Kelly J. Baptist is the author of the new children's picture book The Band in Our Basement. Her other books include The Electric Slide and Kai. She lives in Michigan.
Q: What inspired you to write The Band in Our Basement?
A: Real life events inspired the story! My kids' father is a drummer, and we've had many band rehearsals/jam sessions in our basement. I've had moments of wanting to tear my hair out, but also moments of peace where I would lay in the bed and listen to my own personal jazzy lullaby.
Q: What do you think Jenin Mohammed’s illustrations add to the story?
A: Jenin's illustrations are EVERYTHING! She adds the perfect visual accompaniment to the rhyming words and perfectly captures the excitement and mischief of my main characters.
In particular, her use of blues and purples for the bedroom and sneaking scenes contrast perfectly with the yellows and reds of the basement scene—these kids are definitely sneaking downstairs to a whole new world and Jenin's illustrations take us on that journey.
Q: What did you see as the relationship between your words and the music you were describing as you wrote the book?
A: It was so much fun to revisit my rhymin' roots! As a kid, I didn't know that a poem didn't have to rhyme, so I rhymed everything! It was a delight to do that here, but even beyond rhyming, the text is lyrical, like the music is. And since it's a bedtime mischief story, it was practically begging to be written in a lyrical, lilting manner.
Q: The Kirkus Review of the book called it a “rollicking read-aloud, sure to have youngsters on their feet dancing along with its young protagonists.” What do you think of that description?
A: It's a great description, but I'd first like to apologize to the parents, because if you read this at bedtime and your youngsters want to jump up and start dancing...I'm sorry. 😂 All jokes aside, I do think it's a perfect read for bedtime and kids will relate to the magic of sneaking to a place where the grownups are having fun!
I also hope it inspires some great interaction between parents and kids. I think kids appreciate getting a sneak peek into the lives of their adults from time to time!
Q: What are you working on now?
A: Right now, I'm working on a multi-perspective middle grade novel, as well as a few picture books. I'm also dabbling in screenwriting. I have a picture book coming next year and a middle grade novel-in-verse coming in 2026.
Q: Anything else we should know?
A: I truly love what I do! One day, I'd love to run an intense writing camp for kids so they can be equipped to pursue their craft early.
--Interview with Deborah Kalb
No comments:
Post a Comment