Lingering at lunch with prolific author Gail Gibbons

From pirates to puffins, from diners to dinosaurs, from snakes to skyscrapers—name a topic that interests children, and Gail Gibbons has probably written a book about it. Gibbons, one of the foremost authors and illustrators of children’s nonfiction books in the United States, entertained the capacity crowd at the Primary Literature Luncheon on Monday afternoon with stories about her life and her books.

Gibbons described her life-long love of art, recalling, “I was always drawing and painting in grade school.” She talked about various jobs she held in television, including set design work for Saturday Night Live and a children’s program called Take a Giant Step.

Gibbons talked about the development of her first children’s book, Willy and His Wheel Wagon, and noted that she is currently working on her 149th title. She also mentioned two books she is currently completing on the topics of corn and elephants.

All of her books are reviewed for accuracy by experts, Gibbons noted. She often travels to do her research, she said, because that research lends accuracy to her artwork. “I absolutely love researching,” she said. “I have found my niche. I love what I do.”

Gibbons showed slides of her house (situated on 300 acres in Vermont) and her books. She offered some fascinating insights into the development of one specific book, Coral Reefs, from beginning to end. She showed the manuscript with editing marks on it, the rough sketches, the rough pages with blocks left open for text, and the finished pages. She even showed and described the printing process.

Gibbons closed her presentation by taking questions from audience members. It was clear from their warm response at the end that teachers (and their students) truly appreciate her books.