Who Are You? And Why You’ll Never Be Replaced

The Question That Inspired My Latest Picture Book

One morning in February of 2022, I woke up with to a loud voice booming in my head asking: Who are you?

After the initial shock of hearing a voice that wasn’t in the room, I was confronted by something obvious I’d been avoiding addressing: I am not only an illustrator or an author. I’m not just a mother or a daughter. I’m not even happy or sad - or whatever other emotion I may feel in the moment. I could never be defined by one consistent version of myself. Depending on the day, or even the hour, I can be all of these, or none of them.

The voice that morning set me on a winding journey of self-discovery that has inspired my latest picture book, WHO ARE YOU?

Illustration from Who Are You? Published by Penguin Random House Studio

My earliest memories consist of a lot of dry fields and oak trees. Under the hot Southern Californian sun, spiky oak leaves crunched under my feet as I scanned the ground for animal bones or small, half-buried treasures while my basset hounds disappeared into the tall grass, their tails waving like little flags letting us know all was well. My brother and I built forts in abandoned coyote dens - a wordless wonder that is still present somewhere inside my being.

My little brother Max and me (5 and 7 years old) in Canyon Country with Ruby and Violet // Me (9 years old) and Ruby in one of the coyote dens I dead discovered with my brother

Today the chorus of crickets and the smell of the canyons’ arid hills carry me to a trove of events that were not necessarily cherished in the moment but part of my lived experience nonetheless and therefore critical to revealing a truth about who I am.

We often get trapped into defining ourselves by what we do which gets us into untenable territory when confronted with whatever the latest thing is that artificial intelligence can do better than the best of us. For as much brain power that goes into these conversations, they seem to consistently leave out the most obvious, irrevocable truth about being human: every seemingly mundane second of our lives is infinitely meaningful because we are finite not because we are endlessly productive. It sounds worn out and self-help-y but it bears repeating today more than ever: we are human beings not human doings.

Illustration from Who Are You? Published by Penguin Random House Studio

I love the journey that the question “who are you?” takes us on. because, as long as we’re alive, the answer will keep unfolding in new directions. All that’s asked of us is to live: to be here, now.

Wishing you a lifetime full of celebrating your many small, meaningful moments.

Claire

P.S. Also just wanted to send out a big THANK YOU! to those of you who have pre-ordered signed copies WHO ARE YOU? from the adorable shop and longtime supporter of authors, Once Upon A Time Bookstore🙏

---

A little about me:

I COME FROM A FAMILY OF ARTISTS WHERE FAMILY GATHERINGS OFTEN INVOLVE SKETCHBOOKS.

My dad is an animator, my granddad was a cartoonist and apparently my great granddad drew machine parts for steam engines. My uncle is a cartoonist, my brother draws and animates… so does my cousin. And from the looks of it, my kids are on track to be next in line.

After studying design at Parsons School of Design and l’École Supérieure d’Arts Graphiques in Paris, I began my career at Disney Feature Animation in California where I worked as a visual development artist on several films including Tangled and Frozen. Over time, my work expanded to include picture books and a range of collaborative projects. In the summer of 2024, I returned to Paris with my two kids, where you’ll often find me sketching in a café alongside my basset hound, Stanley.

For collaborations please email Steve Malk smalk@writershouse.com and stay in touch via my NEWSLETTER where you will get information about fun things like events and launch parties!

---

Other posts you might like…