Joanna is a really good writer. Sometimes I use her as a paradigm. When I’m reading something else, I’ll say, “How would Joanna say this?”
Our point is that we have to be very clear – very, very clear. We don’t want the children to have a fuzzy idea, having read something in one of our books. We want them to feel that they understand what’s going on, and so you have to say things that are clear. And you have to say things that are truthful. Sometimes you can’t tell the whole truth because it’s too complicated; but the part you’re telling has to be truthful.
So, I really admire her ability to do that and to organize the story and make it all go. I really am trailing behind. I just draw the pictures.
She really writes. She gives me a dummy. A lot of people ask us if I write the words in the word balloons, because they’re hand-lettered. No. The writing is done by the writer. The art is done by the artist. She gives me pages that have the text, the reports and the word balloons on a blank piece of paper, and I have to organize how it’s all going to look. And I can make suggestions. I’ve made suggestions to change reports. I’ve made suggestions on how to illustrate reports. I’ve made suggestions on changing some of the word balloons and jokes; but, really, she’s the writer, and I’m the artist. And the writing comes first.
