Tale of girl and her squash inspires young naturalists

With the last day of school behind us, parents are looking for ways to keep young minds and hands busy over the long stretch of summer days ahead.

For inspiration, we turned to Wisconsin children's author, Pat Zietlow Miller, whose picture book, 'Sophie's Squash,” (Schwartz & Wade, 2013, $16.99, ages 3 to 7) has garnered much praise, success and awards, including the Golden Kite Award and the Crystal Kite Award for the Midwest Division, among others.

Illustrated by Anne Wilsdorf, the story of Sophie and her undying love for a butternut squash she names Bernice sweetly unfolds (or, should I say rots, as produce is destined to do), as nature teaches Sophie lessons about loss and renewal. By story's end, Sophie discovers that life goes on for Bernice, but not in the way she expected.

We spoke about 'Sophie's Squash,” emotional attachments to gourds and writing.

Q: What inspired your debut picture book?

A: I have to give credit for the idea to my youngest daughter, Sonia. She's 12 now, but when she was 3, she fell in love with a butternut squash bought at the grocery store. She drew a face on it and carried it around like a baby. We never did eat it. I had always loved that memory of her finding a friend in something that most people would look past, and I wanted to build on that idea.

Q: Did your daughter's real attachment to a squash inspire you and your family to try growing your own?

A: I have to say I was not as kind and understanding in real life as Sophie's parents are in my book. I disposed of Sonia's squash before it started to rot. I think I bought her a new one to replace it. I'm not much of a gardener, so I don't think planting squash occurred to me. One of the benefits of writing fiction is that you can make things end the way you wish they would have. And there's no doubt Sophie's ending is more satisfying than Sonia's.

Q: A follow-up to 'Sophie's Squash” was announced recently. Can you tell us about it?

A: The follow-up picture book is called 'Sophie's Seeds.” It's also illustrated by the wonderful Anne Wilsdorf. In it, Sophie takes (Bernice's offspring) Bonnie and Baxter with her when she starts kindergarten. I'll just say that Sophie's new classmates don't immediately appreciate Bonnie and Baxter's many virtues. And, Sophie isn't instantly convinced that other kids can be as good of friends as her squash.

Q: Random House Kids includes story time ideas for 'Sophie's Squash” on its website. Have children been inspired to make their own versions of Bernice?

A: Oh, my goodness yes! I have received wonderful pictures from parents showing their children holding a squash lovingly wrapped in a blanket with a face drawn on it ... . That's been one of my favorite outcomes of having this book published.

Q: What advice can you give young people with an interest in writing?

A: Read as much as you possibly can. And, write as much as you possibly can. The more you do each of those things, the better your work will get. And write because it makes you happy, not just because you want to have a book published. If you're writing stories that make you happy, you're already a successful writer.

'Wendy Henrichs is a children's author living in Iowa City. Learn more about Pat Zietlow Miller at her website, patzietlowmiller.com.