A local author and illustrator team has been recognized for their newest children's book by the New England Book Festival.
Newbury resident and children's book author Donna Seim and Newburyport children's book illustrator Susan Spellman received an Honorable Mention for their book "Satchi and Little Star," which was published last year by Peter E. Randall of Portsmouth, N.H.
This is the third award the pair has won for their children's books.
Their book "Where is Simon, Sandy?" was the winner of a Mom's Choice Award, gold category, in 2009, and was a finalist in The National Indie Excellence Awards in 2010. They also published "Hurricane Mia: A Caribbean Adventure."
"It's just like getting that gold sticker on your paper from your teacher with the A-plus on it," Seim said yesterday, with a laugh. "Each time you produce a book, it's a labor of love. When someone validates it like that and says, 'Hey, we recognize what you've done,' it really puts a smile on your face and a song in your heart."
Seim and her husband own a home on Grand Turk island, and Seim uses the Caribbean as a setting for her writing.
"It's a great place to go and relax and write," she said.
"Satchi and Little Star" tells the tale of a young island girl, Satchi, who always watches a herd of eight wild horses and yearns to have a horse of her own. She decides to catch and tame the horse she's dubbed "Little Star."
Seim said she drew on her experiences in Turks and Caicos, including her interactions with the young children, especially a girl named Satchi. On the island, it's common to try and catch a horse to tame by luring him with water and carrots, which is included in the book.
Seim and Spellman received the news of their award through an email from their publisher on Dec. 30.
"That was a really nice New Year's present," Seim said.
They attended the awards ceremony earlier this month at the Omni Parker House in Boston.
"We went up to the podium and accepted it, and we gave speeches," Seim said. "We felt like we were at the Academy Awards."
In her speech, Seim said, she noted how important the illustrations in a children's book are.
"The first thing you look at, when you look at a children's book, are the pictures and the cover," she said. "That's what spurs your interest, as opposed to, even, the title."
"Susan and I work as a great team," Seim said. "When she reads the story, I feel she also reads my mind. She brings it alive."
Spellman visited Seim at her island home, which she said helped her create her watercolor images, which were based on her observations.
Often, an author and illustrator never met, Spellman said, so the experience of being able to work closely with Seim and to show her the sketches and develop what she's trying to get across is rewarding.
"She's great to work with and really appreciative," Spellman said.
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