When a love of nature combines with poetry and photographs in these picture books, what do you get? Beauty that must be seen and read to be believed!
I discovered Helen Frost and Rick Leider’s latest picture book collaboration last year and fell madly in love with their work. It was only then that I discovered they had worked on six previous poetry picture books together and had to track them down. I read them all and was completely blown away by the pairings. HOW did this magic come together? I had to know more. So I reached out to Helen and Rick asking if they’d be interested in an interview about their work together and they both said yes. If you’re not familiar with their books, brace yourself! These are stunning collaborations.
Helen Frost is the author of seven picture books illustrated with Rick Lieder’s nature photography: Step Gently Out, Sweep Up the Sun, Among a Thousand Fireflies, Wake Up!, Hello, I’m Here!, Wait—and See, and Mighty Pollinators. She is also the author of the middle-grade novel in poems Applesauce Weather as well as several other novels in verse for young adults. Her books have received many awards and honors. She lives in Fort Wayne, Indiana. You can learn more about her at her website.
Rick Lieder has collaborated with Helen Frost on the previously mentioned picture books. He is an artist and nature photographer whose work has appeared on the National Geographic channel. He lives with his wife, writer Kathe Koja, in Michigan. You can learn more about him at his portrait website, his nature photography website or follow him on Instagram.
Together they both have a Facebook page you can follow.
Welcome Helen and Rick!
Me: You both met at a book signing in 2007. What clicked for each of you that made you want to work on a book project together? How did it progress into your first book collaboration (i.e., STEP GENTLY OUT)?
Helen: Rick’s wife, Kathe Koja, suggested we might collaborate. She and I were doing a booksigning together for YA novels both published by Frances Foster Books/FSG, and she introduced us and suggested we consider working together. It took several years, with lots of back and forth between us, before we were satisfied with what became STEP GENTLY OUT, then several more years before we found a publisher.
Rick: When Helen and I met at that book signing, I had been focusing on wildlife photography for several years, mostly in my backyard, and we realized we had a shared interest in the wild world.
I sent her dozens of images, and she wrote a poem to fit several of them. I then made a physical book dummy to send to publishers. It was a very different book at the start, and one of our first titles was “Multitudes”.
It was difficult, publishers usually don’t work with an author/illustrator team.
After several years with rejections from many publishers, we found Candlewick, and with the help of our editor and designer we created STEP GENTLY OUT.
Me: For that first book, Rick’s photos existed first and Helen wrote a poem to go along with them. Has this been the case for every one of the picture books you’ve collaborated on for Candlewick? What has come first: poetry or photography?
Helen: I don’t think it was ever one first, then the other. We’ve always resisted the idea that the poems are captions for the photographs, or the photographs are illustrations of the poems. It’s always been co-operative, with each of us observing the natural world and responding in our own art form. For each book, there is lots of back and forth between us, and with our wonderful editor, Sarah Ketchersid, and book designers at Candlewick.
Rick: Each book is different. One example is HELLO, I’M HERE!
I never thought I would get the access to Sandhill cranes, although I knew Helen was interested in a story about them.
I was very surprised when I did find a new family of cranes, and could get close to capture the babies. I worked hard over that spring to make images to help Helen tell the story.
Me: Rick, in an interview you mentioned having to build your own photo equipment for in-flight bird photography. Was this specifically for your work on SWEEP UP THE SUN? Have there been other things you’ve had to create or adjust to get the exact photos that are in these picture books? What has challenged you as a photographer for these books to get these amazing shots?
Rick: Beyond my camera and lenses, I make many of my camera supports.
My gear can look unattractive. I’m always tinkering, coming up with Rube Goldberg-like solutions to technical problems.
There is no perfect camera support for much of my work, especially when I need to be at ground level.
I also have many lighting problems to overcome. I’m interested in how light refracts and reflects around my subject, and try to take advantage of optical oddities. I use many flashlights, LEDs, mirrors, reflectors and diffusers. I’ve even made several robot fireflies.
The birds in flight present their own problems, they move so fast, and I like to be as close as possible.
Me: Helen, you have written award winning novels-in-verse and many things for older readers over the span of your writing career. Yet each of these picture books seems deceptively short and simple for young readers to be able to follow and understand what you’re writing about. It’s a delicate balancing act that you have achieved so well. How do you do that? Do you start with a form? Or a similar rhyme scheme? Is there a common meter that you use for all of these picture books?
Helen: Thank you. I try to listen to the language that comes to me as I consider each idea, and build the form of each poem from that.
Me: You both share an obvious love of nature, as seen in these books and in other projects you have each done on your own. Why combine your skills together in picture books for young readers to share that love? Why poetry (not prose) and photography (not painting)?
Helen: This is what has worked best for these particular books. We each do have other skills that could be called into play in future books, but we’re happy this has worked so well in these seven.
Rick: I love to paint and draw, but I believe I’ve found a unique way to present these animals through photography.
My approach is less documentary and more emotional, which I think fits well with Helen’s poetry.
Me: These books are absolutely fantastic. They bring your finest skills together in such a glorious way. They speak to the true achievement any collaboration between a writer and an illustrator can bring. What would you say to other authors and/or illustrators who are looking to collaborate together? Is it worth working closely? Or would you recommend distance for more artistic freedom?
Helen: Most editors do prefer to manage the collaboration between author and illustrator, and authors are usually advised not to find their own illustrators. We are very lucky that this has worked so well.
Rick: Our collaborations have worked well, we each have our strengths and we always work to make the books better.
Me: What advice would you give to new or aspiring picture book poets and/or illustrators?
Helen: Read widely and appreciatively, both picture books and poetry for all ages.
Rick: I’m always hoping to find something new in my own art and the books I read.
Show me a way of looking at the world I can only see through you.
I love that! Thank you both so much for stopping by my blog today to discuss your work.
Dear readers, if you haven’t yet had an opportunity to read any of these books, I highly recommend them. They are each stunning pieces of art with incredible photographs and poetry that dance across the pages. They are sure to enchant many young readers. Trust me when I say, you won’t want to miss them!
And as I’ve always shared a poem as part of these posts, here is one of my favorite bits from STEP GENTLY OUT that I think invites you to read and look at all of their books carefully.
And if you’re looking for more poetry fun this month, be sure to check out the Kidlitosphere Event Roundup! Thank you for stopping by!