The Picture Book Buzz - Interview with Julie Rowan Zoch and Giveaway

Jul 26

5 min read

Updated: Jul 31

Julie Rowan-Zoch is a reformed graphic designer, concocting and sculpting story ideas and illustrations – every day.

Julie notes that I have been called opinionated (I like to share) and hyper (ready for anything), and a Pollyanna (isn’t that nice?).

Collage of five of Julie Rowan Zoch's book covers.

She is the author/illustrator of 3 books, including I’m A Hare, So There! (2021) and the Illustrator of Stopping by Jungle on a Snowy Evening by Richard T. Morris (2024), Not All Sheep Are Boring! by Bobby Moynihan (2022), and Louis by Tom Lichtenheld (2020).

For additional information on Julie Rowan-Zoch, see our earlier interview (here).

Julie’s newest picture book, Debug This Book by Omar Abed, was released on June 30th.

Welcome Julie!

Tell us a little about yourself. (Where/when do you write and illustrate? How long have you been illustrating? What is your favorite type of book to illustrate?)

First of all, my bio still rings true, aside from the fact that I haven’t been creative every day - sometimes not even every week, and occasionally not every month! I do have a local critique group which has been essential to keeping me motivated and challenges me always to strive to do better. I meet with another bunch of local writers for accountability too. I have been drawing since I could hold a crayon, studied design (which included some illustration), but picture book illustration is NOT just drawing and I have been working on those skills for 16years now. I would love to illustrate just about any book, but would probably cry a bit if I had to complete anything that depends on perspective drawing!

Then I hope you don't have to do perspectives for a while. What is one of the most fun or unusual places where you’ve written a manuscript or created an illustration?

I have written everywhere, often stopping a conversation to jot something down. The strangest place I have had to complete final art was from a hospital waiting room!

Offda. Not the best, but hopefully it all worked out. What was it about the manuscript for Debug This Book that captured your attention or sparked your interest in illustrating it?

Book cover - two kids, an exterminator, plumber, and farmer look over the edge of a book's text at translucent bug, enlarged by a magnifying glass.

The complexity of problem solving: how to make visual for kids that which is not visible to anyone. You can’t “see” a computer bug! And the thought that I could make the art using a lot of type. I am a true typography nerd.

That does sound like a great challenge and opportunity. Do you have particular process for starting the illustrations? Did it change at all for Debug This Book?

A page of nine bug sketches in various colors and poses, including sitting on the eraser of a #2 pencil.

I like to doodle with a pencil to start but quickly move to the iPad. I still draw on it only using my fingers, which has caused fingertip numbness when I am meeting deadlines of any sort. Not very comfortable, but I can usually shake it out quickly. I didn’t do anything uniquely different with Debug, but I did A LOT more sketching and revision work for it than any other design or illustration work I have EVER done!

Oh my gosh, Julie. I love these bug sketches! Thank you so much for sharing them! What was the hardest or most challenging thing about illustrating Debug This Book?

Getting it right was the hardest part, which may sound silly or vague, but this was a very complicated concept to bring to life for young kids. It required so many revisions, going back and forth, back and forth with ideas until things settled into place. Perhaps separating the wheat from the chaff is an appropriate metaphor.

How many revisions did the illustrations take from first draft to publication for Debug This Book? Was this similar to your other books?

I stopped counting by number and started using the alphabet to label my revision work! Sometimes it was a matter of 5 sequential spreads, sometimes the whole dummy, many times for individual spreads. It was definitely a team effort between the editor, art director and myself, so it would be unfair to tally up the amount of time I alone spent working on it, but it was at least 3-fold longer than anything else!

I totally understand. And I can imagine just how much work went into getting this book right. Is there any image you are particularly proud of? What is your favorite spread?

Internal image - ont the left, a farmer with a hose is spraying across the book and scrambling the letters and knocking over two other characters. On the right, kid aims an unbrella between himself and the farmer's jet of water.

Text © Omar Abed, 2026. Image © Julie Rowan-Zoch, 2026.

This one for the chaos and play between characters and type: the letters, numbers, punctuation marks, and symbols - also called characters! Especially the shenanigans the Bug is up to!

I love the double usage of "characters." This is such a fun, chaotic spread. What’s something you want your readers to know or hope they discover about Debug This Book?

I hope readers enjoy looking for and contemplating some of the design choices and ‘easter eggs’, like wondering why the farmer carries around a bucket of worms!

Well now, that's a good question, isn't it! Those 'eggs' just add to the fun of searching and contemplating your images. What has been the hardest and the most rewarding aspect of being a children’s author and illustrator?

For me the hardest aspect of writing is the difficulty in relaying the vision in my head in word only. I want my manuscripts to sing first, but every thought is visual. I don’t need art notes, but my critique partners and agent do!!

The most rewarding part is perhaps not what your readers would expect: I love dissecting picture books and discussing picture book aspects with other creators, PB lovers, and “critics”. All of which can be done without ever having published! In other words, my joy is in the books themselves!

And this shows in your blog reviews and the books you create! Are there any projects you are working on now that you can share a tidbit with us?

All works in progress (not yet subbed), but one I am thoroughly enjoying involves an adorable coxswain!

Ooh, I can't wait! We'll have to keep our eyes open for the announcements. 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?

I live in Colorado and occasionally get to drive over the mountain passes along the Continental Divide. More than any one park, I LOVE stopping at all of them for the incredible views, crazy wind and weather, and that humbling feeling of being a speck on this wee marble spinning through space.

Thank you, Julie, for sharing about yourself and your newest book with us.

Be sure to come back on Friday for the Perfect Picture Book #PPBF post on Debug This Book.

For more information about Julie Rowan-Zoch, or to contact her:

Website: https://julierowanzoch.wordpress.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArtistJulieRowanZoch/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julierowanzoch/