Page 55 - Reader's House Magazine Issue 48

Frankie the Ferret by Kimberley Paterson is a delightful tale that captures the whimsical adventures of a beloved pet, enchanting young readers with its hearwarming story and charming illustrations.
Kimberley Paterson masterfully blends personal experiences with enchanting storytelling, creating captivating children’s books that inspire imagination and warmth.
my dream. Frankie
loved to collect and store items that he considered treasures, socks and hairbrushes were his favorites. If he was able to get those items, we would see him dragging his treasure along to his hiding spot where he
had picked out a corner behind the sofa to keep his treasures safe. It was a simple and natural thing
Frankie the Ferret is based on your beloved pet. What inspired you to write a book about Frankie, and what was the most memorable moment you shared with him that made it into the story?
Your second book, Mysty the Mystical Unicorn, delves into a magical universe. How did you come up with the idea for Myst- y’s adventures, and what messa- ge do you hope young readers take away from this story?
Mysty the Unicorn was created
for my granddaughter whose love
for them was fascinating. I was able to create a unique magical universe for Mysty based on the dreams and fantasy ideas that children have, their imaginations are endless. Mysty is all about believing in yourself and your dreams, never give up, you can do anything if you believe in yourself!
Having raised two children and now enjoying the company of your grandchildren, how have your experiences as a mother and grandmother influenced your storytelling and the way you write for children?
Even as a young child, reading has always been very important to me and I carried on that tradition with my own children and now
my grandchildren. Since a very young age, my dream was to write a children’s picture book that all children would love to read or have read to them. Frankie was my first book and I worked on that
for a long time before I decided that children would love to read about his funny antics, Frankie was very amusing!
Creating a relatable and enga- ging pet character like Frankie can be challenging. How did you capture his personality and quirks in your writing, and what advice would you give to other authors wanting to write about their pets?
Ferrets are not your everyday pet, they are considered exotic and those
9 years we spent with Frankie created great memories. Ferrets are not only very unique, they are exceptionally smart and very loving. Things we never knew until Frankie joined
our family is that ferrets have what they call the ferret dance which is
so amazing to watch. It was easy to capture all of his special moments because Frankie was always getting into something and making us laugh. I kept a Frankie
log where I detailed all of his quirky little traits so that I could put those details in my book. For other authors who are inspired to write about their pets, jot down little details that might not seem significant at the time but when you go to write the details in your book, you will find that those details engage the readers.
What are some of the most rewarding moments you’ve experienced since publishing your first book, and how has the feedback from readers, particularly children, impacted your writing journey?
Ferrets are not your everyday pet, they are considered exotic and those 9 years we spent with Frankie created great memories. Ferrets are not only very unique; they are exceptionally smart and very loving. Things we never knew until Frankie joined
our family is that ferrets have what they call the ferret dance which is
so amazing to watch. It was easy to capture all of his special moments because Frankie was always getting into something and making us laugh.
There was always my dream to write a children’s book, but I was searching for the perfect storyline. When Frankie joined our family, I knew right away that he was exactly what I had been looking for to fulfill
for him but it also made him very happy and content. The most amazing thing about Frankie was how much he loved to be cuddled, he just wanted
to be with us or the other animals, he was never very happy to be on his own.
As someone who has spent your life in rural Ontario, how does your environment and commu- nity influence the themes and settings of your books?
Growing up in a small farming town, we resided on the outskirts
of Uxbridge, Ontario where we
had many different animals such as horses, pigs and chickens as well as dogs and cats. My love of animals and enjoyment of growing up in the country started right from a very young age and I wanted to share my experiences with children.
Reader’s House II 55
D