The first few days of September have (finally) broken the hot spell that has been summer 2010, and nothing says “fall” more than curling up with a cup of tea and a good book. That is exactly what you will want to do with the picture book Lively Elizabeth! Today we are speaking with author Mara Bergman and illustrator Cassia Thomas about what a strong character like Elizabeth can learn from watching the consequences of her actions spiral out of control. Click here to listen. (RT: 8:20)
Mara Bergman was born in New York and grew up on Long Island. She has written more than a dozen picture books and was awarded the Booktrust Early Years Award in 2009 (UK) for Oliver Who Travelled Far and Wide and a Parents’ Choice Award for Snip Snap, Who’s That? Mara lives in England with her family and their various pets.
Cassia Thomas was born and raised in London with a pencil in one hand and a cup of tea in the other. She has always loved how illustrators are able to transport you into their own worlds and so aspired to do the same. Cassia drew (a lot) and grew (not very much) and finally did a Masters in Children’s Book Illustration, at Anglia Ruskin School of Art. The course helped her realize her ambition to become a visual storyteller.
Since then, she’s twice been selected for the Cheltenham Illustration Awards, where she exhibited alongside her hero, Shaun Tan. She also exhibited this summer in the UK at a children’s book retrospective. Lively Elizabeth is her first book. Her second, George and Ghost, by Catriona Hoy, is set to come out in November 2010. She is currently beavering away on writing and illustrating a new picture book.
Albert Whitman Blog 
A really interesting interview. Thank you for sharing it with us.
Cass, I think you did really well on this interview… Don’t worry it is my first time I’ve heard about podcast and I must say that I fully enjoed this little chat about the story how this little lively girl Elisabeth came to life…I had the book front of me while you were both talking about it and I must say it is one of my favourite children’s book on my bookshelf (& signed – ;-)))). Cass, good luck with your new character ‘Pooshnoozle’ and I will definiely buy it when it gets to our little book shop. Thank you…..