I asked Rebecca Lee Kunz, Cherry Mo, C.G. Esperanza, Gracey Zhang, and Yuko Shimizu to each answer two questions and finish two sentence starters.
Cherry Mo: Thank you so much! Oh, the call had my heart pounding! I couldn’t believe the call was THE CALL! I had been half-anticipating a call, and half convincing myself to not expect anything. It was a strange place to be! When I saw an out-of-state number dialing in, I thought, “Oh my goodness, is this it?!” When I heard the news, it took a moment to comprehend what was happening and for the news to really sink in. It definitely felt so surreal to hear the committee’s cheering and applause!
What does a Caldecott Honor for Home in a Lunchbox mean to you?
Cherry Mo: Winning the Caldecott Honor was a surprise and a dream come true! When I had my first call with my wonderful agent Emily van Beek, she asked, what are some of your goals for your career? I had listed a number of things, and one of them was to win a Caldecott. I had listed it without thinking it could actually happen. My creative journey has had its bumps, so this recognition reassured me that I have found my path: to write and illustrate books that I hope can touch hearts. It really means the world to hear how much readers resonate and connect with this book. To all the readers out there—a big, heartfelt thank you!
Home in a Lunchbox came from a personal place in my heart, and for my second book, even more so! This Caldecott is an amazing honor, and I hope that this brings in even more readers who can benefit from reading my second book, which focuses on mental health. If I had the chance to read a picture book on this topic when I was a child, it would have made a world of a difference. I hope my books lend a voice to those who are grappling with their inner journey and offer hope to those who are struggling!
Please finish the following sentence starters:
Libraries are absolutely magical—my happy place and playground, a wonderland of boundless imagination and inspiration!
Picture books open up hearts and bring out the pure, genuine, and playful inner child within all of us. They break down walls and build precious heart-to-heart connections!
