Mr. Pig LIVE... with Splatypus + a Literary Lunch!

Hello, friends! It's time for an all-new episode of MR. PIG LIVE! I'm your lovable and dapper host: MR. PIG.

Today, we have a very special guest joining us. Please give a warm welcome to the semi-aquatic star of Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen's new picture book...

SPLATYPUS!
<<applause>>

Welcome, to the Cottage. Let's get started. What is your full name? 

I’m easy. Just “Splatypus.”

What one word best describes you?
SPLAT.

Do you have a belly button?
I’m a mammal, so I should. But because I was egg-raised, I don’t actually have a belly button.

What is the best thing about being you?
That I’m willing to try new things, even if I land on my behind.

What is the worst thing about being you?
Bruises.

If you were stranded on a desert island, what would you bring?
A satellite phone.

What is your idea of the perfect day?
It might start in any number of ways – running, jumping, or flying, for example. But it would end in the water, swimming and splashing with whomever is around and wants to enjoy life.

If you could have any superpower, what would it be?
I can already sense electrical impulses and I have poison spurs, so I’m ahead of the game with respect to superpowers. But if I could have another, it would definitely be the ability to fly.

What are you reading right now?
Advance copies of PURRMAIDS chapter books.

What is your favorite word?
Semi-aquatic.

What is you least favorite word?
SPLAT.

Share one thing that most of our readers don’t know about you.
I’m a classically trained ballerina.
No, really.

If you could dine with three characters from other books, who would they be?
The first two would be Tyrannosaurus from Tyrannosaurus Wrecks and Moose from Duck Duck Moose. I like a kindred spirit. The last slot would go to Jon Snow from Game of Thrones, because I need to know how it ends!

If a genie gave you one wish, what would you wish for?
Opposable thumbs.

If you have a pocket, what is in it right now? 
I have a duck bill, a beaver tail, some otter feet, and waterproof fur. But, alas, I have no pockets.

What did you eat for breakfast this morning?
Shrimp-and-larvae pancakes and trout egg pancakes. You would have loved it.

What is your most embarrassing moment?
I think it was when I got the bright idea that I could fly with fruit bats…

Ouch. What is your pet peeve?
Messy people.

What was it like working with Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen? 
She’s just as clumsy as I am, so that was great. But she doesn’t have a tail, which is a little bit of a problem. The tiebreaker is that she will happily watch animal YouTube videos for hours, looking for new adventures for me. So overall, it was a great experience.

I know what you mean. My roommates don't have tails either. Sometimes it's awkward. But we manage. Anyhoo, I hope you're hungry. Nina from Mamabelly's Lunches with Love has made a special Literary Lunch in your honor. It's no shrimp and larvae pancake, but I'm certain you will find it just as tasty! 

(Scroll down for a peek at Nina's bookish bento creation.) 

Follow me to the kitchen while we roll the credits...

Splatypus 
by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen
illustrated by Jackie Urbanovic
(Two Lions 2017)

Lonely Platypus wants to play, but where should he go? Should he jump with the kangaroos? Leap with the possums? Fly with the bats? Every time he tries to find out—skipping, hopping, dipping, dropping—he winds up going splat instead. Can a SPLATypus find a place where he belongs? This rhyming, rollicking story is perfect for reading aloud.

"An amusing tale, ready for reading aloud, of finding “the perfect place. " —Kirkus

Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen is an award-winning author whose books include Duck, Duck, Moose!, Chicks Run Wild, Tyrannosaurus Wrecks!, Orangutangled, the Merida chapter book series, and more than forty other titles. Her books have been named to the Junior Library Guild, the CBC Children’s Choices finalist list, the California Readers Collections, the Bank Street Best Children’s Books of the Year list, and the Amelia Bloomer list. She lives in New Jersey. Learn more about her at www.sudipta.com.

*****************

A LITERARY LUNCH for SPLATYPUS!

Meet SPLATypus! All he wants to do is play but somehow he does not seem to fit in anywhere. This adorable new book by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen and Jackie Urbanovic follows this little lonely platypus trying to play with someone. Come find out who his new friend will be!

Nina from Mamabelly.com packed a lunch to fit:

• blue water jello to splash in
• a cheese stick friend to play with
• sandy beach cereal
• and of course a SPLATypus sandwich

Nina | Mamabelly's Lunches with Love web: www.mamabelly.com facebook: www.facebook.com/MamabellysLunchesWithLove twitter: @LunchesWithLove

Mr. Pig Live. . .with MOOSE!

Welcome back, folks, to my Pixie-award-winning talk show 

MR. PIG LIVE!

What, you didn't watch the Pixie awards last night? You didn't see me walk the flying carpet?! I was great! The Fairy Godmother designed my tuxedo. Ah, well, you'll just have to watch the recap on E-News Daily.

Allow me to introduce today's guest. . .

MOOSE!

Moose is the star of the newly released picture book, DUCK, DUCK, MOOSE! by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen, illustrated by Noah Z. Jones.

What is your full name? 

Moose. That’s M-O-O-S-E. Sometimes folks forget the second O.

Two O's in Moose. Got it. What three words best describe you?
Big-hearted, awkward, loveable. If I could have a fourth word, it would be gawky. But that’s mainly because I like saying, “GAWKY, GAWKY, GAWKY.” (Go ahead, you try it – isn’t it fun??)

It is fun, not as fun as 'portly' but I like it. Ok. Personal question: Do you have a belly button? Go!
Ummm, I don’t know. I’ve never checked. (And the internet is ambiguous on this point.)

What is the best thing about being you?
That I have the best family in the world, who love me no matter what, and don’t give a quack about my gawkiness.

What is the worst thing about being you?
It’s hard to be graceful with antlers this big.

If you were stranded on a desert island, what would you bring?
Duck and Duck, of course. But if I couldn’t bring them, I’d bring:
--An ice machine
--A manual on making sushi
--One of those solar chargers for my cell phone
--My cell phone
--Several of Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen’s books
--Chocolate (preferably, chocolate mousse)
--My toothbrush
--My blankie

When do you feel the happiest?
When I’m with Duck and Duck…and they are not too mad at me. Or they have just forgiven me. Or they haven’t caught me yet.

Would you rather be able to fly or be invisible? 
Be invisible, of course. Do you know how much trouble I could get out of if I could just turn myself invisible?

Do you identify more with Goldilocks or the three bears?
I’m definitely a show-up-where-I’m-not-expected-and-kind-of-make-a-mess-of-things Goldilocks type of guy.

What is your most embarrassing moment?
Page 18 and 19.

What is your pet peeve?
Neat freaks. Come on, guys, life is too short to spend that much of it cleaning!

What was it like working with Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen?
She’s a little bit of a diva, but she’s also kind of awesome. And she let me get into all sorts of fun trouble, which is really cool. 

I'm a bit of a diva myself, so I can relate. Well, thank you, Moose, that's all the time we have for today. 

And now. . . here's a bit more about the author and illustrator of your fabulous new book!

Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen is an award-winning children's book author whose books include Duck, Duck, Moose! Chicks Run Wild, Pirate Princess, Hampire!, and the forthcoming Orangutangled. She visits schools around the country to talk about the craft of writing to children of all ages. "Every book is an autobiography" is a favorite saying of hers, and a big part of her message is that everyone, grownup or child, has a story that is interesting and compelling—if you can find the right words to tell it. Sudipta lives outside Philadelphia with her children and an imaginary pony named Penny. You can learn more about her and her books on her website www.sudipta.com or at her blog www.NerdyChicksRule.com.

Kirkus Reviews said this about Duck, Duck, Moose!: "Emerging readers will easily join in the fun... kids will love seeing how the traditional children’s game gets a funny new setting with 'moose' taking the place of 'goose.' ... Fun, fun, fun!"

Noah Z. Jones is the illustrator of the picture books Duck, Duck, Moose, Stuff and many other fabulous books for young readers. In addition to illustrating children's books, he is also the creator of Disney's Fish Hooks along with Almost Naked Animals which airs on Cartoon Network. See more of his work at www.noahzjones.com

Moose, are you hungry? (I bet you are, look at the size of you!)

Our friend Nina from Mamabelly Lunches with Love has whipped up something very special! Scroll down for a Moose-themed bento Literary Lunch!

Literary Lunch: Duck, Duck, Moose!

The creative and talented Nina from Mamabelly Lunches with Love made this marvelous moose-themed Literary Lunch for today's guest!

Nina's moose bento includes:
--a peanut butter Moose sandwich with blueberry eyes and mini chocolate chip nostrils
--a few organic cheese snacks
--blueberries
--strawberries
--almonds

This lunch was created by Mamabelly Lunches with Love just for Moose, the star of Duck, Duck, Moose! by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen, illustrated by Noah Z. Jones.

Enjoy!

And visit Nina's website, Mamabelly Lunches with Love to see MORE of her fabulous bento lunches!