Is Sunny's journey, making friends, finding her own missing pieces based on personal experience?
Jordan - Sunny’s journey is 100% based on personal experience. I found myself, as an adult, obsessing over completion. Constantly finishing projects and moving on without acknowledging what I’d done. I wanted to remind myself I don’t believe that that’s where real beauty is found.
Sunny feels nervous about going out into the neighbourhood, what piece of advice would you give a young person about making friends?
Jordan - The beginning bit of making friends can be difficult. A little awkward perhaps. But it’s always worth trying. I find honesty helps. If you find making friends hard then tell someone that. I bet they do too.
Beth - Be yourself! Everyone else is in exactly the same boat as you and sometimes can feel nervous, that’s ok. You have nothing to loose by putting yourself out there.
You have both dedicated the book to your Grandmothers, were they your inspiration?
Jordan - Yes. My Guyanese grandmother often read me poetry when I was little. It’s a lot of the reason I am a writer today. I wanted to pay homage to the light she carried.
This book is very inclusive, which we think is really important to show in picture books from a young age. Do you have any more picture books like this in the pipeline?
Jordan - We’ve got more picture books in the pipeline for sure. The inclusivity is a natural part of my/our lived experience. It’s not planned necessarily. The neighbours of Sunny’s gran were a reflection of my own neighbours growing up in London. I wanted to see those faces in the countryside.
You are known for being one half of Rizzle Kicks, why the move to children's books
Jordan - I love telling stories. And I’m not fixed on how I tell them. I read a children’s book to my friend’s daughter one day and it caught me. I’d had an idea in my head for a while. So I asked the internet if anybody could put me in touch with an agent. Rest is history.
Where do you even begin creating such beautiful illustrations? The colours are dazzling!
Beth - Thank you! I started by pulling out my favourite words from each page and sketching in the colours that make me feel, smell or taste what Jordan’s described. At this stage I’m not precious about the end result. It’s a really fun way to collect all of those feelings and for happy accidents to occur!
The illustration style and the story's message are perfectly matched. How did you come together to collaborate on this?
Jordan - A lot of it was done over zoom. And then back and forth whenever possible. From what I can gauge, I am more “hands on” than other kid’s book authors? It was really important to me that Beth and I got along and that Beth felt her own story in the book too. I love collaboration and get a kick out of seeing dreams merge.
Our young reader 'F' aged 3 also has some questions for you:
I get really annoyed when I lose a puzzle piece, what makes you annoyed?
Beth - I get annoyed when I lose stuff too! I always seem to lose pairs of socks!
Jordan - I often get annoyed at myself for forgetting things!! But I’m trying to get better at not doing that.
My favourite page is the one with the houses that look like teeth. Which is your favourite page?
Jordan - That’s a great page!! My favourite page is the one with the whole gang running with their shadows behind them.
Do you think Sunny would be my friend?
Jordan - Sunny would most certainly be your friend. You’d be part of the whole gang! There’ll be another search I’m sure. Life is full of adventure!
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