Hayley Rocco is the author of the new children's picture book All the Books. Her other books include the picture book How to Send a Hug. She lives in Rhode Island.
Q: What inspired you to write All the Books, and how did you create your character Piper Waterstone?
A: Back when my husband and I were living in Los Angeles, nearly seven years ago now, John and I were discussing embarrassing and/or powerful moments that stayed with us from our respective childhoods.
It was writing prompt exercise which unlocked a particularly embarrassing moment in my childhood. I can’t recall how old I was, but every week my mom would bring my three brothers and me to the library where I’d bring home a large stack of books. (This was always an exciting day to look forward to!).
On one particular day, as I was sorting through that week’s collection of books on my bed, I remember very vividly asking my mom a ridiculous question… “Mom, how old will I be when I’ve read ALL the books?” She laughed and said something to the effect of, “Well, you can certainly give it a try, but I’m sorry honey, there are just too many books that have ever been and ever will continue to be written.”
John and I laughed…and that was what inspired me to write the first draft for All the Books.
As for the development of Piper, she was very much inspired by a very brave and plucky chipmunk that lives in our rock walls. Because chipmunks collect and store/hoard their food in their cheeks, that natural instinct made her the perfect animal for hoarding books, like so many of us fellow book lovers do!
Her last name was easy, as we wanted to have it be a nod to nature, but also to the famous English bookstore chain of the same name. :)
Q: What do you think John Rocco (your husband)’s illustrations add to the book? Do you see any of the art before he's finished, or is it a surprise?
A: Our books simply would not be what they are without John’s enchanting illustrations, and I consider myself very fortunate that we are able to work so closely together on each project we develop together.
I particularly adore the world he’s created for Piper and her woodland creature friends—it’s the kind of place I dreamed of when reading books as a young girl, complete with a beautiful library with sliding ladders, and special nooks to read.
He’ll show me all the sketches he creates and then we discuss what is working in both the art and in the text. We look at it as a creative dance of sorts.
In the first draft of the book, much like in our first book together, How to Send a Hug, we were initially planning on setting the characters as humans in a different time period…but I just couldn’t make it work and it didn’t seem as magical. With animals, there are so many opportunities for creative world building!
Q: Did you know how the story would end before you started writing it, or did you make many changes along the way?
A: This book was definitely a labor of love. It took a while to figure out exactly how it would end, but I knew I wanted to showcase Piper’s obsession with books, the magic of the library and the important role librarians play in our communities/culture, and somehow make it about sharing.
Of course, there were a lot of revisions along the way and sometimes just setting a manuscript on a shelf to simmer for a while can help with the problem of solving a story that just isn’t quite there yet. Fresh eyes and a new perspective can be all it needs sometimes!
Q: What do you hope kids take away from the story?
A: My hope is that this book will help children understand that they actually do—and should—have access to all the books and knowledge that is afforded to them in their local library.
It’s pretty incredible that these institutions provide access to anyone, rich or poor, young or old, and those who identify as LGBTQ+, BIPOC to not only access all the books for free, but also access to free programming, community-focused events, and more.
I hope that they understand the sense of pride that comes through sharing, whether through their books, or simply with their time. I could go on and on about how critical libraries are to our communities and culture in general, but I hope the book conveys just that! :)
Q: What are you working on now?
A: John and I just completed the fifth and sixth books in our Meet the Wild Things series which aims to introduce the youngest readers to unique animals, why they’re endangered, why they matter, and what people are doing to help them, including Hello, I’m a Toucan and Hello, I’m a Loris—both of which are publishing this year.
John has also begun illustrating the follow-up to All the Books, with A Book for Everyone, which centers around Piper and Gregory and the Great Reading Challenge!
Q: Anything else we should know?
A: Thank you so much for having me, Deborah. It’s been a wonderful time! I’m so grateful after spending so much of my career working in children’s publishing to now be able to work on my own books—a true dream come true—and I appreciate your taking the time to meet with me.
--Interview with Deborah Kalb
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