Creator Corner: Author Shane Goth and Illustrator Sara Gagnon-Dumont

Welcome to Creator Corner, a blog series where we interview the creators of our recent books. For this post, we interviewed Hannah and the Wrong Note author Shane Goth and illustrator Sara Gagnon-Dumont, whose book is publishing April 15, 2025!

Owlkids Books: Shane, why did you begin writing children’s books?

Shane Goth: Once I had kids, I discovered my favorite part of reading them a children’s book was the conversation we had after we’d finished reading. I was fascinated by their thoughts about the story. I believe every child has a secret world of emotions and experiences, and a good book can help open a window into it. I wanted to explore writing children’s books to find windows into my own childhood and hoped that kids could relate to my stories.

Owlkids Books: Sara, when did you know that you wanted to be an illustrator? How did you begin illustrating children’s books?

Sara Gagnon-Dumont: I’ve always had a deep love for both art and storytelling. As a child, I’d spend hours drawing and dreaming up new worlds for my characters to explore. It wasn’t until I realized that my illustrations could bring a story to life just like words do that I knew I wanted to illustrate children’s books. After years of drawing, I felt the need to give my art a clear direction. Like Hannah, I had to learn to embrace imperfection and let go of my perfectionism. Once I did, I created my portfolio—and just like that, opportunities started coming my way. Just as Hannah learns that mistakes can lead to something beautiful, I discovered that by sharing my art, flaws and all, I was opening the door to new and exciting possibilities.

OKB: Shane, what inspired you to write this book?

SG: Music has always been a big part of my life and playing it was my first creative pursuit. I took drum lessons in high school and practiced perfecting exercises for hours. Feeling proud about getting better didn’t compare to the fulfillment that came later when I joined bands and helped create songs. What fun I would’ve missed out on had I let my perfectionism stop me. As I was turning this experience into a book, I thought that giving music notes an anthropomorphic form would be an interesting way to depict the relationship between an artist and their art.

OKB: Sara, what was the most enjoyable part of illustrating this book? What was the most challenging part?

SGD: The most enjoyable part was definitely bringing the music to life in visual form. Hannah and the Wrong Note is all about embracing imperfection, and I loved illustrating the expressive, joyful nature of the music notes that “dance” in the air with Hannah. It felt like creating a lively, visual symphony. The most challenging part was conveying Hannah’s emotional journey—from the frustration of making a mistake to the joyful freedom she finds in improvisation. But it was also very rewarding to capture that evolution through my artwork.

OKB: Shane, what was the most enjoyable part of bringing this story to life? What was the most challenging part of the process?

SG: Writing Hannah’s development from being serious and disciplined to curious and imaginative was great fun. I sometimes need some reminding to loosen up, and it made me happy to be with Hannah on her journey to do the same as she opens herself up to a new experience.

Trying to figure out the rules of the music notes was tricky. Do Hannah’s notes react to her emotions or reflect them? Do they only exist when Hannah is playing the piano? Can the other characters see them? I love how the illustrator, Sara Gagnon-Dumont, drew the notes differently when Hannah’s unruly little sister banged on the piano: they match the personality of the person playing. Creating this musical world was a collaborative effort.

OKB: Sara, what was the inspiration for your illustrations in this book?

SGD: I took inspiration from the innocence and playful curiosity of children, like Hannah’s little sister Jenny, who plays with the “wrong” note and turns it into something joyful. This reminded me of how children can approach mistakes with such freedom and joy, which I wanted to reflect in the illustrations.

OKB: Shane, what do you hope readers will take away from this book?

SG: Technology and the online world offer so many cool ways for kids to explore creativity, but they also make it easier to post and share art. Creativity is becoming more performative. You can try for a perfect performance, but I don’t think “perfect” makes sense for creative expression. That’s how it should be! I hope this book inspires kids to sing or dance or play music however they like and not worry about an audience.

OKB: Sara, what do you hope readers will take away from this book?

SGD: That everyone’s creative journey is different. There’s no one right way to do things, and it’s okay to follow your own rhythm.

OKB: Shane, what’s an interesting fact people may not know about you?

SG: Going to the school library as a kid, I always took home non-fiction books about paranormal phenomena like ghosts and UFOs. The librarian gave me a form for my parents to sign saying the school wouldn’t be held responsible if these books gave me nightmares. The nightmare contract! Maybe there’s a book to be written about that.

OKB: Sara, what’s an interesting fact people may not know about you?

SGD: I’m a huge fan of working in the early morning hours. There’s something magical about the quiet stillness of dawn that helps me focus and dive into my creative process. The world feels calm and fresh, which lets me think clearly and start the day with a burst of inspiration.

Thank you so much Shane and Sara for taking the time to do this interview and creating a wonderful book! We hope readers enjoy Hannah and the Wrong Note as much as we did!

Grab your copy today!