Chinese New Year | Healthy, Healthy, Love, Love, Love

Celebrating a New Book!

Healthy, Healthy, Love, Love, Love

Healthy, Healthy, Love, Love, Love was released around the world on Oct 15, 2020.

In this vibrant board book, love triumphs over germs. Concise text and bold illustrations show little ones how to stay healthy in a germy world...

...and how to respond with love when germs win.

Celebrating Chinese New Year!

(The Backstory)

In early 2020, our family of three was living in China when my son experienced an unexpected health crisis. He made a complete and super speedy recovery, thank goodness! I lived with him in the hospital for a week as he recovered from two surgeries. 

He was released on Saturday, Jan 25, Chinese New Year, two days after we first heard about a dangerous new virus that had appeared in Wuhan, 500 miles away. 

Meanwhile...

...the world bristled as the U.S. President insisted on calling Covid-19 "the China virus."

A few pages from my sketch journal. I wrote down stuff that my son said as well as my prayers for him, and many other observations.

Wanting to find a way to channel our experience into a book—perhaps a middle grade chapter book or a graphic novel— I sent a few sketches to my agent. 

Her diplomatic reply steered me back to my wheelhouse. "I think you should stick with what you do best… young and maybe a board-book?  Maybe how to be safe book mixed with tolerance?"

Less than a week later I was able to send her a completely sketched dummy for "Healthy, Healthy: Love, Love, Love." Apparently it's the book I've been training for ever since my baby brought home his first germ from Sunday school. :o)

Our son was scheduled to fly to New Zealand to begin university, but borders began closing all over the world. It was crazy stressful, but he got out, and because of the crazy situation, we went with him.

Working on notes for the book during the flight, on the only scrap of paper I had—an old grocery list. 

The book taking shape as my husband and I floated around New Zealand staying in various AirBNBs.

An early sketch for a title page, which ultimately didn't make it into the book.

With wonderful feedback from HarperCollins's Tamar Mays, the book took shape and was eventually added to Harper Festival's Fall 20 lineup. By the time it was released in October, my husband and I had moved to Malaysia where he is now working.

Goodbye, Year of the Rat...

...hello, Year of the Ox! Happy Lunar New Year, everyone. Sending you lots of love and hope for a wonderful 2021.

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Healthy, Healthy Love, Love, Love

written and illustrated by Violet Lemay

edited by Tamar Mays

designed by Rick Farley

published by HarperCollins/Harper Festival 2020

Click here for a list of purchasing options.

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Click here to read about the making of the book trailer video on my other blog, Illustories.