Kylie is nervous about visiting her grandmother—her Amah—who lives SO FAR AWAY. When she and Mama finally go to Taipei, Kylie is shy with Amah. Even though they have spent time together in video chats, those aren't the same as real life. And in Taiwan, Kylie is at first uncomfortable with the less-familiar language, customs, culture, and food.
AMAH FARAWAY
Written by Margaret Chiu Greanias and illustrated by Tracy Subisak
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's Books (January 25, 2022)
Hi Margaret! First off, I have to say I’m blown away by your mirror structure! It’s hard enough to write a book—and now here you are making everything 1,000 times more difficult for yourself. Can you explain your process, and how you chose it? MCG: "In my opinion, writing in mirror structure is like writing in rhyme in one particular way--the story must drive the structure vs. the other way around. So importantly, I first defined what I wanted my story to be about, a loose plot, and the crucial midpoint moment.
Then, I wrote one sentence at a time by hand starting at the beginning (and end lol). I scribbled all over a notepad. This really was trial and error. I would change the words, I would change where the sentences were broken into lines, and I would read from top to bottom and bottom to top to see whether the narrative made sense.
To reduce the intimidation factor, it helped to break the story into scenes and tackle each scene individually.
I built the story one sentence at a time until I had a complete story. Even though I knew I was writing both halves of the story at the same time, it still felt surprising when I got to the midpoint and was able to read my story the whole way through for a complete story. I still remember the feeling of being amazed that it worked!"
Amazing! I'm so impressed. Have you seen the mirror structure in other picture books? Which ones do you most admire? "I've seen the mirror structure or some form of modified mirror structure in these fantastic books:
Snow Sisters! by Kerri Kokias and Teagan White is about two sisters with opposite personalities enjoying wintertime activities in a true mirror structure book where the words themselves reverse at the mid-point.
Mirror Mirror, Echo Echo, and Follow Follow by Marilyn Singer and Josée Masse are themed compilations of reverso poems, a form created by Marilyn Singer. A reverso poem is one that can be read from top to bottom and in reverse with different narratives. The only change between regular read and reverse read is punctuation.
I'll Go and Come Back by Rajani LaRocca and Sara Palacios is a story about an Indian American girl whose grandmother makes her feel at home during visit to India and how she returns the favor when her grandmother comes to visit her in America. Rajani uses a looser version of the mirror structure, so each visit is specifically Indian or American.
Are there other picture books you admire for their unconventional structure?
The Diamond and the Boy by Hannah Holt and Jay Fleck tells dual parallel narratives of how a diamond is formed and how H. Tracy Hall became the inventor of a machine that makes diamonds.
The Fire of Stars: The Life and Brilliance of the Woman Who Discovered What Stars Are Made Of by Kirsten Williams Larson and Katherine Roy is another biography and tells the parallel narratives of how Cecilia Payne's curiosity and career develop with how a star is born.
The classic Same, Same But Different by Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw highlights dual point-of-views and shows how two boys who live on opposite sides of the world, both culturally and physically, can be the best friends."
For those who love Amah Faraway, can you recommend another picture book that you think they might also enjoy?
"I Dream of Popo by Livia Blackburne and Julia Kuo is a touching picture book about a girl who immigrates from Taiwan to America, leaving behind her beloved Popo. It's a picture book about being far away from the ones you love and what happens to that bond after the family immigrates."
What are some forthcoming books you’re most excited about? "This is Not My Home by Vivienne Chang and Eugenia Yoh: Most immigration picture books are about children moving to America. But this one is about a child immigrating from America to Taiwan and how while she repeatedly insists that Taiwan is not her home in the beginning, she eventually decides to give it a chance and becomes comfortable with her new home.
Others that look terrific:
Maybe a Whale by Kirsten Pendreigh and Crystal Smith
The Fire of Stars by Kirsten Williams Larson and Katherine Roy
Dear Mr. G by Christine Evans and Gracey Zhang
The Boo Crew Needs You by Vicky Fang and Saoirse Lou
Wombats Are Pretty Weird by Abi Cushman
I Am An American by Darshana Khiani and Laura Freeman
I must also mention my own forthcoming books: Hooked on Books illustrated by Kristyna Litten coming out June 27, 2023 and How This Book Got Red illustrated by Melissa Iwai coming out October 1, 2023."
Who are some other writers you admire, with titles?
"Dane Liu: Friends Are Friends, Forever illustrated by Lynn Scurfield has a beautiful lyrical and sensory writing voice that makes you feel like you are there.
Pat Z. Miller: Most recently In Our Garden illustrated by Melissa Crowton and See You Someday Soon illustrated by Suzy Lee. All of Pat's books are so well-written whether they rhyme or not. I have been wowed by every one of her books.
Carrie Finison: Don't Hug Doug illustrated by Daniel Wiseman took a very didactic topic of consent and made it feel lighthearted and humorous while slyly teaching the reader."
What would be on your list of 100 best picture books of all time?
The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson and Rafael Lopez
The Longest Letsgoboy by Derick Wilder and illustrated by Cátia Chien
Snap! Poom-poom! Jingle-Jangle! Three talented animals--a crocodile playing a snare drum, a big brown bear with a bass, and a weasel with a banjo--form a traveling band to sing and play for the other animals in the woods.
Max's Boat Pick:
THE ANIMAL SONG
By Jonty Howley
Published by Random House Studio (January 10, 2023)
Thanks for stopping by, Jonty! Let's start how these interviews always start. Can you tell me the origin story behind The Animal Song? JH: "As is often the case with my books, it began as a simple sketch. I was inspired after looking through some 1950s jazz posters, and I made a simple illustration of an animal trio. I immediately felt they had a story to tell, but It wasn’t until a year or so later that I returned to them and developed the idea into a story. The book is written to feel like a song, as it follows a constant rhythm throughout. In the end I made a free song and read-along which you can access here: https://jontyhowley.com/shop/theanimalsong-songandstory"
Jonty Howley's original sketch (above) and color rough (below) for The Animal Song:
An interior spread from The Animal Song (text placement may be different from final book):
So fun! I definitely have a soft spot for instrument-playing animals. What are some other picture books you love that celebrate music? "There is an old Little Golden Book version of The Musicians of Bremen which has the most wonderful art by one of my favourite illustrators, John Parr (J.P.) Miller. He captured a real sense of the energy and joy of music in that book, and I love his unusual compositions!"
What forthcoming books are you most looking forward to getting your hands on? "I think it actually came out a short while ago, but I’ve been meaning to get a copy of The Mouse Who Carried a House on His Back by Jonathan Stutzman and Isabelle Arsenault. It looks like a future classic and the mixed media illustrations are stunning!"
What would be on your list of 100 best picture books of all time? "I love so many, but I won’t try to name 100! Here is a handful of personal favourites (in no particular order!)
The Dangerous Journey by Tove Jansson
Peter’s Chair by Ezra Jack Keats
Out, Out, Away From Here by Rachel Woodworth and Sang Miao
The Musicians of Bremen illustrated by J.P. Miller
The Animal Fair by Alice and Martin Provensen
Grandad’s Island by Benji Davies
Shackleton’s Journey by William Grill
I've had the privilege of interviewing so many talented writers and illustrators over the past year. To celebrate Wally’s launch, the tables have been turned, and seven amazing picture book authors and illustrators that I admire are interviewing me!
WALLY THE WORLD'S GREATEST PIANO-PLAYING WOMBAT
Written by Ratha Tep and illustrated by Camilla Pintonato
Published by Princeton Architectural Press (October 18, 2022)
THAO LAM, author-illustrator of The Line in the Sand and THAO: A Picture Book: “I'm sure you've gotten this many times, but exactly how do you pronounce your name?”
RT: “Thao, you wrote such a wonderful book about growing up with an unfamiliar name. I was really awestruck when I saw THAO: A Picture Book since we have the exact same problem with our names—and the same remedy, too. Just like in ‘Thao,’ ‘Ratha’ has a silent ‘h,’ as in ‘raw-ta’ (same emphasis on both syllables). But it took me awhile to get here. In elementary school, I acquiesced to “rATH-a” (we were learning phonics after all), and in junior high and high school my name became “rAWTH-a” (a baby step toward asserting myself). It wasn’t until I got to college (a great place for reinvention), that I started introducing myself in the way I really wanted my name to be pronounced."
ANNE WYNTER, author of Everybody in the Red Brick Building and the forthcoming Nell Plants a Tree: “You wrote a fantastic book about piano-playing wombats. I'm curious—do you have a musical background?”
RT: “It’s so fitting that you asked me that, Anne! In Everybody in the Red Brick Building, a chain reaction of noises wakes everyone in an apartment building, and then another one lulls them back to sleep. I grew up in an apartment and know only too well how thin those walls can be. As a child, I had started piano lessons, but my next-door neighbor complained that my piano playing was too disruptive. So I barely practiced for fear of making noise, and quit after only a short while. If only I had a big eucalyptus forest to play in, like Wally! But I’m picking up the piano again after all these years, and learning alongside my kids.”
RUTH CHAN, author-illustrator of Thank You, Neighbor! and The Alpactory: "This is your first picture book! (Congrats!) What was the most challenging or unexpected part about writing Wally the World’s Greatest Piano-Playing Wombat?
RT: “For sure, cutting down the words! I’m a journalist and used to writing long-form pieces, so limiting myself to such a small amount of text took some getting used to. I’m a real writerly writer, and can get quite wedded to certain words and how they sound, so having to cut something I loved was difficult. It also meant that each word carried more weight, so each one of the 400-or-so words in Wally had to go under heavier scrutiny than usual. Wally went through at least 50 different drafts. An earlier version was completely in rhyme!”
CARTER HIGGINS, author of A Story is to Share and Big and Small and In-Between: "What's something you really love to do but aren't very good at? Let's assume you are an end-of-story version of Wally for this one: celebratory and playful, not mad about it!"
RT: “Writing? I’m not sure any writer thinks they’re very good at it, do they? I’m the opposite of a beginning-of-story version of Wally when it comes to writing. He’s over-confident; I’m definitely not. I fret and fret, but also like Wally, at some point I just say, ‘Enough!’ The fretting only gets you so far.”
JULIE FALATKO, author of Rick the Rock of Room 214 and Yours in Books: "One thing I love about the picture book community is the relative lack of competition. Everyone boosts each other and cheers each other on (like on this website!). And here you are with a book about a competitive wombat! What are your thoughts on competition in general? Or is it really envy that motivates us to do better?" RT: “Agreed! I’m a newcomer in the picture book community, and I’m constantly amazed at how welcoming it is. I think it stems from the fact that bookmaking can be a lonely process. We’re all in the same boat, toiling on our books alone, and never really knowing if anything will actually come from it. So I’m so grateful for all of the amazing support I’ve received.
Competition was something I really grappled with as a child. (I was on a swim team, but didn’t compete.) I hope Wally can help kids work through these messy feelings of envy and competitiveness. I want them to see that these feelings are perfectly normal, and what matters is how they react to them.
But while I’m competitive about many things, I’m oddly not competitive with writing. I think it’s because I’m so amazed by what other writers create. I’m like Wylie here, who’s so in awe of Wally. Knowing that there are so many talented authors out there making such creative, smart, funny, moving books really motivates me to do better.”
KATE HOEFLER, author of Courage Hats and Nothing in Common: “I love the emotional honesty of this book—an honesty that resonates with all ages! It made me think a lot about internal versus external validation when it comes to making things or doing things we love. It’s something people of all ages struggle with (and wombats, too). How do you grapple with it?”
RT: “What a question, Kate! I’m definitely my own worst critic. I set a high bar for myself, which I don’t usually reach, but when I get close, it’s certainly a great feeling. A deep-seated, long-lasting one, too. But writing is a nebulous thing, so external validation can, well, validate internal feelings. Wally and Wylie swelled with pride when they saw their adoring audience. But when that audience moves on, I hope they’ll still feel proud of themselves. External validation can depend on a lot of things that are beyond anyone’s control—the mood of the moment, what’s already been done, what’s floating down from the sky (I mean, ahem, what's coming down the pipeline)—so I try not to let it affect how I intrinsically feel about my work.”
ZOEY ABBOTT, author-illustrator of Clementine and the Lion and Pig and Horse and the Something Scary: "I have a theory that we write for ourselves (despite the fact that a book is an offering to the world and a marketplace object). Did you write this book for yourself? Your current self? A past self? An alter-ego self?" RT: “Writing, putting words down on a page in some form, was the only thing I've ever aspired to do, even from a young age. It brings me so much joy. But I only ever started thinking about writing for children after my first daughter was born. As Matt de la Peña put it so well, picture books ‘are a reason for a child to be close to a parent and a parent to be close to a child.’ With my daughters on my lap, we’ve read so many books together: gorgeous, lyrical books; thought-provoking books; books where they see themselves; books that shed light on a certain aspect of the world; and books that helped them wind down for bedtime. But what I loved most was to hear them laugh. So I wrote Wally for that version of myself: the parent who wanted to hear one last shriek and snort from my kids before I kissed them goodnight.”
Art by Camilla Pintonato