Jess McGeachin

Takes Readers to the Lost Library

by Raven Howell

What kid doesn’t want to know about secret spaces and mysterious, hidden places? Children’s author/illustrator Jess McGeachin has special childhood memories of tucking away into the library for reading and exploring the enigmatic, historic Melbourne Museum. His new picture book, The Lost Library, is based on these experiences.

“Absolutely!” Jess exclaims. “Museums and libraries are such amazing, mysterious places—especially behind the scenes. I remember the basement of the old museum where my mum worked was full of secret doors and hidden passageways, just like The Lost Library. The best thing about museums and libraries is that they’re often free for everyone to come in and enjoy.”

His childhood was spent in regional Victoria, and Jess couldn’t get enough of the DK Eyewitness books stashed in library shelves. “I grew up in a small country town, so for me the local library was a bit of a doorway into other worlds. I especially loved (and still love) nonfiction books and spent a lot of time planning trips to the deep, dark jungle or designing the perfect medieval castle.”

Apparently, artistic talent runs in his family. “My mum is a scientific illustrator (someone who draws animals for science) and my grandmother was a landscape painter. It’s handy having lots of people that love art around you, but you still have to practice on your own—it doesn’t just come by itself.”

In addition to his new book, Jess has also written and illustrated Deep: Delve into Hidden Worlds, the shortlisted for the CBCA and Queensland Literary Awards’ Fly, and Colin Collects Colors, among others. He credits several children’s books that have made an impact on his style as a writer and illustrator. “I especially love twentieth century illustrators like Alice and Martin Provensen, Miroslav Šašek’s This series and of course Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are.”

“Growing up I was a bit of a dinosaur nerd, so I think they were probably some of the first animals I drew. The good thing about dinosaurs is that there’s still lots we don’t know, so nobody can tell you that you got the color wrong! To young student artists I’d say keep a sketchbook wherever you go, you never know when inspiration might strike.”

Jess studied Communication Design at RMIT and spent years working as a graphic designer before turning to children’s books. These days, he considers himself both curious and optimistic. “I’m constantly curious about the natural world and the endless ways it can inspire us. And I like to think that my stories might inspire hope for the future.”

“The artwork in The Lost Library was primarily drawn on an iPad. I always start with a hand sketch but using digital media for the finished art gives me huge flexibility with the colors and textures.”

Jess admits sometimes his blitheful books come with a hint of java jolt. “I love a good coffee! It fuels my best (and if I have too much, my not-so-best) work.”

In The Lost Library, behind a secret bedroom door, main character Oliver finds a lost library book he knows he must return. But when he and new friend Rosie visit the local library, a mysterious world opens up beneath their feet, and they dive into imaginative adventures. Without giving too much away, one scene involves a fantastical dragon. 

Jess shares, “I loved illustrating the pages with the Bookshelf Dragon in them. Dragons are always fun to draw, but disguising one as a bookshelf was a really interesting challenge. I made several physical models of the dragon to understand what it would look like from lots of different angles.”

Book making comes with its challenges too, as Jess explains, “It can be a little bit overwhelming to know where to start with a picture book, especially with the pictures. I tend to start in the middle and work my way out, just like finding the way out of a Lost Library. However, I can honestly say that I love almost every part of the process. My favorite parts are coming up with the spark of an idea and then of course, the moment I see my book in a bookshop or library for the first time where it’s enjoyed by someone completely new.”

Jess knows the importance of exposing children to wonder, intrigue, and imagination, and choosing something he finds extraordinary is easy for him. “Spider webs! How do they know the right shape when they don’t even have the plans written down?” And he compares his own imagination to a bird. “I really enjoy drawing things from interesting perspectives so letting my imagination literally fly is very important to me. Color is also very important in my work and birds come in every shade you can imagine.”

Looking ahead, his bucket list is full. Jess says, “So many things on it! I’m hoping to join a research trip to the sub-Antarctic next year which would be amazing. I’ve always wanted to go to the Bologna illustration fair in Italy, which might be a good excuse for an Italian adventure too.”

“I’ve been working on some exciting nonfiction books which combine my love of stories and the natural world. My latest, Kind, comes out in North America early next year.”

Thoughtfully, Jess contemplates, “There are lots of worrying things going on in the world right now, but I’m very optimistic about how many creative young people are out there and the changes we can make for the better.”

With a message directed to our youth, he encourages, “We need your words and pictures! I don’t think there’s ever been a more important time to tell stories of kindness and compassion and you’re the ones who can do it. And if you’re ever stuck for ideas, there’s doorways to The Lost Library everywhere.”

For more information about Jess McGeachin and his books, visit jessmcgeachin.com.

 

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