✨Cover Reveal✨ Rollin' on Down the Line

Lady Bird Johnson's 1964 Whistle-Stop Tour for Civil Rights

Last year, Sleeping Bear Press approached me to illustrate a picture book biography of Lady Bird Johnson and her efforts during the 1964 election. Rollin’ on Down the Line is the true story of her historic Whistle-Stop Tour, making almost fifty stops through eight Southern States in four days.

Rollin’ on Down the Line, art by Erin McGuire

Rollin’ on Down the Line will be available in a few weeks, releasing on July 1, 2024. Also, the book has already been awarded a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard selection! Pre-orders are important for new books, The Silver Unicorn Bookstore and Quail Ridge Books are two great indie bookstore options, or there is always this… ahem… slightly less indie option.

Rollin’ on Down the Line, wraparound by Erin McGuire

The cover is also a wraparound. Here’s how it looks without the type. Fun fact, I found it was fastest to draw all of the confetti on paper and scan it, rather than do it digitally. I used a lot of analog drawings on this book, it was a nice change of pace.

Confetti! Drawn with a calligraphy pen

Here’s how the drawings looked when I scanned them. For some reason, I especially enjoyed drawing this railroad crossing sign.

This book will be my third picture book biography, I’ve now done biographies on Lady Bird Johnson, Harper Lee, and Rose Valland. Weirdly enough, there were some funny overlaps between the three women.

Picture Book Biographies by Erin McGuire

I’ve been drawing a lot of trains the past few years.

I’ll be posting more process and behind the scenes over the next few weeks. Til then, thanks for reading!

-Erin