(Click to enlarge)
I’m happy to have Piggy Bunny, the star of this book (Feiwel and Friends, February 2012), visiting today — and his creators, author Rachel Vail and “authorstrator” Jeremy Tankard. (Jeremy was the first-EVER subject of my 7-Imp breakfast interviews years ago.)
So, I’m going to do something kind of unusual for me here. I’m not going to say much right now in this intro to today’s post. Rachel and Jeremy do such a great job of talking about the genesis of and creation of this book that for me to go on about it—try to summarize it, that is—would be redundant. I’m grateful that they’re so forthcoming with their thoughts below.
As you’ll see, this is the story of Liam, a piglet who wants to be a bunny, and it all stemmed from a piece in Jeremy Tankard’s portfolio. Rachel decided she wanted to eschew writing yet another just-be-yourself tale in children’s lit and finds it the most subversive book she’s ever written. “Though the believe-in-yourself theme has been told in many ways,” writes Kirkus, “Liam holds his own with his quiet determination. Who can resist a piglet who introduces himself with ‘Hello, my name is Liam and I’ll be your Easter Bunny’?”
Indeed. So, let’s get right to it … I thank Rachel and Jeremy for sharing. (more…)
I love Piper. I’m going to buy a share and own .000000001% of her élan, okay?
I love that she scored on burritos, and that there IS a question between doughnuts and rolls. That’s hysterical - sugary carb, or buttery carb: You make the call! and that there are books which tell you that all you’ve got to do is put on the trappings of someone else, and for how ever long you’d like to be, you can be someone utterly different. Since, this week, I am SO over me, I am going to put on my darned bunny suit and see if anyone wants an egg.
What a happy book.
Pig in a bunny suit! My life is complete. Adorable. Thanks to Jeremy and Rachel for sharing the backstories of making this book. I cannot tell you how much I love Liam’s father’s mustache :).
I’m also swooning over Piper and her doughnuts vs. rolls question. A girl after my own heart for sure. It’s a rhetorical question, right?
My biggest kick was of course co-interviewing Maira with the one and only Jules, which required serious consumption of cake and Cheez Doodles.
A few more:
Getting ready for another Poetry Potluck at Alphabet Soup. Especially love the cherished family recipes and photos.
Just finished reading Helen Frost’s Hidden. OMG. So beautifully crafted and compelling. Could not put it down.
Encouraging news about my Dad’s health. He will be 98 this Fall.
A gentle rain to wash the pollen away.
Borrowing every Mary Oliver book in my library and feeling so uplifted and spiritually nourished by her poetry.
Happy Sunday and have a good last week of March, everyone.
What a great looking book! I think it may be destined for an Easter basket around these parts
And Tanita and Jama- I guess this is what makes the world go round cause it’s donoughts all the way for me!
So kicks…
1. I have to be a bit of a copy cat cause Jules and Jama’s interview this week was one of my favorites. The topic of course was part of it but also the fact that you collaborated so beautifully on a shared dream- the best!
2. Gorgeous spring weather!
3. Shine. Now need to read Chime.
4. Seeing huge progress with a reading client.
5. The fluffiness of our puppy.
6. Seeing the end at the light of the tunnel with a huge project that needs to be done to clear time for other things…
7. Movie night with my youngest while my oldest was at a sleepover… popcorn, twizzlers and snuggling!
Tanita: HA. Like her mama, yes, she is all about carbs. Let us know how the bunny suit goes.
Jama, nope, not rhetorical, but we can pretend it is. Looking forward, as always, to your April posts. Thanks for the book rec, and GO, JAMA’S DAD.
Stacey, I love kick #7. I told the girls I’d let each one of them skip school one day for us to hang out. Each girl would get one day. Since then, they have asked me NEARLY EVERY DAY when this will be. …. And of course you’re seeing progress with a reading client, ’cause you are so good at what you do. And I reeeeeally wanna read Chime already.
Oh thank you Rachel and Jeremy, I love Piggy Bunny.
Jules, Piper can be my libraryan. I love it! And how fun to collab w/ Jama.
Tanita, pic of you as a bunny!
Jama, can’t wait to see who you have for Poetry month.
Stacey, will have to check out Shime.
My kicks:
1. Poetry Postcard Project
2. Poetry workshop w/ Paulann Petersen yesterday. Fabulous. Posted on Deowriter.
3. Twenty-four slices written for Slice of Life Story Challenge with Two Writing Teachers.
4. Two hour late start because of snow BUT I didn’t know until I got to school. (so driving wasn’t an issue).
5. My first food cart experience in Portland yesterday. Yum.
6. Book club tonight. Discussing The Girl w/ No Shado.
7. Fabulous webinar with Mike Eisenberg, teacher librarian guru.
Have a great week.
Piper’s note is hilarious. PIggy dreams of being a bunny and I dream of being a librarian. I joined Goodreads and that makes me feel a little bit like a libraryan whichi is also nice.
Those were kicks one and two.
3. My Mntessori course this weekend…the subject was language. We wrote stories, danced and wrote in sand outside in the sun. I was one of a handful of foriegners in the group which was amusing.
4.Riding my bike to “school”. I love that I don’t have to drive here in Berlin. It’s easy to get around.
5.Day off tomorrow!
6. Birthday present to selfhttp://shop.thejewishmuseum.org/jmuseum/product.asp?prod_name=Plush+Max+Doll&pf_id=PAMDICGPPIMIEAJI&dept_id=8915&s_id=0&
7. being virtually surrounded by book-lovers
Liam the Easter (piggy) Bunny - love this book! And really loved reading how it came together especially Rachel’s writings on how come he can’t keep the bunny suit on. Thanks guys for sharing the whole process with us!
Jules - loved your collaboration with Jama on the Maira Kalman interview. I gave “Why We Broke Up” as a birthday present to a special 16 year old this month, and it was a huge hit.
And Piper is awesome.
Tanita - hope its a comfortable bunny suit.
Jama - your kick about borrowing every Mary Oliver poetry book made me imagine you sitting on a comfortable rug, surrounded by open books everywhere, and smiling. Great kick.
Stacey - Hooray for the fluffy puppy and movie night!
Jone - that snow was certainly unexpected, and then Friday and Saturday’s sunshine was wonderful. I am eagerly awaiting my poetry postcard!
My kicks:
1) Three day jury trial last week. Finished on Thursday, verdict an hour and a half later, good result.
2) Sunshine for Friday’s Furlough Day.
3) Thrift shopping with a girlfriend all day Friday, and lunch at http://www.steakadelphia.com/ I had the Supreme. It. was. amazing.
4) Cocktails and dinner later with more friends. This time http://www.pokpokpdx.com/ We ordered lots, and shared. Yum. Then I went home and fell into a food coma.
5) Read “Under the Never Sky” by Veronica Rossi, I liked it, for the most part.
6) Currently reading “The Storyteller” by Antonia Michaelis and am really sucked into it.
7) Bought and watched the movie Young Adult, with Charlize Theron. It’s twisted, and it really cracked me up.
7.5) Soccer game later this afternoon. (Jules, you are invited to come and play on my team whenever you are in Portland. And I would so play kickball with you too.)
Happy Sunday and have a great week everyone!
You had me at: “Hello, my name is Liam and I’ll be your Easter Bunny.” I find the backstory so interesting and helpful. The character who grabs and haunts someone. The story that blossoms with a collaborator. The question that bugs a writer… until she finds the answer by rejecting the original premise. Each is such a great example of the ‘magic’ (inspiration/angst/pursuit/artistry) of picture book creation. I’m going to try and share Rachel’s “Why can’t I write this thing?” exploration. Brilliant.
A bit of a fly-by today: I’m at hubby’s family reunion at a beach house in Galveston TX and I shouldn’t be antisocial too long.
As always, so many kicks that make me smile: all things Maira Kalman, the sleepover note (ha!), poetry potlucks, giving this book in an Easter Basket (great idea), Portland food carts, studying language by writing in the sand, thrift shops and food comas. And how to spell ‘burritos’; personally, I like to ponder spelling ‘quesadillas’.
My Texan sh_t-kickin’ kicks this week:
1. family stories that each sib remembers differently
2. a new seashore with its unique shells to collect
3. Saw “The Hunger Games” with theater full of screaming teens on Opening Night; liked the movie and the enthusiam.
4. corn and crab chowder at local restaurant
Have a good week y’all.
Fly-by posting! Good afternoon, Imps, pigs, bunnies, and kitties! Hope you are enjoying your weekend.
My kicks from the past week:
1. Energy
2. Reading/performance of a new work
3. Interaction
4. Completion
5. Connected stories
6. Fixing
7. Soundtracks
Jone, snow? Really? What’s that like? (And what’s a “food cart experience”?)
Lisa, LOVE YOUR GIFT TO YOURSELF!
Rachel, aw thanks. Me, you, kickball. One day. I really wanna read Why We Broke Up.I want to see Young Adult, too. I heard it’s very funny. But not exactly uplifting (which I don’t expect anyway). But funny!
What a good week with friends (and good food) you had, Rachel.
Hi, Denise! Your family reunion sounds fun. Thanks for taking the time to visit. Enjoy the rest of your visit and all the shells.
Hi, Little Willow! What current soundtracks do you recommend?
Jules, I didn’t think the snow was an issue. There was hardly any there until I got to school. Was about 2 inches.
Food carts are quote the think in Portland:http://www.foodcartsportland.com/
Very fun. Food was good.
Love that California song.
Here is another one I love by the Belle Brigade.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1p7EG65tf4
Moira! Thank you! I’m listening now. Me likey. (Glad you like “California.”)
I love Piggy Bunny. Thanks for sharing.
Charming, absolutely charming. Thanks SO much. And then after charming came inspirational. I just love what Rachel Veil says about:
Why can’t I just write this thing? Well, for one thing, I am so sick of books that tell kids they should embrace who they are. Why? Isn’t that what a good kid-book SHOULD tell a kid? What kind of awful curmudgeon am I? Why do they even let me write books for kids if I don’t want to tell kids YOU ARE GREAT AS YOU ARE?
But what does that really tell a kid? Does a kid sometimes hear that as a limit instead of an affirmation? YOU ARE GREAT AS YOU ARE. (Because let’s face it, kid, no matter how much you try, you’re nothing more than that?) Even if it’s true (which of course it’s not, not necessarily), is that really what kids should be told? How deflating! YOU ARE WHO YOU ARE AND THAT’S ALL? Should the message we send to kids really be COMPLACENCY?’ Just so good to see this in writing, first of all. And then it is really helping my thinking for my own writing. Thank you again.
Also on your kicks: LOVE that quote from Maira Kalman. And your daughter’s note. I hope you can keep it for her. It is just so lovely.