Katie Clark thinks the key to a good picture book is the telling of the story. And any good story needs a strong central character.
In Clark’s case, the central character in three of her books is an adventurous grandmother doing things not expected of the typical grandma.
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Her latest book is “Grandma Drove the Lobsterboat” (Down East), illustrated by Amy Huntington. It’s the third in a series that includes “Grandma Drove the Garbage Truck” and “Grandma Drove the Snowplow.”
Clark, who lives in Brunswick, has a master’s degree in literacy education and works as a program coordinator at Tri-County Literacy in Bath.
Q: How did you come up with the idea for this series?
A: It started with the first book, “Grandma Drove the Garbage Truck.” My inspiration was a friend of my mother’s, who is now in her 80s. Her family for decades ran (a garbage collection business) in Wells. She is a diminutive woman, and I had this vision of her driving the big, huge garbage truck. But she actually worked in the office.
Once I had the first book out, the editors at Down East wanted to know if there might another grandma’s adventure in my plans. So then I did “Grandma Drove the Snowplow.”
Q: What children’s books inspired you when you were growing up?
A: I loved all the books by Tasha Tudor, and the Laura Ingalls Wilder series, and anything illustrated by Garth Williams. And the “Frances” books by Russell and Lillian Hoban.
Q: How does working in a literacy program and writing children books intersect or overlap for you?
A: It all overlaps. It’s part of a broader interest that I’ve had since I was 9 years old. I had a wonderful teacher in fourth-grade (in the 1970s) who would write and hand-bind a book. Mine was “The Little Black Kitten.”
Q: What in your opinion makes a good children’s picture book?
A: I find that a lot of picture books written today are very sparse on language. I think we’re missing out on the language of storytelling in picture books. If you look at the “Frances” books, they have a very substantial story to them. I think children can pay attention to a longer story than we think they can. My books tend to be on the longer side for a picture book today.
Q: What sort of reaction do you get from people who’ve read the “Grandma” series?
A: At book signings, I see a lot of enthusiastic grandparents. A lot of them are grandmothers who live in Maine, who want their grandchildren in other states to have a Maine book about a grandmother. And to entice them to come visit.
Q: Do you have any other books planned for this series?
A: Three might be the magic number. Though I get suggestions all the time from people about other large pieces of equipment a grandmother might drive.
Staff Writer Ray Routhier can be contacted at 791-6454 or at:
rrouthier@pressherald.com
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