Book description from Goodreads: “Some superheroes can leap tall buildings in a single bound, some can crawl up a wall, some grow wolfsharp claws, and some have superhuman speed. And Superbuns? Her superpower is being kind. Super kind. She can’t help but be kind: watering a neighbor’s daisies; helping a friend cross the street; feeding a hungry goldfish.
Superbuns’ older sister Blossom is a super know-it-all who doesn’t believe kindness is a superpower. Not one bit. And all this kindness is slowing them down on their way to Grammy’s house, where a yummy carrot cobbler awaits.
But the sisters are being followed by a little fox, and when Blossom learns the fox is not after their cobbler but is lost, she discovers kindness really is a superpower after all.”
Before Reading–From looking at the front and back cover:
What type of creature is Superbuns?
Why does Superbuns seem so happy?
Where and when does this story seem to take place?
On the back cover is Blossom. What do we know about her?
After Reading–Now that you’ve read the story:
Which of Blossom’s facts interest you the most?
What type of cobbler/pie/dessert would YOU take to Grammy’s?
What type of relationship do the sisters (Superbuns and Blossom) have?
Why is Superbuns so scared of Miss Fox at first? Why does that change?
Go back and revisit the pictures in this book. Which of them is your favorite? Why?
Writing–Try your hand at creating your own superhero story about a character with a power that isn’t so … well … super! What IS that power? How does the character use it to help people? What type of “villain” might your story have? What’s the confrontation/conflict between the “villain” and the superhero? How does it all turn out in the end?
Craft–With an adult’s help, try some of the following bunny-themed crafts:
Bunny Bath Bombs–This craft requires quite a few ingredients, but the end result is worth it. Good CLEAN fun! 🙂
Origami Bunny–You need special paper, but nothing more!
Popsicle Stick Bunny–This one needs cutting and gluing. Add googly eyes for extra fun.
Tissue Box Bunny–Cute as can be, though it needs a bit more measuring and cutting than some other projects.
Further Reading–Want to know about more books that showcase superheroes of all types? (Click on the book cover for more information on any of these titles!)
This month’s interview is with author/illustrator Matthew Reinhart, an artist whose life feels parallel to mine in all kinds of nifty ways. For example:
Matt’s folks are from Iowa (Cedar Rapids).
My folks are from Iowa (Des Moines)!
Matt’s dad was the son of a farmer.
My mom was the daughter of a farmer!
Matt’s dad served in the Navy.
My dad served in the Air Force!
Matt has a sister named Erin.
I have a brother named Aron!
Matt’s an avid fantasy and science fiction fan.
I’m an avid fantasy and science fiction fan!
Matt was a student at Clemson University.
I was a professor at Clemson University (alas, not one of Matt’s)!
Matt has lived “all over,” including South Carolina, Illinois, and Florida.
I’ve lived “all over,” including South Carolina, Illinois, and Florida!
Matt’s bio says he’s “married and busy with work.”
My bio says I’m “married and busy with work”!
Are you starting to see why I’m so intrigued by Matt, my artistic and—let’s be honest here—all-around-general-life doppelgänger?
Let me just add one more parallel, which is perhaps the most awesome pairing of all.
Matt makes awesome pop-up books.
I love to read awesome pop-up books!
Do you see why we’re practically best friends, despite only meeting (virtually, at that!) a few weeks back?
Let’s jump right ahead to the interview and see what YOU might have in common with my good pal, Matt. (My guess is “A lot!”)
RVC: Your website’s ABOUT section says that “from before Matthew could remember, art always took center stage.” At what point did you pick up writing, and how did that addition to your creative arsenal change things for you?
MR: Words were not my medium when I was young–pictures were my primary language. Back when I began making children’s books, I needed to learn quickly how to write despite the fact that there’s often very little room left on the page after the pop-ups go in! I guess research and writing was something I was always pretty good at and, over the years, I think I’ve gotten better thanks to the help of talented editors.
I’d love to go back to school for creative writing–I’ll put that on my “to do” list!
RVC: If you ever do decide to go back to college to study creative writing, keep our program at Ringling College in mind. We especially cater to visually-oriented writers in a host of ways.
**Okay, the horn-tooting PR moment is now over.**
Back to the interview–like me in my teen years, you were concerned that an artistic future maybe wasn’t the best option. I wanted to play guitar (at first) and (later) become a writer. You wanted to be an artist, but you attended Clemson to study biology in preparation for attending med school. What type of doctor did you think you’d be? And how did studying the human body help with your art?
MR: Honestly, I’m not sure how much I actually thought about much back then, let alone what type of doctor I wanted to be. I just sort of did what was expected of me. I think there was a time when I wanted to be a plastic surgeon, mainly because I thought I could have a profitable medical career. Pretty altruistic goals, huh? It was ridiculous idea, actually, because all of my sketchbooks were filled with monsters, mutants, space aliens, and robots. I mean, if I had been a plastic surgeon I might’ve grafted on extra eyes, antennae, and cyborg implants!
I will say that studying anatomy, biology, botany, and zoology helped immensely with art. It’s important when either drawing, painting or paper engineering a living thing that I understand its structure, how it moves and its placement in nature.
RVC: What changed in terms of your plans? What gave you courage to go from Clemson to New York City and NOT start medical school right away?
MR: What changed was that I actually got into medical school right after Clemson and I didn’t want to go! So, I told my parents I needed a year away from any schooling, moved to New York City for a year, and worked at an organ procurement organization taking corneal tissue from donor cadavers. Yes, you heard that right–I took out dead peoples’ eyeballs! Gruesome, eh?
That job gave me a lot of perspective about life and a future career. Life is short, and work takes up a LOT of time. I wanted a career that really made me happy, to be fulfilled. So, I made the plunge and never looked back.
RVC: Let’s talk about the Pratt Institute. After a year of eyeball procurement (now that’s a phrase I never thought I’d write!), you applied there and got accepted into the industrial design track with an eye (no pun intended!) toward making toys. What are some of the most valuable lessons you took away from those classes?
MR: My time at Pratt was just two years long–a quick graduate degree in industrial design was all I could afford. I had the talent and ability, but my Pratt classes really honed them into something viable for a career. My color theory professor, in particular, made a big impression on me–I learned to use color more intelligently, to manipulate palettes that could help tell stories.
My work after Pratt, however, was my real education–just getting thrown into pop-up design headfirst. That, in my opinion, is the very best way to learn and grow creatively.
RVC: Say a few words about your friend and mentor, children’s book author Robert Sabuda. What type of influence did he have on your career?
MR: I wouldn’t have the career I have without him. I’m very thankful for our time together and the classic books we created together.
RVC: I can’t go any further without asking you directly about pop-up books, because, well, I LOVE pop-up books. When did you first learn that you had the knack for making these clever, tricky, amazing, wonderful things?
MR: I think I had it many years before I even started working as a pop-up book apprentice but I didn’t even realize it. In high school and college, I made elaborate mix-tapes (long before smartphones carried all our favorite tunes) for my friends which often included illustrated comics. A few of them even had very simple pops, but I only have one to show for it today.
Aside from that, I was always making things out of paper and cardboard–that was all we had around the house that I could build with as a kid. You make do with what you’re given–I was always scavenging up any box, Styrofoam, cardboard, anything to make what was in my head!
RVC: What’s the story of your first published pop-up book, The Pop-Up Book of Phobias? How did it come about, and what surprises did you encounter along the way?
MR: Robert Sabuda was offered the book, but he couldn’t do it, so I got offered the job by the publisher Melcher Media. I thought the book was an odd concept initially, to be honest, and didn’t even think it would end up being produced. We were rushed, too, so I don’t really remember much, other than having to build that damn toilet pop-up 20 times over!
My biggest surprise was that the book was a moderate hit. I’ve since developed a fondness for the book and am proud to have been a part of making it memorable.
RVC: You’ve gone on to create pop-up books for some of the biggest pop culture franchises, such as Star Wars, Game of Thrones, Frozen, Transformers, My Little Pony, DC superheroes, LEGO, and more. Which one were you most stoked to work with/for purely on a personal fanboy level?
MR: Star Wars is my number one, with Transformers a very, very close second. Both franchises very much inspire me to this day.
RVC: Those are two of my favs, as well. Speaking of things that inspire us, tell us–what was it like working with picture-book legend Maurice Sendak?
MR: It was an incredible experience for me. Here I was, this young inexperienced artist collaborating with this legend, Maurice Sendak! I was sort of blown away at his openness to listen to my opinion and vent his own insecurity with his work. Many artists are insecure about their work, no matter the level of success.
Maurice had an irreverent sense of humor and he always tried to shock me with what he could say. I’d seen and done pretty much everything, though, so I was rarely fazed. I miss him and will always be thankful for our friendship.
RVC: And what about working with Tomie DePaola?
MR: Tomie was wonderful to work with and really a fast learner. Once we gave him the specifics, he ran with it and made his artwork at lightning pace. He’s continued to be a friend and inspiration.
RVC: In one of your YouTube Pop-Up Master Class videos, you mention how some of your best work emerges from playing around with paper. When you’re deep in the throes of paper experimenting, how much paper might you go through in a single workday?
MR: Eek! I don’t want to think about that!
Most of the time, the paper I use and toss is in messy pieces so it’s unusable when I need to toss it. I try NOT to throw paper away if I can do anything about it, but if I had to guess? Hmmm … 3–4 letter-sized sheets during those times of unbridled paper experimentation.
RVC: What’s the most common misconception about pop-up books?
MR: The common misconception is that pop-up books are silly little books for kids. No book is ever silly, unless of course, they’re meant to be! Often folks tell me they’re shocked by how complicated, impressive, and sophisticated some of the titles I’ve worked on are. They want to keep the books all for themselves and not share them with their kids, which I think is hilarious. I just try to make a book that’s interesting for everyone, including myself.
RVC: What have you not yet done in a pop-up book that you’d like to try?
MR: Scented elements! I’ve always wanted to make a food pop with scratch-n-sniff pop-ups.
You heard it first–Stinky Pops by Matthew Reinhart, coming sometime soon!
RVC: In all your experience with the world of picture books (of which pop-up books are a part), what has surprised you the most?
MR: I’m surprised that despite all the advances of entertainment technology, digital media, and online story content, kids still like to curl up with a book. Reading a book is a personal one-on-one thing. There’s something about turning each page, holding the book, and taking it wherever.
School book fairs are as popular and important as ever. Books still matter–and I’m happy for that, as are all book-makers, without a doubt.
RVC: It’s time now for the much-ballyhooed, always-interesting, and rarely-equaled SPEEDROUND! High-octane questions and potent-pithy answers, please. Are you ready?
MR: Yup!
RVC: Favorite type of cheesecake?
MR: Dulce De Leche Cheesecake or Oreo Cheesecake–pretty much any sort of candy or sweet (aside from fruit, which should never invade dessert, in my opinion) you can add to cheesecake is fine by me.
RVC: Craziest “paper” you’ve ever worked with?
MR: Tyvek–that untearable, waterproof “paper” used to make FedEx envelopes/packs and homewrap.
RVC: Crayola color that doesn’t yet exist, but you wish it did!
MR: Phosphorescent lime green.
RVC: Most unexpected source of inspiration for your paper art?
MR: Anything, to me, can be inspiration–so I wouldn’t characterize something that inspires me like that at all.
RVC: Favorite pop-up book created by someone not named Matthew Reinhart?
MR: Hmmm… that’s tough. There are a lot! I’d say number one is Haunted House by Jan Pienkowski.
RVC: Three words that describe what being an artist means to you?
This month’s PB review is by Ryan G. Van Cleave (Top Riverboating Fan at Only Picture Books) and and Florida-based author/illustrator Linda Shute.
–Ryan’s Review of the Writing–
Author/illustrator Fernando Vilela’s Along the Tapajós tells the story of Cauã and Inaê, a brother and sister who live in a small village along Brazil’s Tapajós River. (Here’s a map and more information about the river, in case you want a fuller geographical context for this story.) While all of their homes are up on stilts, the rainy season brings so much water that the entire community relocates to higher, drier ground. When they get to their new temporary home, the kids realize the problem straight away–they forgot their pet tortoise, Titi. A tortoise isn’t a turtle, so he can’t swim to safety on his own (turtles can swim whereas tortoises can’t). The pair hatch a daring plan to sneak back at night on a journey along the river to rescue him. Will they be able to save Titi in time before the waters get too high?
Foreign words won’t prove daunting here. Other than the names, there’s only one in the entire story, and it’s well-glossed within the text. (Pa always finds a good spot, someplace sunny and close to an igarapé–that’s a kind of waterway.)
Readers will surely enjoy comparing the world of these kids to their own–the stilt houses, the school only reached by boat, the big critters (alligators and anacondas) lurking in the water, the idea of a two-season year, a community-wide annual migration, etc. All of that might lead to interesting discussions for sure.
The ending of this story, however, is potentially troublesome. Once the kids realize that Titi has been left behind, they disobey their parents who specifically tell them NOT to go back for the pet. And while on this unapproved rescue mission, they encounter an anaconda who’s about to gobble up the tortoise and both kids. But doesn’t. Why? It’s an unexplained deus ex machina moment. (“I don’t know how it happens, but when I jump back into the boat with Titi in my arms, the queen of the jungle gets all tangled up!”) Lucky for the kids and Titi, sure, but that’s the thing–they win via luck, not through their own efforts. Taken together, those two story moments might not sit well with readers.
Still, the book offers a lot of vivid details about this community that are interesting and extremely well-depicted, visually speaking. And the backmatter, too, is quite fascinating and full of compelling facts, details, and images. The real selling point of this book, though, is the pictures. See what Linda has to rave about below!
3.75 out of 5 pencils
–Linda’s Review of the Illustrations–
The art in Fernando Vilela’s Along the Tapajós snags the eye and enlarges the interpretive experience of American children. It is a textured panorama reflecting the energy of its creation and the urgency of the story it tells. The marks are slashed, carved, and incised, the palette basic–mostly flat tones of greens, browns, red and yellow on an armature of black. The effect is of layered, hand-printed folk art. The river is a gouged wood block printed edge to edge across the pages, over and under other elements. Palm fronds, lily pads, oxen, fish, birds, the snake’s pattern, and the catwalk supports are stamped on freely. The pages are filled with details authentic to the cultural setting and invite reexamination and discovery.
The figures, however, are drawn, and the sister and mother wear flowered collaged dresses. Their black outlines are angular and sometimes crude. The faces are appropriately simple but expressive cartoons. The only stylistic distraction for me was a capybara pair that seemed Photoshopped additives.
Although the viewpoint voice is the boy’s, the book’s visual main character is the tan river which dominates virtually every page. The double spread riverside landscape might backdrop two or three sequential actions of the boat and children, an ingenious design maneuver to avoid fracturing the flowing scene. The river carries the action forward, the villagers to their winter refuge, and finally transforms the world we first entered. When the children return to rescue their tortoise from their now-submerged home, they find the land structure and water creatures dreamily melded. The closing endpaper, a rainy season redux of the opening dry season endpaper, brings us to a satisfying and thought-provoking full circle.
5 out of 5 crayons
In 1996, Linda Shute traveled in a small boat up an Amazon tributary similar to the Tapajós River and visited a school like the one in this book. The Escola Bosque had a poster of Elizabeth Taylor on the classroom wall!
This month’s Industry Insider interview is with Mary Cummings, a literary agent at Betsy Amster Literary Enterprises. She got on my radar not only for being involved with a number of books that are connected to OPB in some manner (we’ll address those in the interview below), but because her name kept popping up on the Dealmakers section of Publisher’s Marketplace. Yep, we watch that pretty closely here at OPB, for obvious reasons.
Before we dive into the Q&A, let’s learn a bit more about Mary via a Six Facts and One Lie Game. Six of the following are honest-to-goodness true. One is a complete falsehood. (Can’t tell which is the pants-on-fire moment? I’ll spill the beans somewhere in the interview.)
She can’t stand coffee.
She’s fast in terms of responding to queries. I mean FAST.
She’ll take a pass on any vampire and zombie stories.
She adores opera. Not a day goes by that she doesn’t enjoy an aria or two.
She loves PT Cruiser cars, even though they stopped making them in July 2010.
She spends way too much time following the national news.
She’s GOT to have her annual trip to the mountains or she’ll be worthless to family, friends, clients, and the world in general for the rest of the year.
Now that we’re in the loop with who Mary is and what she’s about, it’s time for the interview. Onward!
RVC: Unlike many agents I’ve interviewed at OPB, you didn’t start off in the literary world as an agent or as an intern at an agency who then worked their way up. You started at the Loft Literary Center. How did you get involved there? What did those experiences teach you about books, readers, and writing?
MC: As Education Director, I oversaw and sometimes taught classes, workshops, conferences, etc. for adult and kid writers. It was the perfect setting to develop an understanding about what writers need, and my work involved meeting those needs through education, networking, award programs, etc.
One of the most crucial things that I’ve carried forward is my empathy for writers, for their passion and drive in striving to create a publishable manuscript that will reach readers as a book. My area of particular focus was children’s literature. I was in charge of selecting judges from the top editors in the field for the McKnight Award in Children’s Literature, a $25,000 award. I also curated an annual festival of children’s literature featuring authors, illustrators, editors, agents, art directors and other industry professionals. These relationships were foundational for my work as an agent.
RVC: In 2008, you joined Betsy Amster’s agency. What made you take the agenting plunge? And how did your work at the Loft prepare you for success as an agent?
MC: It was a logical next step. I had hired Betsy on many occasions to teach workshops at the Loft. We liked one another, and I brought kid lit expertise and contacts to the agency. She mentored me in some business aspects that I hadn’t had experience with before. As I mentioned, having empathy for writers and understanding for their passion and difficulties was crucial. I also knew writers who talked about what they liked, and didn’t like, about their agents which helped shape my own approach.
RVC: In another interview you did, you called yourself an agent who “takes risks.” That phrase stuck with me (and makes me think of juggling flaming knives, but I suspect you meant something different). What type of risks do you mean?
MC: Well, I’m not cautious! Don’t know about juggling flaming knives, though. I’m willing to take on a project I love even if it’s out of the mainstream, even if it will be extra challenging to explain it to–and hook–editors.
RVC: Here’s a fun connection. The first OPB Industry Insider interview was with Sylvie Frank, who WOWed me with a great picture book intensive (with Chronicle Books editor Melissa Manlove) at a regional SCBWI event in Miami. One of the texts Sylvie spoke about a lot was I Have a Balloon. That’s one of your sales, right? What do you think Sylvie liked so much about that book? What kind of behind-the-scenes info on that story can you offer?
MC: Yup, it’s one my sales. Here’s what Sylvie Frank said in her deal memo:
This manuscript is so much fun! It’s fresh and funny and totally defies readers’ expectations. (At first I thought it was going to be a sharing book—and then it wasn’t! Ha!) I love that it’s about negotiating and getting what you want. So original.
I worked with Ariel to change the ending before I submitted it (this process is described in an article on cummingskidlit.com). But once it was, there were NO word changes in the publication process. None. Zero. The book’s font sizes were varied throughout the text to give visual energy and suggest areas for emphasis in read-aloud, but no words were changed. That’s rare. (And this definitely is behind-the-scenes. Not many people know this).
RVC: We specialize in delivering behind-the-scenes 411 on things here at OPB. Thanks for keeping that trend cooking along!
Since we’re talking about OPB connections to your sales record, let’s move to Small Walt and Mo the Tow—another Sylvie Frank book, I’ve got to mention!—which we reviewed here. Do you find that sequels are easier to sell than stand-alones? Is there a trend here that writers should be aware of?
MC: They typically aren’t easier to sell unless there’s a clear sales record from several prior books in a series. I don’t think there’s a trend here.
RVC: What’s one thing that your client Elizabeth Verdick (author of Small Walt and other picture books) does well that helps her career?
MC: Elizabeth works very hard, and very creatively, to promote sales of her books. There are several things she does which other writers could learn from. (See the article about this on cummingskidlit.com)
RVC: Let’s follow through on offering advice to aspiring picture book writers because many of them come to OPB for guidance, tips, and direction. What can you offer them in terms of using rhyme effectively in picture books?
MC: The hardest rhyme to sell is couplets using end rhyme. Find unusual, fun words and vary the pattern and syllable count. Include other language devices besides rhyme. Consider mixing rhyme with non-rhyming sections, as Elizabeth Verdick does in her Small Walt books. (See the article on this topic at cummingskidlit.com)
RVC: One of the tips you’ve shared on your website is that “the narration style associated with oral storytelling isn’t suited to picture books.” That’s quite compelling. Could you say a bit more about what you mean by this?
MC: Oral storytelling uses different sentence construction than written. It begins differently, has different pacing, depends upon different devices for impact. Take a look, for example, at The Wolf, the Duck & the Mouse (Mac Barnett/Jon Klassen). It has a sudden start, quick action, fairly short word count, a mix of language styles–and visuals tell part of the story.
RVC: Let’s talk about your agenting partner, Betsy Amster. What are the qualities you most admire about her as an agent?
MC: Her professionalism is #1. She’s ethical, has many years experience in the industry, she’s a deep listener, and a true advocate for authors. We like and complement one another.
RVC: If I asked her the same question about you, what do you imagine she’d say about you as an agent?
MC: She’d say I know my own mind. (I know she’s told people this!). She’s struck by how quickly I’m able to decide if I have interest in a project.
RVC: Dear reader, you’ve been waiting. I’ve been waiting. Mary has been waiting. My neighbor’s twin gerbils have been waiting. And here we are—it’s time for the Lightning Round! [Insert Rick Riordan-style Zeus lightning crashes! ka-BOOM!]
AREYOUREADY?
MC: I’ve got my tea. Not that you’re going to give me time to sip it …(and there, I just gave a clue on the Six Facts and One Lie game!)
RVC: Worst pet ever: hermit crabs, gerbils, fish, or ants?
MC: Looks like you have experience with all of them?! I’d say the wrong breed of dog.
RVC: If Hollywood made a movie about your life, what celeb actress would play you?
MC: Meryl Streep.
RVC: In a parallel universe where Mary Cummings didn’t become a bookish person, she instead had a career in … ?
MC: Opera.
RVC: Late night TV talk show you’d most like to see one of your authors on?
MC: Hmm. Depends upon the author, but let’s say Jimmy Fallon.
RVC: The last picture book you read—beyond those you worked on—that made you go WOW!
RVC: Three words that describe what a great picture book is/does?
MC: Stays in the brain and heart. Not three words. So sue me!
RVC: Fantastic. And for those of you who weren’t sure about which of the Mary Cummings Facts wasn’t, in fact, a fact (wow, that’s a funny phrase to say aloud), the answer is…
MC: I do like some classic stuff, including classic cars. But the PT Cruiser is just ugly. Not classic!
RVC: Agreed! Thanks so much, Mary. It was great getting the chance to learn more about all you do.
Goodreads Synopsis: “Pirate Emma is about to start kindergarten! But Emma’s not so sure she’s ready for a new captain and crew. Especially since Cap’n Chu—the roughest, toughest, awesomest preschool cap’n ever—is right down the hall. So Emma decides to head back to the preschool ship to see if she can stir up a mutiny against kindergarten! Is that what she really wants? Or does she just miss her beloved Cap’n Chu? Batten down the hatches, mateys, because the first day of school is going to be stormy!”
Before Reading–From looking at the front and back cover:
Where and when does this story seem to take place? What evidence do you see?
What do you already know about pirates?
If pirates don’t go to kindergarten, where DO they go?
What do you imagine the kids on the back cover are saying to each other?
After Reading–Now that you’ve read the story:
Which classroom appeals to you most–the pirate room or the space room?
What do you think Pirate Emma missed most about preschool?
Go back and revisit the pictures in this book. Which of them is your favorite? Why?
How satisfied are you with the ending? Does Emma seem like she’ll be happy from now on?
Writing–Try your hand at creating your own first-day-of-school story. Tell it from your own experiences or make up a character like Pirate Emma who is having a hard time with the new situation. What kind of challenges might your main character face? How will they react when things don’t go as expected? What does your main character miss most about their old teacher/class? Will your story end on a happy note, a sad note, or something else entirely?
Craft–With an adult’s help, try some of the following pirate-themed crafts:
“Exploding” Treasure Chest–Never considered how science fits into the world of pirates? Wonder no more! Let the fizzing (spoiler: it fizzes vs explodes) and the fun begin.
Handprint Pirate–Could be a big mess–what hand-painting isn’t? But it’s something the kids will really enjoy.
Pirate Ball Toss Game–Relatively easy to create, and it’s a cool addition to any pirate-themed party.
Pirates’ Number Gold–Requires a bit of adult help and more supplies than normal, but the results are pretty darn cool!
JC: The drama. I played lots of sports as a kid and I’m amazed how the details of particular games stick with me all these years later. Sports provide a heightened atmosphere and that translates into good tension for stories.
RVC: When did you first realize you wanted to write picture books?
JC: At the Roseville Library in Minnesota when I was thirty-two years old. I was looking at books with my five-year-old daughter and I had mine and she was still looking. I’d been reading tons of picture books with her and was fascinated by how much was possible with the form. I went over to the computer and typed in my own name to see if anybody named John Coy had written a book. The result came back “Zero books by this author.” I realized if I wanted something to come up I needed to actually write a story.
RVC: In your bio at the Scholastic books site, it says that you’ve worked “as a dishwasher, mattress maker, tour guide, and group home worker before taking up writing.” Which of those proved most useful in terms of helping you become a successful writer?
JC: I love this question. All of them helped, but the tour guide job was the one most directly connected since giving a good tour is all about having great stories. And great stories come from reading, listening to people, conducting research, and then distilling that information to a memorable story. In terms of school visits, though, the group homework continues to be the most valuable as I learned how to connect and work with many different people.
RVC: Describe the process of how a picture book emerges for you, from the kernel of an idea to the final product that you send on to an acquisition editor (who surely has their own requested tweaks, revisions, and adjustments). By way of example, how about we examine the genesis story of Two Old Potatoes and Me? What’s the seed-to-plant process there?
JC: This one has an interesting origin. In 1999, I was getting married in England and going to be in Europe for five weeks. I needed something to plant in my plot at the community garden that was hardy and could survive while I was gone, so I planted the entire area in potatoes. When I came back, the plot was full of weeds but the potatoes were doing fine. In the fall, I had so many potatoes so I gave some away to friends. One of them–Norton Stillman–called me and told me how good they were. “You should write a book about growing potatoes,” he said.
The next day I started writing about potatoes and then revised and revised it. I sent it to one editor who liked it but rejected it on the grounds that they already had a book about green beans, a vegetable quota I was unaware of. The second editor, Andrea Cascardi at Crown, said yes. Three illustrators turned down the chance to illustrate it, which turned out to be fortunate because we got Carolyn Fisher who created stunning art, including a copyright page with text in the shape of a potato with one sprout thanking Norton Stillman for the idea.
RVC: Two Old Potatoes and Me uses a memorable rhythmic text throughout. What are your feelings on rhyme? And how important is the sound of a picture book to you?
JC: Rhyme is tricky and I’m in awe of folks who do it well. Sound is key to picture book text since the book is designed to be read by an adult to a child. I read stories aloud over and over as I’m working on them. I also record them and hear new things when I listen to the recordings that help make changes.
RVC: What type of rituals or routines are part of your writing process?
JC: Yoga to start the day, breakfast, then some newspapers online. and NBA highlights for procrastination. I try to stay away from email until the afternoon in order to keep space for writing.
RVC: Writing advice is fairly easy to find, and it often consists of the same basic things—write more, read more, revise more, etc. What’s the most unexpected bit of useful advice you have for aspiring authors?
JC: I don’t know if it’s unexpected, but the best advice for me came from the poet Diego Vazquez, Jr.: writers write. For me, that’s important to repeat regularly. Writers write.
I see many aspiring writers spending huge amounts of time trying to understand the business of publishing. Writers write. I think the most important aspect of writing is to write compelling stories.
Writers write.
RVC: Since we mentioned the submission process, let’s get your take on this question that many aspiring writers have. How vital is it for picture book writers to be represented by a literary agent?
JC: I did not have an agent for my first four picture books. Then my editor Andrea Cascardi decided to be an agent after her son was born. He just turned twenty-one and Andrea is still my agent. She knows more about this than I do, so here’s her answer:
“Speaking as an agent, I would have to say it’s about getting access. Most of the large houses don’t accept unsolicited manuscripts. That said, if a writer attends conferences where editors agree to read submissions from attendees or if they do online workshops where editors speak and also agree to read submissions, there are ways to get in the door.”
RVC: Knowing all you now know, what’s one thing you’d have done differently in terms of your writing career way back when?
JC: I would’ve started earlier. The worst piece of advice I heard was that if you don’t have to write every day, then you aren’t a writer. I didn’t feel I had to write every day. so I thought I wasn’t a writer. That and fear of rejection kept me from starting sooner.
RVC: What’s next for you, picture-book-wise?
JC: Two picture books I started over twenty years ago. On Your Way, beautifully illustrated by Talitha Shipman, comes out August 13. It’s a celebration of first steps and the various ways we learn to move.
In October, My Mighty Journey: A Waterfall’s Story will be published. It’s the story of the only major waterfall on the Mississippi River and what it has witnessed over the past twelve thousand years. It’s first-person waterfall, a type of story we don’t have enough of. Gaylord Schanilec and a team of artists collected material from the riverbank and made striking art with it.
In spring of 2020, two new books will be published. If We Were Gone will be released on the fiftieth anniversary of Earth Day and imagines a world without people. Natalie Capannelli, in her picture book debut, created great pictures for that and it will have a different dust jacket and cover. Then for Father’s Day, Dads, my second collaboration with the award-winning photographer Wing Young Huie, will be released.
RVC: Congrats on so much success! We’ll keep an eye out for those titles here at OBP.
Now–just one last question for this part of the interview. There’s an audio recording at Teaching Books.net where you explain exactly how to pronounce your name. How common of an issue is this for your readers and/or during school visits? I ask because I’ve got a potentially tricky name to get right, too, for a variety of reasons. Inquiring minds want to know!
JC: This is a great service from Teaching Books. I’m surprised how many schools check it out in advance of visits even with my simple name.
RVC: Alright, it’s time for … THESPEEDROUND! Cheetah-fast questions followed by Ferrari-fast answers, please. Ready?
JC: Ready!
RVC: If I never became a writer, I’d have been a ___________.
JC: frustrated writer.
RVC: Most likely to appear in a future John Coy book—dinosaurs, ninjas, or pirates?
This month’s interview is with author/illustrator Matthew Reinhart, an artist whose life feels parallel to mine in all kinds of nifty ways. For example:
Do you see why we’re practically best friends, despite only meeting (virtually, at that!) a few weeks back?
As of 2021, Mary launched her own agency, 
This month’s author interview is with Minneapolis author John Coy. I first learned about him from reading his middle grade novel 
