SATA
ENTRY TYPE:
WORK TITLE: YOU DON’T WANT A DRAGON!
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: www.amedyckman.com
CITY:
STATE:
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY: American
LAST VOLUME: SATA 325
Agent: Scott Treimel,
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Married; husband a chemist; children: one daughter.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Author. Also worked as a teacher and costumed character.
AVOCATIONS:Reading, listening to stand-up comedy, riding roller coasters.
MEMBER:Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.
AWARDS:Crystal Kite Award, Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, and 100 Titles for Reading and Sharingl list, New York Public Library, both 2012, both for Boy + Bot; Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Award, and Dolly Parton Imagination Library Selection, all 2014, all for Tea Party Rules; Wilde Award, 2015, Notable Books for Children selection, American Library Association, and Best Children’s Books of the Year selection, Bank Street College of Education, both 2016, all for Wolfie the Bunny; ALA Notable Children’s Books selection, 2017, and Parents’ Choice Gold Medal, both for Horrible Bear!; Children’s Choices list, International Literacy Association, 2020, for Dandy.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
Ame Dyckman is the author of more than a dozen books for young audiences, including award-winning titles such as Boy + Bot, Wolfie the Bunny, and Tea Party Rules. Speaking with Ezra Jack Keats Foundation interviewer Margot Abel, Dyckman explained why she loves writing juvenile fiction: “When you write for children, anything is possible, everything is new, and you never have to grow up. Children are the best and most appreciative audience. When a kid loves your book, they run up and hug you. Adults generally refrain for some reason.”
Dyckman offers a poignant story of an unusual friendship in her debut picture book Boy + Bot, which features illustrations by Dan Yaccarino. While collecting pine cones in the forest one day, a little boy meets a shiny, red robot. The two form an immediate connection and spend the day playing together until the robot’s power switch is accidentally flipped off. Believing that his new friend has fallen ill, the boy loads the robot into his wagon and takes him home where he attempts to revive his companion by feeding him applesauce, reading him a story, and putting him to bed. The tables turn during the night when the child’s parents inadvertently reactivate the robot and the metallic creature mistakes the boy’s peaceful slumber as a malfunction. When the robot’s remedies, including a dose of oil and a new battery, fail to wake the lad, he calls on a wise inventor to help solve the “problem.”
In reviewing Boy + Bot for Booklist, Angela Leeper wrote that Dyckman’s “spare text … replicates the steady beats of the simple yet comedic story,” and a contributor to Kirkus Reviews applauded the author’s mix of “pitch-perfect pacing and gentle humor.” A Publishers Weekly critic observed that Boy + Bot presents “just enough drama, humor, and robot-inflected dialogue … to keep children entertained for many re-readings,” and New York Times reviewer Pamela Paul exclaimed that “it’s simply impossible to imagine a 4-year-old boy not wanting to be friends with this book.”
Dyckman’s award-winning picture book Tea Party Rules, illustrated by K.G. Campbell, is set at a little girl’s tea party, which seems tame enough for a bear cub to try to sneak in for some cookies by masquerading as the teddy bear. To his surprise, Cub will first have to abide by all the tea party rules, which include getting his fur styled and wearing a pink dress. In Booklist, Ann Kelley, who found the story “beautifully” paced, concluded: “This battle of wills between two charmers hits just the right note.” A Publishers Weekly reviewer reckoned the book as “like a pretty petit four with an unexpectedly zingy filling.” And a Kirkus Reviews writer declared: “Strong storytelling, pacing, emotive illustrations that match the deceptive plot and an exuberant sense of fun make this little gem a winner.”
Dyckman was inspired to write Wolfie the Bunny by her infant daughter’s habit of becoming, when tired and cranky, rather beastly. The story, illustrated by Zachariah OHora, features another furry impostor: this time, a sweet wolf gets adopted into a bunny family. Dot has her suspicions, but her open-minded family members dismiss them—and Wolfie’s true character, as well as Dot’s, shines through when a bear threatens. A Bookseller reviewer called the book “very entertaining,” while a Publishers Weekly writer called it a “rousing, warmhearted story.” Horn Book reviewer Megan Dowd Lambert, appreciating the themes of cooperation and reconciliation, called Wolfie the Bunny “a treat of a picture book.”
Teaming again with illustrator OHora, Dyckman wrote Horrible Bear!, in which two individuals, a bear and a red-haired girl, have to come to terms with their anger after an accident leaves the girl’s kite crushed. Fortunately, the episode ends with an apology. A Publishers Weekly reviewer, admiring the subtlety of the book’s dramatic narration, wrote that Dyckman and OHora “portray genuine forgiveness without a hint of moralizing.” In Horn Book, Elissa Gershowitz similarly remarked that this “lively conflict-resolution-in-picture-book’s-clothing is as entertaining as it is instructive. The spare narration lets the shouty dialogue do most of the talking, and it’s hilarious.” Kay Weisman, in Booklist, called Horrible Bear! “a perfectly over-the-top look at tantrums, friendship, and forgiveness that is sure to resonate with preschoolers and parents alike.”
Dyckman and OHora were also paired for Read the Book, Lemmings! The book follows three lemmings as, ignoring a sign about lemmings not jumping off cliffs, they jump off a cliff, landing on a whale being sailed by a polar bear captain and a fox. As the fox tries to get the lemmings in line, hilarity ensues. A Publishers Weekly reviewer noted that in this “crackpot comedy,” the “lemmings’ final victory affirms that progress is possible even for the terminally silly.” A Kirkus Reviews writer declared that Read the Book, Lemmings! “delightfully imparts the joy and discovery of reading—and many chuckles and guffaws.”
In You Don’t Want a Unicorn!, illustrated by Liz Climo, Dyckman offers readers a tongue-in-cheek exposé of what life with a unicorn is really like. Pro-unicorn propaganda focuses on magic, glitter, and rainbows, but, as a child learns after rashly wishing for a unicorn at a fountain, a unicorn may be more trouble than it is worth. In Horn Book, Kitty Flynn called the book a “crowdpleaser, complete with cupcake poops and rainbow burps, and the beleaguered kid dealing with the chaos and mess.” Flynn also praised the book’s “welcoming and unobtrusive gender-nonconforming vibe.” Calling the book a whimsical read, a Kirkus Reviews writer noted that children will enjoy “the funny pictures and silly text and situations.” A Publishers Weekly writer observed that with all the “gleeful unicorn havoc … there’s a lot of mischievous fun to be had.”
[NEW PROSE]
Dyckman’s humorous picture book Misunderstood Shark features colorful artwork by Scott Magoon. While hosting an underwater television show, Bob the jellyfish is interrupted by a huge, ravenous, and wily shark. When Bob implores Shark not to devour a fish on the air, Shark claims his intentions were misconstrued and that he merely wanted the creature to admire his new tooth. Other “misconceptions” follow, including one involving a baby seal that the shark claims to be returning to its family, and another involving blood in the water, which prompts the shark to offer a bandage to a beachgoer.
School Library Journal contributor Hillary Perelyubskiy applauded Misunderstood Shark, commenting that “Dyckman hits the mark of both hilarious and sweet.” In the words of a Kirkus Reviews writer, Dyckman “gives ambiguity the narrative spotlight with well-honed tension prolonging readers’ indecision,” and Booklist critic Sarah Hunter noted that the author’s inclusion of “sneaky shark facts will go down easy in this uproariously silly picture book.”
Friends Don’t Eat Friends, a companion volume, focuses on the contentious relationshp between Bob and Shark. Having escaped from Shark’s belly, Bob accuses the ocean dweller of trying to dine on him. Shark, of course, denies the charges, asserting that he merely wanted to give Bob a close-up look at a shark’s anatomy. Outraged by Shark’s nonchalant attitude, Bob refuses to continue their relationship. A Kirkus Reviews contributor praised the “delicious sequel” to Misunderstood Shark.
A father’s battle with a dreaded weed takes center stage in Dandy, illustrated by Charles Santoso. After spotting a dandelion growing in the middle of his perfectly manicured lawn, a lion father sets out to destroy the invader, only to find that his young daughter, Sweetie, has adopted the “flower,” naming it Charlotte. Urged on by his friends and neighbors, the harried parent attempts to uproot the dandelion with a jackhammer and a cannon, among other devices, his best-laid plans foiled each time by his kindhearted offspring. “Dyckman’s well-paced text digs into the comedic contrast between Daddy’s stressed-out hysteria and Sweetie’s unhurried calm,” observed Kitty Flynn in Horn Book, and a reviewer in Publishers Weekly called Dandy “a well-paced comic tale for all ages.”
Dyckman’s picture book That’s Life! follows a youngster’s adventures with a mysterious and puckish creature, known as Life, that arrives unexpectedly at her home. Critics offered praise for Dyckman’s willfully idiomatic language (“Life is full of surprises”) as well as Cori Doerrfeld’s exuberant artwork. “The silly concreteness of the illustrations raises the intentionally cliche-packed text to a level of fun that will satisfy readers,” a critic noted in Kirkus Reviews.
[END NEW PROSE]
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, April 1, 2012, Angela Leeper, review of Boy + Bot, p. 44; October 15, 2013, Ann Kelley, review of Tea Party Rules, p. 46; January 1, 2016, Kay Weisman, review of Horrible Bear!, p. 97; March 15, 2018, Sarah Hunter, review of Misunderstood Shark, p. 77; November 15, 2018, John Peters, review of Friends Don’t Eat Friends, p. 60.
Bookseller, May 13, 2016, review of Wolfie the Bunny, p. 20.
Kirkus Reviews, February 15, 2012, review of Boy + Bot; September 15, 2013, review of Tea Party Rules; December 15, 2014, review of Wolfie the Bunny; November 15, 2016, review of You Don’t Want a Unicorn!; August 15, 2017, review of Read the Book, Lemmings!; March 15, 2018, review of Misunderstood Shark; July 1, 2018, review of Huggy The Python Hugs Too Hard; April 1, 2019, review of Dandy; December 1, 2019, review of That’s Life!; March 15, 2020, review of You Don’t Want a Dragon!
Horn Book, March-April, 2015, Megan Dowd Lambert, review of Wolfie the Bunny, p. 73; March-April, 2016, Elissa Gershowitz, review of Horrible Bear!, p. 68; January-February, 2017, Kitty Flynn, review of You Don’t Want a Unicorn!, p. 79; May-June, 2019, Kitty Flynn, review of Dandy, p. 123.
New York Times, April 11, 2012, Pamela Paul, review of Boy + Bot.
Publishers Weekly, February 6, 2012, review of Boy + Bot, p. 58; August 19, 2013, review of Tea Party Rules, p. 64; December 8, 2014, review of Wolfie the Bunny, p. 74; December 2, 2015, review of Wolfie the Bunny, p. 39; January 25, 2016, review of Horrible Bear!, p. 205; December 2, 2016, review of Horrible Bear!, p. 38; December 12, 2016, review of You Don’t Want a Unicorn!, p. 146; September 11, 2017, review of Read the Book, Lemmings!, p. 67; January 28, 2019, review of Dandy, p. 96; December 9, 2019, review of That’s Life!, p. 147.
School Library Journal, March, 2012, Ieva Bates, review of Boy + Bot, p. 120; May, 2018, Hillary Perelyubskiy, review of Misunderstood Shark, p. 67.
Story Monsters Ink, August, 2020, Melissa Fales,”Catching Up with Ame Dyckman,” p. 22.
Washington Post, June 11, 2019, Mia Geiger, review of Dandy.
ONLINE
Ame Dyckman website, www.amedyckman.com (August 15, 2020).
Ezra Jack Keats Foundation website, http://www.ezra-jack-keats.org/ame-dyckman-interview/ (November 28, 2017), “2014 Ezra Jack Keats Book Award: New Writer Interview.”
Miss Print blog, https://missprint.wordpress.com/ (May 18, 2015), “Author and Illustrator Interview: Ame Dyckman and Zachariah OHora on Wolfie the Bunny.”
Read & Shine blog, http://www.readandshine.com/ (April 2, 2019), “Author Interview: Ame Dyckman.”
(My hair was brown before I drank this!)
Hi! I'm Ame Dyckman,
New York Times bestselling, award-winning, internationally-translated
CHILDREN'S AUTHOR!
I LOVE what I do!
In fact, I'd MUCH rather make more books for kids
than make a fancypants website, so...
I'm off to write!
THANKS for stopping by!
Please visit me on Twitter: @AmeDyckman.
READ ON!
Visit Ame on Twitter for book news, goofy poetry, and... pretty much EVERYTHING that pops into her head!
Ame Dyckman is the award-winning author of several books with Little, Brown: Wolfie the Bunny; Horrible Bear!; Read the Book, Lemmings!; You Don't Want a Unicorn!; Dandy; and the upcoming That's Life! and You Don't Want a Dragon!. Ame lives in New Jersey with her family, and loves writing for children because she never has to grow up.
Ame Dyckman writes picture books, hula hoops, and puts coins in people’s parking meters. She lives in New Jersey with her family and pets: black cats, hermit crabs, fish, and a demanding-but-adorable squirrel named Willie. She is the author of Boy and Bot, about which The New York Times wrote, “It’s simply impossible to imagine . . . not wanting to be friends with this book,” as well as Tea Party Rules, winner of the Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Award. Follow Ame on Twitter @AmeDyckman.
Ame Dyckman reads and writes picture books and board books when she SHOULD be sleeping. She's the award-winning author of BOY + BOT; TEA PARTY RULES; the New York Times bestselling WOLFIE THE BUNNY; HORRIBLE BEAR!; YOU DON'T WANT A UNICORN!; READ THE BOOK, LEMMINGS!; MISUNDERSTOOD SHARK; HUGGY THE PYTHON HUGS TOO HARD; ROARY THE LION ROARS TOO LOUD; MISUNDERSTOOD SHARK: FRIENDS DON'T EAT FRIENDS; the upcoming TOUCHY THE OCTOPUS TOUCHES EVERYTHING and DANDY... and more to be announced soon! Ame lives in New Jersey with her family, her crazy cat, and the characters from her books. Follow Ame on Twitter (@AmeDyckman), where she Tweets book stuff and pretty much everything that pops into her head.
Author Spotlight: Ame Dyckman
April 1, 2020
|
Brian Gehrlein
Author Spotlight:
Ame Dyckman
Happy Tuesday and welcome to Picture Book Spotlight!
Today we have very special Author Spotlight with one of my absolute favorite authors. Ame Dyckman is a New York Times bestselling, award-winning, internationally-translated author and a true kidlit superstar. Her new book, THAT'S LIFE! comes out TODAY!
I'm thrilled to celebrate this book birthday with her in this interview. Ame is doing a giveaway for this post so watch for details at the end on how you can participate and celebrate with her!
Her new book is all about life. Speaking of life...isn't life just...full of...surprises?
Yes. That's the word. Life isn't anything if it isn't surprising.
Wherever this surprising time finds you, it is my sincerest hope that you are finding moments to carve out normalcy, meaningful work, and creativity that is life-giving for your soul. Just keep swimming, kidlit fam. Focus on what you can control and give it all you got.
Here's Ame!
Let’s get down to business and begin with the most important question first... if you were a new crayon color, what color would you be and what would you call yourself?
*LAUGHING* Hi, Brian! And hi, readers! Okie, my crayon color would be the color you get when you wash your Manic Panic Atomic Turquoise-dyed hair with Pert Plus (coincidentally, my “normal” hair color), and I dub this new hue… “BRAINFREEZE!”
I can’t do my job without my laptop, my super-supportive family, and bananas. (I eat a banana before every performance. People think I have a LOT of energy but really, I just have potassium.)
And of course, I can’t do my job without my fabulous Super Agent. (Don’t tell him I listed him after bananas. THIS LIST WAS NOT IN ORDER!)
Your new book, THAT’S LIFE! (out TODAY!) is all about... Life. In the book you say, “Just brace yourself. Life can be a little... WEIRD!” What a great quote for the time we currently find ourselves in! Things ARE weird right now. How have you been spending your time and what does your life look like lately?
It IS a weird time! How I’ve been spending it:
BOOKS:
I’ve been…
Wrapping up details (jacket copy, etc.) for two upcoming picture books: TINY BARBARIAN with the amazing Ashley Spires and a yet-unannounced project with another incredible illustrator. (These illustrators, right?! HOW AM I SO LUCKY?!)
Chatting with Super Agent about possible homes for newly-finished manuscripts.
Looking ahead to the June release of YOU DON’T WANT A DRAGON! with the phenomenal Liz Climo!
And, thinking about new ideas I’d like to make into books!
HELPING:
I’ve been recording read-alouds of my books for Operation Storytime, posting my goofy little “pep” poems, and together with illustrator pals Charlene Chua and Rubin Pingk, started “WHAT SHOULD I DRAW?” (@DrawWhat and hashtags #WSIDAsk and #WSIDArt), where wonderful illustrators draw funny illustrations requested by kids!
HOME:
This morning, I tried to make waffles from scratch. (The good news is, if we ever need to replace any shingles on our roof, we’re READY.) Grateful that we’re all well… DESPITE my cooking!
TV:
I just discovered GILMORE GIRLS, and I DIG it! They talk ALMOST as fast as I do!
In your 2019 Read and Shine interview, you shared that your writing process often involves hearing or seeing a part of a story and then allowing yourself to organically discover the rest of it by asking questions like: WHAT is happening, WHO is saying it and WHY, etc; how did that method manifest itself for this book? Give us the story behind the story.
Even with this book—which I started by making a list of all the popular “greeting card” sayings about life I hoped to include in the story in a tongue-in-cheek way—I STILL played Question Time!
WHAT is happening? The tangible (and FUZZY!) Life arrives—in a crate! With no instructions!—on a child’s doorstep.
WHO is saying it? I played with a few voices, then decided on Unseen Narrator for this one. (Our Unseen Narrator’s kinda like the narrators of other “inspirational” gift books, but with a bit more sass and comedic timing.)
WHY? I wanted to make a FUNNY gift book that would be perfect for several different occasions. And what do we all have in common? LIFE!
I really love that you use a capital “L” for the mischievous character Life throughout the book. The metaphorical nature of the character is crystal clear. I can’t think of a more appropriate time for a story like this to release. And rereading it as I prepared this interview actually settled my heart in a way. How do you imagine this story can be helpful for young children experiencing the fear and uncertainty of this time?
I’m so glad! I’d be honored if THAT’S LIFE! helped people—little kids, AND their “Big Kids”—remember that no matter HOW unpredictable and even CRAZY Life can be, Life is BEAUTIFUL, too. And as we say in our book,
So, love your Life! ‘Cause when you do…
your Life will love you back.
When I first read this book I immediately thought of OH, THE PLACES YOU’LL GO! I can easily see this book working for a more universal crowd than what we typically intend for picture books. What a perfect gift for a high school or college grad! Or just... anyone of any age experiencing Life. Did you write this with a larger audience in mind? Talk to us about your hope for this story.
WOW and THANK YOU! And yes, though our pictured protagonist (the one trying to keep up with Life!) is a child, I hoped THAT’S LIFE! would resonate with folks of ALL ages, for ALL their new adventures and celebrations—birthdays, graduations, career changes, engagements, weddings, new babies, anniversaries, moving, retirement… etc.! *LAUGHING* No matter what we do or how old we are, we’re ALL just trying to keep up with our Life!
I CAN’T WAIT for everyone to see Cori Doerrfeld’s HILARIOUS illustrations! Like so many others, I’m a HUGE fan of Cori’s work, particularly her empathic masterpiece, THE RABBIT LISTENED. But lemme tell ya, Cori’s also FUNNY—and so are her THAT’S LIFE! illustrations! I DARE y’all to make it through the “Your whole Life can flash before your eyes.” spread and NOT giggle! This illustration—and all of ‘em, really!—couldn’t be funnier and/or cuter!
You have been a kidlit creator for over ten years and have produced some of my very favorite picture books. I’m curious about some of the big things you’ve learned. Reflecting back on your journey, how has your writing process evolved, and what lessons have you really gotten into your bones?
AWWW, THANKS for the Book Love, Brian! The biggest lesson I’ve learned as an author is:
Seatbelts are for safety—not story.
FEEL FREE TO MAKE YOUR STORY as WILD AS YOU WANT! There’ll be plenty of time during the process—when your agent reads it, when your editor reads it, when your sales team reads it, etc.—for your story to be tamed a wee bit if it needs it. But during the creation stage, stand up, pop your head outta the sunroof, and steer with your toes!
Remember, guys: we’re sponges. Even when we’re not typing or drawing, we’re taking ALL the emotions and feelings in, and somewhere, deep in the brain wrinkles where we’ve stored more song lyrics than high school trigonometry, all THIS right now is being processed into Sumthin’ Good. Take as long as you need for it to come out—and take care of yourselves, too.
Complete the following sentence: “The world needs picture books because…”
…we all need to be just a few years old sometimes. And EVERYONE—whether actually five or a hundred-and-five—gets to be a kid when they read a picture book.
What’s something you absolutely must have in the refrigerator or pantry?
I MUST have peanut butter, pita chips, and lemonade mix in the pantry, and hummus in the refrigerator. I’ve survived MANY deadlines with just those four items when I’m too madly-typing/editing to bother to cook lunch or snacks for myself! (But DON’T try mixing them all together to save time to eat. Trust me.)
I think many times we learn by deconstructing or “unlearning” things we previously held as true. What lesson are you “unlearning” right now?
Similar to my advice above, I’M finally realizing that you can’t tell a story before it’s ready to be told! I used to try to run with a story idea the moment I had it, and often the story—and/or I!—just wasn’t ready. So now, I try to lessen the pressure (on BOTH of us! HA!) by having multiple manuscripts going at once. When one manuscript wants the day off, I can just work on another one.
I noticed THAT’S LIFE has some fun language in the text (“hafta” “gonna”). Why was it important to speak in this particular voice rather than using “have to” or “going to?”
*LAUGHING* That IS my voice! That’s how I talk, so that’s how I write! And, since this book is told by an Unseen Narrator who is possibly-maybe-probably-definitely me, that’s the (our!) language! And, it just seemed appropriate as the language for the Narrator, who’s sharing what THEY’VE experienced with regard to Life.
I’m fascinated by other authors’ use of art notes in their manuscripts. Talk to us about how often you utilize them in your books and your attitude toward them as a kidlit creator.
I use a lot of art notes—because I keep my text short, and when an art detail is necessary because it plays into the plot later. But it’s important not to step on an illustrator’s toes with art notes. The example I like to use is “The Tiny Monster”:
Suppose you’re writing a story where a kid’s scared of a monster they haven’t yet seen. When they finally do, it turns out the monster’s small and cute! It’s okay to use an art note like this:
And THERE was the monster! (Small, cute.)
But not this:
And THERE was the monster! (Small, cute, with pink-and-purple polka dotted fur and tiny yellow horns, wearing a diaper and a t-shirt that says, “HERE COMES TROUBLE!” and sucking on the tip of its tail like the tip of its tail is a pacifier.)
UNLESS each and every one of the above details is plot-critical to the story later on.
I’m SO PUMPED about your next book coming out this June, YOU DON’T WANT A DRAGON! (a follow-up to YOU DON’T WANT A UNICORN!) What teasers can you share about this book?!
THANKS for the YOU DON’T WANT A DRAGON! anticipation—Liz and I had SO MUCH FUN with this one, too! All I can say about DRAGON! is—like with the cupcakes in UNICORN!—you’ll NEVER look at a barbeque grill the same way again! (SORRY IN ADVANCE! HA!)
THANKS SO MUCH for having me, Brian! And THANKS for reading, readers! LOVE YOUR LIFE!
Thank YOU, Ame!! Have a very, very, very happy book birthday!
Ame is hosting a super fab picture book critique giveaway on her Twitter account, so watch for her to post about it and check it out!
And make sure to grab a copy of THAT'S LIFE! for yourself and anyone experiencing, well, life right now! SO, SO GOOD!
About Ame Dyckman
Ame Dyckman is a New York Times bestselling, award-winning, internationally-translated children's author who decided to write for kids so she “NEVER!” had to grow up. Ame's books include BOY + BOT; WOLFIE THE BUNNY; YOU DON'T WANT A UNICORN!; the MISUNDERSTOOD SHARK series; the WEE BEASTIES board book series, and MORE. (Ame's next book, YOU DON'T WANT A DRAGON!, pubs 6/9/20!) Ame lives in central New Jersey with her family, her crazy cat, crazier squirrels, and the characters from her books. You can learn more about Ame’s books on her website (www.amedyckman.com), or visit Ame on Twitter (@AmeDyckman), where she Tweets book news, goofy poetry, and pretty much EVERYTHING that pops into her head!
INTERVIEW WITH PICTURE BOOK AUTHOR AME DYCKMAN
November 30, 2018 Amy Courage Interviews, Interviews - Authors & Illustrators, Writing - Picture Books 11 comments
Amy Courage: Today on Writers’ Rumpus, we’re joined by Ame Dyckman, the author of numerous funny and sweet picture books, including WOLFIE THE BUNNY, YOU DON’T WANT A UNICORN, and MISUNDERSTOOD SHARK. You may also recognize Ame by her ever-changing, pixie-cut, kaleidoscope of color hair. We’re excited to have her answer a few questions about her writing journey and books here.
Ame Dyckman: Thanks so much for having me, Amy! And HOWDY, Rumpus-ers!
AC: First of all—what is your favorite dinosaur and your favorite ice cream flavor?
AD: My favorite dinosaur is Compsognathus, the teeny little late Jurassic chicken-sized theropod. They’re always shown in movies as hopping/running around like mad, and I like to imagine that’s what you get when a giant dinosaur falls over—it shatters into a wave of Compys!
1000
Compsognathus or ‘angry chicken dinosaur’
My favorite flavor of ice cream is any scoop I DON’T drop on my foot! (But big bonus points for chocolate and peanut butter and no foot.)
AC: And getting business-y—what was your road to publication like? How did you find your agent?
AD: SCBWI, BABY! I met my agent at the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) New Jersey Annual Conference way back in 2009. I participated in the Agent Pitch Session, which is where you have two minutes or so to tell a prospective agent all about your manuscript (and hopefully not throw up). I pitched my little story about a boy who befriends a robot to Scott Treimel of Scott Treimel NY. (And I didn’t throw up!) Scott and I clicked, he offered representation, and BOY + BOT became my first book.
BOY + BOT COVER--NO LINES
Nine-and-a-half years later, and still having a blast! Scott just negotiated what’ll be my 17th book, and we’re working on more!
AC: What do you like best/worst about the creative/writing process?
AD: The best part about the creative/writing process is getting COMPLETELY immersed in an idea or a story. The worst part is that when I’m COMPLETELY immersed in an idea or a story… I often burn dinner and laundry. (Some weeks, we hafta order emergency pizza—and underwear!)
AC: Do you have any rituals or routines you follow when you’re writing?
AD: I’m not a “schedule” writer—I just write whenever the voices in my head complain too loudly that I’m not working on their story. (Characters can be very demanding that way.) But with every manuscript sale and major Good News, my family takes me out for Chinese food. Dumplings are EXCELLENT Ame Motivation. WILL WRITE FOR DUMPLINGS!
AC: Do you have a favorite book that you’ve written?
AD: I CAN’T CHOOSE BETWEEN MY BOOK BABIES! I seriously do love all my books equally. But that said…
I just received the dummy for my upcoming (Spring, 2020) picture book THAT’S LIFE! (an idiom-filled buddy misadventure that begins when Life literally knocks on a child’s door) with Cori Doerrfeld and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, and… WOWZA! Cori did an AMAZING job with the sketches—HILARIOUS and crazy and sweet and did I mention HILARIOUS? JUST LIKE LIFE IS! I’m really, REALLY looking forward to sharing this one!
AC: What’s one of your favorite picture books by another author?
AD: *LAUGHING* Kidlit’s such a small kiddie pool, if I mention anybody’s book, I hafta mention EVERYBODY’s book! (If I leave anybody out, I gotta steer clear of spindles on spinning wheels FOREVER!) But recently, I was blown-away CHARMED by the empathy-and-humor effectiveness of the storytelling device (identical dialogue, different perspectives) in THE CROCODILE AND THE DENTIST by Taro Gomi (English translation Chronicle Books, 2018).
THE CROCODILE AND THE DENTIST
Hands-down, though, my favorite picture book of all time is WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE by Maurice Sendak. If anyone says anything negative about WILD THINGS in my presence, they should expect to be BITTEN—I love it THAT much. Feisty-beautiful GENIUS book!
where_the_wild_things_are
AC: What cool thing are you excited about right now? Could be a book, movie, snack, music album, warm slippers…
AD: I’m generally excited about EVERYTHING! (A friend once said I have only two settings: STOKED and Bummed! HA!) But it’s nearly the holidays, and that means a teeny bit of downtime and our favorite new family tradition, the Krampus stocking: a stocking filled with all the mischievous prank items—ghost pepper gum, anyone?—that Santa’s too nice to bring! (You should maybe not accept any food items from me ’til February. Just sayin’!)
AC: And to close—what’s coming next for you?
AD: Thanks for asking! Busy days: I have three book birthdays scheduled (so far!) in 2019:
JANUARY 29th: MISUNDERSTOOD SHARK: FRIENDS DON’T EAT FRIENDS with Scott Magoon and Orchard Books, Scholastic (“SEA-quel” in the Misunderstood Shark series).
MISUNDERSTOOD SHARK FRIENDS DON'T EAT FRIENDS COVER
MARCH 18th: TOUCHY THE OCTOPUS TOUCHES EVERYTHING with Alex G. Griffiths and Little Simon, Simon & Schuster (#3, Wee Beasties board book series).
TOUCHY THE OCTOPUS COVER
APRIL 2nd: DANDY (a daddy/daughter battle-of-wits over a dandelion) with Charles Santoso and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.
DANDY COVER--NO LINES
I’m working on new stories (YAY, new stories!) as well as what’s already in the pipeline: my 2020 release of THAT’S LIFE! and one or two (I dunno know pub dates yet) other possible 2020 books, then my 2021 books, then…
Then maybe I’ll take a nap. (But prolly not! HA!)
AC: It sounds like you’ve earned that nap after all those books! Thank you for letting me pick your brain, and for sharing with us.
AD: THANKS again for having me, Amy! READ AND WRITE ON, WRITERS’ RUMPUS-ERS!
AME SILVER HAIR 11-18 AME DYCKMAN is a NYT Bestselling author and short human megaphone. When not writing picture books and board books, Ame is usually RIGHT BEHIND YOU! (HA! Made you look!) Visit Ame on Twitter (@AmeDyckman) for picture book reviews, goofy poetry, and pretty much everything that pops into Ame’s (ever-color-changing!) head.
**And… (BIG bonus) Visit Ame’s twitter feed for a chance to win one of her picture books**
Author Interview: Ame Dyckman
AuthorInterview-Ame
Award-winning author Ame Dyckman’s picture books provide plenty of laughter during storytimes and bedtimes. Ame is the award-winning author of Boy + Bot; Tea Party Rules; the New York Times bestselling Wolfie the Bunny; Horrible Bear!; You Don’t Want a Unicorn!; Read the Book, Lemmings!; Misunderstood Shark; Huggy the Python Hugs Too Hard; Roary the Lion Roars Too Loud; Misunderstood Shark: Friends Don’t Eat Friends; the third board book in the Wee Beasties board book series, Touchy the Octopus Touches Everything; and her latest picture book Dandy.
Hi Ame. Three books coming out this spring—WOW! If you were to describe each book with three adjectives, what would those adjectives be?
THANKS, and OOH, FUN game! Okay…
MISUNDERSTOOD My fiction-with-nonfiction-facts picture book MISUNDERSTOOD SHARK: FRIENDS DON’T EAT FRIENDS (ill. by Scott Magoon, pubbed 1/29/19) is… ZANY, INFORMATIVE, and FUNNY!
TOUCHY My social manners board book TOUCHY THE OCTOPUS TOUCHES EVERYTHING (ill. by Alex G. Griffiths, pubbed 3/19/19) is… KID-TRUE, HELPFUL, and (you guessed it!) FUNNY!
DANDY And finally, my family/neighborhood picture book DANDY (ill. by Charles Santoso, pubbed 4/2/19) is HEARTWARMING, SASSY, and HILARIOUS! (There’s just something about GROWN-UPS peer pressuring each other—in this case, the neighbors ordering Daddy Lion to “take care of” the dandelion on his lawn—that’s EXTRA-funny!)
We love that you are so creative with your characters and are wondering what draws you to write about the specific animals you choose?
THANK YOU! I often use animal protagonists because animals can represent EVERYBODY. We’ve all at one time or another been a hungry (or HORRIBLE!) bear, a worried-but-brave bunny, a misbehaving-but-denying-it shark, etc., and I want all readers (especially kids) to be able to see themselves in my characters. But when using human characters, it’s important to represent diversity, so kids can see themselves visually as well as emotionally. I’ve finally written a (not-announced-yet!) human classroom story, and I can’t wait to see all the kiddos!
Read the Book, Lemmings! and Misunderstood Shark have such fun endings. When you begin writing a picture book, do you know what the ending will be?
THANKS, and generally… NOPE! I almost NEVER know the ending of a story when I start writing it. Often, I don’t even start with the BEGINNING of the story! I usually “see” a midway scene or “hear” a bit of character dialogue, and the story grows in both directions from there by questioning—WHAT is happening, WHO is saying it and WHY, etc. (Sometimes my characters completely run the show and I’m just taking dictation! THOSE ARE GREAT WRITING DAYS!)
Misunderstood Shark was unique as we knew it would be the first of at least two Misunderstood Shark books, so I was able to end it on a bit of a “cliff-hanger.” (But my character Bob Jellyfish was mad at me for MONTHS ‘til I finished our sequel (Misunderstood Shark: Friends Don’t Eat Friends) and got him “OUT!” of the… er, PLACE I’d left him!)
You write some of the most humorous books so our readers are wondering what makes you laugh? What’s the funniest joke you have heard?
It’s ridiculous, but the joke that makes me laugh EVERY time:
What do you call cheese that isn’t yours?
NACHO CHEESE!
(Visit me on Taco Tuesday and you’ll hear this joke SEVERAL times! You’ve been warned!)
Several of your books have been translated and are sold all over the world. Can you tell us a little about the process of getting a picture book translated and in the hands of children everywhere?
I’ve been extremely fortunate that ALL of my published picture books have been translated in one-to-multiple languages (Spanish, French, German, Dutch, Hebrew, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, ETC.—even Finnish and Norwegian!) for little readers all over the world. (I treasure each of these translated books—even if I can’t read them! I’m only fluent in English and Five-Year-Old!) Luckily, each of my publisher’s amazing Translation Departments takes care of nearly all my translation work—I usually only chime in when we’re creating other English editions (for sale in the United Kingdom, Australia, etc.) and I’ve used a particularly American English phrase I need to substitute with a more locally-appropriate one. And even then, I have FABULOUS advice from our regional editors.
With so many books written in just a few years, you must never suffer writer’s block. Do you have a writing schedule/routine?
I think EVERYONE gets writer’s block! I wrangle mine by working on several projects at once. If one story stops speaking to me, I just put it aside and work on another ‘til the first one shouts again. And no, I don’t have a writing routine. I write when inspirations (and deadlines!) strike and when I can—while juggling home and family and my new projects pipeline and travel and promotion and one SERIOUSLY attention-demanding cat! But when I am writing, I’m REALLY writing. (Read, “Ame frequently burns dinner when she’s writing!” OOPS!)
If we were to visit and look at your bookshelf, what genre would we find the most represented?
*LAUGHING* Picture books! I own shelves and shelves AND SHELVES of picture books and basically no “grown-up” books. (Unless they’re grown-up books ABOUT picture books! HA!) There’s also a shelf or two of classic MG (Roald Dahl, etc.) and a bit of supernatural/fantasy/contemporary YA for plane trips. But when packing for a car trip, I’ve been known to bring an extra suitcase (or two!) full of picture books!
Dyckman, Ame HUGGY THE PYTHON HUGS TOO HARD Little Simon/Simon & Schuster (Children's Fiction) $8.99 5, 29 ISBN: 978-1-5344-1080-0
Readers teach Huggy the Python how to be gentle.
True to his name, this green, top-hat-wearing, scarf-sporting snake "LOVES to hug the things he loves." However, disaster ensues when he hugs a balloon and then an oversized bowl of ice cream. "OOPS! You hugged too hard, Huggy." The unseen narrator stops the action before Huggy can do any damage to a "fuzzy little dog." Readers are instructed to give the impossibly cute, huge-eyed little pooch a model, "GENTLE" hug, and the dog's happy dance combines with exuberant confetti to underscore that it "was a GREAT gentle hug!" Huggy learns by this example and follows suit (though his enthusiastic, simultaneous embrace of a tube of toothpaste makes it clear just what the self-control costs him). Dyckman's jaunty, conversational narration and Griffiths' fluid and charming cartoons in cheery colors against white backgrounds are perfectly matched. Roary the Lion Roars Too Loud publishes simultaneously.
Huggy is an adorable character, no mean feat for a python; here's hoping more of these tender life lessons in the Wee Beasties series are on the way. (Board book. 2-3)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 8th Edition APA 6th Edition Chicago 17th Edition
"Dyckman, Ame: HUGGY THE PYTHON HUGS TOO HARD." Kirkus Reviews, 1 July 2018. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A544637884/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=3f78e32e. Accessed 16 June 2020.
Dyckman, Ame MISUNDERSTOOD SHARK Orchard/Scholastic (Children's Fiction) $17.99 4, 24 ISBN: 978-1-338-11247-4
A maligned shark steals the show to explain just how wrong his fellow fish are about him in Dyckman and Magoon's debut collaboration.
Sporting a stylish fedora atop his bell, Bob, a jellyfish TV host, is about to start his show when a great white shark interrupts. Bob begs Shark not to eat a fish on the air, and Shark, with a big smile to the audience, insists he had no intention of eating anyone and simply wanted to show off his new tooth. After all, "sharks can grow and lose 30,000 teeth in their lifetime"--never mind that they lose most of them by using their powerful jaws on their prey, a "fun fact" that Bob, perhaps sensibly, omits. Bob never does quite get control of his show back as Shark hauls off first to eat a baby seal (whom he really just wanted to return to her seal family) and then to chase down a source of blood (so he could offer a Band-Aid). Although she seems to gender all her characters male with the exception of two ungendered squid production assistants and the female baby seal, Dyckman otherwise gives ambiguity the narrative spotlight with well-honed tension prolonging readers' indecision. Meanwhile, Magoon's flair for underwater illustration also allows a shark's redemption and his prey's suspicion to both live on the page. Readers will need to decide for themselves if Shark is really as scary as he seems or if misunderstandings have colored our opinions.
Fun and playful...or so Shark would have us believe. (Picture book. 4-8)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 8th Edition APA 6th Edition Chicago 17th Edition
"Dyckman, Ame: MISUNDERSTOOD SHARK." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Mar. 2018. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A530650632/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=8ed45549. Accessed 16 June 2020.
Misunderstood Shark.
By Ame Dyckman. Illus. by Scott Magoon.
May 2018. 48p. Scholastic, $17.99 (9781338112474). PreS-Gr. 1.
Bob the jellyfish is the host of an underwater TV show, and while taping his latest segment, he's interrupted by a hungry shark chasing a cute fish! Time to panic? Not quite--the shark explains that he's not trying to eat the fish, just "showing him my new tooth!" Chasing after a baby seal? He's returning it to his family. Blood sending him into a ravenous frenzy? No worries, he's just handing a Band-Aid to a beachgoer. At every initially terrifying turn, dubious Bob takes the opportunity to share a shark fact and dispel a myth ("you're . .. more likely to be bitten by another person than bitten by a shark"). Though the ultimate conclusion somewhat undercuts Bob's attempts to make sharks seem less scary, the over-the-top humor, comical asides from the TV crew, and Magoon's boisterous, candy-colored artwork, in thick lines and cartoonish shapes, will lure in many a reader. The sneaky shark facts will go down easy in this uproariously silly picture book.--Sarah Hunter
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 8th Edition APA 6th Edition Chicago 17th Edition
Hunter, Sarah. "Misunderstood Shark." Booklist, vol. 114, no. 14, 15 Mar. 2018, p. 77. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A533094624/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=06ee119a. Accessed 16 June 2020.
Dyckman, Ame DANDY Little, Brown (Children's Fiction) $17.99 4, 2 ISBN: 978-0-316-36295-5
In the war against weeds, there's no match for a father's love.
The front endpapers paint the setting perfectly: a suburban street of neat houses with lawns and shrubs manicured to within an inch of their lives, the adult caretakers grooming them while their children play. A turn of the page, and Daddy is reacting with consternation as he spies "something scary on his perfect lawn." He's too late, though: His daughter, Sweetie, has adopted the weed--sorry, flower--as her best friend, "Charlotte." "Daddy hoped his friends wouldn't notice." But they do. And they pressure Daddy to take care of the weed that threatens the whole species-diverse neighborhood. But though he tries numerous times ("book time," naptime) and in numerous ways (shovel, mower), Sweetie is somehow "always there" with Charlotte. The neighbors add more pressure; Daddy's tactics grow wilder. And then Sweetie leaves for swim lessons: the perfect opportunity. But Daddy chokes. When something is suddenly "WRONG" with Charlotte, Daddy looks into his daughter's teary eyes and knows what he must do. And the rear endpapers show that the neighborhood tough-guy talk was just that, the fathers now joining their children in their play, dots of yellow on their lawns. The digital illustrations are a riot, both Daddy's obsession and Sweetie's sweetness and innocence coming through loud and clear.
Hopefully this will spread around suburban neighborhood families just like Charlotte's seeds. (Picture book. 4-8)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2019 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 8th Edition APA 6th Edition Chicago 17th Edition
"Dyckman, Ame: DANDY." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Apr. 2019. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A580520763/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=e3a5daf6. Accessed 16 June 2020.
Dandy
by Ame Dyckman; illus. by Charles Santoso
Preschool, Primary Little, Brown 40 pp.
4/19 978-0-316-36295-5 $17.99
e-book ed. 978-0-316-50495-9 $9.99
A lion father is proud of (read: obsessed with) his well-manicured suburban lawn. When a dandelion brazenly sprouts in the front yard, Daddy races to get rid of the eyesore ... but "he was too late." His little cub, Sweetie, has already befriended the "flower" and named "her" Charlotte. A Greek chorus of judgmental fellow dad-creatures piles on the pressure: "It'll take over the yard!"; "You KNOW what you have to do." Daddy knows, but he's powerless against his doe-eyed daughter, who appears oblivious to her father's distress. Sweetie inadvertently thwarts each of Daddy's desperate--and destructive--attempts to eliminate the blight. Dyckman's well-paced text digs into the comedic contrast between Daddy's stressed-out hysteria and Sweetie's unhurried calm. Santoso's cartoony digital illustrations "with handmade pencil textures" enhance both the humor and the loving father-daughter relationship. Love (and nature) wins in the end, of course, with Daddy choosing his cub's happiness over his control-freak tendencies. After Charlotte goes to seed, Daddy comforts Sweetie by blowing on the seed head and sending little Charlottes off to sprout up all around the neighborhood (a touching nod to another literary Charlotte). In the suburban jungle, a good friend is worth a bit of wildness.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2019 The Horn Book, Inc.. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Sources, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.hbook.com/magazine/default.asp
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 8th Edition APA 6th Edition Chicago 17th Edition
Flynn, Kitty. "Dandy." The Horn Book Magazine, vol. 95, no. 3, May-June 2019, p. 123+. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A585800664/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=fb58205e. Accessed 16 June 2020.
Dyckman, Ame THAT'S LIFE! Little, Brown (Children's Fiction) $17.99 3, 31 ISBN: 978-0-316-48548-7
Life--personified as a wild, furry gray creature--brings many surprises in this picture book about loving your Life no matter what.
A small, brown-skinned child sits at a table writing on a pad of paper when there is a knock at the door. Who could it be? "Oh, that's Life! Life happens when you least expect it." The child opens the crate, labeled LIFE, that sits on the doorstep. A furry gray creature jumps out, then drags the child on all sorts of adventures. Every conceivable saying about life is worked into the text ("Life's a journey"; "Life is full of surprises"). Life changes form throughout, becoming a means of transportation (a boat, a camel, a hot air balloon), a suitcase, and a bull with pointy horns ("Life can be tough. And sometimes…Life hurts!") Doerrfeld's visual interpretations of Dyckman's text are humorous, kid-friendly, and clever, featuring soft-lined vignettes of busy, active scenes on white space. The silly concreteness of the illustrations raises the intentionally cliche-packed text to a level of fun that will satisfy readers of all ages. Young readers will enjoy watching Life's ups and downs, and they just might internalize a true lesson or two about their own lives.
Both a lighthearted reflection and an entertaining read. (Picture book. 3-8)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2019 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 8th Edition APA 6th Edition Chicago 17th Edition
"Dyckman, Ame: THAT'S LIFE!" Kirkus Reviews, 1 Dec. 2019. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A606964411/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=9d85f692. Accessed 16 June 2020.
That's Life!
Ame Dyckman, illus. by Cori Doerrfeld. Little, Brown, $17.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-316-48548-7
In this idiomatic adventure, Life is an impish, furry, and highly mutable critter that, when it emerges from a mysterious crate (one that pops up "when you least expect it"), not only charges toward the young protagonist fast, but also adds a big, slurpy kiss. Life arrives with no instructions, of course, and promptly launches the protagonist on a whirlwind series of vignettes set against a white background--"You never know where Life's gonna take you," Dyckman (Dandy) writes as the two bounce from Lady Liberty to Pisa's leaning tower. As the meaning-of-life cliches deliberately pile up--who knew there were so many?--it's up to Doerrfeld (Goodbye, Friend! Hello. Friend!) to give them a visual boost; she. accomplishes this through crayonlike digital drawings that are by turns semifigurative interpretations (in "Life is what you make it!" Life turns into a raft that takes the child for an exhilarating waterfall ride) and naughtily literal (for "Your whole Life can flash before your eyes," Life moons the child). The mood is always upbeat--or, at the very least, maintains a "dust yourself off and keep going" attitude--with plenty of reminders that whatever life is, it is for sure one wild ride. Ages 4-8. Author's agent: Scott Treimel, Scott Treimel NY. Illustrator's agent: Rachel Orr, Prospect Agency. (Mar.)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2019 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 8th Edition APA 6th Edition Chicago 17th Edition
"That's Life!" Publishers Weekly, vol. 266, no. 50, 9 Dec. 2019, p. 147. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A609311088/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=de2571f3. Accessed 16 June 2020.
Dyckman, Ame YOU DON'T WANT A DRAGON! Little, Brown (Children's None) $17.99 6, 9 ISBN: 978-0-316-53580-9
If you thought having a unicorn as a pet was hard, you haven’t seen anything until you’ve tried owning a dragon.
The young protagonist of You Don’t Want a Unicorn! (2017) is back, and they clearly haven’t learned their lesson. Now they’ve wished for a pet dragon. As the intrusive narrator is quick to point out, everything about it seems fun at the beginning. However, it’s not long before the doglike dragon starts chasing squirrels, drooling, pooping (ever wondered where charcoal comes from?), scooting its butt across the floor (leaving fire and flames behind), and more. By now, the dragon has grown too huge to keep, so the child (who appears white and also to live alone) wishes it away and settles for a cute little hamster instead. A perfect pet…until it finds a stray magical cupcake. Simple cartoon art and a surfeit of jokes about defecation suggest this book will find an appreciative audience. The dragon/dog equivalences are cute on an initial read, but they may not be strong enough to convince anyone to return. Moreover, a surprising amount of the plot hinges on having read the previous book in this series (it’s the only way readers will know that cupcakes are unicorn poop).
Feels like a retread—it may be time to put this series to bed. (Picture book. 4-7)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2020 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 8th Edition APA 6th Edition Chicago 17th Edition
"Dyckman, Ame: YOU DON'T WANT A DRAGON!" Kirkus Reviews, 15 Mar. 2020. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A617192749/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=8b7aa845. Accessed 16 June 2020.