Geoff Coates has been an art director at video game giant Capcom for 24 years.
By this point, you’d think he’d seen it all.
Well, you’d be wrong.
Enter coconut pig, the pet sausage and the crime-fighting monkey.
Coates has volunteered his creative talents to a book being released this week inspired by the sights, sounds and imaginations found near Little Mountain.
His muses are kids between the ages of six and eight, who told Coates and his collaborator Mike Neeb what they liked best about the neighbourhood surrounding the three schools they attend: David Livingstone, General Brock and General Wolfe elementary schools.
“They are idea machines,” Coates says. “They continually throw things at you and they don’t care if it’s a ‘high quality idea.’ They just have pure creativity and ideas and a lot of joy. For me that’s really inspiring.”
Coates partnered with Neeb, a Little Mountain Neighbourhood House staffer, in February. Neeb works at the three elementary schools on a weekly basis to help kids with their reading, writing and, most importantly, their confidence.
During those visits Neeb canvassed his 53 curious cubs for what they liked best about their neighbourhood. He’d assist them in writing the text, while Coates simultaneously did the drawing. The older kids in grades 4, 5 and 6 helped their understudies with spelling.
Released in book form on June 16, the end result is Our Neighbourhood.
“I was wanting to do something that had a big ending, something tangible that the kids could have from these two hours that they spend with us once a week to take away with them,” Neeb said.
Over the course of the Q&A’s, students provided answers that you’d expect: pet dogs, sushi joints and the Hillcrest Community Centre were listed as the best things ever. Those responses were invariably offset with coconut pigs, marshmallow superheroes and other pets.
“One of the kids started talking to me about having a pet sausage,” Coates said. “I was told, ‘He’s got big teeth, a squirrel’s tail, got sausages for arms and got four legs — and he wears sneakers.’ I don’t know where that came from, but I drew it.”
Despite their young, developing minds, there are tales that are relatable to the adult set as well.
“One student told me about his bed. He said, ‘My bed’s awesome. It turns into a couch and I love it there.’ I totally got what he was saying,” Neeb said.
The fruits of those creative labours will be unveiled at Little Mountain Neighbourhood House (3981 Main St.), June 16, 5:30 p.m., when parents and teachers convene to hear the kids read their stories, eat food from the neighbourhood haunts and showcase their considerable artistic talents.
