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cc >> THE FOLLOWING PROGRAM IS A SPECIAL PRESENTATION OF THE BIG TEN NETWORK
PRODUCED IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN.
>> HE'S A WINNER OF THE PRESTIGIOUS CALDECOTT AWARD FOR ILLUSTRATION, AND ALSO HAS RECEIVED THE NEWBERRY IN
HONOR OF DISTINGUISHED WRITING IN CHILDREN'S LITERATURE. WHO IS THIS GUY WITH THE UW TIES?
WE'LL MEET HIM NEXT, ON "WISCONSIN REFLECTIONS."
>> HI, HE HAS THE REMARKABLE ABILITY TO CRAFT WORDS AND IMAGES THAT RESONATE WITH YOUNG MINDS, CREATING AN EFFECT THAT
CAN LAST ALL OF THEIR LIVES. HE'S A REMARKABLY SUCCESSFUL AND HONORED WRITER IN THE HIGHLY COMPETITIVE AND IMPORTANT ARENA
OF CHILDREN'S LITERATURE. KEVIN HENKES IS OUR GUEST TODAY. KEVIN, WELCOME.
SO, YOU GREW UP IN RACINE, AND VERY EARLY ON YOU BEGAN TO LIVE THE WRITER'S LIFE. EVEN WHEN YOU WERE ONLY
19 YEARS OLD, YOU WERE ALREADY WORKING ON YOUR FIRST BOOK DEAL, CORRECT? >> I WAS.
I LIVED THE ARTIST'S LIFE FIRST. I THINK MY EARLIEST MEMORIES ARE OF BEING AN ARTIST, WANTING TO DRAW AND PAINT
FROM THE TIME I CAN REMEMBER. >> THE WORDS FOLLOWED THE PICTURES FOR YOU? >> THEY DID, AND IT WAS
BECAUSE OF AN ENGLISH TEACHER IN HIGH SCHOOL. I WAS ALWAYS CONSIDERED THE CLASS ARTIST.
I LOVED TO DRAW AND PAINT. IT'S HOW I IDENTIFIED MYSELF. I HAD AN ENGLISH TEACHER MY JUNIOR YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL
WHO SAID TO ME ONCE, I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF I SAW A BOOK WITH YOUR NAME ON IT ONE DAY. THAT WAS HUGE.
>> NOTHING LIKE EXPECTATIONS FOR A KID AT THAT AGE. >> YEAH, IT'S AMAZING. I WAS A JUNIOR IN HIGH SCHOOL.
I WAS BEGINNING TO THINK ABOUT WHAT I MIGHT LIKE TO DO WITH MY LIFE AND I THOUGHT, I LOVE TO DRAW AND PAINT.
HERE'S THIS PERSON WHO SAYS I'M A GREAT WRITER. THAT'S WHEN I REDISCOVERED PICTURE BOOKS.
I THOUGHT, I WANT A JOB WHERE I CAN DO BOTH OF THOSE THINGS. AND PICTURE BOOKS WERE THE PERFECT JOB FOR ME.
>> DID YOU FIND YOUR VOICE FIRST WITH CHILDREN'S BOOKS OR DID YOU EXPLORE OTHER, KIND OF GENRES OF LITERATURE
BEFORE YOU SETTLED INTO CHILDREN'S BOOKS? >> CHILDREN'S BOOKS. I THOUGHT OF DIFFERENT THINGS
IN TERMS OF BEING AN ARTIST, BUT WHEN I REDISCOVERED PICTURE BOOKS, I KNEW THAT THAT WAS WHAT I WANTED, AND I GREW UP
LOVING BOOKS. SO THAT WAS ALWAYS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF MY LIFE. >> WHAT BOOKS WERE YOUR
FORMATIVE BOOKS? >> MY VERY FAVORITE BOOK IS CALLED "IS THIS YOU" BY RUTH KRAUSE, WITH
PICTURES BY CROCKETT JOHNSON. IT IS ESSENTIALLY A GUIDE IN HOW TO MAKE A BOOK. I STILL HAVE MY COPY
WITH MY NAME INSCRIBED IN VERY LARGE KID LETTERING. AND I LOVED IT. AND I WOULD USE THAT BOOK
AS A GUIDE TO MAKE BOOKS. >> RIGHT. IT'S ONE THING TO HAVE A PASSION, IT'S ANOTHER THING
TO MAKE IT A CAREER. TO GET PAID TO DO IT. >> YES. >> YOU GET TO LIVE THE WRITER'S
LIFE, THE ARTIST'S LIFE HERE IN MADISON, WHICH IS HARD TO DO. PUBLISHING IS A NEW YORK
BUSINESS, BY AND LARGE. HOW HAVE YOU MANAGED THAT? >> I LOVE GOING TO NEW YORK. THERE WAS A WHILE WHERE I
THOUGHT I WANTED TO LIVE THERE. BUT I DON'T NEED TO BE THERE AND I LOVE BEING-- THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT
BEING REMOVED FROM IT. EVERY TIME I GO, AND I LOVE TO GO FREQUENTLY, IT'S SPECIAL AND WONDERFUL.
BUT THERE'S SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL ABOUT BEING AWAY FROM IT WHERE I CAN BE IN MY WORLD AND DO WHAT I LOVE TO DO MOST.
THERE'S NOTHING I LOVE MORE THAN BEING ALONE IN MY STUDIO WITH THE DOOR CLOSED, AND BE IN MY HEAD.
>> RIGHT. MY WIFE GAVE ME A BOOK ONE TIME CALLED "WRITERS AND THEIR PLACES."
IT WAS THE PICTURE OF THE WRITING LOCATIONS OF SOME OF THE GREAT WRITERS OF THE 20th CENTURY.
DESCRIBE YOUR ARTIST'S GARRETT, IF YOU WOULD? YOU KNOW, WHERE DO YOU GO? WHEN DO YOU GO?
AND HOW DO YOU KIND OF GEAR UP TO BE PRODUCTIVE FROM A CREATIVE STANDPOINT? >> I GET UP WHEN MY KIDS
GET UP FOR SCHOOL. THEY'RE TEENAGERS, THEY START AT DIFFERENT TIMES. THE MINUTE THE SECOND ONE LEAVES
FOR SCHOOL, I HEAD UPSTAIRS. IT'S THE THIRD FLOOR OF AN OLD HOUSE, AN ATTIC THAT HAS BEEN RENOVATED.
IT'S GOT NICE WINDOWS. I FEEL LIKE I'M UP IN THE TREES. >> DO YOU HAVE A VISTA? >> YEAH, I DO.
>> A TREE HOUSE FEEL? >> YES, IT HAS A VERY NICE TREE HOUSE FEEL. IT'S A BIG, OPEN SPACE
WITH LOTS AND LOTS OF BOOKS. >> MUSIC WHEN YOU WRITE AND DRAW? >> MUSIC WHEN I DRAW,
NOT MUSIC WHEN I WRITE. >> COFFEE? >> A HALF CUP DOWNSTAIRS WITH THE KIDS.
>> WRITERS AND ARTISTS HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO USE DIFFERENT THINGS TO TRIGGER THEIR ARTISTIC RESPONSES.
>> WATER WORKS FOR ME. (LAUGHTER) >> HOW LONG DO YOU WORK EACH DAY?
>> IT DEPENDS ON WHAT I'M DOING. IF I'M WRITING, I CAN'T GO FOR MAYBE MORE THAN AN HOUR AND A HALF WITHOUT
TAKING A BREAK OF SOME SORT. IF I'M DRAWING, I CAN GO MUCH LONGER. >> REALLY? WHY IS THAT?
>> I THINK I'M MORE NATURALLY AN ARTIST THAN I AM A WRITER, PERHAPS. I DON'T KNOW,
THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT IT. I WOULD MUCH RATHER FACE AN EMPTY SHEET OF PAPER KNOWING THAT I HAVE TO DRAW ON IT,
THAN TO FACE AN EMPTY SHEET OF PAPER KNOWING THAT I HAVE TO WRITE ON IT. >> SO YOU HAVE EXPERIENCED
WRITER'S BLOCK? >> I DON'T KNOW IF I WOULD CALL IT WRITER'S BLOCK. I WOULD CALL IT--
I'VE NEVER, KNOCK WOOD-- I'VE NEVER HAD WHAT I THINK OF AS WRITER'S BLOCK. I'VE BEEN STUCK.
I KNOW WHERE I WANT TO GO, I'M NOT SURE HOW TO GET THERE. I'M A VERY SLOW WRITER, SO I MIGHT WORK ON A PARAGRAPH
FOR, YOU KNOW, A WEEK. >> HOW DO YOUR YOUNG READERS PROCESS PICTURES AND WORDS? IS IT THE SAME?
IS THERE A PSYCHOLOGY TO IT DIFFERENT FROM ADULT WRITING? >> WELL, I THINK THE BEAUTY OF THE PICTURE BOOK IS THAT
IT'S A COMBINATION OF WORDS AND IMAGES. I THINK A GREAT PICTURE BOOK IS CREATED IN A WAY IN WHICH THOSE
TWO THINGS CAN'T BE SEPARATED. BUT ALSO, I MEAN, THERE'S A GAP BETWEEN WORDS AND PICTURES. AND I THINK IN A REALLY
WONDERFUL BOOK, THE BRILLIANT THING IS THAT THE LISTENER OR THE READER MAKES ASSOCIATIONS. AND THOSE ASSOCIATIONS
MAY CHANGE DEPENDING ON WHO THEY ARE, WHAT THEY KNOW. I THINK THAT'S THE BEAUTY OF A REALLY GOOD PICTURE BOOK.
>> WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT WHEN WE COME BACK ABOUT THE PICTURE BOOKS IS, DO YOU WRITE THEM FOR THE CHILDREN
AND THE PARENT READING THEM? DO YOU WRITE THEM FOR A CHILD READING IT ALONE? THE ACTUAL EXPERIENCE
OF CONSUMING THE BOOK, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD IS REALLY INTERESTING. AS A PARENT, I KNOW THAT YOU
SPEND THE FIRST SEVERAL YEARS WITH SOMEONE ON YOUR LAP READING ALOUD. AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, YOU'RE
AN ADULT AND YOU GO, BOY, "THIS IS REALLY A GOOD BOOK." WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH AWARD-WINNER KEVIN HENKES.
PLEASE STAY WITH US. WE'RE IN MADISON.
>> THIS PROGRAM IS A PRODUCTION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON. IF YOU HAVE COMMENTS
ABOUT THIS BROADCAST, PLEASE EMAIL THEM TO: PROGRAMMING@UC.WISC.EDU
>> WHERE OTHERS SAW LUMBER, WE RECOGNIZED A TREASURE. WHERE OTHERS SAW THE NIGHT, WE CHOSE THE STARS.
WHERE OTHERS SAW PIECES, WE UNLOCKED THE PUZZLE THAT COULD BRING END TO PARALYSIS AND CANCER.
SINCE 1848, THINKERS AND ACHIEVERS AT WISCONSIN HAVE FEARLESSLY SOUGHT IDEAS THAT TRANSFORMED THE WORLD.
KEEP ON, WISCONSIN, KEEP ON.
>> HI, WE'RE BACK IN MADISON WITH KEVIN HENKES, AN AWARD WINNING CHILDREN'S PICTURE BOOK AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR.
WE WERE TALKING BEFORE THE BREAK HOW DO YOU FASHION THE IMAGES AND WORDS TO CAPTURE A CHILD'S IMAGINATION?
DO YOU THINK OF A CHILD AT A SPECIFIC AGE, IN A SPECIFIC ENVIRONMENT WHEN YOU'RE WRITING OR CONCEIVING YOUR BOOKS?
>> WHEN I WORK ON A PICTURE BOOK, I DO THINK OF THE AGE OF THE KID I'M WORKING FOR. BUT THE MAIN THING IS TO MAKE IT
A BOOK THAT WORKS FOR ME. I KNOW IT'S AN ADULT WHO WILL BUY THE BOOK. BUT WHEN I'M IN MY LITTLE WORLD
CREATING IT, I WANT TO DO SOMETHING THAT PLEASES ME. AND I WILL MAKE CERTAIN CHOICES THAT A LISTENER, AND PERHAPS
THE PARENT WILL NEVER KNOW, BUT IT IS THE PART OF BOOK CRAFT THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME. I'LL SHOW YOU AN EXAMPLE.
>> WE HAVE AN ANATOMY OF A BUNNY HOP HERE. >> MY LATEST BOOK IS CALLED "LITTLE WHITE RABBIT."
>> STAND BY, LOOK AT THIS! JUST LIKE THE TONIGHT SHOW, "LITTLE WHITE RABBIT." HERE WE GO.
LET'S HOLD IT UP NICELY. WE'LL HOLD IT STEADY FOR A SECOND. "LITTLE WHITE RABBIT" HERE.
AVAILABLE IN YOUR LOCAL BOOKSTORE. SO TALK ABOUT THIS. >> THESE ARE THE FIRST
ILLUSTRATIONS OF "LITTLE WHITE RABBIT" AS HE APPEARS IN THE BOOK. WHEN I WAS CRAFTING THE BOOK,
BECAUSE THIS IS A BOOK ABOUT A RABBIT WHO HOPS, I WANTED THOSE ILLUSTRATIONS, IF YOU TOOK THEM OUT OF THE BOOK
AND LINED THEM UP TO SHOW A HOP. >> ONE COMPLETE HOP. >> MOST READERS WILL NEVER, NEVER KNOW THAT, BUT IT'S
THE PART OF BOOK CRAFT THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME. AND IT'S THE PART OF BOOK CRAFT THAT I THINK I LOVE MOST.
MAKING ALL THE ELEMENTS OF THE BOOK HAVE SOME MEANING. THEY'RE NOT JUST THERE. >> IT WORKS ON YOU
IN A SUBLIMINAL WAY. >> I HOPE SO. >> OH, IT HAS TO. ABSOLUTELY IT DOES.
TALK TO ME ABOUT THE IMAGES AND THE WORDS YOU USE SO THAT YOU CAN CAPTURE A CHILD'S IMAGINATION.
DO YOU FIND YOURSELF HOLDING BACK ON DETAIL, OR DO YOU HAVE SO MANY WORDS PER PAGE? OR YOU KNOW, WHERE--
AND ALSO, WHAT IS THE AGE? I GUESS IT VARIES FROM BOOK TO BOOK. >> IT VARIES FROM BOOK TO BOOK.
I KEEP THAT IN MIND. IF IT'S A VERY YOUNG BOOK, I LOVE VERY SUCCINCT PICTURE BOOKS.
THE IMAGES CARRY A LOT OF THE WEIGHT. I DON'T HAVE TO DESCRIBE CERTAIN THINGS PHYSICALLY, BECAUSE
THEY'RE OFTEN IN THE PICTURES. I BELIEVE THE FIRST LINE FOR LITTLE WHITE RABBIT SAID IT WAS A GLORIOUS DAY AND LITTLE
WHITE RABBIT HOPPED ALONG. I TOOK OUT "IT WAS A GLORIOUS DAY." I DIDN'T NEED IT.
IT MAKES IT BETTER. IT MAKES IT TIGHTER. YOU CAN SEE WHAT KIND OF DAY IT IS BY LOOKING AT THE PICTURES.
AND I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE ADVANTAGES OF WRITING AND ILLUSTRATING MY OWN BOOKS. I'LL OFTEN TAKE WORDS OUT
WHEN I'M WORKING ON THE PICTURES BECAUSE I REALIZE I DON'T NEED THEM ANY LONGER. >> AGAIN, FOR THE AUDIENCE
THAT YOU'RE WRITING FOR-- I WAS TELLING YOU DURING BREAK, MY SON LOVED "WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE."
HE'S NOW 25 YEARS OLD. I WAS READING TO HIM ONE DAY, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN HE WAS READING TO ME.
HE HAD MEMORIZED THE WHOLE BOOK. IT WAS ONE OF THE MOST REMARKABLE MOMENTS OF MY LIFE, BECAUSE I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW
THIS KID COULD TALK, YOU KNOW? (LAUGHTER) AND ALL OF A SUDDEN. AND IT HAS SUCH A PROFOUND
IMPACT ON A CHILD'S DEVELOPMENT TO SIT AND READ A BOOK WITH A PARENT. >> I COULDN'T AGREE MORE.
>> IT'S HUGE. >> I ALSO THINK THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT PICTURE BOOKS, WHEN YOU'RE YOUNG,
IF YOU'RE EXPOSED TO THEM TIME AND AGAIN, THEY OFTEN WILL SORT OF CREEP INTO ONE'S LIFE, INTO THE FAMILY VERNACULAR.
WHEN I HEAR STORIES ABOUT HOW MY BOOKS HAVE DONE THAT, I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT. IT MAKES BEING A WRITER
AND AN ILLUSTRATOR SO REWARDING. >> THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT A BOOK. WE'RE IN AN ERA OF KINDLE
AND iPADS, AND YET THE TACTILE EXPERIENCE OF A BOOK, THE KIND OF PAPER, THE KIND OF FONT, THE COLORS,
DO YOU LAMENT THE FACT THAT IT'S BECOMING MORE DIGITAL, OR DO YOU VIEW IT AS THAT'S HOW IT IS AND MAYBE THERE
ARE NEW OPPORTUNITIES THERE? >> I COULD GO IN SO MANY DIRECTIONS. FIRST, I SHOULD SAY
I'M A LUDDITE. I TYPE ON A TYPEWRITER. I WRITE BY HAND. I THINK ONE OF THE BEAUTIES
OF A PICTURE BOOK, OR TWO OF THE BEAUTIES ARE SIZE AND SHAPE. I THINK SOME OF THOSE CHARACTERISTICS ARE LOST
ON AN eREADER. MY BOOKS IS "CHRYSANTHEMUM" IS AVAILABLE ON AN eREADER. I WANT TO KEEP AN OPEN MIND.
BUT THERE IS SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL ABOUT SIZE AND SHAPE. A BOOK LIKE "LITTLE WHITE RABBIT"
WILL LOSE SOME OF THAT. I ALSO THINK IT'S HARD TO SHOE HORN AN EXISTING ART FORM INTO ANOTHER.
I THINK MAYBE IN THE FUTURE THERE ARE GOING TO BE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO WRITE, DRAW AND PAINT, WHO ARE
GOING TO CREATE INCREDIBLE THINGS MADE SPECIFICALLY FOR THE SPECIFIC DEVICE. THAT MAY BE THE FUTURE.
>> THE THING THAT I HAVE EXPERIENCED AS A PARENT AND AS A CHILD IS THERE'S SOMETHING IRREPLACEABLE ABOUT POSSESSING
A BOOK, A FAVORITE BOOK, A DOG-EARED, YOU KNOW, WITH, APPLE SAUCE ALL OVER IT, OR WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE.
AND YOU KNOW THERE'S THAT LITTLE STACK OF BOOKS IN EVERY CHILD'S ROOM. IT'S USUALLY NOT VERY NEAT AND
ORGANIZED, BUT IT'S THEIR BOOKS. IT'S ONE OF THE FIRST THING A CHILD POSSESSES AS THEIR OWN. >> I THINK IT MUST BE
A DIFFERENT FEELING. I DON'T KNOW PERSONALLY, BUT TO HAVE YOUR BOOKS ON YOUR BOOKSHELF, AND KNOW WHERE THEY
ARE, AND HAVE THEM IN THE ORDER YOU WANT THEM, OR HAVE THEM UNDER YOUR BED OR PILLOW, I THINK EVEN IF YOU HAVE THEM
IN YOUR DEVICE, IT MUST BE DIFFERENT, BUT I DON'T KNOW. YOU KNOW, I WANT TO KEEP AN OPEN MIND ABOUT IT.
>> WHEN WE COME BACK, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT HOW YOUR FAMILY INFORMS YOUR WORK, AND ALSO WHAT IT'S LIKE TO MANAGE, AGAIN,
THE CAREER FROM MADISON. WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK. WE'RE IN MADISON. THIS IS KEVIN HENKES.
HE'S WON A BUNCH OF AWARDS. STAY WITH US.
>> GREAT PEOPLE IS OUR CAMPAIGN FOR NEED-BASED SCHOLARSHIP AID. IT'S THE KEY TO THE LONG TERM WELL-BEING OF THE UNIVERSITY
AS A WHOLE. IN 1970, TUITION COST ABOUT $500. >> TODAY, IT'S ABOUT $9,000.
>> WE DON'T WANT UW-MADISON TO BE A UNIVERSITY THAT IS DEEMED TO BE OUT OF REACH. >> THE GREAT PEOPLE SCHOLARSHIP
GIVES STUDENTS A CHANCE TO SUCCEED IN LIFE. >> SUPPORT THE GREAT PEOPLE SCHOLARSHIP.
VISIT UWGREATPEOPLE.ORG
>> THIS IS "CHRYSANTHEMUM," PUBLISHED IN 1991. THE MIDDLE YEARS OF KEVIN'S WORK.
WE HAVE A COUPLE PANELS SHOWING A DARLING LITTLE WHITE MOUSE WHO IS THE HERO OF THE STORY, OF THE TALE.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE YOU TO KNOCK OUT A BOOK? >> THAT'S A HARD QUESTION. AND IT'S ONE I GET ASKED
ALL THE TIME. EVERY BOOK IS DIFFERENT. SOME COME EASILY. SOME I'LL BEGIN AND
I'LL PUT AWAY FOR A WHILE, AND THEY'LL COME BACK. LATELY, I'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO ONE BOOK A YEAR.
>> RIGHT. AND WHAT DO YOU GET IN THE WAY OF NOTES FROM YOUR EDITORS? YOU'VE BEEN WITH THE SAME
PUBLISHER FOR 20 YEARS, RIGHT? >> THIRTY YEARS. >> YOU LOOK TOO YOUNG TO BE WITH SOMEONE FOR 30 YEARS.
BUT YOUR FIRST BOOK WAS WHEN YOU WERE 19 OR 20. >> IT WAS ACCEPTED FOR PUBLICATION WHEN I WAS 19.
>> THE PUBLISHER IS? >> GREENWILLOW BOOKS, WHICH IS NOW PART OF HARPER COLLINS. >> HAVE YOU REACHED THE STATUS
WHERE THEY DON'T GIVE YOU NOTES ANYMORE? >> NO. (LAUGHTER)
>> SO THEY DO GIVE YOU NOTES. >> YEAH, I LOVE THAT. I WANT TO BE EDITED. I THINK THE GOAL IS TO MAKE
THE BEST BOOK POSSIBLE. AND IF I'M LIVING IN MY LITTLE WORLD AND TOTALLY CONSUMED BY IT, I SOMETIMES CAN LOSE
OBJECTIVITY. >> YOU NEED FRESH EYES. >> I DO. I THINK EVERYBODY PROBABLY DOES.
>> THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WRITING A BOOK AND MARKETING A BOOK. LET'S TALK ABOUT COVER DESIGN.
IS THAT DESIGNED TO HOOK PARENTS OR THE CHILD WITH THE PARENT AT THE BOOKSTORE? THAT SOUNDS CALLOUS.
>> NO. FOR ME IT'S ABOUT PLEASING ME. NOW, MORE AND MORE THOSE QUESTIONS ARE VERY MUCH
IN THE FOREFRONT OF PUBLISHING. THEY WEREN'T WHEN I BEGAN. I WOULD OFTEN DO A JACKET SKETCH AND EVERYONE WOULD SAY GREAT.
NOW THERE'S MUCH MORE THINKING ABOUT THOSE KINDS OF ISSUES. I, STILL FOR ME, IT'S GOT TO PLEASE ME.
AND I TRY NOT TO WORRY ABOUT THOSE THINGS TOO MUCH, ALTHOUGH IT DOES CREEP INTO MY WORK LIFE. >> YOU SEEM LIKE A REALLY NICE,
NORMAL GUY. YOU ARE A GOOD DAD. >> THANK YOU. >> HAPPILY MARRIED, BUT
OBVIOUSLY YOU MUST BE ABLE TO THINK IN CHILD-LIKE WAYS. THERE'S A PART OF YOUR CREATIVE CONSCIOUSNESS THAT PERHAPS IS
ARRESTED, OR YOU CAN GO BACK AND WORK FROM, THAT OTHER PEOPLE DON'T HAVE, AREN'T ABLE TO DO. WHAT IS IT IN YOUR VOICE
THAT ALLOWS YOU TO SPEAK TO THAT AUDIENCE? >> YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW. I DON'T KNOW WHERE IT COMES
FROM, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S SOMEWHERE IN THERE. >> ARE YOU WONDERFULLY INNOCENT? >> I DON'T THINK SO, NO.
>> I DON'T EITHER! >> I DON'T THINK SO. I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS. I'M VERY MUCH DRAWN TO THIS
ART FORM, AND I'M NOT SURE WHY. >> WHAT WERE THE BOOKS THAT YOU READ AS A CHILD?
>> I LOVED "IS THIS YOU." BUT WHEN I WAS OLDER, I REMEMBER VERY MUCH LOVING THE ARTWORK OF GARTH WILLIAMS.
SO I WOULD CHOOSE NOVELS THAT HE HAD ILLUSTRATED. I READ THE "LITTLE HOUSE" BOOKS. "FARMER BOY" AND I REMEMBER
REALLY LOVING THE BOOK "CALL IT COURAGE," BY ARMSTRONG SPERRY. I READ IT MANY, MANY TIMES.
IT'S THE STORY OF A BOY VERY UNLIKE MINE, A BOY WHO GOES OFF ON A SAILING ADVENTURE.
HE'S AFRAID, VERY FEARFUL. IT IS AN ADVENTURE STORY, A BOY AND A DOG. UNLIKE MY WISCONSIN UPBRINGING,
AND MAYBE THAT'S WHY I LOVED IT. >> YOU WERE ABLE TO GO SOMEWHERE YOU HAD NEVER BEEN. WHAT ABOUT THE CONCEPT OF FEAR
IN CHILDREN'S BOOKS? YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOK AT DISNEY MOVIES, YOU KNOW, BAMBI'S MOTHER AND THE NOTION
OF HOW YOU CREATE TENSION IN A CHILD'S BOOK THAT IS RELATABLE TO A CHILD. DO YOU FIND YOURSELF
THINKING ABOUT THAT? BECAUSE BOOKS DO HAVE A BEGINNING, MIDDLE AND END, AND SOMETIMES A PROTAGONIST,
AND ALL THOSE SORTS OF THINGS. DO YOU THINK OF THIS IN FORMULAIC WAYS, OR DOES THE STORY COME OUT AND IT FALLS INTO
A CORRECT FORMULA? >> I USUALLY BEGIN WITH CHARACTER, AND HAVE A CHARACTER THAT I LOVE.
I OFTEN THINK ABOUT THAT CHARACTER FOR A LONG TIME BEFORE I BEGIN TO WRITE. I THINK THE STORY
JUST SORT OF BEGINS. I'M NOT QUITE SURE HOW CREATIVITY WORKS. BUT I THINK FEAR, JEALOUSY,
ANGER, ANXIETY, ALL THOSE, WHATEVER WE FEEL AS ADULTS, I THINK WE FEEL AS KIDS, AND SO IT'S PART OF LIFE.
SO WHATEVER FEELS ORGANIC TO THE CHARACTER, TO THE BOOK GOES IN. >> WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST
SELLING BOOK? >> "LILY'S PURPLE PLASTIC PURSE." >> AND WHY?
>> I HAVE NO IDEA! I THINK THERE MUST BE SOMETHING ABOUT HER. SHE IS FULL OF LIFE.
SHE'S VIBRANT. SHE GETS INTO TROUBLE IN A CERTAIN WAY. I THINK SHE'S A GOOD KID.
I'VE BEEN TOLD BY TEACHERS THAT UNLIKE OTHER FEMALE CHARACTERS, YOUNG BOYS RELATE TO HER. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S TRUE
OR NOT. THAT'S INTERESTING. >> WHEN WE COME BACK, I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT YOUNG MALE READERS
AND YOUNG FEMALE READERS, AND IF YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT THAT AS YOU WRITE, AS WELL. OBVIOUSLY, IT HAS TO BE A
MARKETING THING, BUT IF YOU JUST START BY WRITING A STORY YOU'RE NOT THINKING IN MARKETING TERMS AT FIRST.
YOU'RE THINKING OF STORY, WHICH IS BEAUTIFUL. WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK. THIS IS KEVIN HENKES.
WE'RE IN MADISON.
>> WE'RE BACK IN MADISON, WISCONSIN ON THE CAMPUS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON WITH KEVIN HENKES WHO HAS WON
MANY, MANY PRESTIGIOUS AWARDS FOR HIS WORK IN CHILDREN'S LITERATURE, BOTH FOR HIS ARTISTRY AND WORDSMITHING.
HOW IS THAT? >> THAT'S GOOD. >> WHEN YOU SIT DOWN TO WRITE YOUR STORY, DO YOU THINK,
OH, THIS IS A YOUNG 3-YEAR-OLD GIRL READING IT, OR A YOUNG 4-YEAR-OLD BOY? OR DO YOU WRITE YOUR STORY, AND
THEN THE READERSHIP NATURALLY IS DRAWN TO IT ON THEIR OWN? >> IF I'M WRITING A NOVEL, IT'S OBVIOUSLY DIFFERENT
THAN A PICTURE BOOK. SO, ON ONE HAND, THE ART FORM SORT OF HAS ITS OWN REQUIREMENTS.
BUT WHEN I BEGIN THINKING OF AN IDEA, YOU KNOW, IT WILL COME TO ME, AND IT WILL EITHER BE A PICTURE BOOK IDEA
OR A NOVEL IDEA. I DON'T THINK, OH, I WANT TO WRITE A BOOK ABOUT A BOY, OR I WANT TO WRITE A BOOK
ABOUT A GIRL. >> OR A RABBIT OR A MOUSE. BECAUSE YOU HAVE THIS ANTHROPOMORPHIC SORT OF STYLE.
BUT THEN ALSO YOUR NOVELS ARE HUMANS. >> YES. >> THAT'S A NICE BREADTH,
ACTUALLY, I THINK. >> I LOVE GOING BACK AND FORTH FROM ONE TO THE OTHER. I OFTEN FIND IF I'M IN
THE MIDDLE OF A NOVEL, AND I'M HAVING TROUBLE, AND I'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR A LONG TIME, I LONG TO DO A PICTURE BOOK.
I'LL THINK IT'S SO MUCH EASIER, MUCH MORE FREEING. IF I DO A PICTURE BOOK, AND I'VE REDRAWN A PARTICULAR
ILLUSTRATION FOR THE FIFTH TIME AND IT'S NOT WORKING, I'LL THINK, OH, I WISH I WAS ONLY WORKING WITH WORDS,
IT'S SO MUCH EASIER. I CAN LIMIT MY LIFE IN A PARTICULAR WAY. I DO LIKE GOING BACK AND FORTH.
THEY'RE VERY, VERY DIFFERENT ART FORMS. >> YOU HAVE TWO CHILDREN, TWO SONS?
>> A SON AND A DAUGHTER. >> A SON AND A DAUGHTER. WHEN YOU TOOK THEM TO "LION KING,"
OR "LITTLE MERMAID," OR "TOY STORY," DO YOU WATCH THOSE MOVIES IN A DIFFERENT WAY
BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU DO? DO YOU WATCH THEM AND GO, OH, I SEE WHAT THEY'RE DOING. OR, ARE YOU ABLE TO GIVE UP
THAT SUSPENSION OF DISBELIEF AND JUST BE A MOVIE GOER? BECAUSE DIGITALLY ANIMATED FILMS NOW ARE A MONSTROUS THING.
AND IT'S TARGETED TOWARDS, YOU KNOW, A YOUNG AUDIENCE AS YOUR LITERATURE IS. >> I THINK IF I GO TO A MOVIE,
I TRY, IF I'M THERE, I TRY TO LOOK AT IT AND ENJOY IT JUST AS AN ADULT. >> RIGHT.
AND THE ONE THING I WAS GOING TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT, TOO, IS IF YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE MOVIES OR CARTOONS,
THEY WORK ON TWO LEVELS. THEY WORK FOR THE CHILD WATCHING AND THEY WORK FOR THE ADULT WHO IS WITH THE CHILD WATCHING.
DO YOU THINK THAT SAME PARALLEL TRACK WORKS IN YOUR BOOKS AS WELL? >> I THINK IT CAN.
I'M ESSENTIALLY AM WRITING FOR THE CHILD AND WRITING FOR ME. >> RIGHT, YOU KEEP COMING BACK TO THAT.
THAT'S BEAUTIFUL. THAT'S HOW YOU STAY TRUE TO YOUR STORY. >> I LIKE TO HAVE SOMETHING
IN IT FOR AN ADULT, BECAUSE I KNOW WITH A YOUNG PICTURE BOOK IT WILL MOST LIKELY BE AN ADULT READING IT.
I REALLY DISLIKE ADULT BOOKS FOR KIDS. I MEAN BOOKS THAT REALLY PLAY TO ADULTS' KNOWLEDGE, AND SENSE
OF HUMOR AND SOPHISTICATION. I'M NOT SAYING THAT KIDS AREN'T SOPHISTICATED, BUT I THINK IT'S IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
I DON'T MIND WHEN THERE IS SOMETHING FOR AN ADULT TO ENJOY, BUT I DON'T LOVE IT WHEN IT SEEMS TO ME TO BE MORE A BOOK
FOR AN ADULT THAN IT IS FOR A KID. >> THERE'S ANOTHER THING ABOUT THE GENRE THAT YOU WORK IN,
PICTURE BOOKS, IS THAT CHILDREN WILL READ YOUR BOOK OVER, AND OVER, AND OVER AGAIN.
YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE TWO YEARS OLD, YOU WANT THAT SAME BOOK, YOU KNOW, EVERY NIGHT.
I WOULD ALSO SAY, I NOTICED MY KIDS WOULD WATCH "LITTLE MERMAID" 28 TIMES. WHY IS THAT ABOUT KIDS?
AND ARE YOU AWARE OF THAT WHEN YOU WRITE? AND BEFORE YOU ANSWER, WE'LL COME BACK.
WE'LL WAIT FOR YOUR ANSWER. WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK. WE'RE IN MADISON, STAY WITH US.
>> WE'RE BACK IN MADISON WITH KEVIN HENKES. THIS IS HIS LATEST PICTURE BOOK, "LITTLE WHITE RABBIT."
HE DOES BOTH THE ILLUSTRATIONS AND THE WRITING. I WAS JUST ASKING YOU AS WE WENT TO BREAK, WHEN YOU WRITE
YOUR BOOKS, ARE YOU AWARE THAT CHILDREN WANT TO READ THIS BOOK OVER AND OVER AGAIN EVERY NIGHT AT 7:30, AND THE PARENTS
READ IT TO THEM BECAUSE THAT WILL KNOCK THEM OUT? FOR SOME REASON CHILDREN LOVE READING THE SAME BOOK OVER
AND OVER AGAIN. >> THEY DO. WHEN I WRITE A PICTURE BOOK, I READ IT ALOUD TO MYSELF,
AS I'M WORKING, AGAIN, AND AGAIN, AND AGAIN, BECAUSE THE RHYTHM HAS TO BE EXACTLY RIGHT.
I THINK IT WAS E.B. WHITE WHO TALKED ABOUT THE SOUND WORDS MAKE ON PAPER. >> RIGHT.
>> AND THAT'S WHAT IT IS. I THINK IF A KID CONNECTS TO A BOOK, AND WHO KNOWS WHY THEY DO OR HOW IT WORKS,
BUT I THINK THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT WANTING IT AGAIN, AND AGAIN, AND AGAIN. AND MAYBE IT IS COMFORTABLE.
IT'S FAMILIAR. THEY LIKE IT. >> WHAT MEDIUM DO YOU WORK IN WHEN YOU'RE DOING
THE ILLUSTRATION? >> DIFFERENT THINGS. WITH MY MOUSE BOOKS, I USED INDIA INK AND WATERCOLOR PAINT.
FOR "LITTLE WHITE RABBIT," I USED ACRYLIC PAINT FOR THE OUTLINE, AND COLORED PENCIL.
>> YOU USUALLY LISTEN TO WHAT KIND OF MUSIC WHEN YOU'RE DRAWING? >> I USUALLY LISTEN TO CLASSICAL
MUSIC. I HAVE A LITTLE RADIO THAT I BOUGHT IN 1979. I TOOK IT TO CAMPUS.
>> IT STILL WORKS. >> STILL WORKS. I JUST TURN ON PUBLIC RADIO. >> RIGHT.
WHAT ADULT LITERATURE DO YOU LIKE TO READ? >> I LOVE ALICE MONROE. I LOVE WILLIAM TREVOR.
I LOVE WILLIAM MAXWELL. THEY ARE THREE AUTHORS WHO, WILLIAM MAXWELL IS DEAD, BUT IF MONROE OR TREVOR
HAVE A NEW SHORT STORY IN THE NEW YORKER, OR NEW COLLECTION, OR WILLIAM TREVOR A NEW NOVEL,
I READ IT INSTANTLY. AND THE THING ABOUT THE THREE OF THEM IS THAT I RETURN TO THEM YEAR AFTER YEAR, AFTER YEAR
AND RE-READ. >> I WAS JUST GOING TO ASK YOU THAT. ARE THERE BOOKS YOU RE-READ?
>> YES, AND IT'S LIKE READING THEM FOR THE FIRST TIME, I THINK, BECAUSE THEY'RE SO GOOD AT WHAT THEY DO.
THEY LEAVE SO MANY THINGS UNSAID. IT'S A BEAUTIFUL KIND OF WRITING AND THEY'RE MY FAVORITES.
>> ANY GUILTY PLEASURE READING, PULP FICTION? >> I CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING. >> HOW HAVE YOUR KIDS
INFORMED YOUR WORK? >> MANY PEOPLE ASSUMED I HAD KIDS BEFORE I DID GIVEN THE NATURE OF WHAT I DID.
>> RIGHT. >> THEN PEOPLE SAID, OH, ONCE YOU BECOME A PARENT, YOU'LL HAVE ALL THESE NEW IDEAS.
I DIDN'T. I THINK THAT IT SHOWS THAT IT COMES FROM WITHIN. EVERY NOW AND THEN, ONE OF THEM
WILL SAY SOMETHING, AND IT'S WORKED ITS WAY INTO ONE OF MY BOOKS. BUT FOR THE MOST PART, THEY
HAVEN'T REALLY CHANGED ANYTHING. THEY'VE MADE ME LOOK AT BOOKS THAT I LOVED FROM MY CHILDHOOD, AND LOOK AT THEM AGAIN
READING THEM TO THEM. I'VE READ THINGS TO THEM THAT THEY'VE CHOSEN THAT I NECESSARILY WOULDN'T HAVE.
SO THEY'VE OPENED MY EYES A BIT. >> HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT DOING GRAPHIC NOVELS, OR HAVE YOU DONE GRAPHIC NOVELS?
TO ME, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S GROWN UP FROM A NEW GENERATION OF ILLUSTRATORS AND WRITERS THAT SEEMS CONSISTENT WITH
THE WAY YOU'VE WORKED. >> I GREW UP LOVING COMIC BOOKS. >> SO DID I. I LOVED COMIC BOOKS.
>> I WOULDN'T SAY NO, BUT IT HASN'T BEEN ANYTHING THAT-- >> HOLLYWOOD HAS DIPPED INTO THAT TROVE OF ART
FOR A LOT OF FILMS IN THE LAST, YOU KNOW, TEN YEARS, WHICH IS INTERESTING, BECAUSE THERE ARE NO NEW IDEAS IN HOLLYWOOD.
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK. WE'RE IN MADISON, WISCONSIN WITH KEVIN HENKES. PLEASE STAY WITH US.
WE'LL TAKE QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE.
>> HEY, WE'RE IN MADISON, WISCONSIN, WITH ACCLAIMED CHILD PICTURE BOOK WRITER, KEVIN HENKES.
WE ARE GOING TO TAKE SOME QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE. WE HAVE A QUESTION THERE. COULD YOU STAND AND GIVE US
YOUR NAME? >> HI, KEVIN, I'M MICHELLE. YOUR NEIGHBOR. I'M ASKING THIS QUESTION FOR
CHRISTINA WHO COULDN'T BE HERE. WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO A WRITER WHO DESIRES TO CREATE CHILDREN'S BOOKS,
BUT HAS LITTLE EXPERIENCE WITH ILLUSTRATION? >> I THINK IF SOMEONE WANTS TO BE A WRITER, AND IS NOT AN
ILLUSTRATOR, HE OR SHE SHOULD KEEP IN MIND THAT EDITORS OF CHILDREN'S BOOKS, EDITORS OF PICTURE BOOKS,
KNOW THE ART FORM VERY WELL, THEY CAN LOOK AT A GOOD PICTURE BOOK TEXT THAT HAS NO ILLUSTRATIONS,
AND KNOW WHAT WOULD WORK BEST TO MAKE IT WORK. SO I THINK IF SOMEONE IS REALLY A FINE PICTURE BOOK WRITER,
IT'S OKAY. THEY DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATIONS. ONE THING THAT SOMEONE CAN DO
IS TO REALLY UNDERSTAND THE FRAMEWORK OF A PICTURE BOOK, THE CRAFT OF IT. HOW MANY PAGES A BOOK SHOULD BE
AND COULD BREAK UP THEIR TEXT INTO PAGES TO HELP THE EDITOR, OR WHOEVER IT IS WHO WOULD BE READING IT,
KNOW THAT THEY UNDERSTAND THE RHYTHM OF THEIR WORDS. THEY UNDERSTAND WHERE THAT WRITER MIGHT WANT
THEIR PAGE BREAKS TO BE. I THINK THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT PART ABOUT PICTURE BOOK WRITING.
BUT I DON'T THINK THEY NEED TO WORRY ABOUT NOT BEING AN ILLUSTRATOR. >> NEXT QUESTION.
I THINK WE'RE RIGHT OVER HERE. HI, WHAT'S YOUR NAME? >> I'M DIANE. AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW
WHAT'S NEXT FOR YOU, AND/OR YOUR SPOUSE? I KNOW YOU WORK TOGETHER SOMETIMES.
I ENJOY THAT. SO, WHAT'S COMING? >> MY NEXT BOOK IS A NOVEL FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL KIDS
CALLED "JUNONIA." THAT WILL BE OUT THIS YEAR. I ILLUSTRATED IT, WHICH IS SOMETHING I HAVEN'T DONE
FOR A WHILE. >> WHAT DOES JUNONIA MEAN? >> JUNONIA IS THE NAME OF A SEASHELL.
IT'S THE STORY OF A GIRL WHO LIVES IN MADISON, WHO'S TAKING HER ANNUAL FAMILY VACATION IN FLORIDA.
THAT COMES OUT IN JUNE, I THINK. I'M WORKING ON A SERIES OF BOOKS FOR BEGINNING READERS. I HAVE THREE WRITTEN.
THE FIRST ONE IS ALREADY ILLUSTRATED, IT'S CALLED "PENNY AND HER SONG." PENNY IS A NEW MOUSE.
THE FIRST ONE WILL COME OUT IN 2012. AND MY WIFE, WHO IS AN ILLUSTRATOR AND PAINTER
JUST FINISHED PICTURES FOR A BOOK BY HELEN V. GRIFFITH CALLED "MOONLIGHT." IT WILL COME OUT IN 2012,
AS WELL. >> DO YOU HAVE SEPARATE STUDIOS AT HOME? >> WE DO HAVE SEPARATE STUDIOS.
>> DO YOU YELL BACK AND FORTH? HEY, DO YOU HAVE AN EXTRA EASEL? (LAUGHTER) DO WE HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION?
GO AHEAD, WHAT'S YOUR NAME? >> MY NAME'S PETER. I'M ALSO A NEIGHBOR OF KEVIN'S. >> WOW.
>> FOR A TYPICAL PAGE, DOES IT TAKE LONGER TO ILLUSTRATE IT OR TO DO THE TEXT? >> OH, THAT'S A HARD QUESTION.
I GUESS FOR A YOUNG PICTURE BOOK, ULTIMATELY IT WOULD TAKE LONGER TO DO THE PICTURE, JUST BECAUSE IT TAKES LONGER.
EVEN WHEN I KNOW WHAT I WANT, I DO A THUMBNAIL SKETCH, I DO A SKETCH TO SIZE. I'LL DO A MORE REFINED SKETCH,
AND THEN I'LL DO A PIECE OF FINISHED ART. AND IF THE WRITING IS GOING WELL, HOPEFULLY ONCE I HAVE
SOMETHING CLICKING AND WORKING, A SENTENCE MAY JUST COME TO ME, AND IT'S DONE. BUT IT IS HARD TO REALLY
DETERMINE HOW MUCH TIME ACTUALLY GOES INTO SOMETHING. ONCE I TOLD SOMEONE IT'S TAKEN MY WHOLE LIFE.
>> RIGHT, ABSOLUTELY. WE'LL COME BACK AND GET MORE QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE FOR KEVIN.
PLEASE STAY WITH US.
>> HI, WE'RE BACK IN MADISON, ON THE CAMPUS AT THE UW-MADISON WITH KEVIN HENKES, AN ESTEEMED CHILDREN'S PICTURE BOOK
AND NOVEL WRITER. WE HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION FROM THE AUDIENCE. WHAT'S YOUR NAME?
>> MY NAME IS GERRY. MY QUESTION IS, WITH YOUR LONG AND SUCCESSFUL CAREER, AS BOTH AN AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR,
ARE THERE STILL ANY GOALS LEFT THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO ACHIEVE? DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING LEFT
ON YOUR BUCKET LIST? >> WELL, MY BUCKET LIST WOULD INCLUDE JUST KEEPING DOING WHAT I DO.
ONE OF THE THINGS I LOVE ABOUT MY JOB IS THAT EACH NEW BOOK IS LIKE A WHOLE NEW WORLD, A WHOLE NEW JOB.
I CONTINUE TO LOVE WHAT I DO. AND USUALLY, WHEN I'M FINISHING UP A BOOK, I SLOW DOWN, AND I HOPE THAT I GET ANOTHER IDEA.
AND I LONG FOR IT MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE IN THE WORLD. I REALLY THINK WORKING ON BOOKS IS AN ANCHOR IN MY LIFE.
IT'S AN ANCHOR THAT I LOVE, AND MY LIFE IS MUCH MORE ENJOYABLE, I THINK. MY LIFE FOR MY FAMILY IS
MUCH MORE ENJOYABLE WHEN I HAVE THAT ANCHOR IN MY LIFE. SO I JUST HOPE I CAN KEEP DOING WHAT I DO.
>> HOW DID YOU MAKE YOUR WAY TO MADISON AND THE UW? YOU STUDIED AT UW FOR A COUPLE YEARS.
HOW DID THAT INFORM YOUR WORK AND CAREER? >> I GREW UP IN RACINE. WISCONSIN HAS A HISTORY OF--
IT HAS CREATED SOME WONDERFUL CHILDREN'S BOOK WRITERS AND ILLUSTRATORS. NANCY EKHOLM BURKERT
STUDIED HERE. ELLEN RASKIN WAS HERE. I CHOSE MADISON BECAUSE OF THAT, AND BECAUSE OF THE COOPERATIVE
CHILDREN'S BOOK CENTER, WHICH IS IN HELEN C. WHITE HALL. IT'S A NON-CIRCULATING LIBRARY WHERE CHILDREN'S BOOKS ARE KEPT.
AND I LOVED IT. WHEN I CAME TO MADISON FROM RACINE, I FELT AS IF THE WORLD HAD CRACKED OPEN.
I ABSOLUTELY FELL IN LOVE WITH MADISON. >> WHERE DID YOU HANG OUT WHEN YOU WERE A STUDENT?
>> I LOVED HANGING OUT BY THE LAKE. I APPLIED FOR HOUSING LATE, SO I WAS IN TEMPORARY HOUSING
DOWN NEAR THE LAKESHORE DORMS. I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT. I HUNG OUT AT THE COOPERATIVE CHILDREN'S BOOK CENTER
MORE THAN ANYPLACE ELSE. I LEARNED MY CRAFT THERE. >> WHEN WERE YOU AT WISCONSIN? >> I CAME IN THE FALL OF 1979,
FINISHED A YEAR, WENT TO NEW YORK THE SUMMER BETWEEN MY FRESHMAN AND SOPHOMORE YEARS, GOT A CONTRACT FOR MY FIRST
BOOK. TOOK THE FALL SEMESTER OF SOPHOMORE YEAR OFF TO DO ARTWORK FOR THE BOOK.
CAME BACK. I KEPT GOING BACK AND FORTH, TAKING OFF A SEMESTER AND GOING BACK TO SCHOOL FOR MANY YEARS.
I THINK I WAS A SECOND SEMESTER JUNIOR WHEN I FINALLY QUIT. >> HAS IT OCCURRED TO YOU THAT YOU'RE LUCKY THAT YOU KNEW
WHAT YOU WANTED TO DO? >> IT ABSOLUTELY HAS OCCURRED TO ME. I THINK I WAS VERY LUCKY
IN SO MANY WAYS. I WAS LUCKY THAT I WENT TO NEW YORK WHEN I DID. I WAS LUCKY THAT MY PARENTS LET
ME GO TO NEW YORK WHEN I DID. I WAS LUCKY THAT I HAD THE GUTS TO DO IT, I THINK. I THINK I HAD MORE WHATEVER
IT TOOK TO DO THAT AT AGE 19 THAN I DO AT AGE 50. >> BUT ONE SIGN-- SOMEONE ONCE TOLD ME ABOUT
BEING REALLY GOOD AT ANYTHING IS YOU HAVE TO GET OBSESSED AND STAY OBSESSED. AND SOMETIMES AN OBSESSION ISN'T
A BAD THING. IT'S A GOOD THING. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT AT A VERY EARLY AGE, YOU WERE JUST DRAWN
TO ILLUSTRATING AND WRITING PICTURE BOOKS, THAT YOU FOUND YOUR VOICE. >> I DID.
I WANTED TO GO TO NEW YORK, BECAUSE I WANTED A PUBLISHER IN NEW YORK. I PICKED MY PUBLISHER, I PICKED
WHO I THOUGHT WOULD BE BEST FOR ME, BECAUSE I THOUGHT THEY DID THE BEST. >> NOW, DO YOU HAVE A LONG-TERM
DEAL WITH YOUR PUBLISHER, OR IS IT PER BOOK DEAL? I DON'T WANT TO SEEM COARSE, BUT PART OF BEING AN ARTIST
IS COMMODITY AND TALENT, MAKING A LIVING TO HAVE A STUDIO IN YOUR HOME, AND WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE.
THE BUSINESS PART OF IT IS SOMETIMES A STUMBLING BLOCK FOR ARTISTS. ANY ADVICE OR PERSPECTIVE
ON THE BUSINESS PART OF IT? >> EACH BOOK IS A SEPARATE CONTRACT. >> YOU DON'T HAVE A FIVE-BOOK
DEAL? >> NO, I COULD, I'VE NEVER WANTED TO. IT WOULD FEEL
LIKE A MONKEY ON MY BACK. MY EDITOR, SUSAN HIRSCHMAN, WHO'S NOW RETIRED-- >> YOU HAVEN'T DONE ANY BOOKS
WITH MONKEYS, THOUGH. (LAUGHTER) >> SHE REALLY CREATED AN ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH,
I THINK SHE WAS A MENTOR. >> SUSAN HIRSCHMAN IS THE PUBLISHER? >> SHE WAS THE FOUNDER
OF GREENWILLOW BOOKS. >> YOU DON'T DEAL WITH THEN WITH AN AGENT? >> I DON'T HAVE AN AGENT.
MY CURRENT EDITOR IS VIRGINIA DUNCAN. SUSAN HAS RETIRED. BUT IT'S THE SAME FEELING.
IT'S VERY MUCH A FEELING IN WHICH I DIDN'T WANT TO GO ANYPLACE ELSE. >> COLLABORATIVE?
>> VERY COLLABORATIVE. A GREAT SENSE OF LOYALTY. I'VE ONLY BEEN PUBLISHED BY ONE PUBLISHER.
I'VE ONLY HAD TWO EDITORS IN MY LIFE. I'VE ONLY HAD TWO ART DIRECTORS IN 30 YEARS.
I LOVE THAT ABOUT IT. >> NOT A LOT OF DRAMA, JUST ART. >> YEAH. >> GREAT, WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK.
STAY WITH US. WE'RE IN MADISON, AND THIS IS KEVIN HENKES.
>> THIS PROGRAM IS A PRODUCTION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON. IF YOU HAVE COMMENTS
ABOUT THIS BROADCAST, PLEASE EMAIL THEM TO PROGRAMMING@UC.WISC.EDU
>> HI, WE'RE BACK IN MADISON WITH KEVIN HENKES, WHO'S WON THE CALDECOTT AND THE NEWBERRY FOR CHILDREN'S LITERATURE
AND ILLUSTRATION. WE WERE JUST TALKING IN THE BREAK, HAVING DABBLED IN WRITING MYSELF, I ASKED YOU,
DO YOU EVER GET TO THAT POINT WHERE YOU GET IN THE ZONE WHERE YOU'RE DRAWING OR WRITING, AND YOU'RE SO IMMERSED IN YOUR
STORY AND YOUR CRAFT, AND WHAT YOU'RE DOING THAT YOU'RE UNAWARE OF THE PASSAGE OF TIME. IT'S LIKE ALL OF A SUDDEN, YOU
WAKE UP AS IF OUT OF A TRANCE. >> ABSOLUTELY. THAT'S THE BEST. I THINK OF IT ALMOST LIKE
MEDITATION. IT'S WONDERFUL TO GET TO THAT PLACE. IT DOESN'T HAPPEN ALL THE TIME.
>> YOU'RE IN YOUR OWN STORY, IN THE WORLD OF YOUR STORY. >> I THINK THAT'S TRUE. >> HOW DO YOU GET TO THAT?
A LOT OF ARTISTS-- A FASCINATING READ IS WHAT RITUALS DO ARTISTS GO THROUGH TO TRY TO GET INTO THAT
CREATIVE ZONE? BECAUSE IT'S NOT ALWAYS A SLAM DUNK THAT YOU'LL GET THERE. LIFE GETS IN THE WAY OF ART
ALL THE TIME. >> YES. >> THAT'S WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT.
ARE YOU AT THE SAME PLACE? DO YOU DO THE SAME THING? DO YOU DO IT AT THE SAME TIME? ARE THERE CERTAIN THINGS THAT
YOU, YOU KNOW, TOUCH STONES YOU HIT TO GET INTO THAT ZONE OR AT LEAST INCREASE THE ODDS THAT YOU GET IN THE ZONE?
>> I THINK I USED TO HAVE MORE OF THAT. HAVING CHILDREN HAS SORT OF CHANGED THAT.
SO NOW, WHEN THEY GO TO SCHOOL I GO UP. JUST BEING IN MY SPACE HOPEFULLY GETS ME INTO THAT OTHER SPACE.
SOMETIMES IT'S HARD, BECAUSE IF ONE WAITED FOR THE INSPIRATION TO STRIKE, ONE MAY NEVER GO THERE.
>> RIGHT. ARE THERE TIMES OF YEAR YOU'RE MORE PRODUCTIVE THAN OTHERS? IT'S A SEASONABLE NATURE?
>> I FIND I'M VERY MUCH ON THE SCHOOL SCHEDULE. (LAUGHTER) THERE WERE ALL THOSE YEARS
WHERE I WAS NOT IN SCHOOL MYSELF AND BEFORE I HAD CHILDREN WHO WERE IN SCHOOL, I STILL-- >> IT WAS IMPRINTED.
>> I STILL GET THAT AT THE END OF SUMMER AND CLICK INTO SOMETHING. I'M DEFINITELY ON THE SCHOOL
SCHEDULE. >> YOUR WIFE'S NAME IS LAURA. DOES SHE GIVE YOU NOTES? DO YOU SAY HONEY,
CAN YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THIS, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S NOT GOOD. >> OH, I READ TO HER CONSTANTLY. >> OH, GOOD.
HOW GREAT IS THAT? >> IT'S WONDERFUL. SHE IS A GREAT EDITOR. I THINK SHE PROBABLY GETS TIRED
OF IT, BECAUSE IF I'M WORKING ON A NOVEL, I WILL KNOCK ON HER STUDIO DOOR SEVERAL TIMES A DAY, AND SAY, CAN I READ YOU THIS?
>> WHAT AN INTERESTING LIFE, IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT. >> YEAH. >> WHEN YOU WANT TO GET AWAY
FROM WHAT YOU DO, WHAT DO YOU DO? YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? WHERE YOU NEED A BREAK
FROM ILLUSTRATING, A BREAK FROM WRITING, A BREAK FROM THINKING ABOUT CHILDREN'S BOOKS, OR IN THE
CHILD-LIKE WAY, WHAT DO YOU DO? >> I LIKE TO RUN. I DON'T RUN AS OFTEN AS I USED TO, SO I WALK.
>> NONE OF US DO. (LAUGHTER) >> I READ. IF I'M WRITING, I TEND TO NOT
READ AS MUCH, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT ANYTHING ELSE TO ENTER INTO MY WRITING. BUT IF I'M ILLUSTRATING
I READ LIKE MAD. >> I WANT TO BRING UP AN UNCOMFORTABLE TOPIC. I LOVE MY KINDLE.
YET I HAVE FOUND THAT AUTHORS, BY AND LARGE, DON'T LIKE THE KINDLE, AND ARE LUKEWARM ABOUT THOSE WHO ACTUALLY OWN THEM.
BUT CAN I JUST SAY, IT'S SUCH-- THE BIGGEST PROBLEM FOR ME FOR READING IS GETTING TO A BOOKSTORE, AND NOW IT'S RIGHT
THERE AND YOU CAN BROWSE AND EVERYTHING. DO YOU HAVE A KINDLE? >> I DON'T.
I DON'T HAVE A CELL PHONE. (LAUGHTER) I DON'T, BUT I KNOW PEOPLE WHO LOVE THEM
AND THINK IT'S WONDERFUL. I KNOW PEOPLE WHO LOVE BOOKS, BUT LOVE HAVING THEIR KINDLE ON VACATION, AND ON AIRPLANES.
>> YOU KNOW, I FLEW OVER TO IRELAND WITH MY FAMILY AND MY BUDDY SAID, WELL, KINDLE, YOU'RE AN AWFUL PERSON.
I SAID I CAN GET ON A PLANE WITH 40 BOOKS IN MY HAND. WHAT'S WRONG WITH THAT? WE'RE IN MADISON.
THIS HAS BEEN KEVIN HENKES. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US, GREAT HAVING YOU. HOPE TO SEE YOU AROUND TOWN.
HE ACTUALLY LIVES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT I GREW UP IN, WHICH IS BEAUTIFUL. THANKS TO KEVIN.
THANKS TO ALL OF YOU. STAY AFTERWARDS, AND YOU CAN ASK MORE QUESTIONS, BECAUSE THIS IS A UNIVERSITY CAMPUS,
AND WE LEARN FULL-TIME. THANKS FOR JOINING US. ON, WISCONSIN!
>> THE PRECEDING PROGRAM WAS PRODUCED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE BIG TEN NETWORK.