A Rabbit And Fox Story: Learn To Tie Shoelaces
Children's Interactive Picture Book
Date Published: 11-06-2021
No Laces! That’s what Boo, the bunny, always says. He doesn’t want to learn to tie them. He has plenty of shoes for every occasion and none of them have laces or strings. So, what’s the point of learning to tie? His friend, Farah Fox, convinces him that it’s a skill he can use. . . and one that might make him happier, too.
This book is meant to be a parent-child activity. Youngsters can read Boo’s story and their parents can help with the how-to-tie instruction pages. A fun shoelace-themed “I Did It” badge is included at the back of the book to give in celebration of conquering this difficult task.
Interview with Sybrina Durant
How did you become involved with the subject or theme of your book?
About 30 years ago, I had the need to learn to tie a tie. There weren’t any books for kids on that subject, so I after I learned how to tie that tie, I wrote an instructional picture book myself. “Learn To Tie A Tie With The Rabbit and The Fox” was the start of my Learn To Tie With The Rabbit and The Fox series of books. “Boo’s Shoes – Learn To Tie Shoelaces” is the sixth book in the series. All of my learn to tie books contain a story and a set of instructions featuring a rabbit and a fox who work together to accomplish the goal of tying a necktie, a bow or shoelaces. They all have songs, too.
What were your goals and intentions in this book, and how well do you feel you achieved them?
My intention is to entertain and pique the interest of a child who is in the process of trying to learn a difficult task. I also hope that parents or guardians are encouraged to read the book with the child as they follow the instructions for tying, together. The books have received quite a bit of praise for openly encouraging this parent-child participation.
What was the hardest part of writing this book?
This was actually the hardest book in the series for me to write. It was easy to write the first Learn To Tie A Tie book because it was based off of an old word-of-mouth folktale. That story contained a simple mnemonic which helped children easily remember the instructions. For Boo’s Shoes, I had to think outside of the box to come up with a story that would be fun and interesting to kids and yet still help them remember the steps for tying their shoelaces.
What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
Researching all of the cool shoes that are available for kids these days. Wow, there are so many different types of footwear for every activity under the sun. I also really enjoyed the process of interacting with the illustrator. Pumudi Gardiyawasam created two adorable characters in Boo and Farah. Her ability to capture emotions in facial expressions is exquisite. She also did a great job with the technical part of the book. The lacing pictures are very easy to follow. Another thing I enjoyed was writing the song for this book. “No Laces” can be heard on the book trailer at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v15ir7QMm3s&list=PLybqF-7D4W3FEWsen22nlL17Qatbw8IqF
Where there alternate endings you considered?
I never considered any alternate endings for Boo’s Shoes. The ultimate goal was for him to get a feeling of accomplishment from learning to tie his shoelaces. With the help of his friend, Farah Fox, he did just that.
Can you share some stories about people you met while researching this book?
I don’t have any stories to share about anyone I met while researching Boo’s Shoes but it was a men’s wear salesman who inspired me to write the first Learn To Tie book. I was searching for just the right tie for my husband to wear to his first day on the job. I shared, with the well-dressed young man, that he didn’t know how to tie one and I didn’t either. Before my startled eyes, he draped a necktie around his clothing that already sported a beautiful tie. He said, “Here’s a simple story that will help you and your husband remember.” He proceeded to tell me about a fox chasing a rabbit through the forest. There were only 6 moves in the cute little story and I did remember it. When I got home, I quickly shared it with my husband. That was 30 years ago! I’ve been sharing stories ever since. In fact, take a look at The Rabbit and The Fox Book Store on my blog. I share rabbit and fox; and how to tie books by lots of other authors there. https://sybrina.com/the-rabbit-and-the-fox-book-store/
What genre of books do you enjoy reading?
My favorite genre to read is unicorn fantasies. You might find it hard to believe but there are literally hundreds of unicorn fantasy books available for every age level.
About the Author
Other books in the “Learn To Tie With The Rabbit and the Fox” series are the book with that name in English, Spanish and Tagalog plus a special little book to gift to boys in a wedding party. “Nellie Knows How To Knot A Neck Scarf”, “Ned Knows How To Knot A Neck Tie” and "Cleo Can Tie A Bow" are also part of the series.
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1 comments:
Great interview, Sybrina, Boo's Shoes sounds like a fun learning experience for kids and I love the cover! Thanks for sharing it with me and have an awesome day!
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