SUBSCRIBE
SUBSCRIBE
SLJ Blog Network +
  • 100 Scope Notes
  • A Fuse #8 Production
  • Good Comics for Kids
  • Heavy Medal: A Mock Newbery Blog
  • Teen Librarian Toolbox
  • The Classroom Bookshelf
  • The Yarn
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About/Contact
  • Fusenews
  • Reviews
  • Librarian Previews
  • Best Books
    • Top 100
    • Best Books of 2022
    • Best Books of 2021
    • Best Books of 2020
    • Best Books of 2019
    • Best Books of 2018
    • Best Books of 2017
    • Best Books of 2016
    • Best Books of 2015
    • Best Books of 2014
    • Best Books of 2013
  • Fuse 8 n’ Kate
  • Videos
  • Press Release Fun

April 13, 2017 by Betsy Bird

Cover Reveal: Dazzle Ships: World War I and the Art of Confusion by Chris Barton

April 13, 2017 by Betsy Bird   11 comments

It stands to reason. I mean, when you think about it, it makes perfect sense. Author Chris Barton has specialized in the un-specializable.  From the moment his career began he has maintained an unerring love for stories that haven’t just been untold in the realm of children’s nonfiction books, but adult nonfiction as well.  Remember when he shone a light on the Day-Glo Brothers?  How about The Amazing Age of John Roy Lynch?  A behind-the-scenes look at The Nutcracker Comes to America?  Or perhaps that magnificent picture book biography Whoosh?

So … his latest project?  Here’s the one sentence description Baker & Taylor is offering at the moment:

“When the British Royal Navy grew desperate to protect their ship from German U-Boat attacks, they created Dazzle ships in order to confuse the enemy of their location and destination.”

SCROLL TO KEEP READING THIS POST

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Wait . . . wha?  Dazzle ships?  Any relation to the superhero Dazzler?  Nope (though if you got my disco reference, well played).  No, apparently during World War I it was believed that if you painted a ship in a dazzle pattern it could make it difficult for an enemy to estimate the correct range, speed, and heading.

In other words, the perfect subject for a work of nonfiction by Chris Barton.  I mean, check out these Library of Congress photographs from the time period:

DazzlePhoto1DazzleShipPhoto2DazzleShipPhoto3

DazzleShipPhoto1

Working with Millbrook Press (an imprint of Lerner) Chris was paired with artist Victo Ngai, a Hong Kong born RISD grad who, amongst her many accolades, snagged a Society of Illustrators Gold Medal in her travels.  I just went to her website and read the short comic I was born in 1930, 3500’N 10500’E  which was inspired by her grandparents’ life in China and I find I have suddenly become her greatest fan.  I don’t know what genius thought to pair her with this book, but clearly that person was heaven sent.

Carol Hinz at Millbrook shared with me some preliminary sketches for Chris and Victo’s book.  These were early cover design ideas before they hit on the right look and feel:

DazzleSketch1

DazzleSketch2

DazzleSketch3

Extra Bonus: here’s an Instagram photo from the book’s graphic designer, who was on press with the jacket:

DazzleShipInk

Put it all together and what do you have?  One beautiful book with a text I’d certainly like to read.

Ladies and gentlemen: Dazzle Ships!

DazzleShips1

DazzleShips2

Many thanks to Carol of Millbrook for sharing these images (and tracking them all down for me) as well as Chris and Victo for letting me share them.  This book hits shelves September 1st.  Better order your copy today.

Filed under: Cover Reveal

SHARE:

Read or Leave Comments
Chris Bartoncover revealVicto Ngai

About Betsy Bird

Betsy Bird is currently the Collection Development Manager of the Evanston Public Library system and a former Materials Specialist for New York Public Library. She has served on Newbery, written for Horn Book, and has done other lovely little things that she'd love to tell you about but that she's sure you'd find more interesting to hear of in person. Her opinions are her own and do not reflect those of EPL, SLJ, or any of the other acronyms you might be able to name. Follow her on Twitter: @fuseeight.

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

March 2023

Cover Reveal: This Book Is Banned - The Latest from Raj Haldar (With a Helpful Q&A for Spice)

by Betsy Bird

March 2023

Exclusive Cover Reveal: Stuntboy In-Between Time by Jason Reynolds, ill. Raúl the Third

by Betsy Bird

February 2023

Cover Reveal and Q&A: Author DaVaun Sanders Reveals All About His New Series Launch, Keynan Masters and the Peerless Magic Crew

by Betsy Bird

January 2023

Simultaneous Cover Reveal! Juana Martinez-Neal's ALMA Gets a New Board Book Series

by Betsy Bird

December 2022

A Vaccine Is Like a Memory: Interview and Cover Reveal with None Other Than Rajani LaRocca

by Betsy Bird

ADVERTISEMENT

SLJ Blog Network

100 Scope Notes

2023 Caldecott Jump

by Travis Jonker

A Fuse #8 Production

Cover Reveal: This Book Is Banned – The Latest from Raj Haldar (With a Helpful Q&A for Spice)

by Betsy Bird

Good Comics for Kids

Ben Mortara and the Thieves of the Golden Table | This Week’s Comics

by Lori Henderson

Heavy Medal

March suggestions: early Mock Newbery possibilities

by Emily Mroczek-Bayci

Teen Librarian Toolbox

Love, Family, and Mental Health, a guest post by Rajani LaRocca

by Amanda MacGregor

The Classroom Bookshelf

The Classroom Bookshelf is Moving

by Erika Thulin Dawes

The Yarn

Newbery Medalist Amina Luqman-Dawson visits The Yarn

by Colby Sharp

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Articles on SLJ

SLJ’s Reviews of the 2021 National Book Award for Young People's Literature Longlisters

Bank Street Announces 2020 Cook Prize and Irma Black Award Winner

Jack Gantos on the Real Norvelt, Propaganda, and Good News | The Newbery at 100

Fantasy Award Contenders Layer Identity and Imagination | Pondering Printz

SLJ’s Reviews of the 2021 National Book Award for Young People's Literature Finalists

About Betsy Bird

Betsy Bird is currently the Collection Development Manager of the Evanston Public Library system and a former Materials Specialist for New York Public Library. She has served on Newbery, written for Horn Book, and has done other lovely little things that she'd love to tell you about but that she's sure you'd find more interesting to hear of in person. Her opinions are her own and do not reflect those of EPL, SLJ, or any of the other acronyms you might be able to name. Follow her on Twitter: @fuseeight.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Paul Acampora says

    April 13, 2017 at 8:55 am

    I can’t wait to share this book with history-loving art buff kids in my life. And there are quite a few!

  2. Maria Gianferrari says

    April 13, 2017 at 10:25 am

    Wow–this looks absolutely amazing! I can’t wait to read it! Thanks for sharing, Betsy!

  3. Kathi Appelt says

    April 13, 2017 at 10:34 am

    Wowzers! I can’t wait!
    KA

  4. Jules says

    April 13, 2017 at 10:51 am

    Hot damn. That’s a COVER.

  5. Donna Janell Bowman says

    April 13, 2017 at 11:00 am

    Another home run for Chris. I can’t wait to get my hands on this one.

  6. Nathan Hale says

    April 13, 2017 at 11:11 am

    Hot damn! This looks great!

  7. tanita says

    April 13, 2017 at 11:14 am

    As usual, Chris Barton wins ALLLLL the things. Wow. I knew about these ships, but I’m so excited to see a pb about them – how cool!

  8. Tom Lichtenheld says

    April 14, 2017 at 3:38 pm

    Great work by Chris and Victo, and a perfect match of illustrator to subject matter. I had not been aware of Victo’s work, but lots of credit to her and the art director for applying the Dazzle aesthetic throughout the book, from bow to stern.

  9. Carol Hinz says

    April 14, 2017 at 5:28 pm

    Credit where credit is due: art director Danielle Carnito is the genius who thought Victo would be the right illustrator for this book. I feel so fortunate to work with Danielle, and watching her and Victo figure out the all details along the way was an absolute delight!

    Thank you to Betsy for the cover reveal and to all those who commented–the book was a joy to create from stem to stern!

  10. John Coy says

    April 19, 2017 at 1:06 pm

    What a wonderful pairing. I can not wait to see this finished book as I remember talking with Chris about it. What a dazzling slice of history.

Trackbacks

  1. Revealing the dazzling cover of my next book! | Bartography says:
    April 13, 2017 at 6:24 am

    […] and the Art of Confusion is all I’ll show you here today, but if you’ll hop on over to A Fuse #8 Production, you’ll see librarian Betsy Bird’s post providing a first, up-close look at debut […]

ADVERTISEMENT

Archives

  • External Links

    • A Fuse #8 Production Reviews
  • Follow This Blog

    Enter your email address below to receive notifications of new blog posts by email.

    This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

    This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

    Primary Sidebar

    • News & Features
    • Reviews+
    • Technology
    • School Libraries
    • Public Libraries
    • Age Level
    • Ideas
    • Blogs
    • Classroom
    • Diversity
    • People
    • Job Zone

    Reviews+

    • Book Lists
    • Best Books
    • Media
    • Reference
    • Series Made Simple
    • Tech
    • Review for SLJ
    • Review Submissions

    SLJ Blog Network

    • 100 Scope Notes
    • A Fuse #8 Production
    • Good Comics for Kids
    • Heavy Medal
    • Neverending Search
    • Teen Librarian Toolbox
    • The Classroom Bookshelf
    • The Yarn

    Resources

    • 2022 Youth Media Awards
    • The Newbery at 100: SLJ Celebrates the 100th Anniversary of the Award
    • Special Report | School Libraries 2021
    • Summer Reading 2021
    • Series Made Simple Spring 2021
    • SLJ Diverse Books Survey
    • Summer Programming Survey
    • Research
    • White Papers / Case Studies
    • School Librarian of the Year
    • Mathical Book Prize Collection Development Awards
    • Librarian/Teacher Collaboration Award

    Events & PD

    • In-Person Events
    • Online Courses
    • Virtual Events
    • Webcasts
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Subscribe
    • Media Inquiries
    • Newsletter Sign Up
    • Content Submissions
    • Data Privacy
    • Terms of Use
    • Terms of Sale
    • FAQs
    • Diversity Policy
    • Careers at MSI


    COPYRIGHT © 2023


    COPYRIGHT © 2023