Dragons Don't Dance Ballet by Jennifer Carson

From the moment I visualize what they look like, I put it down quickly by sketching it all out.

I imagine what the characters and their environment look like in the author’s story. How do you manage to do this so brilliantly? You have an amazing ability to fully integrate your art with the author’s story. From drawing up thumbnails to putting the final touches on the cover, the whole process was a valuable learning experience. It’s easy to think that illustrations are drawn simply without much thought, but there are so many more steps involved. As I illustrated the book, I really gained a appreciation for the craft of children’s book illustration. Every step in the process of illustrating was all new to me. I learned so much while illustrating this book since this was the first book I have illustrated. I had my own doubts that I would actually be able to accomplish my lifelong dream of becoming a published children’s book illustrator, but this book really made my dream come true. I loved the book’s message of following your dreams against all odds since this directly related to my own journey as a children’s book illustrator. As soon as I read the manuscript he sent me, I immediately fell in love with the story. I felt so fortunate that my editor, Brett Axel, was so confident of my skills as a artist that he asked me to be the illustrator for this book. What was it like for you when you were asked to take part in this project by Vinal Publishing? Did you learn anything about yourself while illustrating this book? “Dragons Don’t Dance Ballet” is your first children’s book, and it was a hit. With the success of his visual storytelling we were thrilled to have the chance to sit down with Afuso to talk about artistic inspiration, telling stories and the groundbreaking books he recently illustrated. These are the first books Afuso has illustrated, coming from a background which includes creating graphic art that was featured on children’s clothing sold through major retailers such as Walmart, Macy’s, The Children’s Place, and Target. “Dragons Don’t Dance Ballet” has been a huge hit with readers, while “Song of the King Salmon” is highly anticipated by readers and critics. Eric Afuso is a storyteller at heart, telling stories with beautiful illustrations that capture the hearts and imaginations of readers, which is very much the case in “Dragons Don’t Dance Ballet” written by Jennifer Carson and “Song of the King Salmon” by iconic writer Wang Ping.

Dragons Don't Dance Ballet by Jennifer Carson