"We chose to illustrate a profile of Deja Perkins, a scientist who helped start Black Birders Week in 2020 after drawing attention to racism in public spaces. We were hampered by the fact that in-person photo shoots were more difficult at the time, and we wanted to go beyond a typical photographic feature. We hired an illustrator who used a scratchboard technique, a form of engraving. The resulting images had an organic and almost rustic look, which fit the feature's tone.
The opening spread begins where Perkins grew up, the city of Chicago, from the perspective of birds looking down on the city. Our concepts for the illustrations were based on Perkins' progression from a child to a scientist, and the feeling often being the only Black girl in the room. The motif of the "Magic School Bus" moves from the city to nature and the STEM programs that Perkins was immersed in. The illustration for the sidebar shows birders with siting scopes reflected in a barred owl's eye. The cover was illustrated in the same style, with a portrait of Perkins looking through binoculars."
From the Judges
Very well executed with a lot of detail and does a good job of communicating the text to the reader.
