Mr. Pig Live. . . with Buddy!

Friends, you are in for a treat this morning. My special guest is none other than the star of Bob Shea's latest picture book, Don't Play With Your Food! a story about a monster who is hungry for some bunnies. 

But the bunnies have cupcakes in the oven.

The next day it is too hot to be eaten.

Then the club votes against eating Bunnies in favor of a trip to the carnival.

Before long, Buddy starts to think these Bunnies aren't food at all. He suspects some kind of trick. Actually, I don't really understand this story, but it's a Bob Shea book, so it must be very funny.

Now, without further ado, please give a warm Little Crooked Cottage welcome to...

BUDDY!

Let's begin. What is your full name?

Buddy.

What three words best describe you?

Big, hairy, big.

Personal question. . . do you have a belly button?

Yes. It is not full of belly. It is full of acorns and squirrels.

Besides the acorns and squirrels, what is the best thing about being you?

I have lots of friends, swimming, my orange stripes, nighttime, I saw a deer once, I can almost jump across the stream, sleeping is fun.

Er, ok. What is the worst thing about being you?

I am covered in ticks.

Hypothetical. . . if you were stranded on a desert island, what would you bring?

The woods, the big tall mountains, a couple of lakes, a really lot of trees, all the bunnies. Oh and a boat. That way I could get back to the big tall mountains, lakes, trees and bunnies at home.

When do you feel the happiest?

When I am with my friends the bunnies. Oh, and when I am yelling.

Would you rather be able to fly or be invisible?

Invisible. Then I could sneak up on trees an be all like, “RAHHHHH!” I’d like to see the looks on their faces when they jump!

Illustration from Don't Play With Your Food! (Disney-Hyperion). Copyright © 2014 Bob Shea

Do you identify more with Goldilocks or the three bears?

I’m like a cousin to the bears. A bigger hungrier cousin. A bigger, hungrier, more handsome cousin who is really smart. Maybe I am not in the story because I am on the island from before. Maybe I am on my boat with my trees and lakes. Maybe I am solving a mystery. All I know is the bears are really proud of me and talk about me all the time and always invite me over for barbecues but I am busy solving mysteries. I am welcome there anytime though. If I am passing through town maybe I stop by and bring them some exotic fruit from the from before island. Or a sea turtle. Don’t worry, it’s the kind of sea turtle that likes to live in the woods. So what was I saying? Goldilocks, I am like Goldilocks.

What is your special talent?

I can yell at almost anything.

If you could dine with three characters from other books, who would they be?

Nilson from NO FITS NILSON, because he has ice cream and is big, some penguins from BABY PENGUINS LOVE THEIR MAMA because they look tasty, I mean friendly and Bear from BEAR AND BEE. That guy knows where the honey is.

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

To have cool orange stripes! Oh, I guess I met a genie already. 

If you have a pocket, what is in it right now?
I don’t but I have a lot of cool things in my fur. Dirt, a family of crows, night crawlers, the ticks from before, some mushrooms, mud dawber wasps and some assorted camping equipment.

Do you have any siblings?
I have some older brothers. They are bigger and yellier than me.

What is your most embarrassing moment?
I like to imagine I am the three bears cousin and have all these adventures. I hope no one finds out.

It'll be our secret. What is your pet peeve?
I don’t have any pets so I will say hamster.

What was it like working with Bob Shea?
He’s okay. Kinda full of himself. Gets up before noon to prove a point. Thinks he’s too good to eat spaghetti with his hands. One time it was hot and he held the hose while I jumped through it. That was pretty nice. I guess he’s okay. Ugly though. No fur, just weird hair. Gross.

Don’t tell him I said that.

I won't. I promise to only say flattering things about him. Like this. . .

Bob Shea has written and illustrated over a dozen picture books including the popular Dinosaur vs. Bedtime, Unicorn Thinks He's Pretty Great, and the cult favorite Big Plans illustrated by Lane Smith.

Little Brown, Hyperion, HarperCollins, Random House, Simon and Schuster and Dial have all published his work. They are all still in business.

Bob got his start at Comedy Central where he make up stuff and they went along with it. It was great.

His characters and animations have appeared on Nick Jr, Playhouse Disney and PBS Kids.

Bob spends his days writing, drawing and having “conversations” with NPR.

He’s lucky. Check out more of his books here!

Now, Buddy. . . I hope you brought your monster appetite, because Nina from Mamabelly Lunches with Love has cooked us up a delicious (mostly bunny-free) lunch. Scroll down and take a peek!