Describe your new book.In our 11th Babymouse book, Dragonslayer, our intrepid heroine battles dragons, monsters, and her own fear of fractions. (When Babymouse flunks a math quiz, her teacher sends her to join the "mathlete" team in order to brush up her arithmetic skills.) Look for some of your favorite fantasy books to show up in Babymouse's daydreams, including a finale inspired by Christopher Paolini's Eragon!
What is your favorite literary first line?
"It was a dark and stormy night..." If it was good enough for Snoopy (and Edward Bulwer-Lytton), it's good enough for us!
If you could choose any story to live in, which story would it be? Why?
Dr. Seuss's Sleep Book. We don't get enough sleep, and everything in there has always looked so comfy...
Name the best Simpsons episode of all time, and explain why it's the best.
Matt: The two-part episode, "Who Shot Mr. Burns?" I just love Dr. Colossus.
Sideshow Mel: Officers, you have arrested an innocent man!Chief Wiggum: Really? Aww, jeez... (opens Dr. Colossus's cell) Okay, Colossus, you're free to go. But stay away from Death Mountain.
Dr. Colossus: But all my stuff is there! (walks away)
What's your clean, kid-friendly curse word substitute of choice? (darn? etc.)
Rats!
When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Matt: A cartoonist, actually. (Or a soccer player. Or a magician.)
Jenni: "Arkealagest" is what I wrote in "My Book About Me" (translation: archeologist).
Why do you write books for kids?
We're working out all of our childhood demons. Plus, they say, "Write what you know." We now know what it was like to be a kid. Maybe once we know what it was like to be an adult, we'll write a grown-up book. Check back in 30 years.
If you could have lunch with a person of your choosing — living or dead, fictitious or real — who would it be?
Bilbo Baggins from The Hobbit. We hear he puts out a nice spread.