Over the years, I’ve had the pleasure of working with many wonderful people, whose energy and ingenuity fueled my enthusiasm to keep going in this field. I was always looking for a way to shine a bit more light on their work, and this felt like the perfect way to do it.
So, for the first of these stories, I want to look back at a whimsical trilogy about a little girl named River and her pair of living yellow boots, masterfully written by Emily Dreeling.
You can check them out on Rising River Press
About The Story
At first glance, the books may look like simple adventure tales. A few pages in, however, you get stacked with questions you didn’t expect. Themes of friendship, aging, and the meaning of life, yet the stories never step outside the boundaries of a children’s book. The characters grow as the story progresses, and that growth has real consequences for the narrative.
The second book continues the journey as a loving homage to British detective dramas, complete with a few rather familiar characters. Just when you think you know what kind of story you’re reading, it twists again! This time into an exploration of duality, hidden personas, and the selves we keep tucked away.
I won’t even begin to unpack the third book, except to say that even adults will find something to learn from it - or at the very least, something worth being reminded of.
Troubles with the Wellies
If there was one recurring challenge during the development of these books, it was the design of the boot-shaped characters. Specifically, the fact that they weren’t a single boot, but a pair. Where do the eyes go? Where’s the mouth? What happens when they split apart? And just when you think you’ve solved it, you discover that everything falls apart in motion.
Never before (or since) have I gone back and forth so much between sketches, constantly correcting designs and rethinking their “anatomy.” Did I mention they’re also animal-themed?
Off to the Shelves
In October 2023, the third book finally hit the shelves, bringing my three-year collaboration with Emily to a close. One reason I remember it so vividly is that it became a rare bright spot in a particularly strange period of our lives.
Thank you for everything, Emily. And I’m very much looking forward to book four ;)