Deborah Schreiber’s Backyard Stew lands Publishers Weekly review

We’re excited to announce that Backyard Stew, Illustrated by Deborah Schreiber, written by Heather C. Morris and published by Gnome Road, has received an outstanding review in Publishers Weekly.

In their review, Publishers Weekly describe this title a “an antidote for boredom” and that “the creators make a blithe example of imaginative play that’s certain to stir up readers’ own originality.”

Deborah shared some of her experience working on Backyard Stew:

"The project instantly captured my imagination. Heather Morris wrote such a playful story and I loved the concept of tackling boredom by heading outdoors and embracing nature. I wanted the illustrations to feel as engaging and colourful as possible. I also had great fun developing the little raccoon companion who I thought of as soon as I read the script, he helps and does his own thing alongside.

I especially enjoyed getting lost in all the nature-filled spreads with rich colours and varied textures. One thing I was particularly mindful of was keeping the “stew” vibrant and full of colour rather than muddy, so it really reflected the joy of imaginative play.

In terms of challenges, if anything I had the opposite problem. I had so many little ideas straight away that it became a case of refining and choosing which moments to focus on. I’m also quite a perfectionist, so I could happily spend ages tweaking and refining details even once a piece felt finished. Overall, it was a very energising project, and I really enjoyed getting stuck into painting and drawing all the natural elements.

I’m absolutely delighted by the lovely review the book has already received from Publishers Weekly. It got me very excited and I can't wait to see it out in the world. It was such a fun project to work on. Thanks to everyone who made it possible."

If you’d like to work with Deborah, please contact: [email protected]

At illo agency, we pride ourselves in representing a collation of global illustrators, distinctly diverse in creativity and uniquely celebrated by like-minded clients across a range of commercial markets.