This guy is on a roll!!!

Local student illustrates book

Isaac Ginter with his favourite illustration from 

Liam’s Magic Rocket, a book he illustrated.

By Kate Jackman-Atkinson

The Neepawa Banner

Fourteen-year-old Isaac Ginter has always loved to draw and now, he has added an illustration credit to his name.  The Grade 9 NACI student from Riding Mountain illustrated Liam’s Magic Rocket, a story written by Daniela Aum  of Etobicoke, Ont. about Liam, a boy who builds a rocket to fly to space hoping to find God. The book aims to introduce the concept of meditation to young children and as Liam completes his journey, he meets some friendly aliens that explain that God is already within and stillness of mind is how you connect. 

Ginter and Aum connected through a Facebook group started by Isaac’s mom Jodi for those who have been impacted by a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Aum explains that she put a post up looking for illustrations for the book and said, “At first I wanted illustrations from several children but the results were dismal. It was clear the kids just had fun but didn’t ‘feel’ the project.”

Ginter’s illustration was different and Aum said, “Isaac seemed to hold a genuine interest in the book beyond that of a “project”. There was a commitment to the message and its depth. Once I saw his first picture I laughed and cried at the same time and so did my team.”  

After seeing his illustration, Aum asked Ginter to illustrate the entire book and explains why his work appealed to her, “I was sold in an instant. It was clear that Isaac was the only one for the job. His work has a sweet innocence with a clever, almost comedic undertone. It’s moving, touching and easy to understand.” Ginter said that being chosen to illustrate the whole book was the neatest part of working on the project.

In total, Ginter drew 14 illustrations for the book and it took him three weeks, beginning in late November, to complete his work. For each good copy, Ginter says that he did many rough copies.

He used a special art marker and said his biggest challenge was running out of marker ink on the sixth good copy. 

Drawing is clearly something that interests Ginter and he says, “I’m always drawing,” and adds that it’s something he wants to stay with. 

The book can be found at www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/2891936 where an electronic copy can be downloaded for free or a hard copy version purchased. Jodi says that they plan to donate a hard copy version of the book to the Neepawa Public Library as well as one to the library at HMK.

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photo by kate jackman-atkinson

Is that Isaac Ginter on page 3!?

Kaiten Critchlow/Neepawa Press 

Kelwood resident and NACI Grade 9 student Isaac Ginter peruses “Liam's Magic Rocket”, a recently published book featuring his illustrations. The Ginter family connected with the book's author through an internet group for Canadians who have been affected by traumatic brain injuries.

Kelwood youth has illustrations published 

By Kaiten Critchlow 

Neepawa Press

A Kelwood youngster with dreams of getting into the graphic arts industry is getting an early start in his illustration career.

Isaac Ginter, a Kelwood resident and Grade 9 student at NACI, has had his illustrations published in a book being sold worldwide titled “Liam’s Magic Rocket”. The book is inspired by a child’s questions about God and was written by Daniela Aum, a Toronto-based author.

Aum initially wrote the book after being “stumped” by a child’s questions about God. Shortly after putting her thoughts on paper, Aum decided illustrations would add to her story and sent out an open invitation to youth to enter their drawings.

In the meantime, Isaac’s mother Jodi had been talking with Aum through a web-based group for Canadians affected by traumatic brain injury. Isaac’s younger brother Sam is a traumatic brain injury survivor, just as Aum is.

Aum passed on the invitation to Isaac and he decided to enter an illustration for one page of the book. After Aum saw it she opted to ask Isaac for a few more of his drawings.

“At first I wanted this book’s illustrations to be a compilation of several children’s illustrations but there was no cohesiveness and it just didn’t work,” Aum said in an e-mail interview.

“Isaac stood out for several reasons. Besides having great technical skill, his work has a clever, sometimes comedic innocence to it that really melted my heart. 

“The way he visually translated the message was sweet, touching and a few images made me laugh and tear up at the same time.”

When Isaac got word he had been chosen as the sole illustrator for the project he couldn’t believe it.

“I was excited but kind of stunned at the same time because I didn’t think what I drew was that good,” a humble Isaac said.

The young illustrator spent his spare time over a three-week period putting together more illustrations to complement Aum’s story. In the end, the author said Isaac’s final pieces were even better than she anticipated.

“He did a fabulous job and with practically no direction from me,” Aum said.

Isaac’s mom Jodi is just as elated about her son having his work published and the proud mom has already purchased seven copies of the book. Jodi said she hopes to donate copies of the book to Neepawa’s public library and H.M.K.’s library as well.

For anyone wanting to see Isaac’s work in print, a free online version of the book is available for viewing at www.blurb.com/books/2891936. The hard copy of the book can also be purchased from the site at-cost.

Jodi also keeps a blog at visibleangels.blogspot.com about her family’s journey with brain injury since her son Sam’s accident.

Isaac plans to become a graphic artist specializing in video games after high school.