Picture book author Frances Tosdevin joins us today to talk about her hilarious, chaotic and wonderful new book DO NOT SAY THESE WORDS, which is illustrated by Rhian Wright!
Read time: 6 minutes
Before we settle down in The Reading Realm, what’s your drink and snack of choice? Would you like any music playing in the background?
I’m very boring, as my drink of choice is always going to be a nice cup of tea (milk, no sugar). My current must-have snack is a Snicker bar— they are too delicious and I buy them on repeat! Also, I love chocolate biscuits, and for a mega treat, a florentine. As for music, can we have Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Fart? It’ll help set the serious tone…
Without giving too much away, what can you tell us about your new picture book Do Not Say These Words?
This is a very silly book narrated directly (and totally deadpan) to the reader, by an eccentric professor, who is trying to rid the world of giggle gas—which she has discovered is bad for the planet. Giggle gas is produced by children giggling. And the cause of their giggling is rude words! Therefore, from now on, all rude words are banned and replaced with something totally unfunny… at least, that’s the scientific plan…
This book feels like quite a departure for you from your usual style of writing! The Bear and Her Book and Grandad’s Star are very gentle, moving, lyrical stories but this one is full of fun, silliness and chaos! What inspired it and what’s it been like writing something different?
It was inspired by my elder grandson who, by the age of four became consumed with uncontrollable giggle-fits at the mention— or even sometimes just the mere thought — of a rude word, such as fart. We just had to leave him until the giggles had all fizzed their way out. So I decided to write a story that tapped into, and ran with, that unstoppable laughter that children develop at a certain age for words that describe bodily noises and mechanics. The same transformation also occurred in my younger grandson at about the same age, and now, it’s evident in my four-year-old grandaughter, as well!
It’s actually been brilliant fun writing something so different to my other books! I’d always wanted to write a funny picture book, and so I hope this won’t be the last! I think it’s always easier to write a funny text if you can get into character.
What’s it been like working with Rhian Wright? Do you have a favourite illustration from the book?
I’ve really enjoyed working with Rhian, and have been forever amazed at the brilliant shenanigans going on inside her creative brain! She has brought so much colour and character to the story. I had deliberately kept the text very free of illustration notes, so to witness the Professor gradually come to life — with the addition of two of the most amazing sidekicks I’ve ever see outside of The Muppets— was so wonderfully exciting. Her word-changing machine is a thing of joy to behold, and there are so many hilarious details in the illustrations for children and their grown-ups to spot.
Gosh, it’s so hard to choose a favourite illustration— but one I keep peeking at is the very last one in the book. It’s a wordless one right at the end immediately after everything goes bang. The look on the Professor’s face as she sets to work with a bucket and sponge to clean down the walls, and her dishevelled (and now even quirkier) appearance, is comedy genius.
This book is all about words and the power they have to make us giggle and laugh. Is there a word that:
Makes you laugh out loud whenever you hear it?
Gosh, that’s a great question, and also quite a hard one to answer! I really love the word “discombobulate” but I’m not sure it makes me laugh out loud…although it does make me smile, as it has quite a funny sound to it — just imagine Mr Bean saying it!
I definitely think the word “buttock” is funny, especially if you say it “but-tock” which I think I must have seen someone do in a comedy tv programme in the long-distant past!
Makes you squirm and shudder?
Not one word, exactly— but can I have two? If so, I hate “couldn’t of” when people actually mean “couldn’t have”. It seems to have slipped into common usuage and it definitely makes me squirm and shudder!
That you always pronounce or spell incorrectly?
Things with two lots of double consonants! Like “commission” . And don’t get me started on “Mississippi”!
Always seems to make its way into your writing?
Too many conjunctions! They have to be weeded out and removed. But editors are very good at that!
I was wondering if the very sensible scientists in this book might have any other bizarre inventions? Will they return for another botched experiment?
Ooh, I LOVE that idea— hold that thought! It’s not something I’ve considered before, but now you’ve popped the idea into my head, who knows?!
Can you give us any clues or sneak peeks into what you’re working on at the moment and what we can expect from you next?
I always like to work on several things at once, as that way I never get bored! Also, if I need to put something away to let it sit, I’ll still have plenty of other stuff to be going on with. I’m currently working on a picture book that I started last year, but then put on the back burner. I’m also writing something purely for fun, just for me, which I’m enjoying a lot. I wasn’t meant to be writing it, but then this little character appeared and I couldn’t ignore her, so she sort of queue-jumped in front of my other books! There are also some other picture books which need my attention and which I can’t wait to get stuck into (or re-stuck into)!
In terms of picture books that have already been acquired, there are currently two more in the publishing pipeline.
Finally, can you describe Do Not Say These Words in three words?
Cheeky, frivolous, funny
