In the world of picture books, we talk a lot about voice. Over time, I’ve come to learn that this means the sound of an author’s words. No matter who is reading the text, books with voice have a distinct rhythm, tone, style and cadence. An undeniable sound.
Voice is almost always attributed to authors. But if letters typed onto a page can have an audible signature, why can’t inked pictures? Illustration is a written form, too, with all the phrasing, punctuation and momentum of conjoined letters - and then some. Nothing speaks more clearly.
My very favorite picture books illustrators are masters of art, certainly. But their illustrations also have a discernible voice. Their lines and shapes have actual volume. Their textures hold music, measures upon measures of it. Their compositions can be light whispers, or deep bellows, vibrating with bass. They are conversations, incantations. Full of sound.
Beatrice Alemagna, Cozbi A. Cabrera, Cindy Derby, The Fan Brothers, Molly Idle, Gordon C. James, Marla Frazee, the great Jerry Pinkney - to me, these are picture book illustrators of our time whose artwork speaks. To this list, I heartily add Daniel Miyares, an author and illustrator whose stories have a language all their own. And very soon, readers can come aboard Miyares’ latest tale to hear the unmistakable call of the sea in…
HOPE AT SEA: An Adventure Story (Anne Schwartz Books), which publishes Nov. 9, 2021, is a fiction picture book about a girl, who wants desperately to join her father on a sailing expedition, and the lengths that she goes to in order to make that dream come true.
As Hope looks out upon the endless crashing blue of the sea, her world on the shore feels small. After years of watching from the safety of solid ground, Hope decides that she doesn’t want to merely hear the sea, she wants to be part of it. “I will stow away!” she says, setting her adventure in motion.
In secrecy, Hope boards a clipper ship about to leave the harbor on an important voyage. But it’s not just any ship. On board the boat is her father, the ship’s carpenter tasked with keeping the rig “seaworthy.” As the crew shouts its final call - ALL ABOARD! WEIGH ANCHOR! MAKE SAIL! - in Hope sneaks, disguised as a sailor. But, as all children know, you can hide from a parent’s gaze, but ultimately you will be found. In a favorite spread, Miyares wordlessly shows how the gravity of a parent’s disapproval is, in an instant, leveled by the worry and deep love felt for a child.
HOPE AT SEA is in many ways a tribute to the story’s vessel. Every page commands respect of the clipper ship’s grandeur, beauty and great, if not grave, mission of keeping everyone aboard safe. The wind and waves show no mercy in this tale, and readers just might see themselves in the ship itself - as a storm bears down and the whole crew is needed to keep the clipper floating.
Sometimes, circumstances are beyond our control. Sometimes, we have to let go. But almost always, there is a light shining on the horizon, and we are closer to home than we think. HOPE AT SEA is a reminder that our own stories, though they go off course, may simply be veering in a new direction. Our hands and contributions are needed still in the next great adventure.
HOPE AT SEA is also about a daughter and father, who share the same wish, joy, and spirit. In this story, and in many of his stories, Daniel Miyares’ characters make a choice to step away from normalcy and head into uncharted waters, where unforgettable moments lead to discovery, growth and change. What sparked this riveting, nautical tale? And how did this beautiful book come to be? I sat down for a chat with Daniel to find out! I hope you enjoy my Author Spotlight with Daniel Miyares:
3 Questions with Daniel Miyares
HOPE AT SEA is set in time and place far away from the realities of today. How did this story come to you, and what was it like to spend so many hours and days in this distant world?
HOPE AT SEA began with a realization I had while talking to my daughter when she was about eleven years old. We were talking about all the things that had gone on in the school day and how she was feeling about them. Later that night I had this overwhelming feeling that there was no way I could ever protect her from all the tough stuff of this world. The best I could do would be to try and encourage a resilient spirit in my children. That was the kernel that I began this story with.
Initially I imagined the life and times of a 19th century tall ship and how that could parallel our own human experiences. Being built and formed with so much anticipation and promise. Then heading out into the world in search of adventure. Through discussions with my editor and publisher Anne Schwartz it made more sense to add in a more relatable human element to the story. So I decided why not still use the ship this way but have it actually parallel the life and times of a family. As the story took shape it seemed to all be centered around the question, what do you do when the storms of life come?
Having the story take place in a time and place long ago appealed to me because it raises the stakes for everyone in the book. Sailing on merchant ships back then was a dangerous but necessary business. Also, the wooden tall ship could serve as a wonderful metaphor for the changes the family and especially Hope are confronted with. I feel particularly fortunate that I was working on the art for this book during 2020. It gave me a place to wrestle with the same questions my family like so many others were wrestling with at the time. It sure felt like we were in the middle of a big storm.
You create such a vivid setting, first encountered in the detailed endpapers and carried through the realities of sailing life. What resources were essential to you, as you researched and developed this story?
As I developed my idea for this story it became clear that the setting was going to be so critical to the telling. How could you care for these characters if what they were endeavoring to do wasn’t believable? I didn’t want the historical details to be a stumbling block for the reader. I dug around a lot on the internet - reading old first hand accounts of what life at sea was like back then. I bought books on clipper ship building and the necessary equipment for a seafaring life. There was a lot to learn just to be able to understand how to represent some of the elements in this story. I had to study how this particular type of clipper ship would have been built, even as far as how they harvested the wood for certain pieces. I learned how to tie a lot of knots and what they were used for. It’s really hard to illustrate a particular knot if you haven’t tried tying it. My studio has several lengths of old rope now that I used to learn on.
Me and my family also took a short trip up to Racine, WI on Lake Michigan. It was something we could do safely with covid restrictions at the time. I got to climb around in an old lighthouse from the time period and learn about how they interacted with tall ships as well as how the technology has advanced.
The varied compositions within HOPE AT SEA make an enormous emotional impact, from the unfinished nature of the spread heading out to sea, to the tip of the ship as the storm bears down. Can you tell us about one of your favorite spreads?
I did try and make sure that the compositions really supported the emotional beats of the story. There are small quiet moments and grand dramatic ones. I think if I had to pick one piece it would be the first finished piece of art I did for the project. Hope has found out that her father is soon going to be heading out to sea again. She doesn’t want to just hear about his adventures. She wants to be a part of them. In the illustration it’s morning time and Hope is still in her night gown looking out the window. She’s holding the ship in a bottle that her and her father made together up to the horizon line imagining herself sailing off. This is just a spot illustration in the book, but I think it sums up what compels Hope to go on her own journey.
Thank you so much for visiting the blog, Daniel!
You can pre-order HOPE AT SEA: An Adventure Story now! Here’s the link.
If you are not following Daniel on Instagram at @danielmiyaresdoodles, hop over there, STAT! You’ll find lots of process videos and sneak peeks at projects in progress.
Daniel also has an online shop - Daniel Miyares Art - where you can purchase select prints of his work for your home or as gifts. You’ll want to check that out, as well!
Daniel Miyares is a critically acclaimed picture book author and illustrator. Some of his books include: Float, Night Out, That is My Dream, and Bring Me A Rock! Daniel has been called “…a master of visual storytelling.”- Jody Hewston, Kinderlit, and “…enchanting, versatile” – The New York Times. He believes that our stories have the power to connect us all. Daniel’s story currently takes place in Lenexa, KS with his wife, their two wonderful children, and a dog named Violet that gives them all a run for their money. Some of his partners have included: Schwartz & Wade Books, Chronicle Books, Candlewick Press, Simon & Schuster BFYR, Nancy Paulsen Books, FSG (BYR), North/South Books, Charlesbridge Publishing, The NY Times.
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