An illustration by Todd Stewart for the book Skating Wild on the Inland Sea, story by Jean E. Pendziwol.
Thunder Bay author Jean E. Pendziwol's book The Lightkeeper's Daughter, set on Lake Superior, was released in 2018 and made the Globe and Mail and Toronto Star bestseller lists.
Her newest children's picture book came out in October 2023 and is literally set on Lake Superior. As the synopsis explains: "Two
children wake up to hear the Lake singing, and venture out into the cold, carrying their skates. On the snow-covered shore, they spot tracks made by fox, deer, hare, mink, otter … and even a wolf! In the bay, the ice is thick and smooth. They lace up their skates, step onto the ice, stroking and gliding, and the Great Lake sings again.
Just before she began the book signing and launches, we shot off some questions to Jean, which she graciously took time to answer:
LSM: How has this publishing journey been for you? Has it taken any unexpected turns?
JP: The origin story of this book is an interesting one. In
December of 2020, I was approached by the Harbourfront Centre in Toronto to provide a story for an audio installation highlighting Northern Ontario. At that time, everyone was adapting to life during COVID with restricted indoor acitvities and fewer opportunities to create and present art. I had only a few short weeks to conceive, write, edit and record a story. That year, clear cold nights, no snow and calm water created the perfect conditions for smooth wild ice surfaces, including on Lake Superior. In and around Thunder Bay, skaters took to Amethyst Harbour, Black Bay and Sturgeon Bay, and I was among them. I decided to write a story that would transport listeners to the shores of an inland sea to experience the magic and mystery of gliding over the surface of Lake Superior. After the audio installation was complete, I adapted the story and submitted it to Groundwood Books who contracted it for publication.
LSM: Is this book about a memory of skating on Lake Superior, or what was the inspiration?
JP: While the initial inspiration for the story was the wild ice skating on Amethyst and Sturgeon Bay in 2020, I gathered other experiences of Lake Superior in winter to expand the story. For me, it begins with sound -- that haunting, almost whale-like singing the ice makes as it expands and contracts. I've spent a lot of time beside Lake Superior, in all seasons, and she is very rarely quiet. For people who have never experienced the sound of singing ice, it's a transportive, almost other-worldy experience. Skating on the frozen lake takes all of that to the next level, knowing that the water moves under the surface, and you can feel as well as hear the vibrations, even though the ice is many inches thick and safe to be on.
LSM: When you saw the finished work with Todd's illustrations, did that give you a different perspective of your own story? (I've heard this sometimes happens with children's picture books.)
JP: Many people aren't aware that authors and illustrators don't work together. While the book is co-created, the illustrator works with the text, not with the author of the text, and they often bring something to the story that wasn't there before. It's one of the things that I love about creating picture books, and I've been fortunate to work with some really incredible visual artists over the course of my career. Because Skating Wild on an Inland Sea is grounded so completely in place -- Lake Superior and Northwestern Ontario with its ancient cliffs and rugged shoreline -- I felt it was important that the illustrator have the opportunity to experience being here in winter and invited him to come up. Todd, a Montreal-based artist, accepted, and he spent almost a week wandering through snow-filled woods, sitting on the shore and listening to the Lake, watching light filter through the trees and dawn climb warm and orange from the black surface of Superior. I'm so grateful he did. Todd's illustrations have beautifully captured not only the visual aspects of the story, but the powerful emotions of being a child -- being anyone -- experiencing skating on an inland sea in winter. The original artwork from the book will be on display at Thunder Bay Art Gallery until December 6th, and I would highly recommend taking the opportunity to go and see it.
LSM: How have your book signings been - any favorite responses?
JP: We've just begun promoting the book and have two events coming up in Thunder Bay; a presentation and conversation about the art of visual storytelling that will explore how writers and visual artists work together, and the book launch and opening reception for the exhibiton of the illustrations happening at Thunder Bay Art Gallery on November 10. Todd will be in town for both events. I have especially enjoyed bringing a bit of Lake Superior to kids who have never been here, using a plastic cup and slinky to recreate the sound of singing ice, and feeding them fascinating facts about the largest lake in the world. What I'm fnding is that the story -- both text and images -- resonates with readers of all ages, and I think that's really a beautiful thing about picture books. Books transport readers, and isn't that the miracle of story?
LSM: Finally, what are you working on now?
JP: I've got a number of projects on the go, including two new picture books scheduled for release in 2025, The Best Emma Ever with Scholastic and The Quiet Hunt, a story about foraging, with Groundwood Books. Next year, 2024, will also be the 25th anniversary of my first published book for kids, No Dragons for Tea, Fire Safety for Kids (and Dragons) and publisher Kids Can Press is releasing a 25th anniversary edition. 25 years of empowering kids to be fire safe … I'm quite proud of that Dragon!