TONY DITERLIZZI
(interview: The Spider and the Fly, Book Sense, May 2003)

The whimsical Jimmy Zangwow's Out-of-this-World Moon Pie Adventure and widely acclaimed Ted helped build him a loyal following, but it was the runaway success of The Spider and the Fly -- a 2003 Caldecott Honor Book and New York Times bestseller -- that turned DiTerlizzi into one of the most popular children's book creators around.

How did your career in illustration get started?

When I graduated from The Art Institute of Ft. Lauderdale in 1992, a bunch of my buddies and I started playing Dungeons & Dragons -- yes, that role-playing game from the 1980s.

Realizing I might actually have a chance at doing art for the company who published the games, I sent in my art samples. Several submissions later, they gave me my first illustration job -- an adventure called "Dragon Mountain." What a doozy that was!

When and why did you start doing children's books?

When I was a senior in high school, I had a class called "Portfolio" which basically helped you design a submission portfolio for art school. Some students chose to call the class "Nap Time" or "Homework-for-Other-Classes Time," but I really loved to draw and dreamed of becoming a professional illustrator. Needless to say, I was really into it.

My favorite assignment for that class was to illustrate a book. I chose Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, and LOVED every minute of working on it! My mom was not too surprised -- she pointed out that I had been creating little books for myself since I was in elementary school.

I knew from that point on that I wanted to make books full of awe and imagination, since those were the books that inspired me.

How would you describe your artistic style? Who are some of your main influences?

My artistic style is primarily influenced by an array of classic illustrators such as Arthur Rackham, A. B. Frost, E. H. Shepard, and Norman Rockwell. There is a quality of craftsmanship in the work they did that I try to emulate. However, I will look at other artists for inspiration on a particular project, because I am always looking to evolve -- you won't get the same style book out of me twice.

My art style was once described as a "very twisted Norman Rockwell," and that works just fine for me.

What were your artistic inspirations for The Spider and the Fly?

As I mentioned earlier, I often look at other artists' work to get inspiration for a particular project. In the case of The Spider and The Fly, I prepared by looking at a lot of Edward Gorey and Charles Addams. Their sense of dark comedy greatly influenced how I handled my interpretation of the story.

Why did you choose to adapt the poem?

I didn't choose it, I was the fortunate victim of circumstance!

My dear editor, Kevin Lewis, saw a cover I had done for Spider magazine, which was of a little fairy painting spots on a ladybug. Around her were a bunch of other anthropomorphic insects, and creatures dancing and holding hands.

After seeing how I handled the insects, he contacted me and asked if I knew the poem. All I could remember was the opening stanza, and had no idea how -- or where -- the rest of it went. So, Kevin faxed the whole poem over.

As soon as I finished reading the poem, I knew I had to do it. Though I figured it had entered the ranks of other classics and had probably been illustrated many, many times, I was shocked to find out it hadn't! I became very excited and dove right into it.

Why did you decide to illustrate The Spider and the Fly in black and white?

After reading the poem with its moralistic overtones and dark ending, I thought, "Wow, Ed Gorey would have been perfect for this!"

I am a HUGE fan of his work (LOVE The Gashleycrumb Tinies!) and how it appeals to both the young and the old. Since the majority of Gorey's books were in black and white, that started my train of thought: Charles Addams cartoons were also in black andwhite; "The Addams Family" television shows were in black and white; most monster movies I saw when I was a kid were in black and white -- we HAVE to do this book in black and white!

This was easier said than done. Many people at Simon & Schuster felt that a black-and-white illustrated picture book would not fare well in the sea of Technicolor books at any given bookstore. I felt that element was the one thing that would make it stand out. Luckily, I was able to convince everybody it would work. (Phew! Am I glad it did!)

The Spider and the Fly is often described as a dark, cautionary tale, and your adaptation is more playfully sinister than most children's picture books. Have you encountered any negative reactions to the book because of its content?

I haven't. In fact, I've been amazed at how many have embraced it!

The usual thinking in publishing is that most parents don't want a obviously didactic story for their children. It has to be subtle: the meaning more hidden between the lines.

With that in mind, I kinda played with the poem by making it a dark comedy for children. Though some thought it was too dark, I knew kids would adore the characters and be thrilled at the unexpected ending.

I love reading it to kids. Halfway through I stop and ask them where they think the story is going. They always choose a happy ending, and I laugh and laugh (in a Vincent Price kind of way).

The other thing that has blown me away is that many parents, librarians, and schools really LIKE that there is a moral to the story. Perhaps we are in a time where it is okay to say "watch out for this" or "be aware of that" in books for little minds.

What are some of your favorite children's books?

How long is this interview? I could go on and on, so here's a top 10...in no particular order...and note that it changes on a regular basis:

10. Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (and Through The Looking-Glass)
9. All of the Winnie-the-Pooh books and poems by A. A. Milne
8. Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein (and I LOVE Lafcadio!)
7. In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak (and of course, Where the Wild Things Are)
6. The Butter Battle Book by Dr. Seuss and On Beyond Zebra (I ADORE The Lorax)
5. The Mysteries of Harris Burdick by Chris Van Allsburg
4. A Day With Wilbur Robinson (LOVE William Joyce's stuff!)
3. I own ALL of John Scieszka's and Lane Smith's books
2. ANY Roald Dahl book
1. It may not have been intended for kids, but I read it at a young age and still read it regularly: Watership Down by Richard Adams

Any new projects you're working on that you'd like to tell us about?

I have been working with good friend and author Holly Black in bringing to life a true account concerning three children and a bunch of critters from the world of Faerie. The series is titled The Spiderwick Chronicles, and it consists of five thin chapter-books, and a reconstruction of an 80-year-old field guide to trolls, elves, dragons, and such.

After that, I am onto my next picture book, and another chapter book that I've written. Hopefully the public will embrace my new projects like they have with my past ones. It's been one amazing ride!

© 2003 Andrew Duncan | All rights reserved | Do not reproduce without expressed consent of author.