‘We all need support and community’

On the joy of crafting books for children

- Chintan Girish Modi

You have won the prestigious Caldecott Medal twice, for your books Hello Lighthouse and Finding Winnie. What does the medal represent to you?

The wonderful thing about the Caldecott Medal is the big gold sticker you get on your book. That is much more important than the actual medal! It is a sign to parents, teachers, librarians and children that the book they are holding in their hands is a good book. As a child, I used to look out for books that had those gold stickers. The medal carries a great legacy, and I am just one in a long line of other illustrators who have won it.

Tell us about the making of Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World’s Most Famous Bear, and about working with Lindsay Mattick.