Tecumseh-based children's book illustrator makes debut as author

How would you draw a duplicitous monster who definitely does not eat children?

For Marcus Cutler, a Tecumseh-based illustrator and now author of children's books, such a villain has a prominent uni-brow, a pickle-shaped nose, pants with horizontal stripes, and a wide, fanged grin.

"I wanted him to look a little bit sinister and a little bit goofy, all at the same time," Cutler explains.

Tecumseh resident and children's book illustrator Marcus Cutler shows his latest work: A book entitled I Do Not Eat Children. (Dalson Chen/CBC)

Although Cutler has been professionally providing drawings for kids' books for 10 years, his latest work — a picture book entitled I Do Not Eat Children — is his debut as a published writer.

"There's a monster and a large group of children, and the monster likes to talk about how he doesn't eat children, and how he would never, ever eat a child," Cutler says.

"The children around him start mysteriously disappearing, one by one."

Pages inside Tecumseh-based illustrator Marcus Cutler's new children's book, I Do Not Eat Children. (Marcus Cutler)

Inspiration for the book came from Cutler playing with his two daughters when they were younger. "I'd grab them and I'd go nom nom nom," Cutler says, miming exaggerated biting motions.

"They'd say 'Stop eating us!' And I'd say, 'I"m not eating you. I don't know what you're talking about.'"

Aimed at kids in the age range of four to eight years old, the book is being released by Little, Brown and Company — one of the oldest and most distinguished publishing houses in North America.

Cutler credits his agent for landing him a major publisher for his first book as a writer.

Examples of past illustration work by Tecumseh's Marcus Cutler. (Marcus Cutler)

But Cutler's past work likely also played a role: He's been the illustrator on such books as the Canadian Travel Guide for Monsters, The Three Canadian Pigs, Inuit animal tales published in both English and Inuktitut language, and the Lark Ba Detective series — which showcases a plucky Korean-Canadian girl with a mixed-race family.

"You want to make sure you have good representation," Cutler says. "You want to have kids be able to relate."

Tecumseh resident and children's book illustrator Marcus Cutler shows how he works. (Dalson Chen/CBC)

Cutler does all his drawing digitally, in the basement of his Tecumseh home. He uses a stylus, graphics tablet, and touch screen to sketch his creations in Adobe software. Adding a "watercolour" texture is a favoured technique.

"I do miss painting by hand. I need to come back to that sometime," Cutler reflects.

A page from Marcus Cutler's new book I Do Not Eat Children. (Dalson Chen/CBC)

Cutler says he grew up with ambitions of being a comic book artist or animator. But fate — and his family — brought him to children's literature.

"When you have kids, you start telling them stories and making up a lot more ideas," Cutler reminisces. "It's the most fun thing. Kids are a great audience. I share their sense of humour."

Appreciation for childish humour runs throughout I Do Not Eat Children. Cutler created a dedicated website for the book, which includes an activities page and videos of Cutler reading the story.

Tecumseh children's book illustrator Marcus Cutler works on a new creation. (Dalson Chen/CBC)

He even has some advice for parents when they read the book with their kids: Be prepared for the part where the monster lets out a mighty suspicious burp.

"You need to really pace yourself on your big belch, because it covers two spreads. It starts on one page, and you turn the page, and it keeps going," Cutler says. "Take a deep breath beforehand."

Marcus Cutler will be signing books and doing readings of I Do Not Eat Children on Friday afternoon at the Indigo bookstore at the Devonshire Mall (3100 Howard Ave.). Hours are 12 pm to 3 p.m., attendance is free.