Bunny with Balloon

One of these days, it will be spring...

Meanwhile, blizzard conditions prevail!

Couldn't capture the swirling snow,

but it's blowing hard!

Sophia's Journal by Najiyah Diana Helwani

Doing a book cover is not the same as illustrating a story.

You have to basically sum up the whole book in 

one picture.

And what if you haven't even read the book???

Sophia's Journal seems like a very interesting read - 

definitely one I'd like to curl up with.

Meanwhile, I do still need to submit a couple of

sketches for the cover, and here is what I did.

One is still a very bare sketch, as you can see.

The book was first published back in 2008 or thereabouts,

and it will be reprinted again,

with a fresh new cover.

The story features a time-travel adventure to Kansas, 1857,

when it was rife with issues of slavery and human rights.

What a great premise for young adult fiction!

According to the synopsis,

American teenager Sophia falls into a river and

wakes up to find herself in an era from way, way back.

And the adventures begin!

Readers on Amazon.com gave this book 5 stars across the board,

crediting the author, Najiyah Diana Helwani,

with accurate depictions and a great, well-written story.

I can't wait to read it myself, and I feel

really honored to be considered for its cover art - 

thank you, Najiyah!