I’m so excited to welcome Nadia! She is the phenomenal illustrator for HOUSE WITHOUT LIGHTS. Her pictures make the book sparkle! After we had an offer for the manuscript, I was given a few choices of illustrators and I was really drawn to Nadia’s images of cozy families at home and I knew she would bring House to life in a beautiful way.
Summary:
In this heartwarming holiday picture book, House misses being decorated for the winter holidays . . . but is delighted to be lit up for Eid instead.
After seeing all of its neighbors’ twinkling lights for the winter holidays, House hopes to shine too. When Huda and her family move in, House thinks its time to sparkle has finally come.
But, Diwali, Hanukkah, and Christmas come and go without a shimmer. Quickly, House learns that every family celebrates joy and togetherness in their own way, no matter the season. And a few months later House will see that this new family has its own holiday to shine for.
This book is sure to be a holiday classic, complete with back matter about the holidays mentioned, including the one House lights up for–Eid.
Reviews:
★”Alam’s spellbinding illustrations of suburban tranquility are populated with snow-laden rooftops, multicolored twinkle lights, and feelings of loving camaraderie in this holiday tale.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review
“Making clear that Muslim celebrations are just as festive as holidays such as Christmas or Hanukkah, Faruqi delivers a refreshing twist on Eid tales. Brimming with details, Alam’s welcoming illustrations capture the closeness of this family. . . . Simply charming.” —Kirkus
Without further ado, here is our interview!
1. What do YOU hope people think or feel when they see the cover for THE HOUSE WITHOUT LIGHTS?
I am cold weather-adverse, but I love seeing warm light spilling out of windows during the dark winter months; it’s one of the things I enjoy about the season. Bundling up and walking my dog after the kids are in bed, passing illuminated windows, trees and bushes lined with lights. The contrast between the cold night air and the radiating yellow glow makes every house on the street look inviting and cosy. I want that same feeling of warmth and comfort to come across when people see the cover of ‘The House Without Lights’.
2. How did you hear about this project? Does an email land directly in your inbox or go through an agent? (Just FYI my editor had brought up your illustrations along with a few other illustrators, and when I saw your work, these images got my attention and I knew you were the one for this story!)
My agent sent me the manuscript. Typically, when she shares a project with me, she provides a neutral one-liner to allow me to form my own unbiased opinion before discussing next steps. With House, she used some glowing adjectives. Once I read the manuscript, I understood why!
3. That makes my day! Please thank your agent for me! Could you tell me more about your dedication? It made me smile. –
To my family, who turn any house into a home.
Nadia Alam
My family is large and far-flung. Half my childhood was spent road-tripping across Canada and the US or flying to the UK and Bangladesh to visit them. Years can pass before you see some members. But once we are in the same room, it’s often like no time has passed; we pick up right where we left off, and there is a sense of being home. I am very lucky.
4. What drew you to this project? I LOVE how you have depicted the Muslim family enjoying Eid from the hockey playing hijabi girls and the napping grandfather – it makes my day! I’m pasting one of my favorite pages of the book.
I was drawn to this project because the story resonated with me. I am brown, from a Muslim family, and grew up in a small Canadian city in the 90s. It was a different era for diversity and representation in North America. Everything I consumed—TV, film, books, and music—was very not-brown, or, if it was, it was often overtly racist. My own home was like ‘The House Without Lights.’ I love this story because it reflects a reality I lived as a child but never saw in books. It’s an incredible feeling to illustrate a book for my children that I would have loved to read as a kid.
5. Would you share your design process and vision?
I always start by reading the manuscript a couple of times and then setting it aside for a few days. Next, I assign a dedicated sketchbook to the project and jot down any notes or thoughts about the text and characters—details like the setting of the house, who lives in it, and the timeline. Generally, I have found that it is nearly impossible for me to have a vision of the overall book without having the characters set in my mind first. For ‘The House Without Lights’, I knew right away that I wanted the family to be loosely based on you, Reem, and your three lovely children.
From there, I break the manuscript into pages and work on thumbnails. Although this stage is the loosest and messiest, it’s the most crucial. I like to incorporate a lot of background action into my illustrations, and this is where I establish the balance of compositions across all pages and ensure character continuity. It’s also when I make a list of reference photos I might need for sketching poses, interiors, and other details in the next phase. I use newsprint or inexpensive paper for these initial sketches to avoid becoming too attached to early ideas. Once the thumbnails are approved, I move on to refined sketches. I use a mix of pencils and traditional media, along with Photoshop for sketching and colouring. Sometimes, I’ll cut out several sketches and stitch them together to create one cohesive image, such as for the dollhouse spread.
Image 1 – initial sketches for House
Image 2 – initial character sketches:
Image 3 – example of a cut and paste newsprint sketch
Images 4 – 8 – photoshop painting process for dollhouse spread
6. What is your favorite page in the book?
Truthfully, I like all the pages, but to avoid being overly sentimental and to answer the question directly, I particularly enjoyed creating the dollhouse view of the house. I loved illustrating Huda jumping off her bed, Nana and the baby reading the morning news, Abba making coffee for his sister-in-law, and random cousins causing chaos in the halls. I enjoy capturing small moments of action, so this spread was a lot of fun for me.
7. Love the details you’ve shared! Also, as my family has read this book, their favorite page is also the above dollhouse view of the house. My family lingers on this page. What is a tip for illustrators or designers?
Hmmm, the comparison trap is very real and can be quite vicious. There’s a fine line between being inspired by an artist and being envious. The former can be energizing, while the latter is limiting. Frustration is common in this field, as in any other, so it’s important to focus on your own practice at your own pace. Comparing yourself to other artists who seem to be thriving can be counterproductive. Everyone’s journey to becoming a designer, illustrator, or artist is unique. Take your time, work hard, build confidence in yourself and your work, and share your skills and knowledge with others.
8. Just for fun, where’s your favorite local place to go?
Another Story Bookshop is a wonderful bookstore in my neighbourhood. You could easily lose an afternoon browsing its shelves.
9. What’s your favorite snack?
I love food. Right this instant my fave snack is olives, crackers, and cheese. But any food can be my favourite snack. If I can cut it into bite-sized pieces, it becomes a snack, and I’ll happily munch on it.
10. What’s your favorite beauty product or skin care item?
Cera Ve for skincare and olive oil for my hair (the way Amma used to do 🙂).
11. Olive oil and Amma sound like a great idea for a next picture book! Any next projects you have coming up? Please share the links of how we can support and follow you!
I have a couple more books coming out this year Mauntie and Me By Rajani LaRocca, Publisher: Candlewick Press On Sale: November 5, 2024
And Many Things at Once By Veera Hiranandani, Publisher: Random House Studio On Sale: January 2024
You can check out all my upcoming publications on my website https://www.nadiaalamillustration.com/ or follow me on Instagram!
The House Without Lights was a creative challenge (my favourite kind of challenge!) and an absolute pleasure to work on. Thank you, Reem!
Thank you Nadia for bringing our story to life in such a beautiful and cozy way; your illustrations MAKE the story special, please do support us and order our book here!
Nadia’s Bio:
Hello! I’m Nadia, an illustrator who is also a first-generation Bangladeshi Canadian, mother, and former educator. I strongly believe in diverse representation and am committed to the intersection of illustration arts, education, and social justice.
I live in Toronto, with my husband, daughter, son, and dog named Momo.
I am represented by Elena Giovinazzo at Pippin Properties. For book-related inquiries please contact Elena at egiovinazzo@pippinproperties.com
Doodling Through Life 