The Picture Book Buzz - Interview with Debbie Ridpath Ohi
- Feb 23
- 7 min read
Debbie Ridpath Ohi is Japanese-Canadian. Her mother was born in Japan, her father in
Vancouver (his parents were born in Japan). She is an author and illustrator on the SCBWI Advisory Council and is also a member of CANSCAIP, The Writers’ Union Of Canada, The Authors Guild, The Canadian Children’s Book Centre, and the League Of Canadian Poets. She lives with her husband in Toronto, Canada. When she’s not working, you’ll probably find her reading, playing her Celtic harp, gaming, drawing with her food, and fervently wishing for Hermione’s Time-Turner.
Just a few of the many truths Debbie has learned and that she tries to convey in her presentations
and workshops: It’s ok to make mistakes; it means you’re stepping out of your comfort zone and
striving to be better. Focus on the joy of your own journey and pass it forward. Making regular
time for creative play will help improve your craft.
Debbie is the author/illustrator of Where Are My Books?, Sam & Eva, and I Want To Read ALL
The Books (Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers). Debbie is the illustrator of over 20
books for young people, including I’m Bored (a New York Times Notable Book) and other
picture books written by Michael Ian Black as well as ten Judy Blume chapter books and middle
grade titles. Her illustrations also appear in books by Linda Sue Park, Aaron Reynolds, Rob
Sanders, and Lauren McLaughlin.
Debbie’s newest picture book, I’m Busy, releases on February 24th.
Welcome Debbie,
Tell us a little about yourself. (Where/when do you write and illustrate? How long have you been writing and illustrating? What is your favorite type of book to write or illustrate?)
I’ve been writing and illustrating for as long as I can remember, or at least for as long as I could draw and write. My first piece of art was a crayon face I drew on a wooden bookshelf at home. I got in trouble for that one! The first artist I admired was our mother. I remember how she’s used to draw anime-style girls with puffy sleeves and sweeping ball gowns, and I’d try to copy her.
I’ve also always loved reading and creating comics. My very first comic strip was about a baby named Boppy, who got into all kinds of trouble. I created that back in grade school and am sad that I didn’t keep any of these.
I don’t really have a favorite type of book to write or illustrate, though I do like to feel as if I’m learning something new with every project.
It's wonderful to get to know more about you! I wonder if that first crayon drawing influenced your stunning broken crayon art. I adore that dragon! What is one of the most fun or unusual places where you’ve written a manuscript or created an illustration?
Image © Debbie Ohi, 2026.
Creating art in the sand on Chesterman Beach in Tofino. I love creating ephemeral art.
Image © Debbie Ohi, 2026.
Oh Debbie, what a gift for you to share this special and stunning beach art with us! Thank you so much. What about the manuscript for I’m Busy captured your inspiration or spark of interest?
Omigosh, it spoke to me right away. Like many out there, I often feel stretched too thin, pulled in too many directions. This was especially true when I received the I’m Busy manuscript. I love that one of the underlying messages of the story is that no matter how crazy-busy things get in one’s life, it’s still so important to make time for oneself (reminds me of airline reminders to put on your own oxygen mask first before helping others).
Ha! Sometimes it does feel like that. It's too easy to shortchange ourselves and forget that kids need unstructured, down time, too. This is the fifth book in this series of books with Michael Ian Black. How much contact or communication do the two of you have when creating these books?
Very little to none. Apart from receiving the initial manuscript from our editor, Justin Chanda, I usually interact with my art director, Laurent Linn. This is not usual in the picture book creation process, I’ve found, at least with the publishers I’ve worked with. The author usually does get a chance to look over the art once the layout sketches have been finished.
From what I understand, keeping the artist and author apart helps give the illustrator some creative space. One of the (many) reasons I love working on Michael’s stories, however, is that I know he always purposely gives me lots of room. For I’m Bored, which was the very first picture book in the series, the manuscript didn’t specify the setting, or even whether the main character was a girl or boy…he was leaving it up to me!
For the I’m books, I occasionally reached out to Michael for fun inspiration. When working on a full spread illustration in I’m Worried, for example, I asked Michael if he had any suggestions for things that one of the characters would be worried about, and I incorporated some of them into my art. I love Michael’s quirky sense of humour!
It sounds like the perfect combination of creatives. What is the hardest or most challenging thing about illustrating I’m Busy? And what was the most fun?
The most challenging thing: The story hit a little too close to home! 2025 was a difficult year for me, with many things happening behind-the-scenes that were out of my control.
Text © Michael Ian Black, 2026. Image © Debbie Ohi, 2026.
The most fun: Being able to bring in some fun personal elements once the initial layout sketches were approved. In the close-up of the calendar, for example, you’ll notice mention of board gaming (one of my own obsessions) as well as events at some local indie bookstores like Bakka Books, Mabel’s Fables, and Type Books.
That is such a great illustration! I think readers will all find entries that relate to themselves. How many revisions did the illustrations take from first draft to publication for I’m Busy?
Anywhere from three to twenty revisions or so, depending on the illustration and also what you mean by revision. I went through 3-4 formal rounds of revision with my art director, but within each of those rounds I also did multiple revisions of some of the individual illustrations.
Sounds about right. Having illustrated both picture books and chapter books, do you find one genre easier than the other? Or one much harder?
The Judy Blume chapter books I illustrated (The Pain and The Great One, The One In The Middle Is The Green Kangaroo, and Freckle Juice) were definitely easier to illustrate than picture books. They were black and white, not color, and were simple spot illustrations here and there. With the help of the brilliant Lauren Rille, my Simon & Schuster art director for that project, it was even easier because she laid out all the text so that I could see how much space I had for each illustration.
There is so much more to consider when doing illustration for picture books, like pacing and page turns, a closer relationship with the text throughout, and consideration of how everything flows together from beginning to end. The chapter books I’ve worked on could be published without the art and have the story still be appreciated. You couldn’t do that with a picture book.
True enough. But how amazing to illustrate Judy Blume's books! Is there any image you are particularly proud of in I’m Busy ? What is your favorite spread? What's something you want your readers to know about I’m Busy?
I don’t have any one favourite spread, but I’d love to share some insider “Easter eggs” I included in some of the illustrations, like:
Text © Michael Ian Black, 2026. Image © Debbie Ohi, 2026.
- The two penguins in the first spread are a reference to the two penguins in the last spread of I’m Sorry.
- The “Kids Can Do Anything” sticker on the little girl’s laptop refers to one of my favourite spreads of I’m Bored, which was my first picture book project ever.
- The close-up of the little girl’s calendar includes a ton of personal references, as I mentioned earlier (especially indie bookstores and board gaming).
- I added many references to brain and brain science to the illustrations in tribute to my friend Reid, who was diagnosed with Stage 4 Glioblastoma in early 2025. My dedication at the front of the book is to his wife, who is also a dear friend. Reid is still doing okay, but is having a few more issues these days.
I’m so grateful to Laurent Linn, my art director at Simon & Schuster for that book project and all the I’M books, for his amazing design skills. I love what he did with the endpapers, too, piling up all the “I’m Busy” text. Thanks also to Justin Chanda for being such a wonderful editor, and of course Michael Ian Black for writing such delightful stories for me to illustrate!
Thank you, Debbie for sharing these special "Easter Eggs." Are there any new projects you are working on now that you can share a tidbit with us?
I just recently finished the cover art for two Judy Blume novels being reissued from Simon & Schuster Children’s next year! I can’t share the covers publicly yet (I just checked) but the titles are As Long As We’re Together and Here’s To You, Rachel Robinson. It was a joy to work with Lauren Rille again; Lauren also designed the Judy Blume reissues in 2014.
I am also purposely taking a break from illustrating picture books for a bit so I can focus on writing middle grade. Please cross your fingers for me being able to someday announce that I’m a debut middle grade author!
Intriguing! Can't wait to see the books. I definitely wish you luck with your middle grade novel. 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?
© mcauley
My favourite is Algonquin Provincial Park, which consists of 7,635 square kilometres in Ontario of forests, bogs, lakes, and rivers. My family used to camp there throughout my childhood, and my husband and I spent our honeymoon there. So many wonderful memories.
Thank you, Debbie, for sharing with us a bit about yourself and your new picture book.
Thank you for letting me visit your blog, Maria!
Be sure to come back on Friday for the Perfect Picture Book #PPBF review of I'm Busy.
To find out more about Debbie Ridpath Ohi, or to contact her:
Website: https://debbieohi.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inkygirl/
(Bookstagram: https://www.instagram.com/inkyelbows/)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DebbieOhi/
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