The llamas are coming!

The llamas are coming! The llamas are coming!

Celebrated children’s author and illustrator Anna Dewdney, whose Llama Llama series has reached No. 1 on the New York Times bestsellers list, will present the latest book in that series, Llama Llama Home with Mama, at Story Time at Books & Books, on Wednesday, 28 September.

In Llama Llama Home with Mama, according to information provided in a press release, Llama Llama’s nose is feeling tickly, his throat is feeling scratchy, and his head is feeling stuffy. Back to bed, no school today for Llama Llama! Instead, he’s home with Mama. By lunchtime, though, he’s beginning to feel a tiny bit better. But now someone else has the sneezes…Mama. And who will help her feel better? Why, Llama Llama, of course!

Dewdney’s fun-to-read rhymes are favourites with children and parents alike, and the author – the mother of two daughters – says that the most important thing to know about her is that she’s a mom.

Weekender caught up with Dewdney, who lives in Vermont, to ask her about her clever books and her upcoming trip to Cayman.

We were wondering what she would say to young children who are interested in writing and/or illustrating books and what is the best way to encourage children in art/drawing after a very young age?

“Writing and making pictures is fun!” she emphasises. “Keep doing it, and don’t worry about doing it ‘the right way’ or just like someone else. If you like what you are doing, then it is worth doing. You have a special voice!”

First ‘real’ trip to Cayman

Dewdney says she was only in Cayman once before, and then only for 24 hours. “I was very sick, so I only saw the inside of my hotel room. I can’t wait to get outside this time!

“I don’t actually spend that much time travelling…maybe a month or two of every year. The rest of the time, I get to sit around at home in my jammies, making pictures. I love to meet kids, though…that is what makes the plane delays worth it!”

On her website, Dewdney says, “Mostly, I spend my time at home, sketching, writing, and painting. I spend at least an hour a day in the woods, running and walking with my [“two scruffy”] dogs, and I love to putter around outside, planning gardens and cutting down trees.

“It’s a pretty good life, and it took me a long time to get here.”

She worked many odd jobs, including as a waitress, furniture salesperson, daycare provider, teacher (“I also drove the school bus”), mail carrier (“that was probably my favourite ‘real’ job”), but through it all, she says on her website, she drew pictures, sometimes for money, and wrote, “although no one bought my stories until a few years ago.”

On the horizon

“I have four little Llama Llama board books coming out this year, and those were really fun to do,” says Dewdney, “and there is a Llama Llama book about sharing that I am working on, and very proud of. There is a Daddy book in the works, too!”

story time tour

Story Time Tour is every Wednesday at 10.30am at Books & Books in Camana Bay. Anna Dewdney will be reading from her most recent Llama Llama book on 28 September.

Books & Books also offers Story & Craft Time every Saturday at 10.30am for children and their parents.