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INTERVIEWS:

Journey Home

By Lawrence McKay
Illustrations by Dom Lee, Keunhee Lee

Dom and Keunhee
photo

Your book, Journey Home, is your first U.S. picture book as collaborating illustrators. Please explain your process of working together.

Dom Lee: First, we discuss our ideas and references. Together, we can combine our ideas and come up with better ones more efficiently than if we were to work alone. Second, we make sketches using our ideas and references, and then submit them to the publisher.

When our sketches are approved, we start the original art. The watercolor is used first, [by Keunhee] because it can't be applied over the wax. After Keunhee is done using the watercolor, Dom applies the wax to the painting. The wax is then scraped off using various tools, until the image shows through. Sometimes, after the wax is applied, the watercolor beneath it might fade away. If the image isn't strong enough, we add oil paint.

What role did books and reading play in each of your childhoods?
Keunhee: Books were my best friends. I read and read and read. The first book that I ever read was Little Women.

DL: I didn't read books often. I went to the movies instead. The many movies that I saw during my childhood helped me with my illustrations today.

You both teach art to children. How do you encourage young people to express themselves through art?
We try to give them confidence in their own artistic activities. It is important for young children to realize that they have no boundaries when it comes to art. It is also good for students to be able to concentrate on their thoughts and talk with their minds. We encourage our students to keep journals of their artwork.

What do your students say about your books?
Ooh! Ahh! Cool! Did you do that? Is it hard? Neato!

About This Title

Guided Reading:

Q

Lexile:

710L

Interest Level:

Grades 1 - 5

Reading Level:

Grades 2 - 3

Themes

Similarities and Differences, Identity/Self Esteem/Confidence, Multiethnic interest, Mothers, Immigration, Home, Friendship, Families, Cultural Diversity, Childhood Experiences and Memories, Biracial/Multiracial Interest, Asian/Asian American Interest, Adoption, Empathy/Compassion, People In Motion, Realistic Fiction

Collections

Asian/Asian American English Collection Grades 3-5, English Fiction Grades 3-6, Appendix B Diverse Collection Grades 3-6, Realistic Fiction Grades 3-5, Mother's Day Collection, Fluent English, Adoption Collection , Asian Pacific American Heritage Collection , Fluent Dual Language , Immigration Collection, Asian American Collection English 6PK, Chinese and Lunar New Year

More Info

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