Tad Hills | Illustrator of the Week

If you checked our blog earlier, you may have noticed our current Pick of the Week, the super cute and huggable Rocket doll. If you know Rocket from one of the bestselling books How Rocket Learned to Read or Rocket Writes a Story, then you are probably a fan of author/illustrator Tad Hills.

The beloved Duck & Goose books (also a MerryMakers doll set), are also written and illustrated by Tad. Obviously he has talent galore, and is a great guy to boot!

Tad is our first featured ILLUSTRATOR OF THE WEEK and has graciously answered some of our questions.

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Do you think being an illustrator of children's books helps keep you young at heart?

Although my characters are animals – Duck, Goose, various other birds and a dog named Rocket – they really are kids. It's my job to make them talk and behave as children do. When I write a book I spend a lot of time with these guys. Basically I have a bunch of feathered and furry kids running around and chatting inside my head. That forces me to think like a kid again.

Also, I visit many elementary schools throughout the year. For me, to convey what I do as an author and an illustrator, it helps to summon my youth and tell my story in a way that kids will pay attention to, relate to and understand.

 

Do you have any tips for kids who love to draw?

   

I love kids' art. I think kids who love to draw could give me tips. Kids generally draw for pleasure and are much freer and more honest. I guess if I had to give advice I would say:  Don't worry if you make a mistake, just keep drawing and have fun.

 

Tips for teachers and librarians who love to see kids read?

   

I think one thing that makes teachers and librarians great is their passion to get the right book in the right hands. Start the kids off reading about what they like, then guide them beyond to other worlds.

   

Some things that make me happy:

   

    Spending lots of time with my family.

    Making things. 

    Visiting new places. 

    Meeting new people and introducing them to my old friends.

 

You are a master at storytelling. Any favorite words?

   

One of my favorite words is euphemism. It's a fun word to say and as a rhetorical device it has sweetened some of the bitterest pills. Plus there's a back story.... Once I had a dream about an Irish Wolfhound who was trying to impress me with his vocabulary. He sat back on a fancy sofa and very eloquently said "euphemism."

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Many thanks, Tad! We appreciate your time, and have a feeling that today we will go around inserting the word euphemism into conversation and smiling when we think about your Irish Wolfhound dream!