Today’s picture book could be described as allegory or fable, but I like to think of it as magical realism with a character who knows exactly who she is.  And she breathes fire!

Carrie Kruck was born and raised in Canada, studied and worked as a psychologist in Australia, and now lives in a cozy house at the edge of the woods in New England. Her home is filled with laughter and love and a lot of Lego, and has a room with built-in bookshelves that she calls “the library,” so she has pretty much everything she needs! You can learn more about Carrie at her website or follow her on Instagram or Twitter.

IGGY WHO BREATHES FIRE is a picture book about an incredible little girl.  Just as the title says, she breathes fire.  She has no problem with it, but her parents do.  They bring in experts to examine her and try to figure out how to solve the “problem.”  But Iggy knows better.  She never wavers in her self-confidence, but she does learn to harness her abilities so she can use them better.  This is a picture book that is completely unexpected in so many ways.  Some made me laugh and others made me marvel. I wish I could’ve been this self-assured when I was younger (and don’t we want that for all children?).  The illustrations by Erika Meza bring the perfect tone to the text.  They somehow feel “classic” despite the modern color palette and the lovely use of textures.

Welcome Carrie!

Me: Can you tell us a little bit about your writing journey?  How has that brought you to writing this picture book?

Carrie: I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember, but I didn’t start writing for children until about 2015, when my kids were very small and I fell in love with, not only the books we were reading together, but the experience of reading together. I loved exploring the art through their eyes, hearing about what they wondered and noticed, and the way that reading these books again and again and again (as you do with small kids) uncovered new details, new jokes, new insights each time. Or how a well-loved book could bring comfort and calm, like a security blanket or a deep breath.

I developed a real appreciation for this often-overlooked art form. It was almost like re-discovering a secret kingdom, a world so rich and deep and full of imagination and possibility, which so many of us lose the map to as we get older. But I think the very best picture books are written intentionally for children, yet also speak to a longing or a fear or a hope inside all of us. I hope that readers sense all of that in Iggy!

Me: I absolutely adore Iggy!  She’s so sure of herself.  And breathing fire is such an odd character quirk!  What gave you the idea for this story?

Carrie: The very first draft of this book came from an idea-generating activity that involves putting a twist on a well-known trope. I was playing around with the idea of fire-breathing dragons (bubble-breathing dragons? fire-breathing kittens?) when I hit on the idea of a fire-breathing kid. I was really intrigued by the idea, but it took a long time until I figured out where I wanted to go with that.

Originally, I saw fire-breathing as a problem that needed to be solved. But one day I woke up with a jolt and asked myself (in horror) – was I really solving a problem, or was I extinguishing a little girl’s fire?? That changed everything. The story became all about that journey – seeing Iggy’s fire for what it was and what it could be. It became more about embracing her fire and letting this young sparkplug of a character really shine!

Me: Oh my gosh.  I love that!  And I adore stories with magical realism.  I’m not sure I’ve seen a lot of picture books with that though.  Why give Iggy fire specifically?  Not water or some other natural element that might not be seen as quite so “destructive”?

Carrie: I adore magical realism too! I’ve always looked at the world through a lens of magic and possibility. When I was a kid, my bedroom wallpaper was covered with fairies, and I dreamed so often that one day they’d fly out of the wallpaper and into my room (check out Thao Lam’s delightful Wallpaper for a magic-in-the-real-world picture book about that very thing!) I was always looking for a secret door or hidden message. But “magic” has a very broad meaning to me, encompassing any kind of wonder and awe. Science, nature, the best of humanity…I can’t go anywhere without crouching down or breathlessly exclaiming or stopping in my tracks over some small and wonderous detail or moment. “I am in love with the world,” as Maurice Sendak once said. To me, finding “magic” in the everyday is how I experience that love.

As for fire…I’ve done some school visits with Iggy, during which I ask if anyone has ever breathed actual real-life fire out of their own bellies. Because children are delightful, there’s always a hand or two that goes up from kids eager to tell me about that time they ate ghost pepper hot sauce, but of course most of them shake their heads. Then I ask if anyone has ever felt like they had a fire burning inside of them, and every hand goes up. (Teachers too!) There’s a reason we have so many sayings like “fired up” and “steam coming out your ears” and “sparks flying” and “fire in the belly” – it’s a deeply relatable human experience. And often it feels scary, or dangerous, like it might destroy us if we express it, but will consume us if we don’t. While writing this book, I thought a lot about what “fire” can mean for each of us, and about all the ways we demand that children, and especially little girls, contain or suppress or subdue their inner fire. I thought about all the times growing up when I felt like I would absolutely self-combust from holding in all the things I wanted to say or do. I think we’ve all experienced that fire, whether from anger or excitement or love or the pain of hiding who we truly are.

Fire can certainly be destructive, but it’s also life sustaining. I think there’s a very profound parallel between learning how to harness and use real fire with care and intention and learning how to nurture and express the spark burning within us.

Me: Yes!  So, playing devil’s advocate here, we all know that children shouldn’t play with fire.  I laughed at some of the lines and shenanigans all throughout this story.  It’s delightful!  BUT did you receive any push back from critique partners, editors, etc about the fire?  Was there any thought about fire safety tips in back matter?

Carrie: I think it’s a fascinating question Jena, because although this story has been through more critiques and submissions than anything else I’ve ever written, I have not received any pushback on the fire. I think the easiest answer is because of the magical element in the story – the fire is coming from inside Iggy, and of course, real life kids can’t actually breathe fire, no matter how much they try (or how much ghost pepper hot sauce they eat!). And kids know that. Not only that, but children understand metaphor so much more than we give them credit for. When you think about it, almost all play is a form of metaphor and representation. It’s so effortless for kids to understand that one object can represent another – half a sandwich becomes a truck to drive around their highchair, or a stack of blocks becomes a building to knock down. I remember reading IGGY to my then-4-year-old, wondering what he would think, and without any prompting he nodded sagely and said: “the fire is her feelings.” So I really believe that, even if they can’t articulate it, kids have a deep capacity to understand symbolism and know that Iggy’s fire is something different.

But beyond that, one of the best things about picture books is that we can tackle really difficult conversations and concepts in them because picture books are read with kids, and adults can choose what conversations to have about what they’re reading together. Iggy learns how to control and harness her power, so the book provides a great opening for conversations about how to use strong emotions or traits or power or even actual fire in a practiced and responsible way. 

Me: I love how confident Iggy is about her abilities and refuses to be squashed.  Not by her well-meaning parents, not by some know-it-all professor, not by anyone.  Why was it important to share her story with young readers?

Carrie: I think the most important reason to share a story is because of story itself – whatever your story is, it’s important, because story is what makes us human. I wanted to give kids an exciting, delightful character that makes them laugh and dream and imagine. But I also wanted to speak to that part of every reader who knows what it’s like to feel misunderstood, or unheard, or squeezed into a little box. Anyone who’s felt a part of themselves extinguished. I want them to know that I see their fire, and I think it’s wonderful.

Me: The illustrations by Erika Meza are perfect!  I love the textures and colors, and the illustrations feels like a classic story from the 1950s!  Were there any illustration surprises for you?  Any favorites?

Carrie: The color palette that Erika chose is extraordinary – Iggy’s world just leaps off the page! And I really love the way she used color and shapes, especially triangles, to lead us through the story and communicate things about power and strength and movement. That she gave it a 1950s feel is so interesting – we didn’t talk about how my initial inspiration was to do a twist on a classic idea, but that’s exactly what she did with her illustrations!

The biggest surprise was how familiar Iggy felt to me when I first saw Erika’s character sketch. Even though I hadn’t clearly pictured her in my head before, my first thought was “I know her!” It was like Erika and I had both met the same little girl, and we were working together to tell her story. But beyond that, the book is sprinkled with hints and surprises. Check out all the books that Erika created for the library, notice the details on the dedication page, and be sure to look out for the popcorn! 

Me: Ha!  I definitely loved those details.  They just add so much to the story and the character.  Any advice for other aspiring picture book writers? 

Carrie: Find something you love about every stage of the journey. The writing life can be so difficult, and it never really gets easier – the challenges just change. The only way to survive it is to love it. To focus on what fills your heart and drives you to tell stories. And never stop celebrating – every draft, every submission, every word you write in spite of the criticisms and rejections and the silences are all proof of the fire that burns inside you that you have refused to let the world extinguish!

Whoo hoo!  I totally agree.  Thank you for that wonderful advice and for stopping by my blog today Carrie.

But wait, dear readers, there’s more!  Carrie has agree to giveaway one copy of her book to a US or Canadian resident.  You can enter the rafflecopter here.  Good luck!