Jessie Atkin is the author of the new children's board book Oodles of Noodles. Her other work includes the play Generation Pan.
Q: What inspired you to write Oodles of Noodles?
A: Honestly, the rhyme “oodles of noodles for all the poodles” has been bouncing around my head since high school (I had a goldendoodle named Dustin at the time).
But the real impetus to sit down and write a full book was my niece. Up until Oodles of Noodles, most of my writing had focused on MG and YA stories. However, when my twin sister told me she was going to have a baby, I wanted to write a book for my niece to be able to enjoy as soon as possible, haha.
I was very lucky that the manuscript got picked up fast enough that she will be able to enjoy the book as soon as she turns 2.
Q: How did you choose the animals and foods to include in the book?
A: It was honestly all about the rhymes. If I could find a food and animal that rhymed together, they went into the first draft. There were 15 animals in the first draft that we then cut down in the editing process. I was excited that both knishes and lox made it through to the final version.
Q: What do you think Moesha Kellaway’s illustrations add to the story?
A: I was so so lucky that my publisher found Moesha. Honestly, I couldn’t conceive of a better illustrator for the book. The whimsy and joy of the rhymes are really enhanced by what she created. I adore the accessories so many of the animals wear. And her visuals really added an extra layer of humor to every page.
Q: What do you hope kids take away from the book?
A: I was not a great math student growing up, and so it made me laugh when my editor pointed out that Oodles of Noodles technically counts as a STEM book. I would love for kids to come away with an early joy related not only to words, but to numbers.
I also hope, as the book is targeted at ages 0-3, that kids can come away with a special connection to family and friends who read the book to them, and that can translate into a love of reading (and even math) farther down the road.
Q: What are you working on now?
A: Oh boy, I’m always working on something, haha. My agent and I are currently submitting a YA fantasy manuscript, and I am also writing an MG adventure series at present. I’ve also got two other picture book manuscripts I’m hoping to finalize in the very near future.
Q: Anything else we should know?
A: Both my twin sister and I, and my niece, were NICU babies. The NICU is a rough place for parents to start their journey (I’ve heard this from both my parents and my sister).
One of the joyful moments my sister has recounted to me was when she was gifted with a board book (in her case, it was Corduroy) and was able to read to my niece while she was in her incubator. I hope my board book can bring even a small drop of joy to families the way Corduroy did for my sister.
--Interview with Deborah Kalb
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