Amy Hest is the author of numerous books for young readers. Her latest is “The Reader.” The following is a complete transcript of her interview with Cracking the Cover.
Have you always wanted to be a writer?
Second grade. That’s when I made up my mind about my chosen career. Writer! Of course I kept that a great big secret (and wrote pretty much NOTHING) for the next 20 or so years!
Why do you write for young people?
I write for young people because I can actually remember BEING young. If you say 8 years old, for example, I can kind of see the whole picture . . . go back in time . . . to third grade . . . to Mrs. Hughes (my ANCIENT teacher) . . . to violin lessons . . . to my dog, Rusty . . . to the weekend visits from my grandparents . . . and so forth. The thing is, I LIKE going back to that time in my thoughts. And also in my writing.
Where do your ideas come from?
My ideas generally come from things that have happened to me. Little things. Not big, fabulous things . . . because those just haven’t happened . . . the kinds of things people call “adventures.” I like to write about everyday things. Walking your dog. Sledding. Reading to your dog. Hot chocolate on a cold winter day. Like that.
Where specifically did “The Reader” come from?
THE READER is really about ME (all my books are!) and my daughter’s dog, Billy. We spend a lot of time together and we both love a snowy day. While I haven’t exactly READ to him in the snow, I could certainly imagine doing so. It’s not altogether out of the question!
What are the challenges of writing a picture book?
The challenge of writing a picture book is the same as the challenge of writing ANYTHING at all, including a BLOG! You want to be clear. You want to be accessible. You want your words to resonate in some way. You want to tell your story. You want to tell it in the most beautiful way possible.
What were the highlights?
The highlights are all of the above! I love making every sentence count. Every word. I love working on a story until it’s PERFECT, and trust me, sometimes that takes years.
How long did you work on “The Reader”?
I think it took me UNDER a year to write THE READER. Whew!
Did the book turn out the way you thought it would?
The book turned out WAY MORE BEAUTIFUL than I imagined it could ever be. Thank you, Lauren Castillo!!!!
Why do you think young people enjoy your books?
I hope young people enjoy my books! I hope they like the stories, and the way I write the stories. I hope they relate to the characters, and identify with them in some way. I hope my stories lead kids to more stories and to a lifetime of READING and BOOKS!
Looking back, how has your work evolved?
My work, hopefully, gets stronger with each new book. Every single day I hope to be a better writer than I was the day before. That is absolutely true! It’s never easy, but I love, love, love writing books for children.
What are you working on now?
At the moment, I’m in between books. But that won’t last long. I hope to get up tomorrow morning and get going on something new. Something unexpected!
Is there a book from your childhood that still resonates with you today?
I remember finding MADELINE at the library when I was very, very young . . . what a treasure that is! Mostly I remember going TO the library with my mother. She was an avid reader and we spent a great deal of time looking for books together at the library!