Pebble and Po celebrates friendship and kindness, and explores the importance of asking for help when you need it.
Asking for help can sometimes feel difficult, even for grown-ups, because of the worry that it might be seen as a sign of weakness. I wanted to make a book that highlights how asking for help when you need it is actually a sign of strength, and an important part of becoming a resilient and independent person.
There have been times where I wish I had asked for help earlier. It would have saved sleepless nights and hours of worry. Working in schools, I have been lucky enough to be a listening ear for children who have found the courage to ask for help. Whether it’s a matter of not understanding what happened in class, or worries about how to handle difficult friendships, no matter the scenario, the relief that comes from asking for help is always evident. I think it is something many adults still try to juggle, but it’s never too early to begin the conversation.
The animal characters in the book are still learning how to ask for, and accept, help. Pebble is a very kind rabbit who loves to offer a helping hand, but she is not so good at asking for help herself. She worries about letting everyone else down. Bird is too proud to ask, and Fox is too embarrassed. All these feelings are normal, but they soon discover how much better things can be when they reach out and work together.
Writing the text involved lots of talking and editing with the wonderful Stephanie Stansbie. Boiling the story down to its essence, removing unnecessary text and shaping the flow. Developing the characters was such a fun part, making them as distinct as possible. Pebble is full of energy, chatty and a bit scatty. Po is a calm presence. He doesn’t utter a word throughout the book but expresses himself nonverbally using his body language and actions. Bird is very proud and a little bossy, and Fox is sweet and innocent.
Illustrating animals was a first for me, so I made plenty of sketches to develop the characters and find my feet. I worked with Rebecca Essilife, the amazing Art Director, to give the animals personality and to let each character shine. Po started out blue! Whilst we loved the colour, he blended in with the background a bit too much so we chose a brown that worked better. There was lots of storyboarding and revisions along the way.
I hope readers will take away something positive from the story, whether it’s enjoying an adventurous walk with friends, celebrating kindness and friendship, or recognising the strength it takes to ask for help. It’s been a joy to make and I hope this comes across on the pages.
Emma xx
