"I think you're ready"

As in, ready to start working on final images. Salvatore said that. He thinks that I should just get drawing and see what happens. I've sort of been doing that today. These sketches are ideas for my second page spread which will have the words:

They take babies from mums, they take brothers and sons,
They take daughters and sisters and put them in buns.
A young taker was saddened by such selfish deeds,
So she asked other takers just what was the need.

I imagine this spread as thought bubbles surrounding the little girl taker. Some of the imagery might be considered too dark for a kids book but we'll see.

Still not decided on whether the takers live in a swamp or in the mountains yet either. I think the swamp is a much better fit to the designs that I've already got. If they were in the mountains then you might expect them to be furry but then again this is a kids book and it doesn't have to be so heavily burdened by logic.