Today’s exciting interview is an author-illustrator debut which received recognition before it was even published!

Ye Guo is an author and illustrator based in the United Kingdom. Art from It Is Okay was exhibited at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair in Italy, and an early version of the book was highly commended by the Macmillan Prize for Illustration in the UK. It Is Okay is Ye’s debut picture book in the English language. Follow her on Instagram.

IT IS OKAY is the story of Goat and Rabbit who find each other one day in the same aisle of the grocery store, shopping for the very same thing.  They become instant friends.  Yet as time goes by, they discover that they don’t share the exact same preferences for things.  Slowly each character comes to realize that these differences are okay and that they can still be friends.  It’s a sweet story told in a modern style.

Please note: I was given a copy of this book by Eerdman’s to review.  As always, my opinions are my own.

Welcome Ye!

Me: Can you tell us a little bit about your writing and illustrating journey?  How has that brought you to creating this picture book?

Ye: I’ve been fascinated with drawing since I was a child. Although I didn’t have many picture books growing up, I was captivated by watching cartoons. In high school, I began buying picture books because I liked the style of the drawings and the succinct story format, but I didn’t imagine I would one day want to make picture books of my own. This habit of picture book collecting continued into my graduate studies.

Slowly, I realized that not only did I enjoy picture books, but I also wanted to make my own stories! I found my first job as a children’s picture book illustrator at a company in Nanjing. In that first job, I worked on loads of children’s books and magazines, but the style was dictated by the company, and I realized I wanted to develop my own visual language. That led me to the Children’s Book Illustration masters at Cambridge School of Art. This experience inspired and challenged me, and with the mentoring of excellent tutors, I was helped to become an independent illustrator and author.

Me: I love how these two characters are so similar and yet so different.  What gave you the idea for this story?

Ye: The inspiration for this story comes from life. I have a good friend who is very different from me, and although we are different, we enjoy each other’s company very much. This friendship was the inspiration for this story. That said, there are lots of little inspirations that have come from observing the friendships and relationships all around me. I enjoy observing the small details in daily life. If you look around you, the world is full of inspiration!

Me: I understand that you exhibited at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair and an early version of this story was highly commended by the Macmillan Prize for Illustration in the UK.  Was that your first time at the Bologna Fair?  How did you find out about the prize?

Ye: It was my first time participating in this competition. While I was in China, I had visited the Bologna Children’s Book Fair touring exhibition and I loved seeing the diversity of illustration from across the world. However, I had never considered participating in the exhibition. When I was studying at the Cambridge School of Art, our school recommended that we participate, as we were nearing graduation. So, I decided to submit my work. I was surprised and delighted when I heard that I had been shortlisted! It was a huge encouragement for me and gave me confidence that all my hard work had been worth it.

Me: What is one thing that surprised you in writing this story?

Ye: Although this story is quite simple, for a long time I really struggled with how it should end. I felt the end needed some drama and that it would need a different quality of feeling from the rest of the book so it would not feel flat. But in the end, a warm, low-key ending presented itself as most appropriate, and as it felt like the right thing, I just went with it.

Me: Your illustrations are delightful.  Where do you start with creating them?  Do you work traditionally or digitally?  Can you talk about your art process?

Ye: The idea starts with a sketch. I like traditional techniques. My process begins with a mono print to create a loose background, and then I add the specific details using a variety of mixed media. I enjoy the richness and interesting textures that come from using different materials.

Me: There are so many quiet moments where each character realizes that their friend isn’t quite what they thought, like when Bunny realizes that Goat isn’t as strong as Bunny thought when they got lost and missed the bus.  Yet, they both realize their differences are okay.  Why is this message something you wanted to share with children?

Ye: In life, things don’t always go according to plan. This is why it is good to have different friends. We all have our strengths, weaknesses, and different ways of being. By sharing our different qualities with one another, we become stronger and make life an easier place! 

Me: I love that.  Any advice for other picture book writers and/or illustrators?

Ye: Always carry a sketchbook to observe all the small interesting moments. They are all around you! Don’t spend too long on Instagram; concentrate on developing your own work. Comparing yourself to others is unhelpful. Just concentrate on getting a little better every day. 

That is great advice.  Thank you for stopping by Ye.

Dear readers, this book is released August 27th. It’s a sweet story of friends who are different in many ways, but that’s okay.  Keep an eye out for this one as you won’t want to miss it!