Please join me in wishing a very Merry Christmas, er, I mean a very Happy Book Birthday to the hilarious, multi-published author/illustrator Alex Willan for his brand-new picture book Elves Are the Worst! This book is sure to be a holiday (or anytime) favorite with kids. It’s the latest in his The Worst! series and should prove to be just as popular as the other three: Unicorns Are the Worst!, Dragons Are the Worst!, and Yetis Are the Worst! All of these books are filled with humor, color, and lovable characters. And they are so much fun to read. Just like the others, Elves Are the Worst! stars the adorable, ever persistent Gilbert the Goblin, but, this time, he must prove himself to be just as good as, if not better than, any elf at the North Pole. What will he learn this time? You’ll have to read the book to find out.

Alex has stopped by today to share more about his new book, the series, and Gilbert. And, as a special treat, he’s included a few in-progress illustrations. Let’s hear from Alex!

Congratulations on the newest picture book in your hilarious The Worst! series, Elves Are the Worst! Please tell us a little bit about the book and the inspiration behind the series.

AW: Thank you so much! In Elves Are the Worst!, Gilbert the Goblin is back with a fresh set of complaints, this time about elves. He decides to go undercover to Santa’s Workshop, disguised as an elf, to prove that goblins are just as hard working as any elf.

The first book in the The Worst! series, Unicorns Are the Worst!, was about how sometimes our feelings lead us to false conclusions. Gilbert says that his unicorn neighbors are the worst, but really he is just jealous that they get all of the attention. (And he’d really enjoy an invitation to their tea parties.) The fun challenge with each new book in the series is to figure out what Gilbert is trying to prove and what he learns along the way, both about his neighbors and about himself.

Gilbert the Goblin and his pals are so adorable. Which came first, the characters or the stories, and how does Gilbert feel about starring in his own book series?

AW: I’ve had ideas for books come to me in both ways. Sometimes it starts with a character in my sketchbook and the story grows from there, and sometimes it starts with the story. This series started with the story. In fact, when I first wrote Unicorns Are the Worst! The main character was actually a gnome named Gnelson. My wonderful agent, Lori Kilkelly, liked the idea, but wasn’t completely sold on my initial designs for Gnelson. I played around with mythical protagonists and, when I landed on goblin, I suddenly had such a better understanding of his motivations. Gilbert always has a bit of a chip on his shoulder and that made so much more sense given that people generally have a negative opinion of goblins.

I must tell you, Gilbert would very much appreciate you acknowledging that he is, in fact, the star of these books, as opposed to the unicorns, elves, etc. I think that Gilbert had grown quite used to living alone, tucked away in his corner of the forest, but, for a character that claims to want to be left alone, he sure seems to enjoy talking at length with the reader. One of the biggest joys for me in working on this series is seeing his world continue to expand. Finding his place in the larger world has been good for him, although I doubt that he would ever admit it.

What is your art process like when creating your books, and what media do you use?

AW: I create my illustrations digitally using the Procreate App on my iPad Pro. When I was in school, I learned to create art traditionally and I was very hesitant to switch to digital. Eventually though, the technology became so advanced that working on the iPad felt as natural as drawing in my sketchbook. I’m still grateful that I learned to draw and paint by hand, but I now find working digitally to be quite freeing. I can take risks and try new things without the risk of ruining several hours of work. The undo option has truly been a gift.

What do goblins like Gilbert do in their free time?

AW: Gilbert takes his work as a goblin very seriously, but I like that with each installment in the series, we get to see more and more of his interests outside of his important magical pursuits. In Elves Are the Worst! we see that he enjoys gardening, baking, and organizing events for his sock slugs. I also really like how much his friendship with Chicken continues to develop with each new installment.

Can you give us a sneak peek of any upcoming books you may have? Will we be seeing Gilbert again?

AW: I am happy to say that I am working on two new Gilbert books (not yet announced), as well as a brand new title. I’ll be able to share more about these projects soon, and I’d encourage people to follow me on Instagram at @alexwillan for news. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to make these books, to work on them with so many incredible people, and to be able to share them with readers of all ages.

If it was ALEX WILLAN, and not Gilbert the Goblin, who was in charge of writing the stories, he’d make a book called Anchovies Are the Worst!. Alex is the author-illustrator of Unicorns Are the Worst!, Dragons Are the Worst!, Yetis Are the Worst!, and the Jasper & Ollie series, as well as the illustrator of Got Your Nose, written by Alan Katz. Alex lives in Chicago with his dog, Harley, who is the absolute best. Visit him online at AlexWillan.com.