The Bigger Picture

I love reading the kids stories from my own childhood — mostly the classic Ladybird Tales. They adore them, and so do I — still! I’ve kept many of the originals, and we’ve added a few of the newly illustrated editions to our shelves. We read both, and it’s fascinating to see how the images have been reinterpreted, softened over time. Not a terrible thing — that big bad wolf was no joke in the ’80s! He’s not much better now, but I’ve managed to pass him off as a mean old dog to my four-year-old, and somehow that makes all the difference.

What strikes me most, reading them today as a parent, is how the stories still hold up — no matter the visuals. That stubborn turnip, that flighty pancake — they never get old. Good stories are ageless. And so are good memories.

When I wrote Mushrooms and Milk, it came from one of my favourite childhood experiences: gathering those simple ingredients for my grandmother to make the most delicious soup I’ve ever tasted. And all the fun and games that came with it. So I turned that memory into a story. The kids loved it — just the read-aloud of the manuscript alone! The images didn’t seem to matter. They asked for it again and again, and I was happy to oblige.

It amazed me, really — how much words matter, every bit as much as the illustrations do in children’s books. I’ve read so many recently with stunning artwork but very little story. If any at all! I suppose that’s the bigger picture — respecting your audience. Because the little people know.