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Crystallized Skeletons and “Fawcett Freaks”: An Interview with The Quest for Z Author Greg Pizzoli
The Quest for Z is an exciting new non-fiction picture book created by author and illustrator Greg Pizzoli. Even if your young reader has never heard of Percy Fawcett, they are sure to be swept away in this epic adventure story which travels the globe from London to the Amazon Rain Forest. It’s hard to believe this story is someone’s real life, think poison-tipped arrows and Anacondas, proving the old motto: truth is stranger than fiction. We interviewed author Pizzoli about his adventure-filled new book.
This book is so fascinating! I had never heard of Percy Fawcett before reading your book—how did you discover him?
Thanks so much! I first heard about Percy Fawcett by listening to the audiobook version of David Grann’s excellent book, The Lost City of Z. I listened to it twice and then read the book in paper form—was hooked from the beginning.
What kind of research did you do for this book?
Beyond reading everything I could about Fawcett, I visited the Royal Geographical Society in London to get my hands on some of his maps, letters, and other personal artifacts that remain in their collection. I also traveled to Angkor Wat in Cambodia and Tikal in Guatemala, and all three trips really had an impact on the art.
What was the most surprising fact you learned about Percy?
I think one of the more surprising things about him is the cult of so-called “Fawcett Freaks” that has grown around his legend. It seems like a lot of people don’t want to believe that he was killed in the jungle, and some go so far as to think he opened up a portal to another realm of existence. It’s pretty wild stuff.
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Percy came from a family of adventurers, which seems so exciting to someone who came from a family of nervous nellies like myself! What is the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done?
I too am a homebody and don’t particularly like roller coasters or tall buildings. But one thing I did that I’ll never forget was visiting Actun Tunichil Muknal—“The Cave of the Crystal Sepulchre” in the Cayo District of Belize. I went with my family and a local guide—his name was Juan Carlos and he carried a machete. We had to swim to get into the cave, and had a pretty amazing hike through water and rocks which led to a room lined with skulls and the crystallized skeleton that gave the cave its name. It was the same trip as the Plane Wreck Train I detail in the book’s author note.
The artwork in this book is so cool and unique—what was your process like for creating it?
Thanks so much! I do really try to make each book feel unique, and I wanted this one to feel like it could stand on its own, but also sit well next to Tricky Vic: The Impossibly True Story of the Man Who Sold the Eiffel Tower. Everything was finished in Photoshop, but I collaged a lot of original newspapers, and cut paper to get a lot of the basic shapes and textures.
Do you prefer writing fiction or non-fiction? I imagine it’s hard to pick one, but do you have any books of yours that are special favorites?
They are different modes for sure—I love learning and discovering things when writing nonfiction and sharing that with other people—but I like just making up stories sometimes, too. It would be too hard to pick a favorite of my own, but the favorite book I’ve illustrated so far is the forthcoming Hi, Jack! series written by Mac Barnett.
And what writer-ly adventure (i.e. book) is up next for you?
I have The Twelve Days of Christmas coming out this Fall from Disney Hyperion, and I am currently working on writing my next nonfiction picture book—it’s a killer!
The Quest for Z is on B&N bookshelves now!