A Peek into the Process of One Turtle’s Last Straw Illustrator Marta Álvarez Miguéns

By Elisa Boxer

Three years ago, as I watched this video of marine biologists pulling a plastic straw out of a sea turtle’s nose, my first thought was: This has to be a children’s book! 

On shelves Tuesday, May 10, 2022!

My second thought was: This is waaaay too graphic for a children’s book.

One of my biggest challenges in writing the text was to convey the heart-wrenching tale of the sea turtle’s near-death experience, while making the story palatable and gentle enough for young readers. 

But if this was my challenge, imagine what the illustrator was up against! 

Marta Álvarez Miguéns

“The true story on which this book is based is quite harsh,” said Marta Álvarez Miguéns, the artist behind the book’s brilliant images. “When I saw the video about the rescue, I had a hard time watching it. I am quite sensitive to animal suffering and I don't like to see animals suffering at all,” Marta said. “I don't need to see a very difficult situation to empathize with them.”

From the moment I saw the preliminary sketches for this book, I was astounded at how Marta was able to portray the turtle as believable, yet child-friendly and relatable. 

When I asked Marta how she managed to achieve this, she told me: “One of my biggest motivations in illustrating this story was to get readers to empathize with the turtle as much as possible.” Creating a turtle who was “a bit less realistic,” with a focus on “adorable” eyes from a close-up perspective, Marta told me she “tried to find a balance between sadness and hope.”

It’s a balance she struck more perfectly than I could have imagined.

Here’s an example of just how meticulously Marta’s process reflects her desire to tread thoughtfully, experiment, and refine an illustration when needed. This is an early sketch of a scene where the turtle is trapped in a trawler net:

“I had drawn one of the illustrations in which the turtle was trapped in a net in the foreground,” Marta told me, referring to the top illustration. 

“In the end, I thought it was too much suffering and I preferred to make a general shot in which we could see the sad situation the turtle was in, but without so much sensationalism.”

So Marta replaced the scene on top with the one you see below it. The bottom illustration is the one that made it into the finished book. 

Here it is in full color:

There’s something else about this scene that adds more emotional impact than words ever could. As you can see, Marta created “an emotional link between the fish that accompanied the turtle on its journey” and the turtle trapped in the net. 

Just look at their faces! Nowhere in the text do I say anything about the fish. And yet Marta masterfully created a scene where “we see that some are trapped in the net and others are left outside looking helplessly at the situation in which they cannot do anything. I liked this illustration better because it had many more things to tell than the one with the turtle in the foreground,” she said.

In addition to capturing the emotion involved in the turtle’s harrowing journey, the book also features breathtaking underwater scenes. Marta told me she “wanted to show the beauty and richness of the environment that we should preserve.”

Thanks to Marta’s generosity, this incredible depiction of a Costa Rican coral reef from the book is available as a limited-edition, 5x7 print for anyone who orders the book through my local indie, Print: A Bookstore. 

I’m so grateful to Marta for these prints, for her glorious art, and for her compassion in striking that sensitive balance between sadness and hope. 

Book Details

ONE TURTLE'S LAST STRAW: The Real-Life Rescue That Sparked a Sea Change

by Elisa Boxer Illustrated by Marta Álvarez Miguéns

Pub Date: May 10, 2022
ISBN: 978-0593372463
Publisher: Crown Books for Young Readers

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Elisa Boxer is an Emmy and Murrow award-winning journalist whose work has been featured in publications including The New York Times, Fast Company and Inc. magazine. She has reported for newspapers, magazines and TV stations, and has a passion for telling stories about people finding the courage to create change. She is the author of The Voice That Won the Vote, A Seat at the Table, One Turtle's Last Straw, and the forthcoming books SPLASH! and Covered in Color. Elisa lives in Maine, and you can visit her at elisaboxer.com, IG @boxerelisa, Twitter @eboxer, and Facebook.

Marta Álvarez Miguéns is an author and children's book illustrator living in A Coruña, Spain. In 2007, her artwork was selected and exhibited at the Bratislava Biennial of Illustration (BIB). She illustrated Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean's Most Fearless Scientist, which was named one of the Best Children's Books of 2017 by Parents Magazine, and won the Blue Spruce Award in 2018. She also painted the funny and charming illustrations for What Is Poo?, which won the Silver Award at the Junior Design Awards 2017. Visit her at martalvarez.com and @martalvarez.art on IG.

20 Questions: Favorite Craft Resources

Welcome back to our series, 20 QUESTIONS!,

where we answer questions about writing, reading, and author life.

This month’s question:

“What’s your top craft resource for authors or illustrators?”

Valerie Bolling

“Though I suspect you may be looking for specific resources, I’m going to go more general. I think engaging in opportunities where you can learn about craft from multiple speakers, like conferences and 12 x 12 webinars, is the way to go. There’s also no substitute for reading voraciously in your genre to find valuable mentor texts.”

 —Valerie Bolling, author of TOGETHER WE RIDE, illus. Kaylani Juanita (Chronicle, 2022)

M. O. Yuksel

“There are so many wonderful free online resources I’ve learned from over the years like Kidlit411, SubItClub, and websites of authors like Debbie Ohi, Josh Funk, Harold Underdown, and Tara Lazar. Attending workshops at the Highlights Foundation (which offers scholarships!), and Storyteller Academy have been instrumental. And I reference books like Writing Picture Books by Ann Whitford Paul, and Real Revision by Kate Messner all the time.”  —M. O. Yuksel, author of ONE WISH: Fatima Al-Fihri and the World’s Oldest University, illus. Mariam Quraishi (HarperCollins, 2022)

Kjersten Hayes

“For me the most valuable craft resource for writing has been reading. I read between 500-1,000 picture books a year (including rereads—when my kids were small, I read well over 1,000 every year). I’ve done this for nearly 15 years. That much reading adds up. I see patterns in how writers approach characters, rhythm, tension, pacing. It’s invaluable. But in addition to reading, a few of my favorite craft books are Writing with Pictures by Uri Shulevitz, and Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert. 

—Kjersten Hayes, author of THE ELEPHANTS’ GUIDE TO HIDE-AND-SEEK, illus. Gladys Jose (Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, 2020) 

Anna Crowley Redding

“Carolyn See’s The Literary Life. This is hands-down one of the best craft/writer life books I have ever read. Read it from cover to cover. It not only addresses craft, but the writer’s soul. Just love it. 

—Anna Crowley Redding, author of COURAGE LIKE KATE: The True Story of a Girl Lighthouse Keeper, Illustrated by Emily Sutton (Random House Studio, August 2022)

PENGUIN JOURNEY: Interview and Cover Reveal with Illustrator Cat Odell

by Angela Burke Kunkel

One of the most gratifying moments in the process of making a picture book, at least for text-only authors like myself, is when we get to see images from the artist. Watching the illustrations develop over time, from first sketches to final art, is a thrill I can’t quite describe. We’re often reminded that picture books are a collaboration between two people, and never does that feel truer than when watching word and image come together.

Read to the end for the cover reveal!

For that reason, I’m so glad Cat Odell agreed to answer a few questions about our upcoming picture book, PENGUIN JOURNEY (Abrams Appleseed, October 2021). The story is a spare, lyrical look at the incredible length emperor penguin parents go to in order to raise a chick. We’re so excited to give readers a sneak peek at the process and reveal the final cover art. So, without further ado, here’s Cat!

Angela: Hi Cat! I’m so glad we’re able to chat a little about the book and your illustrations for PENGUIN JOURNEY. But first, tell us a little bit about yourself!

Cat: I would say I’m an Artist, Author/Illustrator, Builder, Skater, Wave Rider, Musician, Tree Hugger. Someday I’ll figure out a more eloquent way of summing that up.

Reading your bio for the book, it’s clear you have passion for the environment. Did that inform your artwork for PENGUIN JOURNEY in any way?

I think it informs everything? Or it’s become that way over the years. As my awareness has grown, my relationship with the Earth has deepened into one that I carry everywhere. I like to challenge myself to constantly improve my habits around consumption. It’s certainly a challenge in our current system, but I’m here to learn and try. For PENGUIN JOURNEY in particular, I wanted the characters to feel relatable, so that a child or parent could see themselves in the story. I wanted the illustrations to nurture a connection and hopefully a curiosity. I think those are foundational to an interest in protecting our home.

Illustration by Catherine Odell

It’s so interesting that you say that, because as I revised the book, that relatable aspect informed what I wanted to convey in words, too. Penguins’ co-parenting struggles are so recognizable to human parents, I think.

Can you talk a little bit about your process? How did you create the illustrations for the book? And were there any specific challenges from sketches to final art?

If it’s a subject I haven’t spent a lot of time with, I usually need to start with observation. In this case, that meant watching all the YouTube penguin videos and documentaries I could find. Unfortunately, libraries were closed when I was working on this, but I’m so grateful for the wealth of information at our fingertips! It was like taking myself on an imaginary expedition. I did loose sketches in this “getting to know you” phase, exploring form and movement and all the various body positions penguins take. This was also when I spent time figuring out how I draw penguins, for this story in particular, and what level of fidelity feels best.

Sketch by Catherine Odell

Alongside the character development ... I also dive into mapping out the story itself. Who’s doing what, where, and when? Those thumbnails are very small and rough, just helping me to see what’s on each page and think about camera angle and how I'll position everyone. I suppose this part is a bit like directing a very tiny film.

Because I’ve had challenges in the past going from sketches to final art, I played with a lot of styles and mediums early on. Doing this exploration sooner rather than later, and not over-developing my pencil drawings, was an improved part of my process this time around. I went back and forth with the publishing team quite a few times for the first spread to really dial it in before marching forward into the rest of the book. I also worked on the final art in a mostly linear fashion, which I’ve never done before. Typically, I follow my fun compass, and that can be a bit scattered. I think it helped me to go from beginning to end because of the nature of a story (it being a journey and all). Which is all to say I really enjoyed working on this book, in so many ways.

Sketch by Catherine Odell

I love that you can relate your process to the journey we go on in the text. The penguins have to travel across a dramatic Antarctic landscape, the feel you had to convey in your art. Can you tell us about how you decided on this particular style?

In trying a lot of styles in the beginning, I also happened to start playing around on the iPad. It was a lot of fun experimenting with snowy scapes using a few of the gritty pastel brushes. As you know, that’s where we ended up, but it didn’t start there. Initially the art director [Hana Nakamura at Abrams Appleseed] and I discussed using watercolor and ink. I had done a few penguins in ink before and it seemed like the obvious answer. Then I sent sketches that were done on the iPad as well as some watercolors done by hand. Oddly the digital ones looked more painterly than my hand-done watercolors. Arm toss. So there it was. A new way of working. I ended up using bits and pieces of watercolor throughout, and doing final adjustments in Photoshop, but the bulk of it was done in Procreate.  

Illustration by Catherine Odell

The text of PENGUIN JOURNEY relies on spare language and rhyme, but it’s still nonfiction. Did you need to research any specific aspects of penguins or the Antarctic? Any tidbits of information that surprised you?

I love the spare language! I think it’s closely related to one of my biggest takeaways from learning more about emperor penguins, which is the TIME that passes between each parent’s journey to the sea to feed themselves. So much devotion! And I still don’t understand how they find each other.

Illustration by Catherine Odell

It’s amazing, isn’t it? The sheer volume of all of the penguins doing calls to find each other again. You’d think that Antarctic landscape is quiet, but not always!

You’re also the author and illustrator of the Pepper and Frannie books, about two rabbits with very distinct personalities. What would you like to tell us about these two friends?

Their stories focus on the beauty of supportive friendships and the bravery that can blossom in them. They’re very much inspired by some of my experiences in skating—trying new things—and playing music.

What’s next for you?

I have no idea! Right now, I’m following an obsession with picking up plastic pieces on the beach. I broke my foot this summer and ended up doing more sitting than usual, but was lucky enough to do some of that sitting on the rocks at the beach. And I got in the habit of picking up tiny bits of microplastic. I usually carry a bag for litter when I’m adventuring, but this was different. It was so small you could ignore it, or maybe think they were colored shells or rocks, or in my case, become slightly obsessed with picking it up and processing how much must be out there. I’m collecting and using the pieces to make illustrations. It’s actually a lot like doing a puzzle, but one with endless possibilities. I’m hoping to tell a story using the stuff, just not sure what yet. As you can see, I’m not exactly wed to a particular medium. So that’s consistent.

Anything else you’d like readers to know about the cover, the rest of the book, or about you?

There are underwater scenes! And starry night scenes! So much to look forward to. I can’t wait to share it.

Thank you, Cat! I can’t wait either. But in the meantime, it’s been such a thrill to get a peek into your process. Speaking of scenes, let’s pull back the curtain on that cover!

PENGUIN JOURNEY’s cover was illustrated by Catherine Odell and designed by Hana Nakamura. The book releases October 26, 2021, from Abrams Appleseed and can be pre-ordered at abramsbooks.com. ISBN: 978-1-4197-4589-8

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Catherine Odell’s childhood spanned the globe and helped her to develop an appreciation for the interconnectedness of life on planet Earth. She now lives in Portland, Oregon, working as a freelance illustrator. She is the author and illustrator of the picture book series Pepper and Frannie. When she is not drawing and painting in her garage studio, she can be found selling her artwork at local street fairs, skating a mountain road, or surfing in the cold waters of the Pacific Ocean. Visit her at canyoufeedthedog.com.

Angela Burke Kunkel is a school librarian and the author of Digging for Words: José Alberto Gutiérrez and the Library He Built. After soaking up the sun in the Southwest for a number of years, she now lives in Vermont with her husband, two children, two dogs, a guinea pig, and one rapidly-growing bearded dragon. She hopes to meet a penguin (or three!) up close one day. Visit her at angelakunkel.com or on Twitter and Instagram @angkunkel.