 I am always amazed by the depth of research that goes into Jan Brett’s books, Her text and illustrations are brimming with authentic details. When I heard Brett speak in Wichita in December 2023 on her Winter Wonderland tour, she explained how she doesn’t just research by reading about the animals she draws so vividly in her books, she gets up close and personal with them. She told the story of partnering with a zoo veterinarian who had sedated a polar bear in order to give it a health check-up. While the bear was sedated, Jan was able to examine it closely and catch tiny details that made her illustrations in The Three Snow Bears as authentic as possible. She observed that polar bears have black skin and tongues and their fur isn’t actually white, it’s transparent.
At the presentation I attended, Brett focused on sharing Cozy, a book about animals who take shelter under a muskox’s fur during cold weather. The idea for the book came when Brett visited her daughter, who had recently moved to Alaska. Her daughter lives near a muskox farm and took Brett there during her visit. After expressing her desire to examine one of the animals up close, two employees led Brett on a walk across the pasture (that’s what we’d call it in Kansas-not sure of the correct term in Alaska) to see “Little Man,” the gentlest of the muskox herd, who was at the far end of the enclosure. As they trekked across the space, Jan and her escorts were charged multiple times by other muskoxen. The employees, who had experience in working with the animals, stood with their arms overhead, spreading their arms and legs to take up the most space possible, with Jan standing behind them. Each time, the charging muskox stopped before reaching them. Eventually they made it over to Little Man, who had a long “skirt” of fur reaching almost to the ground. Brett was able to look under the skirt and see that Little Man’s legs were covered with white fur. She learned that muskoxen have a small tail like a goat that’s hard to see and have orange eyes with an elongated rectangular pupil like goats. All of these details are reflected in her artwork.
At the author talk event, Brett did a live drawing of a muskox using pencil and markers. She said that for her books, she uses pencil first and then watercolors. It takes her an hour to complete one inch of artwork, and she spends about a year on each of her books. In addition to loving animals, Brett is also interested in fiber arts and has included detailed needlework in her illustrations. At the presentation I attended, she showed a hat she made from muskox wool, which is harvested by combing through the muskox’s fur when the under-wool is being shed during the warmer months. This muskox wool is prized for being extremely warm. Brett generously invited attendees to touch and feel the hat when we met her during the book signing portion of the event. As Brett spoke to an audience including children and adults, she used scientific names as she talked about the animals in her books and their habitats. She said, “I like big words.” Once her editor asked her if children would understand the scientific terms; for example, would they know what tundra means? “They will after they read my book,” Brett told them. Whether she is researching Scandinavian needlecraft or animal facts - Brett is extremely knowledgeable about both - she demonstrates the same commitment to accuracy. Her books are works of art rooted in science and research. Many readers are unaware of the amount of research she puts in, but I think it’s part of the reason her books are beloved classics that will continue to be read and loved by future generations. [Jan Brett's] books are works of art rooted in science and research."
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 Jan Brett's website is a treasure trove of resources related to her books. She provides free printables like coloring sheets and puppets. In the last couple of years, dozens of illustrators have created and shared video drawing lessons for kids. Jan was doing it years ago. My students love watching her video where she introduces them to her pet hedgehog and then teaches them to draw a hedgehog.
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Amy BrownleeLibrarian, reading teacher, presenter. Archives
February 2026
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