Have you ever heard of a seed vault? I had no idea such things existed until I read this book!
Megan Clendenan studied sociology, English, and environmental planning and has worked for nonprofit organizations focused on environmental law, women’s empowerment, mental health, and urban food security. As a children’s book author, she loves writing nonfiction that explores the connections between history, society, and the environment. She is the author of Design Like Nature: Biomimicry for a Healthy Planet, Fresh Air, Clean Water: Our Right to a Healthy Environment, and Cities: How Humans Live Together. She lives near Vancouver, British Columbia, with her family and two fuzzy orange cats. This is her first picture book. You can learn more about her at her website or follow her on Instagram or BlueSky.
Brittany Cicchese enjoys capturing emotion above all else, from expressive portraits to moody illustrations. She is the illustrator of The Kitten Story: A Mostly True Tale and No More Señora Mimí. When Brittany isn’t sketching or writing, you can find her working at the library, reading a good fantasy or sci-fi book, or hiking around the beautiful Rocky Mountains. Brittany lives in Denver, Colorado. You can learn more about her at her website or follow her on Instagram (and see some lovely illustration process videos for this book).
JUST IN CASE: SAVING SEEDS IN THE SVALBARD GLOBAL SEED VAULT is a nonfiction picture book all about saving seeds from around the world. I had absolutely no idea that this was a thing that has been happening for years and in multiple countries around the world “just in case” of disaster. It sounds very post-apocalyptic, but in fact, it has very real and practical applications that are used in the world at this very moment.
Welcome Megan and Brittany!
Me: You both have successful creative careers, but just in case someone isn’t familiar with your work, can you talk about your creative journeys? How did you get started and how did that lead you to the work you’re doing now with books for kids?
Megan: I started my career as a writer focusing on communications and fundraising for a non-profit that worked on social and environmental issues. In my free time—during evenings, at lunch, and on the bus to work—I played around with writing for children. I took writing classes and joined organizations like SCBWI to learn as much as possible about the craft of writing. I gravitated towards writing non-fiction because I enjoy both researching and writing! I have written several middle-grade non-fiction books, each focusing on environmental and social justice topics. JUST IN CASE is my first picture book and I’m so excited to share this story with younger readers.
Brittany: Before we dive into the questions, I just wanted to thank Jena for this lovely interview opportunity! Megan and I are very excited about this book, so thank you for helping us spread the word! As for my creative career, I took a roundabout way into illustrating. While I’ve always considered myself an artist, I never imagined I would find myself in the publishing world. However, in 2015, I started working at a public library while finishing up my Master’s degree for Library and Information Science. At the library, I found myself surrounded by countless, beautiful picture books–each one felt like a tiny treasure. My interest in picture books grew and grew, until I finally joined the SCBWI and connected with a wonderful community of local illustrators and authors. Now, I’m working part-time at the library while also working on book projects.
Me: Megan, what an incredibly fascinating topic! It’s so futuristic with sci-fi leanings and yet so “right now” present day too. What gave you the idea to turn this topic into a picture book?
Megan: Thank you! I first learned about the Svalbard Global Seed Bank from a podcast. I was astounded that someone built a vault in a mountain to protect our seeds! Even though I have grown many vegetables since I was a child, I never gave much thought to the security of seeds or the importance of crop biodiversity. I read books, articles, and websites, and watched documentaries and TED Talks about seed saving. Once I had learned as much as I could, I reached out to request an interview with Dr. Cary Fowler, one of the people who was deeply influential in creating the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. He kindly agreed to meet with me, and I learned about how and why the seed vault was developed and constructed. I chose to focus the story on the construction of the vault because I thought the excitement of a construction project would be a great entry point into the subject for picture book readers.
Me: Brittany, I adore the way you’ve illustrated this book. From the textures on the end pages (and all throughout), to the gorgeous colors, and warm friendly people! Can you talk about the medium you used to create these illustrations? Are you a traditional or digital illustrator (or a blend of both)?
Brittany: Thank you, Jena! Illustrating this book was an immense joy, partly because there was so much variety in the content. On one hand, you have these sweeping views of the Arctic landscape, with all their blues and purples, and on the other hand, you have these scenes brimming with life and growth, with all their greens and yellows. It was fun to play with this visual contrast. Svalbard is such a desolate–yet beautiful–region, with sparse vegetation, and yet, it harbors and protects millions of seeds that nourish life on earth. It really does sound like something out of a sci-fi book!
My background is in traditional art, so I strive to bring that traditional quality to my digital drawings. These illustrations were primarily done on an iPad using the Procreate app. However, I scanned in a bunch of hand-made or found textures, including watercolor paintings and bamboo, papyrus, and mulberry paper, and then I would layer these textures over my drawings. I’ve found that these textures give digital art more warmth and depth.
Me: This story is so pertinent to the world we live in right now, full of war and disaster. I had no idea that there were so many seed banks all over the world! Why did each of you become involved in this project? Why did you want to share this story with young readers?
Megan: I wanted to share a hopeful story about the power of cooperation and collaboration, to show how connected we all are to seeds and food. The seed vault brings together many countries and voices, and serves as a positive example of people working together for the greater good. I hope that this inspires a sense of hope, even in the face of climate change and ongoing conflicts worldwide. Finally, I’d like readers to see they can take action. They can choose to plant a seed, to try a new food, or to learn more about food security. Many local libraries have a “seed library,” where people can borrow and exchange local seeds. Even though the seed vault itself is a place that most people won’t ever visit, the idea of saving seeds is something we can all play a part in.
Brittany: So true–the world is a scary place right now, which is exactly why we need more stories like this! As Megan says, it not only represents hope for the future, but also the ability for people to come together and protect a truly invaluable resource. I believe progress happens through collaboration, and the Svalbard Seed Vault is a shining example of fruitful collaboration. Also, I view seed banks as a kind of special library, and I think libraries are pretty neat 🙂 With traditional libraries, we create collections of books to capture and preserve our shared knowledge, then pass this wisdom down to generations after us. Likewise, “every seed has a story” (to quote one of my favorite lines from JUST IN CASE), and it’s up to us to preserve those stories. We’ve already lost so much biodiversity within the past century, and current farming practices coupled with climate change will further strain biodiversity. That’s why we must do everything in our power to protect the foundation of our food.
Me: The text and illustrations work so wonderfully together here in this story. How many revisions did each of you have to make to get this story to the final product?
Megan: Before sending the manuscript out on submission, I did about 15 revisions of the story. Once I was working with my editor, we completed three rounds of edits. After copyediting, the production phase began and I got to see Brittany’s initial sketches—which were amazing. I was excited to see the layers she infused into the story, including the family that we follow throughout the book. As the illustrations neared the final stage and the text was laid out on the pages, we went through more rounds of revisions. At that point, I asked a subject matter expert to review the illustrations and text. I’m very happy with our final product!
Brittany: After the initial sketches were submitted and reviewed, I only had to make a few tweaks here and there. From the very beginning, I found Megan’s writing to be complementary; she left plenty of room for me to explore and add my own touches, while also developing a solid framework of facts. Plus, we worked with a fantastic team at Charlesbridge, our publisher, and I’m so incredibly thankful for all their guidance throughout this project.
Me: Brittany, I love that you showcase so many different cultures and types of seeds around the world. Yet you also chose to focus on one particular family and their journey throughout the book. That really helps to bring a personal touch to the story that kids will be able to relate to. Megan, I loved the tidbits you included in the sidebars, like an arctic fox named Salami! How did each of you choose what to include when it came to these “smaller” aspects? Did you think about how they would shape the book as a whole?
Megan: I love the detail about Salami and was happy to see the Arctic fox featured in the art! I learned about many of these small details, like Salami, during my interview with Dr. Cary Fowler, who was a key member of the team that developed the seed vault. These details, such as the information about the polar bears observing the construction, were ones that weren’t readily available in other books or sources, and so I wanted to include them to bring the construction process to life.
Brittany: I chose to follow one particular family for exactly that reason: so that the children and caregivers reading this book could form that personal connection and see themselves in the story. As a society, I feel like we’ve lost touch with our food supply chain; few of us know how our food is grown, who grows it, and where it comes from. My hope is that by showing a family interacting with the earth in a meaningful way, this book will encourage readers to reconnect with, or discover, the importance of our food systems. Also, I think it’s super cool that the Svalbard seed bank is open to everybody, regardless of where you live or who you are. You, me, your neighbor…we could all send seeds to the vault for safekeeping.
Me: Do either of you have any advice for new writers and/or illustrators?
Megan: Find a community of kidlit writers! My connections to the kidlit writing community have been absolutely crucial for me since I started writing. I appreciate that my writer friends understand the nuances of the publishing industry, and I rely on them to help me weather rejections. We support each other through setbacks, provide critiques, and share the joy of writing for children. I’m grateful for all the writer’s organizations I belong to; they each offer a little something different. There are plenty of communities to choose from, including SCBWI, 12×12 Picture Books, and Inked Voices, to name a few.
Brittany:
- Draw, paint, or doodle every day, even if it’s just for five minutes.
- Don’t be afraid to be bored, or to let your mind wander off (something that is surprisingly difficult to do in our fast-paced and overly-connected world).
- Join a critique group if you’re able!
- Write about or draw things that you are passionate about, because that passion will most certainly show in your work.
That is excellent advice ladies. Thank you both for stopping by my blog today.
But wait, dear readers! There’s more! Megan and Brittany have agreed to giveaway one copy of their book to a lucky winner (US and Canadian contestants only). You can enter the giveaway here.