It was an honor to get children's book author, Michele Knudsen to answer some questions about her books. Here is what she had to share
Q - I love your picture books Library Lion and Big Mean Mike. I have read Big Mean Mike to many classes and the students love Mike. How did you get the idea for Mike? Also why did you select to pair him with bunnies?
It is always hard to pinpoint exactly where the initial idea for a story comes from. I do try to pay attention these days, though since I know people may ask me after a book comes out! I believe my first glimmer of the story for Big Mean Mike camd during a cab ride home form the airport in April 2007. Maybe, a big, though-looking guy rode by on a motorcycle, or maybe I noticed a dog in a passsing car, but for whatever reason, I started thinking about this big though dog character In my early thoughts he rode a motercycle, and by the end of the story the bunnies were all riding in the side car. I started trying to think about what kind of story this character might be part of, and I liked the idea of pairing him with something (or somethings) really different from what he was like. loved the contrast of this big, though dog with these tiny, adorable bunnies. I could easily imagine that Big Mean Mike might have trouble with those cute bunnies, and it was fun thnking about how he might try to deal with them.
Q- There is a constant highlighting of bullying today in schools. Where you thinking about this when you were writing Big Mean Mike?
I wasn't intentionally trying to write a book about bullying, but I am very glad that teachers have found ways to use Big Mean Mike as part of discussions about this issue, I don't think Mike himself s a bully, exactly -- he's big and tough and likes everyone to know it, but he mostly just does his own thing..he's not really interested in picking on anyone else. The bullying moment really comes later, when the other dogs begin to harass Mike for hanging out with the bunnies. That's when he needs to decide how much it matters to him what others might think or say, and whether he's going to stand up for himself and his new friends.
Q- The illustrations by Scott Morgan are just fabulous. When did you know what Mike would look like?
I agree! I love Scott's illustrations so much. I got a bit teary when I first saw the sketches of the bunnies-they were just perfect, so small and fuzzy and adorable! Scott did a couple of different versions of Mike before landing on the one that appears in the book, I think Mikde turned out just perfectly too and I especially love the outfit he wears to the gym.
Found this funny quote at Scott's site-
And remember, as Gene Weingarten once said, “always try to put the funniest word at the end of your sentence underpants.”
I will end on this note and continue with Part II with Michele Knudsen on Thursday as we talk about her newest book Evil Librarian and her future book Marilyn's Monsters.
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