Which animal has been your favorite to illustrate in your books?
Impossible to choose a favorite! But I’ve had fun repeating some animals over several books, and love it when kids pick up on that—like the little yellow bird introduced in Shy. I named her for my grandmother, and then liked that little pop of yellow so much that I had her fly through my next 3 books. She isn’t named in the other books, but my most faithful readers know that she’s Florence. 😀
Who inspired your reading/writing as a kid?
My first books were written by my Aunt Mary Ann and illustrated by my Uncle Norman. Growing up with the masterful rhyme and wordplay of Mary Ann Hoberman definitely trained my writer’s ear!
Author you always love to read:
Another impossible question! Hmmm… for kids, I’ll go with Maira Kalman. I love her unique voice, which finds its way into everything she does—fiction, nonfiction, illustration.
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