Introducing Rachel Coulter, Illustrator of Pushie Jr.

Photo by Brian Bonenberger

I am continuing our introductions with the Illustrator of Pushie, Jr., Rachel Coulter, who is making her debut. I met Rachel a few years ago across a large table of students. I knew from working with her in her last semester at Columbia College that she would be a great colleague. Her quirky sensibility is paired with her attention to detail making a perfect artistic combo. She has been working with kids for the past two years full time, while still continuing her creative endeavors. She has been working for the press since its launch in January 2011, as our all around do everything girl.
Rachel’s style for Pushie, Jr. has developed over the past 6 months. She has worked diligently on refining a style that she will certainly call her own. Pushie is a mix of collage with hand illustration that melds onto the digital canvass and will come to life when ink meets paper coming October 2011.

1. What inspired you to illustrate a children’s book?
— Illustrating a children’s book has always been a dream project of mine. While growing up, I would get so excited by all the little details like the toys on the floor in Good Night Moon, or the fun chaos in Richard Scarry’s Busy World, and now I have the opportunity to create pictures that are hopefully exciting for kids to discover.

2. What was your favorite book as a kid?and why?
My favorite books were the Flatfoot Fox series by Eth Clifford. A fox who solves mysteries while wearing a tie is always a winning combination.
3. What do you love best about Chicago?
The camaraderie. I love the: “we are all in this together” mentality everyone seems to have when it becomes winter.
4. When did other people start to notice that you were good at drawing?
The day I got sent to the principal’s office in 2nd grade for defacing a school wall with paint during recess.
5. What kind of encouragement helped you along your road to doing what you do now? For instance was there a pivotal moment in your life that you think led you to doing what you do? 
When I was in middle school I won a poster contest for an anti-drug campaign. With my prize money I bought a really cool Walkman, so I guess you could say I’m in it for the Walkmans.

A scene from Pushie, Jr.

Interview with Maud Lavin, author of “Pushie, Jr.”

Photo by Lauren Shay Lavin

To launch our book series, I wanted to spend some time introducing our readers to our authors and illustrators. First up is Maud Lavin who has been with the press since about January 2, 2011, one day after we launched. Maud had just finished her latest book Push Comes to Shove: New Images of Aggressive Women. “Women need aggression and need to use it consciously, Lavin writes.” “With Push comes to Shove, she explores the crucial questions of how to manifest aggression, how it to represent it and how to keep open a cultural space for it.” -an excerpt from her book and review.

I have known Maud since 2001 where we met at SAIC, I was in grad school at the time and fell under her whimsical spell. She has taught me so much about work and life and over the years we have become great friends. She and I first worked together professionally on The Business of Holidays published in 2003, . We have supported each other though book release parties, tea parties, and with anything else that life throws our way. Maud was awarded the highly regarded “Outstanding Teacher of the Year” award last year at SAIC and will continue to inspire young writers to chase their passions. Her list of accomplishments is one to envy.

1. What inspired you to write (or illustrate) a children’s book?
–I’ve written 6 books for adults, either as author or co-author, but Pushie, Jr. is my first children’s book.  It came about when Alyson Beaton, publisher of Grow Books Press, invited me to write one.  I loved the idea and spent some time then reading different authors who were experienced children’s book writers on how to write a children’s book.  They had good suggestions like don’t be preachy with kids and tell them what to do, instead make a good story and show them.  It was a really fun writing challenge to write Pushie, Jr.  I liked adding in humor too.  I worked hard and I enjoyed it.
2. What was your favorite book as a kid?and why?
–I loved the Wizard of Oz series, the whole series, because it was so full of fantasy and adventure and friendship.  Also because it starred a little girl, Dorothy.
3. What do you love best about Chicago?
–I love all the friendly neighborhoods, the lakefront, and how there are trees everywhere.  OK, that’s three things.
4. When did other people start to notice that you were good at writing?
–My mom encouraged me when I was little.  As soon as I learned to read and write, I started writing little stories.  Later on I also wrote plays and made my three younger brothers act in them along with me.  Actually I think they had
fun too!  Then we would perform them for my parents.  We lived out in the country so we had to invent games and stories; it was pretty in the country but there wasn’t a lot to do.  So we made stuff up.
5. What kind of encouragement helped you along your road to doing what you do now? For instance was there a pivotal moment in your life that you think led you to doing what you do?
When I was in college, I sent in an article I wrote to a magazine in New York City, and they accepted it for publication!  I didn’t really expect it; I didn’t know anyone at the magazine and it was my first try (although I did write for the school paper so I had some experience).  It was very exciting when they accepted it, edited it, and paid me.  And great to see it appear in the magazine.

Thank you Maud!

Meet Pushie Jr.

Along with much of our other development here at Grow Books, Rachel and Maud have been collaborating beautifully on Pushie Jr. to be released this coming Fall. Pushie will be taking on the age old problem of school yard bullies with a new twist.  Follow us here for more updates and progress of this lovely book.