My Writing Picture Book classes really got a kick out of reading and discussing the work of Dan Santat. We identified a number of interesting craft points, so I’ll share some of those below on three of his picture books (two as author/illustrator, and one as illustrator only).
I’ve met Dan a few times (like at the San Diego ALA conference). One of these days, I’ll get him here on OPB to share his wisdom firsthand!
The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend
- Beekle’s problem makes us root for him right away. (The subtitle helps, too.)
- The shift to color after Beekle meets Alice? “So smart.”
- The construction paper crown is “Santat genius.”
After the Fall
- The cereal aisle is brilliant. Because of Humpty’s fear, all the attractive options (by name and art) are way up high out of reach. The lousy ones all remain down low.
- The vertical-ness of the book adds to the sense of height and depth.
- Stacking short sentences makes Humpty’s climb feel especially deliberate and slow.
Drawn Together
- Leaving untranslated text helps readers experience the awkwardness of a communication breakdown.
- The cramped panels at the start of the story become bigger spreads once they start drawing together. My Illustration majors said: “Love that shift.”
- What silence means changes from the beginning to the end of the book.