By Tyler Wright
Please Handle with Care is a new children’s book about a young bear finding solace in family after a hard day, illustrated by Tecoma-based Tull Suwannakit.
It took Mr Suwannakit around nine months to illustrate the book with author Coral Bass after being approached by UK publisher New Frontier Publishing, and was drawn to the project partly due to his interest in anthropomorphic animals.
Suwannakit also thought the bear character would resonate with an imaginative children’s book, along with the theme of family providing a bed of support when days do not go the way you planned and you drift off to daydream of a better place.
“Our everyday struggle with things that might not go as planned for our daily life, or any struggle that we might have, I think this is something that we really need in terms of finding positive optimism and to be happy about things,” he said.
From designing the character of Bear and drawing from the character that was written by the author, Suwannakit was able to bring the character; and had some help from a young helping hand in the process.
“What makes the process really interesting is that the handwritten letter that the bear character was writing to his parents…I join[ed] team with my seven-year-old son at the time, and asked him to write those letters by hand and scrunch up the paper and redecorate those papers so it really allowed the readers to get a feel as if it’s really coming from a child character rather than an adult illustrator,” he said.
“To make the illustrations much more interactive and interesting is to allow that third element to come in; whether it’s going to be collage or using found objects, or getting a little team work from your family members to combine it together. Not all projects are the same, so that means it allows you more room for imaginative process.”
Please Handle With Care is best for four to six year olds, but can be suited for children up to the age of eight, who can find meaning in the theme of the book.
Suwannakit has already visited Belgrave Book Barn and Dymocks at Knox City to sign copies of the book released on 1 October, and has finished another book set to be released around March or April next year.
“A book is a product, but at the same time you build that product to make sure it’s what the readers feel connected with and feel positive about,” he said.
“Going to the book stores and seeing your book up on the shelf is always a nerve-racking experience, but it’s a proud moment; it’s a nice way to see the time you invested.”
Readers can purchase Please Handle With Care online and in stores including Belgrave Book Barn, and can find Suwannakit on Instagram @tull_suwannakit
