I canвЂ™t think of one off-hand except one of my own, which sounds egotistical, I know. TELL US ABOUT A BOOK YOU LOVE THAT, FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER, HAS NOT FOUND A WIDER AUDIENCE. It contains everything that I admire and adore.ДЎ2. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE CHILDRENвЂ™S BOOK AND WHY?Д¬harlotteвЂ™s Web by E.B. IвЂ™ve found that some writing gets done that way too.ДЎ1. (What?! WhereвЂ™d the time go?) I once wrote all day, but I can no longer do that so I break up the day with research and doing inspiring things like baking or cleaning the garage. IвЂ™ve been following a regular schedule of writing for over thirty years. IвЂ™m at my desk by eight and write all morning. As Nathaniel Hawthorne said, вЂњEasy reading is damn hard writing.вЂќ WHAT IS THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE YOU WERE EVER GIVEN?ДonвЂ™t rush. I did write a first one, but learning a new form takes time and practice, and courage.Д©. I think if I could redo one thing, it might be not taking on so many work-for-hire projects, which I did in the early years, and instead strike out to write that second novel.

IвЂ™m trying hard these days NOT to look back because I have the habit of wishing I hadnвЂ™t written that sentence or included that word. IF YOU COULD GO BACK AND REDO ONE THING IN YOUR WORK, WHAT WOULD IT BE? If I were Pippi, IвЂ™d live in my own house and do whatever I liked! IвЂ™d have many cats, several French bulldogs, but NO monkeys.ДЁ. I had braids as a girl and was rather rambunctious however, my energy didnвЂ™t always meet with whole-hearted approval. IF YOU WERE TO DIE AND COME BACK AS A CHARACTER FROM CHILDRENвЂ™S LITERATURE, WHO WOULD YOU LIKE IT TO BE? One characteristic I try to incorporate is understanding and acceptance of those who donвЂ™t fit into what we label as normal.Д§. IвЂ™m really unsure how my work comes across. IF YOUR OWN WORK HAS A DEFINING CHARACTERISTIC, WHAT WHAT IS IT?

Seeing the world from a childвЂ™s point of view, honestly and authentically.Д¦. WHICH QUALITY DO YOU THINK IS MOST IMPORTANT IN GOOD CHILDRENвЂ™S LITERATURE? White for poignancy and because IвЂ™ve loved every book he wrote and illustrated, William Steig.ДҐ. IвЂ™d also invite James Marshall for sheer silliness Cynthia Rylant and E.B. I wonder how she came up with the idea of treating kidsвЂ™ book illustrations as miniature theatre. IвЂ™d invite Elly Mackay (left)В because IвЂ™d really love to know how she creates such beauty with paper, light and colour. IF YOU WERE TO THROW A KINDERLIT PARTY FOR FIVE GUESTS, WHO WOULD YOU INVITE? The joyfully child-like art of Lisa Cinar is magical.Д¤. IвЂ™ve just finished reading BearвЂ™s Winter Party, written by Deborah Hodge, and found myself enthralled by the sweet story.

White, to name only a few.ДЄs for illustrators, I think the list might even be longer! I love the work of Giselle Potter (right, from This is My Dollhouse )В and Sophie Blackall and Marie Lafrance. I also like Polly Horvath, Cynthia Rylant, and E.B. Eve IbbotsonвЂ™s style is sublime-I loved Journey to the River Sea. I enjoy reading Cary FaganвЂ™s (left)В work. I admire so many authors and illustrators. WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE CHILDRENвЂ™S BOOK AUTHOR? ILLUSTRATOR? Well, thatвЂ™s the joy of reading, isnвЂ™t it?ДЈ. IвЂ™ve lived in the hearts and heads of many, many characters, living all over the world and scattered across centuries. I canвЂ™t say I identify with any one character for longer than the reading of the story. WITH WHICH CHILDRENвЂ™S LITERATURE CHARACTER DO YOU MOST IDENTIFY? Years later, I hunted up the book ( The AnimalsвЂ™ Train Ride by Miriam Clark Potter) and did not find the story tremendously enthralling. And I liked their adventures riding a train. I liked the sound of their names, and still do. WHAT IS YOUR EARLIEST MEMORY OF CHILDRENвЂ™S LITERATURE?ДЄ story I requested many times as a child featured two squirrels named Scoot and Skedaddle. Our goals are less lofty, but hopefully will provide some insight into how your favorite authors and illustrators work and what they love.ДЎ. The Proust-Esque Questionnaire is based on a set of 36 standardized questions designed by Marcel Proust in the 1890вЂ™s to give an overview of the respondentвЂ™s personality. She is a frequent contributor to Tundra BookвЂ™s Great Ideas series, including her latest work, Zap! Nikola Tesla Takes Charge. Our guest: Monica Kulling is an award-winning Vancouver-born, Toronto-based author of childrenвЂ™s literature.

Scoot n skedaddle