8/8/2019 Q&A with Michelle Knudsen

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Your new book is Argus, a picture book illustrated by Andréa Wesson. What inspired this story? 

I seem to have a particular aection or characters who show up in places

 where they aren’t expected. While writing this story, I frst tried to think 

o ways that Argus could win over Sally and the rest o the class. But then I

realized that he doesn’t have to do anything other than be his own unique

sel. I already loved Argus. I just had to help Sally learn to love him, too.

When writing  Argus, you must have envisioned your characters and settings in

a certain way. In particular, you describe Argus as green, scaly, with big yelloweyes — but you never say what Argus actually is. When you saw the i llustrations from Andréa Wesson, was there anything that surprised you?

There is always an element o surprise when I see how an artist has depicted

characters rom one o my stories, but that’s part o the un o writing 

picture books. I love fnding out how an illustrator has interpreted a

character and what new elements he or she has added to help bring that

character to lie. What I loved most when I frst saw Andréa Wesson’s

illustrations o Argus was how expressive he is. His wings and tail and

ears are always liting and tilting at odd angles, reecting his moods. It’s wonderul. I love how he turned out!

In  Argus, Mrs. Henshaw’s classroom is so vividly imagined. Do you have any favorite memories about being a student?

I have lots o great memories rom school. I always loved art projects; I

think I would have loved being in Mrs. Henshaw’s class! Eighth grade

 was the year I really started to love words and stories. When we read

Fahrenheit 451, our teacher had us memorize the fnal stanza o 

Matthew Arnold’s “Dover Beach,” and something about that

  was very powerul. Learning those lines by heart let me

experience the words and images in a whole new way. I can

still recite it today!

Q&A with Michelle Knudsen

Illustration copyright © 2010 by Andréa Wesson

8/8/2019 Q&A with Michelle Knudsen

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You have written in different genres: picture books, including the New York Times bestseller Library Lion; beginning readers such as Fish and Frog ;and middle-grade novels such as The Dragon o Trelian. Which type of bookis your favorite to write? How does the writing process differ for each?

I love writing all dierent kinds o books. Beginning 

readers are like puzzles, because you have to tell your

story in very ew lines. It’s a un challenge to ft a story

into that very specifc ormat. Novels are wonderul

because you can explore so much about the characters

and can work with ar more elaborate plots. And picture

books are exciting because o the way that the art and text

 work together. You have to leave room or the artist when

  you work on the story, which makes you approach the

 writing in a dierent way.

Usually when I’m in the middle o writing a novel I’ll be

 working on a picture book at the same time. I like the contrast

o the dierent ormats, and when the complicated plot o a

novel starts eeling a little overwhelming, it’s really nice to

 work on a story I can hold in my head all at once, like

that o a picture book. I hope to keep writing lots o 

dierent types o stories or years to come.

You’ve written more than forty books for children so far!What has been one of your most satisfying moments asan author? 

The most satisying moments are defnitely when I

hear rom readers who like my books. I love meeting 

teachers and librarians who tell me they use my booksin schools or at story times. I love hearing rom parents

 who read my books to their children. And the best is when

 young readers themselves tell me that they love something I’ve

 written. Knowing that one o my stories has meant something 

to a reader  — the way other authors’ stories mean something to

me — that’s the best part o being an author. I love those moments.

 

Illustrations copyright © 2010 by Andréa Wesson