I am thrilled to welcome Alison McGauley to The Backstory today. Alison is here to share all about her debut picture book KENZIE'S LITTLE TREE (Orca Book Publishers) with illustrations by Emilie Leduc. Keep reading to learn what inspired this beautiful book and for your chance to win a manuscript critique from Alison.
AH: Welcome to The Backstory and thank you for joining us and sharing the inspiration behind KENZIE’S LITTLE TREE.
AM: Thanks for having me on the blog, Andrew! I enjoy reading your posts, and it’s an honor to be here.
AH: First off, please tell us a little bit about your story.
AM: KENZIE’S LITTLE TREE (Orca Book Publishers), illustrated by Emilie Leduc, is very close to my heart as it’s my debut picture book and is based on the experiences of my own family.
In the story, Kenzie and her family plant a fragile little tree in their yard one summer day, and she promises to keep it safe. When fall and winter weather flare, along with Mom’s chronic illness, Kenzie worries that her promise will be broken. Through lyrical text and detailed, expressive illustrations, KENZIE’S LITTLE TREE takes readers through changes in the natural world and in Mom’s health.
KENZIE’S LITTLE TREE reminds us that though the world is constantly changing, and oftentimes difficult, we can be bold and strong, just like the little tree. I hope that this book resonates not only with children who are affected by chronic illness, but all kids, as we all face changes and challenges.
AH: I love everything about this! Thank you for taking on this sensitive subject matter and framing it in a way that helps all kids understand.
AH: What’s the story behind the story? What was your inspiration? Where did the idea come from?
AM: KENZIE’S LITTLE TREE was largely inspired by my own children and the experiences that we’ve shared as a family navigating my dynamic disabilities.
My girls are growing up with a Mom who can't always participate in activities or eat particular foods, and must sometimes leave for tests, appointments or hospital visits. All of this inspired me to write KENZIE’S LITTLE TREE, as I wanted to write a story that would honor my daughters, be relatable to families who live with chronic illness, and be a window for all kids to view the reality of life with dynamic disability.
After returning home from a long hospital stay, my girls were quite anxious, thinking that I would need to leave again, and my husband and I learned about the importance of repeated conversations to help with processing thoughts and feelings. This was another huge reason for writing KENZIE’S LITTLE TREE, because I hoped that reading it would provide families with an opportunity to start conversations.
AH: You have succeeded on all fronts! KENZIE'S LITTLE TREE gives families a means to have those conversations and because it comes from a place so close to your heart it will no doubt resonate with all those who read it.
How did you approach going from this seed of an idea to what is now KENZIE’S LITTLE TREE? Was it something undeniable you had to write immediately or did you need to sit with this idea and let it grow for a while before it found its way to the page?
AM: The seed of an idea for KENZIE’S LITTLE TREE came to me early in my journey towards publication when I was thinking about real life experiences. Wanting to get to the heart of my children's reality, I interviewed them to gather some of their memories, thoughts, and feelings. At the time, I was taking my first picture book course at The Children’s Book Academy which was amazing for both learning craft and meeting wonderful people in the kidlit community. I reached out to the talented Mira Reisberg with my idea, as I was concerned that perhaps it would be too tough or heavy, and she was helpful in offering advice and comp titles.
After that, I played around with a few forms like a concept book, an epistolary fiction, and then finally settled on a character-driven narrative which felt like the best fit for the story I wanted to tell.
AH: I applaud you for pushing past your concerns about the topic being too heavy. Our kids live with and through all manner of experiences and deserve to see those situations reflected on the page which is exactly what you have done. I can just imagine the validation a child would get from picking up your book, after they have probably lived for years thinking they were the only one in this type of circumstance.
Did KENZIE’S LITTLE TREE undergo any major changes/revisions from the original version? If so, what led you to make these changes?
AM: Yes, I certainly made many changes to my original draft of KENZIE’S LITTLE TREE!
In a very early draft, Kenzie envied her friend Bella who, “...skis down icy hills, sleeps in tents, and races and chases with her Mommy.” As I continued to revise, I cut out Bella and focused on Kenzie’s family and the fun adventures they had together. I also leaned more heavily into the metaphor between the little tree and Mom to emphasize their strength and the changes that are ever-present for us all.
A later draft titled, THE DANDELION WISH, started off with Kenzie blowing dandelion seeds into the breeze and wishing for eternal summer as a metaphor for wanting her mom to stay healthy. I liked the concept, but it made for too many ideas for a picture book, so I removed that and focused solely on the little tree. From there, I polished my manuscript through critiques and revisions, and it was acquired by Orca Book Publishers in the summer of 2022.
AH: That is quite a journey this manuscript has been on. I love hearing what informed each of your major revisions and how you can track the evolution of this book to its' current form.
Are there any books/authors that you feel influenced your work?
AM: Kenzie’s story is one of change and acceptance, in a similar vein to Julie Flett’s BIRDSONG (2019), and Loretta Garbutt’s A STOPWATCH FROM GRAMPA (2020), as well as family fun and adventure, as in Oge Mora’s SATURDAY (2019).I was also inspired by the beauty and poignancy of Andrea Wang’s WATERCRESS (2021), another story about family and resilience.
AH: Where do you tend to find your inspiration or your sparks for ideas?
AM: I have two hilarious and creative daughters who provide me with a lot of material! As was the case with KENZIE’S LITTLE TREE, many of my ideas come from past and current experiences and also the natural world. We live across the street from ponds and trails where I’m inspired by the beauty of trees, and wildlife. I like to think through story problems and ideas while walking, driving, or humming tunes!
AH: Do you have any upcoming projects or news you would like to share with us?
AM: I’m currently working away on various manuscripts. A couple of them feature children with chronic illness, and I also have some that feature anthropomorphized characters that are a lot of fun and full of heart.
AH: Best of luck with these new manuscripts and I can't wait to see the deal announcements that they have sold!
Where can people connect more with you?
AM: I can be found on my website, https://www.alisonmcgauley.com/, on Instagram @alisonmcgauley and BlueSky @alisonmcgauley.bsky.social.
AH: Readers be sure to connect with Alison on social media so you don't miss any of her exciting publishing news. And while you are at it please consider supporting her books in any way you can.
This could include:
- ordering from your favorite indie
- marking as want to read on Goodreads
-leaving a review
- making a library request
Alison, thank you so much for sharing all about your KENZIE'S LITTLE TREE with us. I loved learning how it came to be.
GIVEAWAY!
Alison is happy to offer a non-rhyming picture book critique to one winner.
Ways to enter:
1. Comment on social media post about this blog post. Additional entry for tagging friends!
or
2. Leave a comment on this post. Leave a social media tag where I can contact you if you are selected as the winner.
or
3. Post about this interview on social media and tell me in the comments that you did.
Each method earns an extra entry!
ABOUT ALISON MCGAULEY
Alison McGauley is a special education teacher and the author of KENZIE’S LITTLE TREE (Orca Book Publishers), illustrated by Emilie Leduc. As a chronic illness warrior, Alison is passionate about writing stories that speak to children and caregivers who are impacted by illness or disability. She also loves creating books that feature humor, SEL, and the natural world. Alison resides in Ontario, Canada with her family.
ABOUT ANDREW HACKET
Andrew Hacket is a writer, second-grade teacher, and father of three. He is also the author of Ollie, the Acorn, and the Mighty Idea, Curlilocks and the Three Hares, and Hope and the Sea.
Andrew recognizes that being a kid is hard and he writes to create ways for kids to see themselves in stories and characters, to accept and overcome their insecurities, or to escape for just a little while through the power of their imaginations.
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