Jeffrey Lindberg

Takes Readers Back in Time in New Picture Book

by Michele Appelgate

After enjoying a successful career as an illustrator, Jeffrey Lindberg decided to write his first picture book for children, and the setting has a special place in his heart.  

“This story has been in development for a long time. While I was living in Brooklyn, we would often visit Coney Island, go to Nathans, and, of course, ride on the Cyclone. But there was something about Coney Island that occupied a different place in my mind,” Lindberg said. 

Coney - A Trip to Luna Park, is forthcoming from Flying Rabbit Press. The 48-page, fully illustrated picture book has been a dream for Lindberg, who wanted to write and illustrate a book about Coney Island that was historically accurate, while still being a fictional story. 

The story takes place in 1904 and Luna Park is being built on the sand dunes of Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York, Lindberg’s hometown. The construction is bad news for the rabbit Selena, because it will be built on top of her burrow. Fortunately, she meets Millie, a girl who loves rabbits. She helps Selena cope with her loss and offers her a new home with her. 

After weeks of construction, Millie and Selena return and see that the site is starting to look interesting. They were eventually mesmerized by the beauty of the bright lights at night, which looked as if stars had floated down from the sky and landed in Brooklyn. 

The magical story weaves together the tale of two friends and how they confront the men who have destroyed Selena’s home. Against the backdrop of images of Luna Park, the story reaches a dramatic conclusion in nighttime Coney Island.

To write the book, Lindberg had to learn as much as he could about Coney Island. “I started researching Coney Island in a deep way,” he said. “I felt this connection to the past and it’s when I started seeing pictures of people walking through there. In 1904, I felt this pull, you know. I could go on about it feeling magical, but it was kind of like that. I wanted to create a story that could take us back to that time, as if we could walk through there.”

During his research, he found historical facts and details of the park, as well as archival photographs, on which he based his story’s paintings. 

Even though the book is fictional, it’s about a real place, and although the characters of Selena and Millie are Lindberg’s invention, characters Fred Thompson and Skip Dundy were real people. Thompson was a showman, inventor, and designer who created the real Luna Park in the early 1900s. The inspiration for the main character came from Lindberg’s granddaughter, Millie. 

The book also points out the word “Coney” comes from the Dutch language and means rabbit. Coney Island was Rabbit Island, which is where Selena the rabbit lived in 1904. Lindberg hopes his readers will come away from his book with a newfound knowledge of the history of Luna Park and also with a sense of amazement that such a wonderful place existed on the shores of Brooklyn back in 1904.

No matter where young readers live, Lindberg is confident the story will appeal to them since it was among the early American amusement parks. “I think people in all parts of the world and especially throughout the country are able to relate to the amusement parks,” he said.

Lindberg’s illustrations immediately highlight a magical theme for readers and showcase Lindberg’s talent as a self-taught artist. His path started with his passion for art and the inspiration of Norman Rockwell, a legendary American painter and illustrator. 

“I come from an artistic family. Making art is not easy,” Lindberg said. “People think it’s easy. Making this book right now is the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Even as a kid, I always knew I wanted to be an artist and fortunately, my mother didn’t dissuade me from that, even though other relatives tried.” 

In addition to a fulfilling, 20-year career of designing book covers, Lindberg is an adjunct professor at Kean University in South Orange, New Jersey. He has been teaching digital graphics and computer art for 20 years as well.  

After living in Brooklyn for three decades, Lindberg and his family are now living happily in New Jersey, just a stone’s throw from Coney Island. 

For more information about Jeffrey Lindberg and his work, visit coneybook.com.