This is our third year participating in the Sydney Taylor Book Award Blog Tour. The Sydney Taylor Book Award is presented annually to outstanding books for children and teens that authentically portray the Jewish experience. This year we were paired with the author/illustrator team of Neal Shusterman and Andrés Vera Martínez who received a Young Adult Honor for their graphic novel Courage to Dream.
This interview is unique, because aside from providing insight into the book itself, it also speaks to the teamwork between a writer and artist when creating a graphic novel together. We learned so much from this discussion and will be reviewing the book soon!
BookishlyJewish: Congratulations on the win! How does it feel to be a Sydney Taylor Honor book winner?
NS – What an incredible honor! It’s wonderful to know that the book is appreciated by the American Jewish community—and hopefully that will help get it into the hands of more kids who need to read it!
AVM – It’s an absolute honor knowing that Courage to Dream has been embraced by the American Jewish community, particularly the librarians who continue to play a crucial role in connecting readers with our book.
BookishlyJewish: What was the inspiration behind Courage To Dream? How did this Book Come to Be?
NS – I was inspired by the contemporary artist Jeffrey Schrier, a good friend who creates a lot of Jewish-themed art. I wanted to see if there was a way that I could contribute something of my own to that arena. Then, when Scholastic approached me with the idea of doing a holocaust-themed book, I realized that would be the perfect opportunity. Originally, we thought of working together, but ultimately that didn’t work out. Still, I’m grateful for his friendship, and the inspiration!
AVM – I was inspired to begin working on the project immediately after reading Neal’s amazing story. It instantly brought brilliant images to my mind that I started sketching directly on the printed script. I got so swept up in drawing that I almost forgot to email Scholastic back that I was taking on the project.
BookishlyJewish: The work is obviously a collaboration between author and illustrator, how did that work and how did you two originally connect with one another and this story?
NS – The “script” for the book was done long before we found the right artist. There were artists who could capture the realistic aspects of the story, but couldn’t capture the fantasy. There were artists with a sense of fantasy, but whose sensibilities didn’t connect with the gritty realism the book needed to have. And then we found Andrés! He took these stories and transformed them into visual marvels. I still get chills when I look at some of the book’s artwork.
AVM – Writing for graphic novels is much like writing a screenplay for a film. Neal applied a vast understanding of cinematic knowledge to his script, writing characters and environments to fit a three dimensional world, smooth scene transitions, and he provided clear, impactful dialogue that moved the story forward at a perfect pace. Collaborating with Neal was a breeze. He had already illustrated the story with words before I even started.
BookishlyJewish: The Holocaust is a difficult topic to write about, especially for younger readers, how did you approach this?
NS – The use of fantasy, folklore, and hope in the face of horror was crucial. The goal was to make each of the stories uplifting, in spite of the difficult subject matter, without sugar-coating the truth. I think Andrés’ visuals play a big part in making it work.
AVM – Master animation director, Hayao Miyazaki, offered a guide. His films sometimes carry heavy themes, but retain an alluring charm with the expressiveness and innocence of his main characters. I aspired to capture that to the best of my ability.
The work of cartoonist, Jack Kirby and the superhero characters he created with Stan Lee brought me so much joy as a young artist. Many early comic writers and artists were Jewish American. I thought using Marvel Comics from the 60’s as inspiration for the fantasy aspect of the book made sense. To me, those early comics visually matched the energy, awe and power that was in Neal’s story and they were historically and culturally connected.
BookishlyJewish: The choice to use five interlocking stories is very intriguing. Can you speak more about this?
NS – It started with “He Opens a Window” which was a short story I had written years ago. I had initially thought that would be the book, but I kept having other ideas, and realized that seeing different facets of the Holocaust would be a better way to go. Visually, Andrés brought a different look to each story.
AVM – I decided to slightly shift the color palette and the level of rendering with each story. The first two stories are colored with subtle hues and drawn with crosshatched lines. As the stories unfold the colors get brighter and the rendering less and less. In the last story, which takes place today, the pallet is brightest with minimal lines. I wanted to give a sense to the reader that they were coming from darkness into light.
BookishlyJewish: Who is the target audience for Courage To Dream and what are you hoping readers take away from it?
NS – It’s a broad target audience. We see the book being used in upper elementary, all the way through High school in holocaust units. We’ve already spoken at some schools who are using it as less intimidating entre into the subject, before getting into heavier material, like Elie Wiesel’s Night.
AVM – Yes, Neal did a brilliant job writing a story that is inclusive and mindful of a large audience. I picked up on that and tried to do the same as I created the art.
BookishlyJewish: What has been the reader’s response to Courage?
NS – Overwhelmingly positive! We couldn’t have hoped for better! And you never know—especially when dealing with sensitive subject matter—how it’s going to be received. We’re happy the book is being embraced.
AVM – I had the chance to join Neal on tour to promote the book. As an artist who is usually in the studio, seeing such positive responses from students, teachers, librarians, and bookstore customers, in real time, was amazing!
BookishlyJewish: Has anything surprised along the process from first thinking about the book to publication to now being an award winner?
NS – I’ve been pleasantly surprised that there hasn’t been push back against the idea of using fantasy as a way to discuss the Holocaust, because we tend to think of fantasy as whimsical and frivolous. Andrés and I worked very hard to strip away anything that could be seen as frivolous or gratuitous—but you never know if you’ve succeeded until you see how people react.
AVM – The immediacy of images, their ability to evoke gut reactions, worried me when tasked to draw a children’s book set during the Holocaust. I admire artists in history that take risks and have important things to say. It takes a certain measure of bravery to be vulnerable. Artists can meticulously plan and hone their skills but don’t really know how their work will be received until they offer it up for a large sampling of feedback.
BookishlyJewish: How has this book differed from your other work?
NS – For me it was more like writing a screenplay, or stage play than writing a book. I always try to take on difficult subjects, so there’s that similarity—but with this book there was a sense of reverence to the subject matter. Who am I to have something to say about the Holocaust? I think I approached it knowing that I was treading on hallowed ground.
AVM – My fascination with stories that straddle reality and fantasy might be rooted in my Mexican American background, where magic realism finds fertile ground. Growing up in both Catholic and indigenous traditions instilled a unique blend of artistic sensibilities that embrace duality. This is probably most evident in the projects I choose, which are usually historical fiction sprinkled with a healthy dose of fantasy.
BookishlyJewish: Any future plans we should know about?
NS – I have two books coming out in 2024 – In May, Shock the Monkey, the second book in the comic-sci fi series “The Noah Files”, which I’m cowriting with Eric Elfman. Then, in July, Break to You a romance that takes place in a juvenile detention center, which I cowrote with authors Michelle Knowlden and Debra Young – so it’s been a lot of collaboration lately! And I know Andrés has some exciting things coming up!
AVM – Thanks Neal! In fall 2024, the middle grade graphic novel series, Monster Locker, will make its debut. It’s about a middle school kid named Pablo who accidentally unleashes a vengeful Aztec Earth Goddess from his locker in Columbus, Ohio. I co-created the series with the brilliant animation writer Jorge Aguirre. Monster Locker vol 2. will come out in the fall of 2025. Also in 2025, my graphic novel adaptation of Pam Muñoz Ryan’s beloved novel, Esperanza Rising, will be released.
BookishlyJewish: I always end by asking if you have a favorite Jewish book to recommend to others?
NS – The Way Back by Gavriel Savit. I had the honor of being a judge for the National Book Awards a couple of years ago, and I am thrilled that The Way Back made our short list. It’s wonderful blending of history and folklore!
AVM –Maus by Art Spiegelman revolutionized American comics. Before Maus, comics were dominated by superheroes and lighthearted fare, primarily aimed at teenage boys.
The Pulitzer Prize winner shattered perceptions, pushing publishing houses to see the potential of graphic novels for a wider audience. Soon after, a golden age of American comics blossomed for all ages and genres.