Picture books aren’t just for kids anymore.
Ben Rubin, former master of fine arts student, is releasing a picture book this fall intended for children and adults alike.
Rubin said he made paintings and art as a hobby long before it became his full-time career.
He began as a novelist, a career he described as unyielding. His mother suggested he write children’s books instead.
Rubin was opposed to the idea until he wrote a particular story for a novel and felt he could easily adapt it into a children’s book.
His soon-to-be-released picture book, “When Comes What Darkly Thieves,” is different from many books currently on the market.
Rubin’s picture book, a genre usually associated with children, is intended for all audiences. He said he believes children are often shielded and people assume they are incapable of handling certain content.
Rubin said this type of story is along the lines of fairy tales, folklore and the Brothers Grimm and is both digestible for children and interesting for adults.
Elena Jambusarwalla, English and journalism senior and assistant editor of the Delta Journal, said people take all forms of art seriously.
“As an art form, I don’t feel there is anything wrong with a picture book,” Jambusarwalla said.
Rubin came up with the idea for the story after reading part of Elias Canetti’s autobiography “The Tongue Set