style of drawing and then create a story to fit that style. I do not try to create my own drawing style, instead I prefer to play with many different styles.” The seeds for Jeet’s work on Saving Sorya: Chang and the Sun Bear were sown many years ago – and again, Jeet’s love of the natural world helped. He says: “Years ago, I happened to see a girl launch a campaign to protect rhinos. I was really impressed by her clear purpose and drive, so I created a comic to support her campaign. Trang then asked me to illustrate the cover of one of her wildlife magazines and that’s how we got to know each other. Later, when Kim Dong Publisher suggested Trang Nguyen write a picture book on wildlife conservation, we once again met and planned for Saving Sorya: Chang and the Sun Bear.” The book took on a collaborative approach from the start, with Jeet and Trang working together on characters, story and setting. With the very direct and obvious connection to Trang’s own life and work, it was clear that the pair would have to work closely together. Jeet reveals: “Designing the main character, the young wildlife conser- vationist Chang, was the culmination of numerous conversations with Trang Nguyen – I watched her at work and read her books, and we often collaborated
10 PEN&INC.
on the project online due to her busy schedule. I loved listening to Trang talk about the animals she has had the opportunity to see in the wild, and that she has tracked and protected through anti-poaching and anti-trafficking activities.
“The best thing about working with Trang is that she gave me complete creative freedom during the creation of the book, occasionally chiming in with her scientific expertise and as an objective reader.”
Seeing Trang in the field gave Jeet a real insight into her work and he says it was invaluable as he developed his artwork for Saving Sorya…
“Trang wrote the manuscript and arranged for my field research in Vietnam and Cambodia,” explains Jeet. “She also connected me to the fantastic organisation Free The Bears, where I was able to work with bear experts like conservationists Brian Crudge and Dr Marion Schneider. Most importantly, here, I was able to see with my own eyes Sorya, the special sun bear who would become my protagonist. These trips were crucial, as they allowed me to gather raw materials - the innumerable observations of plants, animals, and landscapes that conjure a tropical rainforest in Saving Sorya: Chang and the Sun Bear. My
first-hand experiences in the jungle and of volunteering in a bear rescue centre allowed me to bring these characters to life authentically.”
Asked about the final artwork for the book and Trang’s reaction to it, Jeet says: “We both love wild nature. Whether it is a scientist, a conservationist, an activist, or an artist. Wild nature is what has connected us.
“I think she sees what I create as interesting, beautiful, and funny, although sometimes I find it’s more difficult for her to understand what I do. She has been able to show me different perspectives, and her own perspective as a reader.”
The next book in the series is already out – Saving H’Non: Chang and the Elephant and a third title is also on its way. Jeet says Saving H’Non… is “the story of a long journey to return to the nature the old elephant H’Non. Along with the companion and support from the young wildlife conservationist – Chang, a young Mahout-Wat, and their boss – Dionne. H’Non gradually overcomes psychological trauma from the tragic past, gets rid of the shackles, and returns to the natural instincts of a wild elephant. “Saving H’Non: Chang and the Elephant is based on the inspiration
Autumn-Winter 2023
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