children’s author, Chris Van Dusen’s childhood in Maine
Childhood is a time of imagination, and the stories we read as children often stay with us long into adulthood. Children have a special way of falling in love with a story, asking to hear it again and again until the words become familiar and the pages can be recited by heart.
The beauty of children’s books is that while their illustrations help bring the words to life, there is still room for interpretation, to imagine what happens next, and even wonder how the characters’ lives unfold long after the final page has been turned. Sometimes, the stories we love as children leave a lasting impression— teaching us lessons, shaping the characters we conjure up during play, or influencing what we wear for Halloween.
One of Izzy Lee’s favorite authors and illustrators is Chris Van Dusen, whose beloved books include The Circus Ship, Down to the Sea with Mr. Magee, and many others. We spoke with Chris about his childhood in Maine, the memories and landscapes that continue to inspire his work, and why Maine has become his forever place.
1. What was it like growing up in Maine, and how do you think those early experiences shaped you?
I was born at Maine Medical Center in Portland, Maine, and we lived near Sebago Lake in the town of Raymond. But when I was about five, my dad got a job in central Massachusetts and we moved to a small town called Harvard. My grandparents still lived on Panther Pond in Raymond and we visited them every summer. Those are my fondest memories of growing up – spending all day puttering around the lake in the aluminum boat - fishing, swimming at the beach, catching turtles and exploring the peat bog. We would spend every day in our bathing suits, from the morning we woke up to when we went to bed at night.
When I graduated from UMass Dartmouth in 1982, I knew I wanted to try to get back to Maine and was given that opportunity in 1985 when I moved to Camden. But those carefree childhood days on Panther Pond helped shape my career. Maine is the setting for several of my books and Panther Pond in particular inspired my book, Hattie & Hudson. Even as a kid I imagined there was a friendly monster living in the depths of that lake.
2. What do you love most about writing and illustrating books for children?
The thing I like most about writing and illustrating books is I get to take the reader someplace they’ve never been before or show them something they’ve never seen before. That’s what I try to do in all my books. But sometimes if I find a really great bit of local history, it’s fun to try to turn those events into a book as well. Such was the case for The Circus Ship and BIG TRUCK Little Island. Both of those stories are based on events that took place on or near the island of Vinalhaven.
3. What does life in Maine look like for you these days, and what do you love most about living here?
Life in Maine is good right now. Our two sons are grown and on their own – one is married and he and his wife, Megan are expecting their first child. Our other son lives in South Portland and works for L.L. Bean. He drives the Bootmobile! We have a little cottage on a lake nearby (not Panther Pond) where we spend most of our summer and when we’re not there, I get to work at home writing and illustrating books. Or as my wife Lori says, “I color for a living.“
What I love most about living in Maine are the friendly people, our beautiful little town and the great outdoors. The landscape here in Maine is unbeatable. Just minutes from our house we can either hike a mountain, swim in a lake, downhill ski, or picnic on an island in the ocean. We literally have it all!
4. What are you dreaming up for your next book?
For the next couple books, I’m going back to the “If I Built…” series. “Jack“ is dreaming up some new and amazing things! I also have several other stories that I’ve written and I hope that I have the time to illustrate those as well. I am very lucky I get to do what I do.
Much like the carefree days he spent exploring Panther Pond as a child, Chris Van Dusen’s stories remind us that the places and adventures that capture our imaginations in childhood never quite leave us. They become part of who we are, continuing to shape our dreams and fuel our excitement for adventure.