The wavy-haired woman with love in her eyes pulled me close and whispered in my ear.
Synopsis:
Teddy and My are made for each other—literally in the case of Teddy, a teddy bear lovingly stitched and stuffed by Grandma for the newborn baby. From eating mushy vegetables to playing with blocks, Teddy is there every step of the way as My grows older. Even as the little girl goes to school and makes new friends, she can always count on Teddy for playtime, comfort, and friendship.
As she leaves early childhood behind, My comes to rely on Teddy less and less. But Teddy still has an important role to play in My’s life. In an act of welcome and tremendous love, My decides to give Teddy to her newborn baby brother, who needs Teddy just as much now as she once did. (publisher)
Why I like this Book:
Our early stuffies are so super important to us. Any caregiver or child will tell you this if ever they get mislaid! This is a beautifully illustrated picture book about growing up and a child’s relationship with both their beloved teddy bear, AND they new baby sibling.
The author’s choice to create the Teddy as the narrator of the story is tasteful, and adds such tenderness to the story arc as Teddy emanates empathy towards their person throughout the inevitable change of the relationship as little My grows and evolves. I think children will adore the arc of the child’s evolution with a best stuffy, through all the firsts of trying new foods, school etc, to the arrival of a baby brother.
I hadn’t read anything about this book before I first read it, and I thought I knew exactly where this story was going, well Michelle Nott’s craft is so good that the ending truly surprised me, even though the themes are as old as we are for children’s books.
It is a precious, enduring story and the dreamy, soft illustrations in pastels capture the heart of the text beautifully. I highly recommend this picture book.
Resources/Activities:
I know very few young children that don’t like talking to me about their stuffed animals.
If you missed it, please enjoy the interview I did with the author this week.
Each week a group of bloggers reviews picture books we feel would make great educational reads. To help teachers, caregivers and parents, we have included resources and/or activities with each of our reviews. A complete list of the thousands of books we have reviewed can be found sorted alphabetically and by topics, here on Susanna Leonard Hill’s website.
I have known Michelle for a good decade, having bonded through our European/Francophone connection (Michelle is originally from the US, but has lived and studied in France and lived in Belgium over a decade-with dual French and American citizenship, where she raised her children.). And it is of course always a delight to see the publication of one’s friends’ stories. Teddy, Let’s Go! is out this fall, and I shall be reviewing this week on Perfect Picture Book Friday. Meanwhile, I invite you to sit back with a coffee or glass of wine and enjoy my chat with Michelle.
[JM] How does your international background influence your writing? (I personally love how different European picture books often are to American ones.)
[MN] I have always appreciated the “softer” and “quieter” style in many European stories for children. Considering my background in poetry (my first published works), I think this makes sense.
When my children were young, I read countless picture books in French and J’aime Lire magazines. It was also at this time that I started to seriously consider trying to publish picture books. I must have absorbed a bit of that style of writing because, for years, I was told by agents and editors in the U.S. that my manuscripts were “too quiet.”
Luckily, I found an agent who loves quiet, literary books… and this encourages me trust my heart and style.
[JM] I am so happy you connected with an editor who “got” this story. As a librarian, I know there are children who need the quieter stories. Who was your “Teddy” growing up? And did the inspiration for this story come from some real life experiences?
[MN] My Teddy growing up was the one my grandmother handmade me. I was born in December, and he was my first Christmas present. He has traveled all over the world with me, accompanied my own daughters during their young years. And now, he sits on a shelf in my office.
Although the story is not autobiographical, certain scenes from the book were influenced by mine or my daughters’ experiences. For example, the page where My and Teddy are eating mushy vegetables and need a bath refers to the day my youngest earned the nickname, “Miss Spinach.” Also, I was the one who packed Teddy in my bag for camp. That was a scary, to go away for the first time. In the end, I really enjoyed that week at camp, but having my trusted Teddy with me helped a lot.
[JM] How many revisions did Teddy, Let’s GO! need?
[MN] Going back into my files, I see at least a dozen versions and four different titles before it caught the attention of my agent, Essie White at Storm Literary Agency. Since Claudia Zoe Bedrick at Enchanted Lion acquired it, we’ve had a few more rounds of edits. First, it was just tweaking a few words or lines. But once Nahid Kazemi started on the illustrations, we had some more edits. This is understandable because we could start seeing what the illustrations could convey, and so some of the words were no longer necessary.
[JM] What advice would you give someone starting out as a children’s writer?
[MN] Read recent children’s books, to yourself and to children. What makes you stop and say, “Wow!”? What makes a child stop and say, “Wow!”? And what doesn’t?
Find a critique group where you can receive kind, constructive criticism. This business is hard and often discouraging. Having a critique group to help you grow as a writer in a supportive environment is essential.
Join SCBWI and Children’s Book Insider. They have been the most valuable resources for me. But also, I’ve attended incredible webinars and classes with 12×12, Highlights, The Writing Barn, Storyteller Academy, and The Children’s Book Academy.
[JM] Do you have a fun school visit anecdote for us?
[MN] One of my favorite school visit memories was in a first-grade class near Galveston, Texas the year my first book, an early reader called Freddy, Hoppie and the Eyeglasses, had published. Briefly, it’s about a boy having trouble at school, with his work and classmates. And in the end, through his imaginary frog, Hoppie, he finds a way to express his troubles. In the end, the reader learns that his reading difficulties were caused by an eyesight issue, not a learning challenge.
Well, the students were very cheerful and attentive the whole presentation and with the interactive game we played. Everything had gone perfectly. As I was packing up my materials and the children were lining up for lunch, I felt a tight squeeze around my legs … coming from a little girl in glasses. She looked up and said, “Thank you so much for writing that book.”
It was hard to walk out without crying.
Once Teddy Let’s Go! releases this fall, I look forward to getting back into classrooms for more fun and endearing moments like this one.
[JM] Do you have a writing routine?
[MN] Except if other obligations or events are planned, I first do a writing sprint of just a few minutes (sometimes longer) from a prompt I give myself. This could be an image, a word, a sound, anything that leads me to get some words on the page. This exercise may not grow into anything more, but it gets my brain going.
I’m a freelance editor as well and so, I like to work on client edits in the mornings. Likewise, I’ll write my picture book reviews for my blog in the mornings.
Then, I’m free in the afternoons (if not sooner) to work on my own projects.
I don’t feel as productive in the evenings, so I use that time to read mentor texts, poetry, or catch up on all the Publishers Weekly magazines that pile up more quickly than I can get to them.
view from my writing desk at our house in Belgium, where Teddy, Let’s Go! took its final shape.
[JM] Can you tell us briefly how you got together with your agent?
[MN] I came across Essie White’s name in a blog interview. I thought she sounded like someone who might like my writing and with whom I would like to work. So, I sent her one of two middle grade manuscripts I had finished. She replied asking if I also wrote picture books.
So, I re-opened the document Teddy, Let’s Go!, that had been closed for a while for being “too quiet,” read through it again and attached it to my reply. She really liked it, as we see, and found a great publishing home for it.
[JM] Can you give us any hints about your present project?
Five Fun Ones to Finish [JM] What’syour favorite national or local park (anywhere in the world?)
[MN] Le Domaine Solvay in La Hulpe, Belgium.
Le Château de la Hulpe
[JM] Now I am Nice-based, I need to do some more exploring in Belgium. What was your first paying job after high school?
[MN] Tennis coach.
[JM Please recommend a local café/restaurant for when I visit you.
[MN] Brakeman’s Coffee in downtown Matthews.
[JM] Thank you! Night owl or early bird?
[MN] Neither, to be honest. But I am much more productive in the mornings.
[JM] What’s your favorite European author or illustrator?
[MN] Of all time, I would say Astrid Lindgren. But for a recent author, this is a hard question to answer. Since returning to the U.S. in 2015, I haven’t read nearly as many French picture books. But I do listen to a wonderful podcast in French called L’âme à Lire that offers fabulous children’s book recommendations.
I can’t say I have a favorite illustrator. I appreciate so many artists and for so many reasons and at different times. I will say I’ve recently discovered the art of Helena Perez Garcia from Spain. I love how she illustrated Breaking Through the Clouds by Sandra Nickel.
[JM]Thank you for the podcast recommendation and sharing with us today. Bonne chance for all your new writing projects and I am sure Teddy is going to delight many children over the coming months .
Fred likes to run around the house nekkid. That’s pretty much the most freeing feeling in the world to him (and to many of is when were little). With mom and dad totally aware of his lack of attire, he traipses from room to room until he ends up in his parent’s bedroom. There he views a ton of grown-up clothes. First he tries on his dad’s clothes but finds they swamp him. Then he tries Mom’s clothes. He discovers one of her shirts can be worn as a dress. A pretty dress though needs some extras, right? Like jewelry and makeup. When he’s discovered by his parents, readers will cheer that instead of getting a telling-off, his parents (and the dog) simply join in the fun.
Why I like this Book:
Can you believe that last month a Kansas library tried to get this book banned?! This was Peter Brown’s response:
“But given the political climate of America these days, I figured it was only a matter of time,” Brown said. “The woman trying to ban ‘Fred Gets Dressed’ has the right to keep her children from reading the book, but controlling what other people can read? That’s downright un-American,” Brown said. “I think everyone needs to lighten up, and let children be whoever they’re going to be, and let them read what they want to read. Everything is going to be fine.. Oh, and if a pair of naked buns doesn’t make this woman laugh, or at least smile, then she clearly has no sense of humor, and I have to seriously question her qualifications for judging children’s books.” (Kansas Reflector)
In interviews, Peter has said that the book is actually a tribute to his mom. “One afternoon, I got into her makeup drawer and began playing around with all the different cases and tubes and brushes, and when she found me I had makeup smeared across my face. My mom’s reaction was typical for her; with zero judgment whatsoever, she simply cleaned off my face and demonstrated how she put on her makeup. I followed along, and put makeup on myself, and we had a great time together. Looking back now, I realize that her parenting-style was ahead of its time…”
While some of the nay-sayers and many other readers have focused on this book being about a trans kid, to be honest I didn’t read it this way, but one of the great things about books is every reader will find their own interpretation. For me, the book focuses on two timeless kid activities: running around naked and dressing up (especially in grown-up clothes irrespective of gender). Kids love to explore and experiment.
I love the moment when Fred’s expression shows how he wonders if the lipstick and dress are going to get him into trouble. Every kid knows that feeling, and many will know that relief when the adults understand and accept, if not join in too. This is a simple romp about childhood self-expression and parental unconditional love, with maybe a sideways glance at how any gender norms here is just irrelevant.
Resources/Activities:
Have a big ole dress-up session with nothing out of bounds!
Each week a group of bloggers reviews picture books we feel would make great educational reads. To help teachers, caregivers and parents, we have included resources and/or activities with each of our reviews. A complete list of the thousands of books we have reviewed can be found sorted alphabetically and by topics, here on Susanna Leonard Hill’s website.
In my 20's, with only my guitar and a rucksack, I wandered the continents, immersing myself in the lives of some wonderful people, projects and stories, which changed the way I view my responsibility to others and this earth. Right now I'm a European transplant in the US who writes books for children and young adults. Stories can help us not only navigate our world but can connect us to others, and allow us to inspire and help each other. I believe that equity and empathy should be at the core of our all actions, words, and stories.
I am also a school librarian and I get a kick out of book-matchmaking! And I use the pronouns she/her.
In my 20's, with only my guitar and a rucksack, I wandered the continents, immersing myself in the lives of some wonderful people, projects and stories, which changed the way I view my responsibility to others and this earth. Right now I'm a European transplant in the US who writes books for children and young adults. Stories can help us not only navigate our world but can connect us to others, and allow us to inspire and help each other. I believe that equity and empathy should be at the core of our all actions, words, and stories.
I am also a school librarian and I get a kick out of book-matchmaking! And I use the pronouns she/her.
