Reading is fundamental! At least, that's what I tell myself when introducing the glorious world of potty training to an already inquisitive 2 year old. On his birthday Bebe Bird received several gifts. Two, of those severals were a potty seat and the wildly entertaining children's book Poopenodous, written by Artie Bennett and illustrated by Mike Moran, which covers the wonderful world of poo. I had the great opportunity of speaking to Mr. Bennett and learning the in's and outs of his number 2 book-(this is his second book and follow up book to The Butt Book):
Bebe Birds (BB): Hi Artie! Bebe Bird loves this books and all the rhymning. What inspired you to write Poopendous?
Artie Bennett (AB) : My inspiration for writing the book was, the word Poopendous. It came to me out of the blue. I had already written The Butt Book, which came out in January 2010. The Butt Book was out doing really well and won the Reuben Award for book illustration. There needed to be a second act. I didn't want to be a "Johnny One Note". I must have dreamnt of the word in because when I woke up one morning the word Poopendous came to me. I knew it would be my # 2 picture book. Ha! Ha! I like to say the word came to me out of the blue...or out of the poo. Once I had the word the concept began to crystallize.
BB: When reading Poopendous you learn a lot of fun and interesting facts about #2. How did you find such facts?
AB: I retain a pretty sizable fund of natural history lore. I was a bird watcher from an early age and exploring nature. I always loved trees and animals in general. But you're right there are some obscure facts (or less known facts in Poopendous) that my research brought me to. For example, I have a chant verse "Rabbit pellets, raccoon tubes, owl whitewash and wombat cubes". I have to say I didn't know that wombat's had cube shape poos before. That was a fact I stumbled upon. I actually had 3/4 of that verse written "Rabbit pellets, raccoon tubes, owl whitewash and..."I kind of hoped against hope that there might be some animal that made cubic shaped poop. And then I began to research it online. I came upon the wombat, and it was as if my prayers had been answered. There were pictures of the wombat poop and indeed it was cubic, like dice. What's interesting is that I tried to find out why wombats alone in the animal kingdom have cube shaped poop. My research showed that scientists don't really know for sure but can speculate that because wombat's nests are on a cliff side, the fact that their poop is cube shape keeps it from blowing off during strong winds. Dice shapes won't roll. The fact that the poop doesn't blow off helps keep predators from being alerted of where the wombats are.
BB: Reading Poopendous it is evident that you're very clever with your words and your rhyming. Have words and rhyming always come easily for you? Also, I remember at the book reading where we met it was mentioned you were the youngest person to sell a New York Times crossword puzzle?
AB: I was actually 13 years old when I sold my very first crossword puzzle to the New York Times. I would say, I was a precocious reader and loved words from a very young age. I loved Dr. Seuss. And Dr. Seuss gave me my childhood passion for words and for language. I loved words my whole life. I collected words. When I was a little boy whenever I would read something from my own reading collection I'd put a pencil dot in the margin of the books when I came upon a word I didn't know and look up those words once I finished the book. That way I was able to build up my vocabulary, which helped with my crossword profession. The verses in my books are very carefully wrought. And it was my goal that the readers won't really see all the anguish that went into each verse. I worked hard to shape and reshape so that they would be fun to read aloud and every syllable is in its right place. I would practice it myself and my wife was the guinea pig.
BB: How did she do by the end of the book and your writing process?
AB: Haha! She loved both books, The Butt Book and Poopendous, but probably would have rathered I wrote a book about shoes called"Shoependous"!
BB: How was she as a critic?
AB: She has a pretty keen ear herself and is a pretty perceptive critic. Sometimes, I may have some doubts about a verse and she will, without me telling her that I felt a little dubious about it and she will pick up on it. Then, it's back to the drawing board or deep 6 that one and start all over again.
When writing I try to incorporate a lot of the humor and a lot of poetic devices. For example, in Poopendous there is a verse that goes "Poop enriches soil that's poor through Upteen beans and greens galore." What I like about that is that verse has some cute internal rhymes. "Upteen beans and greens". It also has alliteration in that rhyme-grow, greens, galore. There is a lot to play with there. I would say a verse like that, I'd probably labor over that for a week or so until I got it and thought, this is really fun now. It's a fun verse to read out loud and its educational but there's more to it than that. That was a task I set for myself in a few of the verses in the book, to give a little extra.
AB: "Babies poop, adults do too, even Winnie had to poo." It was a verse I fought vigorously for. I thought it would have been if not my best verse, certainly my funniest verse in the book. I loved the notion "even Winnie had to poo" I had the illustration in mind of someone sitting on the loo with feet sticking out from a broadsheet newspaper. I knew we couldn't use the image of Winnie the Pooh, but I thought we could still do that verse because we weren't writing about Winnie the Pooh, it could have been about any Winnie. My editor/publisher felt it wouldn't be worth imperilling the book. And they were right, but I hated to let it go.
BB: When reading Poopendous do you see different reactions from the adults than you do the kids?
AB: It's very similar. I think because it's on the sophisticated side to a children's book. Kid's naturally love it because it is a topic dear to kids. I think adults enjoy the fact that it's a book that their child may really love. And they appreciate that. I had reviewers say that it is a book kids can't put down, which excites adults that it is a book children's are fascinated by. Because the writing is on the sophisticated side and has a vocabulary often not found in children's books. It's a book they can learn from. Those things please parents, teachers, librarians. At the Brooklyn Art Museum's recent reading much of that laughter was coming from the adults and the kids alike. So, I have to say the responses for the most part are similar.
BB: I love children's book readings and I love that the kids have the opportunity to meet and see the author of some of their favorite books.
AB: It's special for us toohaving the opportunity to meet our fans. I was at a book reading this past fall and a mother came up to me with a little girl named Sam. The mother said her little girl loved the book Poopendous and committed the book to memory. She stood before me reciting it. Here's this adorable little blond girl saying "Poop is yucky! Poop is fowl. Step in Poop and you will howl." I practically teared up. I was so moved by that.
BB: Do you have any recommendations for aspiring children's authors or illustrators?
AB: Good question. Persevere. Follow your muse. Don't give up in the face of rejection. Both books were turned down by editors and I could have just packed them away and said "it's just not worth it." But, I didn't because I felt I had something worthwhile, that I needed to say something unique and original. So, I persevered and reworked my verses and I sent them out again and again because I knew it would probably only be a matter of time that somebody also felt, 'hey this is really good. There's a need for something like this.' I am happy to say that my current publisher of Blue Apple Books has commissioned my next book. It looks like I will have a very happy and productive future with them.
BB: That's funny, I was going to ask what you're next book would be?
AB: It's funny. I was at a reading and asked what they thought my next book should be. One little girl called out 'Diarehia!' I said, 'That's a cute idea but I don't know about that.... ' Anyway, the next book, is actually all about feet and should launch fall of next year.
BB: Okay, can you share some fun facts-What was your favorite childhood book?
AB: A Fish Out of Water, by Helen Palmer and illustrated by P.D. Eastman, which fueled my imagination. Also, I loved Dr. Seuss' On Beyond Zebra.
BB: Another fun fact: what is the funniest moments as an author?
AB: When I was reading Poopendous in a small bookstore in NJ, the children's area was in the entry way. These two elegantly dressed women walk in and I just get to the part "Ca-ca, doo-doo, boom-boom, poo are babies words for number two." And I see these women look horror stricken and then they realize its a children's book reading and smile approvingly going about their business.
Thanks so much Artie for the fun interview. If you're looking for a lively new book to read to your little ones Artie Bennett's Poopendous and /or The Butt Book are not to be missed. Your little one will truly be enjoy reading these clever and silly books.
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