Q&A with Jennifer Ussi

 

 

 

 

Jennifer Ussi is the author of the children's chapter book The Pangolins, the first in her series The Incredible Adventures of Casper the Cat Who Got Lost in Africa. She is also a filmmaker and an educator. 

 

Q: What inspired you to write The Incredible Adventures of Casper the Cat Who Got Lost in Africa: The Pangolins, and how did you create your character Casper?

 

A: The inspiration actually came from a conversation with my husband. We are travelling around Africa in our campervan, and had spent a few hours watching an assortment of wildlife at a waterhole in Namibia.

 

It’s a spectacular sight really – all these different species standing around, some wary, some aggressive, some quickly darting in and darting away again. All there to have a drink of water, because oftentimes – mostly, in fact – these waterholes are the only source of water for miles around.

 

Mark thought it would make a great book or film – the comings and goings at a waterhole. I wasn’t sold on the idea, only because I think writing ensemble pieces is terribly hard and I’m not very good at it.

 

At the same time as this happened, I read about a cat in America that had gotten lost and walked over 300 miles across a state or two to get back home. I wondered to myself whether or not the cat had asked other animals for directions along the way.

 

And I LOVE cats, and we had had a little rescue when we were sitting out Covid in Australia. She was this tiny black cat with a small white patch, and I swear she was my soul mate. We called her Boo but then it became Little Boo because she was small and cute and didn’t seem to be getting much bigger.

 

Casper was really based on her, because Little Boo seemed to be this wise old soul in a little body. She would watch all the comings and goings at our house – and seemed to be either judging them or trying to work out what to do about them. Casper was borne from this aspect of Little Boo – a brave, wise cat with a bit of sass and a little bit of anxiety.

 

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

 

A: I chose to write the Pangolins as the first of the series because I had read about how severely they are affected by poachers. My research started there – reading everything about pangolins and poaching and then about all the various animals that she may or may not encounter.

 

What surprised me most, though, was just HOW MANY pangolins are poached, literally hundreds of thousands, though some estimates are in the millions. 

 

Q: What do you think Lekshmi Bose’s illustrations add to the book?

 

A: Lekshmi’s illustrations are just so wonderful. I love her work, and she’s so easy to work with. Every image brings the words to life, gives each animal such a wonderful character, and gives every creature that perfect spark of mischief or heart that makes the Casper world feel real. She doesn’t just draw animals — she gives them souls.

 

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

 

A: I truly hope that reading the Casper stories will instill a desire to help conservation efforts, not just now, but as they grow older too. I also really hope that they’ll realise, through Junior and Casper, that it doesn’t matter how small you are, you can make a difference, and that you are braver than you think you are.

 

Q: Anything else we should know?

 

A: Just that Casper isn’t only about a cat getting lost — it’s really about finding kindness, courage, and connection in the wildest of places. Every animal she meets is a little reminder that the world is full of good, if you just stop long enough to listen.

 

And also that Casper has a lot more adventures ahead of her — and so do we. We’re still travelling around the world in our camper, still meeting extraordinary animals, and still wondering what might happen if a little lost cat asked them all for directions.

 

And every time we learn about a new animal or insect or bird, we add it to the crazy cast of characters in the next Casper book, so that everyone can learn about them, and love them as much as we do.

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb. This Q&A was conducted in partnership with Jennifer Ussi. Enter this giveaway for the chance to win one of 10 paperback copies of The Pangolins, the first book in The Incredible Adventures of Casper the Cat Who Got Lost in Africa. One grand prize winner will also receive a complete paperback set of the first four books in the series, perfect for young animal-lovers and chapter-book readers.