Today I’m excited to have Jill Esbaum on my blog. Jill has written a slew of amazing picture books and Frankenbunny is her latest release. It is a delightful book that I have read many, many times since it arrived in the mail.
Jill has agreed to have a conversation about Frankenbunny. But first, the synopsis:
“You know monsters aren’t real, right?”
Brave is easy in the sunshine. Brave is easy near Papa. But can Spencer the Bunny learn to be brave ALL the time—even when his big brothers try their best to scare him?
Spencer the Bunny’s big brothers ALWAYS frighten him with scary monster stories. And the most terrifying beast of all is Frankenbunny, with his crusty fangs, flashing red eyes, and ginormous paws. But when Spencer discovers that his brothers made the whole thing up, he hatches a plan to turn the tables on them and conquer his own fears . . . forever.
Any child who has ever worried about a monster in the closet or felt scared in the dark will love this humorous story about learning to be brave.
And this nice snippet from Kirkus Reviews:
“A good choice for younger sibs terrorized by older ones or for kids who need a reminder that monsters aren’t real.”
Now for the inside scoop from Jill 😀
Penny: I’m impressed at how expertly you captured the universal childhood fear of monsters. Even though as children, we’re told they aren’t real, and logically we don’t “think” they are real…all it takes is a sibling (or a kid in the neighborhood or a kid at school) to raise doubts. I have three sisters and I can tell you that there were plenty monster stories creeping around our house. So I can relate.
Jill: Oh, man. Me, too! My older brother was soooo good at making me rethink truths … like the fact that I KNEW there was nothing in our basement at night that wasn’t also there during the daylight hours. But ask me to go down there alone after dark? No way! Not after the time he sent me down there for something, then flipped off the light, slammed the stairtop door, and called a spooky, “Wooooooo…” to freak me out. Forever after, I was afraid something would grab me down there, even in the daytime. When I HAD to go to the basement, I’d get whatever I needed (quickly) and be halfway back up the steps, congratulating myself for surviving, when it would occur to me that somebody/something could still reach BETWEEN THE STEPS to grab one of my ankles. My feet could not carry me up fast enough! I went around with skinned shins more often than not.
Penny: Frankenbunny is a genius title. When I think of bunnies, I think “cute and cuddly,” which is the exact opposite of monsters. Because of that, the thought of a monster bunny seems unconventional and funny. It’s a title that drew me in and made me want to read the book and find out more. So how/why did you decide that the big, bad, crusty-fanged, ginormous-pawed, red-eyed monster would be a bunny?
Jill: Thanks, Penny. I’ve wanted to write a “scary” story for a long time. But every time I tried to write one with human kiddos, it got TOO scary. Finally, I decided to try one with the most harmless creatures I could imagine – sweet little bunnies. That’s when the title came to me. A bunny-monster, I hoped, would be terrifying to bunnies, but not so scary to kids.
Penny: One of the hardest things about writing for children is making the story relatable. These lines are some of my favorite lines in the book!
“Brave is easy in the sunshine.”
“Brave is easy around Papa.”
“Brave is hard in the dark!”
They’re perfectly placed in the story and are seriously relatable. Also they bring so much “heart” to the story. I’m curious. Did these lines come to you in early drafts, or did you find your way to them as you revised?
Jill: Thanks, Penny. Those lines didn’t come to me until many, many revisions into the story, when I realized it needed a framework, and yes, more heart. Honestly, I worked on this one for a couple of years before I got to a manuscript that felt right. Older versions were submitted and rejected. Rejection: the great revision motivator.
Penny: Along the same lines … “heart” is the thing that brings readers back to a picture book for multiple readings. It’s the elusive element that every writer strives for. Do you have a way of assessing your manuscripts for the “heart” factor? Or any tips for those writers who struggle with bringing “heart” to their stories?
Jill: Yikes, good question! Heart is a tough story element. It isn’t something you can just stick it in somewhere. It needs to be infused throughout the story. The best way to find a story’s heart is to really put yourself into your main character’s head. You have to feel the emotions s/he’s experiencing. Get your protagonist’s false belief/fear/yearning in line, and heart will arise organically.
Penny: The illustrations in this book by Alice Brereton couldn’t be more perfect. They’re incredible and fit the tone of the text to a tee. Most of the time the editor at the publishing house picks the illustrator. Was that the case with Frankenbunny? Did you see early sketches or did you see the art later in the process? What was your reaction when you saw the art?
Jill: Yes, my editor picked Alice to illustrate this story. When I saw her early sketches I was overjoyed – and, of course, trying to picture them in color. I could do that, sort of, by looking at Alice’s work on her website. She has an uncanny ability to capture whimsy and darkness simultaneously. Exactly what FRANKENBUNNY needed.
Penny: Now that you’ve all heard about Frankenbunny I’ll be you are thinking what I’m thinking . . . Frankenbunny would make a great Christmas gift for a child!! And speaking of books for children, one thing I’ve noticed since I’ve been immersed in the world of children’s books is that many people aren’t familiar with newer titles. I have friends that are constantly asking me for picture book suggestions for their children or grandchildren. In the spirit of the season, I thought it would be fun for you to spread some cheer by recommending current books by other authors that could be wrapped up and put under the tree … along with Frankenbunny, of course 😀
I know there are a bunch of great ones, so how about giving us five recommendations?
Jill: My current favorite is Creepy Pair of Underwear. For other favorites, just read back through my posts on my group blog, Picture Book Builders.
Penny: Wow! If you read through Jill’s blog posts over at Picture Book Builders you will find plenty of book recommendations.
Thanks for coming by and telling us more about Frankenbunny, Jill.
Jill: Thanks, Penny. I always love visiting with you!
GIVEAWAY! Lucky readers! You can win a copy of Frankenbunny. All you have to do to be in the drawing is leave a comment below by midnight December 21st. (CST)
Those who enter must have a US address.
You can learn more about Jill Esbaum and her wonderful books on her website. http://www.jillesbaum.com/
This looks adorable!! Thanks for sharing it, Penny & congrats to you, Jill :)!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for coming by, Maria 😀
LikeLike
Thanks, Maria!
LikeLike
Wonderful interview and the books sounds terrific. I will definitely be checking it out. Thanks for the post.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great! I think you’ll love it, Rosi 😀
LikeLike
Hope you like it, Rosi!
LikeLike
I love the message of this book and can’t wait to read it as mentor text and to see how the text and illustrations play together.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for coming by, Danielle. I hope you enjoy learning from it. I am 😀
LikeLike
🙂
LikeLike
Terrific story! Perfectly captures the big brother rivalry in a hilarious manner.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Agreed! Or big sister in my case 😉
LikeLike
Thanks so much, Sarvinder!
LikeLike
We love Jill Esbaum’s books, and can’t wait to add Frankenbunny to our library to be read at Halloween time next year!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Fun! And it’s a book for any time of the year. I know it sounds Halloween-ish with the Franken part of Frankenbunny, but it’s a great book for all year. Thanks for coming by 😀
LikeLike
Tell the kids hello from me, Brandy! And you’ll be glad to know (I think) that this isn’t a Halloween book, despite the look of it.
LikeLike
I’m a huge Jill Esbaum fan. Count me in! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re counted in! Thanks for coming by, Tammi 😀
LikeLike
Fingers crossed, Tammi. 🙂
LikeLike
Really enjoyed reading the interview. I can’t wait to read the new book. It would be a great addition to our classroom library,
LikeLiked by 1 person
I agree. I think student will relate and love the humor. Thanks for coming by, Tracy 😀
LikeLike
It’s a good one for kids who’ve been bullied, Tracy, by siblings or anybody.
LikeLike
Great interview–especially the discussion of heart. Thanks Jill and Penny–I’m putting this one on my to-read list.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Glad to add a book to your list, Buffy. It’s a fun one. Any tips on heart help, don’t they?
LikeLike
I appreciate that, Buffy!
LikeLike
I love Jill’s books, and I can’t wait to read this one. Thanks for a great interview!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Me too, Jenna. I’ve been a Jill fan for years…way before I started writing. Glad you enjoyed the interview.
LikeLike
Hi Jenna! Thanks for commenting.
LikeLike
I will forever be a fan of Jill Esbaum’s books, and can’t wait to read this one. Great interview, Penny and Jill!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi Alli. Thanks for coming by for the interview. This one has a big dose of fun!
LikeLike
Thanks, Alli!!
LikeLike
Great interview. I can’t wait to read it for ” the heart”. Thanks
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Kathy! Penny asks great questions. 🙂
LikeLike
Yes. It’s a good mentor text for “heart.” Thanks for coming by, Kathy.
LikeLike
It’s fun to hear Jill’s process as she worked through the challenges of “scary” for kids. Bunnies are just the thing to use! The book looks and sounds like one for my granddaughters, and FYI, Jill. One of them is getting Creepy Pair of Underwear for Christmas. She loves it, will love it more as her own! Thanks, Penny!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha! I sent it to my niece’s 4-year-old, too. I knew it was right up his alley! Great book!!!
LikeLike
Thanks for coming by, Linda! Lucky granddaughter!!!
LikeLike
Can’t wait to read this book! Congratulations, Jill!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Angie!
LikeLike
It’s really cute, Angie. Thanks for coming by.
LikeLike
Can’t wait to read and share Frankenbunny!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Have fun with it! 🙂
LikeLike
Sharing is the best! I would love to see the kids faces when Jill reads this at a school or other event! That would be priceless.
LikeLike
Great interview! I didn’t have a monster so much as a fear that a stranger would open the window right next to my bed and kidnap me. I would lay completely so the stranger would think I was a doll. That’s a product of watching too much 20/20 with my parents. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, Lindsay. I remember worrying about somebody watching me from the window, too, and laying absolutely still so they’d think I was sleeping and leave me be. Bwa-ha-ha.
LikeLike
Yikes! And the 20/20 comment made me laugh. It’s funny how different things make us take “fear” to bed with us. Thanks for coming by, Lindsay.
LikeLike
Nothing better than a brave bunny! Thank you Jill and Penny!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Very true! And he’s a clever bunny too when he turns the tables 😀
LikeLike
You’re very welcome, Sandy. Happy holidays!
LikeLike
This sounds like such a great book, Penny is my older sister, and yes, one of the wood knots on our childhood bathroom wall was a wolf, the hot water heater pilot light was on it at night. Very scary to have to go to the bathroom at night with the wolf, you learned
To go very fast!! Your book sounds perfect for
Kids to help with those monsters.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Cari…so funny that you brought that up because I was thinking about it, too! That wolf literally scared the pee out of all of us 😀
LikeLike
Haha! You two must’ve been a blast. 🙂 Isn’t it nuts what kids can see in the everyday?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes! And there was four of us to dream up all sorts of scary things! Do the math…SCARY X 4 = NO SLEEP!
LikeLike
What a fun interview! I also remember thinking someone could reach between steps in a dark basement, lol. Can’t wait to read this story! As for Jill’s blog – it is a gem.
LikeLiked by 1 person
My monster was cliché and resided under my bed. I guess I’m lucky that I didn’t have a basement where another monster could hide 😀 I love the Picture Builders blog too, Kim! It helps me build my library list.
LikeLike
Glad you like the blog, Kim!
LikeLike
Thank you for the advice on getting the heart of a story. It’s not easy to do! Can’t wait to pick up FRANKENBUNNY!
LikeLiked by 1 person
“Heart” is soooo hard to do and Jill nailed it in FRANKENBUNNY!
LikeLike
It IS difficult, Julie! I don’t often get it right on the first try. Or the tenth. 😉
LikeLike
I hopped over here as soon as I saw the title, Frankenbunny. Sounds great! Wonderful interview!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Isn’t it a great title, Iza? I just love it! Thanks for coming by 😀
LikeLike
Thank you, Iza! I found out, after the book was in production, that there’s a pet called Frankenbunny in the Wizard 101 game, whatever that is. Bet he’s scarier than mine. 🙂
LikeLike
This sounds like exactly the book I’d love to put under the Christmas tree for me kids (or for myself! 🙂 )! Super interview, ladies!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Rebecca. I have a feeling you’d really like this one!
LikeLike
Thanks so much for reading it, Rebecca!
LikeLike