The value of picture books
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Darren Farrell, author of “Doug-Dennis and the Flyaway Fib,” stresses the importance of instilling children with a love for books at a young age. / Korea Times photo by Kim Young-jin
Children’s author talks about how books, not iPads, form special family bonds
By Kim Young-jin
Despite a flood of technology that has the book industry pondering its future, a local author says picture books may be safe because they offer parents a special chance to wind down and bond with their young ones.
Darren Farrell, author of “Doug-Dennis and the Flyaway Fib” (2010), hopes to spread the message that despite the popularity of smartphones and iPads ― devices that challenge the book market ― there’s nothing like a bedtime story.
“Picture books are such a special time between parents and children,” said the 37-year-old American, who will hold a “story time” event on Saturday at What the Book in Itaewon, Seoul. “It’s a time when they can share a story together, share a laugh together.
“Dadboy,” created by author-illustrator Darren Farrell for The Korea Times, depicts the bond that reading creates between a parent and child. / Courtesy of Darren Farrell
“Unless parents instill a love of books in their children at a young age, with picture books, it gets harder and harder.”
Farrell, who lives in Seoul, uses a warm sense of humor and amusing illustrations to help create such moments. “Doug-Dennis,” his first foray into literature after starting his career in advertising, is full of laugh-out-loud material for children and includes a few jokes for parents as well.
The author believes there are multiple paths to capturing a young person’s imagination. One segment of books, such as the “Captain Underpants” series and books by Mo Willems, focus on creating a sense of fun, he says. Others, such as the Maurice Sendak classic “Where the Wild Things Are,” “show that books can open a window to a different world.”
“Doug-Dennis and the Flyaway Fib,” Darren Farrell, Dial
Either way, the stories have more competition these days from computers, making the parent’s role more important, said the author, who has a three-year-old son.
“In some ways I think picture books are one of the few types of publishing that are a little bit safer from the creep of the iPad,” he said in an interview. “Because when you sit down with your children at night, at least me, I never pull out the iPad. It feels like TV.
“(Bedtime) is the time to put that away and relax, and pull out the book, turn the pages and be able to explore the art.”
“Doug-Dennis” which was well received in the United States and sold in Korea, Australia and New Zealand, is a good example of how books can facilitate the bonding process.
In the story, Doug-Dennis, a sheep, and his elephant buddy Ben-Bobby head to the circus, but when Doug-Dennis eats his friend’s popcorn, he tells a series of lies about it. The fibs carry him into outer space and he has to figure out how to find his way back to Earth.
The book’s success is somewhat surprising because Farrell, who despite having a lifelong love for language, did not study art in college. Working at an advertising agency, however, his dream to write eventually pushed him to hone his drawing, which eventually caught the attention of the publishing world.
His soon-to-be released second book, “Thank You, Octopus,” focuses on a boy and his octopus friend who live on a boat in New York’s Hudson River. As the boy gets ready for bed, the playful Octopus feigns to help him but really wants to continue playing. For example, he offers to help brush the boy’s teeth with a paintbrush.
Farrell says that while he was “flying blind” with his first book, he now has a better idea about publishing and his audience.
“I was learning the process (with Doug-Dennis). I thought I had to go read in every bookstore and school and kids were going to love it, tell other kids, and that there was going to be a snowball effect. And I realize, the best way to get a book to snowball is just to keep coming out with new books, keep getting better at the craft. If the next book is popular, people will go back and read ‘Doug-Dennis.’”
In Korea because his wife teaches at an international school here, Farrell is enjoying focusing on his craft and reading to children as much as possible. In the end, he says, it’s all about helping families come together. “I love being able to help build that relationship between parent and child,” he said.
Farrell will read from both “Doug-Dennis and the Flyaway Fib” and “Thank You, Octopus” at What the Book, accessible from Itaewon Station exit 1, at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., Saturday. The readings will include art projects. For more information call (02) 797-2342.