The Story of The Story of Growl Penguin/Viking, Australia, 2007
Kane Miller, USA 2008

I had the idea of a little monster called Growl long before Where is the Green Sheep? (my first picture book, created with Mem Fox) was even a syllable in anyone's ABCB rhyming scheme.

It started with a few lines - "Growl likes to hop and skip and jump, and run around her garden, but most of all she likes to ....GROWL!" At that stage I wasn't even sure what Growl would look like - I just had this idea of something roundish with a big mouth. Growl's song came next "My name is Growl, and GROWL is what I do". I'm still not sure of the tune of that myself, but kids don't seem to have any trouble thinking of one.

But it was several years before I managed to get the story right, let alone all the pictures.

The sumptuous castle and garden seemed like a good idea at the time, but I'm not sure I ever want to paint so many individual pieces of fruit again.

I knew from the very beginning that Growl would be female (of course she would - my work in cartoons has always been about strong female characters). But it does surprise some people, when they turn from page 1 where they meet Growl, to page 2 where they discover Growl is a 'she'. That proves to me that it was the right thing to do - we shouldn't still have the default position that everything is male, unless it has bows in its hair, or the word 'girl' or 'lady' in front of it. (You know, like we have 'doctors' and 'women doctors'.)

the entrance to Books Illustrated at Gasworks Park on the day of the launch

From the start, I knew that the story would revolve around her being not able to growl, but it took a while to sort out if she would lose her ability somehow or be forbidden to growl. I went with the latter, with the classic children's book plot of the unappreciated talent that in the end saves the day. But along with that plot came lots of things for me about respecting others, about relationships and friendships, about community, about balancing being yourself with the needs of others. There is only the slightest hint that Growl might be lonely, which for me adds to the poignancy of the whole thing.

Julie McCrossin launching The Story of Growl, April 2007

The launch of The Story of Growl at Books Illustrated in Melbourne in April 2007 was fantastic fun, with lots of people, adults and children. The inimitable Julie McCrossin read the book in fantastic style. She conspired with the audience and organised different 'growlers' for each growl in the book, including Grandfather Growl and Leaping Growls. The kids loved the story, and she threw in plenty of anarchic asides for the adults, and then we retired for afternoon tea and book signing.

Growl's first official public appearance was a big success, with everyone sad in the sad bits and happy in the happy bits, and the whole audience growling by the end.

There are lots of wonderful photos of the crowd, but in keeping with my current policy of not posting photos on the Net of anyone who I haven't asked first (which is way too difficult with crowd scenes), you'll just have to imagine them. But here are some pictures of the Growl cupcakes to go on with.

Some of the hundreds of cakes made by me, John, Peter and Nerida, and decorated by me, Francesca, Ivan and Jan, for the Growl launch afternoon tea. Thanks everyone!