Nurturing a Passion for Stories

Interview with the Illustrator of The Sandal Artist

2012-02-03T14:18:00.000-08:00

My latest book, The Sandal Artist Pelican Publishing will be released February 15, 2012.

Here's an Interview with the illustrator, Lois Rosio Sprague.

Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Glen Ellyn Illinois. My dream as a child was to live in the mountains, once I visited Colorado in middle school and heard John Denver I was hooked, Now here I am living my dream at 9000 feet in Colorado. My studio looks out at Pikes Peak, Amazing!

Have you always loved drawing?

I was always drawing, really loved drawing people. I would draw anyone willing to sit still long enough. I used to sketch kids during lunch at school for $.50. I increased it to $1.00 when in high school. One of my best friends was also an artist, the two of us would sit in the same spot at lunch and the kids would line up for us to sketch them, Kind of funny thinking about it now but great practice.

Was anyone in your family an artist?

My father is a great painter. I know he would have loved to have a career as an artist. He made a living in the graphic design world as well as an architectural photographer. When I was 5 years old I asked him what I needed to do to be an artist. He said draw everything all the time. Best advice I’ve ever received. Even now I love painting along side him.

Who are some of your favorite artists?

I really love and admire Richard Jesse Watson’s work. I was so thrilled to sit in on his workshop and demonstration at the LA SCBWI Conference. I think what I love the most about him as an artist is his free spirit to experiment. Part of me looks at his many children’s books and think ,why in the world do you want to change your style or even try new things. His work is so perfect as is. But he is always growing as an artist. This is huge for myself as well as other artists to challenge each other in this way.

Who are some of your favorite illustrators?

Since I’m very focused on Children’s books the illustrators I am drawn to Michael Hague, Jerry Pinkney, and Chris Van Allsburg, Artists that have done a remarkable job in telling a story as well as have a more realistic approach instead of animated.

Do you have a favorite picture book?

I have several, Tom Thumb illustrated by Richard Jesse Watson, John Henry illustrated by Jerry Pinkney, and One Wintry Night illustrated by Richard Jesse Watson

What were your favorite subjects in school?

That’s easy ART !

Tell us a bit about a typical art-filled day in your studio?

Well, getting a whole day to paint is so rare, but when I do I wait until everyone is off to school and I have had a sufficient amount of coffee. I then try to have a moment of quiet to think of what I need done that day. If I need to get a painting worked on I like to jump right in and paint. I can take a break later to work on other sketches for other paintings. I like to work fast and direct. I will have to say my favorite time of day to paint is after everyone os in bed and everything is so quiet. Love to paint late into the night.

When you were working on The Sandal Artist, did you use any models for the characters?

Yes,That was the fun part. Deciding who to use for models. I always work with models. Setting them up with the right lighting and angles is always challenging but fun. I really enjoyed painting the cobbler, who is a fellow artist friend. The beggar women is also a friend who I knew right away she would fit the character. The artist is my son Dylan. I added the beard!

The story is set in Italy – did you have to do any research for the clothing and scenery?

Yes, I did a lot of research of what a cobbler shop would look like, his tools what he would wear and even the windows he would have in his shop. The landscape is so different from where I live so I really wanted to capture the Italian countryside.

Do you have a favorite illustration from The Sandal Artist?

This one of the Cobbler ended up being my favorite illustration when all said and done. I just liked how his expression seemed so intent on the sandals, knowing the impact they would have on the young artist.

Do you have a favorite medium to work with?

I have really enjoyed watercolor for years but now am really enjoying oil and acrylics. I did this book with a medium called open acrylics which stay wet a little linger so kind of handles like oils. I also really enjoy pastels.

Tell us a bit about your live art.

I’ve had alot of fun doing live art on stage in 30 minutes. They are usually 8 feet tall by 4 feet wide. I do them in pastels.

When you’re not painting, what do you like to do?

Love to be with my kids. Now that three of them are in college and two finishing middle school they are at such fun ages. I really enjoy being outside. I have taken up Plain air painting. (painting outside on location) also love backpacking right here in Colorado, nothing more inspiring then being in the wilderness for days at a time. I also have a group of artist friends who meet regularly. This has been invaluable to advancing my career, I recommend this for all creative people. Art can be so solitary, we need others for inspiration, critique and support.

Any advice for aspiring illustrators?

Develop your drawing skills. No matter what kind of artist you become you need to know how to draw. Life drawing is the best, working from live models. If you don’t have the opportunity to go to an art school try and take some workshops to learn as much as you can.

What’s next – upcoming projects?

I’m finishing a documentary about the history of the Hispanic community. Very different to have still paintings being used for a movie medium. I’m up to 110 paintings. Not sure how many the project will Intel. Definitely something I have never done.

Check back soon to see where Lois and I will be making some joint school presentations.

A Gathering of Authors

2011-12-12T12:41:00.000-08:00

A Gathering of Author Friends

A recent book signing -
From left to right - Me, Jessica Swaim, Linda Ashman, Denise Vega, Marjorie Blain Parker and (Caroline Stutson came later) Photo taken by Melissa Taylor - see her blog article about this event at here

Happy Halloween

2011-10-28T19:47:00.000-07:00

I am now reading twice a month to the children at Presentation of Our Lady School in Denver - thanks to my wonderful friend and librarian there - Peg Higgins.


Peg Higgins- Librarian

I love reading scary, spooky Halloween stories to children at this time of year, but I am always surprised at the number of students who are completely unaware of the roots of this holiday, and even of the derivation of the word itself. At a recent school visit, in answer to my question about the meaning of hallow, the only child who raised his hand to answer, said, “empty,” obviously confusing it with hollow. I suppose that is not at all surprising, given the number of people in the media who pronounce it “Holloween.”

Here am I reading "Child of Faerie, Child of Earth" by Jane Yolen

Ever since I came to America, I find that some teachers and parents are somewhat wary of focusing, or even of acknowledging the ghoulish aspect of this holiday, while some go so far as to maintain that it is at odds with our Christian Faith.

However, I think it provides a wonderful opportunity to talk to children about what it really means to say that you are a Christian, a follower of Christ, and a Gospel sower. Here is what I tell the children before I launch into my stack of spooky stories.

Halloween means Holy Evening from the old English- Hallow – Holy, and een – contraction of eve or evening. Of course, as most people know (or at least I think they do), this holiday has its roots in the ancient Celtic/Druid/ belief that this was the time of year when evil sprits roamed the earth. In order to keep the dark forces at bay, people dressed up in costumes to “fool” the wandering souls. With the advent of Christianity, the Celts still retained many of their ancient rituals (jack o lantern to ward off the evil sprits, dressing up in costumes and going from house to house – guising) and simply blended them into their new found Christian practices – going to Mass to celebrate the lives of the Saints and offering up special prayers for the dead. Incidentally, the reason St. Patrick was so successful at bringing Christianity to Ireland, was that the Celtic people were already completely attuned to the idea of “other worlds” – Heaven and Hell, because they already believed in the “little people,” and they already knew that often times that which you cannot see is actually more real than what you can see.

On this Hallowed night then, I think it is good to read a ghost story or two, because the next day on the glorious feast of All Saints (one of my favorite holy days), I know that I will say a special prayer to all those “big” saints like Patrick and Joseph, Teresa and Bridget who filled this world with their goodness and grace and light. And I will pray also to all those “little” saints – all those holy men and women who have touched my life with their particular goodness, grace, and light – my mum and my dad, all my dear Irish aunties and uncles, and even those wonderful writers, like C.S. Lewis, Madeleine L’Engle, and Thomas Merton, whose words continue to feed and nourish me.

To miss this opportunity of spreading the Gospel – the Good News that we are indeed people of the Light and that we know without a shadow of a doubt that goodness and grace will always trump the forces of evil and darkness, would indeed make this a very “hollow” festival! So, light the lanterns, tell the spooky tales, don the wizards’ robes and witches’ hats, and have a Happy HALLOW - EEN!

CLN Interview

2011-08-29T11:00:00.000-07:00

Here's an interview I did with Tom Owens for Childrens Literature Network.

Kathleen, what’s the good news about children’s literature right now?
The good news in children’s literature can be summed up in the words of E.B. White who said, “All I want to say in books, all I ever wanted to say is, I love the world!” I believe that this love is at the heart of all children’s literature—it always has been and it always will be, no matter the market trends, the gloom and doom of the economy, or the skeptics and the naysayers who wring their hands and bemoan the future of the publishing business. Good writers continue to write out of a radical love for life, the world, and the human spirit, and there are still many, many parents, teachers, librarians, booksellers, and children who crave those kinds of books. I meet them all the time!

From your perspective, what can be done to make that “good” even better?
I recently returned from a trip to Mumbai, India, where my daughter works. While I was there, I visited a little school. The taxi dropped us off at a rubbish dump and, from there, we wound our way past one-room shacks and tiny barefooted toddlers. We climbed up a steep hill, littered with dog dirt, rotting fruit rinds, and swarming flies, and entered this oasis of learning. Sixty children were crammed into one small classroom, three and four squashed into their bench desks and they listened while I read them my latest book, they asked us about America, we talked about stories, and they read us, ever so earnestly, in their halting English, their own stories and they told us of their dreams—to be engineers, pilots, and doctors.
As I turned to leave I saw on the wall behind me two large flash cards with the words BELIEVE and DREAM. Isn’t that why we write books? Isn’t that why we read books? Isn’t that what we want all our children to do? Isn’t that what we writers and storytellers are called to do? To make the good even better, let’s not forget to believe that great stories can help us see heaven on earth, and that we need dreamers to make the impossible possible.
__________

children from Shri Ram Vidya School in Mumbai

Reading Raj

Believe and Dream

Raj - Story Hour Poster

2011-08-29T10:28:00.000-07:00

Thanks to my wonderful publicist, Kirsten Cappy of Curious City we have a beautiful Story Hour Poster that we are sending out to some lucky bookstores and libraries.

It is the perfect accompaniment to Raj the Bookstore Tiger - a book that celebrates the power of reading aloud.

Click here here to download a Story Hour Kit and Activity Guide.

Lots of Raj Story Hour Posters - all ready to go!

2011-06-27T19:28:00.000-07:00

Check out my article Believe and Dream for Childrens' Literature Network blog on What's Right about Children's Literature.

Magnus is a Colorado Book Award Winner

2011-06-27T18:26:00.000-07:00

Receiving the CBA

Winners of the Colorado Book Awards were announced on Friday, June 24, at the 20th Annual Colorado Book Awards Ceremony, as the culminating event for the Aspen Summer Words writing retreat and literary festival in Aspen, Colorado. Authors, editors, and photographers and their publishers entered 146 titles this year to compete in ten categories. Magnus Maximus, A Marvelous Measurer published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux,in 2010, and illustrated by S.D. Schindler won in the Children's Literature category.

Jennifer Long (who did so much to make this an outstanding literary event) and me - with backdrop of scenic Aspen


Me - waxing poetic about stories!

CBA Finalists reading

2011-06-20T09:19:00.000-07:00

A reading of Magnus Maximus, A Marvelous Measurer

Colorado Humanities and Center for the Book hosted a reading of the Finalists for the Colorado Book Award.

The winners will be announced on Friday afternoon, June 24 at the 20th Annual Colorado Book Awards ceremony, held at the Doerr-Hosier Center in Aspen.

Poetry Day

2011-06-16T14:17:00.000-07:00

Seldom do I get the chance to hear children reading aloud their own poems. So, imagine my delight at being invited back to Dry Creek Elementary to hear the 4th Graders reading their poems aloud! What joy to see all of them so animated by the power of poetry. Take a look at these poetry slogans pasted on their classroom walls. No wonder these wonderful teachers have produced a class full of budding poets!

Raj at Denver Jewish Day School

2011-06-16T14:13:00.000-07:00

What a joy it was to share Raj with the Kindergarten classes at Denver Jewish Day School. They knew all about poetry and they even knew that Scotland had lochs, not lakes like America! One little girl even told me that Raj was a great example of how we should all try and live The Golden Rule - and this is from a kindergartener! Lots of blossoming bookworms here!

Farewell to Loyola

2011-06-16T13:26:00.000-07:00

For the past 16 years I have been reading stories to the children of Loyola Grade school. Alas, Loyola was forced to close this May, and so I had to bid my little friends adieu. It was such a pleasure to be able to share with them my passion for stories. Over the years they too have fallen in love with many of my favorite stories: The Name of the Tree by Celia Lottridge, Child of Fairie by Jane Yolen, All the Anansi stories, The Sorcerer's Apprentice by Inga Moore, When Jessie came across the Sea by Amy Hest, The Selfish Giant by Oscar Wilde, and many, many more. Jane Yolen said that "Literature is prismatic. Light shines through the excellent books or dances off, and the rainbow it gives shine on and on in a child's life in a thousand different ways." How I hope that all those stories which touched these dear little children will keep their hearts shining brightly forever!

Loyola Kindergarten

Loyola 2nd Graders

Loyola 3rd Graders with The Giant King- finding the "king in one another!"

Loyola 5th Graders and carving of The Giant King

Author Reads Raj the Bookstore Tiger

2011-06-05T08:51:00.000-07:00

Raj on Film!

2011-06-05T08:39:00.000-07:00

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Have a look at our production for Raj, the Bookstore Tiger!

20th Annual Colorado Book Awards!

2011-05-26T15:38:00.000-07:00

Finalists in the 20th Annual Colorado Book awards will read at Baur's Ristorante, 1512 Curtis Street, Denver, CO 80202 on Friday June 10, beginning at 4:30pm. Since Magnus Maximus, A Marvelous Measurer is a finalist in the Children's Literature category, come and hear me reading a wee snippet. Audience members can enjoy meeting many of the authors in this year's finalist list, ask them questions, buy signed copies of books, and enjoy an early Friday happy hour at a great downtown restaurant.

The Colorado Book Awards is one of the country's oldest book awards program. To view a complete finalist list, click here.

Winners will be announced on Friday, June 24 at 1pm at the Awards Ceremony , the culminating event for the Aspen Summer Words Writing Retreat and literary festival hosted by The Aspen Writers Foundation and The Aspen Institute. Tickets are only $10 for the awards ceremony, which will be held at the Doerr-Hosier Center in Aspen, with global literati - including Dr. John Cole, the Director of the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress in attendance.

Where do you get your ideas?

2011-05-05T14:25:00.000-07:00

I get asked this question a lot, and so when Charlesbridge (publisher of Raj) asked me to do a guest blog for them on their Unabridged, I wrote some thoughts on this, specifically as it relates to Raj the Bookstore Tiger. Check it out here and maybe you can discover your own "inner tiger."

Updates on Magnus Maximus a Marvelous Measurer

2011-05-05T14:18:00.000-07:00

Magnus Maximus a Marvelous Measurer is a finalist for the Colorado Authors' League Awards. The winners will be announced at the CAL Banquet on May 10.

Magnus is also a finalist for the Colorado Book Awards. The award event will be held June 24, 2011 at Aspen Summer Words Literary Festival in Aspen.

Recent Visits

2011-04-15T11:58:00.000-07:00

Cole Arts and Science Academy - Denver Public Schools

What exactly is inspiration? Where does it come from? How can we get more of it? How long does it take to write a book? How can stories change us and make us better people? These were just some of the questions I explored with the 3rd and 4th graders of Cole Arts and Science Academy on my recent visit in my presentation on Inspiration

My favorite question from one of the students was, "How do you feel when you have finished a story?" Ahh...the JOY of creating - what can be better than that? Nothing!

Recent Visits

2011-04-15T11:48:00.000-07:00

Children's Literature Class for student teachers at Regis University

It is always a pleasure to have the opportunity to share my passion for literature with student teachers. And I have been a regular speaker at Anne Henderson's class at Regis University for the past several years. Anne has heard my talk on Nurturing a Passion for Stories for so long, that she could probably do this presentation without me! Not only do I talk about my own books that I have written, but I share stories from all my sixteen years at Loyola school, where I have been reading fairy tales and folk tales from around the world to the children from Kindergarten to 7th Grade. And it is there that I see the truth of Jane Yolen's words - "Adult books maintain lives. Children's books change lives." And that is why, with the plethora of books out there, that all of us teachers, parents, grandparents, authors, need to choose which books we decide to read to our little ones. They had better be the very best of the best, for indeed we are feeding little hearts and souls.

Recent Visits

2011-04-15T11:38:00.000-07:00

Franklin Elementary School

A great visit with all the students at Franklin Elementary school! We talked about the truth behind all of my stories - People will act, oftentimes, the way you expect them to act The Giant King
Love inspires us. Inventor McGregor
Not all things in life can or should be measured. Magnus Maximus a Marvelous Measurer
And...great stories and books and poems make us all "burn bright!" Raj the Bookstore Tiger
We also talked about Vincent Van Gogh's beautiful painting Starry Night, because there are some "starry nights" in both my books, Magnus and Raj. One of the students even knew told me that today (30th March) was Vincent Van Gogh's birthday - he knew because he shared the same birthday.

Bank Street Best Books 2011

2011-04-06T14:29:00.000-07:00

I am delighted to announce that Magnus Maximus, A Marvelous Measurer, illustrated by S.D. Schindler (FSG) has been selected as a Bank Street Best Book in the 5-9 age group.

What a wonderful list. I am pleased to share the list with so many fine writers! Educators who love this Bank Street list as much as I, can explore Magnus Maximus, A Marvelous Measurer further by downloading an Educator's Guide here.

Review of Magnus Maximus a Marvelous Measurer

2011-04-06T14:23:00.000-07:00

Many thanks to Debbie Wright of Wrighty Reads for her insightful review of Magnus Maximus a Marvelous Measurer.

"From the first page, this book reminded me of some of my favorite childhood reads. The classic illustrations took me back to trips to the library, sitting in the little wooden chairs pulling picture books from the shelf.

Magnus Maximus takes his job measuring very seriously. This timeless tale tells of his obsession with his work until he breaks his glasses. His lesson learned is to enjoy life and it's a good example for our workaholic society today. The charming pictures filled with soft colors and delicate details enhance the story. I will enjoy this delightful book with little people for a long time to come!"

Feline Review of Raj the Bookstore Tiger

2011-04-06T13:37:00.000-07:00

Many, many thanks to Vince and his owner, Pat Zietlow Miller for her charming review of Raj the Bookstore Tiger on her blog.

Here is what the clever feline (aka Puma), Vince had to say:

"Some cats have all the luck. They not only have a nice home and people who give them tuna on demand, they’re also mistaken for jungle cats. I’ve always fancied I resemble a puma. Unfortunately, no one else seems to see it.

This book is about a cat named Raj. And, get this. Everyone at the bookstore he hangs out at thinks he’s a tiger.

So, as you can imagine, he pretty much has the run of the place. He can bask in the front window. He can sit in whoever’s lap he wants at storytime. And, when he stalks through the store, people squeal, “Look at the tiger!”

Then, another cat arrives and spoils Raj’s fun. He’s white, so no one has ever thought he’s a tiger.

Plus, his name is Snowball. Any cat worth his kibble knows Snowball is at the top of the list of mortifying cat names right under “Fluffy” and “Snookums.”

Anyway, Snowball doesn’t think Raj is king of the jungle. He tells him he’s just a regular old kitty with delusions of grandeur. Then, he takes over all of Raj’s favorite bookstore spots.

This sends Raj into hiding. But, fortunately, while he’s under a chair, he hears a famous poem about a tiger. I’ve never met the William Blake guy who wrote it, but it’s obvious he knew something about the respect and reverence cats deserve.

After hearing the poem, Raj gets his cat-titude back and is the center of attention when a visiting author shows a video featuring tigers in the wild. Poor Snowball is scared of the video until Raj shows him a book with pictures of a rare white tiger.

Then, together, they stalk off to rule the bookstore.

After reading this book, I might have to pay more attention to the other books scattered around this place. Maybe I’ll find a photo of a puma that looks like me."

Some Snippets from Your Favorite Poems

2011-03-28T18:54:00.000-07:00

In my by book, Raj the Bookstore Tiger, Raj is saved from certain doldrums by the reading of a snippet of the poem by William Blake. In a contest held at Kids Buzz and on my own mailing list, I asked readers to send me snippets from their favorite poems. I share some of them with you here:

Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune--without the words,
And never stops at all,
--Emily Dickinson

I know why the caged bird sings: because it know it was born to FLY!! --Maya Angelou

Will there really be a “Morning”?
Is there such a thing as “Day”?
Could I see it from the mountains
If I were as tall as they?

Has it feet like Water lilies?
Has it feathers like a Bird?
Is it brought from famous countries
Oh which I have never heard?

Oh some Scholar! Oh some Sailor!
Oh some Wise Man from the skies!
Please to tell a little Pilgrim
Where the place called “Morning” lies!
-Emily Dickinson Will There Really be a “Morning”?

"The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep." --Robert Frost

The road was a ribbon of moonlight looping the purple moor. --Alfred Noyes

Sent by Betty Henne:
"To make a prairie it takes a clover and one bee.
and revery.
The revery alone will do
if bees are fee. --Emily Dickinson

Sent by Tanya Dynda:
"Tyger, tyger, burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?" --William Blake

Sent by Cindy Murphy:
"Whose child is this?" I asked again
As the door opened and someone came in
"Mine," said the teacher with the same tender smile
"Mine, to keep just for a little while
To teach him how to be gentle and kind
To train and direct his dear little mind
To help him live by every rule
And get the best he can from school" --Author Unknown

Sent by Barbara Winter:
"Anyone or anything
That does not bring you alive
Is too small for you. --David Whyte

My own favorite....or one of them:

"I will arise and go now, for always, night and day,
I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore,
While I stand on the roadway or on the pavements gray,
I hear it in the deep heart's core." --W.B. Yeats

Illustration above by Paige Keiser from Raj the Bookstore Tiger.

Authors' Visit in Aspen

2011-03-28T13:34:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all the parents, staff, and students of Aspen Elementary School for a great visit on St. Patrick's Day.

What a lot of GREEN!

And what better way to honor dear St. Patrick than to gather the children together and share some stories. Having grown up in Scotland, and being the daughter of an Irishman, I - kathleenpelley have always been blessed with an innate love of story. As well as reading my latest picture book, Raj the Bookstore Tiger, I also shared my story, The Giant King, which is set in Scotland.

And to finish it off....a tea party in grand style for the fourth grade Young Ladies, hosted by a wonderful group of mothers!

Windsor Colorado Chapter of CCIRA

2011-03-28T13:25:00.000-07:00

Susan, President of the Windsor Chapter of CCIRA with librarian from Grandview Elementary School in Windsor, holding up my latest book, Raj, the Bookstore Tiger!

I gave my presentation on Nurturing a Passion for Stories to a group of teachers. Look at the banner behind them - my favorite Aesop quote, "No act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted." And I like to add, No act of writing, however small, is ever wasted!

Mumbai, India

2011-03-15T12:55:00.000-07:00

I just returned from a trip to India, to visit my daughter who is working there in Mumbai. Quite an experience! And it wasn't my first time in this land of jungle and jasmine - I went there when I was a student at university and spent 3 months in Bombay (as it was called then) during the monsoon months.

My daughter posing with a family who desperately wanted to have her in their family photo!

What had changed? Well, there are shopping malls now and cell phones, more people, more pollution, more foreigners, more traffic, more litter, and more dust and dirt, but...the people are still so sweet, gentle, polite, and have a far deeper understanding of community than any of us here in the west.... On a five hour train ride to Aurangabad, (the site of ancient caves of Ajanta and Ellora), the seating section next to us, which consisted of two sets of three seats facing each other, separated by a table, soon filled up with a group of strangers, but by the end of the journey, there they were swapping stories, laughing, sharing their samosa snacks that had been bought from one of the many vendors who came on the train at each station, and by the end of the journey, they were even taking photos of one other. Meanwhile the young couple opposite my daughter and me, were passing around their 10 month baby girl - all the other passengers took great delight in playing peek-a-boo with her and singing itsy bitsy spider, and then after she fell asleep, the father just laid a thin mat on the table in front of us and there she was tucked up fast asleep for the remainder of the journey. Such a delight to see all those people simply enjoying the gift of being together on a journey!
And of course, what I remembered from all those years ago, and what still delighted me this time, was... the Indian head wobble - everyone knows it now from all those movies and especially from that T.V. show, Outsourced. It's a very subtle movement of the head - sort of circular - a bit of a bobble mixed with a wobble. It looks easy to do, but believe me, it takes practice. But once perfected, it makes a wonderful addition to one's repertoire of responses to life. So nuanced, so fluid, so....conducive to pondering and mulling and musing. It can mean anything from yes or no, maybe, perhaps, let me see, I don't know, I'll think about it, not sure, if you say so, depends, yes, but I might change my mind later, okay, no, but I don't want to hurt your feelings, so I will just wobble my head like this until you get the message.......and that's just the tip of the iceberg. Wouldn't it be nice, I think, to adopt such a reflective gesture here? It would give us all what we yearn for.....TIME to think!

I also got to visit a couple of schools while I was there, and of course it was fun to share my latest book, Raj the Bookstore Tiger with the children, especially as it has such a nice tie-in to India, but more on that later...
( Below - my husband and I at the Daulatabad Fort, near Ellora Caves)

An Interview with, RAJ the Bookstore Tiger

2011-03-15T12:49:00.000-07:00

After I had written my latest book, Raj the Bookstore Tiger, I thought it might be fun to do an interview with my main character - he's quite the ca…..I mean tiger!

An Interview with, RAJ the Bookstore Tiger

Where were you born?

A few miles down the road from Book Jungle (that's the name of Felicity's bookstore). Felicity brought me home when I was just a little kit…er, I mean cub.

How many different types of tigers are there?

Usually, people will tell you that there are only five kinds of tigers that still exist today. They come from different parts of Asia: Siberia, Mongolia, China, Indonesia, and India. But of course, they are forgetting about - the Bookstore Tiger, so that really means there are six kinds of tigers.

What about Snowball, isn't he a white tiger?

Yes, once in a while an orange Bengal tiger can have a white cub, but it is ever so rare, and really these white tigers can have a hard time living in the wild of the jungle, because they are so easy to spot. Good job for Snowball that he only lives in a Book Jungle and not a wild Jungle!

How is the bookstore tiger different from other tigers?

Most tigers weigh around 500 pounds or more and are about 7 - 11 feet in length, so obviously, we bookstore tigers are a bit smaller than that. Also most tigers are skilled swimmers, while we bookstore tigers never so much as dabble a paw in the water. But other than that, we are very similar. We have retractable claws that we use to climb up high and to wound our prey. We have rough, raspy tongues that help us scrape meat from bones and keep our coats clean and fresh. We all have excellent night vision, long whiskers to feel our way in the dark, and tails that not only help us to balance, but also tell one anther how we are feeling. We are rather solitary creatures (we don't like crowds) and we are nocturnal (we are most active at night rather than during the day), and none of us likes getting our faces wet.

What about your stripes? Why do tigers have stripes?

Oh yes, I almost forgot - all of us have stripes. Just like the human fingerprint, the pattern, size, and color are different from tiger to tiger. But whatever the size or color, these stripes help us hide when we are hunting. You see, we can't run as fast as some other animals, and so we have to rely on the element of surprise to catch our prey: we stalk up ever so quietly, and then we pounce at just the right moment. Most of the customers in the store never see or hear me coming. They get quite a scare when I leap up behind them, but of course, I am only teasing, I would never harm a customer, never! Felicity would be most irate.

Do you prefer living in a bookstore to living in the jungle?

Well, between you and me, I've never actually lived in the jungle, but I do know a bit about it from hearing Sanjiv Patel and from all those stories Felicity reads to me. So, I think I would have to say that I prefer the bookstore - I don't think I'd like the swampy, sweaty feel of the jungle, nor all those trumpeting elephants and squawking parrots. Mind you, some of the toddlers who come in here try to pet me with horrid sticky fingers, and they can kick up quite a ruckus when they've missed a nap. Maybe it's fair to say that there are pros and cons to both - that's life, isn't it?

What about your name - does it have a special meaning?

Yes, Raj is the Hindu (that is a language from India) word for King or Prince, so not only am I a tiger, but I come from royal blood.

Have you ever been to India?

No, but I feel as if I have, because Felicity reads me so many stories from there - you know, all the Rudyard Kipling ones, like Jungle Book, and the Just So Stories.

Talking of stories, can you tell us some of your favorites?

That's hard because I have so many. I adore fairy tales of all kinds, because they are always about the impossible becoming possible - you know, the ugly toad turning into a handsome prince or the pumpkin becoming a coach. And, as you can imagine, I am particularly fond of any kind of cat story - be it lions or tigers or even little kitty cats - we're all from the same family after all. Lion and Mouse by Aesop is wonderful, and so is Androcles and the Lion, and How the Manx cat lost its tail. For Halloween, the older kiddies enjoy a very scary Scottish story called, The Witches and Singing Mice" by Jenny Nimmo.

What about poems - can you tell us some of your favorite poems?

Naturally, Mr. Blake's poem "Tyger Tyger burning bright is an inspiration for me. Other poems I enjoy - again they usually have a cat or tiger theme, are:
The Terrible Tiger by Jack Prelutsky and Pangur Ban - it's an Irish poem about how a little cat inspires his monk to write.

Why do you like poetry so much?

Great poems make you feel so much more alive - full of life and love and wonder - and most of all, they make me want to be a better TIGER, what can be better than that!

What does Felicity do in her spare time?

Oh she keeps very busy. She likes to read a lot, and I am her best listener. She also writes some stories of her own, and she reads them to me first. She dabbles a bit at painting, and so I help her choose her colors and even try mixing them together - l do love to hear the names of the colors - they're so poetic -ochre, papaya whip, seafoam, goldenrod, chartreuse, and indigo. Felicity likes to knit too, and so I have to help her keep all her yarn organized and sometimes that gets us both in a bit of a tangle. When she plays the piano, I jump up onto the keys and keep her in tune - really, I don't know what she'd do without a ca….I mean a tiger like me to help her.

How do you keep so fit and trim?

Being a bookstore tiger is hard work - it's not just about sunbasking and welcoming the customers, you know. We are constantly on the alert for danger, so we practice pouncing and leaping and stalking and swatting and climbing. Really, a tiger's work is never done!

Do you travel much?

All over the world! That's the best part about living in the bookstore. Every day I get to hear stories from far off lands and long ago places. It's like having your very own magic carpet that whisks you away at the turn of a page.

One last question, Raj -do the children at the bookstore have a favorite book?

I don't want to be boastful, but I do have to say that the one they clamor for time and time again is….RAJ, the Bookstore Tiger!