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.99).
Please Note: Illustration(s) are not available due to copyright restrictions.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2021 Midwest Book Review
http://www.midwestbookreview.com/cbw/index.htm
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"Our Favorite Day of the Year." Children's Bookwatch, Jan. 2021, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A651388716/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=35edbe5f. Accessed 3 Aug. 2024.
Adam Lehrhaupt, illus. by Rahele Jomepour Bell. S&S/Wiseman, $17.99 (32p) ISBN 978-1-5344-2183-7
When Book is shiny and new, it claims a prominent space on the public library's display table, and everyone wants to check it out. But after "many adventures," Book's previously glowing red cover shows wear and tear, and the volume is moved to "a lower, less friendly shelf where it watches other books that move through circulation--those with "knights or princesses, fancy cars, or fast trains." There's a happy ending in store for Book: it's donated to a giveaway and quickly picked up by a brown-skinned child, who cherishes it. But so many pages are dedicated to Book's decline and pathos--"Book was lonely. Forgotten. It wondered if its travels were over," writes Lehrhaupt (Sloth Went)--that readers may find the story arc more about pity than redemption. But Bell's (Baby's Opposites) softly lit and textured digital illustrations vividly . evoke both a strong sense of place and the pull of the printed page throughout: kids are seen reading in bed, in a tent, even at a basketball game. And she makes the library where Book gets its start so real and welcoming that readers will want to head there themselves. Ages 4-8. Authors agent: Alexandra Penfold, Upstart Crow. Illustrator's agent: Christy Ewers, the CAT Agency. (Feb.)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2020 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
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"Book's Big Adventure." Publishers Weekly, vol. 267, no. 50, 7 Dec. 2020, p. 130. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A647209922/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=fe9300b5. Accessed 3 Aug. 2024.
Lehrhaupt, Adam BOOK'S BIG ADVENTURE Paula Wiseman/Simon & Schuster (Children's None) $17.99 2, 9 ISBN: 978-1-5344-2183-7
Go on an adventure with a book that’s known many readers.
Meet Book: a red, nongendered…well, book readers meet at first as a new release that’s been placed prominently on a shelf in a public library, a spot that affords Book the opportunity to meet lots of young readers and visit lots of places. After some time (and several reads), however, Book’s cover is faded, and it’s relocated to “a lower, less friendly shelf.” Yikes! It’s a rough life. Thankfully, things improve for Book once it’s withdrawn from the library and is donated to a book giveaway. There, Book is discovered by a new reader who loves the little page-turner and takes it on a series of adventures that mirror Book’s early days. This time, though, the journey ends happily, as Book is valued on a personal bookshelf as a favorite story. The story is mildly amusing and enhanced greatly by Bell’s illustrations, which give Book an expressive face and surround it with diverse human readers. But it’s hard to see a child audience for this sentimental tale, though it may make librarians weep tears for favorites that have (sadly) gone out of print. An author’s note extols book-donation projects and lists a few destinations for books that may have fallen out of use in readers’ homes. Still, as a story, it’s more a yawn than an adventure. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-17-inch double-page spreads viewed at actual size.)
Hardly top-of-the-pile. (Picture book. 6-10)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2020 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
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"Lehrhaupt, Adam: BOOK'S BIG ADVENTURE." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Dec. 2020. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A643410666/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=727349cf. Accessed 3 Aug. 2024.
The Treasure Box.
By Dave Keane. Illus. by Rahele Jomepour Bell.
Jan. 2022.32p. Putnam, $17.99 (9781984813183).
K-Gr. 2.
A young girl with long dark hair and light-brown skin looks forward to her grandparents' visit. After she waits for the grown-ups to drink tea and talk, fair-complexioned Grandpa joins the girl to examine the contents of their special treasure box. Carefully studying each find with his magnifying glass, Grandpa delights the child with his funny reactions. The two take a walk together, looking for more treasure, such as a rusty spring, a marble, or a doll's lost arm. When Grandpa gets sick and eventually dies, each scene realistically captures the child's experience. Keeping her view in mind, the text describes the machines at the hospital and the snacks she cannot eat at the memorial service. Later, Grammy delivers a gift to the girl: Grandpa's watch, cap, and magnifying glass. Together, those two walk and treasure hunt, recalling memories of Grandpa's love. Scanned handmade textures, collaged digitally, give the art a distinctive quality that amplifies the beauty of found objects and highlights the warmth between the girl and her grandparents. --Lucinda Whitehurst
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2021 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
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Whitehurst, Lucinda. "The Treasure Box." Booklist, vol. 118, no. 8, 15 Dec. 2021, p. 101. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A698156152/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=0a4b6484. Accessed 3 Aug. 2024.
Dave J. Keane, illus. by Rahele Jomepour Bell. Putnam, $17.99 (32p) ISBN 978-1-984813-18-3
This closely observed portrait of a shared bond between a grandparent and grandchild explores love and loss. The brown-skinned grandchild, who wears a long dark braid, narrates, describing the treasures she's found that she'll share with her grandfather, small objects that others might dismiss: "A very round and very smooth rock./ A green parachute guy who lost his parachute./ A suit of dried-up skin a snake left behind." After visiting with the child's parents, the grandfather inspects the new finds: "I make him hold the snake skin,/ even though he doesn't want to./ He makes the funniest faces," reads an intimate aside. Digital illustrations by Bell (Our Favorite Day of the Year) show the child stretched out in a fit of laughter, completely relaxed; Grandpa looks comically uneasy in his glasses and woolly socks. After Grandpa gets sick, he remains able to see treasures ("Grandpa has tubes in his nose, but he can still make funny faces"). When he dies, Keane (Who Wants a Tortoise?) expresses the child's grief with restraint--the memorial service is "a sad party you have when someone dies"--and the loss slowly leads to someone new to share treasure with. Keane writes with sensitivity and deep feeling, and Bell's images give the story freshness and immediacy. Ages 4-8. Author's agent: Jennifer Mattson. Andrea Brown Literary Agency. Illustrator's agent: Christy T Ewers, the CAT Agency. (Jan.)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2021 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
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"The Treasure Box." Publishers Weekly, vol. 268, no. 45, 8 Nov. 2021, pp. 65+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A683063503/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=b13bec01. Accessed 3 Aug. 2024.
KEANE, Dave. The Treasure Box. illus. by Rahele Jomepour Bell. 32p. Putnam. Jan. 2022. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9781984813183.
K-Gr 3--This touching story depicts a young girl's coming to terms with her sadness at the loss of her beloved grandfather as she discovers her memories of him are treasures of the heart. Unfolding in a first-person narrative are the joyful moments the girl shares with her grandfather as they hunt for small gifts of nature; Keane takes care to show readers that the young girl reconciles with her subsequent grief by opening up to her grandmother about her memories, with her collection of found objects now acting as touchstones. The simple sentence structures and easy vocabulary make the story's purpose accessible to independent elementary readers, whether or not they can relate to family loss. Bell's detailed illustrations ground and complement the story phrases, as every element described is featured for comfortable visual context. Most notably, the remarkably intricate, handmade textures fill the characters and scenes with a unique tangibility, reflecting how meaningful and impressionable the times shared with loved ones are. VERDICT Though not an essential purchase, this heartfelt story about the loss of a beloved grandparent plainly names the emotions felt by a grieving young child and seeks to reassure children that family memories can be forever cherished.--Rachel Mulligan, Westampton, NJ
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2021 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
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Mulligan, Rachel. "KEANE, Dave. The Treasure Box." School Library Journal, vol. 67, no. 12, Dec. 2021, pp. 77+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A686052253/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=c1ad72da. Accessed 3 Aug. 2024.
Feder, Sandra V. ANGRY ME Groundwood (Children's None) $19.99 5, 3 ISBN: 978-1-77306-338-6
Anger comes in many different forms.
Clenched fists, hunched shoulders, furrowed brows, and a downturned mouth--undoubtedly the young girl protagonist is angry. Her self-aware first-person narration reveals that anger can stem from many underlying emotions. The girl presents various scenarios. When sharing a stuffed animal gets thorny, she reflects: "Sometimes I get angry when I feel like people are being mean." That is called " 'It's my turn!' angry." Or if she finds a puzzle difficult and frustrating, that is called " 'I can't do it!' angry." Anger can even spring from sadness; the girl refers to this as " 'But why?' angry" as she looks at a photo of a man who is presumably her deceased grandfather. The second half of the book revisits each scenario, this time offering the possible solution of using words to help diffuse or understand anger. But that can be difficult, too: "Sometimes I can't think of any words at all, just mad sounds." Familiar coping mechanisms--such as counting or breathing exercises--aren't mentioned, though the girl, who has straight black hair and tanned skin, does scribble on paper furiously and cathartically when "anger comes from deep inside and bursts out." Readers of all ages will identify with the rush of this familiar emotion, explored so sensitively in the book's thoughtful narrative and emotive, textured digital illustrations. The protagonist's caregivers are an interracial couple; background characters are racially diverse. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A valuable tool for teaching children the important skill of recognizing and naming feelings. (Picture book. 3-6)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2022 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
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"Feder, Sandra V.: ANGRY ME." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Mar. 2022, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A696498611/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=70338138. Accessed 3 Aug. 2024.
Angry Me
Sandra V. Feder, author
Rahele Jomepour Bell, illustrator
Groundwood Books
c/o House of Anansi Press
www.groundwoodbooks.com
9781773063386, $20.99, HC, 32pp
https://www.amazon.com/Angry-Me-Sandra-V-Feder/dp/1773063383
Synopsis: "I get angry," says a little girl, looking fiercely in the mirror. Sometimes she gets angry when someone is mean and tries to take her toy away, when it feels unfair that there's not enough time to go swimming, when she's tired and just wants to go home, or when the kids at school leave her out, hurting her feelings.
When she's angry, she tries to remember to use her words--even though that doesn't always work. Sometimes she can't find the right words, or the words don't come out the way she intends. But sometimes words do help, and when her anger melts away a new feeling can blossom.
Critique: 'Angry Me' author and storyteller Sandra Feder's cleverly constructed text presents different situations in which a child might feel angry, creating a nuanced look at anger and its many underlying emotions. Artist Rahele Jomepour Bell's illustrations show a loveable, angry little girl, brimming with personality, who learns how to express herself as she moves through her feelings. The result is a welcome and recommended addition to family, daycare center, preschool, elementary school, and community library Life Skills, Values, and Self-Esteem picture book collections for children ages 3-6.
Editorial Note #1: Sandra V. Feder (https://www.kidscanpress.com/Creators/sandra-v-feder) is also the author of "Bitter and Sweet", illustrated by Kyrsten Brooker, and "The Moon Inside", illustrated by Aimee Sicuro. She has also written the Daisy series of early chapter books, illustrated by Susan Mitchell.
Editorial Note #2: Rahele Jomepour Bell (http://www.rahelestudio.com) charming illustrations have appeared in Angry Me by Sandra V. Feder, The Treasure Box by Dave J. Keane and Our Favorite Day of the Year by A. E. Ali (Kirkus Best Picture Books of the Year), among others. She has also published seven picture books in Iran and has received a number of awards and honors for her work.
Please Note: Illustration(s) are not available due to copyright restrictions.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2023 Midwest Book Review
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"Angry Me." Children's Bookwatch, Jan. 2023, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A737039448/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=4b375c91. Accessed 3 Aug. 2024.
SOONTORNVAT, Christina. To Change a Planet. illus. by Rahele Jomepour Bell. 40p. Scholastic. Aug. 2022. Tr $18.99. ISBN 9781338628616.
PreS-Gr 2--In short, elegant lines of lyrical prose, Soontornvat explores the history of humanity's relationship to Earth and confronts the modern threat of extreme weather events and environmental destruction. While these passages offer a sober warning, the book's overall tone is hopeful, centered around the conviction that, just as we can exacerbate the effects of climate change, so too can we forestall and reverse them. Bell's art, a combination of gouache and digital painting, provides a compelling mix of scientific illustration (a carbon molecule, a bleached coral reef) and metaphorical imagery (a benevolent face in the sun, atmospheric carbon represented as a quilt wrapped around the globe). VERDICT This clear-eyed discussion of climate change will educate young readers without demoralizing them. A worthy purchase for all collections. --Jonah Dragan
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2022 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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Dragan, Jonah. "SOONTORNVAT, Christina. To Change a Planet." School Library Journal, vol. 68, no. 7, July 2022, p. 77. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A708597872/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=b4ab62bf. Accessed 3 Aug. 2024.
Feder, Sandra V. PEACEFUL ME Groundwood (Children's None) $19.99 5, 2 ISBN: 9781773063416
A child reflects on all the different ways to experience peace.
An unnamed, Black-presenting protagonist looks serenely out a window beside a happy black cat. The child narrator describes moments when they feel peaceful: when connecting with others, when they're by themself, or "when things go well." This gentle story introduces different flavors of peace--" 'Good game!' peaceful." " 'Cuddle time,' peaceful." " 'I'll help,' peaceful." Bell's dynamic, textured illustrations make peace feel particularly palpable, such as when the protagonist describes the " 'floating,' peaceful" they feel when swimming outside; Bell's depiction of the contented main character, buoyed on the light-webbed surface of a lake, is mesmerizing. But the child does acknowledge that they don't always feel peaceful--"So I slow my breathing down--deep breath in, deep breath out." The rest of the story details strategies for finding peace, with the narrator concluding that "Sometimes it takes work to get there. But when I do, I'm happy to be peaceful me." With no validation of nonpeaceful emotions, some young readers may get the impression that distress and agitation are bad feelings to fix rather than normal emotions that just require processing. The book would have benefitted from a slightly more expanded narrative that spends more time on negative emotions; caregivers and educators may want to pair it with the creators' earlier title Angry Me(2022) for a more in-depth look at the emotional spectrum. Still, overall this is an age-appropriate exploration of how to stay centered and calm. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A vibrantly illustrated ode to tranquility. (Picture book. 3-6)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2023 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Feder, Sandra V.: PEACEFUL ME." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Mar. 2023, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A740905286/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=020219e7. Accessed 3 Aug. 2024.
Peaceful Me
Sandra V. Feder, illus. by Rahele Jomepour Bell. Groundwood, $19.99 (32p) ISBN 978-1-77306-341-6
In a mellow companion to Angry Me, Feder catalogs situations in which an experience of peace might arise as well as actions that can help one to feel peaceful. Digitally finished spreads with a printmaking feel by Jomepour Bell portray the book's narrating child with brown skin: "I like feeling peaceful," simple text begins. An accounting of calming experiences follows: "Sometimes" the narrator feels peaceful when with others, when alone, when things go well, or when outside. By a body of water, the child gazes at the sky (" 'Fluffy clouds,' peaceful"), then bobs blissfully (" 'Floating,' peaceful"). But "Sometimes I don't feel peaceful." Now, the text turns to ways that the mental and somatic state might be restored: breathing deep, imagining favorite things, finding a quiet place, getting a hug. At last, peace returns. Acknowledging that the sensation of grounded ease can be both easy and difficult to come by, this calming read gives readers words to talk about their experiences, and uses lulling lines to model settling one's body and mind. Ages 3-6. (May)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2023 PWxyz, LLC
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"Peaceful Me." Publishers Weekly, vol. 270, no. 19, 8 May 2023, p. 68. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A750326393/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=62bcd548. Accessed 3 Aug. 2024.
FEDER, Sandra V. Peaceful Me. illus. by Rahele Jomepour Bell. 32p. Groundwood. May 2023. Tr $19.99. ISBN 9781773063416.
PreS-Gr 2--A brown-skinned child with black hair describes all the ways that they feel peaceful: with other people or alone, inside or outside, having fun or doing kind things. They also describe how to regain that peaceful feeling when it doesn't come naturally: "Sometimes being peaceful is easy. Sometimes it takes work to get there." The child takes a deep breath in and out, finds a quiet place, pictures favorite things, or finds a hug. The first-person narration is simple and direct, and the art, created with hand-printed textures, complements and enhances it beautifully: the child's exhale appears as a spiral, and a bird's-eye illustration of them floating in the water is stunning: ripples form a ring around them, light bounces off the water, leaves float on the surface with a sliver of shadow beneath. Like Deborah Underwood and Renata Liwska's The Quiet Book, and Julia Denos and E.B. Goodale's Here and Now, this is a book that refrains from didacticism and connects directly with children through its text and pictures equally and effectively. VERDICT There is much to ponder, practice, and observe here, and the book has a sense of play; some readers will enjoy finding a little black cat on many pages. Highly recommended, a first purchase for all libraries.--Jenny Arch
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2023 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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Arch, Jenny. "FEDER, Sandra V.: Peaceful Me." School Library Journal, vol. 69, no. 6, June 2023, pp. 68+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A751405744/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=619bc578. Accessed 3 Aug. 2024.
Arena, Jen GIVE Knopf (Children's None) $18.99 8, 22 ISBN: 9781524714994
Small kindnesses make a big difference in this pay-it-forward story.
Two children walk to school on a blustery day, one holding a tall yellow box tied with pink ribbon. Oh no! The other's blue hair ribbon is blown away--"Sometimes bad things happen." And the pink ribbon is handed over. "Give what you have." Using this simple construction, each subsequent spread tells a microstory, depicting a person who encounters a problem ("Sometimes something breaks") on the verso and the previous recipient of help providing a kind solution ("Give something new") on the recto. The minimal text has a lovely, spare feeling; the problems are simple, ranging from spilled milk to being lonely, though some feel more poetic than others. Spread over the course of a single day in a community that includes a school and a park, they emphasize noticing, understanding, and making connections. Oil paintings in earthy colors create texture and whimsy, suggesting a simpler time when kids walked to school and flew kites in the park without adult supervision. The children are diverse in terms of skin tone and hair texture. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
An appealing addition to the growing number of books on kindness and community. (Picture book. 3-7)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2023 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Arena, Jen: GIVE." Kirkus Reviews, 1 June 2023, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A751049861/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=56539ffe. Accessed 3 Aug. 2024.
Give
by Jen Arena; illus. by Rahele Jomepour Bell
Preschool, Primary Knopf 40 pp.
8/23 9781524714994 $18.99
Library ed. 9781524714482 $21.99
e-book ed. 9781524714499 $10.99
This story begins on the title page, where a gift-wrapped package sits on a white background. The following wordless double-page spread shows an outdoor street scene, where an adult hands the package to a child while a second child passes by. The two kids meet up on this rainy morning when one loses her hair ribbon to the wind, and the other unties the gift's ribbon and offers it to her. "Sometimes bad things happen. / Give what you have." This act of kindness is the first link in a chain of events throughout the school day. Each double-page spread advances the story, showing the previous recipient engaged in an act of generosity. The spare text clarifies that there are many kinds of gifts to give, including help, time, and attention. And that one wrapped up on the title page? It's a box of cupcakes, a gift for everyone. Bell's (illustrator of To Change a Planet) eye-pleasing textured illustrations feature a diverse classroom and bring liveliness to a story that works nondidactically to instill values of kindness and generosity.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2023 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Sources, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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Knoth, Maeve Visser. "Give." The Horn Book Magazine, vol. 99, no. 5, Sept.-Oct. 2023, pp. 45+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A763555491/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=67c69ddf. Accessed 3 Aug. 2024.
My Mother's Tongues: A Weaving of Languages
by Uma Menon; illus. by Rahele Jomepour Bell
Primary Candlewick 32 pp.
2/24 9781536222517 $18.99
Sumi's mother switches effortlessly between Malayalam, a regional language from Kerala, India, and English. She speaks Malayalam to Sumi's grandmother, a mix of English and Malayalam to Sumi, and English to others outside the family. Sumi reflects on how her mother's two languages are "woven together like a fine cloth." She knows her mother worked hard to develop proficiency in English, but when she moved to America, unfamiliar words and phrases made her "two tongues" feel like they "were twisted into pretzels." As Sumi travels between America and India, she too works hard to learn two languages and connect with those around her. In awe of this apparent "superpower," she hopes to learn many more languages in order to "speak with people who live in every part of the world." Menon's respectful story highlights the power of multilingualism and examines the link between accents and identity. Bell's tactile mixed-media illustrations incorporate an inventive representation of textiles, fonts, and images reflecting each locale, from a scene of boating in Kerala to a snowy day in America. A diverse cast of characters with a variety of skin tones underscores the focus on multilingualism and multiculturalism. A thought-provoking look at the connecting power of language.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Sources, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.hbook.com/magazine/default.asp
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Siddique, Sadaf. "My Mother's Tongues: A Weaving of Languages." The Horn Book Magazine, vol. 100, no. 1, Jan.-Feb. 2024, pp. 79+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A781187753/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=71adfb3e. Accessed 3 Aug. 2024.