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Kondo was big. Kezumi was little. They came to me in a dream, and possibly the only reason their story was ever written was that my cat woke me up before I found out who they were or what they wanted. All I had an image of a big creature and a little one looking at the ocean (And a cat who wanted ear scritches).
I also had a big opening in my writing schedule. I'd finished the Ginny Goblin books and it was time for something new. So I sat down with my inspiration and tried to turn it into a story.
At first, I thought it would be another picture book, but I pretty quickly realized Kondo and Kezumi were going to need more space than that. They were looking out at the ocean. Why? Because they wondered what was out there, I decided. So they were going to build a boat and go exploring. And that’s not really something you can do in 600 words.
Read the full essay here
Praise for Kondo and Kezumi Visit Giant Island:
*"The personal relationships, various environments, and building projects provide multiple points of engagement to keep new readers motivated."—Publishers Weekly, starred review
"Recommended for readers who are transitioning to chapter books and who are fans of animated adventure television shows."—School Library Journal
"Goodner and Tsurumi's brightly illustrated chapter book should find favor with fans of Kate DiCamillo and Chris Van Dusen's similarly designed Mercy Watson series... A story of friendship that is both lively and lovely."—Kirkus Reviews
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