Q&A with Susan Stockdale

Susan Stockdale is the author and illustrator of children’s picture books including “Stripes of All Types,” “Bring On the Birds” and “Fabulous Fishes.” Her books celebrate nature with exuberance and charm and have won awards from the American Library Association, Parents’ Choice, and the National Science Teachers Association.  Susan’s engaging rhymes and bright, bold illustrations have elicited praise from the likes of The Washington Post. Her animal imagery is now featured on puzzles, notecards and other products sold worldwide.  She is currently working on a picture book about spotted animals.

What are the best books you’ve read recently?
“The Warmth of Other Suns” by Isabel Wilkerson, which depicts the Great Migration of African-Americans from the south to the north; and “Let the World Spin” by Colum McCann, a novel about intersecting lives in NYC in the 1970s. Both books are heartbreaking and exquisitely written.

What was your favorite book as a child?
That’s easy: the Mrs. Piggle Wiggle books by Betty MacDonald. Mrs. Piggle Wiggle knew everything about kids and could cure them of any ailment. She dazzled me.

Why do you enjoy attending book festivals, either as a presenter or audience member?
I enjoy book festivals for the camaraderie and fun they provide. They offer the perfect opportunity to celebrate literature with others who also love books.

Have you been to the D.C. area before? If so, what is your favorite thing about it?
I’m lucky to actually live here. My favorite activity is to take in the wonderful paintings at The Phillips Collection (where I volunteer as a children’s docent) and have lunch with a friend afterwards. That’s a perfect DC outing for me.

What is the most difficult, or challenging, part of being a writer?
I write spare, rhyming text, so my greatest challenge is in finding just the right word that rhymes, but doesn’t sound contrived or forced. When I do find it, it’s a great feeling.