I can’t wait until it’s Spring! We had a snow storm here in Alaska just this last weekend. Humbug! In the meantime, here’s a springtime read sure to please.

Apryl Stott loves telling stories, reading, and drawing. She always has paper, a pencil, and a sharpie in her bag for drawing emergencies. Her debut picture book, Share Some Kindness, Bring Some Light, was a New York Times bestseller. Apryl also wrote and illustrated Almost Always Best, Best Friends; Find Your Brave: A Coco and Bear Story; Ruby’s Tools for Making Friends; Ruby’s Tools for Fixing Mistakes; Speak Your Heart: A Coco and Bear Story; and Welcome, Spring!. You can learn more about her at her website or follow her on Instagram or Facebook.

WELCOME, SPRING! is a picture book all about Bunny who goes around asking all her adorable animal friends how they celebrate spring. As a teacher who collects seasonal picture books, let me tell you that there just aren’t enough books about the season of Spring! This is a wonderful addition that highlights all of the best parts of the season, includes the cutest animals you’ve ever seen, and throws in tons of flowers. It’s a visual feast of the season that will have young readers coming back for multiple reads.

Welcome Apryl!

Me: Can you tell us a little bit about your creative journey? When did you start creating art and/or writing picture books? How did that lead to where you are now as the author-illustrator of this book?

Apryl: I started drawing and creating as soon as I could hold a pencil. I’ve always loved making up stories and art and playing. In fact, I love it so much I made it my job! The only AP class I did in High School was AP Art. (Did you know that was even a thing?) I KNEW what I wanted to do. I got my BFA in Illustration and was lucky enough to do an internship in NYC my senior year of university at Harper Collins. And then I graduated. And then…. It turns out I had a winding path.

It wasn’t nearly as simple as I’d hoped. I worked really hard to get my illustration career started, and in my “free time” (ahahahaha) I would make book proposals to submit to publishers. I got very good at dealing with NO’s and rejection. I came to a crossroads and decided I wasn’t going to try to make books that I “thought” people wanted. I was going to create what I wanted. Books that I would have loved when I was a kid. And that’s when things clicked. After 20 years, with the help of my incredibly talented editor, my first book “Share Some Kindness, Bring Some Light” was published. And I’m lucky enough to work with a wonderful team and make more and more books.

Me: I love your book with spring in bloom told through so many sweet baby animals. As a teacher who is always in search of seasonal books, I’ve found a surprising shortage of spring books! What gave you the idea to write a book about it?

Apryl: It actually wasn’t my idea! I was asked to make a “Fun, Simple Spring Book that celebrates SPRING. Not gardens and rain”. Very specific. I leaned into all the things I love about this time of year. I grew up in Southern California and we didn’t get to enjoy the changing of the seasons. Now living in Northern Nevada, I get to appreciate the seasons so much more. The water for our chickens is still freezing overnight, but the daffodils are blooming in my front yard! And I’m starting seeds inside. My spinach just sprouted. Last year it seemed like the snow would never leave, so my friends and I made giant flowers out of foam and wire that we “planted” in the front yard. Having to wait and be patient has made me appreciate all the beautiful things each season brings. 

Me: Oof. Yes, we’re waiting “not so patiently” for spring here in Alaska. So I get it. I love the illustrations you did for this book. They are downright adorable, soft and welcoming, and remind me of classic illustrations (like Suzy’s Zoo). Can you talk about your illustration process a little bit? What media did you use to create the illustrations in this book? Are you mainly a traditional or digital illustrator (or a blend of both)?

Apryl: I ABSOLUTELY LOVE SUZY’S ZOO. My mom took me to meet Ms. Suzy herself once when she was signing at a gift shop. She is the kindest lady. So she was definitely an inspiration for me.

I also love books where you can feel the love of the creators. Like Frog & Toad. The stories are so relatable, even as a full grown adult. I want to make stories that resonate with all ages.

I loved Richard Scarry’s Busytown. A world where a worm drives an apple car??? Yes, please. His books inspired me to push myself further, and include little extras for readers to discover. If you look in the background of my large spread illustrations, I often have other little lives happening. Like a little mouse café. Or a snail friends meeting in the grass. Or steps up to a house in the branches of a tree.

I’ve also been hugely inspired by Jan Brett and her attention to detail. You can tell she’s poured a lot of heart and soul into her work.

I want readers to feel special and included when they read my books, the same way these creators made me feel when I read their stories.

Me: I love that! I noticed the proliferation of beautiful flowers all throughout the story: daffodils, tulips, buttercups, and many more. Why so many flowers? There’s a different one highlighted on every spread. Is that because you associate spring with flowers? Or because you love flowers? Or both? Why these specific flowers and not others?

Apryl: I love flowers. LOVE. I always try to learn something new, so I researched a little about spring wildflowers for a few of the spreads, specifically the beautiful white flowers next to the stream where Squirrel launches his boat. Those are white Trout Lily, a spring blooming wildflower native to the east coast of north America.

I have lilac bushes outside my studio, and I love when the wisteria blooms in the spring here (there’s some climbing up our local coffee shop). Locust Tree blooms make me so happy. All those were included. I took a little creative license with some of the flowers, like the strawberries. Mine don’t fruit til late spring, but then they go crazy all summer. I just wanted the whole book to feel like a celebration. That was my focus. Joy.

Me: Yes! And it comes through so well! You have both written and illustrated several picture books at this point in your career. Where do you start? With the illustrations or the writing? Or do you find that you create both at the same time in a linear fashion? What method works best for you when creating picture books?

Apryl: I am definitely more comfortable with the illustrations. The words are a little more out of my comfort zone. I get intimidated by a blank page. I’ve found that it helps to break it down into little steps. I have a big board in my studio with squares drawn all over it. I use post-its to plan out the pacing of the story with stick figures and chicken scratch notes. Then I slowly develop it.

I’ve also found that my body needs to be in a different physical space when I’m writing vs. when I’m sketching. I need to move to write. I can’t sit still. Usually what I’ll do is work in the yard and think, then run into my studio when the words feel right. I go back and forth from trimming rose bushes to typing and pulling weeds, and writing notes. I don’t worry about making it perfect. I just get it down. Editing comes later. Starting is the first task.

Once we have the manuscript approved, I’ll start sketches. When I’m pacing my story with the post-its on the board, I’ll often get impressions of what I want a page to look like. Others pages I need to think about more. The illustrations need to tell the story too, so sometimes we edit quite a bit out of my drafts. My editor is always reminding me, “Show, not tell”.

I feel like NONE of my process is very linear. 😉 

Me: What is one thing that surprised you in writing or illustrating this book?

Apryl: I was surprised that I enjoyed the simplicity of this book. I love to think and overthink. I’m a gold-medal winner in overthinking. But for this project it was lovely to pull back and focus on joy. Just joy. It was wonderful.

I also have a surprise for the readers. Since this story is so simple, I decided to add a subtle little extra detail. I don’t say anywhere in the book that this is happening, but on each spread you will find a frog, a ladybug and a mouse. Every spread has them! Including the cover and back cover.

Me: Any advice for other aspiring picture book writers and/or illustrators?

Apryl: I would say, make books and pictures that you enjoy. Ones you would have picked up as a younger-you and said, “I love this.” Honor your true self. Don’t focus on making other’s happy, instead celebrate the beautiful things that make you unique, and the beautiful things that you admire in others. We all have different skills. Celebrate them.

More practically, practice and practice and practice. Practice dealing with rejection. Practice drawing. Practice listening. And join SCBWI. They are a lifeline for children’s book authors and illustrators. They were incredibly helpful on my journey. A membership with SCBWI is one of the greatest investments you can make in yourself and your writing/illustrating career.

And finally, I want to share my favorite saying, the Egyptian proverb: “A beautiful thing is never perfect.”

Nothing we do or make is going to be perfect. Don’t strive for perfection. Strive for connection and expression. Strive for the things you value. Don’t cut yourself short before you even start. We will never be perfect. And we will still make beautiful things.

Oh I love that! That is perfect advice just for me (but I’m sure it applies to others too). Thank you so much for stopping by my blog today Apryl.

Dear readers, this book published in January, but now is the perfect time to read it. If you haven’t had a chance yet to find it, I highly recommend it. It’s full of joy and all the delights of spring anyone might love. Trust me when I say, you won’t want to miss it!