My very first book, published by Dial Press in 1982!
Talester the Lizard lives in a curled-up leaf that overhangs a lovely pond. Just below lives his friend, a wonderful fellow who looks just like Talester and shares his every mood. When Talester is happy, so is his companion; when Talester is sad, his companion is, too. But then one hot and dry summer Talester's friend starts to move away - farther... and farther... and farther. At last he disappears.
The lonely lizard's search for his friend carries him through various landscapes and introduces him to new friends. And finally...
Picturebook - 34 pages
(Known as the Junior "Literary" Guild at the time)
A bit about "Talester the Lizard". Talester was an actual anole lizard my then-fiance'/now-wife Betsy gave me when she went off to college. I was in my last year at School of Visual Arts, taking a class in children's book illustration with Dale Payson. When trying to come up with a story toward the end of the term in last year of college, I glanced over at the tank housing Talester and found my character.
Dale showed it to her editor at Dial Press and they acquired it for publication in 1981! Back then, children's books were printed using "pre-separated color". Every color on every page was represented by a combination of black and white pages - overlayed on top of the line drawings. Each page represented a different primary color. Sounds confusing? It was. Talester was done in 3 colors; blue, yellow, and black. I did not see it in color until it was printed, which was stressful, to say the least! The 3 plates, each representing one of those colors, were shaded with black pencil and smoothed with blending stumps. You can see the texture of the paper in the illustrations.
After Talester, I had done 2 more books requiring pre-separated color. And then... the publishers discovered overseas printers who could print watercolors - affordably - without the artist having to represent them in black and white. I don't miss the old way, but there is a look to books published prior to the early 80's that appeal to me. It likely has to do with those being the kinds of books I grew up with.
