He’s Sensitive. He’s Huge. And He’s a Hero.

 Meet Hugely. He’s sensitive. He’s huge. He’s misunderstood and so frustrated, but he’s going to be a hero.

It’s been great fun collaborating with author Ethan Berlin (http://www.ethantberlin.com), Joy Peskin, Editorial Director at Farrar, Straus and Giroux Books for Young Readers, and Anne Diebel, Senior Creative Director at Macmillan on a new children’s picture book scheduled for release in spring of 2018. The Hugely Wugley Spider is the title, and I believe it is a poignant story worth waiting for.

Hugely’s itsy bitsy friends think he’s just too . . . well, huge, to participate in their fun until his girth works to their benefit. He’s a big sensitive fellow, and laughs it all off, but you know he’s disappointed. What will it take to be just one of the guys?

Without giving away the story’s ending, here’s a teaser of some of the developmental sketches and final art.

First question. What does a huge spider look like?

Slowly, the characters emerge.

What color should Hugely be?

Here are a few of the little guys: Mitsy Bitsy. Litsy Plitsy. Witsy Ditsy.

They seem innocent enough, but they really bug Hugely until he finds a solution to this complex relationship.

Hugely saves the day. But how? You’ll just have to wait.