- Apr 15
- 5 min read
Warm and Fuzzy are best friends. Warm wants to go on an adventure, but Fuzzy isn't sure. What if it's scary? What if it's really cold or super hot? What if there are no bathrooms, or worse: no toilet paper!
Max's Boat Pick:
WARM AND FUZZY
Written by Scott Rothman and illustrated by Brian Won
Publisher: Tundra Books (April 15, 2025)
Scott and Brian, so lovely to have you on Max's Boat! Scott, can you tell me what inspired Warm & Fuzzy?
Scott Rothman: "This is probably going to sound very weird and random but my kids and I were listening to this song I like called 'All Around You' by The Brian Jonestown Massacre (not the most kid-appropriate band name, I know) about this strange tour guide welcoming people on a magical journey and I just got this idea to write a kids book based on that. It was just a jumping-off point really – a prompt, if you will – but sometimes that’s all you need. And then, when I started writing about a character going on a trip, it was only natural that my own anxieties about facing the unknown would make their way into the story."
It's one thing to see the prompts, and then another to know what to do with them! Brian, what was your initial reaction to Scott’s text? What most drew you in?
Brian Won: "When I first read Scott’s text, I laughed and then I thought … 'Wait a second… this is basically me and my spouse, Leny.' We’re both pretty anxious people, but we somehow take turns being the calm, nurturing one (Warm) and the frazzled, overthinking one (Fuzzy). And to top it off, we even have contrasting body types – I’m definitely on the heavier side these days, especially after gaining that post-COVID 15 pounds – so the visual of Warm and Fuzzy as this odd couple hit very close to home.
What pulled me in most was how the story is both hilarious and quietly comforting. Scott’s writing has this natural, easy charm. It’s heartfelt without being heavy, and funny to boot. That gave me a ton of space to play with the visuals and let the characters be as weird and wonderful as they wanted to be."
Quietly comforting is a really good way to put it. And I can tell you had a lot of fun playing with the visuals. Scott, what was your initial reaction to Brian’s artwork?
SR: "I was absolutely blown away. I think I texted or emailed Brian immediately after seeing his first sketches. They were unlike any other illustrations in any of my other books, and I thought they added layers and depth to the story that I had no idea were even there. I instantly knew his work was going to elevate everything and make me look good and smart, even if neither of those things are true. So, yeah, I was very happy."
Scott, can you talk about those layers and depth? What do you think Brian brought to the book that wasn’t there before?
SR: "I think all of Brian’s work has a natural warmth and humanity to it which the book both needed and benefits from greatly. My chief concern when writing these books is to do everything I can to try and make them funny and tell an entertaining story. I always hope there’s some warmth in there, too, but don’t really know. Brian’s artwork took all that hope and guesswork out of the equation. It’s just there – in every illustration, on every page – and I can’t be more thankful for it. Also, Brian’s illustrations are really funny and he found humor in places I didn’t see. In short, Brian really brought the 'warm' and 'funny.' (Sorry, couldn’t resist.)"
Brian, can you share your illustration process?
BW: "My process always starts with character. Before I even think about layouts or scenes, I sketch the characters over and over until they start to feel real (to me, at least). With Warm and Fuzzy, I leaned into contrast from the beginning. Warm is big, soft, and grounded, while Fuzzy is small, scruffy, and mildly buzzing with anxiety. One’s like a weighted blanket, the other’s like that jittery feeling you get after too much coffee."
Brian Won's early sketches for Warm and Fuzzy (above)
"You can see in the early sketches how I played around with forms, expressions, and body language to bring out their personalities. I spent a lot of time just drawing them interacting – how they might walk, sit, or comfort each other. What I really love is that Warm isn’t dismissive of Fuzzy’s anxious energy. He doesn’t try to fix it, he just shows up with patience. I like to think Warm understands because he has his own anxious moments too."
Brian Won's early sketches for Warm and Fuzzy (above)
"As the characters evolved, one of the most satisfying parts was seeing those interactions come to life. There’s a great side-by-side of an early version of a key scene: Warm covering Fuzzy from the rain. In the finished version, Warm’s gaze is more focused on Fuzzy, which helps bring out a deeper sense of care and connection."
Brian Won's early and final character design forWarm and Fuzzy (above)
"And finally, one of my favorite spreads in the whole book is when Warm opens the door to the forest and invites Fuzzy in. The light, the space, the trees … I wanted it to feel like a big exhale."
A final spread from Warm and Fuzzy (above)
What forthcoming books are you two most excited about?
SR: "Well, Brian and I have another book called Horizontal Crocodile that Simon and Schuster is publishing next year which has been a blast to work on together. I also have a picture book called Kittybunkport, illustrated by Zachariah OHora, coming out from Viking this spring, which I think came out awesome. It takes place in a coastal Maine town populated entirely by cats and it’s a funny kind of mystery ghost story – in this case, lobster ghosts. After that, I made a fun book with the illustrator Linzie Hunter called Judgy Bunny & The Terrible Beach which comes out from Sourcebooks next year."
"As for books by others, I never know what new books are on the horizon so can I just say anything new from Mac Barnett, Jon Agee, Ame Dyckman, Adam Rex, Bob Shea, Ruth Chan and/or Jared Chapman."
BW: "As Scott mentioned, we have another book coming up called Horizontal Crocodile that I’m working on with Scott, and I’m super excited about it. The illustration language has some similarities to Warm & Fuzzy, but the format is totally new for me. The trim size is long, to match our horizontally gifted (and vertically challenged) crocodile. It’s been fun figuring out how to stretch the visual storytelling across that wide format. Plus, it’s just great to get the band back together again.
I'm also really excited about this book from Arree Chung, Don't Cause Trouble. The bowl cut on the cover is something I can definitely relate to."
What would you put on your 100 best picture books list of all time?
SR: "I think Ruth Krauss’ The Carrot Seed is the most perfect book ever made and teaches kids the two most important lessons: to always do what you think is right and that adults are morons."
BW: "I agree with Scott! The Carrot Seed is such a perfect and pure children’s book. Everything about it is just right: the pacing, the page turns, the words, the illustrations. There’s nothing extra. It’s honest and confident – like me in a medium-sized jacket when I really should be wearing a large."
Hah! I've loved your answers. Thanks so much for stopping by!
- Feb 25
- 3 min read
Every Monday, Mabel wakes up early and peeks out her window to make sure she didn’t miss the one thing she’s been looking forward to the whole week. She drags her chair down the hallway, past her big sister and Mom and Dad, out the door, and waits. What is Mabel waiting for every Monday?
Max's Boat Pick:
EVERY MONDAY MABEL
By Jashar Awan
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (Feb. 25 2025)
Thanks for stopping by again, Jashar! There are so many different ways to get into Every Monday Mabel, which is what makes it so smart. I'm curious how it came about.
Jashar Awan: "Again, my son was the initial inspiration for Every Monday Mabel. On Mondays, he always made sure to set up his chair at the end of the driveway and wait for the garbage truck to arrive. Afterwards, he’d come back into the house and announce, 'Every Monday, I do the most boring thing!' He loved the garbage truck, but hated the waiting!
My son’s love of trucks got me thinking about childhood interests. Growing up, I wasn’t a truck kid—I liked comics and superheroes, which, in those days, felt very niche. When you’re a kid, the world can feel small—it’s only as big as your family or your school or your church. It might be hard to find people with common interests, but they’re out there! You just haven’t met them yet. (When I was sharing the dummy with the book’s designer, Lucy Ruth Cummins said, 'Oh! This is about art school!')"
Jashar Awan's early sketches and final spreads for Every Monday Mabel (above)
"The first draft was written in 2021 and titled 'Every Monday Melvin.' When I dusted the draft off a few years later, my wife suggested making the main character a girl since I hadn't done a book with a female lead yet. We came up with so many 'M' names for the character before landing on Mabel. (Max took notes on a post-it while we were brainstorming.)"
Jashar Awan's early sketches for Every Monday Mabel (above)
I love how Mabel has this very self-confident/assured viewpoint that never wavers, despite everyone else's differing perspectives. Was that a strong through line that you wanted to get across (that she marches to the beat of her own drum, and doesn't care what other people think)? Yet, there isn't a whiff of didacticism. Any tips for how to avoid that? (Asking for a friend, of course.)
"Thank you! I’m glad that Mabel comes off so self-assured and that the story doesn’t feel didactic. When I’m writing, I tell the story I want to tell and then I figure out what is being said by that story. When I revise the text, I can nod to the themes without spelling it out for the readers. I don't start with a message and then work backward to build a story around it. The story has to come first. There has to be something that engages me beyond a message."
Jashar Awan's early sketches and final spreads for Every Monday Mabel (above)
What's a book that you think does this particularly well?
"A book that does this beautifully is We Are Definitely Human by X. Fang. She tells such a thoroughly entertaining story about aliens who crash land on earth that when you get to the end of the book, the message of the story almost feels like a surprise. When you reread the book, you realize that it is right there on every page. It’s like a magic trick—you’re so focused on what the magician is doing with one hand, you miss what is being done with the other."
What forthcoming picture books are you most excited about?
"I can't wait to read Papilio by Ben Clanton, Corey R. Tabor, and Andy Chou Musser. Each author-illustrator tells a different part of a caterpillar’s life cycle. I love the idea of an anthology picture book."
"I’m really looking forward to Jerrold Connor’s Big Rhinoceros, Little Rhinoceros, in which a pair of rhinos go for a walk and learn together. You know how much I love those 'Big Animal, Little Animal' books! Jerrold is making his picture book debut earlier this year with Jim!, a biography of James Marshall."
"And speaking of picture book biographies about picture book makers, I can’t wait for Outside In and the Inside Out: A Story About Arnold Lobel by Emmy Kastner. It looks so cute! I love Lobel so much and I can’t wait to see how Emmy tells his story in her own way."
- Feb 24
- 2 min read
Toad and his tow truck are always on the move to lend a hand to anyone who needs help. Pop does his best to try to get Toad to slow down and take care of himself, but there always seems to be someone else who needs to be towed by Toad. How can he say no?
Max's Boat Pick:
TOWED BY TOAD
By Jashar Awan
Publisher: Tundra Books (September 3, 2024)
Welcome back, Jashar! It's always a pleasure to have you on Max's Boat. Let's start the way these interviews always start. What inspired Towed by Toad?
Jashar Awan: "My son loves trucks! One day while we were talking about vehicles, the title popped into my head—”Towed by Toad.” The words together made me laugh and suggested a jumping off point for a story—a toad drives a tow truck.
Jashar Awan's early sketches and final title page for Towed by Toad (above)
"I made a list of vehicular trouble that would require a tow but Toad driving around and helping other animal motorists—while cute—isn’t much of a story.
He would need some help along the way, too. I added scenes where Toad skips meals in his eagerness to help others. He doesn’t stop until he breaks down.
A funny thing about writing is how revealing it ends up being. What you write is informed by where you are or what you’re going through or what you’ve been through. I thought I was writing a funny animal / truck book and ended up making a book about burnout and self-care."
Jashar Awan's early sketches and final pages for the breakfast scene in Towed by Toad (above)
Jashar Awan's early sketches and final pages for the lunch scene in Towed by Toad (above)
I love the homophonic wordplay. What's next for Toad? If I remember correctly, it's going to be a series? Any news you can share about the forthcoming Toad books?
"I’m working on the next Toad book right now! I'm continuing to explore the themes of helping others and being kind to yourself. It should be out next year!"
Jashar Awan's early sketches for Towed by Toad (above)
Are there any books that directly or indirectly influenced Towed by Toad?"
"Towed by Toad starts off with a series of comparisons that were definitely inspired by Big Dog…Little Dog: A Bedtime Story by P.D. Eastman. That was a favorite of mine growing up. I love the rhythm of that book."
"Of course, it’s hard to write a picture book about an animal driving a vehicle and not think about Richard Scarry! When our son was born, we got him “The Biggest, Busiest Storybook Ever”—a collection that included Busy, Busy Town, Cars And Trucks And Things That Go, and The Best Word Book Ever. We read that book into oblivion. All that’s left of it now is the cover! I think that’s the fate of most childhood copies of those classic Busytown books."