Author vs. Illustrator

At the far reaches of Earth, high upon a mountaintop, a bustling city is under attack by a . . . cute little furball? Wait—what?! That’s not right. The author wrote this book about a “ferocious beast,” not a cuddly critter. Turns out, the book’s illustrator has other plans. Page by page, these clashing collaborators are writing (and drawing) themselves into the story for a full-on creator combat—a bookmaking BATTLE ROYALE! Can the author make a successful book with no pictures? Can the Illustrator tell a tale without words? (A picture is worth a thousand of them, he says.) Or will this dueling duo get on the same page at last to create the ultimate happy ending?

From Lemke & Lentz (the quirky collaborators behind Call of Doodie and Book-O-Beards) comes a laugh-out-loud picture book about the not-so-simple process of creating a picture book. Full of over-the-top humor and under-the-radar lessons—including the skills of teamwork, conflict resolution, and respect—this book is a must-have for young writers, budding artists, and lifelong book lovers.

For ages 5-8.

About the Author
Donald Lemke works as a children’s book editor and writer. He has written dozens of books for young readers—from board books to middle-grade novels—that often include today’s most popular characters, such as Batman, Superman, Scooby-Doo, and more. He lives in St. Paul, Minnesota, with his beloved family, which includes his wife, Amy, and their three growing-up-way-too-fast daughters.

About the Illustrator
Bob Lentz is the other half of the Lemke & Lentz creative team and a co-creator of their Basic Training and Wearable Books series. He works as an art director and has illustrated—but thankfully not written—several books for children. Bob lives in Bloomington, Minnesota, with his wife, Rosalee, and their two children (and a very hungry Boston Terrier).