Today, Ian Eagleton is joined by Catherine Cawthorne to talk about her brand new picture book OH NO, FLO! which is illustrated by Mike Byrne!

Before we settle down in The Reading Realm, what’s your drink and snack of choice? 

I’ll have a cup of tea and a toasted tea cake, please!

Without giving too much away, what can you tell us about your new picture book Oh No, Flo! which is illustrated by Mike Byrne?

Flo is a lovely sheepdog who loves Farmer and lives for tummy rubs. When Farmer gets sick, Flo decides she will help by doing all the jobs on the farm. But she gets all the jobs mixed up in a huge muddle…

How would you say Oh No, Flo! is similar to Big Bad Wolf Investigates Fairy Tales (illustrated by Sara Ogilvie)? How is it different?

Big Bad Wolf Investigates Fairy Tales is a mash-up of fiction (funny fairy tale retellings) and non-fiction (exploring the science behind the stories), and I would say was aimed at school-age children 5 + years old. Oh No, Flo! is pure fiction silliness, aimed more at 3 +. Both books have a central animal character that I am very fond of, although Wolfy is ultra-cool and Flo definitely isn’t! I have been very lucky to work with Sara Ogilvie and Mike Byrne as illustrators, and they both have added really funny extra details in their illustrations.

What was it like working with Mike Byrne? Do you have a favourite illustration of his you could share with us? Why is it your favourite?

Mike has been amazing! He got the character of Flo straightaway – so well-meaning and lovely, but also chaotic and hopeless! The cat in the story barely speaks, but is always there in the background, and Mike has done a genius job of adding a kind of unspoken cat commentary through the cat’s expressions and fabulous eyebrows!

I think my favourite illustration is probably this one of Flo sowing the sheep:

I find it so funny. Mike has perfectly captured the despair and resignation of the poor sheep, and the absolute obliviousness of Flo, who thinks she’s doing such a great job! 

What can you tell us about the inspiration behind the character of Flo?

I drew on that sinking feeling you sometimes get as a parent when you need to get something done and your young child says “Can I help?” You feel as if you have to say yes, because they are being kind, and you know as a parent you should encourage that, but on the other hand the job will probably take 5 times longer and then you’ll probably have to redo it all anyway!

Also, when I was a little girl my family used to go on holiday to Devon every summer and we’d stay on the same farm. We didn’t have any pets at home, so I was really fond of all the animals there. The farmer really did have a lovely sheepdog called Flo, although I don’t remember her ever sowing any sheep.

Are there any plans for Flo to return with another chaotic farm adventure? What are you working on next? 

I do have another farm story up my sleeve, so hopefully Flo might return as I don’t want to leave her! I’m currently working on the sequel to Big Bad Wolf Investigates Fairy Tales, which is all about Greek Myths. Some of the monsters have got the hump and want Wolfy to help restore their reputations.

Finally, can you describe Oh No, Flo! in three words? 

Funny, warm, chaotic.