Abigail St. John Illustration Thesis Fall 2018

Abstract

Things Will Get Better: An Alphabet Journey is an illustrated poetry book that focuses on key moments in childhood, both the light and the dark. It is a journey through the growing pains of adolescence and the realization that we’ve made it out the other side okay. Though it is hidden within the imagery, this book is heavily inspired by the traditional alphabet book. The poem flows through the alphabet, touching on each letter as a memory, moment in time, or feeling. These moments are often activated through visual metaphor, characters and/or symbols. Each letter has a story, a history in which there are countless moments of significance. The repetitive mantra, “things will get better” is at the center of the book’s rhythm, while the alphabet pushes the loose narrative forward. The overall goal of this publication is to promote opening up, relying on a the network of supportive people you have in your life, and hopefully coming to the realization that we aren’t defined be the difficult moments in our lives, rather it is how we move forward and learn to trust again.