I was so pleased to learn last week that Ron Lightburn has been selected to illustrate my 2011 picture book, Juba This Juba That, from Tundra Books. Ron is a Nova Scotian with a great track record for producing beautiful children's books, including the touching book by my West Coast chum, Sheryl McFarlane, Waiting for the Whales. I know he's going to do a splendid job with my own story adapted from an old slave work chant.Kathryn Cole, who is my editor at Tundra for Juba, was actually my editor for my very first picture book - Mama Likes To Mambo back in 2001. It's so great to have the chance to work with her again!
The junior editor on Mambo, way back when, was the lovely Jennifer MacKinnon. Jen moved on from that post to become Editrix Extraordinaire at Scholastic Canada. After a concerted pestering effort on my part, she signed me up for The Looney Bay All-Stars series, two picture books, two quiz books and my current project, The Hilarious History of Hockey. Yes, I owe Jen BIG. It just goes to show you what a small world publishing can be, and how it's made up of great people who become great friends. How lucky I have been to be a part of it!
I'm now looking forward to getting to know Ron -- not just through his art, but personally too! He comes highly recommended as a great guy by mutual friends like kidlit writer Debbie Spring.
To a successful collaboration, Ron!
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