I am thrilled to welcome back Katelyn Aronson with her new picture book, Piglette's Perfect Surprise, which I like to call, Piglette 2, (find out more about Piglette 1 here) and it promises to be a yummy treat in more ways than one. So let's find out all about this delectable book. Tell us about your new book. Piglette’s Perfect Surprise is the scrumptious sequel to Piglette, illustrated by #1 New York Times Bestselling illustrator Eva Byrne and releasing from Viking (Penguin Random House) on May 25th, 2021. Piglette returns to Paris in search of the perfect present for Madame Paradee. When she comes across a posh pâtisserie, she decides to make the most extravagant birthday cake Paris has ever seen. But the night before the big day, Piglette realizes she may have bitten off more than she can chew. What inspired you when working on this project? Children’s literature is particularly vivid when it solicits the senses, and in these books, I’ve sought to do that, while also exploring questions of the heart. The first Piglette focused on fragrances and finding one's place in the world. In Piglette's Perfect Surprise, I celebrate flavors and desserts. As Piglette is quite the perfectionist in the first book, I wanted her to come up against the problematic side of that perfectionism in the second book. Yes, I may have written this story for my former child-self! As a kid, I used to love to play bakery with my sister (to whom the book is dedicated). And now that I live in France, what could be more inspiring than French pâtisseries? I knew there would be a lot of mouth-watering possibilities for my text but also for Eva Byrne’s illustrations. Since I’m a very visual writer, I am always envisioning the future illustrations as I write my stories. Tell us about the creative process for this book. The process was an absolute delight! When Viking asked me to write a second Piglette, I was thrilled to slip back into my little French pig’s world and imagine what new adventures she might take on. I wanted to draw on something she had dabbled in in the first book, and pastry-making was clearly the most delicious option to explore. I was also excited to bring in a new character, too—the eccentric Chef Pistache. He’s a bit of an odd duck—er, odd pig—being the only character who speaks in rhyme throughout the book. This was my personal homage to the pastry chef/wannabe poet called “Ragueneau” in Edmond Rostand’s Cyrano de Bergerac (my all-time favorite French tale). Did you encounter anything unexpected while working on this project? After illustrator Eva Byrne had finished the luminous illustrations for Piglette’s Perfect Surprise, I got a “perfect surprise” of my own. She sent me an original sketch she had done for the magnificent vertical spread in the book, thanking me for the opportunity to work on this project. It had been a welcome distraction, she said, in times of Covid! I am very much in her debt, so it was humbling indeed to receive her beautiful artwork, which is now framed in my reading nook! I will treasure it always. Now for something completely different! A rich, yummy slice of cheesecake or a luxurious, decadent slice of chocolate cake, Why? Neither! Despite all the drool-worthy desserts gracing the pages of Piglette 2, I’m actually not a cake fan in real life! I’m a pie girl all the way. My American favorite is pumpkin pie. My French favorite is tarte aux myrtilles—blueberry tart. And I’d never say no to a macaron—you shouldn’t either! ;-) Thank you Katelyn for a delicious interview! It was certainly insightful to see how our own childhood experiences can influence our writing. We wish you all the best with the launch of Piglette 2! Sandra Yoong-Chia Bio: Katelyn Aronson Katelyn Aronson was born and raised in Southern California, where she grew up to be an indie children’s bookseller. Today, she lives between France and Switzerland (literally), where she works as a language instructor. She never grew out of passion for picture books, and has quite a few of her own releasing over the next three years. @MademoiselleK8 on Twitter @AuthorKatelyn on Instagram
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25/5/2021 12:37:11 pm
Ooh la la, what a treat! (literally and figuratively) Congratulations, Katelyn! I look forward to Piglette's Perfect Surprise and savoring each delectable word. And thank you, Sandra, for the fun interview. :)
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