Author vs. Illustrator — Donald Lemke

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.