Erica Perl is a friend of mine who writes picture books. Chicken Butt! is her most recent title. Erica has stopped by the Little Pond Farm Coop on her blog tour. Here’s our conversation:
Terry: You write funny books that often chickens in them. You didn’t grow up with chickens, and you don’t have any of your own (which we won’t hold against you – I know you are being a law-abiding citizen of a city that doesn’t allow them – another discussion entirely!) Anyway, why chickens?
Erica: First of all, I grew up in Vermont, which is a very chicken-friendly state. However, my first book, CHICKEN BEDTIME IS REALLY EARLY, was based on my observations of chickens on the North Fork of Long Island, NY… these birds were already in bed by 6 pm while some bunnies were dining on the lawn.
Terry: Yes, I see that here with Candy. She’s hopping around at dusk well after all of the hens are on their roosts. She’s also up, earlier too. Forget about roosters being the first awake – it’s the bunnies!
Erica: Now that I am a full-fledged chicken author (CHICKEN BUTT! is my third picture book and my second chicken book), I am most appreciative of hens and their many charms. I have a small collection of chickenphrenalia in my office, as any good chicken author should. My favorite chicken is a paper mache sculpture I received from the Cutchogue Library (not far from the home of those original inspirational chickens).
Terry: Well, I certainly know about collecting chicken tschotkas! Before you go, do you have a chicken joke to share?
Erica: It goes without saying that my favorite chicken joke (of sorts) is: You know what? (What?) Chicken Butt! I also crack up remembering the time that George Bates and I both wore our chicken hats to an American Library Association conference and then tried to cross a major road wearing them. Without realizing it, we had become the famous “get to the other side” joke!
Terry: Thanks for stopping by the HenBlog. HenBlog readers can mosey over to Erica’s blog, http://ericaperl.blogspot.com/, leave a comment and you’ll be entered in a drawing for CHICKEN BUTT! tattoos, bookmarks, and a signed book.
