Writing, Part Two: Science, Snails and Santats

"Oh No! How My Science Project Destroyed the World" 

by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Dan Santat.

Ah, Science Fairs. This book says it all.
Pip and Winnie can relate.

First Science Fair.

Yes, we did have a pet snail for 3 days.

And our pet snail did not Destroy the World or anything in it.

That slimy mollusk hid the entire three days we had him. 

So we let him go.

Hey, I'm a writer, not a scientist. 

I didn't want to accidentally kill him off.

We made snail paper dolls instead.

We had sweet plans for next year's Science Fair
until OH NO! came along!

They're done for.

So much for gastropods and homemade lava lamps.

They want to make a ROBOT that destroys the world.

Thank you, Dan Santat.

This is Mr. Santat after signing miles of books at the SCBWI Western Washington conference.

Advice from the author/illustrator: 

• Find out what you LOVE and then take baby steps to get there  
• Give one hundred fifty percent in your work
• If the choice presents itself to have a lot of money or do what you love, stay faithful to what you love (for Dan, this is making children's books and being with his family. Yay, Santat!)
• Be a self-promoter

Stay tuned next week for more conference gleanings - wise words from Deborah Wiles, Holly Black and Roseanne Parry!

More books with Dan Santat's gigantic skills:

I'm still waking up before the rooster crows to do NaPiBoWriWee.
Give it a try if you feel brave! It's much easier than swimming with polar bears.