The Research Process

Since 1996, I have been writing The Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library and one of the things I like most about writing this line of books is doing the research. I love taking the books out of the library and filling notebooks with fun facts that I think kids will really enjoy, which often I didn’t know myself. Did you know that all kittens are born with blue eyes? That there are more breeds of dogs than any other mammal? That armadillos have four babies at the same time all boys or all girls? I like to imagine some of the kids wowing their parents at the dinner table with these fun facts and I’m sure they do.

The Business of Writing

Somehow it turns out that I need to get new business cards made every year. I’m never exactly sure why since I haven’ t moved in a long time, but invariably my website or my blog site or my phone number or something needs to be changed so I’m at it again.

This time, I’ve decided to put both of the major characters I write for on one card. Over the years, I have written for cats, dogs, monkeys, bears and Disney Princesses, but the two characters nearest and dearest to my heart are The Cat in the Hat and The I Believe Bunny so here they are, together for the first time. I can’t wait to see who ends up on my new cards next year!

Where Do Ideas Come From?

During my classroom visits, I get asked all the time where my ideas come from and I honestly don't know. For one thing, I get ideas at the most oddball times... it's one of the reasons I always travel with a pen and paper with me- except when I drive and if you know how well I drive you'd know that's a good thing.
But what do you do when you can't think of any ideas? For instance, last week I couldn't think of one idea for this blog so I admit- I let last week pass by without one. But I think if the kids start asking me what I do when I can't think of idea I would honestly answer that I just wait. Get away from the computer, go do something else, forget about writing and 9 times out of 10 something will pop up. Like this blog- ten minutes ago I didn't have an idea and now- here it is.

When Back To School Is In The Air

It is true that both my children are in college. My son is a senior at Ithaca College and my daughter is a junior at Northeastern (you can see them singing with me at www.ibelivebunny.com). Even though I no longer watch them get on and off the school bus, it always feel like September is a time to start the calendar anew. The air is crisper and the days a bit shorter and it feels like its time to take a fresh look at things and jump back into work after the warm, summer months. When I do my Author Visits at schools, I encourage my students to always carry a Writer's Notebook with them just like I do. For me, these are one subject spiral bound notebooks I buy in a myriad of colors. I always wonder as I put them in the cart what will eventually be written on all those blank pages. Will the blue one be a book on oceans? Will the red one be a new book for the Cat in the Hat? Will the pale green one be a new story for The I Believe Bunny? As I stand at the check out line I watch moms with their kids holding pens, paper, and notebooks like mine. Soon those pages will be filled with notes, ideas, scribbles and squiggles. About what? We'll soon find out. It's a wonderful time of year.

When Children's Characters Jump from the Page to the TV Screen

Over the years, I've been part of the production team on a number of television shows that have been spun off of classic children's books. I was at Random House when we produced a Christmas special for HBO Family of "The Country Mouse and City Mouse". Not only did the book come to life onscreen, but it starred John Lithgow as the suave, sophisticated City Mouse and Crystal Gayle as the charming, sweet Country Mouse. I wrote three songs for the show that Ms. Gayle recorded and I was spell bound when she walked into the studio with hair that truly did sweep the floor! A few years later I became the Head Writer on "The Country Mouse and the City Mouse Adventures" which was a rollicking good time. Later, I was asked by Scholastic Productions to help bring the best-selling "I Spy" books to television. It was so challenging to duplicate Jean Marzollo's rhymes that we spent hours doing what she seems to do so easily. I was also part of the writing team for "Clifford" and "Clifford's Puppy Days" and am delighted that yet again that children's books that are near and dear to my heart, "The Cat in the Hat's Learning Library" have become a television series that begins airing this Monday, September 6th on PBS Kids. It's a thrill, to say the least.

Mystic Book Signing

Last week I signed some of my children’s books in Mystic Connecticut at a one-of-a-kind book store called Bank Square Books. I often wander into book stores to take a look at their children’s section and I remember the first day I walked into this welcoming store. The books were beautifully arranged and you truly could see everything. There was a fantastic variety of titles to choose from and I especially noticed the local authors that were featured and, as I was getting ready to move to the neighborhood, this was very good news. Leon (pictured with me here) is the children’s book buyer and I was immediately impressed by the number of children’s titles he had and it was fun to watch the kids as they took time deciding which book to buy. This store almost makes you wish for a rainy day when all there is to do is curl up with a good book. The sign in the store window says “Eat, Sleep, Read,” so to thank Leon and everyone at Bank Square Books I offer this:

At Bank Square books
You see “Eat, Sleep, Read”
With a book from this store
That is all that you need.
Thanks Leon!

Suddenly I Was Singing

I didn’t always sing during my classroom visits. One day about a year ago, I arrived at a school and the air conditioning had malfunctioned and it was incredibly hot in the classroom which was filled with three classes of kids and teachers. I started my usual presentation, but soon realized it was going to take something special to keep the kids listening in the sweltering heat. I have a performance background going back to my high school days when I was onstage in many school musicals so suddenly, out of nowhere, instead of talking to the kids I suddenly found myself singing. The look on their faces was priceless. They looked at each other as if to say, “Is she um… actually…SINGING?” I immediately got their attention and soon they were singing with me. I love surprising the kids because sometimes, actually often, I surprise myself.

The I Believe Bunny on the Big Screen

Last month, I visited a local elementary school and read my books The I Believe Bunny and Sharing with You to the students and had a lovely time. I mentioned to them that I have an I Believe Bunny web site (www.ibelievebunny.com) and they immediately wanted to see it. In an eye blink, their teacher got on her laptop and put the I Believe Bunny web site up on the white board, an interactive board that I hadn't even noticed when I walked in the room. Before I knew it, she clicked "Songs and Videos" and my son Johnny was there in a picture six feet high singing The I Believe Bunny song. The kids were captivated and I admit, so was I. I had told them about how I sang the song with Johnny and my daughter Melody, but it was amazing for them to be able to watch the video almost life-size before their eyes. Yes, I admit, I come from the world of the blackboards and chalk, but white boards are really something!

Writing Songs All Year Long.

I love writing children’s songs and working with different composers to make the words "sing." When I write for Disney or Sesame Street, as I often do, it's important to remember I am writing for characters kids love and every one is different. Elmo for instance loves animals and refers to himself in the third person: "Elmo is happy," so I need to write for him in that style. Winnie the Pooh has lots of friends in the Hundred Acre Wood and The I Believe Bunny lives in the beautiful, flower-filled glen. For all of these characters, the creative challenge is to write songs that reflect their worlds and capture the joy and fun which is what kids love about them. Throw in some educational content, a catchy beat and a sing-along melody, and you have a hit!

Love that Fan Mail!

I love getting fan mail. Often after a visit to a school, I get a big packet of letters from the students and teachers. One little girl drew a picture of me that looked just like me! Another boy wrote,
"Please come back again and visit us soon. We're here in school till the middle of June." Another one wrote, "I loved your singing. You sound just like my mom." A lot of the kids add drawings and one little boy drew a picture of The I Believe Bunny perfectly! I'm going to try and remember to encourage the kids to write me at the end of my presentations so I can grow my collection of favorite letters. They're priceless.

Turning a Poem into a Book

When I first created The I Believe Bunny I was excited by the fact that as an author as soon as you've created a character and the world he lives in, the possibility for stories is truly endless. Last Christmas I wrote a Christmas poem for The I Believe Bunny and sent it out to fans and family. At Easter time, I sent out another poem, both illustrated by the amazing Frank Endersby. What I soon learned was that both poems can easily be expanded into full books by giving more detail and "setting the stage" for what happens in each story. I'm planning on creating two new books from these poems with more to come. So far we have The I Believe Bunny and his friends Skunk, Little Mouse, Squirrel and Racoon. Now, I'm looking forward to working with Frank to create Bunny's Mommy and Daddy Bunny, just as soon as we can.

Oklahoma Friendliness

A few months ago I had the honor of visiting a large school in Sperry, Oklahoma and it was a wonderful experience. I'd never been to Oklahoma and was amazed as we drove through the flat farm lands and then suddenly- there was a school! I was touched by the lovely hand made banner they made to welcome me and presented The I Believe Bunny to hundreds of students in grades K-5. The kids sat in bleachers in the gym that reached to the ceiling and at first I wondered how I could reach so many kids at one time, but they were an amazing audience. When I left they gave me a school T shirt, a wonderful thank-you note and this picture and I will cherish it always.

Sometimes Old School is the Best School

Last week I went to read my I Believe Bunny books to the students at the Rogers International School in Stamford, Connecticut. As always, I came prepared with my power point presentation about how I came to create the Bunny and his friends and the Flower Filled Glen which is their home. When I arrived it soon became clear the school had a microphone, but no computer, so my slick power point was not going to work. This has happened before and I went back to the "old school" way of walking around the auditorium asking the kids questions, singing with them and telling them the story of how I became a children's book author. Though at first I was a bit rattled by not having the power point to guide me, I honestly had so much fun interacting with the kids and was amazed by the level of questions they asked me so-power point or no power point-I truly love it. Here I am with Jack and Maddie, two of the I Believe Bunny's biggest fans. You may recognize them because they sing the "I Believe Bunny Song" on our web site www.ibelievebunny.com. Check it out!

From Children's Songs to Rap

I have been doing school presentations for years, but my children were in college by the time I started, so neither of them has ever seen me in a classroom. That was changed last week when my son Johnny, who is 21 and a junior at Ithaca College School of Music (where I went!) came to see me present my books at a third grade classroom in White Plains, N.Y. It was fun to get his insights into what I do and, because he is a music education major and spends a lot of time with kids, I was able to get his input on things that went well and which could have gone better. I sing a song with the younger kids in grades K-2 and he had an idea for a rap song for the older grades. We wrote it together so here for the first time is the Reading and Writing Rap!

The Reading and Writing Rap by Johnny and Tish Rabe

When you get an idea don't try and reject it
You can write a story when you least expect it
Write down your ideas there's no right or wrong
You can write a story, a book or a song
Keep reading and writing and when you do
You'll find out you're a writer too

From Then 'Til Now: Reaching the 90th Book

Today I turned in the manuscript for my 90th children's book and I'm really looking forward to hitting the 100 mark! Last month I was in Tennessee talking to a group of kids in my power point presentation I show a picture of me in high school (yes that's me!) and tell the kids that when I got out of high school I had no idea I would become a children's book author- I actually wanted to become a singer. I went to college in the 70's and back then people didn't seem to worry too much about how anyone was going to get a job when they got out. My parents never really seemed concerned about how my degree in Vocal Performance from Ithaca College School of Music would exactly lead to a position with a salary and benefits. But somehow things did work out, and recently I've started singing to the kids and teachers who seem to get a kick out of it. I also recently discovered that Sesame Street has put a lot of their segments on YouTube so I typed in "Swamp Mushy Muddy" and there I was performing as the singing voice for a back-up muppet in a song by Oscar the Grouch. Not exactly the way I thought I'd break into show business when I got out of college, but you've got to start somewhere. Check it out below!

Ideas are like Snowflakes.

Last week I was doing an Author Visit in a nearby school when a second grader waved his hand wildly until I called on him and then asked me "Where do your ideas come from?" I remember feeling a sudden panic and deciding quickly that "I have no idea" was probably not the response he was looking for! Where do my ideas come from? Sometimes they come in an orderly fashion when I'm actually working on the manuscript for a new book, but just as often they come into my head from out of the blue when I'm standing in line to pay for groceries, walking into the library or driving my car. I carry notebooks with me at all times and jot down the ideas just as quickly as I can, even if it's just a scrap of a rhyme which has woken me up in the middle of the night.

I remember going to a concert and hearing Kenny Rogers sing and walking into my hotel room and writing the words The I Believe Bunny down in my notebook. Something about the sound of his amazing voice had inspired me to want to write a story about a bunny who believed in himself and in God's love. So, I took a breath and answered the boy as honestly as I could "I'm not always sure where my ideas come from, but I always write them down because ideas are like snowflakes- if you're not careful they quickly disappear." He nodded and smiled and wrote that down in his notebook.

The I Believe Bunny's 1st Baby Shower

There is no doubt that when you are a full-time children's book author you spend a lot of time living inside worlds you create in your head. Because of that I especially love going to fun gatherings with my family and friends where I can share what I'm doing and catch up on the latest things going on with them. Last Saturday was just such a time as I went to my friend Tony's daughter Lindsay's baby shower. Tony and his wife Debbie were nice enough to buy copies of The I Believe Bunny and Sharing with You for everyone at the shower and when I announced that they all were going to get a signed copy of my book I told them it was my "Oprah moment" thanks to Tony and Deb's generosity. I have done book signings for years, but I always get a kick out of who people want the books signed to, sometimes to themselves, a child or grandchild, sometimes they can't decide so I just sign something general, but I always put the date under my signature. I know not all authors do this, but I remember looking back at my original copy ofThe Cat in the Hat which was signed by my mother as a gift to me in 1958 and it always makes me smile. The I Believe Bunny was a big hit at his first ever baby shower! I'm looking forward to many more- he is too.

What Inspired Tish Rabe to Write The I Believe Bunny?

In this beautiful Easter season it is joy for me to look around and see all the pictures of The I Believe Bunny that fill my office. It is an amazing gift for me to know that on the covers and the pages of these books is a brand new character who first came to life in my mind and my heart.

Over the years I have written over 85 children's books, but always for wonderful characters developed by someone else, Curious George, the Cat in the Hat and Clifford to name only a few, but I've always wanted to create a character that I could bring to life with all the creative ideas and magical stories that dance inside my head.

The world today is a pretty uncertain place, but I knew right from the start that I wanted The I Believe Bunny to live in a world that was warm, secure and beautiful and, for however much time children and their families could spend with him, they would truly feel at peace.

So, this Easter is special for me because more and more each day the gentle messages of The I Believe Bunny stories are going beyond my imagination and out to children everywhere. It truly is the most wonderful feeling a children’s book author can have.

Poems and Prizes

Over the weekend I wrote my next poem in the series I'm creating for The I Believe Bunny and was excited to learn that my book "The I Believe Bunny" just won a Mom's Choice award! My latest poem is a tribute to the beauty of spring and the Easter season and I plan to put it on my web site and www.ibelievebunny.com in the next few weeks. I'm also really looking forward to my upcoming author tour of the U.S. beginning in Tulsa, Oklahoma the first week in March!