The Picture Book Buzz - Interview w/Molly Ruttan, Stacy Lynn Carroll, Review of The Yowlers Plus Giveaway

Molly Ruttan is an author/illustrator of children’s books.

Molly currently lives in the diverse and historic neighborhood of Echo Park in Los Angeles, where she and her husband raised three talented (now adult) children. She enjoys weekly meetings with her Artist Collective The Mullberries, and her life is full of art, music, family, friends and all kinds of pets and urban animals—even wild parrots!

Molly’s titles include her author/illustrated books The Stray and Something Wild; and she has illustrated I Am A Thief! and Violet and the Crumbs: A Gluten-Free Adventure, (both written by Abigail Rayner).

For additional information about her, see our previous interviews (here), (here), and (here).

Stacy Lynn Carroll graduated from the University of Utah with a degree in creative writing.

She is obsessed with the color pink, Dr. Pepper, and anything chocolate. Stacy is happily married to her sweetheart and together they have three beautiful, rambunctious children. As well as a small zoo of pets.

Book cover - happy dog with tongue sticking out.

Stacy is the author of A Tale of Tails, illustrated by Sharlet S. Gallacher and 8 novels (4 YA and 2 adult romance, and 2 inspirational fiction/based on a true story.)

Their newest picture book, The Yowlers, releases today (September 24th)!

Welcome Molly and Stacy,

Hi Maria!

Stacy let’s start with you. Tell us a little about yourself. (Where/when do you write? How long have you been writing? What is your favorite type of book to write?)

STACY - Well, with having five kids under the age of 15, I have to be very intentional with my writing time. I have a three-hour block of time when I write every week. I lock myself in my room, turn off my phone, and put in my Air Pods to tune everything else out. My family is very supportive of my writing and they are (mostly) respectful of my writing time. I also have an incredibly supportive husband who holds down the fort for a few weekends every year, so I can runaway with some author friends and write all weekend long.

Nice! What is one of the most fun or unusual places where you’ve written a manuscript?

STACY - I’ve written everywhere and anywhere, when inspiration strikes! I’ve written in the car (not while driving), waiting at the doctor’s office, and even in the shower! But my absolute most favorite place to write is at my family’s cabin in Bear Lake, Idaho. It’s so beautiful and peaceful up there!

Sounds like a fun place. So, Stacy, what was your inspiration for The Yowlers?

Book Cover - Yowler house sits under a rain cloud pouring on it and the mom, dad, baby and two girls scream and grump.

STACY - Having five kids in eleven years! Haha! I noticed that if one person was grumpy or angry, it would rub off on everyone else. Soon, my family would basically turn into the Yowler family, with everyone screaming and yelling at each other. I wrote this story to teach my children about the power of kindness. Serving others, even with just a smile, can instantly put both of you in a better mood. Kindness is catching!

Oh, I like that - "Kindness is catching." Molly, what about The Yowlers manuscript appealed to you as an illustrator?

Title page - raised garden bed of vegetables, being raided by three rabbits.

MOLLY - I love combining realistic imagery with the fantastical in my art; I love tapping into the whimsical part of my mind when I’m creating. This manuscript, with its premise being how kindness can be transforming, provided the perfect opportunity to do that. Also, the manuscript starts out describing each of the Yowler family members, and how they are grumpy. This inspired me to create lively characters and put them in humorous situations to play off of it. Basically, the manuscript was full of potential for playfulness!

It felt like the perfect companion to your earlier book, The Stray. What was the hardest or most challenging thing for you each of you about writing or illustrating The Yowlers?

STACY – People often think writing picture books is easy. But it’s actually really hard! With novels, you can go on and on, describing scenes in as many words as you like. But with picture books, you are limited to a very strict number of words to get your entire story across. You also have to be careful not to repeat words that can already be seen through the illustrations. And, of course, you want to get your message across in an entertaining way, without sounding too preachy. Writing a picture book is like a very fine balancing act.

MOLLY - The manuscript was given to me with a note suggesting that the characters should start out as monsters and transform. At first this seemed like a simple suggestion—but the execution turned out to be a fairly in-depth process. First it took me a while to decide what kind of monsters they would be. I went through many versions and considerations. As they transformed, they needed to stay recognizable through the change. They also needed to be able to exist in a human environment. Then I had to answer the question of HOW they would transform— especially when I realized one of the characters begins to transform, but then has a backslide on the next page. So I developed a starting point, some middle steps, and an ending point for each character. There were five members of this family! I filled up several notebooks working it all out. It was challenging but very rewarding when it all came together and ended up being much simpler than I initially thought it would be.

Seems like it was a bit of a challenge and puzzle for you both. So, how long did it take (or how many revisions) from the first draft or illustration dummy to publication for The Yowlers?

STACY – Oh man, this book has been through a lot of drafts! The first draft didn’t even have The Nicely’s in it! But with lots of input and encouragement from other author friends, along with my awesome agent, Alyssa, I was able to get the story to where it is today. The first draft was written in 2013, if that gives you an idea of how long it’s been.

MOLLY – This book had a few more revisions than other books I’ve done because there was a significant editorial change after I submitted the initial book dummy that affected many pages. I worked through two different new concepts during that time while I figured it out, in addition to the regular layout revisions. In all, it was a little over 2 years between when I first started sketching and when I delivered the final artwork.

Okay, I take it back. It was quite the challenge. But I think well worth the effort. Stacy, when you first saw Molly’s illustrations in The Yowlers, did anything surprise, amaze, or delight you? Which is your favorite spread?

Internal spread - on upper left mama yelling in grocery store. On bottom left, mama throwing a tantrum in the kitchen. On the right, mama trying to corral three kids in the bathroom.

Interior spread from The Yowlers, written by Stacy Lynn Carroll and illustrated by Molly Ruttan.

STACY – I was so incredibly thrilled when I first saw Molly’s illustrations!! She did an amazing job of bringing the Yowlers to life! And I was so happy to see the way she handled the transformation of each family member. My favorite spread is probably the bathtime scene. Molly perfectly captured the chaos of trying to get multiple kids bathed and into bed.

She did indeed. And I only had two! Molly, is there a spread that you were especially excited about or proud of? Or perhaps one which is your favorite spread?

Internal spread - upper left, papa with a shovel chasing rabbits from garden. Lower left, papa growling over messy footprints in hall. On the right, entire family screaming and growling as papa stands on a ladder trying to fix a leaking ceiling.

Interior spread from The Yowlers, written by Stacy Lynn Carroll and illustrated by Molly Ruttan.

MOLLY - The first three spreads of the book are dear to me, because even though the text describes the Yowler family at their worst, I wanted to show in a humorous way how we all could relate. I also wanted to show that there was love & good intentions underneath the grumpiness—Papa is trying to fix the leaks; Mama is trying to make dinner for her family! By the time I was done with these pages, I felt I had a very solid understanding of who each of them was.

You masterfully created "monster-images" of many (most) of us, at one time or other, that are totally relatable. Molly, many illustrators leave treasures or weave their own story (or elements) throughout the illustrations. Did you do this in The Yowlers? If so, could you share one or more with us?

MOLLY - At a certain point in the story, Papa Yowler is cutting the grass with scissors. Backstory: I took care of my elderly mother (she lived with us) for many years. She was an avid gardener and loved to spend her days weeding and trimming the yard. But no matter how many gardening tools were available, her favorite tools to use were kitchen knives and scissors! Fast forward to a few years later: I was bantering ideas around with my artist collective, trying to come up with an idea for what Papa could be doing in the yard to inspire the neighbor to help. One of my Artist-Collective co-horts suggested cutting the grass with scissors. I nearly fell off my chair! Why hadn’t I thought of that? I loved the idea putting in that personal detail. It’s wonderful to have brilliant friends. (Thank you, Joy Dabby!)

I also included a nod to my two author-illustrated books— there are portraits of the main characters hanging on a wall. (I’ll let you find them!)

What a wonderful treasure to be able to add to the book and thank you so much for sharing it. (I found the portraits!) Is there something you both want your readers to know about or gain from The Yowlers?

STACY – The power of kindness.

MOLLY - I love how the book is a gentle reminder how powerful a positive attitude and/or an act of kindness can be, to both the receiver and the giver. And how we all can develop the ability to choose silver-linings over storms in response to irritating situations, if we desire to. I love how Stacy was able to get this wonderful and much-needed message across in a not-preachy way.

The power of choosing kindness and positivity radiates from the text and illustrations. Brava to you both. What was the most rewarding part of the publishing process for The Yowlers?

STACY – Seeing the excitement on my kids’ faces when Molly brought their favorite characters to life.

MOLLY - I truly enjoyed finding and working with the characters. Because they were emotionally extreme, I felt free to play with their body language and expressions, and so drawing them was entertaining. They have helped me in developing new characters for my next books!

Internal spread - on the left, two Yowler girls stand under their "grumpy rain" and try kicking a soccer ball. On the right the two Nicely boys show the Yowler girls how to play with the soccer ball and the girls smile and become a little less monsterly.

Interior spread from The Yowlers, written by Stacy Lynn Carroll and illustrated by Molly Ruttan.

That's so great. Are there any projects you are working on now that you can share a tidbit with us?

STACY – I have two more picture books, currently being illustrated. One is called Little Brother and it’s about a dog who mistakes her human brother for a puppy. The other is called Midnight Make Believe and it’s about three sisters who learn you’re never too old to use your imagination! I’m also about halfway through another romance novel.

MOLLY - I have three picture books that I’m currently working on; two are manuscripts that I’m illustrating, and one is my next author/illustrator book. I can’t say much more than that, except that if you like worms, grandmas, or talking, you’re in for a treat!

Intriguing! We'll have to keep our eyes open for these books. Last question, is there a plant or flower you love growing or wish you could grow in your yard or garden?

STACY – Oh man, I would give anything to be able to grow ANYTHING in my garden! I have the blackest thumb in the world! Anything I attempt to plant dies almost instantly. I’m better with kids and animals than I am plants. (Thankfully!) [😊Ha!]

MOLLY - One day ,a few years ago, I threw down a bunch of clover seed on my lawn, hoping it would fill in the brown, dead-grass areas. Soon it grew, and one day I found a 4-leaf clover hiding in the masses! Then I realized there was another one! In fact, every time I looked I found another, different one. Soon the clover had taken over, and these absolutely huge clover spreads with 4-leaf clovers hiding among them were growing everywhere! So now my lawn is a real mess, but I love my lucky clover plants, and I will never mow them! [😊Wow!]

Photo of a 4-leaf clover from Molly's garden.

One of several four-leaf clovers that grew in Molly Ruttan’s yard.

Thanks so much, Molly and Stacy, for stopping by and sharing with us. It was wonderful to chat with both of you.

Thank you so much for having me back on your blog, Maria! It’s always so nice to be here. I really appreciate all the hard work you put into supporting the KidLit community. —Molly

To find out more about Molly Ruttan, or contact her:

Website: http://www.mollyruttan.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/molly.ruttan

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mollyillo/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmS4WTZgoc_jRhhRC3DV-Cg

Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/mollyruttan

To find out more about Stacy Lynn Carroll, or contact her:

Website: https://www.stacylynncarroll.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorstacylynncarroll

X(Twitter): https://x.com/stacylcarroll?lang=en

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stacylcarroll

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@stacy.lynn.carrol

🎈🎉 The Yowlers Swag Giveaway 🎉🎈

Awesome news! Molly Ruttan is offering one lucky reader a book, a sticker sheet, a bookmark, and a set of 4 coloring pages!

Photo of Molly Ruttan with the book, a sticker sheet, a bookmark, and a set of 4 coloring pages!

- Simply comment below to be entered in the random drawing on October 2nd.

- Be sure to say where (if) you shared the post (Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram), and I'll add additional entries for you.

- Sorry US residents only.

Review of The Yowlers

I fell in love with Molly Ruttan's illustrations in her picture books The Stray and Something Wild. Her ability to combine aspects of reality with imaginative humor combined so well with Stacy Lynn Carroll's inventive text about the infectiousness of kindness.

The Yowlers

Author: Stacy Lynn Carroll

Illustrator: Molly Ruttan

Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books, Penguin Random House (2024)

Ages: 3-7

Fiction

Themes:

Kindness, friendship, family, and choosing positivity.

Synopsis:

A playful picture book about the transformative power of being nice.

The Yowler family is always in a monstrously bad mood: Papa grumbles, Mama yells, Sara and Sonya bicker, and the baby fusses day and night. They’re so used to being grumpy that when their new neighbors smile at them, the Yowlers are puzzled and are immediately suspicious. And when the new kids ask Sara and Sonya to play? Well, that’s just plain odd. Then again, it does feel good to be treated kindly . . . and all of a sudden the sisters start acting nicer themselves, causing Mama and Papa to wonder if they’re coming down with something. But as it turns out, even the smallest acts of kindness can be powerful. The weather may have been stormy— but there is friendliness is in the forecast!

Opening Pages:

Most people have days when they feel grumpy.

But at the Yowlers house, grumpiness was a way of life.

What I LOVED about this book:

This great opening, taking something that everyone experiences - bouts of grumpiness - and turning it into the central core of a family, is genius. I love the accompanying illustration showing a family of five horned, snaggly toothed, yelling monsters living under a grey, raining cloud.

Internal spread - Yowler house sits under a rain cloud pouring on it and the mom, dad, baby and two girls scream and grump.

Interior spread from The Yowlers, written by Stacy Lynn Carroll and illustrated by Molly Ruttan.

With fun alliteration, Stacy Lynn Carroll takes ordinary events common to families, like gardening, cleaning, shopping, and bathing, and Molly Ruttan humorously shows how the Yowlers instead grumble, clamor, shriek, and brawl. [See the images in the interview above.] Creating the perfect grumpy, growly monstrous family. Placing the Yowlers in universal experiences, Stacy and Molly provide a 'monster-mirror' for kids and their adults of their own reactions to life and siblings.

When a new family moves in next door, Mama Yowler noticed they were "doing something weird with their teeth." The illustration shows them gasp - smiling! I think kids will get a laugh from this and perhaps find themselves affected by the new family's infectious smiles. Accustomed to grumbly grouchiness and yelling over everything, the two Yowler sisters expected there to be something wrong with the soccer ball the new neighbor boys rolled them. "Maybe it's going to explode." "Maybe it rolled in dog poop." But when Ted and Tim nicely offered to show them how to play, a remarkable thing began to happen to Sara and Sonja Yowler.

Interior spread from The Yowlers, written by Stacy Lynn Carroll and illustrated by Molly Ruttan.

I love Molly Ruttan's shift in the colors, not just in the background, but in the intensity of the girls' clothing and the subtle rays of happiness around their heads. As well as the noticeable shrinking of their "monster horns." The next spreads demonstrate how powerful this moment of kindness and friendship was upon Sonja and Sara. Their parent's reaction is really humorous - check for a fever. But it turns out, even Mama and Papa Yowler aren't immune from the infectiousness of random kindness. Even cracking the start of a smile!

The ending is hilarious, inventive, and perhaps thought provoking without being preachy. The book doesn't end in perfection, acknowledging that grumpiness happens. But it's a great visual example of the power of targeted or random kindness. It's a wonderfully inventive and humorous book on kindness, family, friendship, and positivity.

Resources:

Photo collage of four of fifteen kindness activites.

check out fifteen kindness crafts, including a "Friendship Tic Tac Toe," "Back to School Bucket List," and "Kindness Pencil Toppers."

make a list, or draw sketches, of kindnesses you can do for your friends, new kids at school or in your neighborhood, family, teachers, coaches, grandparents, siblings . . . See how many you can do. What happened?