 This release is the final installment of your CAT’S CRADLE trilogy. How do you feel about coming to the end of this journey? I've always found the ending of stories bittersweet, and that certainly includes my own. I grew attached to these characters and I'm a little sad to close the cover on them. But I'm happy I was able to give them life for three books— and my drawing hand is happy to get a break! How much of the trilogy did you know when you began writing the first CAT’S CRADLE novel? Did you have the complete story arc for all three books in mind, or did you have only a loose idea of how the story would continue in books 2 and 3? How much of your original idea changed in the process? I only had a loose idea, and with hindsight I realize I should have given myself more structure. I had enough story ideas for probably eight or nine books, and condensing it to three left me with some loose ends that I wished to tie up better. The feel of the story remained very much the same though— a spooky, fun and light-hearted but with a few serious threads weaved throughout. This trilogy is your first time both illustrating and writing. What are some unique challenges you discovered in doing so? Any big lessons? You never really know if a story will work until you get it out of your head and onto paper. That can be scary, because sometimes you've thought about a particular story for years, and making major changes to it can feel like a betrayal. But I can attest that the changes were worth it every time I've made them! What is your process as both the author and illustrator like? Do you come up with the prose before illustrating, or do the text and art usually progress in tandem? I like to have a solid script before I move to illustrating. The drawing is the most labor intensive part of the comic, and I would hate to spend time on sketches that I would toss out later. My drawing hand would complain! Writing a series allows more time for your readers to develop relationships with the characters and a connection to your world. Have you had any particularly memorable interactions with readers over the years? I particularly love getting pictures of readers dressed up as my characters for Halloween! There's something so heartwarming about seeing them come to life like that! As the illustrator, you have the power to create a distinct visual world for the series. What were some of your inspirations for Suri’s world? Was there any particular aesthetic or mood you wanted to evoke? I was going for "spooky fairy tale with a hint of slavic folklore," if that's not too specific! Was there any specific person or pet that inspired you to create Suri? How did you come up with her? The first character that I came up with was actually Byron, and that's because he was based on a real life dog of the same name! I created Suri to be Byron's companion, and she went through quite an evolution. At first I had her as a shy, reluctant heroine, but I found I wasn’t having much fun writing her story. When I changed her into a plucky, intrepid monster tamer, I began having so much fun writing her scenes that she became the main character. That taught me early on to listen to my characters— they can guide you in surprising, wonderful directions! What element of the Cat’s Cradle world do you most wish were a part of our own world? I'd love some golden twine to grant me magical powers! Ever since I was little I wanted to be a witch. I'm still holding out hope, but creating comics is probably the closest thing to magic in this universe. While this is the end of the trilogy, do you ever see yourself returning to the CAT’S CRADLE universe in the future? I hope so! There's a great chemistry between Suri, Byron, Caglio and Kolya— I can put them in a scene together and just have fun seeing how they react. I'd like to come back to them in a few years and see what they would do next! CAT'S CRADLE: SURI'S DRAGON is available for purchase now through First Second Books. Interview with Phillip Hoose Celebrating the Release of CLAUDETTE COLVIN: I WANT FREEDOM NOW!11/14/2024
 This is your first picture book in some time. How did you feel about jumping back into
the genre? I’m thrilled to make Claudette’s heroic story available to a new generation of readers. And I’m amazed by Beatrice Jackson’s illustrations. I can’t wait for readers to see them. What are the differences between writing a YA book and a picture book about the same topic? I had only 40 pages to work with in I Want Freedom now! compared to 150 pages in Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice. So I had to leave some some episodes out, or compress them. Claudette helped me decide what to leave in and what to take out. Have you learned anything new about Claudette Colvin between 2009 and now that affected your writing/research? I learned more about Montgomery. It was really a tough town for Black people. It was tightly controlled. The Klan was quite active there. It made me appreciate all the more how courageous Claudette was to stand tall. What effect did the first book have on Claudette Colvin’s life? What has changed for her since the first book was published The success of Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice put Claudette in the public eye as a Civil Rights heroine. Before that book, there had been very little written about her, and next to nothing in her voice. She allowed me to interview her many times, and at length. The book introduced the world to a teen who challenged the humiliating Jim Crow laws that were meant to discourage Black people. What particular elements of Claudette Colvin’s life and story do you find the most inspiring? That’s a tough question. So much of what she did inspires me. I was particularly impressed by her willingness to become a plaintiff in the Brower v. Gayle lawsuit challenging the Constitutionality of the bus segregation policies. She stood up, raised her right hand, and delivered blistering testimony against racial segregation on the busses. You and Claudette Colvin have become good friends. Do you have any stories or anecdotes about her that you’d like to share? I was surprised to learn that she knew so many songs by white singers such as Hank Williams. She explained that there were no Black radio stations in Montgomery when she was growing up. She loved music, and learned the songs that were available to her. We still sing “Jambalaya” over the phone. I WANT FREEDOM NOW is illustrated by Bea Jackson. How do her illustrations bring a new perspective to Claudette Colvin’s story? I am amazed by Beatrice’s work. Claudette is too. What Bea did with light and color, with facial expressions and body language, is just brilliant. She delivered a beautiful portrait of the life and times of the Civil Rights icon Claudette Colvin. |
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