It’s a little out of fashion to buy a pet cloud, but Lizzy doesn’t mind. She’s not looking for a big one or a fancy one, just one that’s right for her. And she finds it in Milo. Soon, she’s taking Milo out on walks with her family, watering Milo right on schedule, and seeing Milo grow and grow. But what happens when her pet cloud gets too big for Lizzy to handle?
Max's Boat Pick:
LIZZY AND THE CLOUD
By Terry Fan and Eric Fan
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (May 3, 2022)
Can you tell me the origin story behind Lizzy and the Cloud?
Eric: "Hi Ratha, thanks so much for your questions. Like most of our books, Lizzy and the Cloud has its origins in a standalone image. When we were talking about our next book, we both liked the image and agreed there might be a story there."
Terry: "A good image to use as a springboard is one that seems to already have a story floating around the margins of it. It’s often just a question of building upon that image and expanding it into a story. After thinking about the image, we went for a walk along the beach and talked about what that story could be, and when I got home I wrote a first draft based on that discussion, and then Eric read it and contributed to the text and edited it down a bit. It was one of those rare times where the story fell into place fairly
quickly."
Eric: "The original image that sparked our discussion was actually from a chapter book I had been working on maybe twenty-five years ago. I happened to be cleaning out my locker one day and found piles and piles pages of writing from that book. On one sheet, there was a rather dreadful little scribble of a character selling clouds:
But it was an idea that seemed to have some story potential. The text beside the drawing read, 'A sound like firecrackers on a string crackled through the dark clouds whenever the lightning flashed, and there was the faint smell of flint in the air. And there, through the grey drizzle, where the grass was so drunk with rainwater it couldn’t stand up anymore, was the Nimbus. He was an odd little assortment, with his yellow, too-big feet and his tattered jacket with buttons down the front as blue as the sky. 'Rainclouds! Rainclouds for sale!' said the Nimbus.'"
After seeing that, I did an updated drawing which I called 'The Cloud Seller':
Terry: "We thought it would be fun to introduce a character who buys one of those clouds, and then find out what happens after. I suggested we could name the girl Lizzy, which is the name of our art director at Simon & Schuster, Lizzy Bromley. Like me, she’s also part of the Cloud Appreciation Society (yes, it exists) and so we thought it would be a fitting gesture."
Eric: "As far as the story goes, when we lived in Florida when we were kids we used to go out after rainstorms to rescue turtles from the roadways. After a while, we soon had a whole collection of turtles that we kept in a wading pool. It became a bit unmanageable eventually. The time came when our dad said they would really be happier free, so we drove out to a nice wooded area with a pond and released them all. I remember watching them all crawling away and hoped they found a happy life in the forest. So, all of those things kind of informed the story. To a certain extent the story is a metaphor for parenting, or for the writing process itself. There’s always that anxious moment when you have to let your grown kid, or your story, out into the world to fend for itself, and you hope the world is kind to it."
For those who love Lizzy and the Cloud, can you recommend a few other titles you think they might also enjoy?
Eric: "There’s actually a great number of books that feature clouds in one form or another. I loved Kumo: The Bashful Cloud by Kyo Maclear and illustrated by Nathalie Dion.
I also loved Red Sky at Night by Elly MacKay. It isn’t specifically about clouds, but it’s about the weather, so somewhat related. She also has a book coming out this year called In the Clouds. I haven’t read it yet, but it looks gorgeous."
Terry: "I love anything by Tomie dePaola so I’d recommend The Cloud Book, which is a charming
book that is a great scientific introduction to clouds."
Deep within a magical meadow, some lonely flowers receive a very special gift: a baby bumblebee who they name Beatrice. As she grows older, Beatrice learns the language of her floral family — messages of kindness and appreciation that she delivers between them. With each sweet word, the flowers bloom until the meadow becomes so big that Beatrice needs help delivering her messages and decides to set out in search of her own kind.
Max's Boat Pick:
The Language of Flowers
By Dena Seiferling
Publisher: Tundra Books (May 3, 2022))
Can you tell me the origin story behind The Language of Flowers?
DS: "The idea for the story was inspired by the memories I have of my maternal grandmother. She had a passion for growing things especially flowers. I loved being around her, just as I thought her flowers must because they flourished under her care. And so flowers, especially carnations, remind me of her. As I’ve grown up I’ve learned how my grandmother experienced very tough years as a young mother in rural Saskatchewan and I’ve always really admired how no matter how hard life was for her she always remained empathetic, humble and kind. I really respect that and I feel like this story pays homage to her spirit."
Do you remember what you loved reading to your kids at age 3? At age 5? "When my kids were around 3/4 years old, they LOVED (ironically), The Book with No Pictures by B.J. Novak. They were drawn to books that made us all laugh and be silly, and in this book I would get a bit embarrassed at the silliness of what I was uttering which made it even more hilarious for them. At this age I would read to them every night and we had many shared favourites like my friend Renata Liwska’s books… especially Dormouse Dreams, written by Karma Wilson, where a character hibernates as spring unfolds and comes to life around them. I remember Slinky Malinki, by Lynley Dodd, which follows a night in the life of an extremely trouble making cat, and old favourites of mine like anything Dr. Seuss and Go, Dog. Go!, by
P. D. Eastman being on constant rotation.
By age 5, my kids started getting into series books like Franklin where they saw the same group of characters experience many different situations and challenges…."
What would be on your list of 100 best picture books of all time? "I have many favourite picture books of all time and most are woven into my childhood memories: Little Fur Family, by Margaret Wise Brown and Garth Williams, is about a little fur character exploring the world outside its home as if for the first time (it even has a tiny fur jacket cover), and Bedtime for Frances by Russell Hoban and Garth Williams. Williams is one of my all time favourite illustrators and this book is precious. Lastly, Lizzy’s Lion, by Dennis Lee and Marie-Louise Gay, a rhyming story about a girl with a lion who eats a robber that breaks into her room one night. It’s a little dark but also charming and funny."
For those who love The Language of Flowers, can you recommend one or two other titles that you think they might also enjoy, and why? "Well... The Language of Flowers is quite fantastical but also sweet so another book that I think has these things would be Dream Animals written and illustrated by Emily Winfield Martin. In this little hard cover book, soft and adorable painted scenes take you through a dream state, traveling with different animals into different worlds."
A mouse comes upon a tiny crown in the grass. The mouse puts the crown on his head, and when a bear subsequently comes upon him and asks if he's king, the mouse responds "Yes."
KING MOUSE
Written by Cary Fagan and illustrated by Dena Seiferling
Publisher: Tundra Books (September 24, 2019)
The illustrations for King Mouse are so lushly breathtaking. What was your starting point or inspirations? DS: "Thank you! The main inspiration for the environments was the landscape that surrounds the city I live in (Treaty 7 - Calgary, Alberta). At the time King Mouse was illustrated, my kids were both very little and we would spend a lot of time exploring these areas which are a great mix of forested hills, grasslands and river valleys. It’s a place to ponder, imagine and lose yourself in - life is everywhere! I felt like it was the perfect spot to draw inspiration from and having spent so much time in this environment helped me imagine and develop the characters in a wholistic way - also lots of reference because I love taking photos out there."
For those who love KING MOUSE, can you recommend another title that you think they might also enjoy, and why? "I would recommend Bear Wants to Sing because it’s the follow up/companion book to King Mouse!"
King Mouse reads like a modern fable. Are there any other modern fables you love? "I really love Mac Barnett and John Klassen’s The Wolf, The Duck, & The Mouse. I personally appreciate a juxtaposition of dry humour and sweetness which I feel this book has. I think this story introduces children to the idea of symbiotic relationships and interconnectivity in a fun and lighthearted way and reminds us of the importance of collaboration. I like fables that don’t take themselves too seriously." "Some books that I have on my shelf that I consider classics are King Mouse by Cary Fagan and Dena Seiferling," said Daniel Miyares. What contemporary picture books do you hope will become the classics of the future? "That’s very flattering to hear. I admire Daniel Miyares's work. Midnight & Moon looks fantastic!
I was able to see some lovely media exploration and process for that book on his Tundra IG feature recently.
Hmm.. one book I have on my shelves that I think of as a future classic is The Night Gardener, by The Fan Brothers. This book, about a town who experiences something mysterious and magical, is adorable and full of heart. Their books feel timeless and this one is especially beautiful to look at. I’ll always have a copy in my library :)"