Thursday, May 29, 2008
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Interview with Robert Munsch
This past Sunday, I was able to live out every children's writer's fantasy, and talk with Robert Munsch! After performing for 1 1/2 hours, and signing autographs for 2 hours, he was wonderful enough to sit with me, and my children, as well as my two nieces, their mom, my mother-in-law and my husband, for an interview. I can verify that, yes, he really is that great. My children decided to make him an honourary cowboy and decorated an interesting cowboy hat for him, which he donned immediately. They happily spent the duration of the interview, raiding the cookies they made him, and Robert Munsch didn't seem to mind sharing.
I am relieved to anounce that my husband no longer thinks I belong in the looney bin. I have been to a few rock concerts in my day, and this event would most certainly compare. I tried to taks a picture of the crazy lineup, but even with panorama, I couldn't even start to fit it all in. It was nice to hear my husband say "wow! Is he really this big?" because to him, Robert Munsch just writes great children's stories. And then there were the hordes of screaming children, stretching their hands in the air for a chance to be in a story, never mind the endless autograph line. "See," I said to my husband. "It's not just me." He still thinks I am slightly more obsessive than the average parent ... and I porbably am.
Anyway, my hugest thanks to Robert Munsch and his very thoughtful and courteous staff. This household thinks that Robert Munsch is a fantastic person. I could not think of anyone who deserves success more. We will cherish the memory, forever.
What is your favourite book, by another author?
My favourite book by another author is a book called Blank Slate by Steven Pinker”
What is your favourite book that you have written?
Mortimer.
What book are you most proud of?
I think, Love you Forever.
Do you ever wish that you could go back and edit something in a book that’s already been published?
Oh yes. Sometimes I can get the publisher to change a book that is already out.
Do you have an example?
Mortimer, my first book, has five different texts, I think. Then the publisher said, “This is ridiculous. When they’re out, they stay out.”
Do you consider yourself a child masquerading as a grown up, or an adult who likes to be a child?
I consider myself an adult who likes to listen to children.
Was your childhood happy?
No.
Books like Millicent and the Wind and Stephanie’s Ponytail explore alienation and ostracism. Were you familiar with those, as a child?
Ah yeh. I didn’t do very well in school.
You often paint teachers and principals in an ill light. They are quite often the butt of jokes in books such as Show and Tell and We Share Everything. Are you playing to your audience or expressing childhood...
I’m playing to my audience and also getting revenge.
Characters such as Jule-Anne and Moira are very clever. Did you often outwit the adults, or is that an expression of an alter-ego?
It’s pure fantasy.
Speaking of alter-egos, I have heard you are a Batman fan. I was wondering, which one of your books do you think he would like?
I think Batman would like Purple Green and Yellow.
What was the inspiration behind From Far Away?
A kid wrote me a letter about her first Halloween in Canada. She had just arrived from the civil war in Lebanon and she freaked out. I used that letter to write that book.
Was there a specific thing in the story that touched you?
She was just so upset, I think that when she cried and her dad had to come and get her. And she didn’t know how to ask where the bathroom was and she crawled under people’s desks and snuck out of the room.
Speaking of the bathroom, my son’s favourite expression when he has to pee is “I have to go peeEE”. I was wondering, as a parent and a former daycare worker, do you have any potty training advice?
Be patient.
How did A Promise is A Promise come about?
I wrote it with an Inuit friend of mine, Michael Kusugak. I stayed with his family he told me about the Quallapilluit and we wrote that story.
Is that how Michael Kusugak got his start?
Yes that’s how come he got his start.
What was the inspiration behind The Paper Bag Princess?
I was telling stories to kids about princes and princesses, but they were just regular stories. Then one of the mothers said, “have you noticed there are not many princes is in this stupid lumber town. You should change that story.” So, I changed it and the kids liked it very much.
It is considered culturally significant, both in its message of self-esteem and feminism. Was that completely by accident, or was some of that intentional?
No. That was not by accident, actually.
So, that was quite intentional to do that?
Yes.
Do you receive many letters from adults?
I don’t receive a whole lot, but that is obviously an adult favourite.
Do you answer the letters from the adults, as well?
Yes.
What advice do you have to offer other writers?
Get a job, first.
Did you have any advice for editing?
Nobody’s first draft works, on some level. It requires constant revision to get it to where it needs to be. But you have to know when to say enough is enough. I would say, you’ll never get it just right. There eventually comes a point when you have to say “stop”. It never gets good enough.
Did you always want to be a writer?
No. I wanted to be anything but a writer. I couldn’t spell in school. My boss made me be a writer. I put off writing but my daycare boss told me he would fire me if I didn’t try writing down a story.
How important do feel it is for a children’s writer to immerse themselves in childhood culture?
I don’t know the answer to that. Dr. Seuss who wrote such wonderful books had virtually no contact with children. I on the other hand, have lots of contact with kids and that works for me, but I don’t think there is a general rule about that.
Do you have any advice on how writers can immerse themselves in children?
Go visit a daycare centre.
Are you an organized person?
No.
Do you write down your ideas or do you store them in your head?
When I start getting a story that I think works, I put it on a list. But that’s about it.
Do you write down the children’s names to remember them? [Robert Munsch uses real children as characters in his books]
No. I just call it, if it’s about Shelly, I’ll remember it as Shelly’s story. Then if I think it’s going to be a book, I contact Shelly so I can contact her. I write a draft, then five years later when it becomes a book I can say, “hey, you’re going to get a book”. Then I send her an autographed copy.
Do you have an agent?
No.
Do you think that it’s beneficial to maintain loyalty with one publisher?
Yes because the more books you have with a publisher, the more work they will do for you. If you scatter yourself all over the place, you’re not that valuable, unless you’re Stephen King.
Do you still receive rejections?
I just went with one publisher, but we don’t agree on what stories to do. I have lots of stories and it’s hard for me to get the ones I want out. Like I have over one hundred and fifty to choose from, now, on file with my publisher.
I heard that Love You Forever was one of those.
Yes, Love You Forever was one of those. My first publisher rejected that.
To what do you attribute the success of Love You Forever?
The depth of love between children and parents and families. You can love people and you can be driven crazy by them. There is a way of saying you like someone without being smothering. And it’s about life and death.
I have a few questions for the children readers.
Do you have any hobbies?
I like to walk my dog, I like to take long walks in the woods and I like to climb trees.
What are you afraid of?
Bees.
Who is your favourite person?
My favourite person? Hmm. My children.
Do you have a favourite food?
That changes a lot. I think right now, it is Indonesian coconut soup.
Do you watch T.V.?
I don’t have any shows that I like to watch.
Are you often recognized by children?
No, although I am in bookstores.
What is something that people would not know about you?
I used to yell at my kids and they would yell back. I was not the perfect parent.
I think people would be very relieved to know that. With more than one hundred stories on file with your publisher, what can we expect next?
Two books a year for a long time.
No hints on the next one?
The next one is going to be called One More Goal. It’s about a girl named Sierra, from Hay River, in the North West Territories. It’s a hockey story. I’ve written many books, but never any hockey stories.
note: Unless you are a grade school student doing a class project, any reproduction of this interview, by any means, is prohibited without the written permission of Robert Munsch, as well as the author of this site.
I am relieved to anounce that my husband no longer thinks I belong in the looney bin. I have been to a few rock concerts in my day, and this event would most certainly compare. I tried to taks a picture of the crazy lineup, but even with panorama, I couldn't even start to fit it all in. It was nice to hear my husband say "wow! Is he really this big?" because to him, Robert Munsch just writes great children's stories. And then there were the hordes of screaming children, stretching their hands in the air for a chance to be in a story, never mind the endless autograph line. "See," I said to my husband. "It's not just me." He still thinks I am slightly more obsessive than the average parent ... and I porbably am.
Anyway, my hugest thanks to Robert Munsch and his very thoughtful and courteous staff. This household thinks that Robert Munsch is a fantastic person. I could not think of anyone who deserves success more. We will cherish the memory, forever.
What is your favourite book, by another author?
My favourite book by another author is a book called Blank Slate by Steven Pinker”
What is your favourite book that you have written?
Mortimer.
What book are you most proud of?
I think, Love you Forever.
Do you ever wish that you could go back and edit something in a book that’s already been published?
Oh yes. Sometimes I can get the publisher to change a book that is already out.
Do you have an example?
Mortimer, my first book, has five different texts, I think. Then the publisher said, “This is ridiculous. When they’re out, they stay out.”
Do you consider yourself a child masquerading as a grown up, or an adult who likes to be a child?
I consider myself an adult who likes to listen to children.
Was your childhood happy?
No.
Books like Millicent and the Wind and Stephanie’s Ponytail explore alienation and ostracism. Were you familiar with those, as a child?
Ah yeh. I didn’t do very well in school.
You often paint teachers and principals in an ill light. They are quite often the butt of jokes in books such as Show and Tell and We Share Everything. Are you playing to your audience or expressing childhood...
I’m playing to my audience and also getting revenge.
Characters such as Jule-Anne and Moira are very clever. Did you often outwit the adults, or is that an expression of an alter-ego?
It’s pure fantasy.
Speaking of alter-egos, I have heard you are a Batman fan. I was wondering, which one of your books do you think he would like?
I think Batman would like Purple Green and Yellow.
What was the inspiration behind From Far Away?
A kid wrote me a letter about her first Halloween in Canada. She had just arrived from the civil war in Lebanon and she freaked out. I used that letter to write that book.
Was there a specific thing in the story that touched you?
She was just so upset, I think that when she cried and her dad had to come and get her. And she didn’t know how to ask where the bathroom was and she crawled under people’s desks and snuck out of the room.
Speaking of the bathroom, my son’s favourite expression when he has to pee is “I have to go peeEE”. I was wondering, as a parent and a former daycare worker, do you have any potty training advice?
Be patient.
How did A Promise is A Promise come about?
I wrote it with an Inuit friend of mine, Michael Kusugak. I stayed with his family he told me about the Quallapilluit and we wrote that story.
Is that how Michael Kusugak got his start?
Yes that’s how come he got his start.
What was the inspiration behind The Paper Bag Princess?
I was telling stories to kids about princes and princesses, but they were just regular stories. Then one of the mothers said, “have you noticed there are not many princes is in this stupid lumber town. You should change that story.” So, I changed it and the kids liked it very much.
It is considered culturally significant, both in its message of self-esteem and feminism. Was that completely by accident, or was some of that intentional?
No. That was not by accident, actually.
So, that was quite intentional to do that?
Yes.
Do you receive many letters from adults?
I don’t receive a whole lot, but that is obviously an adult favourite.
Do you answer the letters from the adults, as well?
Yes.
What advice do you have to offer other writers?
Get a job, first.
Did you have any advice for editing?
Nobody’s first draft works, on some level. It requires constant revision to get it to where it needs to be. But you have to know when to say enough is enough. I would say, you’ll never get it just right. There eventually comes a point when you have to say “stop”. It never gets good enough.
Did you always want to be a writer?
No. I wanted to be anything but a writer. I couldn’t spell in school. My boss made me be a writer. I put off writing but my daycare boss told me he would fire me if I didn’t try writing down a story.
How important do feel it is for a children’s writer to immerse themselves in childhood culture?
I don’t know the answer to that. Dr. Seuss who wrote such wonderful books had virtually no contact with children. I on the other hand, have lots of contact with kids and that works for me, but I don’t think there is a general rule about that.
Do you have any advice on how writers can immerse themselves in children?
Go visit a daycare centre.
Are you an organized person?
No.
Do you write down your ideas or do you store them in your head?
When I start getting a story that I think works, I put it on a list. But that’s about it.
Do you write down the children’s names to remember them? [Robert Munsch uses real children as characters in his books]
No. I just call it, if it’s about Shelly, I’ll remember it as Shelly’s story. Then if I think it’s going to be a book, I contact Shelly so I can contact her. I write a draft, then five years later when it becomes a book I can say, “hey, you’re going to get a book”. Then I send her an autographed copy.
Do you have an agent?
No.
Do you think that it’s beneficial to maintain loyalty with one publisher?
Yes because the more books you have with a publisher, the more work they will do for you. If you scatter yourself all over the place, you’re not that valuable, unless you’re Stephen King.
Do you still receive rejections?
I just went with one publisher, but we don’t agree on what stories to do. I have lots of stories and it’s hard for me to get the ones I want out. Like I have over one hundred and fifty to choose from, now, on file with my publisher.
I heard that Love You Forever was one of those.
Yes, Love You Forever was one of those. My first publisher rejected that.
To what do you attribute the success of Love You Forever?
The depth of love between children and parents and families. You can love people and you can be driven crazy by them. There is a way of saying you like someone without being smothering. And it’s about life and death.
I have a few questions for the children readers.
Do you have any hobbies?
I like to walk my dog, I like to take long walks in the woods and I like to climb trees.
What are you afraid of?
Bees.
Who is your favourite person?
My favourite person? Hmm. My children.
Do you have a favourite food?
That changes a lot. I think right now, it is Indonesian coconut soup.
Do you watch T.V.?
I don’t have any shows that I like to watch.
Are you often recognized by children?
No, although I am in bookstores.
What is something that people would not know about you?
I used to yell at my kids and they would yell back. I was not the perfect parent.
I think people would be very relieved to know that. With more than one hundred stories on file with your publisher, what can we expect next?
Two books a year for a long time.
No hints on the next one?
The next one is going to be called One More Goal. It’s about a girl named Sierra, from Hay River, in the North West Territories. It’s a hockey story. I’ve written many books, but never any hockey stories.
note: Unless you are a grade school student doing a class project, any reproduction of this interview, by any means, is prohibited without the written permission of Robert Munsch, as well as the author of this site.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
The Little Black Book for Girlz: A Book on Healthy Sexuality :Breaking Ground
The Little Black Book For Girlz: A Book on Healthy SexualityAuth: St. Stephen's Community House
Annick Press 2006
176 pp
Ages: 14+
ISBN: 13: 978-1-55037-954-9
1-55037-954-2
Here is the book of the century, for teen girls. Wow! Why is it that no one thought of this before? The Little Black Book For Girls, has been surrounded by controversy, but having read it, more than once, I eagerly give it my stamp of approval. I will not get into the fore mentioned controversy, because I would end up on a soapbox, and that would eat up valuable space- space I could better use telling you about this wonderful book.
This is a book written by youth for youth. That is the first extraordinary thing about this book. Let’s be honest. Who ever wanted to hear a sex lecture from a parent or teacher? No teen girl ever said, “I am not sure if my period is normal. Maybe I’ll go ask Mr. Smith, my chemistry teacher.” When I was a teen (yes, I know that was a long time ago) we got the goods from each other. The language of The Little Black Book For Girls, will have any teen girl, automatically hooked. Some of it may be a little colourful for the right wing parent, but the colloquialism of it all really does help propel the information.
So what’s inside?
There are sections on relationships, periods, sex, birth control, pregnancy/ miscarriage, abortion, STIs (they were known as STDs in my day), AIDS, and sexual assault. These sections are supported by a glossary, and list of resources, as well as unbelievably revealing poems, artwork and personal accounts. While The Little Black Book For Girls, is written by a collection of girls from the St. Stephen’s Community House drug-free youth arcade, in Toronto, all of the information has been guided by medical professionals.
There are plenty of easy to understand diagrams and tables throughout this book. My favourites are the checklists that help teen girls decide such things as, if they are in a healthy relationship or not, alternatives to intercourse, a list of ways to insist on condom use, and what constitutes sexual assault.
The Little Black Book For Girls is also full of interviews with the experts. The questions are asked by the teen girls, themselves, so you can bet that they are the questions that teens want to ask, and not just the answers we want to give them.
Are there elements that would offend some parents? Definitely. For example, the issues of homosexuality and premarital sex are explored. I can only say that no particular lifestyle is supported by this book, however, a great deal of information and resources are, which will help your teen to make the proper lifestyle choices. Think your child will never need information on those types of topics? I went to a high school that had about 500 students. Three of my friends came out of the closet following graduation, we had one girl who walked the stage at commencement just months from being a mother, herself, and many of my friends had stories of sexual harassment and assault.
But, off the soap box. I don’t just recommend this book for teen girls (though they’ll eat it up- my niece read the entire thing in one day), I recommend it for their mothers and fathers, too, and let’s add educators while we’re at it. I really thought I knew the whole of the birds and the bees, but those girls at the St. Stephen’s drug-free arcade sure know their stuff. Ever hear of a Lea’s Shield? Me neither. How about Trichomoniasis? It is an STI that you really can get from a toilet seat. It is important for adult role models to know these things if they are to help their children make choices. I believe that parents will also find the tables useful. Stumped on finding away to communicate what a healthy relationship is, to your teen. Just memorize the chart. It has everything you need. Single dads, this is your saviour. Rather than struggle over awkward topics that you never wanted to know about in the first place, buy your girl a copy of the book, but please, read it yourself before you give it to her, because she is bound to still have a few questions.
I could really go on forever about the wonders of this book. When my own girls are of age, you can bet there will be a copy waiting for them. It would make a great “welcome to womanhood” gift. The girls who wrote this book are pretty smart cookies, and that is just what I intend to raise. Annick Press has broken new ground, once again. I can’t help but wonder if Elizabeth has a well read copy of this book tucked in her paper bag.
- New York Library's Book for the Teen Age
- "Our Choice" List, Canadian Children's Book Centre
- ALA 2008 Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults
Also, watch for The Little Black Book for Guys: Guys Talk About Sex, due to be published by Annick Press in September of 2008
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Mommy C's Top 10 Mother's Day Books to Make You Laugh and Cry
10. Northern Lights: the Soccer Trails Michael Kusugak A beautiful way for a family to celebrate the day and deal with the grief of a mother who is no longer with them.
9. A Promise is a Promise Robert Munsch & Michael Kusugak I love that Allashua is not harshly scolded for her mistake. Her mother devises a plan to help her daughter fix what she has done. Don't we all aspire to parent like this?
8. Where the Wild Things Are Maurice Sendak Any mother of a boy can appreciate this one. Max may be the most wild thing of all- the king of the wild things, but mom's homecooking tames the little beast and brings him home. Yep. That's a mother son relationship in a nutshell.
7. Horton Hatches an Egg Dr. Seuss If you are an extremely devoted step mother (such as myself), a single mother discouraged by the novelty your children's father holds, or raising a child that is not your own, you'll want to cry when you read this one. The image of an elephant with wings always reminds me that there is room in my step-daughter's life for two moms.
6. Will you Carry Me? Heleen van Rossum Not only a very cute story, this familiar tale reminds us mothers to creatively seek ways to push our children's potential, rather than carry them through life.
5. I Love You Little One Nancy Tafuri Perfect for the last book of the night. A touching book to reassure your child of the infinite depths of a mother's love.
4. Are You My Mother P.D. Eastman As toddlers become more aware of the big scary world, their anxiety levels can often sky rocket. Sharing the tale of a baby bird's quest for his mother will help to reassure them that you will always be there for them.
3. Guess How Much I Love You Sam McBratney There are a few reasons why this is near the top of my list. First, Big Nutbrown Hair seems to always out do Little Nutbrown Hair, with his demonstration of love. Only a parent could understand the difference in a parent's love for a child, as opposed to a child's love for a parent. A parent always feels that they love their child just a little bit more. Second, I love that the relationship between Big Nutbrown Hair and Little Nutbrown Hair is unspecified. I really enjoy sharing this one with my step-daughter. This is the ideal book for a parent of a non-traditional family.
2. The Giving Tree Shel Silverstein This one is guaranteed to make you look like a bozo in front of your kids. It always makes me cry. Maybe it's just the post natal hormones, but I think it's the message. The tree makes me think of a mother. She will give to her children, until the end, and even then, she will find a way to nurture them. I'll stop now before I tear up. I still have another book to get through.
1. Love You Forever Robert Munsch I dare someone to find a more definitive Mother's Day book. I never make it through this classic without a few tears (especially when my two-year-old son tells me he will hold me when I am old). According to the other mothers I know, I am not alone. Our children drive us CRAAAA-zy, but our love and concern for them does not change. We hope that it will nurture not only a mutual love between us, but that our undying love will grow in them and manifest itself in their own lives as parents. Don't we all hope to leave a legacy of love? This story is a mother's fairytale. Oh yeah, and it's quirky, and we know how I love that.
I read the other day that women are prone to give up literature in exchange for chick lit, after motherhood. I am convinced this has a great deal to do with time restraints and exhaution. I would like to wage a campaign against mommy mush brain. Tonight, after the kids are asleep, do yourself a favour and try to fit in a liitle Maya Angelou for peace of soul and inspiration, and Erma Bombeck for humour and perspective.
Happy Mother's Day!!!
9. A Promise is a Promise Robert Munsch & Michael Kusugak I love that Allashua is not harshly scolded for her mistake. Her mother devises a plan to help her daughter fix what she has done. Don't we all aspire to parent like this?
8. Where the Wild Things Are Maurice Sendak Any mother of a boy can appreciate this one. Max may be the most wild thing of all- the king of the wild things, but mom's homecooking tames the little beast and brings him home. Yep. That's a mother son relationship in a nutshell.
7. Horton Hatches an Egg Dr. Seuss If you are an extremely devoted step mother (such as myself), a single mother discouraged by the novelty your children's father holds, or raising a child that is not your own, you'll want to cry when you read this one. The image of an elephant with wings always reminds me that there is room in my step-daughter's life for two moms.
6. Will you Carry Me? Heleen van Rossum Not only a very cute story, this familiar tale reminds us mothers to creatively seek ways to push our children's potential, rather than carry them through life.
5. I Love You Little One Nancy Tafuri Perfect for the last book of the night. A touching book to reassure your child of the infinite depths of a mother's love.
4. Are You My Mother P.D. Eastman As toddlers become more aware of the big scary world, their anxiety levels can often sky rocket. Sharing the tale of a baby bird's quest for his mother will help to reassure them that you will always be there for them.
3. Guess How Much I Love You Sam McBratney There are a few reasons why this is near the top of my list. First, Big Nutbrown Hair seems to always out do Little Nutbrown Hair, with his demonstration of love. Only a parent could understand the difference in a parent's love for a child, as opposed to a child's love for a parent. A parent always feels that they love their child just a little bit more. Second, I love that the relationship between Big Nutbrown Hair and Little Nutbrown Hair is unspecified. I really enjoy sharing this one with my step-daughter. This is the ideal book for a parent of a non-traditional family.
2. The Giving Tree Shel Silverstein This one is guaranteed to make you look like a bozo in front of your kids. It always makes me cry. Maybe it's just the post natal hormones, but I think it's the message. The tree makes me think of a mother. She will give to her children, until the end, and even then, she will find a way to nurture them. I'll stop now before I tear up. I still have another book to get through.
1. Love You Forever Robert Munsch I dare someone to find a more definitive Mother's Day book. I never make it through this classic without a few tears (especially when my two-year-old son tells me he will hold me when I am old). According to the other mothers I know, I am not alone. Our children drive us CRAAAA-zy, but our love and concern for them does not change. We hope that it will nurture not only a mutual love between us, but that our undying love will grow in them and manifest itself in their own lives as parents. Don't we all hope to leave a legacy of love? This story is a mother's fairytale. Oh yeah, and it's quirky, and we know how I love that.
I read the other day that women are prone to give up literature in exchange for chick lit, after motherhood. I am convinced this has a great deal to do with time restraints and exhaution. I would like to wage a campaign against mommy mush brain. Tonight, after the kids are asleep, do yourself a favour and try to fit in a liitle Maya Angelou for peace of soul and inspiration, and Erma Bombeck for humour and perspective.
Happy Mother's Day!!!
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