Q&A with Rebecca Valley

 

 

 

Rebecca Valley is the author of the book Curious Cases: True Crime for Kids--Hijinks, Heists, Mysteries, and More. Her other work includes the poetry chapbook The Salvageman. She lives in North Carolina.

 

Q: What inspired you to write Curious Cases, and how did you choose the cases to include?

 

A: I’ve always been a fan of true crime stories. But I’m also very squeamish, which means I’ve always gravitated toward stories about heists and arson and dognapping and anything that might fall into the less violent category. So when Ulysses Press put out a call asking for someone to write a book of true crime stories for children, I couldn’t resist!

 

I am primarily a poet, but my first job after college was managing a middle school library, and I always wanted to write for children. I think they are such engaged, curious, generous readers.

 

When searching for stories for Curious Cases, I went with ones that made me think: why would someone do that? I think I like true crime stories because they aren’t really about crime, but more about people. They show us what we value, how we live inside and outside social norms, and what we’re willing to risk for the things we care about.

Q: How did you research the book, and what did you learn that especially surprised you?

 

A: Because my timeline to write this book was fairly short, I drew a lot from experienced researchers in the genre. I owe a huge debt to Phoebe Judge from the Criminal podcast and academics who dedicated years of their lives (and wrote wonderful books) about the people and events of these stories.

 

My favorite surprise while researching was finding (and joining) a private Facebook group of amateur sleuths obsessed with solving the D.B. Cooper case.

Q: Of the various cases you wrote about, were there any that particularly intrigued you?

 

A: The first story in the book was the first one I knew I wanted to include, and is also still my favorite. It’s about Masterpiece, a show poodle in New York City who was beloved by many, and kidnapped by an unknown woman in a red coat. I think about Masterpiece and what became of him all the time.

Q: What do you hope kids take away from the book?

 

A: I say this a bit in the introduction to the book, but I hope that kids read these stories and feel curious, and are compelled by that curiosity to explore the world. There’s so much we don’t know, so many mysteries all around us. I hope these stories inspire kids to become investigators of whatever sparks their curiosity.

Q: What are you working on now?

A: As I mentioned earlier, I’m primarily a poet. I just finished a manuscript of poems that I’m hoping to find a home for soon! I’m also starting to plot out what I hope will eventually become a novel about a woman who tries to teach herself how to float.

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb