Let’s Go by Julie Flett

JULIE FLETT is a Cree-Métis author, illustrator, and artist who has received numerous awards for her books, including the New York Times/New York Public Library Best Illustrated Children’s Book Award. Her critically acclaimed picture books, including Birdsong, We All Play, and Still This Love Goes On (with Buffy Sainte-Marie), have been selected for Best of the Year lists by dozens of media outlets. Here she talks to us about her working process, the themes and inspirations she often draws on, and her latest picture book, Let’s Play!.

 

You say this new book is inspired by your personal experience – can you tell us a bit more about that?

I really learned about skateboarding and the community we became a part of in Vancouver, Canada, through my son and his friends. I was the mum who drove the kids to the skateboard parks, indoor, outdoor, until they were old enough to go on their own. We had so much fun looking for spots and having wild and philosophical conversations, listening to music, introducing them to music I’d listened to (music that was ending up in skateboard videos) and a lot of laughing. Once we’d find a spot, they’d get out and skate, I’d spend my time between watching them and I also took work along with me. I finished an earlier picture book almost entirely (the illustrations) while out at the skateparks. The kids at the skateparks, initially weren’t too sure about me – what’s this mum doing here? I think it’s more common now but not so much then, the early and mid 2000’s. Eventually they were all at ease and as they got older, the ones who were not in our little group, they really just accepted me as a part of the community. There are so many amazing people in the community of all ages anyway, and so much support for the younger kids.

 

Is it fair to say you often explore themes linked to our place in the world and our interconnectedness through your books?

For sure, I was raised surrounded by and with artists and makers of all ages. Lots of musicians, potters, painters, printmakers, and filmmakers. They were always so happy to share their time with a young person who was curious. My dad, who was Swampy Cree and Red River Metis, has been so much a part of the work that I do. He was the person I went to with questions, and he also raised me on the land as much as he could. We spent most of our weekends away from the city, fishing, visiting grandparents, just spent a lot of time on the land. As I shared in my book, We All Play, “When I was growing up, my dad shared a lot about our relationship to animals and to each other, including the land and plants and rocks and water and sky. Whether we are running and hopping through the grass or rolling along the street or pondering creatures in the creek, we are all connected, living in relationship and in care of one another, in kinship. In Cree, this is called wâhkôhtowin.”

 

You mention at the start of Let’s Go! a lovely memory of a shy child who came to one of your readings and really lit up when you started talking about your son and his love of skateboarding. It must be so heartwarming and fulfilling to see young readers connecting with the themes and characters in your books, and finding confidence through stories in which they see themselves reflected. How important a role do you think books play in helping children to explore their identity and place in the world?

It’s so important, the little boy I mentioned in the dedication is one of so many – kids who start to feel at ease when they feel seen or heard, when they’re represented in the books, and also in the readings. Books open up a space for kids to have all kinds of dialogs, to reflect and share their own stories. I love that part of it. Whether I’m there doing a reading or receiving feedback from a class, I love how engaged kids are and the questions they ask, I think because I am an introvert and grew up pretty shy myself, that also seems to factor in, the quieter kids tend to come forward. I remember a little boy had his arms wrapped around his knees, covering his face a little, eventually putting his hand straight up to ask me, “uhm, excuse me, how do birds communicate?” and we had the most interesting conversation, with the whole class and the teachers, he really started something. Having been a shy kid myself, I love when the work opens up to the quieter kids who may not have done so otherwise. Or even at home on their own, when they see themselves in books, it opens worlds to them – and a sense of belonging. For kids to feel seen and heard and that they belong in all of their own unique ways is so important.

 

You have worked with several Cree authors, and often include Cree words and phrases in your books – as with Let’s Go!. How important is it that you share your heritage with readers?

When I started working on kids’ books, I was learning about the languages that my grandparents had spoken, and I thought this was something I could share with kids and something I could contribute to my community through picture books. The first few books were introductory language books. As it went along, I realised that I was telling stories with pictures, almost haiku-like. “Three aunties laughing and eight uncles fishing” for the Cree counting book – and so many others. And from there, a lot of family stories started emerging. And I would say the theme of connection between people and the land and animals; landscapes, space and expansiveness seem to factor in, and as that goes along, it seems to go deeper into people’s inner lives as inspired by people in my life (my son and nieces, family, and myself). I love what filmmaker Agnes Varda said: “If we opened people up, we’d find landscapes.”

 

As both a wordsmith and an artist, when you’re creating a new book, do the words come first, or do you visualise the story from the start… or perhaps a completely different way?!

I think it’s a little of each, a memory or theme will come up and that can be visual and story based – and then I’ll write it out, either write out a story sketch or write out the text lyrically, closer to what it might end up like. Though it might change once I have the drawings in place – there’s really an interplay of both text and image.

 

How do you create your artwork? (by hand, digitally, a mix of both…?)

It’s a bit of both. I usually start on paper. For the last few books I’ve worked with pastel on paper, then the work is scanned and composited digitally. I’ve just started to get to know how to work with brushes in Photoshop; that’s been a lifesaver—and it’s playful. I studied film early on at art school and have always wanted to go back to film. I think that this is how I see book making, as short films/animation. I would love to do more!

 

What are your top tips for budding young authors and illustrators?

What I’m learning as this goes along is to capture something when it comes; don’t wait, just write it out, no matter how intimidating or silly or whatever it is – the idea is in there. I remember listening to a composer talk about something like this, it’s like you’re listening to an underground river and translating this (I think it was Phillip Glass). The point is to catch it when it’s there, to make sure to be there to translate what’s coming through.

 

Do you have any favourite picture book authors and illustrators / artists that inspire you?

I’m so in love with all of the things picture book makers are making these days, my favourite place to peruse and swoon is: https://blog.picturebookmakers.com/. There are so many artists’ work I love, it’s hard to pare down; Christian Robinson, Nahid Kazemi, Catia Chien to name a few!

 

Let’s Go! haw êkwa!, written and illustrated by Julie Flett, is published by Greystone Kids, out now, hardback. ISBN 9781771646109. www.greystonebooks.com