Anti-hero Apple anything but sweet

LOCAL illustrator Ben Sanders’ latest literary collaboration, Bad Apple, is out in bookstores now.

The children’s picture storybook, written by Cornwall-based English author Huw Lewis Jones and brought to life by Sanders’ visual art, is full of fun, but doesn’t scrimp on darkness.

“When you’ve got a character that starts out bad in the story, normally they learn a lesson and by the end they turn around, but this Apple is an anti-hero that gets worse as he goes along,” Sanders laughed.

“Bad Apple is doing bad things to other fruits along the way, but he does get his come-uppance, so it’s a little bit of a darker twist than a normal children’s book, which is refreshing, and opens things up for our second and third books in the series.

“I do enjoy having something unexpected in a book. I like to put twists in, and I’m glad that Huw and I decided not to have a neat, tidy ending. Our character was evil enough that we felt we didn’t have to protect the guy, and people would be okay with it.”

Bad Apple has been released worldwide in “most territories” and will soon be out in six languages other than English.

“This is the biggest book launch I’ve had, as far as reach, and it’s a lot bigger than I expected when I first worked on this project at the beginning of last year.

“It was the first time that I’d only illustrated a book, because usually I write them and illustrate them,” Sanders said.

“Although we’re far apart, Huw and I collaborate closely, chatting everyday via WhatsApp and comparing notes. As a writer, I comment on his words, and he’s an art director so comments intelligently on my illustrations and design work.”

Another title, Apple Grumble is set to follow and will come out about this time in 2022.

Sanders is starting his illustrations for the third book of the series, where Bad Apple attends his grandmother, Granny Smith’s 100th birthday.

Bad Apple is out in most major bookstores, including Ballarat’s Collins Booksellers.

An official launch will be held on Saturday, 27 March at the Workshop Café, Ballarat central. Visit bit.ly/3tiCe4w to secure COVID-safe entry.

Lewis Jones has written a singalong rhyming book about a “greedy crocodile,” which Sanders is finishing this week for release in “Croctober.”

Another three-book series from the pair, Blue Badger is in the works.