Books To Treasure Event Brings Author And Illustrator Sophie Blackall To Tulsa

The Tulsa City-County Library is celebrating its Books to Treasure event this week. This annual program brings a nationally recognized author and illustrator to Tulsa, and all second graders in Tulsa County receive a special library card featuring artwork by the event’s illustrator. This year, the featured illustrator and author is Sophie Blackall, and her book is called, "If You Come to Earth".

LeAnne: I love children’s books, and I’ve never seen a book quite like this. Tell us a bit about the story, and how did you come up with this idea?

Sophie: Sure. I was fortunate to work with UNICEF and Save the Children about 10 years ago and visited countries like Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Bhutan, and India, meeting thousands of children. As an author and illustrator, I also meet many children here in the U.S. and other countries. I realized I wanted a book about all of us and our shared planet. I'd done books on bears, babies, and lighthouses, but traveling to places where children were seeing books for the first time. I wanted something that would resonate with every child in the world. So, I wrote this book as a letter from a child to a visitor from another planet, explaining the world: If You Come to Earth, here’s what you need to know.

LeAnne: This was a five-year process for you. You’ve met or seen almost everyone in this book.

Sophie: Yes. At some point, I thought, why imagine people when I’d met thousands? I decided to include real, diverse people I’d met worldwide and in New York City, where I live. I invited myself into a second-grade classroom because that age is magical. These second-graders shared ideas about what they love about the world, their fears, and their dreams. I promised to put them in the book, though it might take time. By the time it was published, they were in ninth grade! But they were thrilled to be immortalized, with their names at the back, which was a wonderful collaboration.

LeAnne: Tell us about the young person who wrote the letter. I love this story of how it all came together.

Sophie: I’d met so many kids, and I was looking for a child to represent them all. Then I met Quinn. I asked Quinn what snack they’d offer a visitor from outer space. Without hesitation, Quinn said, “Mashed potatoes—because we don’t know if they have teeth!” I thought, “This is the child!”

LeAnne: That’s so thoughtful! I love the page with people we’d recognize, like Ruth Bader Ginsburg. I think I see Beyoncé, too?

Sophie: Yes, that’s Beyoncé! They’re all real people—some celebrities, some everyday individuals.

The event to meet Sophie is Friday, Nov. 8 at 6 p.m. at the Hardesty Regional Library at 93rd and Memorial.

For more information, visit the Tulsa Library's website at tulsalibrary.org.