Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast » Blog Archive » A Love Letter of a Review

Early Gazelle sketch and a final spread: “Dear Gazelle,
For some time now I have wanted to write a letter to say how much I admire you. …”
(Click second image to enlarge)

 

I’ve got a review over at BookPage of one of the funniest picture books I’ve read in a while, as in this right here, everyone, is how you do up a funny picture book. It’s Adam Rex’s XO, OX: A Love Story (Roaring Brook/Neal Porter Books, January 2017), illustrated by Scott Campbell. I’ve been sharing this one with any and everyone who will humor me with my dramatic recitation of it.

The review is here. And today here at 7-Imp, Scott is sharing some early sketches and such. I’ve spent entirely too long lingering over his character roughs. So good, these drawings. So fantastic, these characters.

And I’ve got a few final spreads from the book, too.

Enjoy!

XO,
Jules

 

Early roughs
(Click each to enlarge)

 

Gazelle outfits
(Click to enlarge)

 

Early sketches
(Click to enlarge)

 

A final spread: “… Thank you for your letter.
I hope you understand that I have many admirers
and cannot reply to each one personally. …”
(Click to enlarge)

 

A final spread: “Dear Gazelle,
Your sense of humor is a delight! …”
(Click to enlarge)

 

 

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XO, OX: A LOVE STORY. Copyright © 2017 by Adam Rex. Illustrations © 2017 by Scott Campbell. Published by Neal Porter Books/Roaring Brook Press, New York. Final art reproduced by permission of Macmillan. All other images reproduced by permission of Scott Campbell.