#traci sorell
At the Mountain’s Base features powerful artwork by comics/graphics artist Weshoyot Alvitre (Tongva) in her picture book debut. Written by Traci Sorell (Cherokee), the story centers on a family waiting for their relative to return from war. Penguin’s new imprint Kokila Books connected these creators and here they share how this process worked for them.
Sorell: I had some initial trepidation about how this concise poem would be illustrated. After publisher Namrata Tripathi acquired the manuscript, she emailed me and asked if I knew your work. I didn’t and wondered how working in the comics world would translate to crafting a picture book.
What did you first think when she contacted you?
Alvitre: I was excited and surprised at the short length. Its circular pattern of imagery was just so powerful. I was both intimidated by the minimalism and eager to see what I could do with it. I also wanted to know more about you to see if I could pull from your tribe’s traditions for the art.
Sorell: You definitely pulled from Cherokee traditions. I purposefully left room for any illustrator to choose whatever tribe they wanted for the family.
What was it about weaving that spoke to your creative process?
Alvitre: I loved the concept of weaving you included as I do a lot of fiber arts and crafts. I’ve taught myself spinning on hand spindles and spinning wheels. My tribe is known for their fine basketry, but we don’t really have weavings with wool or yarns. So I learned specifics of Cherokee finger weaving and it ended up being a visual theme throughout the entire book.
Sorell: What a gorgeous theme it is! I love the yarn defining each panel. Those few double page spreads have so much impact. I delight in lifting the dust jacket and showing everyone the case cover. Your artwork throughout the entire book takes the poem to another level. Tears flow. I didn’t anticipate it would produce that type of reaction, but I’ve seen it repeatedly when I’ve shared the advance copies. Powerful!
Did you feel that emotion as you worked?
Alvitre: I always take the work I do very personal and try to get inside the characters’ heads. While making this book, I found out more about the service of my late grandfather, a decorated Marine and war veteran. Also, I was in the process of losing my grandma—an active knitter who mailed knitting patterns and instructions to a younger me. I still cherish that.
I also thought about ceremony and how prayers and songs are included, to protect people but also to mourn for them. I watched a vignette on Cherokee women reclaiming their traditional ways through language, crafts, and sewing. They were singing gospel songs and discussing the loss of language in the community but hearing its preservation at these gatherings. Reclaiming our languages, traditions, crafts and actively using them can be very emotional.
Sorell: Truth. Something else I want to know—how would you describe your debut experience?
Alvitre: Better than I could have possibly imagined! Working with such strong women, your writing, Namrata’s vision for Kokila and Jasmin’s gentle eye, I felt part of a family. I learned so much about the process of putting a children’s book together. I smile about being intimidated to enter this market, but I am eager to illustrate more. There’s so much freedom, and it’s fulfilling to read it to my children.
Sorell: Wado for sharing. I can’t wait for us to share this book with the world!
Weshoyot Alvitre is a comic book artist and illustrator. She’s most recently worked as art director for the video game When Rivers Were Trails and illustrator on the graphic novel Redrawing History with the Library Company of Philadelphia. Her books have received numerous awards and recognition, including the Eisner Award for Little Nemo: Dream Another Dream and Prism Award for Hummingbird Boys in Moonshot Volume 2. She currently resides in Southern California with her husband and two children.
