I've been thinking a lot about Richard Scarry. He was one of my favorite author/illustrators growing up. My next picture book is called BEAR NAKED, it is rooted in a very Scarry-like city. Animals with jobs, running around, busy busy. Here's a little taste of what's to come in BEAR NAKED. As you can probably guess from the title, the hero of the story loses his clothes. Which is a terrible thing when you are a polar bear.
I want it to look like Richard Scarry's Busy, Busy world in real life, with real animals wearing clothes. We'll see how it goes. BEAR NAKED is slated for release in '10. "TEN." Isn't that weird to say? Not 'O Ten. Just TEN.
I found this clip on YouTube, of the Scarry animals singing a Beastie Boys song. I'm surprised how well it fits, it feels right at home somehow. So bust it out Huckle Cat!
