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  • Interview with Allan Drummond:The Role of the Classroom in Picturebooks
  • Vassiliki Tzomaka (bio)

Allan Drummond is an award-winning British author and illustrator of children's nonfiction picturebooks known for their lively illustrations and creative narratives that bring to life historical stories; popular titles include The Willow Pattern Story (1995), Casey Jones (2001), and Tin Lizzie (2008). He has taught illustration in universities and art schools in the United Kingdom and the United States, holding the position of chair of the Illustration Department at the Savannah College of Art and Design in Georgia, USA, from 2004 to 2014. He has been a senior lecturer in illustration at the Cambridge School of Art since his return to the UK.

Allan's more recent books have turned his focus to real-life stories from around the globe that have at their core the subjects of sustainability and renewable sources of energy. Energy Island (2015) introduces the concept of energy independence principally through wind power by using the residents of the island of Samsø in Denmark as an example, who over the course of ten years managed to become energy independent and substantially reduce their carbon emissions. Green City (2016) addresses the power of community spirit in overcoming devastation and highlights the importance of sustainability using as an example the rebuilding of Greensburg in Kansas, USA, after a catastrophic EF5 tornado destroyed 95 percent of the city in 2007. In a similar way, Pedal Power (2016) brings to light the events within the Dutch community that inspired prioritizing the use of bicycles in Amsterdam and led to the city's worldwide recognition as an example of sustainable transportation.

The success of Allan's books is reflected not only in large sales and a number of international awards but in their inclusion in a number of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs across the United States. As Allan prepares for the publication of the fourth title in his series, he talks to us about the significant role of the [End Page 83] classroom, a recurring theme in his books, and explains the art of forming a narrative and telling a story.

What first inspired you to create children's picturebooks?

I first found my way into picturebooks by writing, illustrating, and, more crucially, designing The Willow Pattern Story in 1990. I was very excited about making this book as I wanted to express my fascination for the blue-and-white Chinese-style English decorative pattern known as Willow Pattern, and my aim was to see how far I could stretch my writing, illustration, and design skills. The outcome was a book that literally leads the reader on a journey down into a teacup and from there into a love story.

What brought the classroom setting to your attention?

After The Willow Pattern Story was published, I found myself being invited to schools all over the UK, particularly during Book Week. For these special days, I created workshops that included drawing, collage, and performance activities for the children. Being involved in these gave me the opportunity to observe primary school teachers while they were actually teaching, and I noticed how powerful a simple question put to a class could be. This observation stayed with me. Now, if a teacher appears in any of my books, they often ask a big, important question, and often the narrative flows from this question.

How does the narrative of your books evolve?

I don't usually think in terms of a story or narrative first. I think of words and pictures simultaneously, very much like a graphic designer. I envisage them together and I work their relationship out in sketches, while at the same time thinking about scale and composition on the page. Picturebooks are all about immediate communication, so I am always thinking about the reader and excitement of the reveal when a page is turned and the reader sees the words and pictures for the very first time. I only start resolving a narrative once I have created word-picture combinations that intrigue me. From then on, making the narrative is a puzzle that I keep working on until I solve the problem.

Does the...

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