If you’ve ever wondered how a graphic novel is made, the answer is laid out in a fun and informative exhibition in the Salt Spring Public Library program room this month.
Spend a Day in Sueño Bay opened Saturday, May 9, with friends and fans of Mike and Nancy Deas’ book series about the adventures of four unique island kids dropping by to check it out. Mike is the illustrator and Nancy the writer of six published books, with two more on the way.
Mike grew up on Salt Spring, and Nancy on Mayne, and are now raising their family on Salt Spring.
The Sueño Bay Adventure Series follows friends Ollie, Kay, Jenna and Sleeves in their action-packed lives on a fictional island dubbed “Home of the Supernatural” for a reason: it’s famous for legendary “moon creatures” and mysterious crystals.
Nancy said Saturday that their original idea was to do four books, with each character being the lead in one of them. As the four kids have such diverse natures and personalities, the hope is that every reader will find one they can relate to. But as the books proved so popular, their publisher, Orca Book Publishers of Victoria, encouraged them to create more.
The Sueño Bay Adventure Series books have been commended and nominated for numerous awards, and Candle Point, the fourth book, won first prize in the Sunshine Coast Writers and Editors Society awards for best children’s and youth book. The most recently published book — Howler Reef, the sixth — is a finalist for the Best Kids’ Book title in this year’s national Doug Wright Awards, which honours the best work in the comic genre. Mike is also a finalist in that competition as illustrator for Paisley & Peck: Jurassic Farm by J. Torres. Winners will be announced June 6.
One wall of the library exhibition walks viewers through the book creation process with a description and illustration of each step, as well as a question for them to consider as if they were creating their own book.
The eight books are summarized on another wall, and brief biographies and acknowledgements are in the far corner.
The exhibit is as fun and creative as the books and their authors, and continues through May 30 during the library’s regular open hours, except when the program room is in use.