Vanessa Bergeron is the author of the new children's picture book What's That For?. Her other books include Snowflakes for Christmas. She is also a counselor.
Q: What inspired you to write What’s That For?
A: I began my career as a pre-kindergarten teacher, and humor played a central role in the way I connected with children. While many of our activities focused on learning important concepts, in more informal moments, I took great joy in inventing all sorts of playful answers to their many curious questions.
I loved seeing that moment of realization on their faces—when they understood that what I was telling them wasn’t true, but that it also opened the door to endless creative possibilities and a kind of joyful playfulness that meant a lot to me.
I find that with picture books, there is often such a strong desire to teach lessons or convey educational messages, but sometimes we forget the simple pleasure of letting ourselves be carried away by imagination. I like to believe this book will remind children of the importance of nurturing the creativity already living inside them.
Q: What do you think Virginie Lacoste’s illustrations add to the story?
A: Virginie’s illustration style is absolutely perfect for this story. It’s colorful, lively, but also soft and warm. She was actually the one who came up with the idea of including the little guinea pig that’s hidden throughout many of the indoor scenes. The double-page spread where you have to turn the book to see the image of Lulu with her grandfather was also her idea!
Virginie illustrated my very first picture book, whose theme was especially meaningful to me, so it was an incredible gift and privilege to have the chance to work with her again.
Q: What got you interested in writing for kids?
A: I’ve always held onto the dream of publishing children’s books, even though I now also write novels for adults and young adults. I’m a huge fan of Dr. Seuss’s world, and I absolutely love reading picture books aloud with children.
I’ve always said that, in my heart, I’m 4 and a half years old—and I have no intention of ever changing that!
Q: What do you hope kids take away from the book?
A: I hope they come away knowing that they don’t always have to take everything so seriously—and that when they explore their creativity, a whole world of possibilities opens up to them.
Q: What are you working on now?
A: Two weeks after the release of What’s That For?, I’ll have a young adult novel coming out in bookstores (in French). I’m also currently working on a picture book with an original and playful concept centered on empathetic listening, as well as another project for teens related to sexual violence, which is a subject close to my professional life, as I work in that field as a counselor.
Q: Anything else we should know?
A: Thank you for reading me, for stepping into my world, and for riding the wave of imagination with us through this book!
--Interview with Deborah Kalb
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