Yeehaw! It’s time to saddle-up and head to your nearest bookshop to bag yourself a copy of Jodie Lancet-Grant’s new book!
“Buffalo Lil and Buffalo Jill look just the same, but they’re as different as an apple pie and a desert cactus. The folks of Lone Ridge love sweet, smilin’ Jill, but think Lil’s too big for her boots – especially when she enters the RIP ROARIN’ RUMBLE, a fearsome Wild West contest, against the town hero Yee-Haw Jack.
But when a huge HOO-HA rocks the Rumble, Lone Ridge might just need both twins to set it straight.
After all, heroes aren’t always who you think they are.”
I had the chance to ask author, Jodie Lancet-Grant a few questions about her latest picture book and this is what she had to say:
1. I love the central characters, Buffalo Lil and Jill. Were they inspired by any particular people?
I do have twin daughters, but I wouldn’t say they are like either Lil or Jill. When I realised I wanted to explore how society responds to girls who don’t present in the feminine, smiley, people-pleasing way we expect, I hit on the idea of twins as a way in to the story. The townsfolk love Jill, but they’re less keen on Lil. The bond these sisters have, though, is reminiscent of my girls’ relationship. They may annoy each other, but they totally have one another’s back. And I also wanted to honour my sister, who is amazing, too.
2. Which of the two twins do you feel is most like you?
Ooh, this is a good question. I’m a combination. I definitely don’t mind causing a fuss, but equally, I do like people to like me, so I suppose I’m somewhere between the two.
3. What advice would you give to readers who need a push to be brave?
So much of my favourite advice is around thinking about the counter-factual situation. What would the opposite of this be? When I was pregnant with twins, who were conceived after a number of rounds of gruelling fertility treatment, I was nervous about coping with two babies at once. Another twin mum, who had also had IVF, told me to try and hold in my mind and body how it felt when I found out the previous attempt to get pregnant had been unsuccessful. She promised me that remembering that feeling would make me feel so much better when I had two screaming babies to deal with at 4 am. She was right.
And I think it’s the same for bravery. How would you feel if you don’t do something. Is not taking that action something you can live with?
4. I haven’t seen many picture books with a Wild West setting. What drew you to it?
This book actually started with the character of Buffalo Lil, a feisty, scowly cowgirl, and with a setting – a Wild West populated only by children. The story grew from that. There is so much to love with this setting. I like to play with expectations with my books, and there are clear tropes and a clear structure to
Western movies that I wanted to mess with. It was so much fun to write. I think that the Wild West also evokes strong gender roles, which were perfect for this particular story, and the message I wanted to convey.
I also want all my books to be super-fun to read aloud. With my debut, The Pirate Mums, I loved bringing in piratey language, and it was just as fun coming up with Wild West phrases.
Clearly the Wild West is having a moment, with the resurgence of country music, and I’m delighted to be a part of that. (Yes, I am aligning myself with Beyonce…)
5. Do you have a favourite illustration or spread? What is it and why?
I do! I love the spread where Lil storms out of the saloon. She has so much attitude. Katie Cottle gets so much drama into the image, both from Lil, and Jill, who is worriedly peering out of the window. And there is something iconic about the swinging of the saloon doors together with Lil’s stomp.
Thank you to Jodie for answering all my questions. I think this would be a great title to not only explore what it means to be brave and take a stand, but also to look at managing winning and losing. Let me know what you think!
Jo.
*Many thanks to Oxford University Press for inviting me to be a part of this blog tour*
Library Girl and Book Boy 