Friday, September 24, 2021

Blink and Block are Friends

 
Friendbots: Blink and Block Bug Each Other (I Can Read Comics)
by Vicky Fang 
32 pages; ages 4-8
HarperAlley, 2021

theme: friendship, STEAM, robots

Hey, Block. Let’s play!

Blink and Block are friends. They are robots. That makes them FriendBots! Blink is round, and silly, and playful. Block is square, and serious, and logical. They may not be a perfect fit, but … eventually they figure out how to solve problems together. In book one, they were looking for treasure, and ended up finding friendship. In this book, Block is busy working and Blink wants to play. If you've ever had a friend who pesters  and bugs you, then you will identify with these two friendbots.

What I like about this book: Comics! Who doesn’t love comics? There are three or four panels per 2-page spread. The drawings are uncomplicated and, combined with simple text presented in speech bubbles (aka: word balloons), guides the beginning reader through the story.

Front matter in this book shows how to read a comic, and defines the different kinds of word balloons: dialogue, thought, whisper, excited exclamation! Back matter is a single page, and in this book focuses on buttons. Why? Because Blink pushes Block’s buttons. But also because a button – at least on a robot – is a type of sensor, just like the power button on your tv remote.

This book is part of a series. In the first book, Blink and Block use a scanner to locate treasure. Scanners are sensors, too. They allow robots to see and understand the environment around them.

Blink and Block are so likeable that I just had to ask Vicky One Question.

Me: Can you talk about how you came to illustrate these comics yourself? Is drawing a part of your tech career? 

Vicky: My expertise is in interaction design, not visual design. So, I’m familiar with digital art tools, but I never used them professionally for art! At one time I thought I would illustrate my own stories. But when I saw the amazing art and the arduous editing process of the kidlit world, I focused on writing. 

And yet, I always drew sketches to help me write my stories. They were messy, and hidden in my sketchbooks for me to reference as I wrote. Eventually I started adding a little concept sketch when my manuscripts went out on submission. My intention was to set the tone for the editor, not to pitch myself as the illustrator. Over time, the sketches turned into full dummies, and my agent began submitting me as illustrator-optional on some of my projects.

Andrew Arnold, my eventual editor for FRIENDBOTS, saw potential in the dummy I had sent and worked with me to polish my style. When he made me an offer for text and illustrations, I was slightly terrified. But I took the leap and I’m so glad that I did. It was so much fun, I learned a ton, and I feel like illustration is properly a new tool in my arsenal.

I also have to thank my kid for making me practice. He constantly asked me to draw him pictures, mostly stormtroopers. And he was an unforgiving critic with high standards! So I got a lot of practice drawing and my skills improved.

Now, I’m working on a lot of new projects including a new chapter book and a non-fiction book. And guess what? I’m illustrating all of them.

Beyond the Books:

Look for sensors in and around your house. You probably don’t have a robot, but you may have a remote control with on and off buttons. Other sensors might include a camera, and microphones. I use the mic in my smart phone to pick up bird calls so the Merlin App can identify the bird. 

Draw or build (using recycled materials) a simple robot with at least one sensor. Write about what the sensor does for the robot. What sort of information does it collect? Or does it have another job?

Back in June, I chatted with Vicky about how she integrates technology, engineering, and coding in her kid’s stories. You can find that at the GROG blog. Check out this review of her Layla and the Bots series for middle graders.

Vicky is a member of #STEAMTeam2021. You can find out more about her at her website.

Today we're joining Perfect Picture Book Friday, an event where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. Review copy provided by the publisher.

2 comments:

  1. I think that Vicky's art, with its clean lines and block shape design works perfectly for kids who are just learning to read. Taking that leap from writing to illustration is a big one, and Vicky is doing it well!

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  2. This is such a fun series and a great way to introduce kids to the graphic format and friendship. So glad you featured Vicky, Blink, and Block!

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