Mystery picture books are a rare find. Well brace yourself! Not only is today’s picture book a mystery, it features a deliciously naughty unreliable narrator.
Guilherme Karsten is a Brazilian author illustrator whose books include Are You A Monster? (Happy Yak), Aaahhh! (Tapioca Stories), Run! (Owlkids), and Hen in the Bed (Nosy Crow). His work has been featured in the Society of Illustrators “The Original Art” exhibition, and his books have been published in over fifteen languages. You can learn more about Guilherme at his website or follow him on Instagram.
RAMON FELLINI THE DOG DETECTIVE is a silly story not to be taken seriously at all. It’s sheer fun despite the setup: a goldfish is attacked in the safety of his own home. Who is that knocking at the door? It’s the great dog detective! Who looks like a cat? NO! It’s a cat disguise, as it’s obviously a cat that has perpetrated this crime! And so the story goes with a rather naive little boy narrator ignoring obvious red flags that will have young readers protesting all along the way, predicting the inevitable outcome. The illustrations, reminiscent of some of my favorite film noir scenes from classic cinema, only add to the dramatic flair that this book so perfectly captures.
Please note: I received a copy of this book from the publisher to review, but the opinions, as always, are my own.
Welcome Guilherme!
Me: Can you share about your artistic journey? When did you start creating art? How did that bring you to where you are now as an author and illustrator of this book?
Guilherme: I’ve enjoyed drawing since I was very young and my career dream was to become a visual artist. Many things happened that almost changed my life plans. But, despite almost giving up, I got a job in an illustration and animation studio that made me dream again. After illustrating many books for other authors, I felt the need to create my own stories and decided to venture out as a writer and illustrator of my own books.
Me: As a cat lover, I adore the idea of a naughty cat who convinces a child that he is investigating his own crime. What gave you the idea for this story?
Guilherme: I remember watching a livestream during the pandemic where the artist showed his cat and said it was a dog. At that very moment, I asked myself: “Is the cat lying to its owner about being a dog? Oh, that could be a great story!” So I started working on it. The main question was why should a cat have to pretend to be another animal to get what it wants? The creation process was a lot of fun.
Me: What media do you use to illustrate? Are you a traditional or a digital artist? Or do you use a blend of both? What did you use for this book?
Guilherme: I did the illustrations in Photoshop. I’m basically a digital artist. I like the practicality of this medium. Some textures were made in pencil, scanned and applied to the digital artwork.
Me: I understand that some of your illustration influences come from Japanese picture books. Which books would you say are most influential on your illustration style?
Guilherme: I’ve always loved modern Japanese children’s books, but recently I’ve been looking at more classic illustrators. Anyway, I’ve always been very inspired by artists like Beatrice Alemagna, Oliver Jeffers, Andre Aletria, and Jon Klassen, among others.
Me: Your story is very creative. I can honestly say I’ve never seen another picture book story quite like this one. What would you say has influenced your writing style?
Guilherme: Wow, thanks for the compliment. I was looking for a fun story, with a good comedy tone and an ending that wasn’t obvious, but could play with that dubiousness. It may be a bit strange for some, but it’s just a book to enjoy. I really like all of Mac Barnett’s books and I’m very inspired by Jon Sciezka’s writing. I like funny books, and these are good references.
Me: You even translated your story into English! Is that a language you are fluent in, as well as Brazillian Portuguese? As your books are published in over fifteen languages, have you translated them into other languages too?
Guilherme: I usually write the book in English so that I can show it to my literary agent, who is French. We adjust the texts and then I translate them into Brazilian Portuguese. But the book is always adjusted as the publishers see fit. I send the books in English and publishers around the world translate them into their own languages.
Me: Any advice for other aspiring picture book writers and/or illustrators?
Guilherme: If you have ideas, however strange they may seem, trust them, start your project and finish it. Finishing a project is better than starting it. And go after publishers, contact them on social media, send emails, take part in literary events. Also, study the books, the classics, take courses, there are lots of good ones. You need to study a lot to create a good book.
Thank you for stopping by my blog today Guilherme.
But wait, dear readers! There’s more! There’s a giveaway of one copy of the book. It’s open only to US and Canadian residents, however. You can enter the rafflecopter here!