Have you ever wondered how a picture book is made? The process is similar to the way we play a team sport, put on a play, or build a sandcastle-through collaboration. Writers and illustrators collaborate in a variety of ways. Sometimes they start as friends who choose to work together. Sometimes they become friends through the work they do. And sometimes they find that their feelings and styles change to the point where they can no longer work together. Each collaborative team and venture isunique.

Side by Side focuses on five famous author/illustrator teams and favorite books they have published: - Arthur Yorinks/Richard Egielski & Louis the Fish - Alice Provensen/Martin Provensen & The Glorious Flight- Jon Scieszka/Lane Smith/Molly Leach & The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales - Julius Lester/Jerry Pinkney & Sam and the Tigers - Joanna Cole/Bruce Degen & The Magic School Bus Explores the Senses

Personal anecdotes, edited manuscripts, sketches, and dummy book pages show the give-and-take that goes on between authors, illustrators, editors, and designers as they are working on projects they feel passionate about. By taking readers behind the scenes of these works in progress, Marcus gives us insight into how teamwork, cooperation, and friendship play a role in shaping the creative process, and will inspire readers to view their own team effort in fresh new ways.