Hi Friends! Here’s some news: I’m writing and drawing a new comic series for young readers, titled ISAAC AND PEARL. Huge thanks to editor Robyn Chapman at First Second / Macmillan, agent Susan Hawk at Upstart Crow Literary, and everyone else who is helping bring ISAAC AND PEARL to life. They are a combo of low-key and goofball, and readers get 5 stories in one book. I love them very much and hope you do, too. An even HUGER thanks to my big brother David, for being the kind of big brother Isaac is. 🙂
graphic novel
Crack the Case with ZEB AND BEL, Rachel’s New Comedy – Mystery Graphic Novel Series for Young Readers
events and news
Fans of suspect boards, sibling banter, and mischievous city birds– here is YOUR BOOK. Zeb and Bel: A Case of Bird Problems is the first book in a new graphic novel series for kid readers. Local prankster parakeet Payton goes missing during a neighborhood magic show. Is this one of his usual pranks? A petnapping? Or actual magic? While their human owner Josephine and her two moms help search Perpleck City for the bird, Zeb and Bel run their own adventurous and hilarious investigation. There’s a musical number on the balcony, and cameo appearances from corgi butts. If you keep your eyes peeled as you read, YOU could crack the case ahead of Zeb and Bel!
I started drawing this duo- Zeb, the dog on the left, and Bel, the cat on the right- waaaay back in 2017, years before finishing The Real Riley Mayes. They are based on my very first pet and my most recent pet, but they grew into their own characters. They are such a great brother-sister duo, it made sense for them to solve mysteries together.
It took awhile for agent Susan Hawk and I to figure out how to pitch it… it’s a mystery, yeah, but light. It’s funny, yeah, but also has the whole range of emotion that siblings share. Over the course of sketching the story, new TV shows for adult audiences came out. So we pitched it as “like Only Murders in the Building, but with PETS.” (I promise you the pitch had nothing to do with my 400+ drawings of Martin Short.)
It has for sure been a sweet gig, drawing these two as they solve all their world’s problems, whether it’s missing parakeets or sibling differences. ZEB AND BEL #1 comes out in January of 2026, but you can preorder it now. 🙂 Thank you to everyone who helped in your own special ways.
Six Questions About Book Banning, Censorship, and The Real Riley Mayes
events and newsI’ve been asked a lot about book bans recently, so let’s round up all the questions, and my best attempts at answers, in a post for the bookban-curious.
Q: Hey Rachel, has your book been banned yet?
That’s a tricky question. First, a “banned book” refers to books withdrawn from the library, or prohibited from use in a school (PEN America.) A book might not technically be banned, but still affected by censorship. For example, decades ago when I was a kiddo, upset grown ups painted underwear over Mickey’s weenie in Maurice Sendak’s In The Night Kitchen (example image from ScopeNotes.)
Second, authors don’t always know if their book is banned or censored or defaced-by-the-weenie-phobic. When folks succeed at censoring a book they don’t say “welp we’d better email the author and tell them the news.” That said—
A: I know of three censorship incidents involving The Real Riley Mayes, and they all happened in the last three months.
The Real Riley Mayes is a Sid Fleischman Humor Award Honor Book
events and news
The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators held their virtual Golden Kite Gala on February 24, 2023. THE REAL RILEY MAYES was selected as an Honor Book for the Sid Fleischman Humor Award. SCBWI will be making donations to the Kentucky Foundation for Women, and Oklahomans for Equality. FREDDIE VS THE FAMILY CURSE by Tracy Badua was selected as the Sid Fleischman Humor Award Winner. You can see her fantastic speech, and all the other winners, here: https://www.scbwi.org/golden-kite-gala-2023/
It’s a gigantic joy to have RILEY recognized for her humor. In the book, Riley ‘s own jokes usually fall flat, but she loves a comedian with all her spirit. In reviews, folks mention bullying & difficult conversations around LGBTQ issues- these aren’t the focus of the book, they’re more like an inevitable bug in Riley’s life. When readers imagine books with those events in the pages, they may imagine serious books. I wanted to make this a funny book. Why? Because against the straightness of this world, the experience of discovering you’re queer (and embracing and conveying that queerness throughout your life) has its hilarious moments.
The Making of The Real Riley Mayes: Feedback and Revision
the making of "The Real Riley Mayes"Hello! This is the third of four blog posts about the making of THE REAL RILEY MAYES, a graphic novel for kids. The first post focuses on inventing a character, the second post on research, and all three touch on revision- this post is all about it!
All writers revise their writing, whether it’s a novel, a comic, song lyrics, or a joke. If you think about the word: RE-VISION, it means “to look over again.” When you look at something you wrote from a new perspective, you might decide to make big changes. So how DO see your writing from a new perspective?
“The Real Riley Mayes” is a Stonewall Honor Book
events and news
I’m overwhelmed (in the BEST way) to learn “The Real Riley Mayes” is a Stonewall Honor Book in Children’s & Young Adult Literature! Huge thanks to the American Library Association, The ALA’s Rainbow Round Table, Donna Bray of Balzer + Bray, Susan Hawk of Upstart Crow Literary, my family, friends, and loving partner Carol for all the support– and thanks to YOU for supporting LGBTQ+ books for young readers!
Once I get time to make a graphic of all the honorees / winners book covers, I’ll put it here. 🙂 Meanwhile, check out all the winners, and resources from ALA’s Rainbow Round Table at https://www.ala.org/rt/rrt
Free LGBTQ+ Reading Discussion Guides for THE REAL RILEY MAYES
resources for teachers
Have you read THE REAL RILEY MAYES? Are you a big fan of secret codes, parallel cat universes, and dude-ish girls who act out humorous death scenes? Do you love graphic novels for kids with humor and heart? Do you want to discuss LGBTQ+ books with a group of kid-readers, but don’t know how to go about it best? The fine folks at HarperCollins made a free downlaodable reading guide that’s perfect for you!
School Visits and Workshops
events and news, resources for teachers, teaching with comics
Do you love connecting kids with creators? That’s fantastic, because I love helping creative kids put their ideas into words and pictures! I’ve taught classes in comic making and diary comics at Lexington’s Living Arts and Science Center, and I’ve taught workshops through Kentucky Arts and Humanities. During the pandemic, I also led a weekly drawing hangout for kids for a year and a half, and guest-taught at Homeschool Co-op 2020. Workshop activities include: playing games like “Animal + Emotion + Occupation” or “Ghostwriter”, making four-panel comics, or creating a class-wide zine. Check out the School Visit and Workshop flyer below! Then email re@rachelelliott.me or use the contact form in the ABOUT page.
The Making of THE REAL RILEY MAYES: Research
the making of "The Real Riley Mayes"Hello! This is the second of four blog posts about the making of THE REAL RILEY MAYES, a graphic novel for kids. This post focuses on inventing a character. Read the first post here.
Do you remember the first time you were so intrigued by someone, you just had to find out more about them? At 10 years old, I remember getting interested in short biographies to find out more about well known people: What were they like when they were kids? How did they grow up? What were their likes and dislikes? How did they become so AMAZING?
In the book THE REAL RILEY MAYES, Riley is searching for new friends… but she’s also searching for information about her favorite TV comedian, Joy Powers. Aaron helps her surf the web, but they don’t find an email or mailing address for fan mail. Instead, they find an intimidating photo gallery of her thirteen trips to the White House. Riley’s research into Joy Powers’s life is sometimes thrilling, sometimes daunting.
Artists and illustrators also do research to make better stories. I’d like to share with you some items I found through research. Drag the bar on each photo to reveal the research that inspired various pages in THE REAL RILEY MAYES!
The Making of THE REAL RILEY MAYES: Inventing a Character
the making of "The Real Riley Mayes"Hello! This is the first of four blog posts about the making of THE REAL RILEY MAYES, a graphic novel for kids. This post focuses on inventing a character.
In the opening pages of THE REAL RILEY MAYES, Riley doodles her favorite comedian on her homework, suggests off-the-wall football plays at recess, and stabs herself with a marker in protest during class. To the reader, her character emerges quickly. But it actually took months and years to create Riley.
What Happened at “The Real Riley Mayes” Book Events in Oklahoma
events and news
My debut graphic novel THE REAL RILEY MAYES is set in Oklahoma. See that tell-tale sky blue flag on the cover? I grew up there, and it was a joy to draw little slices of life from my home state into this book. There are Chevy Silverados in the drop-off circle, mullet haircuts with no irony whatsoever, and frito chili pie in the school cafeteria. There’s also LGBTQ+ characters in the book. Sometimes Oklahoma’s lawmakers are hostile to LGBTQ+ issues and rights, but Oklahomans in general are supportive, and there’s a lot of queer community to be found… in the book, and in real life. Last week I got to visit my home state for four stops on a quick book tour. Here’s the amazing people and places I got to visit:
REAL RILEY MAYES book signings and talks in Oklahoma
events and newsMy debut graphic novel THE REAL RILEY MAYES is set in Oklahoma. I grew up there, and it was a joy to draw little slices of life from my home state into this LGBTQ+ book for kids. So I’m thrilled to come back to Oklahoma for three stops on a little book tour! If you’re in Oklahoma, come say hello!
SEPT 30: I’ll be on a panel “Banning Queer Books” at University of Central Oklahoma’s International Gender and Sexuality Studies Conference in Edmond. The panel is at 1:15 in Constitution Hall at UCO. There will be a REAL RILEY MAYES book signing afterwards, and free postcards for everyone!
OCT 1: I’ll be signing copies of THE REAL RILEY MAYES, and giving out free postcards, at the Pryor Book Exchange and Bible Bookstore in my hometown of Pryor, Oklahoma. I’ll be there 1pm-3pm. While you’re in town, don’t forget to swing by Sandusky’s Market for some jam (the edible kind and the musical kind!)
OCT 2: I’ll be talking about the making of THE REAL RILEY MAYES at Magic City Books in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Come ask a question! Pick up free postcards, and browse a scrapbook of behind-the-scenes sketches. 2pm at Magic City Books.
Meet The Real Riley Mayes May 3, 2022
events and newsBack in 2015, I started drawing an elementary-aged girl who played with tonka trucks, acted out death scenes with markers, and chopped off her blonde ponytails. The character began to talk and interact with other characters in my sketchbook. Before long, I had several pages of comics about this kid. Years later, my agent Susan Hawk helped me revise the story into a graphic novel, which has been sold at auction to Donna Bray at Balzer+Bray / HarperCollins. THE REAL RILEY MAYES will be available on May 3, 2022.
Rachel Elliott 