National children’s book illustrator Jody Wheeler is proud to admit that she sometimes draws upon memories of her girlhood in Ballston Spa when creating artwork to accompany stories for young readers.nbsp;   “I had such a happy childhood in the village that I find myself painting houses or scenery or even faces from my hometown,” smiles Wheeler, who grew up on Pinewood Lane, but has resided in Manhattan for just over a quarter of a century.

       As an example, says Wheeler, visions of Ballston Spa were among the first to dance through her head when she was commissioned to create artwork for a special 1988 edition of “The Night Before Christmas” for Ideals Publishing.

      “I kept reminiscing about how pretty the village looked on Christmas Eve and couldn’t resist including the mint green Victorian mansion near the intersection of Route 50 and East High Street,” says Wheeler, adding that the scene at the beginning of the book was also inspired by cherished Yuletide memories of her hometown.

     Tiffany stained glass windows that resemble those in the Presbyterian Church on West High Street, meanwhile, are sure to delight those turning the pages of the story of The First Noel illustrated by Wheeler.



(End of chapter excerpt.)


Back to CONTENTS page