Betsy Bird interviewed Frank Morrison and author Derrick Barnes on their book, Seven Million Steps, for the Fuse8 Blog. The book chronicles Dick Gregory’s 1976 two-and-a-half month run from Los Angeles to NYC to raise awareness about food insecurity and poverty in the US.

When Frank was asked to describe what appealed to him about working on the book, he said, “I’m just trying to do my part by collaborating with this amazing team, visualizing a world where everyone has their basic needs met. This is not about us, it’s about the people. During the pandemic, the world came together and mobilized in response—can you imagine if we had that kind of stance for the poor and hungry?”

See the full interview here.

Seven Million Steps was also included in the New York Times article, “How Four Picture Books See America at 250.” The article says, “Frank Morrison’s expansive illustrations emphasize Gregory’s lean physique and robust spirit, the natural beauty he encountered and the people he welcomed into his orbit. That there were no parades for him when he crossed the George Washington Bridge on July 4 did not bother him; Gregory believed that “what we’re here for” is doing all that we can to help those in need. This may not seem like a particularly American ideal, then or now, but we can amend our selves at any age.”

You can read the article here.

And GeekDad included the book in its “Stack Overload: 14 Books for June,” writing, “The illustrations feel made in oils, all pictographic and speedy in quality, you feel this runner rushing by!”   Find the full blog post here.