MR PIG LIVE!
Today, we have a positively delicious little guest. He's the star of Laura Murray's two action-packed picture books: The Gingerbread Man Loose in The School and The Gingerbread Man Loose on The Fire Truck.
Let's take a look at a clip, shall we?
Delightful! Please give a warm-oven welcome to. . . The Gingerbread Man!
(Applause)
(Applause)
Q. Do you go by your full-name,"The Gingerbread Man," or is there a nickname you prefer?
A. Sometimes kids call me “Gingy.”
A. Sometimes kids call me “Gingy.”
Q. Gingy, what three words best describe you?
A. Sweet, Determined, Dapper.
Q. Dapper, indeed! Do you mind if I ask you a personal question . . . do you have a belly button?
A. Not at all. I have 3 buttons altogether - 1 belly button and 2 red buttons.
Q. What is the best thing about being you?
A. I’m one smart cookie!
Q. What is the worst thing about being you?
A. I worry about being accidentally eaten.
Q. Oh, dear. That would be worrisome. If you were stranded on a desert island, what would you bring?
A. Sun block lotion – so I won’t get “burnt.” Cookies have to watch out for that.
Q. Pigs, too. We pink right up. When do you feel the happiest?
A. When I’m with my class – the kids who made me.
Q. Would you rather be able to fly or be invisible?
A. Invisible – then I would’ve been able to sneak away from that crumb-snatching Dalmatian at the fire station, in my second story.
Q. What is your favorite sound?
A. The school bell each morning.
Q. What is your special talent?
A. I’m a tough cookie – so I guess my talent would be that I don’t give up easily.
Q. If you could dine with three characters from other books, who would they be?
A. I can tell you who I wouldn’t want to dine with – Hansel, Gretel, or the Witch. Hansel and Gretel were way too interested in eating the Witch’s Gingerbread House, and the Witch was just bad news!
Q. Oh, yes. Trouble with a capital T. I can attest to that. If you have a pocket, what is in it right now?
A. A map and a compass, so I don’t get lost any more.
Q. Do you have any siblings?
A. Not yet, but maybe my class will make me a brother or sister. . .
Q. What was your most embarrassing moment?
A. When I jumped on a table in the school art room, but landed in the art teacher’s lunch bag instead! When I saw him peek in the bag, I thought I was a goner. Or when I tried to spray the fire hose on the fire truck, and ended up taking a ride on it instead – the water came out so fast, it shot the hose up in the air!
A. When I jumped on a table in the school art room, but landed in the art teacher’s lunch bag instead! When I saw him peek in the bag, I thought I was a goner. Or when I tried to spray the fire hose on the fire truck, and ended up taking a ride on it instead – the water came out so fast, it shot the hose up in the air!
Q. That does sound awkward. What was it like working with Laura Murray?
A. She was a very good listener as I told her my stories, and she worked hard to write the stories in rhythm and rhyme, and using my little refrain. She likes to go to schools and share my stories with the kids there, and I love to hear what parts they liked best, or where they think I should go next!
Q. Care to give our viewers the exclusive on where you're headed?
A. They'll just have to read and find out. . .
We look forward to it! That's all the time we have for today. Thank you!
Tune in next time when I interview TWO exciting mystery guests. Hint: They adore tea and cookies. (Not to worry, Gingy. . . they're chocolate chip.)
About the Books
Published by Penguin/GP Putnam's Sons
* Junior Library Guild Selection
* A Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Book
* Starred ALA Booklist Review
* Finalist for the SCBWI Crystal Kite Award
* 2012 Scholastic Book Club Selection
* 2012-2013 Washington State, Kentucky, and Mississippi Children's Choice Book Award Nominee
* 2013 Florida Children's Choice Award Honor Selection
* 2013-2014 Virginia, Illinois, and Nevada Reader's Choice Award Nominee
The Gingerbread Man Loose on The Firetruck
This smart cookie is back in a new adventure! On a field trip to the fire station, the Gingerbread Man falls out of a classmate's backpack and is discovered by a hungry, crumb-snatching Dalmatian. His escape route takes him up the fire pole through the station, and aboard the fire truck. But when the firefighters get a call, can you guess who races to the fire along with them?
About the Author
Before becoming a children’s author, Laura Murray was an Elementary teacher, specializing in Early Childhood. At the beginning of each school year, a freshly baked Gingerbread Man managed to escape from her class. She says, “We hung missing posters and searched the halls, discovering crumbs and dropped candies, as we asked school staff members where he might be. But somehow, he always found his way back to our classroom on his own – one smart cookie! Still I couldn’t help but wonder what adventures he’d had while he was out and about.”
When Laura’s not writing, she loves to return to schools with fun, interactive school presentations. She also enjoys talking and presenting with colleagues at state, regional, and national conferences of teachers and librarians. Laura lives, explores, and has loads of fun with her family in northern Virginia.
Learn more about her books and school visits at www.lauramurraybooks.com.
About the Illustrator
Mike Lowery is an artist living in Atlanta, Georgia with a beautiful German lady named Katrin and his incredibly genius daughter, Allister. Mike's work has been seen on everything from greetings cards to children's books to gallery walls all over the world, and he is a Professor of Illustration at the Savannah College of Art and Design Atlanta. He lives in an atomic ranch house, surrounded by trees where he likes to draw little animals in party hats and other silly stuff. To see more of Mike's work, visit www.argyleacademy.com.
About the Illustrator
Adorable, fun interview!
ReplyDeleteI hope you do get a sibling, or a pet!