Jesse Hughes, Stratton school librarian, Brenna Cockerham Kingfield school librarian, Andrea DeBiase, Carrabassett Valley Public Library librarian, and Peter Brown pose together May 23 during Brown’s visit to Kingfield Elementary School in Kingfield. Jesse Hughes photo

KINGFIELD — “As a newcomer to Maine, I’m really happy to have this opportunity to connect with students and educators in Kingfield,” children’s author Peter Brown said. “I’ve spent a lot of time traveling around the country [and the world] talking about my work, and now I’m eager to get better acquainted with young readers across Maine.”

Peter Brown demonstrates his artistic skills on May 23 at the Kingfield Elementary School in Kingfield. Courtesy Photo/Jesse Hughes

On May 23, Kingfield Elementary School [KES] hosted  Brown, known for his storytelling and vibrant illustrations. The presentations, held in the KES gymnasium, were made possible by the Carrabassett Valley Public Library’s Maggie Trafton Memorial Fund. There were two sessions, one at 11 a.m. and another at 1 p.m., where Brown shared insights into his creative process and inspirations behind his work.

Brown, originally from New Jersey said he embarked on his creative journey by expressing his tales through drawings. Transitioning to writing during his teenage years, he honed his storytelling skills while studying illustration at the Art Center College of Design, where his fascination with both words and images blossomed, he said. His exploration of children’s literature courses solidified his passion, eventually leading him to a career as an author and illustrator.

After graduating, Brown relocated to New York City, immersing himself in the publishing world. Despite his initial work on animated TV shows, he secured a book deal for his debut picture book, “Flight of the Dodo,” marking the beginning of his career. Over the years, Brown has garnered prestigious accolades, including a Caldecott Honor and recognition from the Children’s Choice Awards and the New York Times Best Illustrated Book Award.

Currently residing in Maine with his wife, Susan, and their dog, Pam, Brown finds inspiration in the state’s diverse landscape. “The Maine landscape has inspired much of the artwork I’m creating for my current book project, which is a picture book adaptation of my novel, The Wild Robot,” Brown shared, reflecting on Maine’s natural beauty on his latest work.

“Ever since moving to Maine, all I want to do is draw pictures of gnarled oak trees covered in lichen, or rocky coastlines covered with seaweed, or a forest floor covered in moss and pine needles and ferns and wildflowers,” Brown said. “The biodiversity in Maine fascinates me, and you’ll see traces of it in this picture book, entitled The Wild Robot: On The Island.” Brown’s connection to Maine’s environment is evident in his artistic endeavors, as he incorporates its natural elements into his illustrations.

Reflecting on his creative process, Brown emphasized the importance of persistence and learning from mistakes. “It goes without saying that if you hope to be a writer you have to develop your writing skills, and if you hope to be an artist you have to develop your artistic skills,” Brown said.

Kingfield Elementary School students are filled with questions for author Peter Brown when he visited May 23 in Kingfield. Jesse Hughes photo

“Developing those skills takes time and persistence. But you also have to be willing to make mistakes and to learn from them. I’m constantly making mistakes, which is why it takes me so long to write and illustrate books. But by working through those mistakes I end up making much more interesting stories and artwork than if the whole process had been easy.”

He described his method of “story mapping,” where he meticulously plans out storylines and illustrations, integrating words and images. When using the “story mapping” technique, Brown said he writes ideas for moments that could possibly happen in the story on big blank sheets of paper, and he draws arrows from one moment to another to another, trying to link together story moments in a way that makes sense.

“I spend weeks or months mapping out the story like this, and eventually I have such a clear understanding of the plot that I’ll start writing the text and I’ll start sketching out scenes and characters to illustrate,” Brown explained.

“I never know how a story idea will come to me,” Brown noted. “It could be from watching a movie or reading a book or walking in the woods. Once I have an idea it takes some time and effort to see if it’s worth pursuing. Most of my ideas go nowhere. But every now and then I’ll have an idea that holds my interest, and then the next order of business is to work out the plot.”

While Pam, his dog hasn’t directly inspired any characters, Brown credits her companionship for his physical and mental well-being. “Pam hasn’t actually inspired any of my characters but she is great for my physical and mental wellbeing,” he noted. He described how walks with Pam through Maine’s woods spark his imagination, leading to new ideas and inspirations for his stories.

“She’ll sniff around the woods and come across a clump of wild turkey feathers or a mysterious hole in the ground, and suddenly we’re on the lookout for other signs of wildlife,” Brown said. “By the time we get home my imagination is churning and I’m eager to get back to my desk.”

Attendees of the presentations had the opportunity to have their books signed by the author, allowing them to take home a piece of Brown’s imaginative world. The children decorated a huge sign welcoming Brown.

Brown concluded by sharing insights into his creative process, from plotting storylines to crafting final artwork. He emphasized the importance of collaboration with his publisher and the joy of experimenting with color and texture in his illustrations.

Brown stated that his words guide his drawings, and his drawings influence his words. If a detail is clear in the illustrations, he may omit it from the text. His publisher reviews everything, providing feedback for revisions. Whether for a kid’s novel or a picture book, the final step is creating the artwork, said Brown.

Compared to plotting the story and choosing precise words, finalizing the art is straightforward, he said. Initially, he painted illustrations by hand, but now he draws and paints on paper, then scans and collages them in Photoshop. He said he aims for simple, easily understandable illustrations and enjoys experimenting with color and texture.

The students at Kingfield Elementary School welcomed author Peter Brown on May 23 by presenting a huge sign with the students’ art and messages at an event in Kingfield. Courtesy Photo/Jesse Hughes

“We were very fortunate to participate in an author visit with children’s author Peter Brown,” said Jesse Hughes, Stratton School library/media specialist.

“Over the past couple of years students in grades two to five have been enthralled with The Wild Robot novels. When these students found out that we were going to meet the author they were ecstatic. The few months prior to the author visit the students listened to and read the many picture books written and illustrated by Peter Brown.”

Hughes said during the author visit Brown was engaging through a presentation about how he became a professional author and illustrator as well as completing a live drawing of one of his favorite characters Roz and then a Q&A session with the students.

“Stratton School is ever thankful to the Carrabassett Valley Public Library and the Maggie Trafton Memorial Fund for making this experience possible for our area children. This is an experience our students will not forget,” Hughes said.