Amy Hest is the author of the new children's picture book When Rosie Walks George. Her many other books include Kiss Good Night. She lives in New York City.
Q: What inspired you to write When Rosie Walks George?
A: The first line, “George is old and deaf in one ear, and he doesn’t run fast anymore,” popped into my head. I knew George was going to be a dog. I wasn’t sure what it was about [otherwise] but an old dog. Rosie came later. I wrote it in 2018. The book took a long time to gestate because the illustrator was busy on other projects.
When I wrote it I was really into the rhythm of it. It felt very much like a poem. The ball was a big part of it—George waiting for the ball.
Q: Did you write the story piece by piece?
A: Yes, but in a very rhythmic way. I am very orderly when I write. I go step by step. I don’t move forward until I’m ready.
Q: So when did Rosie come into the story?
A: The whole family came into it, and I needed a star. I love the name Rosie—my granddaughter is named Rosie, but I’m not sure she was born when I wrote this.
[The character Rosie] would be like George—slow and methodical, childlike. When I was a young mother, I was always rushing. That’s how I think of the parents, rushing, and the kids linger.
Q: What do you think Taeeun Yoo’s illustrations add to the story?
A: They’re gorgeous. I love the colors. She captured a magical place. I am a real city person—I rarely leave New York. When I look at the pictures, I want to be [there]—it’s an idyllic place to live.
Q: The Kirkus Review of the book says, “Young Rosie and the family dog exemplify interspecies, intergenerational friendship—with a touch of Zen.” What do you think of that description?
A: It’s kind of lovely. I’m happy with that. I don’t know what the “touch of Zen” means—peaceful, I suppose. It’s all about love, watching out for one another. Zen is being in the moment, and you’re right there.
Q: What do you hope readers take away from the story?
A: Love. It’s a love story. All my stories are love stories of one kind or another. How we love our people, our dogs. I love how Rosie and George get each other. They have each other’s back. My husband died 12 years ago now—we always had each other’s back. It’s a very special kind of intimacy.
Q: What are you working on now?
A: A couple of picture books are coming out in the next few years. I’m on a hiatus—I haven’t been able to write or sit still for months. In the last couple of weeks, I’ve started sitting for longer at the computer.
Q: Anything else we should know about the book?
A: I think it’s about kindness, good things, love—in these hard times it’s nice to remember that small moments in relationships and life are what counts. If you have a strong family life, you are lucky and blessed. Your relationships are really what counts.
--Interview with Deborah Kalb. Here's a previous Q&A with Amy Hest.
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