Book Birthday Blog with Heidi Woodward Sheffield

 

 

Welcome to SCBWI-MI's Book Birthday Blog!

Where we celebrate new books from Michigan's authors, illustrators and translators.

 

Congratulations to Heidi Woodward Sheffield on the release of Good Night, Little Man

 

You're the illustrator for the upcoming book written by Daniel Bernstrom. What inspired your illustrations for the story?

My agent Laura Rennert set up some meet and greets with editors and art directors a few years ago in NYC. One of the people I met was Executive Editor Jill Davis, who took one of my postcards of a boy snuggled up in bed. She fell in love with the image, kept thinking of it and eventually asked Dan if he could come up with a story to go with it.
 
When he did, she approached me about illustrating it. Early in the process, Jill left HarperCollins to start her own imprint, Hippo Park, at Astra Publishing House. I worked with Executive Editor Luana Horry at Harper for the rest of the book.
 
Normally I sketch out ideas for the characters I have in mind, then take some reference pictures of people who match the characters in my head. But the development of the book took place during Covid, and I didn’t have folks in my bubble who matched the characters from the book. Dan had mentioned the story had been inspired by his young son.
 
Thankfully, Dan had shared some family pictures with Jill and me around the same time. I asked if I could use them in developing the characters. I also made an additional list of expressions I needed from Dan and his son and they generously took more pictures. I printed a whole bunch of these family photos and put them on my wall, above my art table, where I referenced them for about two years. When I was done with the final art, I felt a bit sad to be taking the photos down of this sweet family I had spent so much time with. 

 

 

You've written and illustrated your own books. What is your creative process for illustrating a book written by someone other than yourself, or is the process the same?

It’s both liberating and sometimes daunting, but I truly love the challenge of bringing new meaning to another author’s work. Overall, I spend more hours on developing pictures for another author than I do when illustrating my own book. It takes a little longer getting into the right headspace. I start by making notes on the manuscript itself and storyboarding thumbnails of images they conjure up. While I take great care to honor the author’s manuscript, I also look for ways to extend its meaning and bring additional life to the book, often in unexpected ways. 

What was the most difficult part of creating the illustrations for the book?

About halfway through the book, the publisher increased the book by 8 pages. Luckily the timeline was extended, too. And my agent also negotiated additional payment with Harper for the additional work.

What are your marketing plans for the book and where can we find it? 

I’ll be at ALA in Chicago this June at Harper’s booth. Locally, I’ll be at Schuler’s Books in Ann Arbor Saturday, June 10 at 11 AM for a brief presentation and to sign books and at 2 Dandelions Books in Brighton, Wednesday, June 28 at 1:00 PM.
 
Good Night, Little Man is available from HarperCollins for $15.99 (a $4.00 savings) for a limited time. You can also buy it at your favorite Indie bookstore and Amazon.

We just received our first review for Good Night, Little Man and it's a stunning one from School Library Journal!

Lyrical text tells the story of a little boy who cannot sleep without his sheep. His father is upset without knowing the reason for his son’s tantrum; once he finds out, he is remorseful and reflects on his own behavior. The breaks in the text accentuate the rhythm of the words, while the illustrations depict the emotions of the father and son as they sort through what is happening between them. This is a positive depiction not only of the bonds of father and son but also of a multigenerational Black family with roots that run deep. VERDICT There are few books in which a parent makes mistakes and learns from them on reflection. This is a great story of the father and son bond to add to the shelves.–Ruth Guerrier-Pierre

What's next for you?

I'm working on a picture book mockup about the moon for submission and developing another project with a fellow illustrator. Stay tuned!  

A little bit about the book . . .

Good Night, Little Man is a rhythmic, heartwarming bedtime romp—with a twist! When Little Man can’t sleep without his beloved Sheep-Sheep, he turns the house upside down looking for his stuffed animal. His journey is stopped by an impatient father and very big emotions. Will Little Man find his Sheep-Sheep? Find out in this fun lost-and-found adventure—with a surprise ending.

Publisher: HarperCollins   

A little bit about the author . . .

Heidi Woodward Sheffield’s debut book Brick by Brick received the Ezra Jack Keats Award for Illustration and was chosen by the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. Heidi’s other books include Are Your Stars Like My Stars? (Union Square & Co.), written by Leslie Helakoski and Ice Cream Face (Nancy Paulsen Books/Penguin). Her forthcoming book Good Night, Little Man (HarperCollins), written by Daniel Bernstrom, debuts May 23, 2023.
 
Heidi has received numerous awards from The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). She loves to create books that reflect the beauty of the world and its people. Her vibrant collages feature unusual textures like cork, Mexican embroidery and Irish lace.
 
On any given day, she can be seen taking photographs that inspire her stories and collages. She lives in Northville, Michigan.  

Website: https://www.heidibooks.com/

Twitter: @wwwheidibooks

Insta: @heidi.kids.books

facebook.com/heidi.sheffield.5