Yes, he’s one and the same.

I thought children’s literature may have lost William Joyce to Hollywood. The author-illustrator pursued his love of animation.

Despite his animated short film The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore getting nominated for an Academy Award, William Joyce sounds like he isn’t going to forget his readers.

What’s good right now about children’s literature?

I think there is going to be a huge shift in Children’s publishing.  But Children’s literature will be the same mix of quality that it’s always been. There’ll be wonders that are embraced. There’ll be wonders that are ignored or misunderstood. There’ll be books that parents hate and children love and vice versa. So much is being written and discussed about what will become of books.

From your perspective, what could be done to make that “good” better?

People say that picture books are dying, which is simplistic and short-sighted. When I started in publishing in the early 1980’s, picture books had only a fraction of the sales they have now. The numbers are definitely declining but they still sell much more than they did back in “the day.” I think the various pads will change the landscape forever, especially for picture books and young fiction. I did a book App for a book that I haven’t published yet. And I did so with emotional trepidation. Books are holy things to me.

__________

photo by Tony Reans

A true luminary and creative spirit, William Joyce has put his personal stamp on all types of children’s media. He wrote his first book in the fourth grade and has since produced many award-winning, best-selling classics that are loved by both children and adults. His picture books include George Shrinks, Santa Calls, Dinosaur Bob and his Adventures with the Family Lazardo, The Leaf Men and the Brave Good Bugs, A Day with Wilbur Robinson, Bently & Egg, and the Rolie Polie Olie series, which has grown into a popular animated children’s program, earning Joyce three Emmy awards.

Hailed by Newsweek as one of the top 100 people to watch in the new millennium, William Joyce’s distinct and striking drawings and imaginative storytelling depict a world full of whimsy, fun, and adventure. He has lent his creative expertise to the feature film world by creating conceptual characters for such films as Toy Story and A Bug’s Life. Joyce second television series, George Shrinks, aired daily on PBS stations across the country. He was also the producer and production designer for the critically acclaimed animated feature film Robots and was the executive producer of the Disney Feature Animated film Meet the Robinsons, which is based on his picture book.

Joyce is currently co-directing the DreamWorks Animation release of Rise of the Guardians, inspired by his new book series. He is also the writer, producer, and production designer on the Fox Studios feature film, The Leaf Men, based on his book.

In addition to being a recognized figure in the world of children’s literature and animated films, Joyce’s illustrated have appeared numerous times on the cover of The New Yorker and his paintings are displayed at museums and art galleries across the nation. And he has entered the world of interactive digital media with the app The Fantastic Flying Books of Morris Lessmore, which is also an award-winning short film.

William Joyce lives in Shreveport, Louisiana, with his lovely wife, Elizabeth, and their family. The Man in the Moon, the first picture book in the Guardians of Childhood series, marks his return to the world of children’s books.