A Picture Book that is a Wild Ride
Let’s rewind to early 2012. I was five months pregnant, navigating life in Vancouver between muddy snowbanks, prenatal yoga, movie torrents, and ambitious home-cooked meals. Despite the obvious curve of my belly, I was still trying to land a job—which proved challenging, especially when I mentioned I was due in May.
So, for reasons I can’t quite explain, I began the year canvassing for the Wilderness Committee. It lasted exactly seven days. One chilly evening in North Vancouver, after knocking on 25 doors (and receiving 25 closed ones), I found myself crouched behind a bush—desperate for a bathroom, flyers in hand, and very pregnant. That was it. No more canvassing for me.
Then, one bright morning, I had the idea to contact Michael Katz, publisher and co-owner of Tradewind Books. Despite my limited experience in children’s publishing, Mike welcomed me in. Just like that, I began an internship at Tradewind and a TA position in the Children’s Book Workshop he teaches at UBC.
It was an inspiring time—full of note-taking, mind-mapping, and soaking up as much as I could about picture books. I learned the ropes of editing, book design, copyright, and the beautiful cross-continental web that binds publishers and illustrators. I also got to witness the creative power of Mike’s wife, Carol Frank, Tradewind’s art director. With an incredible eye for visual storytelling, Carol brings each book to life. And alongside her is the brilliant graphic designer Elisa Gutiérrez, who adds spark and rhythm to every page.
One book that captured this synergy perfectly is Night Sky Wheel Ride, written by the inimitable Sheree Fitch and illustrated by Yayo. It’s a poetic, dreamlike whirl through a night carnival—where apple trees, laundry machines, and even the sky itself are swept into motion. Elisa’s design turns the book into a ride of its own: text and images spiral together with movement, music, and magic.
Mike and Carol gifted a copy of Night Sky Wheel Ride to Georgia before she was even born. It quickly became a treasured part of her growing bookshelf. Back then, she was more into waving her arms and licking her fingers than following a plot—but the vivid colors and lyrical rhythm clearly made an impression.
If you haven’t read it yet, I highly recommend you do. It’s the kind of book that reminds us: nothing is impossible, everything is imaginable, and movement is the only constant.
✨ Check out an interview with Yayo over on Taleen Hacikyan’s Art Blog.
Book: Night Sky Wheel Ride
Words by: Sheree Fitch
Pictures by: Yayo, Diego Herrera
Published: 2010, Tradewind Books
What it’s about: A dazzling, dreamlike adventure set in a nighttime carnival. With Sheree Fitch’s signature musical poetry and Yayo’s whimsical, surreal illustrations, the book takes young readers on a twirling, tumbling ride through a world where anything is possible and imagination is in constant motion.
Themes: Imagination, Nighttime wonder, Musical Rhythm
Recommended Ages: Great for 3–8
Canada Link
U.S. Link
