to believe in themselves.That’s why I think when I set out to
write something just for the joy of it that I wrote Too Tall Alice. The
notion of believing in myself and seeing me really seeing me is
something that gives me tremendous joy.
What was the process that you went through to develop the character of Alice?
Alice just popped into my head fully formed. I’ve named every female fictional character I’ve created since 1986 Alice. I was pregnant that year with a baby girl. My husband and I were going to name the baby Alice Elizabeth. Unfortunately, I had a miscarriage and was never able to get pregnant again.
How did you and Dom, the illustrator, work together to design the look of the characters and the visual elements of the book?
We talked about who Alice was and what I thought she looked like. Then we talked about the style of the writing of the story. It was very visual, so it wasn’t like we needed illustrations to drive the narrative. We wanted illustration to just take the story further, and we wanted the type to be part of the illustrations. The nature of the story, I believe, called for this kind of treatment. That also gave us the opportunity to play with the type—make it bigger, smaller, italics, etc.—to underscore the action and emotions of the story.
Do you feel that children today have more issues with self-esteem than you did as a child? If so, what are the differences?
I’m not sure that children today suffer lower self-esteem than generations before, but I think they are under far more pressure than generations before to conform to unattainable standards of perfection and beauty. Also, there is so much pressure to consume, to have the hottest shoes, clothes, etc. That is really out of control, I believe, and as a result, children, particularly girls,
don’t have an opportunity to just be children. Ten-year-old girls are dressing like they just stepped off the set of a television show or out of the pages of a fashion magazine.
What five things can each of us do to foster self-esteem in our family and
in our communities?
Be considerate of and kind to each other. Thank people who do something
well or something nice. Praise someone who does a good job. Provide
constructive—never destructive—feedback when it’s needed. Remember,
we all have our issues and life is tough for all of us at times. When someone
is sharing their feelings, listen carefully and let them own their emotions.
Trivializing someone’s emotions is one of the best ways to tell them they
don’t matter or their perception of the world is inaccurate, and that is terribly undermining behavior. Also, be patient with and stop judging others harshly.
How do you hope that Alice’s story can make a difference?
Several years ago, I was reading at a high school assembly in New Jersey.
After the show, a young woman came up to me and told me that she had
been going through a tough time and that listening to my stories helped her
to see that things would get better for her. It would be great if Alice’s words
to readers could help them to see that they’re okay and can be all they want
to be. Tall order, I know, but every message that supports that theory helps.
I’m putting together some curriculum materials for teachers and after school
programs focused on self-esteem and positive imaging. These can help too.
Of course, the place we all want to hear that we’re loved is at home.
Maybe children who hear it’s okay to expect that in a book will start
asking for it at home. That would be great. Another
tall order, but children’s minds are open.