Giuseppe Castellano talks to Caldecott Honor-winning, New York Times best-selling illustrator and author, Christopher Denise, about why “show, don’t tell” is advice children’s book creators should avoid; how an anthropomorphized animal can look more like a mascot, and why that’s bad; how no illustrator working today knows, entirely, what they’re doing; and more.

To learn more about Christopher, visit christopherdenise.com.

Artists mentioned in this episode include: N.C. Wyeth, Beatrix Potter, David Macaulay, Uri Shulevitz, Louis Darling, E.H. Shepard, Inga Moore, Fred Marcellino, Alice Bolem Preston, and Charles Santore

If you find value in this podcast, consider becoming a paid subscriber on Substack, or a supporter on Patreon. On either platform, you will gain access to bonus episodes we call “Extra Credit”—among other perks and benefits. | Visit illustrationdept.com for offerings like mentorships and portfolio reviews, testimonials, our alumni showcase, and more. | Music for the podcast was created by Oatmello.

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