Monday, September 28, 2009

Freckles is (Sort of) in a Book!

Freckles:

I'm in a book! Well, sort of. I mean, there's a picture of a rabbit that looks just exactly like me in a picture book. And Deb sort of knows the author/illustrator. Well, she knows his son. Okay, this is kind of a roundabout story. Here goes...(Try to keep up)

Deb went to a conference this summer and met a children's book author named Benjamin James Watson.  Ben's dad is a famous children's book illustrator named Richard Jesse Watson. (In fact the two of them wrote and illustrated a funny and wonderful picture book called The Boy Who Went Ape. Blue Sky Press, Scholastic Inc., 2008)


Deb's friend Rachel recently attended the Insland Empire Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators conference in Spokane, Washington where Richard Jesse Watson was one of the guest speakers.

What does any of this have to do with ME? I'm getting there...just hang on.

Rachel knew that Deb had met Ben, Mr. Watson's son, so when she picked up the dad's book The Magic Rabbit (Blue Sky Press, Scholastic, Inc., 2005), which he wrote AND illustrated, and she discovered that the character inside looked a lot like me, she bought the book and got Mr. Watson to autograph it. He not only autographed it "To Freckles and Deb" (notice that MY name came first!), but he also drew a great picture of the main character with a magic wand and top hat with stars and a moon coming out of it.

Here's the book:




Here's the autograph inside the front cover:




And, if you go to this page of Mr. Watson's website, you'll see an illustration from the book that shows me, or rather the bun that looks like me. (I'm the one on the left!)

Of course, we hadn't even started our blog when this book was published, but somehow Richard Jesse Watson knew exactly where to place the spots and attractive black mouth marking. Maybe he had a dream about me. Maybe he's psychic. Maybe it was magic!

Anyway, it's a terrific book. You see, there's this white rabbit who is magic and can do all of these tricks, but he is lonely. So, he tries to pull a friend out of his hat. But, each animal that he pulls out jumps or scurries or flies away. Then, he discovers a secret and TA DA he pulls the friend who looks like me out of the hat. They go off to have all kinds of adventures together (maybe they should start a blog! They could call it The Adventures of the Magic Rabbit and the Rabbit That Looks Just Like Freckles!)

Deb says that Ben (Mr. Watson's son, remember him?) wrote in one of his comments a while back here on our blog that his dad had drawn a bun that looked like me in a book. But, Deb didn't pay close enough attention like she should have and didn't run right out and buy the book so I could see. This will teach her to be more vigilent in the future!

Anyway, THANK YOU, Richard Jesse Watson for drawing such stunning and beautiful rabbits in The Magic Rabbit!  And THANK YOU for the stunning and beautiful autograph/picture! Deb and I shall treasure it forever!

And, all you rabbit lovers out there, run out right now and buy this book. YOU WILL LOVE IT! If they don't have it at the bookstore, ask them to order it for you. You might want to get extra copies. Christmas is coming and all the children in your life will love getting it as a gift.

And be sure that you point out to them the rabbit that looks just like me!

14 comments:

Carmen S. said...

Freckles...YOU ARE FAMOUS!!!! Congrats on being in a book, lol!!!

The Meezers or Billy said...

that's just pawsome!!!

Rachel Hamby said...

DeDefinitely one of those ‘full-circle moments,’ don’t you think?

Ann (bunnygirl) said...

Yay, Freckles! Now that fame is yours, fortune is sure to follow!

Deb Shucka said...

Celebrity suits you, Freckles! You've never been so talkative or so enthusiastic. I wonder if we'll be seeing you on the yellow couch soon.

Cara said...

Exciting exciting exciting!

BJW said...

Dear Freckles,

What a lovely post. I've had the pleasure to meet the other magic rabbits--besides yourself of course whose skills certainly seem to extraordinary to be classified as an ordinary rabbit, though there's certainly nothing wrong with that--Chewy and Sniffy. Chewy, in particular, seems to be perhaps a relation or at the very least a distant cousin.

Your two-legged pal Deb sure was a kindred spirit. And quite talented at that. I look forward to reading her books soon and maybe even perhaps yours, since your blogs are so well-written. Do you have any publishing aspirations Freckles? I hope so. Judging by the quality of afore-mentioned posts, you've certainly got the chops.

Lovely post. Keep it up Freckles and give your less hair covered pinkish pal Deb my regards, or a nibble on the finger or whatever is your preferred greeting.

Cheerio. Your pal,
Benjamin

Post Script
My dog pal Linus thinks you look cuddly and soft. He said scrumptious too but I'm certain he meant in the adorable sense and not in any other. We try very hard to make sure that Linus is a perfect gentleman to all animals of your persuasion. But he does love to play chase at times I fear. He gives his regards.

RG said...

Let's see if we got this square, Frecks. Some doppelganger steals your thunder and cops all the fame. You find out about it only through a complicated network of human writers. But you score big in the end and the fame you so deserve now rests upon your sturdy shoulders. As it should!

YowlYY said...

We're thrilled to hear of Freckles' celebrity status...and guess what, mum has already put the book on her amazon basket (whatever this means...). I, from one side, look forward to nibbling the corners of the book, if it is left unattended in my proximity...
- Miss Eve

Richard Jesse Watson said...

Crunchy carrots! What a nice surprise to see this post. Thanks Freckles and Deb. My name is Sniffy. I was the rabbit who Richard Jesse Watson used as his model for the book you mentioned. I sometimes sneak into his studio and use his computer.(Shh...) You both sound like my kind of rabbits,... and peoples. I know he will appreciate your nice shout out for his books. Too bad the dandelions are gone now...

Crafty Green Poet said...

oh how exciting Freckles, you write beautifully about the adventure too!

RoadBunner said...

Those illustrations are gorgeous artwork! And yes, Freckles may lay claim to being that bunny :)

Angela Ackerman said...

Wow, that's so awesome!! Very exciting!

Michelle May-The Raspberry Rabbits said...

That is just so incredibly fantastic! Wow! So great for you Freckles!
bunny hugs,
shell