Creators of picture book biographies of Charles Schulz and Elisa Hamilton will be visiting Seattle’s Secret Garden Books on October 25, 2019.
Craig Orback is the illustrator of Born To Draw Comics: The Story Of Charles Schulz. Tessa Blackham is the illustrator of From A Small Seed: The Story of Eliza Hamilton. They will appear together for a powerful talk about designing non-fiction picture books.
Charles Schulz: Creator of Charlie Brown
Image from Born to Draw Comics 
Born to Draw Comics is a mixed-panel format picture book biography of Charles “Sparky” Schulz, creator of the beloved comic strip Peanuts. As a child, Charles split his free time between adventures outdoors with his friends and dog Spike, and daydreams and doodles inspired by the comics he loved to read. He longed to become a professional cartoonist, but saw his dreams deferred by unexpected challenges that laid ahead: military deployment to the European front of World War II, and the heartbreak of a family tragedy back home. Even so, Charles never lost sight of the hopeful joy of his early years and his love for Spike, both of which inspired PEANUTS. The comic strip went on to become the most popular and influential in comics history.
Craig Orback has illustrated many books for young readers, including Gifts from the Enemy and The Can Man, among others. His work has also appeared in children’s magazines and school textbooks. He lives with his family in Seattle.
Craig Orback’s website is: http://www.craigorback.com/index.htm
Eliza Schuyler Hamilton: Helping People in Need
Images by Tessa Blackham 
From a Small Seed is a lyrical picture book biography of Eliza Schuyler Hamilton, co-founder and director of the first private orphanage in New York City and wife of founding father Alexander Hamilton.
Ever since she was a young girl, Eliza Hamilton hoped to help people in need. From the private quarters of her family home to her national platform as Hamilton’s partner, Eliza was a lifelong advocate for fairness, freedom and faith. The remarkable acts of charity and public service she performed after Alexander’s death are considered a significant contribution to the Hamilton legacy the world celebrates today. Here is a thoughtful, historical account of her life beginning with her childhood influences.
Tessa Blackham is a children’s book illustrator living on Bainbridge Island. This is her second book.
Tessa Blackham’s website is: http://tessablackham.com/index.html
Event Info
The readingt will be at Secret Garden, 2214 NW Market St., Ballard, on Friday, 25 October 2019 at 7 PM. It is free and the public is invited.
The event site is: https://www.secretgardenbooks.com/event/two-illustrators
Secret Garden Books is a full-service, general bookstore, featuring books for everyone since 2000, with a particular specialty in children’s books since 1977. Learn more at http://www.secretgardenbooks.com/