Media Kit
A SWEATER FOR DUNCAN
UN SUÉTER PARA DUNCAN
About the Book
Little Duncan penguin is proud of his fuzzy coat. He sticks out his chest as he waddles among the other penguins. He
likes to admire himself in a mirror–like piece of ice. He knows he is the handsomest one in the frozen south. Trouble
jumps in when a piece of fuzz flies off. He presses it into his tummy, but it doesn’t stay. It begins to fall off in clumps and
float on the wind like butterflies. He spends every day chasing after the flying fuzz. A small spot grows into a medium spot,
then a big spot. A sweater will hide the bare spots, he decides.
His mother agrees to knit him a sweater, but will that solve the problem? The sweater is too tight, then too short. It’s just
too small. What’s he to do? Finally, his mother asks him to follow her. He notices he can keep up with her. “I must be
getting taller,” he says. “You are growing up,” his mother tells him. She leads him to a familiar spot, the mirror–like piece of
ice where he used to admire himself. At first, he keeps his eyes shut tight. When he finally opens his eyes, a happy
surprise awaits. Now he sports feathers that look like a white shirt and a black coat. He’s all grown up. “What should I do
with the sweater?” his mother asks. “Whatever you want,” he tells her. “I won’t need it now that I’m a fine–looking, grown–
up fellow.”
This book was truly a collaboration between the author and illustrator. The author originally referred to Duncan as having
a coat of brown fuzz. This is true of the King penguin, the second largest of the species. The largest is the emperor
penguin and has a coat of gray fuzz. After checking with an expert at the Bronx Zoo, she found the Emperor penguin is
probably the best known. With that in mind, we changed “brown” to “gray” in the manuscript. The illustrator then chimed in
saying that Emperor penguins are found only in Antarctica. So we needed to change the original text from...the
handsomest coat in the frozen North...to South. Of course, the other animals shown in the book then became South Pole
animals, rather than North Pole.
As for the artwork found in Duncan, each page is first developed in a hand–drawn pencil sketch that is then scanned into
a digital file for color work on the computer. Lorraine Dey prefers to work–up the final color illustration as a digital file.
Working in Adobe Photoshop, she paints in the color details using a stylus pen on a Wacom tablet. The technique and
brush stroke is very similar to the way she paints while working traditionally in acrylic paint.
This book is available in English–only and bilingual English/Spanish full–text translation editions. The full–text bilingual
edition presents the story in English and then again in Spanish on the same page. A keyword vocabulary page is included
in the back of the book to boost language learning.
Raven Tree Press
1400 Miller Parkway
McHenry IL 60050-7030
Children’s Picture Books
Bilingual — English — Spanish
www.raventreepress.com
© Copyright Raven Tree Press. All rights reserved.
Orders: 800-323-8270
815-363-3582
Fax: 800-909-9901
815-363-2948
Media Kit
A SWEATER FOR DUNCAN
UN SUÉTER PARA DUNCAN
Format
Hardcover
Paperback
A Sweater for Duncan/
Un suéter para Duncan
978–1–936299–04–1
978–1–936299–05–8
A Sweater for Duncan
978–1–936299–06–5
N/A
Raven Tree Press
1400 Miller Parkway
McHenry IL 60050-7030
Children’s Picture Books
Bilingual — English — Spanish
www.raventreepress.com
© Copyright Raven Tree Press. All rights reserved.
Orders: 800-323-8270
815-363-3582
Fax: 800-909-9901
815-363-2948
Media Kit
A SWEATER FOR DUNCAN
UN SUÉTER PARA DUNCAN
About the Author — Margaret Gay Malone
Margaret Gay Malone loves both reading and writing. This will be her ninth
children’s book. Among her other loves are art, music, American history and, of
course, animals. Over the years, the Malone family has had a collection of animals,
among them, two teddy bear hamsters, three rabbits, three cats, and two dogs. She
and her husband Tom live in Sea Cliff, New York with, at present, their cat, Woobie.
She is happy that her daughter, son–in–law and two grandchildren live nearby and
that she can see them often.
Margaret is a prolific writer across many genres. She is well published in juvenile
non–fiction. Her works include Dolly the Dolphin and Cowboys and Computers: Life
on a Modern Ranch, both published by the now–defunct Julian Messner Division of
Simon & Schuster. She also wrote Jazz Is the Word: the Biography of Wynton
Marsalis and Discovering Cultures France and Italy all published by Marshall
Cavendish. In addition, she edited The Diary of Susie King Taylor, the first black
nurse in the Civil War, and then edited her memoir for children to keep a consistent
style for readers. Malone wrote Lost Cat and Fun with Friends, beginning reader
books for Mondo Publishing. Finally, Malone wrote Love’s Sweet Surrender, a
romance novel for Berkley. She currently writes articles for Distinction Magazine and LI@Home Magazine.
Her family is so excited about this book they have established a Facebook Page. Become a fan at http://
www.facebook.com/pages/Margaret–G–Malone–Author/247499817832.
Margaret is currently working on a Duncan sequel.
Format
Hardcover
Paperback
A Sweater for Duncan/
Un suéter para Duncan
978–1–936299–04–1
978–1–936299–05–8
A Sweater for Duncan
978–1–936299–06–5
N/A
Raven Tree Press
1400 Miller Parkway
McHenry IL 60050-7030
Children’s Picture Books
Bilingual — English — Spanish
www.raventreepress.com
© Copyright Raven Tree Press. All rights reserved.
Orders: 800-323-8270
815-363-3582
Fax: 800-909-9901
815-363-2948
Media Kit
A SWEATER FOR DUNCAN
UN SUÉTER PARA DUNCAN
Questions for the Author — Margaret Gay Malone
Q. Who or what inspires you to write?
A. Sometimes I get ideas from newspaper or magazine articles. “A Sweater for
Duncan” evolved from an earlier story I wrote about a penguin. I decided I didnʼt
like that one and wrote the Duncan story.
Q. What is your favorite writing environment? Describe your workspace.
A. I work at a laptop computer on my desk in the office I share with my husband. My
desk and the shelves along one wall are cluttered with stories I have written and
ideas I have yet to develop.
Q. Are there any special supplies you use for writing ?
A. No. The ideas go right from my head to the computer.
Q. Describe your creative process. What is a “must have” when you are in the
creative process?
A. Quiet is generally my muse, except in the early evening, when my husband plays some mellow jazz CDʼs.
Q. Who are your favorite authors / illustrators? What influence have they had on your work?
A. I love Kate Di Camillo, especially Because of Winn–Dixie. I even used it as an assignment for a college class I taught:
English as a Second Language. Although my students were adults, the themes of loneliness and friendship were those
that anyone could relate to. I even had them act out scenes from the book, one student taking the part of the dog,
Winn–Dixie. The students loved it. Recently, I just had to buy the first book of author/illustrator Michael Hall. Itʼs called
My Heart Is Like a Zoo, and the illustrations, all animals cut out of hearts, are charming and inventive.
Q. What specific message do you want people to get from this book and why? What experiences have you had
that directly reinforce your bookʼs message?
A. Iʼd like children to understand that growing up means not staying the same. Many good things come with growing up.
(Continued)
Raven Tree Press
1400 Miller Parkway
McHenry IL 60050-7030
Children’s Picture Books
Bilingual — English — Spanish
www.raventreepress.com
© Copyright Raven Tree Press. All rights reserved.
Orders: 800-323-8270
815-363-3582
Fax: 800-909-9901
815-363-2948
Media Kit
A SWEATER FOR DUNCAN
UN SUÉTER PARA DUNCAN
Questions for the Author — Margaret Gay Malone
Q. Do you have any hobbies that others may be interested in?
A. Just for fun, I play the piano and the vibes, while my husband plays the drums. We love jam sessions.
Q. How long have you been at work on this book? Why did you write it? Where
did your ideas come from?
A. Itʼs hard to say how long Iʼve been at work on Duncan. To expand on what I said
earlier, a friend was involved in a business that published online stories, so I wrote a
penguin story for her. She left the business, and I decided I didnʼt like that story and
began a completely new story about a penguin. That turned out to be A Sweater for
Duncan.
Q. Did the book involve special research? Please include.
A. I did research on penguins to make sure that, although the book is fiction, it is
accurate in details such as the type of penguin and his habitat.
Q. Detail any fun things that have happened/or are happening because of the
publication of this book.
A. Iʼll be doing school visits. As a teacher, I love kids of all ages, and will have fun reading to them and doing penguin
projects with them.
Format
Hardcover
Paperback
A Sweater for Duncan/
Un suéter para Duncan
978–1–936299–04–1
978–1–936299–05–8
A Sweater for Duncan
978–1–936299–06–5
N/A
Raven Tree Press
1400 Miller Parkway
McHenry IL 60050-7030
Children’s Picture Books
Bilingual — English — Spanish
www.raventreepress.com
© Copyright Raven Tree Press. All rights reserved.
Orders: 800-323-8270
815-363-3582
Fax: 800-909-9901
815-363-2948
Media Kit
A SWEATER FOR DUNCAN
UN SUÉTER PARA DUNCAN
Meet the Illustrator — Lorraine Dey
Lorraine Dey has been a full–time designer for over 30 years. Lorraine began drawing as soon as she could pick up
crayons and would spend hours drawing and coloring. “Lorrie” as she is know to
her friends and family, lives at the Jersey Shore with her two cats, Jodie and
Mischief.
Although this project was her first children’s picture book, Lorraine does not stop.
She is also a writer and will be releasing another Raven Tree Press book in which
she is both author and illustrator in Fall 2011.
Dey is very active in SCBWI from which she draws inspiration.
Format
Hardcover
Paperback
A Sweater for Duncan/
Un suéter para Duncan
978–1–936299–04–1
978–1–936299–05–8
A Sweater for Duncan
978–1–936299–06–5
N/A
Raven Tree Press
1400 Miller Parkway
McHenry IL 60050-7030
Children’s Picture Books
Bilingual — English — Spanish
www.raventreepress.com
© Copyright Raven Tree Press. All rights reserved.
Orders: 800-323-8270
815-363-3582
Fax: 800-909-9901
815-363-2948
Media Kit
A SWEATER FOR DUNCAN
UN SUÉTER PARA DUNCAN
Questions for the Illustrator — Lorraine Dey
Q. Who or what inspires you to draw?
A. It just seems to be something that I have to do. I can remember spending hours coloring
and drawing when I was a little girl. Some people knit or read to relax, but I have always
found that to sit in a comfy chair with a sketch book and pencil feels somewhat like a
vacation for me.
Q. What is your favorite illustration environment? Describe your workspace.
A. All of my work starts out with pencil sketches which I can do pretty much anywhere...the
couch, at a counter in the kitchen, in front of the lake or at the beach. Then when it comes
to final color work, I am sitting in my studio at the computer since my illustrations are
currently primarily digitally painted using a tablet and stylus as my brush. I use to paint
traditionally in acrylic on board, or finish my work with very tight colored pencil work.
Working digitally allows for an easier time with any changes or adjustments that might
need to be made. I find my brush strokes are still the same as when I painted traditionally.
Q. Are there any special supplies you use for illustrating?
A. My computer and Adobe Photoshop software, a Wacom tablet and pen stylus. Oh, and, of course, my favorite
Ticonderoga #2 pencils and sketchpads.
Q. Describe your creative process. What is a “must have” when you are in the creative process?
A. I usually prefer it to be quiet and calm, even though I love music and even play the guitar myself. I am one of those
people who find it hard to focus on more than one thing at a time and music tends to distract me from my work.
Q. Who are your favorite authors / illustrators? What influence have they had on your work?
A. I have always loved Dr. Seuss and, of course, Walt Disney. I found an enthusiasm for watching many cartoons during
my younger years. As far as current childrenʼs illustrators, I feel very drawn to the work of Tim Bowers and the
expressive character sketches of Ersoz Sahin.
(Continued)
Raven Tree Press
1400 Miller Parkway
McHenry IL 60050-7030
Children’s Picture Books
Bilingual — English — Spanish
www.raventreepress.com
© Copyright Raven Tree Press. All rights reserved.
Orders: 800-323-8270
815-363-3582
Fax: 800-909-9901
815-363-2948
Media Kit
A SWEATER FOR DUNCAN
UN SUÉTER PARA DUNCAN
Questions for the Illustrator — Lorraine Dey
Q. What specific message do you want people to get from this book and why? What
experiences have you had that directly reinforce your bookʼs message?
A. I find great joy in the challenge of creating a lovable and credible character that was only
an idea in a writerʼs head before I get to work on it. I feel as if I am bringing a new life into
the world. I guess you can say that my characters are my babies. I only hope that my
babies can bring joy to the reader and that they are successful at conveying the emotion
and storyline to the viewer.
Q. Do you have any hobbies that others may be interested in?
A. I am a water girl. I have always loved the beach, kayaking, and canoeing. I used to have
an Appaloosa horse named Jessie. I love animals and nature.
Q. How long have you been at work on this book? Why did you want to illustrate it?
Where did your ideas come from?
A. It takes a good 9 months to a year to complete the illustrations for a childrenʼs picture book from start to finish. When I
write, I am totally into that project and rework and rewrite over and over until I feel it is right. During that time, I find it
hard to work on anything but that story. I go to sleep at night thinking about it, and it is the first thing on my mind when I
wake up.
Q. Did the book involve special research? Please include.
A. For A Sweater for Duncan, I must have watched the video “March of the Penguins” at least 3 times. I do research on
the Internet to find information I can use to create new characters and also to create a believable environment. I soak
up as much information as I can into my head. Using the colors, facts and native plants and animals as a basis, I start
creating my own little world.
Q. Detail any fun things that have happened/or are happening because of the publication of this book.
A. I am totally enjoying the entire process. My first project with Raven Tree Press, A Sweater for Duncan inspired me to
create my own story, The Rain Forest Party, which will be my first book as both author and illustrator.
I look forward to every aspect of the promotion process as well. Canʼt wait to hear what everyone thinks about Duncan
and Hector!
Raven Tree Press
1400 Miller Parkway
McHenry IL 60050-7030
Children’s Picture Books
Bilingual — English — Spanish
www.raventreepress.com
© Copyright Raven Tree Press. All rights reserved.
Orders: 800-323-8270
815-363-3582
Fax: 800-909-9901
815-363-2948