The Picture Book Buzz - Interview w/Janice Hechter and Review of Where Are the Women?
Janice Hechter is an author/illustrator with a deep passion for storytelling and visual arts. Her work delves into themes of empowerment, resilience, and the often-overlooked narratives of women in the arts and society.
After graduating from Carnegie Mellon University with a degree in illustration, she embarked on a career as a graphic designer and illustrator for various companies. It wasn't until the birth of her daughter that she reconnected with picture books. Like rediscovering a long-lost friend, memories of the books she cherished as a child came flooding back. Janice began reading these beloved stories to her daughter and discovered many new ones that captivated her. This rekindled her love for the marvelous blend of writing and art.
Janice’s the author-illustrator of Adventure Girl: Dabi Digs in Israel (2021) and the illustrator of 6 books, including The Little Esrog by Rochelle Kochin (2016), and The Great Elephant Escape by Una Belle Townsend (2012),
Her newest book, Where Are the Women?: The Girl Scouts' Campaign for the First Statue of Women in Central Park, releases February 4th.
Welcome Janice,
Tell us a little about yourself. (Where/when do you write or illustrate? How long have you been writing and illustrating?)
I write in my office on my desktop, but draw while on my chaise lounge sofa, the most comfy spot in the house. The time of day that I write and illustrate varies. It could be at 2:00 in the afternoon, or 2:00 in the morning, depending on whether I have a sudden idea that I just need to record, a change I just have to make, or I’m so immersed in an illustration that I keep going all night until I finish. My degree from Carnegie Mellon is in illustration, so I’ve been at this for a long time. Before, my illustrations appeared on brochures, posters, book covers, and business cards, but all were geared towards an adult audience. Now, my illustrations are for a much younger crowd. I started writing for children 13 years ago.
I think a lot of people will identify with the work by inspiration and a need to get things done. What is one of the most fun or unusual places where you’ve created an illustration?
I worked briefly as an illustrator for a branch of the federal government called General Services Administration. My office was in the basement of a very tall building, enclosed by glass, like a fish bowl. Right outside where I worked was a noisy, smelly, print shop. The only good thing about illustrating there was that it was fast and convenient to get my illustrations printed. When an orange substance started leaking from the ceiling for no apparent reason, it was time for me to find a new job.
Oh my! No kidding. What was your inspiration or spark of interest for Where Are the Women?: The Girl Scouts' Campaign for the First Statue of Women in Central Park?
At the end of March 2020, during the Covid pandemic, my daughter was sent home from college, along with everyone else, and she continued her classes online. One of her courses was about public statues and she asked me if I would like to sit in on it. It sounded interesting to me, so I said, “yes.” I really enjoyed the class, but all of the statues depicted men. Were there any statues of women? I did a google search and found out about the Girl Scouts’ quest for the first statue of Women in Central Park. And the rest is herstory.
What a wonderful, serendipitous moment to spend with your daughter. What was the hardest or most challenging thing about writing and illustrating Where Are the Women? And what was the most fun?
My initial drafts tended to be very long and filled with a glut of information. I needed to pare down the story. The final word count became half of what it was initially. There was a scene in earlier drafts of the book which I really loved. I had put a lot of effort into crafting it and the language was very visual and a true sensory experience. But, I had to cut it from the manuscript because it didn’t move the story forward.
For me, word play is always fun. I like using literary devices such as alliteration, consonance, repetition, and onomatopoeia. There is also a refrain throughout the book. I had fun trying something different with the illustrations. In order to make the main characters pop, they are all rather detailed and colorful, while the backgrounds and supporting characters are rendered very loose and sketchy, in light, muted colors. I enjoyed experimenting with that.
Cutting our darlings is one of the hardest things about being a creative - whether a writer or an illustrator. How many revisions did the text or illustrations of Where Are the Women? take from first draft to publication?
I wrote my first draft of the story in December 2020 and kept revising it until April of 2022, almost 1 and ½ years. I kept revising until I had 21 versions of my story.
For the illustrations, I did a few revisions, but mainly at the black and white sketch phase.
That's not too bad. Is there a spread that you were especially excited about or proud of? Or perhaps one which is your favorite spread?
Text and Image © Janice Hechter, 2025.
In the beginning of the book, there’s an illustration of three Girl Scouts each standing next to a different statue. I think I really captured their incredulous facial expressions. The statues were a lot of work to draw, but I was happy with the way they turned out. But then I had a challenge in getting the statues to stand out with a similar color background behind them. I put yellow halos around them and they really popped. The halos also served as a metaphor for the great honor bestowed upon them.
That's a fun solution to an illustration challenge. Thanks for sharing this with us. Many illustrators leave treasures or weave special images (or elements) throughout the illustrations. Did you do this in Where Are the Women? If so, could you share one or more with us?
Yes. Throughout the story you will find images of sunflowers, a symbol of the women's suffrage movement.
And the youngest Girl Scout level is Daisys. Named after the nickname of the founder of Girl Scouts - Juliette "Daisy" Gordon Low. It's a wonderful tribute a number of strong women. What's something you want your readers to know about Where Are the Women?
With all my revisions and working on other projects simultaneously, it took almost five years from the time I got a spark of an idea until the publishing of the book.
But, I’m thankful to my wonderful agents, Lary Rosenblatt and Barbara Stewart at 22 Media Works, who sold this book in only 90 minutes!
That's exciting. Are there any new projects you are working on now that you can share a tidbit with us?
I have a new nonfiction book as writer/illustrator coming out next year with Kar-Ben Publishing, an imprint of Lerner. It is about a talented female artist who refused to remain on the sidelines at a time when art critics and juries ignored women’s art. I also have some manuscripts out on submission.
Sounds intriguing. We will have to keep our eyes open for your next projects. Last question, what is your favorite National Park or Forest, regional park, or city park (anywhere in the world)? Or the one you’re longing to visit. Why?
© Janice Hechter
My favorite park so far is Zion National Park in Utah. It was like entering a different universe, one brimming with colors, textures, and patterns. And I was right in the middle of it all, so no matter where I looked the view was spectacular. I would love to go for hikes there every day, but it’s quite a distance away.
Thank you, Janice, for sharing with us a bit about yourself and your new debut book.
To find out more about Janice Hechter, or to contact her:
Website: https://www.janicehechter.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janice_hechter/
X (Twitter): https://x.com/JaniceHechter
Review of Where Are the Women? :
The Girl Scouts' Campaign for the First Statue of Women in Central Park
This is an event I had not heard of. I was really impressed with the determination and perserverance of these NYC Girl Scouts and this inspiring picture book which captures their indignation and four year mission to install a female statute in Central Park, in a fight for female equality and the provision of female roll models.
Where Are the Women?: The Girl Scouts' Campaign for the First Statue of Women in Central Park
Author/Illustrator: Janice Hechter
Publisher: Red Chair Press Books for Young Readers (2025)
Ages: 7-11
Nonfiction
Themes:
The Women's Rights Pioneers statue in Central Park, determination, perserverance, social action, and Girl Scouts.
Synopsis:
When a group of New York City Girl Scouts learn in 2016 that there are no statues of women in Central Park, they organize and combine forces in a quest to change that shocking fact.
The girls raise funds, spread awareness, provide testimony, and convince city officials to erect the first monument of women in Central Park. What started out as a discovery on a field trip turns into a four-year process of not giving up or giving in. This powerfully true story chronicles how young girls made a significant impact through unity and perseverance.
Opening Lines:
Ten Girl Scouts click-clacked down the cobblestone sidewalks of Central Park West. They sang out four fierce words in a high-pitched rhythmic beat. “WHERE. ARE. THE WOMEN?”
What I LIKED about this book: During a troop field trip to Roosevelt House in New York during the summer of 2016, "the guide told them not one statue in Central Park honored a woman." All the statutes were of men, animals, or literary figures - like Mother Goose or Alice in Wonderland. Not a single real woman. After asking themselves, "How did we not notice that?," the Girl Scouts set out to change Central Park.
They made signs and marched to (and through) the park, chanting "WHERE. ARE. THE WOMEN?" They questioned and talked to everyone they could. Trying to raise awareness of the lack of female statutes in Central Park. The sad lack of role models for girls.
Text and Image © Janice Hechter, 2025.
Multiple ages of troops - Juniors and Brownies - joined together. The sold lots of cookies to raise money for the organization - Monumental Women - which had been working for three years to get statutes of women into the park. A year later, one troop had raised $1,920 dollars. A significant achievement which also had a "special meaning. After all, it was 1920 when women got the right to vote."
Text and Image © Janice Hechter, 2025.
As reporters began to notice, television, online, and newspaper reports of their cause and goal encouraged people and businesses to send in money and hold fund raising events. Two other Girl Scout troops presented Monumental Women with checks for $2,000 and $5,000 dollars. "But it wasn’t enough to gather money."
Text and Image © Janice Hechter, 2025.
Initially offered "a dark, lonely corner OUTSIDE the park for the statue," the determined Girl Scouts kept fighting. They met with the NYC Parks Commissioner, the NYC Mayor, and the Public Design Commission. Just like Women's Rights pioneers who inspired these girls, they kept fighting. Kept finding ways to raise awareness and support for a statue of women in Central Park. Throughout the book, the refrain, captured in the title, "Where Are the Women?" is featured in different colors across the bottom of many of the pages.
This is a great tribute to the tenacity, determination, and perserverance of many Girl Scouts and the strong women who initially fought for women's rights. Back matter includes information of three women key to the suffragette movement and citations to some of the articles about the Girl Scouts fight to end sexism in Central Park. A great testament to the power everyone has to band together and create change.
Resources:
check out this great list of opportunities for community service. What interests you most? Or what change do you most want to see? Find someone or an organization working toward this change and offer your help.
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