Hello, Picture Book Builders people.
When you are a part of a critique group and one of your critique buddies has a brand new book, you want to celebrate it, right? I know I sure do! Today, I am so excited to share Jessica Young and Chelsea O’Byrne’s Two Homes, One Heart.
But I’m not the only one who loves this lyrical, heartfelt book. Check out this STARRED review:
“A separation grows into expanded love… Though the text is spare, the characters’ love for one another is palpable.”— Kirkus
Nice, huh?
Today, Jessica Young is with us at Picture Book Builders. Let’s ask her some questions, shall we?
TS: Jessica, welcome to Picture Book Builders. Tell us about Two Homes, One Heart.
JY: Thank you so much for having me! Two Homes, One Heart is a picture book about a family going through separation/divorce and the main character adjusting to having two homes, adapting to the loss and the possibilities that presents, and recognizing that while families change, love is constant.
TS: What inspired this relatable-to-so-many gem of a book?
JY: Many children experience divorce, but growing up, I don’t remember seeing it reflected in many picture books. As a child I spent time in two homes, and I’ve known other family members, friends, and students (when I was teaching) who have as well. I wanted to convey an essence of the experience that many readers could relate to, regardless of the specifics of their circumstances. I hope the book will resonate with anyone who has made their home in more than one place. As the saying goes, “Home is where the heart is,” and hearts are portable.
TS: I feel like Two Homes, One Heart is a book so many kids (and grownups!) will want to hug! What was the revision process like for you? How did you go about getting the story juuuuuust right?
JY: Thank you—I hope reading it feels like a hug! I thought of the title first. As the text developed, I realized it had a regular cadence like a heartbeat, so I tried to work within that rhythmic structure. In addition to addressing loss and change, I wanted the story to pivot in the middle and become additive rather than subtractive, focusing on what can be gained by having two homes after acknowledging what might be lost. I also wanted to allow for visual interpretation and incorporate opposites like hello/goodbye, together/apart, different/same,lost/found,here/there,and old/new to reinforce the idea of change and growth. I consulted with family members and friends who’ve experienced divorce and having two homes. And as always, having my wonderful critique partners (thank you!), agent, and editor bring their perspectives, experience, vision, and ears to the text was invaluable. It was a team effort!
TS: What was your reaction when you first saw Chelsea O’Byrne’s illustrations? Do you have a favorite spread?
JY: The illustrations are so beautiful! The color is what struck me first. I love the jewel-like hues and luminous quality as well as the expressive characters—details like the angle of an eyebrow or the curve of a mouth say so much. The perspective zooms in and out, showing the exterior of the houses and allowing us to peek through the windows at the characters, then situating the reader in the kitchen as the child and her mom cook a meal,and in the child’s new bedroom as she helps her dad paint the walls.I can’t pick a favorite spread, but I love how the “Space to stretch, room to dream.” pages evoke a feeling of contentment and joy and how colors from each home are reflected in the other along with hints of green, the color associated with the child. I’m especially fond of the “Big hopes growing strong.” spread which gives a sense of community and is full of gorgeous fall hues.
TS: The front and back endpapers are a perfect addition to this book. Please describe them a bit. Who came up with this idea?
JY: The endpapers were a fantastic surprise! They’re playful and fun, and they augment the story by providing additional glimpses of the character’s life. Chelsea uses color throughout the story to expand it in such a wonderful way. Yellow is associated with one parent, and blue represents the other. This is reinforced in the endpapers: the front endpapers show the yellow interior walls of the mom’s house with framed pictures and the child’s drawings of her and her mom, and the back endpapers show the blue walls of the dad’s house with pictures and art showing memories of the child with her dad.
TS: The text in Two Homes, One Heart is spare. Give us some author-y advice on how to tell a big story in such a succinct way.
JY: I feel like it’s so different for each text, and in this case, it was more organic than planned. The text is short, and each line of it is short as well. Starting with the constraints of rhyme and rhythm and trying to express the essence of having two homes gave some limits. Then I incorporated pairs of opposites as well as a turn in the middle of the story. I set boundaries and tried to work within them, but also tried to be flexible and responsive to what developed. So much of the story is in the illustrations. It’s hard to separate the images from the text now, but the rich visual story is what brought the spare text to life. I think leaving room for that really helped.
TS: Scoop time! What’s next?
JY: My next picture book is about two sisters who have different points of view and ways of doing things. On their first day of school, they meet a friend who gives them a new perspective and an appreciation for each other and for the treasure of being in the moment. I’m looking forward to sharing more about it soon!
BIO:
Jessica Young grew up in Ontario, Canada. Jessica is a former art teacher, and she loves sharing the creative process with young readers through author visits. Some of the award-winning books she has written include: I’ll Meet You in Your Dreams, My Blue is Happy, Play This Book, Pet This Book, the Fairylight Friends series, the Haggis and Tank Unleashed series, and Baby’s Here!
Visit her website at jessicayoungbooks.com.
GIVEAWAY:
Jessica is giving away a copy of Two Homes, One Heart! For a chance to win, please leave a comment on this post. For another chance, link to this post on Twitter. (Yes, I still call it that.) Be sure to tag @SauerTammi and @happybluejess.
WINNER:
Congratulations, Becki J. Kidd! You won a signed copy of Down the Hole!
Thank you for sharing your process, Jessica! It’s a tough subject, but it looks like you’ve acknowledged the difficulties and embraced the advantages. I’d love to read it. Best wishes.
Thank you so much, Amy!
This book looks wonderful and so important. Can’t wait to read it.
Thanks so much, Debra!
I think my kids who live between two homes would really benefit from this book!!!
Wow! I can’t recall another PB that addresses this issue. Thanks.
Thanks for reading and commenting, Kathy!
This picture book is going to be important for families going through separation/divorce. I’m intrigued about the spare text and leaving room for the illustrator to show the story. Thank you for the interview.
Thank you, Danielle—I hope It so. Thanks for reading and commenting!
I love that you and Chelsea have created a book that offers a realistic yet positive take for kids going through a separation/divorce situation. I’m sure many readers will relate and appreciate this lovely lyrical book!
Thanks so much, Judy! Every experience is so different, but we tried to leave a lot of room for interpretation. Hoping it resonates with many readers!
A topic that will resonate with so many — beautifully done! I look forward to reading this gorgeous book. I especially like the color associations for each parent. Congratulations, Jessica and Chelsea!
Thank you, Claire! I love how Chelsea used color to tell the visual story that way.
I love the idea of opposites and the subtractive/additive structure you used, Jessica. And Chelsea’s palette and style are fantastic. Congrats to you both.
Thank you so much, Marty!
This is a special book needed in today’s world. Congratulations!
Thanks, Kathy—and thanks for commenting!
A much-needed topic in kidlit. Thanks for writing this book!
Thank you, Karen—and thanks for reading and commenting!
Jessica’s books are incredible! Can’t wait to read this one next!
Thank you so much, Cathy! I’m so glad you like them!
This looks like a wonderful book! Looking forward to reading it.
Thanks, Rose! And thanks for commenting!
This looks like a wonderful book!
I enjoyed reading about your writing process.
Congratulations!
Thanks so much, Mark!
Looking forward to reading this! My library system has ordered 10 copies!
Yay! That’s fantastic, Cheryl! I hope you like it. Thanks for reading and commenting!
Wow, this looks like a beautiful portrayal of a necessary topic. I can’t wait to read it! Congratulations to both Jessica and Chelsea!!
Thank you so much, Judy!
I love this book, Jessica! <3 I like what you said about the rhythm of the heartbeat.
Thank you so much, Janee, and thanks for your help along the way!
Congratulations, Chelsea! I think your spare text really gives the reader the space to feel more deeply about the sadness of a broken family, and the joy that one can still take even as your heart breaks. Lovely art too. Such a necessary book. Thank you for writing it, and Tammi, for the interview.
Thanks so much, Vijaya!
I can relate to this so much as a child of divorce. Can’t wait to read this beautiful book. Congrats!
Thank you so much, Rebecca—that means a lot. If you haven’t read the poem “Joint Custody,” by Ada Limón, you might like it—that one really resonates with me, especially hearing her read it.
What a relevant book for young readers as so many children experience the emotional and physical result of parental break-ups. I love the focus on what a child can gain and the important message: love is constant. Beautiful illustrations!
Thank you, Sandra! And thanks so much for reading and commenting!
Lovely! This is definitely needed for so many children. And even those who live with both parents can learn empathy for others who do not. Congratulations!
Thank you, Angie! That’s a great point!
Such an important topic! Can’t wait to read this book!