A Munsch Moment

Family Literacy Day: January 27th

As Honorary Chair of ABC CANADA Family Literacy Day™, Robert Munsch recently updated his "A Minute with Munsch" with fun new questions and answers, including his current favourite recipe.

Robert Munsch is the author of 47 children's books, including the Paper Bag Princess, Thomas' Snowsuit and Love You Forever, which has sold over 18 million copies in North America. Munsch's latest book, I'm So Embarrassed, was recently published by Scholastic Canada Ltd. Also available are several anthologies of Munsch magic and a CD, Love You Forever: The Best of Robert Munsch, which includes several Munsch favourites, read by Bob himself.

What inspires you to write your books?

A: I get my inspiration from kids, looking at them, seeing what they do and hearing the funny things they say. Most books I have written have been inspired by one particular child and its experience. For example, Dirty Socks is about Tina Fabian from the Hay River Dene Reserve in the North West Territories and my book for Spring 2005, Sandcastle Contest, was inspired by Matthew Luttman who lives on my street. Because it takes me a long time to get the story into the shape I want it, these kids are often grown-up before their story gets made into a book.

Q: Of all the books your have written - which is your favourite one?

A: That's hard to say. I really like a couple. Love You Forever is one of my favourites because I wrote it after my wife and I had two stillborn babies and it's like a memorial to them. I also really like I Have to Go, which is a story about the kid who goes pee at all the wrong times, because it's just silly. I think Mortimer is the funniest book I have ever written and if I was going to be in one of my stories, that's the one I would want to be in.

Q: What was the first book you ever had published and was it hard to get your first book published?

A: My first published book was Mud Puddle. It did not take me a long time to get published because I had lots of stories that I had been telling. I wrote down 10 of them and sent them to 10 different publishers. Nine said "NO" and one said "YES".

Q: What should parents do to encourage children to read?

A: First, turn off the TV for an hour everyday and read together. And make sure you have lots of books around. But make it fun. It shouldn't be like homework. Make reading entertaining - make funny sounds and act it out together - kids really like that! Also, find books that appeal to whatever your child is currently interested in. If they like trucks - read about trucks. And do other things together that encourage using words - singing, looking up stuff on the Internet, cooking together. REMEMBER: If your kids never see you reading, they will probably not think that reading is neat.

Q: Speaking about cooking, this year for ABC CANADA Family Literacy Day™ a number of well known chefs have donated special FLD recipes. What is your favourite food and why?

A: My favourite food changes a lot. Here is the recipe I like best right now:

Beef Vindaloo (Indian Dish)

1 tbsp ground coriander seed 1/2 tsp ground cumin seed
1 tsp ground turmeric 1/2 tsp powdered mustard
1/2 tsp cayenne 1 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground ginger 2 tbsp cider vinegar
3 tbsp onion flakes 1/4 tsp garlic powder
3 tbsp cold water 2 tbsp butter, margarine, or oil
2 lb. lean shoulder of beef 2 1 /2 cups hot water
1 1/2 tsp salt 5 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Combine the first 8 ingredients and mix to a paste. Rehydrate onion and garlic in cold water, and sauté in butter, margarine, or cooking oil. Add the paste and cook 1 to 2 minutes.

Trim and discard the fat from the beef. Cut the meat into 1/2 inch pieces and add. Cook in its own juice 10 minutes. Add hot water and cook until tender (about 40 to 50 minutes).

Add salt and lemon juice. Serve over rice.

Yield: 6 servings

Q: Do you like to cook? If you were a chef, what would you prepare especially for children?

A: I do like to cook and for kids I like to make macaroni and cheese, but I make it with real cheese and not from a box.

Q: When your children were younger, what did they like to eat and what did they really dislike?

A: My kids liked spaghetti and steak and french bread. They did not like venison (deer meat) or moose meat.

Q: Speaking of your children, do you have any books written just for them?

Yes, I have three books based on my own kids. Andrew's Loose Tooth is for my son Andrew because he hated having his teeth pulled, Makeup Mess is for my daughter Julie because she really, really liked makeup and Something Good is for my daughter Tyya because we always fought about what to get when we went grocery shopping.

Q: Are you in any of your books?

A: Yes, I have been the dad in some of the books. One of the illustrator's I work with most, Michael Martchenko, has drawn me as the dad in some of my books.

Q: You seem to work with Michael Martchenko a lot. Do you have a special working relationship with him?

A: Michael and I are friends and we work really well together.

Q: How many books do you have in print?

A: By the fall of 2005, I will have 47 books in print. My latest book in print is Sandcastle Contest and my new one this fall is I'm So Embarrassed, but I have many unpublished stories (about 200) and I don't finish most of my stories. Only about one in ten gets done.

Q: Who was your favourite author when you were a child?

A: I loved Dr. Seuss and I really liked The Five Hundred Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins. Dr Seuss was a real inspiration to me - he was my idol.

Q: What is your most famous book?

A: It's called Love You Forever. It's sold about 18 million copies. So many people have written to me to tell me how much they like it and that it makes them cry - especially mothers.

Q: You're a children's author but do you feel your books have a more universal appeal?

A: I think so. Lots of older people, especially mothers, have copies of Love You Forever and I get mail from people telling me they still love my books even though they are grown-up. I recently did a guest chat online at ytv.com for ABC CANADA Family Literacy Day™ and I had a 16 year old write in to tell me that she loved my books and said it was my fault that she loved reading so much! That's a really good problem to have caused someone. And my father, who is 93, really likes my books.

Q: How long does it take you to write a book?

A: About five years. That's because I tell it until it gets to the point where I think it's worth writing down.

Q: So which book did you have the most trouble writing?

A: Moira's Birthday because the editor kept wanting to change it.

Q: What do you do to help the literacy cause?

Mostly I write my books. I also travel around and do storytelling at schools (I have visited about 500 schools so far) so kids get interested in stories and then I hope they will go to the library and find my books and other books that will interest them. I am always really touched when parents contact me and say their child started reading because of a book I wrote. The child had the parents read the books many times and then eventually started reading it themselves. This is one of the great things about being an author for children. I am also the Honorary Chair of ABC CANADA Family Literacy Day™ so I am helping ABC CANADA spread the word about the importance of everyone in Canada being able to read, write and do math.

For more information contact Elizabeth Fawcett, Communications Manager, 416-442-2981 1-800-303-1004 or efawcett@abc-canada.org.