A very silly little book, created for a very special new arrival.
There is a new book beginning to take shape on my drawing table—and this one is especially close to my heart.
Roo’s Little Book of Nonsense Rhymes is inspired by the funny little names I call Roo. Like many much-loved pets, she very rarely answers only to her proper name. Over the years, she has collected an increasingly ridiculous assortment of nicknames, usually invented on the spot and often based on whatever she happens to be doing at the time.
What pet owner doesn’t do this?
Somehow, those silly names began turning into rhymes. Before long, I had the beginnings of a playful new picture book filled with cuddles, sausages, bubbles, cheesy toes and plenty of other nonsense—all starring Roo, of course.
The book is intended for very young children, so the rhymes are short, lively and fun to say aloud. I want it to be the sort of book that encourages children to join in, anticipate favourite words and laugh at Roo’s increasingly silly adventures.
A book for someone special
There is another, much more important reason for creating this particular book.
My great-niece is due to be born in October, and I wanted to make something especially for her. Her soon-to-be-big-sister, Olivia, has Bedtime for Roo dedicated to her, so it felt only right that this new little member of our family should have a Roo book of her own.
She may be far too tiny to appreciate it at first, but I love the thought of the book being read to her as she grows—and perhaps one day understanding that it was being written and illustrated while we were all waiting to meet her.
That makes every page feel just a little more special.
Bringing the nonsense to life
At the moment, I am busy working on the illustrations. Each rhyme gives me the chance to show a different side of Roo: sleepy, scruffy, angelic, mischievous—or completely overcome by the prospect of food.
The illustration accompanying this post belongs to one of the sausage-themed rhymes. Roo is sitting very proudly with one sausage in her mouth and several more draped around her neck. It is thoroughly undignified, completely ridiculous and therefore rather appropriate.
Although the idea is exaggerated for comic effect, it captures something very recognisable about the real Roo. Food is taken extremely seriously in our house, particularly if there is even the slightest possibility of a sausage being involved.
One of the pleasures of illustrating this book is finding the right expression for each scene. Roo still needs to look like Roo, but every picture also has to communicate the joke instantly to a young child. A tilt of the head, a hopeful look or an especially satisfied smile can tell as much of the story as the words.
I am using a loose ink-and-watercolour style, with minimal backgrounds so that Roo and the joke remain the focus of each page. The simplicity is deceptive: sometimes the silliest-looking pictures take the most thought.
A little book filled with love
This may be a book of nonsense, but beneath all the silliness is something very real. The ridiculous pet names we invent are often just another way of saying, “You are loved.”
That is really what this book is about: the affectionate language families create, the joy animals bring into our lives and the wonderful nonsense that comes from loving somebody completely.
I still have plenty of illustrating to do before October, along with all the decisions about layouts, lettering and which of Roo’s many nicknames will make the final cut.
For now, though, Roo appears delighted with the project—particularly the sausage research.