Today we continue the Nonfiction Authors Dig Deep series with an essay by author Michelle Markel. Thank you, Michelle.
The
picture book biographies of my youth were bloodless recitations of facts. Many
years later, when I started writing for children, a new type of illustrated bio
was becoming popular: expressive, artistic, poetic. I wanted
to write one too!
It
took a while to figure out how to do it.
I sold one biography, then suffered rejections for several years. I was
having the dark night of the soul. Then I met Henri Rousseau. Preparing an art
program for kids, I came across his “Sleeping Gypsy.”
took a while to figure out how to do it.
I sold one biography, then suffered rejections for several years. I was
having the dark night of the soul. Then I met Henri Rousseau. Preparing an art
program for kids, I came across his “Sleeping Gypsy.”
I’d
seen the painting before, but this time it spoke to me, the mysterious figure,
the moonlit desert, the sweet plush lion that reminded me of a stuffed
toy I‘d had as a child.
seen the painting before, but this time it spoke to me, the mysterious figure,
the moonlit desert, the sweet plush lion that reminded me of a stuffed
toy I‘d had as a child.
I
read up on the artist and learned that he refused to be crushed by the snarky
art critics, who publicly ridiculed him year after year. Besides painting and
exhibiting, Henri gave music lessons to children in the neighborhood, wrote
plays, and threw concerts in his little apartment. I felt a great sympathy and
admiration for him. I believed kids
would feel the same way, and thought they’d enjoy his whimsical jungle
pictures.
read up on the artist and learned that he refused to be crushed by the snarky
art critics, who publicly ridiculed him year after year. Besides painting and
exhibiting, Henri gave music lessons to children in the neighborhood, wrote
plays, and threw concerts in his little apartment. I felt a great sympathy and
admiration for him. I believed kids
would feel the same way, and thought they’d enjoy his whimsical jungle
pictures.
I
studied Henri’s paintings of cavorting apes and monkeys and imaginary plants. I read his letters and
the books written by his friends. And the coolest thing happened. As I worked
on that manuscript, the artist’s playful, rule-breaking spirit cheered me on.
He helped me free up my inhibitions, loosen up my sentences, and find my voice
as a nonfiction author. Henri turned my career around. The Fantastic Jungles of Henri Rousseau won a 2013 PEN/Steven Kroll
award for picture book writing.
studied Henri’s paintings of cavorting apes and monkeys and imaginary plants. I read his letters and
the books written by his friends. And the coolest thing happened. As I worked
on that manuscript, the artist’s playful, rule-breaking spirit cheered me on.
He helped me free up my inhibitions, loosen up my sentences, and find my voice
as a nonfiction author. Henri turned my career around. The Fantastic Jungles of Henri Rousseau won a 2013 PEN/Steven Kroll
award for picture book writing.
I’m
attracted to stories of perseverance. I was drawn to Clara Lemlich, a lifelong labor
activist, for a few reasons. Clara came to America from Eastern Europe, as did
my grandparents, and, like my father (a former airline mechanic and president of
his machinist union), Clara was an advocate of workers’ rights.
attracted to stories of perseverance. I was drawn to Clara Lemlich, a lifelong labor
activist, for a few reasons. Clara came to America from Eastern Europe, as did
my grandparents, and, like my father (a former airline mechanic and president of
his machinist union), Clara was an advocate of workers’ rights.
The
story of Clara’s role in the Shirtwaist Makers’ Strike of 1909 is highly
dramatic. Reading the details about the strike brought me to tears—how the
immigrant garment workers, many in their teens, fought for humane conditions in
the factories; how they stood up to hunger, cold, beatings, and arrests by
police and company thugs. I felt an obligation to write this story, even though I had serious
doubts that I’d sell it (there are few picture books about feminist labor
history).
In
the manuscript, I describe how Clara’s bravery empowered the other garment
workers. She
empowered my writing too. In one of her interviews Clara said that back then
“she had fire in her veins.” That fire spread into Brave Girl.
the manuscript, I describe how Clara’s bravery empowered the other garment
workers. She
empowered my writing too. In one of her interviews Clara said that back then
“she had fire in her veins.” That fire spread into Brave Girl.
My
newest book, Out of this World: The
Surreal Art of Leonora Carrington, is about another type of rebel.
Leonora’s otherworldly pictures feature mythical beasts and empowered females—a
giantess, women who can grow little trees on their heads and float through ceilings.
newest book, Out of this World: The
Surreal Art of Leonora Carrington, is about another type of rebel.
Leonora’s otherworldly pictures feature mythical beasts and empowered females—a
giantess, women who can grow little trees on their heads and float through ceilings.
 |
| Illustration by Amanda Hall |
Defying
societal norms for her class and gender, Leonora moved to Paris to be
an artist among the Surrealists. Though my background is quite different from
the artist’s (she came from an upper class British family), I relate to
Leonora. As a little girl, I was crazy about fairy tales too.
I
loved reading about Leonora’s friendship with the Spanish artist Remedios Varo,
whom she met in Mexico after fleeing the Nazi’s. The two of them were kindred
spirits, cooking up stories and strange concoctions, dressing in costumes,
dreaming up their own magic spells and remedies. Their sisterhood reminded me
of the joy and emotional support I’ve gotten from my creative women friends.
loved reading about Leonora’s friendship with the Spanish artist Remedios Varo,
whom she met in Mexico after fleeing the Nazi’s. The two of them were kindred
spirits, cooking up stories and strange concoctions, dressing in costumes,
dreaming up their own magic spells and remedies. Their sisterhood reminded me
of the joy and emotional support I’ve gotten from my creative women friends.
Leonora
inspired illustrator Amanda Hall and me to take our own risks, and submit
this book as a joint project—which you’re not supposed to do. We were thrilled to find a publisher for this
project.
inspired illustrator Amanda Hall and me to take our own risks, and submit
this book as a joint project—which you’re not supposed to do. We were thrilled to find a publisher for this
project.
Fine
literature is about the human experience, and picture book biographies are no
exception. The best of them give a sense of the subject’s humanity, of her
inner life, passions, and struggles. I want my nonfiction stories to have a
beating heart! To write them, I’ve got to be emotionally involved.
literature is about the human experience, and picture book biographies are no
exception. The best of them give a sense of the subject’s humanity, of her
inner life, passions, and struggles. I want my nonfiction stories to have a
beating heart! To write them, I’ve got to be emotionally involved.
Michelle Markel is the author of
several acclaimed nonfiction picture books, including The Fantastic Jungles of Henri Rousseau
(PEN Steven Kroll Picture Book Writing Award), Brave Girl: Clara and the Shirtwaist Makers’ Strike of
1909 (Jane Addams Flora Stieglitz Award; Orbis Pictus Honor),
and Balderdash: John
Newbery and the Boisterous Birth of Children’s Books (16 state awards).
She has been an instructor at UCLA Extension’s Writers Program, a teacher, and
a freelance writer. Her home is in Woodland Hills, California. Visit her
website: www.michellemarkel.com.
several acclaimed nonfiction picture books, including The Fantastic Jungles of Henri Rousseau
(PEN Steven Kroll Picture Book Writing Award), Brave Girl: Clara and the Shirtwaist Makers’ Strike of
1909 (Jane Addams Flora Stieglitz Award; Orbis Pictus Honor),
and Balderdash: John
Newbery and the Boisterous Birth of Children’s Books (16 state awards).
She has been an instructor at UCLA Extension’s Writers Program, a teacher, and
a freelance writer. Her home is in Woodland Hills, California. Visit her
website: www.michellemarkel.com.
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Topics
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3 Responses
Just read Out of this World–what a fascinating woman way ahead of her time! I had never heard of Leonara Carrington, so thanks for introducing me to her, Michelle!
Your PB biographies are all very lovely, but I have to say that Brave Girl is my very favorite–so moving and what an inspiring woman Clara Lemlich was, and is! The perfect pair is your PB and Melanie Crowder's Audacity, a verse YA novel based on Lemlich 🙂
Congrats on all of your books!
Just read Brave Girl and it was very moving to read about Clara Lemlich. Keep up the great writing.
I'm reading your website soon, as I want my non-fiction stories to resonate the passion you speak about. I have it for my subject, it's just how do I get it out of me and down on paper – in one of these wonderful ways of expository, etc.