Jack Viant shares his playful picture book, I Am Going to Jump This Log!
About Author
In this playful picture book, I Am Going to Jump This Log, a small frog is determined to get across a big log - but can he do it? ReadingZone caught up with illustrator Jack Viant.
Jack Viant, an illustrator and designer from Plymouth, UK, is inspired by cartoons, picture books, packaging, toys and advertising campaigns. As a 90's kid, he grew up with angular cartoons, absurd characters and even more ridiculous storylines, so he tries to bring an element of this into his work. He crafts his images digitally using a mixture of software, machines and coffee. Jack wants his work to teaching valuable lessons, while channeling the ridiculous.
Interview
August 2026
Illustrator Jack Viant introduces a frog, a log, and a BIG challenge!
A small frog is determined to jump a big log - but discovers that sometimes we need a little help from our friends to meet life's challenges!
Illustrator Jack Viant talks to ReadingZone about his new picture book, I Am Going to Jump this Log, written by Stephanie Standsbie, and how a playful mindset can help bring picture books to life for younger readers.
I Am Going to Jump this Log: Frog is going to jump this log. And it will be easy . . . or so he thinks! Bursting with braggadocio, misplaced bravado, and some truly unforgettable sportswear, Frog's frustration builds as his feeble efforts fall short. Will he ever clear the log? And what awaits him on the other side . . ?
Review: "I am Going to Jump This Log is a fabulously funny story about one frog's boastful ambition." - Sue, ReadingZone
Q&A with Jack Viant: Exploring failure, frustration and friendship in I Am Going to Jump This Log
1. Thank you for joining us on ReadingZone to tell us about your new picture book, I Am Going to Jump This Log. How did you become a children's book illustrator and how would you describe your style?
I have been illustrating professionally for around ten years and amongst that I have studied both a BA and an MA in Illustration, specifically working on children's illustration as my main focus.
As for style, I would describe my work as fun, very bright and character driven with subtle and bombastic humour being at the forefront of what I do. My work might have a cartoon-like feel which comes directly from my influences in 90's and 00's cartoons like Dexter's Laboratory and Spongebob Squarepants.
My new book I Am Going To Jump This Log features a new and refined visual language that I'm debuting within the book and it comes directly from my Master Research into playful making. The book is about anticipation, delayed gratification, frustration and teamwork.
2. Can you tell us more about what happens in l Am Going to Jump This Log? Were you involved in developing the text?
The book is centered around the main character 'Frog' and begins with a proposition, 'I am going to jump this log!' What proceeds is a series of failed attempts to jump the log whilst other animals including a fluffy rabbit and a deer make the jump for themselves. As this happens, Frog gets more and more frustrated until eventually . . . Look, I'm not saying he makes the jump, because technically he doesn't, well, he has some help from some friends . . .
I was not involved in the text writing for this venture, That credit goes to Stephanie Stansbie - it's an excellent short text which gave me a lot of freedom.
3. What do you see as the illustrator's role in bringing a picture book text to life?
Working with an author is a team effort - the words offer meaning and direction and I believe the illustrator's job is to make work that is a companion to the text. Sometimes I may show things that the text does not mention and vice versa. It is my responsibility to bring visual life to the beautiful words, making things feel tangible for kids and the respective readers.
I was drawn to this text in particular because of it's simplicity and I have a soft spot for reptiles and amphibians, so it was a no-brainer for me.
4. I Am Going to Jump This Log is a tale about perseverance - and self belief! - told in a really fun way. How did you decide to approach the illustrations as the images are so important in telling this story?
During the time I was pitching for the book, I was working on completing my MA which was centered around children's illustration and the act of playful making (being playful and childlike whilst I make the work). So this title felt like the first true field test for this new way of making.
Frog has a lot of energy and I imagined him being quite animated and expressive so I knew I'd need textures and linework that mirrored that feel.
5. We love your frog character - was it always going to be a frog at the centre of this story? How did you settle on frog's 'look'?
It was always going to be a frog - and with that comes a challenge of making a unique one because there are already so many wonderful frogs in media, so my challenge was to make our Frog just as special. Frog went through many iterations before we landed on the one we know and love. All in all it probably took a month or two of doodling before we really settled on frog and even then we kept tweaking it all the way through the design process.
6. Are there any animals that you struggle to draw, and others you love to draw?
Generally I quite like drawing animals and have a lot of experience in doing so. I've done a lot of dinosaurs, jungle animals and household pets over the years but my favourite to draw would be more of the reptiles, dinosaurs and amphibians, mainly because I just think the variety among the species is crazy! It's actually people that I struggle to draw more freely in the way I draw animals - I guess humans count as animals, right?
7. How do you keep young children hooked and turning the pages as frog prepares for his challenge - to jump the log? What are your favourite details in the story for eagle-eyed children to spot?
I think frog as a character is quite entertaining, he's very expressive in his face and body motions but there is a sub-character that kids might notice. It's Snail! Snail is with frog from the very beginning and he comes with a subtle calmness and confidence that mauve frog is lacking. If kids watch out for Snail on each page, he is usually doing something silly like eating popcorn and eventually making the journey over the log, too.
8. The colours pop - how did the colour palette develop for this picture book?
A lot of the time when I work with colour it's usually a surprise. I make decisions as I go and it's always changing. At one point the book was actually mostly bright pink with varying shades of pink across the book. The brilliant design team had gotten some feedback when the book went to Frankfurt bookfair and following that we did a recolour to land on the colours that you see in the book today!
9. How do you create your images - do you enjoy working digitally or prefer more traditional approaches? Are you working on new stories currently?
My work has always been mainly digital but it always hints back to analogue techniques but more recently I have been developing a more unified bond between analogue and digital. For this book it is mostly hand drawn and then scanned and put together in Photoshop. Even my digital brushes come from scanned in marks that I would make on paper and then manipulated into digital paintable brushes. It's a really nice work flow because when I come to assembling the book it can feel a bit more chilled. Like I'm working on a nice puzzle!
I am currently working on new titles including my first author illustrated book - but I can't say much about that right now.
10. And how do you like to enjoy your downtime; do you like to find new challenges, like Frog, or do you take a more relaxed approach to having fun!
I'm quite a n active person who loves running and walking so I do that often and find that it brings new ideas into my mind. I love hanging out with my wife and friends and we are all huge Foodies so lots of cooking and chatting.
I doodle all the time even though it is my job. I really enjoy scribbling and making characters which I find often inspires new projects. Working on drawing is also like going to the gym but for my brain, it helps to develop muscle memory and keep things moving. Nothing worse than feeling stiff with the drawing when you have deadlines to meet!
I Am Going To Jump This Log
