Cheers to JACOB’S MISSING BOOK by Sarah & Ian Hoffman, Illus. by Chris Case (Magination Press), which released Sept. 3rd. Let the #BookBirthday celebration continue!
Jacob—the star of one of the most banned books of the decade—is back in this kid-friendly story about book banning, censorship, and LGBTQ+ rights.
“A timely story about censorship…There’s a lot to like here: the child’s-eye perspective on the impact of book bans; the gentle depiction of why representation is important; and the ending that doesn’t offer a saccharine resolution, but leaves room for hope. It’s a book that shouldn’t be necessary—but given the current climate, it should be a helpful conversation starter for children experiencing book bans and the grown-ups seeking to explain them.” ― Mombian
Sarah and Ian Hoffman are the authors of three other acclaimed Jacob books, illustrated by Chris Case: JACOB’S NEW DRESS (Albert Whitman), and JACOB’S ROOM TO CHOOSE & JACOB’S SCHOOL PLAY (Magination Press). They live in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Time to ask some questions!
Q 1. Congratulations on your latest Jacob book. The irony of having the main character of this series, smart, sensitive Jacob, whose other books –in real life–have been banned, wonder why a book he loves might be “missing” is bitter-sweet. When did you first come up with this concept? How did the story line evolve?
S & I Hoffman: One day Ian was having lunch with his friend Charlie, having a gloomy talk about banned books. To lighten the mood, they started joking about writing a children’s picture book about banned books (possibly the worst idea ever for a children’s picture book). Sitting laughing with a friend, Ian started to wonder how would you tell that story?
What would happen if kindergarteners ran into a book ban? He wrote a rough story outline, which was more of a thought experiment than a serious proposal, and showed it to Sarah. Sarah thought it was a great idea, and that they should immediately send the outline to their editor at Magination Press. Ian was unsure, as he still thought it was possibly the worst idea ever for a children’s picture book. Sarah emailed the outline anyway. Forty minutes later our editor wrote back that she wanted to see a full manuscript ASAP. After that, we got to work!
Q 2. We see that AND TANGO MAKES THREE, a true story by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell, illus. Henry Cole (S&S), one of the most banned and challenged children’s books since its initial publication almost 20 years ago, was recently re-released. Did you always think JACOB’S MISSING BOOK would revolve around this book?
S & I Hoffman: We did not have And Tango Makes Three in mind when we started out. We knew the missing book should be something that could be a child’s favorite and on the banned books list. There came a point working on the manuscript where we had to decide whether to use an actual banned book, or invent a banned book.
Our son, Sam, suggested it would be easier to write the scene with an actual book. Then if we didn’t like it, we could re-write it with an invented book. And Tango Makes Three is a huge favorite in our house, so that was the natural choice for the banned book. Once we wrote that scene, using Tango as the missing book opened up so many possibilities that we ran with it.
Process
Q 3. Since you are co-writers, what is your process in creating a book together? Who goes first? How do you share your ideas? Any tips to insure a smooth, successful collaboration?
S & I Hoffman: We’ve been working together on all sorts of projects for the last 27 years. Not just writing; we’re also business partners and parents. What we’ve learned works best for us is that someone comes up with an idea. They run it by the other person to make sure it’s worth spending our collective time on. Then we divide up the work according to our skills.
With writing, one of us takes the lead, usually the one who came up with the idea. When they’ve created a “sh*tty first draft,” they bring it to the other one for edits. They ask for the kind of edits they need. So maybe overall concept, or plot, or dialogue, or “tell me anything”: whatever is appropriate for where they are in the process. Then the piece gets handed back and forth and evolves until it’s ready (or we hit a deadline).
Tips for Collaboration
There are two things to a smooth collaboration that weren’t immediately obvious and have taken a lot of practice over the years. One is to be OPEN. Not just open to criticism, but open to new and different ideas. We think very differently from each other, so sometimes it can be hard to hear or understand what the other person is saying. But our best work always comes from combining our skills.
The other thing is to respect that whoever has the lead has the final decision. Usually by the end of a project we’re in agreement on almost everything. But maybe one of us will favor one word choice over another. Once you get really invested in a piece, it can be hard to give up control of the outcome. We’re both perfectionists, so we have to remember to let it go.
Keeping it Hopeful
Q 4. Considering the importance of your approach to this controversial topic, and all of the opposition you’ve faced with previous Jacob books, how did you manage to keep this story hopeful?
S & I Hoffman: We think kids are magic. We tapped into their kind of storytelling when we imagined how Jacob and his friends would explain the missing book to Noah. We think everyone else has a story worth telling, too.
It’s important to remember that book bans are unpopular with the overwhelming majority of Americans: 69% of Americans are againt them. That’s a lot more consensus than you’ll find for most issues in this country. This political moment has been hijacked by a small group of very wealthy, very conservative extremists leveraging their money and the reach of social media. They’re loud, but they don’t represent most people.
Whatever the extremists do, they can’t stop people from telling their stories. There are more people against book bans than for them. If we all speak up, we will be heard, and we can make change for the better. We find that, actually, to be very hopeful.
Revisions
Q 5. Are there certain scenes in earlier drafts that were revised? Or deleted?
S & I Hoffman: Normally everything we write is revised many, many times. Typically, there are 4 or 5 picture books worth of deleted scenes left on the floor. It’s a long, messy process.
Writing this book was different. This time we had the advantage of working with characters we already knew well. We’ve spent a lot of time thinking about Jacob and his classmates: who they are, how they talk, how they act, what’s important to them, and what they represent. So we could (mentally) throw them into a new situation and imagine how they’d respond to it.
We also had that rough outline that Ian had written, which our editor had approved. So we knew the basic plot of the book before we started the manuscript and fleshed out the details. Having an outline really helped. We’re not usually outline people. We wish we were!
Discoveries & Surprises
Q 6. What discoveries did you make while creating this book?
S & I Hoffman: The most surprising discovery was that Emily has two dads! We didn’t know that about her! She’s always been the character most comfortable with and invested in traditional gender roles. That totally surprised us.
Q 7. What surprises did illustrator Chris Case bring to the project?
S & I Hoffman: When we write, we always imagine the illustration. Not the details, but the general sense of what moment in the scene should be illustrated. Chris often illustrates a different beat than the one we’d imagined. Often it’s either the moment just before or just after what we’d imagined. We think that split in emphasis between the words and the illustrations gives the books a livelier rhythm overall.
We love Chris’s illustrations, and are so glad he’s on our team. We’re also grateful to our editor, who lets us work with Chris as he’s developing the artwork. That’s not the norm in picture book publishing.
Q 8. What’s your favorite spread?
S & I Hoffman: The cover. It raises so many questions! And Jacob’s expression is perfect for the moment.
S & I Hoffman: Also when the kids are lined up after recess. There’s such a sense of joy and community in that illustration. Also, the kids building their penguin nests…also Jacob with him mom…it’s so hard to choose!
What’s Next?
Q 9. What’s next for you? Any projects you can share?
S & I Hoffman: We’ve been working on two other big subjects. One is how kids interact with religion in our pluralistic culture. The other is how kids interact with disabilities. We’ve got books on both of those topics in process.
In the meantime, we’re speaking out nationally against book bans!
*Important BONUS Action Activities*
Q 10. What are some ways readers young and old can help protect the right to choose what we want to read?
S & I Hoffman: We have lots of ideas on our website, but here are some of them:
1. Send trusted educators your support, whether it’s a kind word, a note, or showing up for board meetings.
2. Report book bans and challenges to the American Library Association and PEN America.
3. If censorship at your school is creating a hostile climate toward people of color and/or LGBTQ community members, file a report with the US Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights. The OCF investigates cases where students’ 1st or 14th Amendment rights are infringed on because books have been removed from their libraries or classrooms, leading to a hostile environment at their school.
4. One of our most powerful tools in our fight against book bans is our stories. Whatever your platform—social media, op eds, community organizing, or conversing with friends and coworkers—talk about a banned book you love. Talk about the effect of books bans on your life or your community. Because the haters can take away our books, but they can’t take away our stories.
Thank you both so much for joining us today, and for creating this important book.
To learn more about the Hoffmans and their work, check out their web site:
And follow them on social media:
Facebook: Sarah Hoffman
Instagram: Sarah & Ian Hoffman
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