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I had just finished illustrating Megan Nosol's "Love After A Stroke" my first experience with the word "Aphasia" when I was contacted by Ellayne Ganzfried, who wondered if I would be interested in taking on another book relating to this condition.
The unedited text file was sent, and after reading it, I knew not only that I would be very interested but that it would present a difficulty, not usually presented to a children's book illustrator. While it is relatively easy for me to portray speaking, clothes-wearing bears, or a bunny who finds one of Santa Claus's lost buttons, or a band of Ninja Parrots who protect the innocent, or even of a Grandmother's conversation with children about the loss of a loved one, Rachel's story was one of extreme courage, of determination to surpass challenges that would humble an Olympiad, and yet gentle, and compassionate as she answers an innocent question posed by her young son. How many of us have been tasked with answering questions posed by children like: “why is the sky blue?” or “why can’t we fly like the birds?” or “how many stars are there in the sky?” Aidan asks a similar question, and offers his own solution, one which you’ll have to read the book to learn.
The challenge for me was to make the art appropriate, and interesting for the very young readers who, like this old Artist, has had very little or no prior personal knowledge of the word “Aphasia”. For that, I depended upon Ellayne, Rachel and Sandra Glista. What followed was a journey that I will think fondly of as I enter the winter of my own life. The images I perceived from Rachel’s text were good as rough drafts, but not good enough from my perspective to accurately depict Rachel’s story. Patiently, they helped me understand the courage, the difficulty, and the challenges faced by this first-time author. In my lifetime, I have illustrated for what some call “movers and shakers”, I have worked with and worked for many “public figures”, who, in my opinion, cannot hold a candle to the perseverance demonstrated by Rachel through the telling of her story.
The book is a “must-read” for any of us who before now, the word “Aphasia” was unknown. I also believe it is a “must-read” for any who are faced with answering questions posed by children like: “why does Mommy talk that way?” or if faced with explaining to a student why a schoolmate does things very differently than they do, or to inspire someone faced with Aphasia or any other of life’s challenges that with love, and determination, a bit of courage and perseverance, all things are possible.
Rating:  [5 of 5 Stars!] |
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