Jannie Ho is the author and illustrator of the new early reader graphic novel Pumpkin and Beetle: Two Vampire Cats. Her other books include The Lost Mitten. She lives in Massachusetts.
Q: What inspired you to create Pumpkin and Beetle: Two Vampire Cats?
A: These two characters came out of an art challenge I was doing on Instagram.
The characters, the story, and the world they live in was inspired by my daughter and her neighborhood friends when she was little. There used to be a wooded area where they would hang out and one of the neighbors had a tree house just like Pumpkin and Beetle. It is how I imagined their interactions are like.
Plus I love Halloween-themed stories since as the creator, I can get away with a lot more silliness.
Q: How would you describe the relationship between the two?
A: Beetle is definitely the bossy one, but Pumpkin can also hold her own. Their relationship is a little similar to how I am with my daughter.
Q: The Kirkus Review of the book says, “An enjoyable exercise in persistence, problem-solving, and happy compromise, this graphic novel features succinct text, ideal for readers of many skill levels, while the cartooning is more sweet than spooky. . . . Feel-good feline fun.” What do you think of that description?
A: I think it is quite a lovely and accurate description! I aimed to create a gently spooky world where it is fun, a little silly and weird, but also a safe place to be.
Q: What do you hope kids take away from the book?
A: I hope it is a sweet escape for cats and Halloween lovers! I also hope it gives confidence those early readers.
Q: What are you working on now?
A: I’m currently to working on book 2 for Pumpkin and Beetle as they will get into more shenanigans!
Q: Anything else we should know?
A: I am also illustrating other early reader graphic novels, which is becoming my favorite type of books to work on. I love that there are a variety of stories I can tell in this format.
--Interview with Deborah Kalb. Here's a previous Q&A with Jannie Ho.
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