Ashley Franklin is the author of the new children's picture book Our Favorite Day of the Week. It's a sequel to the book Our Favorite Day of the Year, by A.E. Ali. Franklin's other books include Not Quite Snow White. She is also an educator, and she lives in Arkansas.
Q: What inspired you to write Our Favorite Day of the Week?
A: It wasn’t so much inspiration as much as it was a request. I was asked if I
was interested in stepping in and taking over the series. How could I say no to
such an adorable bunch of characters?
Once I began Our Favorite Day of the Week, I took inspiration from the
characters’ behaviors in the first book as well as my inspiration as a mom who
has spent many days on playgrounds with children.
Fun fact: I actually worked at a preschool/kindergarten for
a short period after graduate school. Those were some amazing times!
Q: How did you choose the reasons for the characters’ favorite days?
A: For Musa, I specifically wanted to do swimming. Swimming stood out to me
based on its complex past of segregation in the United States and the fact that
there are still racial disparities in swimming ability to this day. Also, I’d
already written a Muslim boy character who loved Fridays at the masjid and
didn’t want to do something similar to that again.
As for the other characters, I wanted a mix of fun,
academic, culturally relevant, and quirky favorite days. I hoped there would be
something there for any child to be able to relate to.
Q: The Kirkus Review of the book called it a “positive portrait of
youngsters thriving in a busy, supportive, multigenerational community.” What
do you think of that description?
A: Nailed it! I think that's a beautifully accurate description.
Community is so important in this day and age. That feeling of connection
across cultures and ages is the type of positivity that helps us to thrive as a
society.
Q: What do you think Rahele Jomepour Bell’s illustrations add to the book?
A: The illustrations aren’t just adding to the book. Rahele’s illustrations are
an integral part of the story. They are what bring the characters to life and
show the innocence of the children as they see the joyous components of the
everyday world in their own special way.
Q: What are you working on now?
A: I’m working on a few picture books that I hope to get to my agent before the
year is out, and I am actively revising my middle grade novel that was acquired
by Celia Lee titled Safi’s Summer Split.
--Interview with Deborah Kalb
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