The Idea:
I got the idea for Jack's Talent when I was visiting an elementary school. After drawing for the kids, one little boy raised his hand and commented that I was a very talented artist. He then said that he didn’t have any talents. I told him everyone has a talent. Soon all the kids were raising their hand telling me their talents… soccer… math… music… The idea for Jack's Talent was born!

Finding a Publisher:
Next, I wrote the story and made a small dummy book. A 'dummy' is a sample book, made in rough sketches. I submitted my idea and dummy to my editor at Farrar Straus & Giroux Publishing Co. They liked it! They wanted to publish Jack's Talent and make it a real book. Then my editor and I worked on the text to make it perfect!

Sketches:
Once the text and dummy were approved, I started sketching. I always sketch in pencil and use LOTS of tracing paper to make changes. It took me about two months to make the sketches.

Finished Paintings:
After showing my sketches to my editor and the art director, we made some changes. Then it was time to work on the finished paintings. I used acrylic paints to make the illustrations for this book. The paintings took me about four months to complete.

Printing:
After my illustrations were completed, I sent them to my publisher. They sent everything to a printer. Lots of copies of Jack's Talent were printed and shipped to bookstores and libraries.

Fun Facts:
In Jack's Talent, I used the names of many of my nieces and nephews, including Jack. Miss Lucinda is named after my friend who has a great talent for gardening. My youngest daughter Kristin is in the book too. She really does have talent as a singer!

About Maryann:
Maryann Cocca-Leffler has published over 45 books for children. She lives in New Hampshire where she is working on a new book! If you want to find out more about her and her books or information on her school visits, please check out her website.

P.S. Don’t forget to print out the activity sheets! Have Fun!