Here comes another Birth Stories for Books interview packed with info and inspiration. My guest is Elayne Crain, author of the very funny picture book, THERE'S SOMETHING ODD ABOUT THE BABYSITTER (illustrated by John Ledda, Feiwel & Friends at Macmillan, 2025).
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| by Elayne Crain and John Ledda |
Elayne's interview is packed with loads of behind-the-scenes details related to bringing a book from idea to publication and beyond—you won't want to miss a morsel of this one! So let's get to it!
Dawn Prochovnic: Welcome to the blog, Elayne. As I recall, we first "met" at a SCBWI-WW virtual intensive featuring the amazing editor, Elizabeth Law, prior to the launch of your debut picture book. I knew right away that you were a funny one! And now, here we are on the other side of this year's in-person SCBWI-WW conference (that you had a major hand in organizing!), AND you recently celebrated the one-year book birthday for, THERE'S SOMETHING ODD ABOUT THE BABYSITTER (illustrated by John Ledda Feiwel & Friends at Macmillan,). I'm eager to learn more about your path to publication for this very fun book.
Elayne Crain: That is so kind, Dawn. 😊 I do love cracking-wise—making others laugh is a dopamine factory for a nerd like me.
DP: Well you sure do have a knack for it!
I'd like to start by learning about the inspiration that sparked the idea for this story, and the process and timeframe from your initial idea for the book to the story that was fully developed enough to submit to an agent or editor.
EC: Thank you so much! The initial idea came in two waves. Primarily, I wanted to write a story about a subject I had a lot of personal experience with—babysitting (as both a hapless, frequently-babysat kid and later as a babysitter). Additionally, I wanted the babysitter to be a messy character that also evoked empathy. So, I was in the “auditioning strange babysitters in my mind” stage when my kids and I caught an episode of Shaun the Sheep where the sheep stack up to get pizza—and I thought, “Ah-ha--that…but raccoons!” (I have a special soft spot for pest animals, so it was always going to be one of those.)
Here’s the timeline of what happened when:
First Draft (That I Can Tell): 03/02/2021
Revised Short PB: Forever-and-a-Day
Brought to SCBWI First Pages Event with Kat: 11/01/2022
In between: revisions
Received Offer from Kat: 05/24/2023
Contract Signed (w/ Macmillan): 08/16/2023
In between: John Signed onto Project
Rough Sketches: 09/13/2023
PW Announcement: 09/19/2023
Revised Sketches: 11/16/2023
Cover and End Papers: 01/16/2024
Interior Art: 03/19/2024
Font Options: 03/27/2024
First Pass: 05/02/2024
Second Pass: 05/30/2024
Third Pass: 06/17/2024
Target.com (First Time I Saw the Book Online!): 07/08/2024
E-galley and Contact Form: 08/02/2024
Second Proofs: 09/16/2024
Introduced to MacKids Marketing and Publicity Smarties: 04/23/2025
Found out about Kids’ Indie Next Pick: 05/19/2025
Book Launch: 06/03/2025
DP: Wowza! That's a great overview of the nuts and bolts of the process and timeline! Thanks for sharing that!
When you compare one of your earliest drafts of this story to the version in the published book, what stands out for you in terms of what is most different? Likewise, is there anything in particular that stands out that was included in your earliest drafts and survived the revision process?
EC: I’ll start with the two survivors I’m most proud of—one is the whole idea that Freddie’s parents could be clueless enough NOT to spot that the babysitter was actually a bunch of raccoons. I mean, a lot of people just thought that whole concept didn’t make any sense, so the story was a no-go in several people’s eyes/rounds of critique. (Not kids’ eyes—they totally believe parents can be oblivious, I’m sorry to report to fellow parents, ha ha.)
I also *love* bookending, callbacks, and wordplay. So, naturally, when the beginning of the story says, “Freddie and the Babysitter regarded one another,” I had to add the line at the end, “Freddie and the Babysitter re-regarded one another.” And yes, re-regarded is a made-up construct I added for fun read-aloud reasons (re: ‘rere’—it made me giggle). And I can’t tell you how many people “helpfully” told me that wasn’t a real word. But c’mon—it’s a real word NOW; it’s in a book!
DP: I LOVE THIS!!
EC: What is most different is the opening. I must have tried nearly every possible way three stacked raccoons could conceivably arrive to babysit—and some of them, twice. When I finally hit upon the idea of tethering Freddie’s unhappy past babysitter experiences to set up his expectations with this NEW babysitter, that’s when it finally felt like things were whistling well together.
DP: Way to be persistent! (And the opening of your story is very inviting — you nailed it!)
I'd also like to learn more about how you went about infusing this story with humor — and if you have tips and/or resources for other book creators that want to lean into humor (me!!), I'm all ears!
EC: The best advice I have is also the simplest/most obvious/therefore hardest. One, the idea of the story needs to be genuinely funny, specifically to you. It makes YOU laugh. Not that you have to laugh ‘til you cry, but it makes you grin, involuntarily. Don’t try to “make” an idea funny, you know? Work with a funny idea; that way, the baseline, the concept, is already doing a lot of work for you.
Second (and this one takes time), discover and hone your specific sense of humor. One way you can do this-—and I have to give credit to creative Ruth Chan for sharing this idea at an SCBWI webinar-—is to carry a small notebook and write down anything that makes you crack up/tickles you. By forcing yourself to notice these things over time, you will come to see that certain themes and patterns are YOUR unique sense of humor, and that will be fun and natural for you to build on. It’s just like Mary Poppins said, “You find the fun, and snap! The job’s a game!”
If all else fails, at least inject some hard k sounds. (I just added a pickle barrel to a story for this very reason.) 😂
DP: Ha! Fantastic tips, Elayne!
Can you tell me more about how you formatted your manuscript for queries and/or submissions, because it seems to me this is an example of a manuscript that would have needed some art notes to make sure agents/editors knew what you had in mind!
EC: Yes, my manuscript included art notes, and honestly? I didn’t need most of them. But I was new to this, and very excited.
The art notes/illustration notes question is such a hard one, only because editors feel ALL KINDS of ways about art notes, which makes agents feel ALL KINDS of ways about them. Naturally, illustrators (generally!!!) dislike them. Having said that, I definitely use them. I try very hard not to OVERUSE them (which is way too easy to do, and where the whole "try not to do them" advice comes from).
But here's an example from this story:
You can see (from the final product) that the voices did NOT happen off-page, so I could have left that note off, and (looking back), I should have. At the time, I was trying to signal that Freddie's parents didn't actually see the Babysitter all that much, that they were out the door quickly. The second note, however, is crucial...it's essentially the entire setup for the book. And I included the mustache and hat because they are part of the story later. So, these days I would have included only the second one.
Another note about notes: if it's something you are including as a joke and it's essential, include it. If you just have a VERY FUNNY IDEA, you can include it, but as a “maybe.” Like, let’s say you have a piece of dialogue that says, "Robots are ill-mannered." You could add, so it's obvious it's a joke, [Illo: maybe robot drinking tea wearing fancy gloves]. The “maybe” shows you are just brainstorming, vs. [Illo: "robot drinks tea wearing fancy gloves”] which reads bossy, and really, it doesn't HAVE to be fancy gloves and tea, unless at the end, say, the robot becomes a tea sommelier or something, and the illustrations are part of the setup for that.
DP: Super helpful examples and details, Elayne. Thank you so much!
Reflecting on the journey from idea to published book, are there any individuals, experiences, or opportunities that you credit with opening the door for you to bring this story to publication?
EC: Oh goodness, there were so many—and, luckily, I have thanked all those individuals, I believe. But what I can add here is how instrumental my SCBWI (the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) membership was in this whole process—joining was honestly one of my top life decisions (dramatic…but true!).
Prepare yourself for a touch of eyeroll (I’m about to quote myself—bleccch)…I owe so much to the other creatives in our industry, who push me every day to try to be a wonderfully human storyteller—through support and healthy strive drive! As I said in a post about my SCBWI anniversary, I have been so lucky to be surrounded by so many wonderful creators, who raise my own creative aspirations (to, let's face it, monumental levels) simply by being their thoughtful, lovely selves.
Having said that, remind yourself—as often as you need—how far you’ve come, too! When you see people moving mountains in gorgeous, fun, and inventive new ways every day, it's easy to forget that you, too, have been transporting some bedrock.
This book happened because I attended an SCBWI First Pages webinar and connected with editor Kat Brzozowski through it. But it ALSO happened because I had been working my tail end off to have MANY stories, and because I put myself out there. It happened because I was an active SCBWI member, and also because I was in a critique group (where another member told me about this event). It happened, too, because I did a mentorship with Jessica Young, who gave me great notes on the original story manuscript.
I don’t know where to stop the thanks—there were so many people—but I do know which person made the biggest difference in this book becoming real—and that was my editor, Kat.
At the time, I didn’t have an agent, and I brought the first page of this particular story (which ended up being the first three spreads, ms-wise) because I loved it, but it didn’t seem to be getting much traction in the agent-querying trenches. Luckily, Kat saw in it what I saw in it—and then some—and I think she actually said, “This one is really weird, but it’s my kind of weird.” Then we chatted in the webinar chat about Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar, which was another huge sign that we were on the same page for humor. (And yes, I’m still pinching myself for being in the right place at the right time, somehow, to have met her and gotten to work with her! She really is amazing.) It took a while to get the rest of the team on board, but we did it—with a lot of revision work on my part, too, I should add. I’m so grateful that she didn’t give up on it, or me, during that time.
DP: This is such an inspiring and motivating backstory, Elayne. Yay, you!
Who do you see as the ideal reader for this book, and/or what would you love to hear a bookseller or librarian say as they hand-sell this book?
EC: We have been SO lucky with this book. With the bookseller support from the Kids’ Indie Next last summer, and we just recently found out we were one of 10 picture books selected to be a Florida Sunshine State Young Readers Award Junior Book pick, so I guess we can still assume that kindergarten through 2nd grade is the sweet spot for this silly, yet from-the-heart, tale of three tails in a trench coat.
I think I’d just be happy for them to say ANYTHING, honestly. Any positive note from a bookseller or librarian is gold, as far as I am concerned—they know their stuff!
DP: Indeed!
What would be your dream review for this book? Who would this review be from? And where would this review be published or posted?
EC: Ah, reviews! You know, we only ever got two reviews—one from Kirkus and another from LitHub (thankfully, both very positive!). So, as far as dreams go, I would have loved to get a few more from trade publications, to get the word out about the book more widely. (Luckily, word of mouth seems to be helping quite a bit!) As far as reader reviews, I read the first 20 or so that came in—but I quit while I was ahead. So, I actually have no idea what they say—I do love getting letters from kids. I guess those are my very favorite reviews!
DP: Well said!
Speaking of kids, one of my favorite parts of being an author is connecting with young readers at school, library, and bookstore visits, and I’m always looking for fresh tips. Do you have any pro tips or suggestions for fellow author/presenters in terms of planning successful (in-person and/or remote) book-related events?
EC: This is a great question, and I do think that it totally depends on the sort of book you bring with you. But for me, with this book, I’ve found the most important aspect is my tone with the students. I introduce myself by acknowledging that their first question is always, “Why is this lady here?” and by sharing what I was like at their age (they love seeing my kindergarten, first- and second-grade pictures). Then we read the book—and I say “we” because they have jobs to do during the story, too-—and then we make a story that builds off the book, all together. We wrap up with a Q&A—which is my very favorite part. Because I’ve built up a rapport with them by then, it’s always a lot of fun, and normally quite energetic.
I think it helps—and this is going to sound SO basic—but to really think, if YOU were the kid, what would be fun for you? What would make you feel a “part” of what’s going down? And then, try to do that.
DP: That's fantastic advice, Elayne. Your author visits sound like a great opportunity for young readers!
If you could go back in time, what would you tell your pre-published self? Or, said another way, what do you know now that you wished you had known a bit earlier?
EC: “What are you doing? Sit down and start writing those children’s book ideas you’ve been putting off. Also, work hard on your sketching! You’ll thank me later!”
DP: I'm so glad you brought up the sketching! I've noticed from your social media posts that you are actively working on the illustration side of the picture book craft, and I see from visiting your website that you eventually hope to illustrate one of your own books. I'd love to hear more about how things are going for you on this side of the equation.
EC: Oh, man, I really love art—even though the last time I took a formal art class (outside of high school ceramics) was in 5th grade. (I do take workshops sometimes!) And a lot of my very favorite children’s illustrators are self-taught, and I can’t tell you how inspiring that is.
Still, I feel like I’m in a tender place with it at the moment—I’ve gotten just decent enough to see how much more I need to do to get to the level that I see others at. (Especially given that children’s book illustrators are some of the best illustrators alive.) So! It’s going well, but ALSO going to be long-term; right now, I’m holding those two truths tightly together and trying to trust the process. I am SO incredibly grateful for the support the community has given me, as I’ve worked on this.
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| Elayne With Her First Illustration Portfolio |
And, until I’m able to illustrate some of my own work, I will enjoy (fingers crossed!) getting partnered with some of those amazing folk!
DP: Sounds like a fantastic approach!
Is there something you wish someone would ask you about your path to publication for THERE'S SOMETHING ODD ABOUT THE BABYSITTER that you haven’t had the opportunity to share yet?
EC: That’s a really great question! Well, we are in a really fascinating field. When you have a dopamine-valuing system, as I do, I often have to remind myself that the real work is in the less sexy parts of the process—the extra round of revision, making a dummy (again!) to see if you can improve pacing. I guess what I can say, from experience, is none of it is wasted. Either the story will become slightly better—or you will become a slightly better storyteller—and if you are very lucky, both will happen. But you can only control the work you put in, so that’s where the effort needs to go (and go and go).
DP: Such a wonderful, encouraging perspective, Elayne.
Do you have anything you’d like to tell us about what you’re currently working on?
EC: Ah, that’s a great question! Well, I’m working on three main things: a rhyming revision that is a dinosaur story, revision of a prose picture book about a girl who has to change her expectations in a big, honking way when she’s partnered up with an animal she wasn’t quite expecting, and a newer story that (for one of the first times ever), I started with character sketches and have been building the manuscript up after the fact—this particular one stars a ghost and a possum in a meet-awkward for the ages.
DP: Sounds like more fun is underway! I look forward to continuing to follow your work!
Speaking of which, what is the best way for readers to get in touch with you or learn more about your book(s)?
EC: I love this question! And, I LOVE snail mail! Classes, scout troops, or individuals can send me author mail at:
Elayne Crain
P.O. Box 15440
Seattle, WA 98115*
* I would ask they remember to include YOUR address, if you want a response!
DP: Super fun, Elayne! I hope you get stacks and stacks of raccoon snail mail! (And for folks who prefer the web, you can find Elayne here and on social channels such as IG and Substack @elaynecrain.)
Thanks so much for sharing your Birth Story for THERE'S SOMETHING ODD ABOUT THE BABYSITTER with us, Elayne!
EC: Thank you, Dawn! I really appreciate it!
And now, dear readers, you know what to do. The best way to thank an author whose insights have been helpful and/or inspiring to you is to support their work. Buy their books. Request them from your library. Read and share them with others. THERE'S SOMETHING ODD ABOUT THE BABYSITTER is available everywhere books are borrowed and sold, including your own local, indie bookstore, or online at bookshop.org. *Disclosure: As an affiliate of Bookshop.org I may earn a small commission from books purchased through links on this post.
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Birth Stories for Books is an occasional feature of Dawn Babb Prochovnic's blog. Dawn is the author of multiple picture books including, Lucy's Blooms, Where Does a Cowgirl Go Potty?, Where Does a Pirate Go Potty?, 16 books in the Story Time With Signs & Rhymes series, and the forthcoming title, Mama's Home (and Baby Too!). Dawn is a contributing author to the award-winning book, Oregon Reads Aloud, and a frequent presenter at schools, libraries, and educational conferences. Contact Dawn using the form at the left, or learn more at www.dawnprochovnic.com. Subscribe to Dawn's newsletter and never miss an update.
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