Bob Raczka
Mark Wiegard
Author of the art appreciation series, Bob Raczka’s Art Adventures, Bob Raczka studied both art and advertising in college. He has worked as an advertising writer for 30+ years, and has published more than 30 children’s books. His work has received multiple awards including the Claudia Lewis Award for his first poetry book, Guyku: A Year of Haiku for Boys, and a Charlotte Zolotow Honor for Niko Draws a Feeling. Bob and his wife Amy have three grown children, Robert, Carl and Emma, plus two dogs, Penny and Pippa. He is based in Illinois.
Interview
What was your favorite book when you were a child?
Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel by Virginia Lee Burton
What’s your favorite line from a book?
I don’t have a favorite line. (And I call myself a writer!)
Who are your top three favorite authors or illustrators?
Only three? Well, Robert McCloskey, Chris Van Allsburg, and Douglas Florian would definitely be in my top ten.
Why did you want to become an author or illustrator?
Because it looked like so much fun. And it is, although it’s also a lot of hard work.
Do you have any advice for future authors or illustrators?
Write because you love it, not because you want to get rich (you probably won’t). Write what you know about, or what interests you (preferably both). Try to work on more than one manuscript at a time, so that when you get tired of one, you can give it a rest and work on something different. Read lots of children’s books, especially the kind you want to write. Read lots of books, period. Be yourself. Make writing a game. And remember, rewriting/revising/editing are an important part of the game. Oh, and don’t give up.
