1. EXTRA! EXTRA!
Written and Photographed by Ann Hauprich
Read all about how village librarian became part of a Corduroy book for young readers
Nationally acclaimed children’s book illustrator Jody Wheeler’s lifetime love of literature can be traced back to her girlhood in Ballston Spa where she spent countless hours exploring titles found on the shelves of her hometown’s public library.
So it wasn’t surprising that when it came to choosing a “model” librarian for Corduroy’s Neighborhood (based on the beloved Teddy bear character created by the late Don Freeman), Wheeler chose the village’s longtime Chief Librarian Andrea Simmons.
A self-proclaimed City Mouse, Country Mouse who divides her time between home-based studios in Ballston Spa and Manhattan, Wheeler begins each new project in the Corduroy the Bear series by receiving artwork suggestions for each page from her editors at Viking.
The BSHS Class of 1970 alum next embarks upon a quest that includes drawing inspiration from real life faces and places. Creating renderings based upon people and locations dear to her heart further assists Wheeler in bringing editorial suggestions to life.
“Since I worked on Corduroy’s Neighborhood while in Ballston Spa, it seemed a great idea to use our library where Andrea Simmons does such an outstanding job at the helm as the setting for the library spread. Andrea and her staff have created a great children’s book area there. It’s a wonderful environment and resource for the whole community. The fun part of the creative process was capturing Andrea’s joyful spirit,” notes Wheeler, whose portfolio includes illustrations in more than 80 additional books for young readers.
Simmons, a second generation librarian who next year will celebrate her 20th anniversary directing the Ballston Spa Public Library, said it was an honor to be chosen as a model for one of the smiling faces inside the covers of Corduroy’s Neighborhood.
“I wasn’t sure just what to expect when Jody asked me to share a photo of myself to be used in conjunction with this literary project, but I’ve long been a fan of her artwork as well as being grateful for the many books Jody has donated to our library system so wanted to help in any way possible,” recalls Simmons, who was just 16 when she began working in a library in the early 1990s. (At the time her now retired mother Lynn Berman was a librarian in Syracuse.)
“Like my mom, I absolutely love being a librarian and I'm so glad that how I feel about my profession comes through in Jody's artistic renderings of me,” says Simmons.
If the face of another character inside the covers of Corduroy’s Neighborhood also looks familiar to some readers, it’s because the renderings were made from photos of a firefighter whom Wheeler admired during her formative years in Ballston Spa.
“I grew up next door to the Groom family on Pinewood Lane, near Rowland Street. Bud’s grandfather founded the Star Fire Co. in 1901 that later became the Union Fire Company. Bud’s father as well as Bud and his brother Bill ultimately also served with distinction as full-time members of the Union Volunteer Fire Co. It was great to see Bud in his uniform and exciting to see the trucks zooming by as we young adventure-loving Pinewood Lane Gang members ran to the top of the street to watch them respond to nearby fire calls,” remembers Wheeler.
Thanks to generous donations by Wheeler, copies of Corduroy’s Neighborhood as well as a diversity of other titles she illustrated are available on loan for free from the Southern Adirondack Library System. Those wishing to own copies for personal libraries may purchase them from Northshire Books in Saratoga Springs as well as via Amazon.com. To learn more about Jody Wheeler, please visit wheelerillustration.com and visit her store at Zazzle: zazzle.com/wheelerart.
2. The Magic is Real
Written by Megin Potter
Arriving unexpectedly from a far-off world, something supernatural lands in suburbia. Amid this quiet neighborhood, magic is happening, and an adventure is unfolding.
The year is 1982 and Steven Spielberg’s masterpiece, “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial,” is landing in theaters. Capturing the hearts and imaginations of young and old alike, the world is captivated by the friendship between the film’s gentle alien, and Elliott, a boy who finds the courage to help him return home.
The Beginning
Unexpectedly, that same year, Jody Wheeler is asked to submit a sample painting for consideration to Spielberg and Universal Studios. They’re looking for an illustrator to replicate the movie’s licensed characters for a series of children’s books.
At the time, Jody is living in New York City, working as a production assistant, and trying to get her career off the ground. Creating paste up mechanicals from the art department of Simon & Schuster’s Young Readers division and taking classes at the School of Visual Arts to build up her portfolio, Jody’s published work consists only of illustrations for a Kindergarten-level math workbook and a coloring book.
“I put everything into that,” says Jody about the watercolor image she submitted featuring E.T. in a misty forest, his heart glowing with love.
The Acceptance
Jody’s illustration was their second favorite but because she’d earned the reputation of being a good person to work with, she was selected.
“At a certain point they said, ‘you got the job’ and I was in total shock. I was so excited.”
“When a movie came out these books were put out as inexpensively as possible to go along with it,” she continues. “Then the movies and books would disappear, but in this case, that’s certainly not what happened.”
The Glitch
Working from movie stills and slides, Jody spent a year in her apartment painting pictures for what would eventually become six Learn with E.T. paperbacks, the Look at Plants with E.T. and Meet Baby Animals with E.T. board books, and an activity book.
“I drew Elliot so many times that I could tell he was growing up over the course of the movie by the slant of his shoulders,” Jody remembers, “but it was my big break and I loved it.”
Both she and Simon and Schuster were very happy with how the work was progressing, then a package arrived and along with it, an unexpected glitch.
To appear consistent across platforms, the character of E.T. was a specific Pantone shade of brown and Jody’s version was a bit too dark. Because Photoshop had not yet been invented, she meticulously repainted each image of E.T., cut them out and pasted the lighter version with rubber cement on the original artwork. Then the illustrations were reshot. Going forward, Jody was sure to paint E.T. in the lighter tone, she said.
The Amazement
Today, Jody has illustrated 75+ books and her images can be reproduced on a large array of merchandise. She’s gone on to paint beloved children’s characters including Max and Ruby, Madeline, and Corduroy the Bear but it was through her work with E.T. that she discovered something magical.
“For the most part I have been able to keep going in my career in illustration through all the stylistic changes and trends in children’s books because I’m able to recreate the style of other illustrators. E.T. was the first licensed character.”
For E.T.’s 40th Anniversary, see 40 of
Jody Wheeler’s illustrations by going to www.wheelerillustration.com and
@WheelerIllustration on Facebook.