Omar Aranda, Illustrator Of The JackoWhisp Series Of Picture Books for Children

In my last post I wrote about the different stages of publishing a book. I would like to tell you a little more about Omar, the illustrator. Omar lives in Argentina and runs his own illustrator’s agency. He is very successful and also very busy. I am lucky that he likes my books and is happy to illustrate the pictures. Omar draws pictures or illustrations as they are called, for people all over the world. He does book covers as well as books and he also draws for some of the big comic studios like Looney Tunes. You can read more about Omar on The Illustrator’s Agency website.

Who decides what the characters will look like?

When I first wrote these books I didn’t know what the characters would look like. In fact, I thought they would be a bit like long, sausage people. I really had no idea. After Omar agreed to take on the job of illustrating Jimba Jackobean and the Bouncer-Bangerrings, I asked him to draw some of the characters for me. Three days later he sent through the pictures you see on the website of Mayor Whitterkins and his wife Hilda, Bobber Bangerring and Jimba. I was so thrilled. It was wonderful to see my stories with the added dimension of illustrations.

How long does it take to illustrate a picture book for children?

All illustrators, including Omar need a time frame to work with and I asked him if he could have the illustrations ready in six months. That isn’t a long time but he did it. I have included some of his drawings below because he would send them over to see if I liked them. Naturally, I liked everything he sent. Can you see which picture they are by looking in your book of Jimba Jackobean and the Bouncer-Bangerrings?

Some of Omar’s Illustrations For You To Colour

The Meeting. (Click the image to download, print and colour.)

Bobber Bangerring. (Click the image to download, print and colour.)

To Your Wonderful Adventures In the Land Of JackoWhisp,
Alexis Tapp

PS

Did you get your own copy of Jimba Jackobean and The Bouncer Bangerrings yet?
When you do, remember to tell me what you enjoyed most by writing a comment in the comments box below.

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Come And Meet The Cluckets

All classic children’s books have great characters and in the land of Jackowhisp you will meet some cluckets. Cluckets lay eggs and have beautiful red and purple tail feathers. But one clucket has golden tail feathers. He is a prize-winning clucket and he belongs to Hilda Whitterkins.

Melody Whisper and the Golden Clucket is the third book in the Jackowhisp series and tells a story  about a naughty clucket, yes, you guessed it, the golden clucket. One day when Melody is minding the cluckets for Hilda Whitterkins, the golden clucket escapes. Melody and Jimba chase the silly clucket all around Jackowhisp and into Bangerring Mountain. I won’t tell you what happens because you can read it for yourself when the book is published next year. Don’t miss Melody Whisper and the Golden Clucket, it should be available after Christmas.

Jimba Jackobean and The Bouncer Bangerrings

Some of the characters you will meet in ‘Jimba Jackobean And The Bouncer Bangerrings’
by Alexis Tapp

Have you read Jimba Jackobean and The Bouncer Bangerrings yet? It’s a wonderful storybook for children 3 to 8 years old, with delightful illustrations by Omar Aranda. You can even listen to the story on CD as you read along if you get the book and CD together. What a wonderful Christmas or birthday gift for the children you cherish. You can get your copies of this new classic story book for children book here.

Here’s To Your Wonderful Adventures In The Land Of JackoWhisp,
Alexis Tapp

PS.

Remember to let me know how much you enjoyed reading or listening to my stories by leaving a comment in the comments box below.

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How many steps in making a story and picture book for kids?

My next book for children, Jimba Jackobean and the Octodillioes, will be coming out next year and I am really excited about it. Why does it take so long? After a story is written, it needs to go through a lot of stages before it can be called a book:

1. When the author first writes the story it is called a manuscript.
2. The manuscript then goes to an editor who looks at any spelling errors or incorrect punctuation.
3. The editor will also look at the story to decide if parts of it are not needed or something is missing in the story. This is normal and most writers listen to what the editor says because they usually know best. My editor’s name is Wendy and she lives in France.
4. After the writer and the editor are both happy with the story, it then goes to the illustrator.
5. The illustrator for the Jackowhisp series is Omar Aranda and he draws the pictures. I don’t tell Omar what to draw; I leave it up to him. Just as well, because if you look at the pictures in Jimba Jackobean and the Bouncer-Bangerrings you will agree that they are amazing!

6. When the pictures come back to me I then send them and the manuscript off to a story boarder whose job it is to put them all  together into a book on the computer. My storyboard lady is Monique and without her, the book wouldn’t look very good. She is responsible for the layout of the pages and makes them look nice with proper margins and a nice font that is easy to read.

7. Eventually the book is ready for the printer. When Jimba Jackobean and the Bouncer-Bangerrings was printed, I flew to the  printer’s in Adelaide to watch the printing process. You can see me in these images.

I won’t be flying to Adelaide this time for the print of Jimba Jackobean and the Octodillioes because I will be busy here in Melbourne. Make sure you get your copy in next year before they sell out.

Here’s To Your Wonderful Adventures In The Land Of JackoWhisp,
Alexis Tapp

PS

If you have any questions about making a picture book for children, just type them in the comments box below and I will do my best to answer them

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Welcome To Jindleberry Woodland – Home of The Quillarills | Alexis Tapp

The Quillarills are another of my favourite characters in the JackoWhisp series of story and picture books for children. The Quillarills live in Jindleberry Woodland inside the Billy-Bubble trees.

If you look closely, you will see Jindleberry Woodland at the top of the map, just above Bangerring Mountain.

If you look at the close up map below you will see the Billy-Bubble trees with the little windows and stairs. One even has a little canopy to keep you dry when it rains. It is always good to be able to put your key in the front door of your house and not get wet in the rain, don’t you think?

This book isn’t published yet, but it is about Jimba Jackobean’s sister, Jessica. She plays a musical instrument, and do you know I haven’t thought of a name for it yet. I think it looks something like a violin though.

If you think of a good name for the instrument you could tell me by leaving me a message in the comments box below this story.

Jessica makes friends with the Quillarills and they invite her into their homes in the Billy-Bubble trees.

This is a lovely story in which Jessica solves a huge problem for the Quillarills and makes lots of new friends.  It’s always nice to make new friends, don’t you think?

Look out for this book  when it’s published, won’t you? Like all of my story books for children, it’s just for fun.

Here’s To Your Wonderful Adventures In The Land Of JackoWhisp,
Alexis Tapp

PS

Have you downloaded your FREE colourful Jimba Jackobean poster yet?
Order Jackowhisp Books & CDs online.

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Meet The Mudsloppers | Alexis Tapp

In the JackoWhisp series of childrens story and picture books, some of my favourite characters are the Mudsloppers. They are similar to the Bouncer-Bangerrings in that they love to have fun, which is what I
like about them, but the Mudsloppers live in Jackomire Swamp.

If you look on the map you will see the swamp on the right, just past Bangerring Mountain.

Here’s a closer view of Jackomire Swamp.

Can you see the Mudsloppers’ houses too? Aren’t the houses in Jackomire Swamp wonderful?

The Mudsloppers are always covered in mud because they just love slopping around in their muddy swamp. They jump into the swamp and play there most of the day and long into the night.

I am not sure when the Mudslopper book will be published, but look out for it won’t you? Like all of my story books for children, it’s just for fun.

Here’s To Your Wonderful Adventures In The Land Of JackoWhisp,
Alexis Tapp

PS

Have you downloaded your FREE colourful Jimba Jackobean poster yet?
Order Jackowhisp Books & CDs online

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