Inspired by OLIVIA

I've always been interested in the idea of writing/illustrating children's books. Recently I've been thinking about it on a more serious level. Last weekend I went to Barnes and Noble to check out the children's section and see what is being done in the world of children's literature. That's when I found the OLIVIA series by Ian Falconer. I was completely blown away. How inspiring! Ian's illustrations are wonderful and I love everything about them. He uses black & white charcoal with splashes of red, and his illustrations are very minimalist. He even incorporates photography into some of his creations. And I love how his books entertain the adult audience as well.

After my exciting discovery, I googled Ian Falconer. He is an illustrator for The New Yorker. He wrote the first OLIVIA book (there are now 4 in the series) as a gift for his niece, Olivia. He modeled the swine characters in the book after Olivia and her younger brother Ian. After finishing the book he realized it was quite good and tried to get it published. OLIVIA eventually became a New York Times bestseller and won a Caldecott Honor medal. I am feeling so inspired and hope to achieve what Ian has someday!