Brian Floca
Now that he has more than two dozen books to his credit, Brian spoke at the Children's Book Guild of Washington DC about how he got his start and his latest book Moonshot which won a Sibert Medal in 2009. He, like many of us, got his start purely by chance. Brain was at The Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) taking a class with David Macaulay. His teacher happened to be talking to Avi who had a new idea for a book and needed an illustrator, "Did Macaulay know any student who might be interested?" Yes, he did, and Avi and Brian became collaborators and the result was City of Light City of Dark which garnered a star in Publishers Weekly.
After that fortuitous and successful start Brian has never looked back. He told us that ever since early childhood in Texas that he had been encouraged to draw, especially by his mother who was a teacher. His father ran a soft drink bottling company and brought scrap paper home for him to draw on, so Brian always had a ready supply of materials. His fascination with vehicles showed up early and he had some slides to prove it. He drew other pictures including the characters that he saw on TV and would make his own books featuring characters like Bert and Ernie from Sesame Street. He loved dinosaurs and his favorite book was The Rise and Fall of Dinosaurs by Anthony Ravielli who ironically was really known for his golf illustrations not dinosaurs. Brain also loved books by Richard Scarry and Tolkien. In the latter, he was drawn to the maps and strategies that Tolkien presents to his readers. It appealed to that part of the brain that absorbs facts.
During his undergraduate years at Brown University, Brain created a comic strip. As an art major, he really loved telling stories through pictures and it wasn't until he went to RISD and started taking classes with great children's artists like David Macaulay that he found himself truly in his element. For him, discovering Harold and the Purple Crayon was an AHA! moment. As mentioned previously, when he met Avi, Brian did look at the manuscript, because at that time he was focused on midterms. Fortunately, thanks to David Macaulay, he was able to work on illustrations for the manuscript as a class project. His work with Avi did not end there as he then became the illustrator for the "Poppy" series.
As early as 1995 Brian was thinking about space program, and in particular the Apollo flights. He had a great job at the Office of Career services at Harvard where he worked part time answering phones and checking IDs. This left him time to read books about the Apollo missions and he spent time watching films, documentaries and just about anything he could find relating to the Apollo program. The program pulled at him - he found a sense of beauty, mystery and adventure about traveling into space. In essence, these astronauts were flying on a controlled bomb - going and doing things in a place where they had never been done before. He harkened back to Whitman's poem the Learn'd Astronomer. The mystical part really appealed to Brain and he signed up for an astronomy class. He summed up the Apollo program as "the best funded piece of performance art ever."
His interest finally became a book and in 2000, Brian wrote about Apollo 18. For those who may not remember that is the flight where they lost contact with Mission Control when they were the first to see the back of the Moon and then they showed the Earth on Christmas Day and read from Genesis in the Bible. His problem was that he had too much text. It was the same when he wrote Dinosaur at the Ends of the Earth which is really a picture book for older readers. He knew it was a problem, but really didn't take it into consideration in his book. Even though he had purchased a copy of a book detailing the exploits of the expedition, he did not include a reference in his source notes.
Luckily, his thesis advisor, another well known author illustrator, Emily McCully??, worked with him and Brian began the process of narrowing down his text. He still had his great interest in the Apollo program and had a dream that he had missed the window for submitting a manuscript to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Moon landing. So he woke up and started doing more research. He offered an interesting bit of advice to nonfiction writers - after undertaking all the reading and research, wait five years and what you remember will be the main points worthy of inclusion in your book.
How does Brian work? He starts with his text, then scrawls and next builds sketches - really he has two different books - the drawings and the text. He has learned all about his subject matter and now he is ready to make a book. He sent a dummy of Moonshot to his editor and was given the green light to go ahead. Back Brian went into research - he wanted his artwork to be more original and to tell the story through his pictures that would be different that what previous author and illustrators had produced. Brian had everything from a Buzz Aldrin action figure on his shelf to trips to see Saturn rockets and the Lunar Excursion Module (LEM). The latter is one strange ship. NASA had put photographs and information up on the Internet and there was an incredible wealth of information to draw upon. For Brian little things became important, like getting the shadows right by using models and looking at NASA photographs. The decision of where to land on the Moon and when was a big issue because you want the Sun at your back. It was also important to figure out the page turns in his 48 page book. Through his art, Brian was able to introduce information that never appeared in the text such as a picture of the astronauts families.
For him, the most complicated part of explaining the mission was the transitioning. How the rocket separates and reassembles. His editor said of this section "it just doesn't sing." Time for revisions. Finally, Moonshot was finished and Brian got the first page proofs - his dream had become reality. He finally produced a nonfiction book that does indeed sing. His favorite part of the book is the lift off sequence. The real challenge was developing the cover. He showed his audience at least twenty variations. Brian said that he really had to fight to keep the back cover the way he envisioned it. The cover tells the story of what the book is about, but the publishers want to use the back to promote other books. Brian wanted it to be an integral part of the story and he won that battle.
Although Brian has quenched his thirst to produce a book about the Apollo program, but he is blogging about the other missions. Last year at the request of Neal Porter, he and Jan Greenberg combined their talents on a book about Appalachian Spring - a Ballet for Martha. In this case the text was prepared by someone else, but he had to make the pacing decisions. His research included sitting in and watching the Martha Graham dancers and taking photographs for future reference. One very interesting fact for me was learning that the dance premiered at the Library of Congress in the Coolidge Auditorium. This book is due out in the fall of 2010.
In Moonshot, Brain's choice of media was ink and watercolor with the black in acrylic and the stars were created in guash on hot press watercolor paper. He remarked on the process among the trio (editor, graphic designer) and his comment was "I want the director to be a fan," which is a direct quote from Tom Hanks which Brain feels is also applicable to creating a book. He is able to listen to the art director and take advice as he feels appropriate, but the author/illustrator usually has the last word. For example, in Moonshot, it was keeping the back cover the way Brian wanted it.
Brian is still working hard on nonfiction books and his next one will be about steam locomotives - who did what and facts including information about the transcontinental railroad.
Contributor: Marilyn Courtot
Reviews
City of Light, City of Dark: A Comic Book Novel
Avi
Art by Brian Floca
This story, created in comic-strip style, is about Sarah Stubbs, about her father's secret, and about saving Manhattan from the Kurbs, the creatures who really own the island. Sarah's mother, Asterell, is the keeper of a token that must be offered each year to the Kurbs to renew humanity's lease on the island. Carlos, a classmate of Sarah's, accidentally finds the token. Amid a flurry of chases, mistaken identities, and confusion, the children manage to save Sarah's father from the villainous Underton, Asterell is able to pass her powers to her daughter, and the Kurbs receive their tribute in time to save the island from freezing. The black-and-white illustrations move the action along at a fast clip, though Floca's unsophisticated style of cartooning lacks the kind of definition that would have added to the text. This will not, however, discourage readers attracted by the comic-book format, and with strong women as heroes and an action-packed plot, the book should prove popular across both gender and genre lines. Category: Older Readers. 1993, Orchard, $15.95 and $15.99. Gr. 6-9. Reviewer: Janice Del Negro (Booklist, Sept. 15, 1993 (Vol. 90, No. 2))
ISBN: 978-0-531-06800-7
ISBN: 978-0-531-08650-6
Dinosaurs at the Ends of the Earth: The Story of the Central Asiatic Expeditions
Brian Floca
The dinosaur facts are here, but the real story is the incredible expedition into Mongolia led by Roy Chapman Andrews. It is better than fiction; the heroes are real and the adventures will make kids wish they could become paleontologists, and live in the 1920s. The original mission was to find prehistoric evidence of humans in central Asia, but Andrews and his team found something even more exciting--a trove of dinosaur fossils and the first dinosaur eggs. Each watercolor image spreads across two pages. They reveal the desolation of the Gobi and its enormity. Floca depicts the men at work and tells a bit about the local inhabitants. The vast emptiness makes this discovery even more incredible. The serendipity--a scientist falls down a cliff and discovers a field of fossils--is the stuff of movies. There is even a bit of humor as Floca describes how the men of the expedition were reduced to using their underwear to create casts for the delicate bones before shipping to museums for study. A book that will appeal to kids and many adults. 2000, DK Ink, $15.95. Ages 5 to 8. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-7894-2539-3
Ereth's Birthday
Avi
Illustrated by Brian Floca
"Go take a slide on a sludge pile!" is Ereth's advice to three young kids who have been left in his care by the mother fox, who has been caught in a trap and is dying. Ereth is a grumpy old porcupine that has set out on a journey to find something special for his birthday--like salt. His deer mouse friend has seemingly forgotten his birthday, which makes him even grumpier. His adventures in Dimwood Forest are cleverly chronicled by Avi with equal parts of imagination and poignant sympathy. The story is appealing because the author gives all the animals distinctive personalities and tells the tale with suspense, humor and insight into the foibles of man and beast. The author even manages to tuck in information about what wild animals eat and what they do to survive. Ereth's humorous comments range from "boiled badger boogers" to "you tub of tinsel twist." Brian Floca illustrates the story and makes all the animals real and endearing--especially the three little foxes. 2000, HarperCollins Children's Books, $15.95. Ages 8 to 12. Reviewer: Jean Leggett (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-380-97734-5
Five Trucks
Brian Floca
What a clever idea for a book about trucks! This is not you normal "here is the name of the truck and here is what it does" book. It is a counting book, mechanical truck book and small mystery all rolled into one. The cover of this book shows parts of all five trucks with their drivers but gives no hint at the uses for each of very diverse trucks in this book. Floca gives the reader a small clue on the title page with an illustration is of a little boy and his daddy who are carrying an enormous suitcase. The readers are then introduced to the five friendly drivers who are as varied in height, weight, size, color, and talents as their five trucks. Female readers will be pleased to see that two of the drivers are women. The Push-out Tractor, Mechanic's Tractor, Baggage Conveyor, Tractor with Baggage Carts, and Catering Truck are the five trucks that along with their five drivers all work together to help prepare one airplane for takeoff. And the mystery is solved. We're at the airport! 1999, DK Publishing, $15.95. Ages 2 to 6. Reviewer: Sally J. K. Davies (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-7894-2561-4
From Slave to Soldier: Based on a True Civil War Story
Deborah Hopkinson
Illustrated by Brian Floca
As the subtitle notes in this level 3 book in the "Ready to Read" series, this account is based on a true Civil War story. The opening pages show a map with the free states in one color and the slave states in another. Young Johnny is a slave, living in Tennessee. He is responsible for taking the cows out to pasture and also for delivering water to the men working in the fields. He never gets thanked for his work and is beaten when one of the cows gets away. It is not a happy life. When he is given a chance to join the Union Army and be free, he takes it. This life is all new and strange, but Johnny becomes a helper with the supply wagon. He had plenty of experience with mules back on the plantation. He is called upon to drive a team and a wagon load of food to men who have not eaten all day. He proves to be capable way beyond his years. It is a heartwarming story with watercolor illustrations that strongly support the text. This is a good choice for Black History month or any time of year. 2005, Atheneum/Simon & Schuster, $14.95. Ages 6 to 8. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-689-83965-8
Lightship
Brian Floca
This is a truly beautiful picture book about a subject most young readers may never have encountered. Author-illustrator Floca, in brisk but poetic words and stunning watercolors that are both witty and informative, tells the story of the red-hulled Ambrose Light. Young adventurers are sure to be drawn into the life of the crew and its cat, as the ship weathers fog, storms, and close encounters with other vessels, while all the time she "holds her one sure spot." From the shining lights high on the masts to the domain of the engineer deep in the hull, Floca's research lets readers explore the equipment of a lightship and the perils of the sea; his fluent writing brings alive a sense of the crew and their devotion to their ship, often with delightful touches of humor. Though each picture deserves attention, especially striking are the ones of the scarlet hull in a snowstorm (through portholes, cat and cook are seen snug below) and of the huge black shape of the S.S. Ardizzone (a tribute to the English illustrator) looming over the Ambrose as a crewman shouts, "#@*%&!" from beneath and a sailor on the giant ship answers sheepishly, "Sorry!" The introductory flap proclaims, "They are the crew (and cat) / that work to make the ocean safe, / that hold their place, / so other ships can sail. / Come aboard!" For young sailors (and adults) who want to know more, Floca's cutaway view and "Author's Note" will prove fascinating, too. 2007, Richard Jackson/Atheneum, $16.99. Ages 4 up. Reviewer: Barbara L. Talcroft (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-4169-2436-4
The Mayor of Central Park
Avi
Drawings by Brian Floca
When Big Daddy Duds moves his gang of rats from downtown Manhattan to Central Park, it is bad news for the residents. Oscar Westerwit, baseball fanatic and Mayor of Central Park as voted by its residents, decides to fight back with an army but soon realizes they are no match for these thugs. This early twentieth-century melodrama would not be complete without a damsel, but this one is anything but helpless. When Big Daddy's daughter, Maud, is jilted by her beau, Arty Bigalow, she leaves her parents' home. Maud, a nurse, gets a job working for a rich old goat in Central Park. When she hears what her father has done, Maud offers to help Oscar. She suggests a baseball game to determine who controls Central Park. Oscar's star pitcher, Arty Bigalow, is nowhere to be found on the big day. Much to the surprise of everyone, Maud becomes an integral part of the game. An amusing story with a teasing of baseball and a wide range of well-developed characters. When Avi's gangster talk is right on, it adds real color to the story. There are, however, some moments where it feels jarring and contemporary. Full-page pen and ink drawings are scattered throughout the book and will be appreciated by readers who have recently moved into chapter books. 2003, HarperCollins, $15.99. Ages 8 to 10. Reviewer: Sharon Salluzzo (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-06-000682-2
ISBN: 978-0-06-051556-0
Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11
Brian Floca
In a text that is easily understood and illustrations that clearly show the preparations and support personnel at Mission Control, the flight of Apollo 11 is underway. The three astronauts have trained hard and are ready for the greatest adventure of their lives. The rocket roars into the sky, and, at speeds that are we are unable to fathom, it reaches one hundred miles high in twelve minutes. The Columbia and Eagle are launched, pilot Michael Collins docks the two craft, and together, they head toward the Moon. The inside of the spaceship looks like a cluttered mess, and things just float in chaos. Eating is a challenge, as is using the toilet. Finally, the astronauts reach their destination, and as they orbit the Moon, Collins stays in Columbia while Armstrong and Aldrin head for the Moon. Can they do it? Will they land as planned? The world watched and seemed to hold its collective breath. Armstrong must take command and manually land the Eagle. Then, it is time to suit up and actually put their feet on the surface of the Moon. All too soon, it is time to return to their colleague circling above and head back to Earth. The inside cover contains a more detailed explanation of the actual mission and what conditions were really like, while also noting that Armstrong really meant to say or did say "That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind." 2009, Richard Jackson Book/Atheneum/Simon & Schuster, $17.99. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot (Children's Literature).
The Apollo missions to the moon captured the imagination of Americans and the entire world. During the period from July 21, 1969, to December 14, 1972, twelve American astronauts ranging in age from 36 to 47 set foot on the surface of the Moon. This book, targeted at preschool through the first or second grade, focuses on the mission of Apollo 11, the first successful attempt by humans to land on the lunar surface. The book is beautifully illustrated with large-size, full-color renderings of the human participants, technologies, and wider physical and social environments within which the first moonwalk occurred. Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Edwin E. "Buzz" Aldrin, Jr., are presented to the reader as daring individuals who volunteered for the ride of their lives aboard the 30-story, 6 million-pound three-stage Saturn V launch vehicle within their space capsule, Columbia. The rapid propulsion of going 100 miles high in just 12 minutes is conveyed to the reader, as are the human dimensions of space travel, including the answer to the question young children always raise: "How did they go to the bathroom?" The importance of Velcro' to weightless conditions is also highlighted. The transmission of the famous message "Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed" and the consequent rejoicing on Earth are well illustrated, as are the phone call with the President of the United States. The inside back cover of the book contains a more detailed account of the mission for the classroom teacher or a teacher in an informal-learning organization. This is a very good book for children's libraries, as a special present, or for whole-class reading in the classroom, because of its vivid text and large illustrations. (A Richard Jackson Book.) C.I.P. Highly Recommended, Grades PreK-2. 2009, Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 48pp., $17.99. Ages 4 to 8. Reviewer: Dennis W. Cheek (Science Books and Films (Vol. 45, No. 8))
ISBN: 978-1-4169-5046-2
ISBN: 1-4169-5046-X
Poppy and Ereth
Avi
Illustrated by Brian Floca
This latest tale in the "Poppy" series begins as Poppy's husband Rye dies after a bout with pneumonia. Poppy is so sad that she turns away from her friend Ereth. Ereth is determined to help his friend work through her grief, but she does not contact him, and eventually he becomes convinced Poppy has died as well. He breaks the news to her family and begins to plan a wonderful memorial service. Meanwhile, Poppy is actually alive and well, but she is off on an adventure with Luci the bat. Poppy's grandson, Spruce, remembers that Poppy taught him long ago that "a mouse has to do what a mouse has to do." This convinces him that she is not dead. Spruce heads out to search for Poppy, who finds herself in a cave of bats--not the best place for a mouse. Will Spruce convince the family to search for Poppy, and can Poppy convince Luci to help her? The story covers serious issues with sensitivity. Readers familiar with the other books in the series will particularly enjoy the story, but the novel stands on its own as well. Floca's drawings capture the heart and personality of the characters, especially Poppy and Ereth. 2009, HarperCollins Children's/HarperCollins, $15.99. Ages 8 to 12. Reviewer: Carol Ann Lloyd-Stanger (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-06-111969-9
ISBN: 978-0-06-111970-5
The Racecar Alphabet
Brian Floca
In his opening note, racecar aficionado Brian Floca states that the modern Formula-1 racecar hardly seems related to the early simple models, but Floca traces the history of the sport. Text is organized as an alliterative ABC book ("Passing, outpacing, pressing the pedal and pulling ahead") while the early letters of the alphabet are illustrated with racers from the early part of the twentieth century. We start with the Ford 999 from 1901 and end tidily a hundred years later with the Ferrari F1-2001. The end papers review and name all of the cars Floca lovingly depicts in loose-line watercolors. The pictures have energy, a variety of perspectives, dramatic use of color and close-up views, and even some humor. While the problematic X is, of course, for x-ray, "Yelp!" states the driver who is in the doctor's office for an "X-ray after an accident" and Z is for Zoom. With all of the many courses, crashes, pit-stops, dashboard details, and racing uniforms depicted, the mostly-boy audiences for the sport and any machine lover will enjoy looking at the pictures while hearing or reading the exuberant text. Nice job, and an attractive package for luring older reluctant readers into print. A sure "Winner, waving wildly!" 2003, Atheneum, $15.95. Ages 4 to 7. Reviewer: Susan Hepler, Ph.D. (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-689-85091-2
Sports! Sports! Sports!: A Poetry Collection
Selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins
Pictures by Brian Floca
An appealing anthology includes twenty short easy-to-read poems about baseball, track, swimming, soccer, basketball, football, ice skating and hockey. Poets represented in the collection include Nikki Grimes, J. Patrick Lewis, Myra Cohn Livingston, and Michael Strickland, and most of the poems appear to have been written especially for especially for this volume. The same three boys and two girls appear as teammates and individual athletes in all of the poems, and the emphasis here is on action and the joy of the game, rather than winning or losing. (An I Can Read Book) CCBC categories: Poetry. 1999, HarperCollins, 48 pages, $14.95. Ages 5-7. Reviewer: CCBC (Cooperative Children's Book Center Choices, 2000).
ISBN: 978-0-06-027800-7
ISBN: 978-0-06-027801-4
Added 3/29/2010
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If you're interested in reviewing children's and young adult books, then send a resume and writing sample to marilyn@childrenslit.com.