The Minors' book, "If You Were a Penguin," is the program's 2009 selection, targeting 560,000 Pennsylvania children.
Artist Wendell Minor and his wife Florence will visit libraries in New Holland, Leola and Mount Joy, as part of Pennsylvania's One Book, Every Young Child campaign, which aims to boost literacy in children ages 3 to 6.
The Minors first collaborated on the 2005 children's book "Christmas Tree!"
Wendell Minor's announcement that he wanted to be an artist landed like a thud on his high-school counselor's desk.
Art was a frivolous waste of time, the counselor said. He'd never make a living doing that.
But Minor was determined to try.
He eventually proved his counselor wrong, excelling at what he calls "the ultimate anonymous art form."
To date, Minor has illustrated 2,000 book covers, including Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird" and Pat Conroy's "The Prince of Tides."
"I've been around a long time — 40 years," he says. "As long as there's ink and paper, I'll be around."
Despite his high-profile covers, Minor finds the most joy illustrating children's books — and especially collaborating with his wife of 31 years, Florence.
On Friday, May 15, the Minors will visit libraries in New Holland, Leola and Mount Joy, as part of Pennsylvania's One Book, Every Young Child campaign, which aims to boost literacy in children ages 3 to 6.
The Minors' book, "If You Were a Penguin," is the program's 2009 selection, targeting 560,000 Pennsylvania children.
One Book encourages parents and educators to read the same book to young children statewide, engaging them with activities like finger plays and open-ended questions.
Mrs. Minor wrote "If You Were a Penguin"; Minor drew the pictures. At their local visits, they will read from the book, which features simple rhyming text and bold, playful illustrations.
Minor will also show images of animals he's created for other books, juxtaposed with a 500-pound robin he drew at age 5.
His message: Anything is possible when you apply yourself — and practice.
"It's a simple message," Minor says, "but they don't hear it often enough."
***
When he was a child, Minor never could have imagined he'd succeed in the book world.
He struggled to read and was in remedial classes during grade school.
"I'm what I call a 'recovering dyslexic,' " he says in a phone interview from his Connecticut home.
"My world was visual."
Art came naturally to Minor, with animals, history and the outdoors among his favorite subjects.
Minor has earned a living as an artist since landing his first job designing cards for Hallmark at age 22.
"I did everything," he says.
"I did fuzzy bunnies. I did 'Happy Easter' cards."
Minor, whose art heroes include Winslow Homer, Andrew Wyeth and Edward Hopper, worked for several New York City studios before launching his own business in 1970.
He takes anywhere from two days to two weeks to create a book cover, painting vivid, opaque images in watercolor gouache.
"It is the most exciting and most frustrating medium ever invented," he says. "When you get the hang of it, it's lots of fun."
Minor met his future wife at a mutual friend's dinner party in New Jersey. They shared a bus ride back to Manhattan, talking like they'd known each other forever.
Mrs. Minor, a former film editor for ABC News, read voraciously as a child, with favorites ranging from Babar to Heidi. She has served as her husband's personal editor for years.
"If she feels it's looking good, I know I'm on the right track," Minor says.
Eventually the couple's career paths intersected.
***
Over the years, Minor developed an interest in illustrating children's books, and especially inspiring young readers to explore wildlife.
"Reading to your child is one of the most important things you can do for them," he says.
The Minors first collaborated on the 2005 children's book "Christmas Tree!"
The idea for "If You Were a Penguin" arose after a visit with their then-4-year-old great-niece, who has an affinity for the tuxedoed birds.
Mrs. Minor wrote a poem about penguins for the little girl. An editor loved the poem and proposed turning it into a book.
Minor has traveled all over the country — Yellowstone, the Tetons, the Everglades — to get up-close views of animals and scenery for his illustrations.
But the $10,000 price tag kept him from journeying to Antarctica to observe penguins.
Also, he says, "It's a rough boat ride. Virtually everyone gets seasick."
Minor borrowed penguin photos from friends who could afford the trip.
(He also didn't make it to the setting of his latest children's book, "Look to the Stars," written with astronaut Buzz Aldrin and due to be released May 14.)
The Minors will soon begin work on their next collaboration, tentatively titled "If You Were a Polar Bear."
But right now, they're occupied with a full slate of One Book author visits.
Their young fans are appreciative.
"Sometimes (kids) get so excited, you can hardly hear yourself," Minor says. "Kids will come up and hug you afterwards."
And after logging hundreds of miles visiting libraries from Wellsboro to Philadelphia, the Minors are learning a lesson of their own.
Pennsylvania is a very big state.
ONE BOOK, BIG IMPACT
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