We caught up with Andrew Judge of The Squirrel Who Didn’t Like Nuts to find out how Sid came to life, what inspired Luna, and why sometimes being a little bit different can lead to the biggest adventures. From Formby squirrels to sweet treats, writing mishaps and plenty of chaos, here’s what the author had to say.
Where did the idea for Sid, a squirrel who doesn’t like nuts, come from?
The character Sid came from living in Formby, where we have an active Squirrel population. They frequently run between the Nature Reserve and people’s gardens, so this gave me the idea to create the character and the world I created in the book. The story came from reading to my niece and understanding that children do not have characters in their literature exploring that it is okay to be different at a young age.
How long did it take you to write the story from beginning to end?
The story concept wasn’t too long. I am also a screenwriter, so the idea of the film came first; then I worked it into a smaller rhyming book. This process took around six months with the rewrites.
What can you tell us about Sid and his personality?
Sid is a character who, quite literally, tries his best, but whatever he touches, he accidentally breaks, and he doesn’t conform to the social norms of the other squirrels. He wants to know why he cannot eat sweets, and his desire to search for sweets leads him into trouble.
What inspired Luna’s character?
Luna’s character came from reading to my niece and seeing that, for young girls, they do not have many female characters to look up to, or see them in illustrations do amazing things. I was keen that Luna did not conform to the princess/rescue storyline, and in fact she is the one helping Sid.
If you could spend a day with one character from the book, who would it be and why?
This is a great question. I would say Luna, as she is likely to keep you out of trouble and be able to help and handle any situation thrown at you.
Sid makes a mistake that causes problems for the other animals. Why did you want to include this?
Sid is young, and it’s important that we see people make mistakes; we can atone for them, still grow and learn from the fallout, but also make new friends along the way. The mistake leads Sid and Luna on their great adventure in the whole book. So, it was important to see Sid work with Luna to rescue the situation.
What do you hope parents and teachers will discuss with children after reading the book?
Firstly, it’s okay to be different and that anyone can be anything they put their mind to. With Luna, children will see a character who has been put into a social box and breaks out of it to be strong and capable. For Sid, children will see what happens if we don’t follow teachers’ rules, but also understand we can learn and grow from mistakes.
How did you feel when you first saw Holly Bushnell’s illustrations of Sid and Luna?
I was nervous beforehand, as you’re waiting to see your vision/creation come to life, but the whole process with Holly was amazing, and when the early concepts became the coloured illustrations, it was amazing. Holly managed to capture the personalities and characters perfectly, and this reflects in the illustrations.
Is there a particular illustration in the book that is your favourite?
I actually love the front cover; it reminds me of being at home in Formby with the squirrels in your garden having fun on an adventure. Holly has managed to capture both Luna and Sid in illustrative form, starting off on their adventure without giving anything away.
Where do your best ideas usually appear — at your desk, in the shower, in the car, or somewhere completely random? Normally when out walking or doing sport.
Exercise really helps with my writing, but like all writers, just as you’re getting ready to sleep, my writing brain normally wakes up, and the pages seem to flow better then.
Do you ever make yourself laugh while you’re writing?
I do sometimes. I’m a visual person, so I always picture the scene, so I’m normally laughing when trying to write the funny scenes and capture it in the writing.
If your writing style were an animal, what animal would it be and why?
I would have to say a cheetah. I am likely to get an idea and want to dive into the work very quickly with the planning and writing. I love getting the project finished and jumping back into the drafts.
If Sid could review your writing, what do you think he’d say?
Do I have to eat nuts? Being the chaotic character he is, he would likely say, “What does the delete button do?”
If you could be on any writing team (TV or film franchise), what would it be and why?
I’m quite versatile when it comes to writing screenplays. I have written a number and had other books published. I am awaiting optioning on some of my screenplays too. With this, I could fit in any writer’s room. From a franchise point of view, I would say Star Wars, but I have some screenplays that would fit the style of Steven Spielberg or Aaron Sorkin. I worked on Aaron Sorkin’s development programme for writing so I feel he would be able to translate the script to screen. For TV, I have a few thrillers that could make a great TV franchise.
What was the best thing about working with TAUK Publishing?
The whole process. From start to finish, it was easy. Estelle and the team were very supportive throughout all the stages and answered any queries I had and explained the process. From a publishing point of view, it was reassuring to see a publisher put the writer first and invest in wanting the writer to succeed.
The Squirrel Who Didn’t Like Nuts is out now on Amazon
