Paggi, who had been working on the concept for a year or so, decided to finish the book after she was laid off from her job at Scholastic in May. The best part of the book for me is the dedication I got to write to my mom and dad.” I like to imagine my dad wanting to get closer to the moon and stars to feel closer to the love of his life. “We grew up with more of a spiritual belief, rather than religious, and I always found my ‘higher power’ in nature. My father took up this hobby about 13 years ago, after my mother passed away. I simply find it magical and mind-expanding. “My father has a huge telescope and is always informing me about the happenings in space. I even have a journal with all of this astronomical terminology,” Paggi said.Ĭole said her father sparked her interest in the skies above. I find these little snippets describing the ‘Heavenly Waters’ or ‘Cetus the Sea Monster’ and such things utterly fascinating. I have this daily habit of reading about the sun and moon in the weather section of The Press Democrat. Our constant companions, the sun and the moon, particularly intrigue me. “I have always been awed by what is going on in the sky above.
Both are intrigued with the celestial sky. They cherish their families, their community, humor and their friends. These are separate processes but we come together - like our book’s eclipse.” “This concept extends into our partnership: I write. “The sun and moon are always with us - we just don’t see them at the same time, except in glimpses,” Paggi said. The arc of the story mirrors the role of the writer and illustrator. In this age of texting, it is nice to remind people of actual letter writing. The final illustrations are notable in a bold, precise visual demonstration of an eclipse.Ĭole insists the book is “about love and communication. The stylistic choice of hand-written or retro-looking typography is deliberate - to counter contemporary typeface in an age of technology, where products are branded with the latest typographical designs.Ĭole’s images are complex, sometimes scary, simple or psychedelic. Their 30-page book seems of another time, one where texting doesn’t exist.
#Dear sun dear moon series
She is inspired by the art of Marc Davis, one of Disney’s “Nine Old Men,” the core animators of the classic Disney films comic book art like the “Archie” series illustrated by Tom Moore artist Roy Lichtenstein, whose compositions were heavily influenced by comic strips and graffiti. She currently works as an English tutor at Santa Rosa Junior College and teaches language arts at Sonoma State University in a pre-college program.Ĭole, who illustrated the tale, is an artist, designer and landscaper who lives on a blueberry farm. Paggi, who scripted the story, previously worked as a local representative for Scholastic, helping the children’s publisher stage successful book fairs. “Our children introduced us, but also our mutual love of gardening and antiquing has solidified the friendship and now this collaboration,” said Cole, 61.Įach brings a different perspective to their creative partnership. The book, their first, stems from a friendship forged two decades ago when Paggi and Cole were both young mothers. We are lucky to be able to call this place our home,” said Paggi, 57. Within an hour’s drive you can be sipping wine at a winery, shopping on Union Square, hiking up Hood Mountain, or whale watching in Point Reyes. Our proximity to the ocean, the city, nature is unique. “Sonoma County is a special place on the planet. Contemplative, it draws influence from Sonoma County’s landscape - its coast, its vineyards and the famed Valley of the Moon. Their book, “Dear Sun, Dear Moon,” imagines love letters between Sun and Moon. It is ostensibly a children’s book, but the illustrated tale by Sebastopol residents Deborah Paggi and Gayle Cole stands rooted in the personal journeys of the longtime friends and the place they call home.
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