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“I read a lot of John Steinbeck in high school and I love the fact that he had so many different experiences,” said Watson, 61, of Port Townsend. “I’ve found that life experiences give you a lot of tools for your toolbox.”
Watson is the featured illustrator/author for this year’s Lacey Loves to Read community literacy program. His work of more than a dozen books includes the award-winning “Tom Thumb” and New York Times bestseller “The Night Before Christmas.”
“We think readers and artists of all ages will enjoy his books and the amazing illustrations,” said Courtney Schrieve, a spokeswoman for North Thurston Public Schools, who also serves on the Lacey Loves to Read committee. “They are really great books to read together.”
In its ninth year, Lacey Loves to Read challenges people of all ages to read books from the same author during the month of February. The initiative is a partnership between the City of Lacey, North Thurston Public Schools, Lacey Timberland Regional Library, and numerous business and community sponsors.
“It’s a great community event that promotes and encourages reading for everyone,” said Phyllis Dobey, a special education preschool teacher at Chambers Prairie Elementary School. “It’s a nice opportunity to focus on one author and get to know that author’s work.”
Dobey’s class was recently treated to a visit from Lacey City Councilman Andy Ryder, who read Watson’s first book “The Magic Rabbit.” Ryder was one of several guest readers who visited classrooms around the district this month as part of Lacey Loves to Read.
Next week, Watson will stop by events at several schools and the Lacey Timberland Regional Library. He also will be the guest of honor at a community reception Thursday night at the Lacey Community Center.
Watson said he hopes his presentations – which will likely include a question and answer session along with some character invention and sketching – give folks a glimpse of his work, and a dose of inspiration.
“Everybody loves stories, so I just want to challenge them to tell their own stories, whether in words or pictures or both,” he said.
Watson studied at Pasadena City College and the Art Center College of Design in California. He worked at Hallmark Cards as an artist, and the first book that he illustrated was James Dickey’s poem “Bronwen, the Traw, and the Shape-Shifter” in 1986.
Watson said he finds inspiration in everything around him, and believes his work was strongly influenced by his father, a physicist who tried experiments around the house.
“There were always sparks and smoke in his shop,” Watson recalled. “And so, because of that, I love to work in all types of media.”
He described writing and illustrating children’s picture books as “a labor of love and craftsmanship.”
“I get to turn my daydreams into real books, and I get to invent characters,” Watson said. “… I think it’s the best job in the world.”
Lisa Pemberton: 360-754-5433 lpemberton@theolympian.com theolympian.com/edblog Twitter: @Lisa_Pemberton
