17/05/2023
It is not often that someone gets the chance to help in the production of a children’s book right out of high school, however I was lucky enough to be given that very opportunity upon joining the Applied Media and Communication Arts program at NSCC. The prospect was certainly daunting at first, however as the book’s development progressed, I became excited to contribute to it whenever time allowed. It has since become one of the proudest projects that I have ever contributed to.
The book in question, Hecky Gets to Play, was made as a fundraiser for the Hawks Dream Field Society, a community sports complex located in Dominion, Nova Scotia. It follows the story of Hecky the Hawk—who was born with poor eyesight and one wing shorter than the other—as he is given the opportunity to become part of a baseball team through friendship and cooperation. It reflects the goal of the Hawks Dream Field itself, which is to be inclusive and welcoming to those who need it most.
Working on the book was incredibly helpful in teaching me how to work with a client, and in showing me how my work can positively impact those who view it. My first task was to create a 16-panel storyboard based on ideas from everyone in the class. From there, I illustrated select backgrounds (for all scenes taking place at the ball field) and designed characters (Joe the Crow and the Racoon Twins) which—in my humble opinion—ended up being favorites among those working on the book. It was great getting such a positive reception towards something that I created.
At a round-table discussion with our client part way through the book’s development, we were able to show what we had developed so far, and projections for what we wanted to do next. The response was remarkable. The joy on their faces is something I will never forget, and their excitement was contagious; I do not think I have ever seen someone so excited about a book in my life.
Most importantly, the process of working on Hecky Gets to Play helped me develop a much higher level of confidence in my work. You often hear that your biggest critic is yourself, and I can personally attest that was the case with me. While I am still critical of my work to an extent, sharing my contributions with
other members of the project was a great way of showing me that I was far too harsh on what I created, and that sometimes all you need is a fresh pair of eyes to show that what you’ve made isn’t nearly as bad as you made it out to be.
I will certainly never forget working on Hecky Gets to Play, or the friends and lessons I have made from it. It is a great feeling to have worked on a tangible product that I will be able to share with my friends and family for many years to come.
The book is up for pre-sale now, and we're in the final stages of development. It will officially go on sale June 12th, 2023.
Hecky Gets to Play is a story about a hawk who was born with one wing shorter than the other and he wears glasses. Hecky wants to play baseball with the tea...
